Takeo's Chronicles, page 145
Something large was on fire, then a second, then a third. The flames were massive and spreading, and Takeo feared the entire camp would go up in flames, until he realized it wasn’t so widespread. The bonfires were centralized, and also clearly in view. It took Takeo a half second to remember which part of the camp he had a direct view of.
His jaw dropped open, and his heart plummeted.
“No,” he whispered. “No, please no.”
Takeo stood helpless as he watched his field of catapults go up in flames.
* * *
Lord Yoshida, finely dressed and sitting comfortably as always, had been enjoying a well-prepared meal with his most trusted colleagues, Lord Sing and Lady Xie, when Takeo stormed into the tent with blood-covered blade exposed and Qing and Nicholas in tow. Yoshida’s guards, who’d failed to stop the ronin, rushed in, too, blades drawn, uncertainty flickering across their faces. Everyone froze but Yoshida, who took another bite of freshly cooked meat and began to saw away at another chunk.
“You seem awfully calm,” Takeo said. “Haven't you heard the catapults are burning?”
Yoshida met Takeo’s gaze and waved off his guards. They seemed reluctant yet also relieved as they withdrew. Takeo’s sword grip tightened.
“There’s no need for a show,” the lord replied calmly. “I’ve already been informed, and I’ve sent orders to rouse the camp. We’ll have water buckets distributed to put out the fires as swiftly as possible. With luck, we may minimize the damage and perhaps find out how Lord Botan got behind our lines.”
“You bastard,” Takeo said, clenching his teeth so hard they threatened to shatter. “This wasn’t Lord Botan. You did this.”
Lord Yoshida went stiff. He flicked his gaze to Nicholas, taking in his presence for the first time, then looked to Qing. Finally, his attention rested on Takeo’s sword, dripping blood on the fine rug that adorned Yoshida’s tent.
The old lord sighed.
“You killed them, did you?” he said.
“Why would you do this? How can you even look me in the eye? After all your talk of trust and loyalty.”
“I’ll have you know those two men you killed were good people, and they had strict orders not to harm your viking. It behooves someone in your position to show a bit of mercy every once in a while.”
“Answer me, damn it.”
Another sigh was the response, which made Takeo squeeze his sword that much harder. Lord Yoshida waved to his two companions and beckoned towards the exit.
“We’ll have to talk later,” he said. “If you’ll please excuse us.”
“Are you sure?” Lord Sing asked, eyeing Takeo. “I’m not sure it’s wise to leave you alone with this—”
“Animal,” Lady Xie finished, glaring.
“Neither of you are helping,” Yoshida said. “And yes, I’ll be fine. This is just a misunderstanding. Leave, please.”
For all the bravery in Lady Xie’s insult, she and Lord Sing made sure to leave in the opposite direction of Takeo. When they were gone, Lord Yoshida gestured to the rug before him.
“Please, have a seat,” he said. “There’s plenty of food. Would you like something to drink?”
“What is this?” Takeo replied, not moving. “You burn my catapults to the ground and expect me to eat with you? Those two were right. You shouldn’t be alone with me. I’m two paces from cutting you down and contemplating the idea with every fiber of my being.”
“Let’s not do this, my friend, these meaningless threats. You’re not half the animal the others think you are.”
“Is my sword not stained with blood?”
“Yet here we are chatting. That's quite a civilized action coming from someone claiming to be a savage.”
“Is that a challenge?”
Lord Yoshida shook his head and went back to sawing away at his meal. He hacked off another chunk of meat and slipped it into his mouth, chewing with lips closed. He gestured again to the rug, but Takeo remained standing.
“My lord, you’d best start talking,” Qing cut in. “I don’t care whatsoever about the relationship between you and Takeo, but you’ve just put an end to our shogun’s assault on the Katsus. That’s treason, and it’s apparent you have accomplices. When I tell Lady Zhenzhen about this, she’ll have your head.”
“Was this all to discredit me?” Takeo said. “That’s all I can figure. You made me general just so you could intentionally make me fail. Those ladders were sabotaged, weren't they? All those soldiers dead so you could make a political move against a trusted ally. Meanwhile, your cohorts call me the animal.”
Lord Yoshida swallowed his food down and went to cut another piece.
“Let me tell you how this conversation is going to end,” he said. “After our discussion, you’ll see things from my perspective. You three will leave with no more harm done to anyone. Lady Zhenzhen will never hear of this. In less than a week, this army will pack up and leave, and the Hanu will be all the better for it.”
“I doubt that,” Takeo said.
“Try me.”
Yoshida waved for a third time at the rug. Takeo faltered this time. The argument was not starting out like he’d expected, and the overwhelmingly calm nature of Yoshida doused the flames that had been stoked in Takeo’s heart. Feeling that Yoshida wasn’t going to speak until Takeo took a seat, the ronin did so reluctantly, setting his bloodied sword down in front of him. The rug soaked it in. Behind him, Nicholas shuffled in place, but neither he nor Qing moved.
Yoshida took a sip of wine from his cup before clapping his hands together.
“First, I’ll say that you are right,” the lord said. “I did want you to fail this assault, but not for the reasons you think. My guess is that you believe I want you out of the Hanu army, but that is wrong. I may have omitted the truth on occasion, but I’ve yet to lie to you. I still want to see you succeed, Takeo, to lead this army and bring total victory to our forces. I have no ill wishes towards you. I want to see you happy, in a position of power, sipping tea at my mansion as you watch me grow older. I know you see this sabotage as a betrayal now, but I hope you’ll see the bigger picture after I'm through. I know you’re an intelligent man, and I trust you’ll understand that by losing this battle, you will win the war.”
He paused to let his introduction sink in. Takeo did not agree but did not feel moved enough to speak out. Yoshida continued.
“Remember that conversation up on the hill? About the daimyo rallying against you? That was closer to the truth than you can imagine. Your rapid rise to power has made many consider outright revolt.”
“If they do that, the Hanu are sure to lose,” Takeo cut in.
“And what do they care? Hm? Most daimyo are like common villagers in many regards; they don’t care which lord or lady they serve so long as they’re left to enjoy life for just a little while longer. That’s where you come in, Takeo. It’s no secret, the zealotry you inspire in the common troops. We daimyo, who have been grooming our samurai for eons to be fervent warriors, forget how such passion can become a double-edged sword. You, a common man—worse, a dishonored ronin—are upsetting the balance of power. The ability to exile any warrior we choose is an important power to the daimyo. How are we to react when an upstart like yourself comes along and threatens that?”
“That’s none of my concern,” Takeo bit back. “I have no interest in wearing a crown. I’ve taken no title or land. All I’ve done is to further the daimyo’s power.”
“I know, I know,” Yoshida replied, holding up a hand. “I see that, but they don’t. They are blinded by fear, but this is the reality we live in. We have this situation where the Hanu both desperately need you in order to win but also might fall apart before you achieve that goal. Some have already turned their backs on us, refusing to pledge their samurai to our cause, which we so desperately need. You don’t think winning this fight will make the situation better, do you? Follow me here, how are we to remedy this problem? How can we get the Hanu daimyo to come back into the fold willingly?”
Yoshida beckoned for Takeo to reply, but he couldn’t. Takeo’s mouth dried up, and his clenched fists fell open, palms up.
“We make you lose,” the lord whispered. “You’re on a precarious edge, that’s well known. Because you don’t have warriors to pledge, like a true lord, you hold power only by way of bringing victory to Lady Zhenzhen. If you were to lose, just this once, in a battle of no true consequence, you wouldn’t seem so terrifying anymore. A skillful diplomat, such as I, could rally our forces together, and you could be put in an advisory position once again. Situation thus mended, we could return twice as strong.
“On the other hand, we could win this battle. Sorry, let me rephrase, we could have won this battle, as assuredly there’s no doing so now. If that had happened, those daimyo who turned their backs on principle would have fled in fear. They’d have joined the enemy, and then Takeo, you’d be truly pressed. Don’t you see how that’s a gamble we can’t afford to take? Surely you see how my plan will work?”
“I tell you what I see,” Takeo replied. “I see a man trying to both protect and further the power he has. Doing this will weaken Lady Zhenzhen due to her trust in me, but you'd rise unscathed as a witless servant. In addition, if I’d never found out about this, I would have been devastated by this loss. While the rest of the daimyo rallied to have me cast out, you’d have stepped in and spoken for me, drawing me to your side where you could profit off the victories I’d bring. You’d shelter me but lash me to you at the same time. I’d become a fat slave, so to speak. And the cusp of the issue here is that the daimyo hierarchy would remain untouched, a hierarchy you all seem to think I threaten, despite all I’ve done to further it. You know, I haven’t really thought about it until now, but perhaps you’re right. Perhaps I should bring the entire daimyo reign crashing down on their heads.”
Yoshida smirked and sipped his wine.
“Now, a comment like that would scare anyone else,” the lord said, “but not me.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because you don’t believe in that, and you don’t really want that. I’ve gotten to know you, Takeo, and I’ve caught wind of this dream of yours. You don’t want to shatter the power structure. You want to strengthen it. That’s why you’re fighting for Lady Zhenzhen in exchange for nothing. You don’t want lands, or title, or legacy for yourself; you just want the chaos of the world brought to heel. What would breaking up the daimyo do for this goal of yours? Nothing. It would make it harder to achieve, actually. You don’t particularly care who heads this tyrannical kingdom of the future, so long as someone does. So, I ask you, how does my plan not conform to yours? If you’re looking for a ruler to seat upon the world, why does it have to be Lady Zhenzhen or Lord Nobu? I ask you, Takeo, why not serve me?”
Lord Yoshida extended a hand, palm open to the ronin. Takeo stared at it for some time before casting his gaze down to his bloodied sword. No matter his passion, Takeo was also a slave to logic, and Yoshida had made one strong appeal to that side of him. He swallowed down his dry throat.
“But what about Gavin?” Takeo asked.
Yoshida sighed.
“Come now. You’re a soldier. The man lost a hand and an ear already. You don’t really think you can save him, do you?”
“I,” Takeo started, pausing as his vision blurred. “I had hoped.”
“And here I thought you didn’t have time for hope, only reality. If that’s true, then consider the situation. What’s done is done, my friend. The catapults are burned. We haven’t the forces for another ladder assault. Our time is out. This battle is lost. You can blame me. You can be angry and threaten to murder me. After all, I did betray you, as you said. However, only one question remains: are you going to let that stop you?”
How is this possible? Am I an open book to this man? When did I reveal so much of myself to him? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was a sennin. This is insane. He just sabotaged my entire plan. That was why he fully supported my decision to brutalize the akki, knowing they’d flee when the plan fell apart. The first battle, too! How could I forget? His path of assault left the way open for Botan to escape with ease. I’ve been played a fool from the beginning, and here I sit, with nothing to show for all my rage.
Because he’s right. He made it so.
“But Gavin,” Takeo pleaded.
My sword, he thought.
“Let him go,” Yoshida whispered. “You can’t save him. You never could. You burden yourself too much, Takeo. Maybe we can try to ransom him, I don't know. You can't do it all. You act as if the fate of the world rests on your shoulders. Why do you do this? Tell me, who made you the chosen one?”
Takeo’s head felt murky. His skin tingled as if lacking air. He couldn’t take anymore and stood up.
“Takeo?” Nicholas asked.
Qing's eyes aimed at her feet.
“Come,” the ronin replied. “Let’s go. I believe Qing had something to talk about anyway.”
Chapter 15
Takeo made it several steps out of Lord Yoshida’s tent before Nicholas dashed in front of him and put out his hands.
“Wait, wait,” the viking pleaded. “We’re not really going to let this stand, are we? Krunk’s in there, too.”
“Don’t remind me,” Takeo said. “And don’t stand in my way.”
“Yoshida is right,” Qing added, head hung. “He’s played a deft hand. There is no version of this where he doesn’t come out on top. If we retaliate or let word get out, the Hanu alliance will fracture. That might have been avoided if we could have toppled the Katsu and brought them into the fold, but that can't happen now. If we go along with Yoshida, though, Lady Zhenzhen’s status will be hurt but left intact. I know he’s had his eye on marrying her, for title, and I think this may drive that point home, but at least she’ll still be shogun in a way. There can be no victory here, only varying degrees of defeat.”
She didn’t need to elaborate. The skies in the distance were red with fire, the air thick with smoke, and the night filled with the shouts of water brigades trying to salvage the catapults. There would be heavy celebrations going on in the Katsu fortress tonight. It churned Takeo’s stomach just to think about it.
I failed. No, worse. I have been defeated.
“Some sort of concession, then, to free Krunk and Gavin?” Nicholas continued. “We say we’ll leave if Botan hands over his prisoners. We can do that, right? You can do that.”
“I’ll try,” Takeo agreed, “but it’s doubtful. Botan will know this siege is over. I have nothing left to bargain.”
“Then we sneak in. We break them out, maybe kill that scum while we’re at it and get your sword back. Come on, we’ve got to try.”
Takeo shoved past Nicholas, as much to close the conversation as to get away from Yoshida. He didn’t want any traces of this conversation getting back to the lord.
“Come now, you don't think Takeo hasn't thought of that already?” Qing answered. “I have no doubt we could get in, but getting out? We’d have to rescue what, four people?”
“Three,” Takeo corrected. “Yeira can rot. But Gavin won’t leave his child, and his child is with Botan, and Botan has my sword. He’ll be expecting just that sort of thing.”
“So?” Nicholas said. “It’s worth it, and you know it. If you got your sword back, nothing could stop you. And besides, Qing has snuck into a fortress before. There’s Emy, too. She could help.”
“Emy, sure, of course,” Takeo replied. “I'll think on it, but for now, the less you say out loud the better. Do you understand? Let’s move on. Qing had something she wanted to talk to you about.”
“Me?”
“Yes,” Qing said. “It’s about Dhyana.”
Takeo stopped and darted a look at Qing. The ninja shrank under the scrutiny.
“I knew you’d act this way,” she replied, answering his unspoken question. “That’s why I didn’t say anything earlier.”
Takeo changed direction and made straight for his mother’s tent. His pace doubled, just shy of jogging. Men streamed by him as they awoke and ran to join the water brigade. The loud snapping of huge timbers crumbling to embers echoed into the night sky. The camp was bright as daylight now, flickering in orange and red.
They weren’t long in reaching their destination, and Takeo slipped inside along with the others, as crowded as it was. The tent wasn’t sized for an audience.
Mako was still with Dhyana, and they appeared worried at the trio’s sudden appearance.
“Son,” Dhyana said, then lost the rest of her sentence to a coughing fit.
“What’s wrong?” Mako finished. “I heard there’s a fire.”
Takeo didn’t feel like recounting the dire situation. He motioned to Qing instead with a single nod. The ninja grimaced, clearly not wishing to do this with Takeo around. He didn’t care.
“May I ask you a question,” Qing said to Dhyana, “about your tea session with Lord Botan?”
Dhyana nodded, swallowing hard to try to stem her coughing. Her face was gaunt, and he guessed she hadn’t been eating well.
“Can you explain exactly what happened? Specifically, did he drink any of it himself.”
Dhyana tried to push herself to sit up but had trouble. Mako assisted, and Dhyana leaned on her.
“Well, no,” the old woman started. “I didn’t think anything of it at the time. He just offered me tea, and I agreed. What else was I to say to my shogun? It couldn’t have been poisoned, though, could it? I drank it over a month ago.”
Nicholas straightened. Qing nodded to him.
“No,” the viking whispered in disbelief, then spoke up. “It couldn't be. Um, ma’am. I don’t mean to intrude, but could I see your legs?”
Dhyana hesitated, and even Takeo wanted to intervene, but the situation was clearly beyond the unwritten laws of decency. She nodded, and Nicholas bent down and pulled back the sheet that covered her. Carefully, respectfully, he rolled up her dress past her ankles, revealing what in all respects looked like a normal elderly leg to Takeo. Thinned skin, slightly bruised, with different colored veins running about. Nicholas pressed on some of those veins with his thumb. One of them turned stark white as he did.
