The Initiate Brother Duology

by Russell, Sean

  “It is as the Emperor said: you will oppose him in this matter,” Jaku said coldly, ignoring the laughter.

  “Kattu-sum, the Emperor is an intelligent and reasonable man. He cannot expect me to turn away my Spiritual Advisor and insult the Botahist Brotherhood on so little evidence. If you have more information, enough to convince me, well, that would be different. Can you tell me why the Sisterhood was following this young monk? This is very unusual, yeh?”

  “In truth, Lord Governor, we don’t know.”

  “Huh. So I have been warned. I will watch this monk with great care. There is little else I can do, yeh?”

  “There is one thing.” Jaku turned his eyes on Shonto again, but the effect was gone. “The Emperor has suggested that a servant be assigned to this monk. A servant who is trained to watch and report. I have such a servant. If there were any danger to you, Sire, he would see it.”

  “He would report to Jaku Katta, yeh?” Shonto could not help but smirk.

  “All of his reports would go through you first, Sire.”

  “I see.” Shonto swirled the contents of his cup. “The Emperor does me great honor with his concern, but it is unecessary. I am Shonto and do not need to have a boy sent to look after me. I will deal with this monk in my own way. If there is cause for concern, I will send word to the Emperor himself.” Oh, Jaku, Shonto thought, you must truly believe that you have leverage or you would never suggest a plan so transparent. But Nishima will be safe, he told himself, as he had so many times since yesterday evening, I will see to that.

  Jaku turned his gaze back to the garden. “As you wish, Lord Governor,” he said, but his voice did not ring with resignation.

  Yes, Shonto thought, this is a man always to be wary of. The Black Tiger—someone who could explode out of darkness without warning.

  “The Emperor has given your daughter great honor, yeh?” Jaku asked suddenly.

  “He has honored my entire household with his concern and generosity,” Shonto said almost by rote.

  “This is so. It is good to be in the Emperor’s favor, yeh?” Shonto didn’t answer, so Jaku went on. “I have been instructed to tell you that the Emperor will see to your daughter’s safety while you are in Seh. He is very fond of her, and who could not be? She is lovely, talented, and possessed of great charm—such a rare combination.”

  “The Son of Heaven need not trouble himself. Lady Nishima will be well guarded.”

  “To guard Lady Nishima is not trouble, Sire, it is an honor. I would perform this duty to our Emperor personally, if I could.” Jaku turned to Shonto and lowered his voice. “But as it is, my reach has grown long. Many blows can be warded off by anticipation—this is an essential skill of the kick boxer. It is the skill that makes me valuable to the Emperor.”

  Shonto listened to this performance, fascinated. He almost forgot to respond.

  “And what danger do you anticipate for my daughter, Katta-sum?”

  “At the moment, none, but I rule out nothing. I want you to know, Lord Shonto, that I think your daughter a person of far too much importance to be under threat by anyone—anyone at all.”

  Ah, Jaku, it is as I suspected, your loyalty is the servant of your ambition. And now you aspire to too much! This long reach of yours may yet leave you with empty hands. But what a fine animal you are, Jaku! Such amazing hunger! Yet you think this hunger is your strength, when it is your weakness. You must learn to control your desires. Ah, I lecture, but of course you cannot hear.

  “You know, Katta-sum,” Shonto said turning and looking out into his garden. “Sometimes I think that there are forces outside these walls that are causing an almost imperceptible but continuous change in my garden. Like a man’s spirit, yeh? If he allows the outside world to breach his inner walls, his clarity will be lost. One must always guard against this, don’t you think, or we may lose our tranquillity?”

  “I’m sure you are right, Lord Governor,” Jaku answered, but his voice suddenly seemed far away.

  Shonto watched while Jaku again relaxed his muscles as the kick boxers did—a settling of the body, as though it had just made contact anew with the earth. He seemed to have turned his attention elsewhere, toward the garden, and he had achieved perfect stillness, eyes closed, his hand at rest on his sword hilt. Shonto said nothing, fascinated by the great cat before him as it sank into total concentration.

  Yes, even the sound of my garden is that beautiful, Shonto thought, just as the shoji to Jaku’s right exploded toward them. One of Shonto’s personal guard swept the remains of the screen aside as he came through, face impassive, his sword beginning a tight arc toward Jaku Katta. Chaos erupted all around them!

  Magically, Jaku Katta seemed to be in the air from his kneeling position, his sword in hand, even as Shonto reached for his own blade. The shoji to the inner house jerked back at the same instant that Jaku’s right foot caught his assailant’s forearm, spoiling the blow aimed at Jaku’s torso. Two guards burst through the bamboo stand as Jaku’s sword flashed. The assailant smashed the low table as he fell, dead, and Jaku landed on his feet beyond the veranda’s edge, his sword at the ready, his stance strong.

  “No one moves!” Shonto yelled from his position, standing, his back against a post, sword out. The young servant stood, unarmed, between his lord and the shattered wall, prepared to intercept anything that might come. The sounds of men running and shouting came from every direction.

  Kamu appeared, pushing between the guards at the door, but stopped, stricken by the sight of the dead guard in Shonto livery. Behind him stood Jaku’s lieutenant whose eyes darted everywhere as he assessed the danger.

  Shonto dipped the point of his blade toward the corpse, “Who is this, Kamu?”

  The steward turned to a lieutenant who stood in the frame of the shattered shoji.

  “Tokago Yama, Sergeant of the Guard, Sire.” He bowed to Lord Shonto but kept his eyes fixed on Jaku Katta.

  “He attempted to assassinate his liege-lord,” Jaku’s voice sounded strongly, imposing itself over the confusion, “but fortunately Jaku Katta was in his way. I saved Lord Shonto from having to clean this one’s blood off the Emperor’s gift.”

  “Kamu,” Shonto turned a cold eye on the steward, “all of the guards in this garden are now foot-porters. You will break their swords personally. A guest in the house of Shonto has been endangered. This is unacceptable!” Shonto paused, regaining control of his anger. “Where is the captain of my guard?”

  “He comes now, Sire.”

  “Good. Send for my worthless gardener and assure Lady Nishima that all is under control.”

  Shonto turned his back on the scene and stepped off the veranda. He nodded to Jaku who followed the lord into the garden. Both men kept their swords in hand.

  “Katta-sum, I can never apologize for this occurrence. Never has such a thing happened while I have been head of this House. I owe you a great debt.”

  “I did what any man would have done in my place, Sire. I ask for nothing in return except that you consider the danger around you. To bring one of these treacherous monks into your household now, I’m sure, is a mistake. I beg you again to reconsider.”

  “Your concern honors me, General. Certainly I will consider your words.”

  The captain of Shonto’s guard and the chief gardener arrived at the same moment. Both knelt and touched their heads to the ground, showing none of the fear they felt.

  Shonto motioned the gardener to follow but ignored the captain. Crossing to the far wall the lord stopped before an exquisite chako bush. The shrub had been shaped by an artist of some accomplishment and was beautiful even to the most uninformed eye.

  “This is a present to you, Katta-sum. It is a piece of my inner harmony, yeh? A token of gratitude for today. Shall I send my gardener to choose a place for it in your garden? I believe he is the best in all of Wa.”

  “That would be a great honor, Lord Shonto. But my humble garden is not worthy of such beauty. Now it is I who am in your de
bt.”

  Shonto turned to his gardener. “You will accompany General Jaku to his home and consult with him and his gardener in this matter. You will prepare this chako immediately.” Shonto turned back toward the porch.

  “Every man must have the best garden he possibly can, Katta-sum. It is essential to the human spirit. When a man has as much to do as you and I, he needs a sanctuary, yeh? A place which nourishes the soul. Don’t you agree?”

  “I do, Sire.”

  They passed the kneeling captain again and proceeded to the veranda. Servants were just in the process of replacing the ruined shoji and already the grass mats had been changed and a new table set with cups.

  Shonto handed his sword to his servant who sheathed it and returned it to its stand.

  Both men sat on the veranda edge while servants washed their feet, for they had gone into the garden barefoot.

  “Again I thank you, Katta-sum. I will consider what you have said with great care.”

  Jaku nodded. “Your chako will be the centerpiece of my garden.” Jaku came to his feet on the veranda and paused. “I thank you for your time, Sire. To have seen your garden has been a great lesson. Unfortunately, the Emperor’s business calls.”

  A servant brought Jaku his helmet. Shonto and his guest exchanged parting bows and Jaku was gone, escorted by Shonto guards. The shoji closed and Shonto was alone with his servant and the Captain of the Guard who still knelt in the garden’s center. Except for the trampled bamboo, there was no sign of the attempted assassination. The garden was again tranquil.

  Shonto tapped the table impatiently. “Where is my fruit?” he demanded. The servant bowed quickly and turned to crack the shoji. Shonto gestured to have the cups filled and the boy leaned forward to pour.

  “Fill them both,” Shonto instructed. Raising a cup, the lord turned to face his servant. “A toast,” he said. The boy was confused but looked attentive all the same.

  “You cannot toast without a drink,” Shonto nodded at the second cup. The servant still hesitated and then realized what honor his lord offered him. He reached for the second vessel.

  “To your new position—junior assistant to Kamu. You have studied arms?” The boy nodded as if in a dream. “Good. You will begin tomorrow. What is your name?”

  “Toko, Sire.”

  “So, Toko, you were brave today and quick. These are important qualities. You may do very well if you pay attention and learn quickly. Drink.” Shonto looked at the boy as if seeing him for the first time. How long had he been one of Shonto’s personal servants? The lord did not know. The boy was no more than sixteen, so he could not have served long. Certain qualities were looked for in servants; physical competence, a softness of voice, attractiveness, and an inner stillness that made them totally unobtrusive. Toko exhibited all of these.

  The boy touched his head to the mat, “This is too great an honor, Sire.”

  “We will see. But today you are still a servant and I am waiting for my fruit.”

  The boy turned to the shoji, opening it a fraction, and then placed a bowl on the table.

  “Kamu-sum is here, Sire,” the servant said softly.

  The lord nodded and turned back to the garden and began popping segments of a peeled orange into his mouth. The old man was there, bowing, waiting in silence. Shonto finished his orange, savoring each segment, having so recently been reminded of how easily it could be his last.

  “So, Kamu, a morning of surprises, yeh?”

  “I feel nothing but shame, Sire. This lapse in security is my responsibility entirely. An assassin among your own guard….” He shook his head in disbelief. “I…I grow old and forgetful, Sire. I am no longer worthy to serve you.”

  “I will decide that. Has our young Brother arrived?”

  “Not yet, Sire.”

  “So,” Shonto nodded toward the Captain of the Guard, “I will talk with this one now.”

  Kamu rose and went to the single step off the veranda where he cleared his throat. The captain raised his eyes for the first time since entering the garden. Kamu nodded, commanding without words in the manner of those accustomed to power.

  The steward turned to leave, but Shonto raised his hand and Kamu returned to his place and his silence.

  The Captain of the Shonto House Guard walked toward the two men sitting on the veranda. He had no doubt about who was to blame for the morning’s incident and he had no doubt of what the result of it would be—and that, the captain believed, was justice. For this reason he remained entirely composed and Shonto had a second of admiration for the man’s unruffled dignity. It would not sway him in his judgment, however.

  Rohku Saicha had been the Captain of the Guard for a decade. He was forty-seven years old. During the time of Shonto’s father, the captain had been a renowned soldier and had risen through the ranks during the Interim Wars that led to the establishment of the Yamaku Dynasty. It was said that when it came to intrigue Rohku could uncover a plot before it had been spoken. This had made him the perfect choice for Captain of the Guard—until today.

  Rohku Saicha stopped before Shonto and took the sheathed sword from his sash, laying it carefully on the gravel border before the veranda. He bowed his head to the ground and spoke without looking up.

  “I return this gift to you, Lord Shonto. I am no longer worthy of it.”

  Shonto nodded. The immediate responsibility for any breach in security belonged to the Captain of the Guard and though he was of lesser rank than Kamu, the captain’s will prevailed in matters of security. Below the lord himself, the ultimate responsibility for anything occurring within the Shonto domain rested with the steward and he could therefore be held to blame, though this would not be usual—at least not in Shonto’s House. He was not known for the irrational purges of his staff that other lords indulged in.

  “So, I ask you both. How is it that this assassin, this Tokago Yama, came to be in my personal guard?”

  The Guard Captain spoke. “Tokago Yama is the son of Tokago Hideisa who was a captain in your father’s Fourth Army. Hideisa-sum was killed in the battle in which your father was betrayed, I honor his memory. The Takago have served the House loyally for seven generations, though Yama-su…Yama has brought them eternal shame.

  “He was assigned to your personal guard recently, Sire. I did this at his request because he said,” Rohku stopped and spoke slowly, recalling the words with care, “that guarding his lord required utter concentration and took his mind away from his grief. I was swayed by this, Sire. His wife and son were drowned not long ago aboard a boat proceeding from the Floating City.

  “Yama was always an exemplary soldier, Sire. I misjudged him entirely.” The man’s shoulders sagged, but his voice remained calm and respectful.

  So, Shonto thought, no one knows but me. How strange. They let their sense of failure cloud their thinking.

  “There was no indication of Yama’s change of loyalty?”

  “Since the loss of his family, Yama has been withdrawn—as one would expect. Of late, he has gone off by himself whenever he could, but in his duties he has always been most conscientious. I valued him, Sire, and I believed he revered you.”

  “I remember the accident,” Shonto said, “a river junk, yeh? Was it ever found?”

  Kamu spoke, quietly. “No, Sire, it disappeared beyond Yul-ho. Strange, because the river there is shallow and easily navigable. It never reached the light-boat at Yul-nan, disappearing with all hands and a valuable cargo.”

  “We did not consider piracy?”

  “On the river, Sire?”

  Shonto shrugged and went on, “So, how is it that a man who, I’m told, revered me became an assassin, Kamu?”

  “His grief, Sire. It must have driven him mad.”

  Shonto grunted. I’m surrounded by romantics, he thought, Botahara save me!

  “So. A perfectly good soldier, from a long line of Shonto retainers, is driven mad by grief at the loss of his family and attempts to assassinate his liege-lord durin
g a meeting with a representative of the Emperor—a man who just happens to be one of the most formidable fighters in Wa?”

  The two men before Shonto made no sound, as indeed they would have made no sound if he had whipped them.

  “Has it not occurred to you that Yama could have chosen a better time? He had great opportunity, yeh? One of my personal guards?”

  “Excuse me, Sire, but that is why madness makes sense. Why else would he choose to assassinate you at…”

  Shonto slammed his fist on the table, his patience at an end. “He was not trying to assassinate me!”

  The wind played in the bamboo, the stream burbled. There was no other noise.

  “I was not here at the time, Sire,” Kamu said in a small voice, “but I was informed that Yama had attacked you and that Jaku Katta stopped him.”

  “Yes, Kamu, and who told you that?”

  “A lieutenant of the guard, I believe.”

  I’m sorry, Kamu, but you deserve this. “Toko,” Shonto said over his shoulder, surprising Kamu by knowing the servant’s name. “Can you remember who gave Kamu this information?”

  “Jaku Katta,” the boy answered quickly, embarrassed that he was being used to shame Kamu.

  “I do not understand, Sire,” Kamu said, all traces of his normal ease of manner gone.

  Well, I won’t shame you further by having the servant explain things, Shonto thought.

  “Tokago Yama was trying to kill Jaku Katta.” Shonto said, and he was sure the boy behind him nodded. “Jaku blew smoke in your eyes, Kamu.”

  “But why? Why would Yama try to kill Jaku here, in your house? And what would make Jaku say the attack was aimed at you?”

  “I can think of a hundred reasons. They could all be wrong.”

  “Perhaps,” the captain paused to gather his thoughts, “perhaps Yama believed his wife and child to be still alive. Taking hostages would explain why the ship was not found. Stranger things have happened.” The Guard Captain seemed relieved to learn that his lord’s life had not been in danger. Of course, this made no difference to his failure of duty. “It becomes a question of who would want Jaku killed in the House of Shonto at the hand of the Shonto guard. The Emperor would have no choice but to respond. Two birds with one stone, yeh?”