Takeo's Chronicles, page 134
“We should dress for war. Lord Botan is approaching.”
“All the more reason to drink. You know anyone foolish enough to fight sober? I’ve known a few, but well, they don’t last long. It’s well known a good drink helps loosen the muscles. I mean, only an idiot would fight sober, and you’re not an idiot, are you?”
Takeo didn’t answer, other than to finish gathering his things to meet Lord Nobu. Nicholas sighed.
“Boring,” the viking muttered. “Hopelessly boring.”
Outside, a sharp cheer rose up and then went silent. Takeo even recognized some of the voices. He quickly deduced that Kuniko had spread word to the others. He’d told just her, Nicholas, and Qing upon his return because Ping had disappeared with Dhyana to fetch provisions for the old woman. For some strange reason, Mako had gone with them, but Takeo didn’t have time to question that now.
“I have to wonder,” Nicholas said, keeping his voice low as if talking to himself, yet loud enough for the opposite to be just as true. “Which news do you think will spread faster? The fact that Takeo Karaoshi has a mother or that he’s now the general of this army? I mean, really, both warrant a shock to the system.”
“I’m sure no one is interested in my parentage,” Takeo answered. “They’ve never been before. Why start now?”
“Hm, good point.”
“We need to meet Lord Nobu and Lord Yoshida, soon, and I do mean we. Sellsword or not, you’re my right hand until I can save Gavin. I want my every thought examined by a mind outside the collective culture of Juatwa.”
Nicholas did a mock bow, and replied, “I’m honored that I only out rate the traitorous ex-knight because he isn’t present.”
“Don’t get used to it. Do you have your maul?”
“Are trolls ugly?”
They beat a steady pace to Lord Nobu’s tent. It wasn’t far by any means as Takeo was now a permanent resident of the daimyo camp, but that didn’t stop the pair from drawing attention. Wherever Takeo went, silence followed, along with open gawking right up until he looked in the gawker's direction. He also received everything from respectful nods to full bows from samurai guards and soldiers, accompanied with either sly smiles or wide grins. A couple of servants even went to their knees as he walked by, heads pressed to the ground.
“And I thought word traveled fast on a viking ship,” Nicholas muttered as they walked.
“Lord Yoshida’s guard must have spread the news,” Takeo surmised. “They returned before I did, and now the whole world knows. Chances are even Botan will hear of it before we meet. As furious as the royalty probably are, at least the warriors seem happy with it.”
“Of course, they are. Every warrior loves to win, no matter their proclamations on honor and tradition, and with you as the general, they now know victory is assured. They’ll sleep easy and follow your orders without hesitation. This is what the daimyo were afraid of all along, and exactly why vikings don’t have royalty.”
Takeo frowned.
“But wait, don’t you? What are jarls if not royalty?”
“Jarls aren’t royalty.” Nicholas huffed. “Jarl is just a title, like the one just bestowed to you, and it is earned and fought for every day. Like ogres, vikings only follow the strongest.”
“Ah, I see. So that’s why you never became a jarl.”
Nicholas howled his laughter, startling those nearby.
True to his word, Yoshida had readied Lord Nobu for Takeo’s arrival. Unlike the previous campaign, they met in a closed tent and without the heavy entourage of lords and ladies attempting a dinner party. Inside were only Lord Nobu, Lord Yoshida, Qing, and the guards of the former two. Yoshida had two heavily armed samurai by his side, while Nobu had his oni: Tokhta and Borota.
Upon Takeo’s entrance, Tokhta gave the slightest glare ever conceived. In oni body language, this was akin to a mortal threat.
Not that the ronin was surprised. He expected as much, given recent events. Tokhta had shared with Takeo and Gavin the great conspiracy to transform Lord Nobu into an oni. It had taken Gavin less than a month to betray that trust and spill the secret to Botan, whom then spread word as far and wide as he could, trying to persuade loyal Hanu daimyo to defect. Combined with Takeo’s recent promotion, this would deal a serious blow to the Hanus, given time. Fortunately, the rumors were just that for now, as Lord Virote was busy falsifying the claims as best he could. Considering the source of the news was a turncoat sellsword, and the news itself was shocking and difficult to believe, most were willing to brush the conspiracy off as nothing more than bold propaganda.
They had but one shot at solidifying Hanu control before the whole chain of command broke into a civil war, and it hinged on Botan’s head.
“And here he is, the last of my mother’s generals,” Nobu said, slouching in his chair, head tilted as it rested on an open palm. “Here to tell me what to do? Honestly, do I have to be here for this? You two don’t need me.”
That last part was murmured, quiet enough that it would have been missed were not the tent removed from the ruckus of the surrounding army.
“My lord, it’s important you attend and listen,” Yoshida offered, bowing as he did so. “Takeo and I will not always be around, and it’s to your benefit to learn from our wisdom. When we go out to meet Lord Botan, you should endeavor to think better of yourself. Saying such things will only embolden our enemy.”
“If it’s so important to intimidate him, why don’t I just stay here?” Nobu asked, swiveling his gaze in the old lord’s direction. “That way it will look like I’m so confident that I didn’t even bother speaking with him.”
“That would be rude, my lord,” Yoshida replied. “The best ruler is one who conquers without insulting.”
Nobu scoffed and rolled his eyes. “It’s not like he could think any less of me anyway. He already knows what’s supposed to happen to me.”
Takeo and Nicholas exchanged looks, but nothing more. They bowed.
“I heard the news,” the prince went on, speaking to Takeo now. “Did you really find your mother out there?”
“So it would seem,” Takeo replied, “but I wouldn’t trouble yourself with it. Trust me when I say I won’t let it affect me.”
“I hear she was overcome with joy to see you,” Nobu went on, leaning up off his palm. “Isn’t that something? You’ve been gone all this time from her, all these rumors about you, but the moment you come back, all is forgiven. That’s insane, isn’t it, in the best sort of way? You must be happy.”
“My lord, if you please,” Takeo said through clenched teeth, pointing at the map on the table. “Time is of the essence.”
“I mean, what's she like? Have you two talked much?”
“My lord.”
“Do you think I could meet her?”
Yoshida coughed.
“My lord,” the old man said, “he’s right. That’s a topic for another time.”
“It won’t take but a moment.”
“My lord, Botan’s army is approaching,” Qing whispered from the corner.
“Really, let me just send a servant. Then, afterwards—”
“My lord!” the trio of voices came in unison.
Nobu clammed up for several seconds, then slouched, defeated. His eyes paired with a frown and fell to the table. A moment's silence passed before everyone else convened around it.
One glance over the placement and markers told Takeo all he needed to know.
“This is the last report from our scouts?” he asked.
Qing nodded.
“So then, we don’t have the numbers we should,” Takeo said, “and because of that, Lord Botan is striking out to meet us rather than hide in his keep. He’ll have his komainu army, which is more substantial than ours, and he aims to use that to his advantage out here on the eastern plains. We have akki to supplement our numbers.”
He paused and glanced at Tokhta, but the oni stayed motionless. Takeo knew this was the creature's way of confirming, so Takeo went on.
“But they’re a cowardly bunch of animals who can’t hold the line against normal samurai, let alone a stampede of komainu. In addition, we have a half dozen oni that we can scatter about to bolster our forces, but they can only do so much. We have a tall hill to our west, forest to the north, and a shallow gorge to the east, none of which will be close enough to prevent Botan from maneuvering around us. Have I missed anything?”
Silence met his question. The situation looked dire by any normal means, but none doubted Takeo’s abilities, not even enough to offer a suggestion. He continued.
“Let me be clear, I don’t want Botan to retreat, not even as a rout. If he can’t be killed, then at worst, I want his army annihilated. Every soldier we kill today is one less to harass us at the walls. I see only one way to do this.”
He tapped the gorge.
“We use the akki to our advantage. Place their large numbers in the front lines as fodder for Botan’s komainu, and when they break, make them flee to the gorge by having our eastern side heavy in their numbers. Botan will follow them inside while we keep our own komainu hidden in the forest. Once his army has entered and he can no longer outmaneuver us, we’ll instead encircle him and mire this gorge in Katsu blood.”
Yoshida and Nicholas both gave a single nod. Qing folded her arms.
“And your plan to make sure Katsu falls for the trap?” she asked.
“I’ll be sure to be seen among the akki and in retreat,” he answered. “Although he may still sense my intent, I doubt he’ll resist the temptation to end me.”
“Excellent plan,” Yoshida commented. “I’ll head the komainu forces to bolster you. I won’t be late.”
Takeo hesitated, looking at the gorge. Excellent was not the term he’d have used. This plan still had the potential to cut both ways. That’s the only way it would work, but what choice did he have?
“Be sure that you aren’t,” he said.
Chapter 4
As the two armies situated themselves opposite each other, the generals prepared to ride out and meet in the center. Lords Nobu and Yoshida each had personal mounts to use, but Takeo and Qing had to fetch communal ones from the komainu master. Takeo decided four people were enough, and Nicholas should sit this one out, while Kuniko and Ping were set to task readying their forces.
Along the way to pick up their komainu, the ronin and the ninja found themselves walking alone in total silence, avoiding eye contact, and hardly breathing if they could help it.
“Not that it bothers me, but are you always going to be like this?” he asked.
“Like what?” she replied.
“Resentful.”
“That depends. Do you know why?”
“It’s because I used you,” he said without hesitation. “You stuck your neck out to save me from the oni, and I didn’t once reflect on it, or even seem to care when it came time to choose between Gavin and Lady Zhenzhen.”
“And do you regret this decision?”
“No.”
“Then I don’t see any reason for my opinion to change. It’s clear to me that you aren’t here to serve Lady Zhenzhen. You’re here to serve yourself, and you will only follow her commands so long as it suits you. It’s exactly as I suspected.”
Their conversation took a sharp pause as they passed a small crowd. Through the gaps between people, Takeo spied an intense dice game being played, judging by the vigorous movements of the players and the silence of the crowd. The two were noticed as they walked by, and the game took a pause as the group bowed low to Takeo and acknowledged him with various titles such as “My lord, General, Sir.”
Takeo nodded to them.
“Well,” he whispered to Qing, “I don’t think you’ve discovered anything there. Everyone suspects I'm only out to serve myself, even our lady.”
“Yes, but everyone else is human and therefore doesn’t understand the concept of time. I’m almost one hundred years old, Takeo. That’s still young to an elf, yet I’ve seen more than most humans ever will. I’ve lived with humans long enough to realize their fleeting nature, and to also realize their numbness to the concept. Lady Zhenzhen and the others are probably dimly aware that you will one day betray them, but they don’t think about it because they assume that fateful day is, perhaps, a decade out at least. A decade is a long time to a human, but it feels like tomorrow to an elf. All these others see only what they stand to gain in the short term, while all I can think of is the woe you will bring afterwards. Resentful doesn’t begin to describe it.”
“And yet you’re helping me.”
Qing snarled.
“Firstly, I’m not helping you. I’m doing as my lady commands and furthering her cause. I won’t let my hatred of you blind me. I obey her orders. I’m not here to serve myself.”
“Believe it or not, neither am I.”
They obtained their mounts and set them at a trot along the main road through the Hanu camp. Takeo turned heads everywhere he went, and the army bowed to him in various degrees as they traveled. Some put their hands together, as if in prayer, while others crossed their chests with enclosed fists, all depending on their personal view of showing respect. Takeo nodded to them at first, but soon grew weary of that and stopped. He realized that if he nodded to every person who bowed to him, he’d never lift his head.
“News travels fast,” he commented.
“And why shouldn’t it?” Qing replied. “Nothing interests a soldier like whom the new commander is. Like a slave, their lives are in your hands.”
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, Qing, and I hope our mutual disgust for each other means you will be honest with me.”
“One can only hope.”
“How did you end up serving Lady Zhenzhen? Why does she trust you so much?”
Qing stiffened atop her mount and bit her lower lip. She was some time in answering, which Takeo thought unfortunate because they hadn’t much time before they met up with Lord Nobu and Lord Yoshida.
“Fine, the whole story, then. You might as well know the beginning," she whispered. "I had been traveling for some time before arriving in Juatwa. I was young and naive at the age of fifty, angry that the elven boy I loved had been arranged to be someone else's partner. In the throes of passion, I claimed I didn’t want to be an elf anymore and cut the tips off my ears. If you know anything about elven culture, you’ll know my kind makes Juatwa natives look like vikings. My emotional outburst was considered a sign of severe mental instability, and my village disowned me. So, I left, deciding to make better use of my life traveling the world. I went to see Lucifan, Savara, and many more places, thinking I’d find happiness there.
“As you can tell, I was impressionable then. I fell in with a ninja clan when I first arrived in Juatwa, as I found them in the forest, and they were quite impressed with me. They taught me a lot, and I taught them a few things, too. Before this, I’d never stayed anywhere for long lest my elven nature be discovered. I didn’t want anyone to cast me out. I never wanted to feel ostracized again. However, I liked this clan and stayed with them, and they trusted me with some of the most difficult assignments due to my abilities. Then they gave me a unique job, what would become my last job with them.
“At this time, Lady Zhenzhen and Lord Nobu were still prisoners of Lady Xuan Nguyen. Nobu's grandmother, Lady Ki, was acting as shogun for the Hanu clan, which was fractured at this point because few wanted to serve a dying old woman whose line of succession was in the hands of another. Officially, the Hanus were vassals of the Nguyen empire, but that was recent and Lord Pircha Nguyen was faring poorly against the Katsus. Lady Ki saw an opportunity to regain Hanu independence if only she could free her grandson—and she did mean only her grandson. This wasn’t just a rescue mission, but an assassination, too.
“The plan was for me to slip in, kill Lady Zhenzhen, and then rescue Lord Nobu. Due to the timing of the servants and guards, I’d have to spend a quarter of an hour in Lady Zhenzhen’s room before I could leave for Lord Nobu’s. In order to keep her quiet and complacent, my plan was to mislead her that I was there to rescue them both, and then murder her at the last moment.
"Somehow she saw right through me.
"To this day, I don't know what gave it away. Perhaps when I mentioned Lady Ki had set the rescue up? Either way, Lady Zhenzhen knew two things within a minute of my entry: one, that I was there to kill her; two, that I had an overwhelming lust for her.
"Surely, you've noticed how beautiful she is, Takeo, how sensual. Her curves are almost on par with Yeira's, and I surely gawked in that room. Lady Zhenzhen made me an offer; before I killed her, she would give me a session of pleasure sure to change my mind. I laughed at the boast, but I was willing to let her try. What would ten minutes amount to?"
Qing paused as a shudder went through her, and she sighed.
"An hour," she continued. "We were in that room for an hour, and she touched me in ways I'd never known I could be touched. It was on that day that I realized not every weapon has a sharp edge. She is amazing, in every sense of the word, and at the end of the hour, I was hers, and she knew it.
"I disobeyed my orders by saving both Nobu and his mother that night, but in exchange, I earned a place at a shogun's side, and the everlasting hope that one day she'll invite me back into her bed."
Takeo was left no time to reply because Qing ended her story right as the two reached the edge of the Hanu camp where the samurai were gathering in large numbers, ready for war. Lord Yoshida and Lord Nobu stood tall and slouched, respectively, waiting on their mounts. The four exchanged meager pleasantries.
Across the plains at the edge of their vision marched a sea of blue soldiers, ever encroaching and making the horizon shimmer as the light reflected off their armor.
They waited until a small group of komainu broke off from the ocean and headed straight toward them.
"Shall we?" Lord Yoshida said.
Nobu gulped by nodded. They spurred their mounts.
It hadn't been long since Takeo had last seen Lord Botan Katsu, or at least not long enough for two enemies such as themselves, and so Takeo picked out the man from a distance.
