Takeo's Chronicles, page 106
Admittedly, Takeo had only been half listening at the start of Lady Ki’s response. Not only had she trailed off into gibberish, but he was still mulling over what Lady Ki had said, that Lord Eun had been in her trust. Had Eun tried to send that letter to her? Should he tell Lord Virote, or Qing? Did this confirm Lady Ki as the plotter in their ranks or exonerate Lord Eun? Yet, halfway through Lady Ki’s short speech, Takeo heard something interesting. It wasn’t just her words that struck him, but also something in her tone. He couldn’t put his finger on it, not even when he repeated the words in his mind. She sounded fearful, but . . . well, not in the way Takeo expected.
“Save Nobu? My lady, that’s exactly what I and everyone else are doing,” he started, adding a touch of formality out of reflex. “What are you getting at?”
Ki looked around once more and then narrowed her wrinkled face in Takeo’s direction.
“Not all is well with the Hanu family,” she whispered.
Takeo couldn’t stop a loud guffaw, but did stop from bursting into laughter, which was saying a lot because he wasn’t prone to outbursts of emotion in any form. Lady Ki straightened as if Takeo had smacked her in the face.
“I think that’s obvious, my lady,” he said, trying not to sound insulting.
Lady Ki dashed across the tent as fast as her withered legs could carry her, stopping an arm’s length from Takeo, close enough for him to smell her heavy perfume. Takeo was surprised at first, thinking she meant to intimidate him, but instead her presence seemed more like a retreat as if she were running from the shadows.
“Takeo,” she whispered, softer now. “This is not to be taken lightly. This is more than just a little old feud between two widows. Listen to me when I say that Lady Zhenzhen does not have Nobu’s best interests in mind.”
“You’re going to have to be more specific than that, I’m afraid,” he said, undisturbed. “From my view, Lord Nobu seems well cared for. Not a day goes by I don’t see the prince’s needs met, real or imaginary, and I don’t fear for the boy’s safety with two oni bodyguards, neither of which will ever sleep or eat.”
Lady Ki snatched out a wrinkled hand and caught Takeo’s kimono. The old woman eyed him, unblinking.
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” she whispered, her voice so low now Takeo almost missed her words.
This old woman is losing her mind. What is she afraid of? That Lord Nobu Hanu won’t ever be alone from now until his deathbed? That was Lord Ichiro Katsu’s favorite method of avoiding assassinations. I’m running out of patience for this game. She’s making no sense and being terribly obtuse. For all I know, I’m the one being played here.
Takeo calmly, slowly, wrapped his fingers around Lady Ki’s hand to pry himself free. At his touch, she snatched her hand away. The look he gave her must have spoken volumes because, as she withdrew, a touch of red shone through her pale, powdered cheeks.
“My lady,” Takeo said. “Is there a plot to assassinate Lord Nobu? Specifically, I mean. I know his life is forever in danger, but is he going to die soon? Is his mother trying to kill him?”
“Well, not exactly,” she grumbled.
“So, if not to save Lord Nobu, then what is this favor you want of me?”
Lady Ki looked around again and hesitated. She swallowed and started slow, taking purposeful breaths.
“I know why Lady Zhenzhen sent you,” she said. “The official word is that you’re only attached to this army as an expendable warrior, but that’s just to placate stuffy old daimyos like myself. We’d have to be fools to believe it. You’re here to advise Nobu and earn him a victory against a rakshasa. You will be close to my grandson often, I think, against my better judgment, but I have no other choice. I can trust no one else to help him. You’ve noticed, by now, that Nobu is a little . . . dependent, I should say, on his elders.”
She paused as if expecting Takeo to confirm this, but he hadn’t survived this long by doing something as dumb as insulting his shogun’s only son. She continued when he offered nothing.
“It’s a good thing, mostly. Respect for one’s elders is a sign of maturity and the quickest route to success. As opposed to men like you who see the elderly as nothing but a burden.”
In fact, Takeo didn’t think this, but he didn’t correct her.
“Men like you are too independent,” she said. “Too full of themselves and too insulated from good advice. However, I must admit, I think my dear Nobu is a bit too dependent. He’s too accommodating and accepts all advice no matter its source. I think he could do with a dose of skepticism. I can’t say much else, but maybe you can help, if indirectly. I think that associating with you might be good for him, I hope. Perhaps you could show him how to say no for once, even to me. Maybe then he can say no to others, as well. It’s not much, but it’s a start. Can you do that?”
Takeo didn’t miss a beat in his reply.
“I’m sorry, my lady, but I’m out of patience. I’m not here to play the father figure, and even if I could be convinced otherwise, I guarantee you don’t want Nobu to receive the dose of parenting I was treated to. I’m here to win a war, and that’s all I intend to do.”
In a flash, Lady Ki snapped from her hunched position and snarled at Takeo, eyes wide. She jabbed a finger at the samurai but stopped just shy of sticking him.
“You need to be more careful how you speak to people, ronin,” Lady Ki said. “You’re short on friends, last I knew, and although I’m not a shogun, I still have strings to pull. Choose your next moves carefully. One way or another, you’d best be in my grandson’s favor, especially if things don’t go my way.”
The air went still inside the tent. Takeo narrowed one eye.
“What do you mean, if things don’t go your way?” he asked. “What is going on?”
Lady Ki pulled her finger back and shook her head.
“I’ve said too much,” she replied. “Just do as I ask, Takeo. Teach him. My grandson’s soul is in your hands. Also, please, for once in your life, don’t get your superior killed. Do it for yourself. If you fail, you’ll anger far more powerful people than me.”
And with that, the Lady Ki made for the exit, which was on the opposite side of Takeo. He barely stepped out of the way in time, and she trod over his feet as she marched past, bashed the tent flap aside, and disappeared into the sunlight.
Takeo watched her go. Once he was sure she was gone, a sense of relief and astonishment swept through him.
“This family is doomed,” he mumbled.
Chapter 5
Takeo exited the tent and stepped out into the warm Juatwa sunlight. Puffy, white clouds rolled by in the sky, breaking up the rays and turning them into soft shades that played nicely with the breeze—a typical Juatwa day by any standard, one that Takeo wasn’t fond of. He saw Juatwa’s pleasant weather as nothing short of hypocrisy. No place so drenched in warfare should be thought of as beautiful. Juatwa appeared a lovely painting of blue and green, but deep down, it was a hideous mosaic of red and black.
He wasn’t sure if anyone else shared his sentiments, but then again, he’d never asked.
Takeo glanced around. Lord Nobu was nowhere in sight, and it was anyone’s guess which way he’d gone. Lady Ki had also disappeared, and Takeo could only hope she was well on her way back to Hanu Keep. As for where Takeo planned to go next, he had to make a choice. Lady Zhenzhen had sent Nobu off with a dedicated tent for each of the many activities he was supposed to partake in. There were tents for eating, training, lounging, sleeping, bathing—which also contained the aforementioned sultry women dying of boredom—and others in which Takeo held too little interest to learn their purpose. Takeo would have to search every one of them until he saw a pair of oni horns sticking up in the distance. He was checking his pocket for his signed letter when a familiar voice shouted at him.
“Ah, there you are,” Gavin yelled and came dashing up.
“Oh, good. You found me.” The samurai sighed with relief. “Yeira talked to you, then?”
“What?” Gavin balked. “Uh, no. Those soldiers over there said you went this way. I was going to ask you how it went with Qing. Yeira is looking for me?”
Takeo grimaced. “Well, I’d say more like hunting, but nevermind that. Walk with me.”
Gavin hesitated and glanced over his shoulder as if Yeira were waiting to ambush him.
“I don’t know, Takeo. If my wife is looking for me, I should really go find her.”
The samurai sighed. Of course Gavin would be more concerned about his woman than about their lives. He’d been that way since they met her. Still, Takeo needed the knight, and Gavin couldn’t say no to duty.
“Listen, Gavin. I just met with Lady Ki of all people. Remember Lord Eun, and the letter he tried to send? I think it was addressed to her. Additionally, and you’re going to love this, she wants a favor of me.”
The knight’s nervous thoughts on his part-marital, part-martial relationship slipped into intrigue.
“Wait, what? How?”
“Lady Ki seems to think Lady Zhenzhen is a danger to her own son, and I have a suspicion that Nobu has an opinion on the matter, too. You said once that Nobu couldn’t coordinate an assassination plot against his own mother, right? Well, I’m sure you won’t say the same thing about Lady Ki.”
Gavin’s head was spinning, or so it appeared as he licked his lips and shook his head. Suddenly, the knight realized why Takeo had asked to walk. It was harder to eavesdrop on a moving target. Gavin nodded, and the pair took off at a brisk pace.
“So let me put this together,” Gavin whispered. “You’re thinking Lady Ki is trying to kill her daughter-in-law to protect her grandson and Nobu is in on it? Hence he would hold his tongue; he can’t turn in his own grandmother for treason.”
“Exactly,” Takeo said.
“Are you certain? When do we tell Qing?”
Takeo glared.
“Are you joking, Gavin? We don’t tell that ninja anything. For all we know, it’s Lady Ki we want to win. We don’t know enough yet to choose a side.”
They went silent as they passed a group of washroom servants diligently scrubbing clothes in the fresh air. It was well known that no one gossiped quite like the bottom rung of the steward ladder, and Takeo took note that the group had gone silent as the pair walked by, no doubt hoping to hear something of interest.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea, taking that sort of risk?” Gavin said. “I mean, I have a daughter now, Takeo. I can’t play this sort of game anymore.”
“This game is being played whether we like it or not,” Takeo replied, “and your daughter’s life is the exact reason we need to play it my way. We have to win, no matter what. If we try to bow out, we will lose in more ways than one.”
Gavin grimaced but nodded. “Alright, alright. Sure. So what’s this favor she asked of you? Wants you to do the deed yourself? Kill Lady Zhenzhen? Seems a strange thing to ask as I’m sure she knows where you’ve been spending your nights in the Hanu Keep.”
“I’ve thought about that, too, that this could all be a setup to throw me off guard. It’s yet another reason not to tell Qing until I know more. As for the favor, well, it’s another strange one. She wants me to cultivate a spine in her grandson.”
Gavin paused as he dissected Takeo’s meaning and then furrowed his eyebrows.
“No, not possible. Really? Setting aside the fact that I wouldn’t trust you to raise a blade of grass without giving it repressed anxiety, I can’t believe she asked you to take Nobu under your wing. Doesn’t she think you’re the equivalent of oni excrement?”
“Yet another reason to doubt everything she said, though she seemed to think that fact helped her case.”
Gavin scoffed at the insanity of it all. He glanced off ahead of them and sighed.
“This situation couldn’t get more complicated,” the knight said. “At least, I hope not. So what? You’re off to see Lord Nobu, then? Be the father you never had?”
“Actually, I denied her request,” Takeo said. “She’s withholding too much information for me to trust her. However, I am off to see Nobu, but only about the upcoming battle, and I need you to join me. Against my better judgment, I’m going to have to fulfill Lady Ki’s request in some capacity at least. It’s far, far too difficult to get a private audience with Nobu. It takes too much time, and when the dying starts, that’s going to be just the sort of thing to get us killed. I need him to be able to send people away so we can talk strategy without the interference from withered old advisors just begging for a chance to throw in their unsolicited advice. I need as close to supreme control as I can get.”
“What do you need me for?”
Takeo shrugged. “It’s simple. Lord Nobu likes you.”
Gavin frowned and then shrugged in agreement.
As Takeo passed another tent designated for Lord Nobu, he spied a set of horns in the distance, towering above the sea of white and red. He made a sharp turn and headed straight for them. A crowd of people had gathered about the area like ships in a harbor. Servants dashed about, carrying platters of food and jugs of wine, while numerous royal guards dressed for war mingled in groups, one eye on the surrounding scene, one eye on the gambling dice between them all. As Takeo approached, many straightened, and some even stood to bow to him. He nodded in return.
Rounding the corner of the last obstructing tent gave view to a scene played out too many times before: a throng of well-dressed people, milling about the prince, grabbing bits of food off large platters carried around by cowering servants, under a large open tent adorned with royal banners.
In the center of it all, a wide map was laid across a large table. About the table stood a good ten or so men and women, all arguing and bickering passionately to each other. None paid any mind to Lord Nobu, who was sitting in yet another elegantly carved chair, pushed back several paces from the table itself.
Every servant that came with a new platter or wine jug passed by him first, and he shook his head at each. His eyes were directed at the table, but his gaze was vapid. He appeared less interested than the two oni sitting on the ground a few paces behind him.
Takeo sighed.
“Well, this is going to be fun,” Gavin commented.
The samurai and knight strode forward, drawing attention immediately. Heads turned, conversations died, and people inched closer to each other. Takeo had to stop his eyes from rolling. One would think the upper echelon would be used to his presence by now.
“Lord Nobu,” Takeo called out.
Nobu snapped awake and straightened up. He glanced about until he found Takeo approaching. The lord noticed Gavin second, and his lips parted. Silence wasn’t requested, but it was granted anyway. The arguing lords and ladies surrounding the map went still, the servants paused, and the whispers dipped to a volume only a ninja could hear. Takeo walked up to the prince as if there were no one else around and bowed low. Gavin followed suit.
“My lord,” Takeo said, “I’m here for our scheduled meeting.”
“What meeting?” some lord shouted. “You already met him, back at that tent. Be gone, ronin.”
Takeo drew out the letter from Nobu. As he opened it, Nobu’s eyes finally left Gavin’s handsome face, and the prince realized all the attention was directed at him. He turned a shade red and mumbled something that sounded like an apology as he took the writ from Takeo’s hands. Takeo remained bowed.
“Oh, oh yes,” Nobu said after a nervous cough. “Of course. Yes, um, I did say that, didn’t I? I’m so sorry, my lords and ladies, but I promised Takeo a private audience. Don’t let us disturb you, please. We’ll retreat somewhere. I’m so sorry, excuse us, please.”
Nobu stood up from his chair, but Takeo stayed bowed.
“I’m sorry, my lord,” Takeo said, “but you must send the others away. We will need the map for this discussion.”
The silence around them mocked a graveyard. Lord Nobu glanced up at all his guests, and his cheeks lost some of their color. He started to sweat and made an apologetic face, then added in a half shrug. He waited, as if he expected all the lords and ladies to follow Takeo’s command without a word from himself. However, it seemed clear to Takeo that the crowd expected the opposite. The mass of royalty returned Nobu’s shrug with raised eyebrows and quiet coughs. Many folded their arms across their chests.
“Um, my lords and ladies, if you please,” Nobu said, entirely too quiet.
“My lord, I don’t think it wise to be left alone with this man,” one of the ladies at the table said.
“We have important plans to discuss, my lord,” one of the men said. “We’ll be engaged with Lord Pircha soon. It’s important we come to a consensus on the matter.”
“Send for him later, my lord,” another added. “He will understand.”
“I, I made a promise. If you please,” Nobu begged, “I’m sure this will only take a moment.”
A barrage of replies followed on the prince’s words almost before he’d finished.
“My lord—”
“Lord Nobu—”
“That wouldn’t be wise—”
“Don’t be afraid to—”
Takeo lost his patience and rose up, the swiftness of his action cutting the air to silence. He turned from the young prince and leveled a steady eye at the group surrounding the table, the figurative head of all this defiance.
I haven’t decapitated anyone in a long time.
“Lord Nobu has spoken,” Takeo said. “I strongly suggest you obey your shogun’s son. I don’t think Lady Zhenzhen would take kindly to anything less.”
The crowd went still, and Takeo held his cold gaze without pause. He looked from one lord or lady to the next, staring down any that dared attempt to match him. He also paid close attention to whom the crowd looked next, as those would be the group’s ringleaders. When they did, Takeo stared those lords and ladies down hardest and noted their reactions. Initial defiance followed by calculated acceptance, demonstrated with raised chins and crinkled noses. The ringleaders turned to Nobu and bowed, only slightly, and the crowd followed suit. Mumbled apologies, always starting with “my lord,” rung out in hollow tones, and the crowd began to melt away. It was a slow process as most seemed to have no idea where else to go, and in the end, most just followed the servants carrying all the food and wine.
