"Good. Ten thousand koku, beginning at once. I will send the authority with tomorrow's mail. Now, enough of poems, please give me your opinion."
"My opinion, Sire, is that we are all safe in your hands, as the land is safe in your hands."
"I want you to be serious."
"Oh, but I am, Sire. I thank you for the favor to my son. That makes everything perfect. I believe whatever you do will be right. By the Madon - yes, by the Madonna, I swear I believe that."
"Good. But I still want your opinion."
Immediately she replied, without a care in the world, as an equal to an equal. "First, you should bring Lord Zataki secretly back to your side. I'd surmise you either know how to do this already, or more probably, you have a secret agreement with your half brother, and you prompted his mythical 'defection' in the first place to lull Ishido into a false position. Next: You'll never attack first. You never have, you've always counseled patience, and you only attack when you're sure to win, so publicly ordering Crimson Sky at once is only another diversion. Next, timing: My opinion is you should do what you will do, pretend to order Crimson Sky but never commit it. This will throw Ishido into confusion because, obviously, spies here and in Yedo will report your plan, and he'll have to scatter his force like a covey of partridge, in filthy weather, to prepare for a threat that'll never materialize. Meanwhile you'll spend the next two months gathering allies, to undermine Ishido's alliances and break up his coalition, which you must do by any means. And of course, you must tempt Ishido out of Osaka Castle. If you don't, Sire, he will win, or at least, you will lose the Shogunate. You-"
"I've already made my position clear on that," Toranaga rapped, no longer amused. "And you forget yourself."
Mariko said carelessly and happily, "I have to talk secrets today, Sire, because of the hostages. They're a knife in your heart."
"What about them?"
"Be patient with me please Sire. I may never be able to talk to you in what the Anjin-san would call an 'open English private way' ever again - you're never alone like we're alone now. I beg you to excuse my bad manners." Mariko gathered her wits and, astoundingly, continued to speak as an equal. "My absolute opinion is that Naga-san was right. You must become Shogun, or you will have failed in your duty to the Empire and to the Minowara."
"How dare you say such a thing!"
Mariko remained quite serene, his open anger touching her not at all. "I counsel you to marry the Lady Ochiba. It's eight years before Yaemon's old enough, legally, to inherit - that's an eternity! Who knows what could happen in eight months, let alone eight years."
"Your whole family can be obliterated in eight days!"
"Yes, Sire. But that has nothing to do with you and your duty, and the realm. Naga-san's right. You must take the power to give power." With mock gravity she added breathlessly, "And now may your faithful counselor commit seppuku or should I do it later?" and she pretended to swoon.
Toranaga gawked at her incredible effrontery, then he roared with laughter and pounded his fist on the ground. When he could talk, he choked out, "I'll never understand you, Mariko-san."
"Ah, but you do, Sire," she said, patting the perspiration off her forehead. "You're kind to let this devoted vassal make you laugh, to listen to her requests, to say what must be said, had to be said. Forgive me my impertinence, please."
"Why should I, eh? Why?" Toranaga smiled, genial now.
"Because of the hostages, Sire," she said simply.
"Ah, them!" He too became serious.
"Yes. I must go to Osaka."
"Yes," he said. "I know."
Accompanied by Naga, Blackthorne trudged disconsolately down the hill toward the two figures who sat on the futons in the center of the ring of guards. Beyond the guards were the rising foothills of the mountains that soared to a clouded sky. The day was sultry. His head was aching from the grief of the last few days, from worrying about Mariko, and from being unable to talk except in Japanese for so long. Now he recognized her and some of his misery left him.
Many times he had gone to Omi's house to see Mariko or to inquire about her. Samurai had always turned him away, politely but firmly. Omi had told him as a tomodashi, a friend, that she was all right. Don't worry, Anjin-san. Do you understand? Yes, he had said, understanding only that he could not see her.
Then he had been sent for by Toranaga and had wanted to tell him so much but because of his lack of words had failed to do anything other than irritate him. Fujiko had gone several times to see Mariko. When she came back she always said that Mariko was well, adding the inevitable, "Shinpai suruna, Anjin-san. Wakarimasu?" Don't worry - do you understand?
With Buntaro it had been as though nothing had ever happened. They mouthed polite greetings when they met during the day. Apart from occasionally using the bath house, Buntaro was like any other samurai in Anjiro, neither friendly nor unfriendly.
From dawn to dusk Blackthorne had been chased by the accelerated training. He had had to suppress his frustration as he tried to teach, and strove to learn the language. By nightfall he was always exhausted. Hot and sweating and rain-soaked. And alone. Never had he felt so alone, so aware of not belonging in this alien world.
Then there was the horror that began three days ago. It had been a very long humid day. At sunset he had wearily ridden home and had instantly felt trouble permeating his house. Fujiko had greeted him nervously.
"Nan desu ka?"
She had replied quietly, at length, eyes lowered.
"Wakarimasen." I don't understand. "Nan desu ka?" he asked again, impatiently, his fatigue making him irritable.
Then she had beckoned him into the garden. She pointed at the eaves but the roof seemed sound enough to him. More words and signs and it finally dawned on him that she was pointing to where he had hung the pheasant.
"Oh, I'd forgotten about that! Watashi..." But he couldn't remember how to say it so he just shrugged wearily. "Wakarimasu. Nan desu kiji ka?" I understand. What about the pheasant?
Servants were peering at him from doors and windows, clearly petrified. She spoke again. He concentrated but her words did not make sense.
"Wakarimasen, Fujiko-san." I don't understand, Fujiko-san.
She took a deep breath, then shakily imitated someone removing the pheasant, carrying it away, and burying it.
"Ahhhh! Wakarimasu, Fujiko-san. Wakarimasu! Was it getting high?" he asked. As he did not know the Japanese word he held his nose and pantomimed stench.
"Hai, hai, Anjin-san. Dozo gomen nasai, gomen nasai." She made the sound of flies and, with her hands, painted a picture of a buzzing cloud.
"Ah so desu! Wakarimasu." Once upon a time he would have apologized and, if he had known the words, he would have said, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. Instead he just shrugged, eased the ache in his back, and mumbled, "Shigata ga nai," wanting only to slide into the ecstasy of the bath and massage, the only joy that made life possible. "The hell with it," he said in English, turning away. "If I'd been here during the day Id've noticed it. The hell with it!"
"Dozo, Anjin-san?"
"Shigata ga nai," he repeated louder.
"Ah so desu, arigato goziemashita."
"Dare toru desu ka?" Who took it?
"Ueki-ya. "
"Oh, that old bugger!" Ueki-ya, the gardener, the kind, toothless old man who tended the plants with loving hands and made his garden beautiful. "Yoi. Moue kuru Ueki-ya." Good, fetch him.
Fujiko shook her head. Her face had become chalky white.
"Ueki-ya shinda desu, shinda desu!" she whispered.
"Ueki-ya ga shindato? Donoyoni? Doshite? Doshiti shindanoda?" How? Why? How did he die?
Her hand pointed at the place where the pheasant had been and she spoke many gentle incomprehensible words. Then she mimed the single cut of a sword.
"Jesus Christ God! You put that old man to death over a stinking, God-cursed pheasant?"