An almost imperceptible knock sounded on the inner screen and Hojo moved to open it a crack. He listened to a voice neither Shuyun nor Lord Shonto could hear, nodded, and pushed the shoji closed.
Lord Shonto raised an eyebrow, a gesture his staff did not need explained.
“Jaku Katta has arrived in Rhojo-ma, Sire.”
Shonto reached unconsciously for the coins again but stopped himself. “Huh.” He turned his gaze back to the opening in the shojis. “It would be interesting to know what the Emperor’s Guard Commander could tell us of these coins.”
Hojo nodded.
“Please arrange a meeting with General Jaku as soon as convenience allows. We shall see if it is true—in the dark tigers see more than men.”
* * *
Even by Botahist standards the Prefect of Seh was a very old man and his age inhabited his body in manner uncommon among the Botahist trained. Monks typically remained lithe and youthful far past the age when the untrained had slipped into infirmity if they remained alive at all.
Brother Nyodo, Master of the Botahist faith and Prefect of Seh, moved so slowly that he seemed always to be progressing toward an early closure of the Form.
He set a tightly rolled scroll on his writing table and very slowly turned back to his guest, Senior Brother Sotura, the chi quan master of Jinjoh Monastery.
“There is no brother by that name in our registry; Hitari, yes but no Hitara. Was Brother Shuyun certain?”
“Prefect, I do not think it is possible for him to make such a mistake.”
“You think highly of this young Initiate, Brother Sotura. I begin to wish to make his acquaintance.”
“Perhaps that will become possible at some future time, Prefect. It is the Supreme Master’s wish, for the time being, that we keep our meetings with Brother Shuyun infrequent. It is important that Lord Shonto feel that his Spiritual Advisor is truly his.”
“I only hope this will not lead to…” the monk searched for a word, “…to the willfulness we experienced with Brother Satake.”
“That is my hope also, Prefect.”
“Hitara…?” the Prefect said slowly. “It is not possible that he was an imposter.” It did not seem to be a question, so Sotura did not respond. “Is there not a Hitara in the Book of Illusion, Sotura-sum? I seem to remember…” He trailed off, a look of confusion and then dismay at his failure of memory.
“In the description of the Divine Vale.” Sotura picked up the thread. “I had forgotten. Hitara—he who died and was reborn. The servant who served the Perfect Master faithfully when all others left for fear of the Emperor. Hitara rose from the flames of his funeral pyre: ‘It was as though he stepped from the mist, and though the smoke and flames threatened to consume him, Hitara was untouched by them. He was like one arising from a dreamless sleep. When told of the seven days he had lain dead while his family mourned, he fell to his knees and offered up his prayers. And his funeral became the celebration of his rebirth and the celebration of his birth became the celebration of his life to be, for no other man had known such a miracle.’”
Both monks fell silent at this. Rain fell on the tiles in the courtyard, washing away the hail that had collected earlier. A knock rattled the inner shoji.
“Please enter,” the Prefect said, surprised that his words came out in a near whisper.
The shoji slid aside, revealing an Initiate of the faith, head bowed to the mat.
“Initiate?” the old man said, regaining his voice somewhat.
The young monk moved forward and placed a small stand bearing a neatly folded letter within reach of his superior, then retreated and waited in silence.
“Please excuse me, Brother Sotura, I must attend to this.” He unfolded the crisp paper and read quickly. The Prefect nodded as though acknowledging spoken words and turned back to the attending Initiate. “He must be observed whenever possible. I will receive daily reports.”
The messenger nodded, bowed and retreated from the room, the screen closing behind him.
The Prefect turned to the chi quan master. “General Jaku Katta has entered Rhojo-ma. He comes in an Imperial Barge, making one wonder at Brother Hutto’s recent news.”
Sotura paused for a moment, reflecting. “The Son of Heaven has made no public gesture that would indicate that Katta does not stand in the light of the Throne. But I have found that one ignores Brother Hutto’s information at great risk.”
The older man nodded. “I agree, Brother. Appearances mean little in the world of the Emperor. He treats Lord Shonto as a great favorite, but only a fool would accept this as the truth.”
“Jaku Katta in Seh…this is a cause for concern. I find this too much like the opening of a game of gii. There are too many pieces for one to see clearly. It is complicated even more with tales of alleged barbarian armies. It is as though another entire set of pieces waited to sweep onto the board at any second.” Sotura met the Prefect’s eyes. “We must inform the Supreme Master of these developments immediately.”
“Oh, certainly, Brother Sotura. There is no question. I have only hesitated so that I may decide how much credence to give your young protégé’s report.”
“Brother Shuyun did not see the number of warriors that the encampment indicates, I agree, but I do not think this was a barbarian ruse. As Shuyun-sum has said, riders from Seh were unexpected there. I fear his information is horribly true, Prefect. I propose that we send word to Brother Hutto and to the Supreme Master immediately, and under both our signatures.”
“I am not certain, Brother Sotura.” The older man seemed to return to his former state of confusion. “It is so difficult to believe. An army of that size? How is that possible? Even the barbarians are not bred from the sand. We would appear to be alarmists at the very least if this army does not exist. I hesitate to sign my name to a report that is based on so little information.”
“Excuse me, Prefect, but may I remind you that Lord Shonto does not question what Shuyun-sum reported.”
The old man shook his head. “One can never know the true meaning of anything Lord Shonto says or does, Brother. He is engaged in a struggle for his life and the future of his House. If the Son of Heaven sent an army to Seh to save his Empire from the barbarians and Lord Shonto could control that army…consider—the balance in the Empire could be altered.” The Prefect gestured slowly toward the walls as though they encompassed all of Wa.
“I do not profess to know the secrets of this Shonto’s mind, Prefect, but I take nothing he does or says at its apparent value. We do have a Brother in the Shonto House, however—a trusted advisor to the lord himself.”
The Prefect’s motion suddenly lost its flow and became almost stiff. “We have had a trusted advisor in Shonto’s House before, excuse me for reminding you, Brother, and he was more loyal to his lord than to his Order. We do not have verifiable evidence of the size of the army in the desert. I should tell you that this is not the first report of barbarian hordes I have heard.”
Sotura considered this for some time. “If I send a warning to our superiors under my own signature, what will the Prefect do?”
“I will feel obliged to report that I am not convinced by Brother Shuyun’s evidence.”
“Conflicting reports will certainly ensure that no action is taken. If Shuyun’s information is correct, there is little time for hesitation. Little time to seek more information.”
“Excuse me for saying so, Brother Sotura, but Lord Shonto’s Spiritual Advisor, for all his abilities, is a young man and new to the north. No experience from all my years in Seh would indicate that such an army could exist in the wastes. I do not feel I would be acting as my position requires to give credence to Shuyun-sum’s report.”
The old man seemed to slump a little as though this rebuttal had taken all the energy of his ancient spirit.
“I fear I have tired you, Prefect. Please excuse me if I have destroyed your harmony.” The chi quan master bowed. He rocked slowly back on his heels, a look of concer
n registering on his face. I’m sorry, old man, Sotura thought, but I cannot allow your fears to stop what must be done. There is more at stake than your comfortable position. May Botahara forgive me.
* * *
Lady Nishima sat before a low table looking at the design for a robe which her servants would embroider. Only moments before, as was often the case, she had a melody in her mind, a folk tune that a talented court composer had borrowed to create a composition for the Imperial Sonsa troupe. But her visitor had disturbed her harmony and the music faded away as though the musicians in her mind traveled off into the distance.
“It is of no consequence to me, cousin,” Lady Nishima said, trying to keep her voice even. “Jaku Katta could arrive at my door and I would not interrupt my painting.”
The mere mention of Jaku’s name brought back memories she would rather have left undisturbed. She feared she colored with embarrassment, perhaps even shame, at the thought of what had happened between her and Jaku when they last met. I went to his rooms, she whispered to herself.
Lady Kitsura Omawara nodded in response. “I did not mean to suggest that you would be…pleased by the news, cousin, I am merely the messenger.” She smiled the smile that disarmed the coldest hearts.
“I did not mean to be abrupt, Kitsu-sum. Please excuse me. I am thankful for your consideration in this matter.” She tried a smile in return. Kitsura had not intended to cause her discomfort, after all; Kitsura was entirely unaware of what had happened between Jaku and herself. Deciding it would be best to change the subject, Nishima observed, “You seem to be very well informed, Lady Kitsura. Does Lord Shonto have this information? Or does he rely upon you?”
“I’m quite certain your esteemed father has all the information that I possess, ten times over.” She looked down at her hands folded in her lap and began to turn a delicate gold ring until the design had gone full circle. When Kitsura did not look Nishima in the eye, it was a sign that she had been engaging in certain activities that she believed her cousin disapproved of. “I simply wish to keep us both informed. I have befriended certain members of your father’s staff and often act as a confidante to them. After all, whom could they talk to who would be more concerned for their lord’s welfare, except perhaps the Lady Nishima?”
“I am not entirely convinced that their lord would view these breaches of security quite so benignly.” Nishima said this with feigned disapproval while she fought the feelings of confusion that set her heart whirling. Despite all efforts, she was afraid that these feelings must show on her face. She tried to cover this with words. “However, it is important to know as much as we can.”
“I agree entirely, cousin. So much is hidden and yet everything that is important to us is in danger of being lost.” She moved to the next ring, turning it a little more urgently. “Do you think it’s possible that Lord Shonto could be wrong? Could the Emperor’s general really be in disfavor at court?”
Nishima took a last look at the design and began to clean her brush. This would not be a brief interruption. “I do not know Lord Shonto’s source of information at court, Kitsu-sum, so I cannot judge. But my father has an uncanny ability to weigh information on the scale of truth. It is worth noting that he does not speak of Jaku’s present situation in absolute terms.”
“This is what worries me, cousin. If Lord Shonto is right, then Jaku Katta’s fall from favor and banishment are but a ploy to place the Guard Commander within our circle of trust. But if Jaku has truly fallen, and one with so many ambitions could certainly do so, then Lord Shonto cannot hope to win the Emperor’s support to battle the barbarians through Jaku. This situation is of great concern. It is as you have said; so much depends on so little knowledge.”
“If Jaku Katta engineered the attempt on my father at Denji Gorge without the Emperor’s approval, as Lord Shonto suspects, then it is possible that our handsome general is not in favor.” Nishima pushed her table aside. “It is all very confusing. Being sent north to restore order to the canal is hardly a sign of disfavor.”
“Being sent to Seh as its governor would not seem to indicate disfavor either, Nishi-sum.” Kitsura held her ring up to the light, examining it carefully. “It is as Brother Shuyun says; at the gii board an opponent’s design does not need to be strong if you are unable to see it.”
“I did not realize you discussed gii with Brother Shuyun,” Nishima said, her tone registering something close to disapproval.
“Shuyun-sum has been kind enough to instruct me in the intricacies of the board…and to discuss matters of the spirit, also.”
The two women fell silent. A distant thunder rumbled, like a far-off dragon. Rain beat on the gravel border of the garden outside.
“Nishima-sum?” Kitsura said quietly. “We must be absolutely certain of Jaku Katta’s situation at court.”
Lady Nishima nodded. Yes, she thought, and I must know what this man expects of me. She remembered the last thing she had said to Jaku the night she had gone to his quarters—they would speak in Seh. Now she did not know what they would say.
“I think I know how this can be done,” Kitsura said quietly, “though I fear you will not approve.”
* * *
Sister Yasuko held the paper up and blew gently on the ink, careful not to spread it. The dampness of the evening invaded her rooms and she huddled close to the charcoal burner and her single lamp. She blew again, careful not to spoil the fine brush work.
“There,” she whispered and held the paper up to the lamp. It was a letter to her superior, Prioress Saeja.
Honored Sister:
In this time of great doubt, I wish I had better news. Our dear Sister, Morima-sum, shows little sign of improvement since I last put brush to paper. She has times when her crises seems to be passing, but the scrolls of the Brothers haunt her dreams still. We do not give up hope, Sister. We do not give up hope.
The young Acolyte who accompanied Morima-sum has not fared well. It pains me to report that she left us three days ago. This was a tragedy, certainly, but nothing compared to the loss of a Sister of Morima’s abilities. Our young Acolyte had her own faith shaken by the crises of Morima-sum and as she said to me, “If the way is too difficult for one such as Senior Sister Morima, how do I presume to walk such a path?” Perhaps she will return to us yet. I pray that this will be so.
The rumor that Lord Shonto’s Spiritual Advisor went into the desert in the company of Lord Komawara seems, incredibly, to be true. Our friend in the Governor’s Palace tells us that Shonto is convinced a large barbarian army will attack Seh in the spring. We can neither prove nor disprove the theory at this time, but if Governor Shonto and his staff believe this, it is my opinion that our Order should act as though there were no doubt.
When I think of the suffering that a war would bring and how it would affect our own efforts, my heart grows heavy. We always hope calamity will not overtake us in this lifetime, rather like children trying to avoid difficult lessons. But they must be learned: if not now, later.
Jaku Katta arrived today. It will be difficult to place someone close to him, but be assured our efforts will be tireless. We have a trusted friend close to the Lady Nishima, however, and will certainly know if she continues to correspond with the Emperor’s guard commander.
At this time Lord Shonto’s daughter seeks her companionship with the Ladies Kitsura Omawara and Okara Haroshu, although the Shonto Spiritual Advisor is also one of her regular visitors—occasionally staying in her rooms later than could be considered strictly proper: I know no more at this time.
There have been no cases of plague reported in Seh for several months now, for which we may thank the Botahist Brothers even if they have done little else worthy of praise. Chiba has not been so fortunate, I am told. The many followers of Tomso in that province have suffered terribly.
The rumor that the Udumbara blossomed (Botahara be praised, Sister!), is not given credence in Seh—it is a rumor all have heard many times before—and, as you predicted, the Br
otherhood have denied it. I find nothing in all the Brotherhood’s treacherous history as disconcerting as this denial. If an Enlightened Master walks among us, why do they deny it? I am cold with fear over this.
Work on the Priory goes well and at less expense than we dared hope: Botahara watches over us. I would inquire of your well-being, Prioress, but I know the polite response. I, too, am well enough to serve His Purpose.
May Botahara chant your name,
Sister Yasuko
Two
Distant hills rise up
Through an ocean of
Wind tattered cloud
Peaks become islands
In a chaos of pale crested seas
THE ERRATIC SPATTER of snow-melt on the undergrowth seemed to grow progressively louder. Lord Komawara tugged at the reins and moved his mare another twenty paces into the mist, stopped, and listened for the hundredth time.
Deep in the mist that had hung for days in the Jai Lung Hills it was impossible to determine the origin of sounds. They echoed and distorted and seemed to emanate from everywhere at once.
Komawara turned in a complete circle, a motion almost as slow as Brother Shuyun practicing his meditations of movement. Nothing…only the suggestion of mysterious forms: to his right a twisted, pointing limb perhaps belonging to an ancient pine; behind him, an outcropping of rock suggesting the face of a disapproving Mountain God.
Shifting the horse-bow to his right hand Komawara worked the fingers, cramped from holding a notched arrow for far too long. He returned the bow to the ready position and moved forward ten paces more, listening.
Years had passed since Komawara had last hunted the Jai Lung Hills—in company with his father then, when the old man still had strength to ride. Much had changed, more than he ever expected.
The Initiate Brother Duology Page 49
