"They can't, Sire. They're men of peace."
"And if they continue to oppose me? If Christians war on me?"
"You will never have to fear my loyalty. Never."
"This Anjin-san may speak the truth and your priests with false tongues."
"There are good priests and bad priests, Sire. But you are my liege lord."
"Very well, Mariko-san," Toranaga said. "I'll accept that. You're ordered to become friends with this barbarian, to learn all he knows, to report everything he says, to learn to think like him, to 'confess' nothing about what you're doing, to treat all priests with suspicion, to report everything the priests ask you or say to you. Your God must fit in between, elsewhere - or not at all."
Mariko pushed a thread of hair out of her eyes. "I can do all that, Sire, and still remain Christian. I swear it."
"Good. Swear it by this Christian God."
"Before God I swear it."
"Good." Toranaga turned and called out, "Fujiko-san!"
"Yes, Sire?"
"Did you bring maids with you?"
"Yes, Sire. Two."
"Give one to Mariko-san. Send the other for cha."
"There's sake if you wish."
"Cha. Yabu-san, would you like cha or sake?"
"Cha, please."
"Bring sake for the Anjin-san."
Light caught the little golden crucifix that hung from Mariko's neck. She saw Toranaga stare at it. "You . . . you wish me not to wear it, Sire? To throw it away?"
"No," he said. "Wear it as a reminder of your oath."
They all watched the frigate. Toranaga felt someone looking at him and glanced around. He saw the hard face and cold blue eyes and felt the hate - no, not hate, the suspicion. How dare the barbarian be suspicious of me, he thought.
"Ask the Anjin-san why didn't he just say there're plenty of cannon on the barbarian ship? Get them to escort us out of the trap?"
Mariko translated. Blackthorne answered.
"He says..." Mariko hesitated, then continued in a rush, "Please excuse me, he said, 'It's good for him to use his own head.'"
Toranaga laughed. "Thank him for his. It's been most useful. I hope it stays on his shoulders. Tell him that now we're equal."
"He says, 'No, we're not equal, Toranaga-sama. But give me my ship and a crew and I'll wipe the seas clean. Of any enemy.'"
"Mariko-san, do you think he meant me as well as the others - the Spanish and the Southern Barbarians?" The question was put lightly.
The breeze wafted strands of hair into her eyes. She pushed them away tiredly. "I don't know, so sorry. Perhaps, perhaps not. Do you want me to ask him? I'm sorry, but he's a . . . he's very strange. I'm afraid I don't understand him. Not at all."
"We've plenty of time. Yes. In time he'll explain himself to us."
Blackthorne had seen the frigate quietly slip her moorings the moment her escort of Grays had hurried away, had watched her launch her longboat, which had quickly warped the ship away from her berth at the jetty, well out into the stream. Now she lay a few cables offshore in deep water, safe, a light bow anchor holding her gently, broadside to the shore. This was the normal maneuver of all European ships in alien or hostile harbors when a shore danger threatened. He knew, too, that though there was - and had been - no untoward movement on deck, by now all cannon would be primed, muskets issued, grape, cannonball, and chainshot ready in abundance, cutlasses waiting in their racks - and armed men aloft in the shrouds. Eyes would be searching all points of the compass. The galley would have been marked the moment it had changed course. The two stern chasers, thirty pounders, which were pointing directly at them, would be trained on them. Portuguese gunners were the best in the world, after the English.
And they'll know about Toranaga, he told himself with great bitterness, because they're clever and they'd have asked their porters or the Grays what all the trouble was about. Or by now the God-cursed Jesuits who know everything would have sent word about Toranaga's escape, and about me.
He could feel his short hairs curling. Any one of those guns can blow us to hell. Yes, but we're safe because Toranaga's aboard. Thank God for Toranaga.
Mariko was saying, "My Master asks what is your custom when you want to approach a warship?"
"If you had cannon you'd fire a salute. Or you can signal with flags, asking permission to come alongside."
"My Master says, and if you have no flags?"
Though they were still outside cannon range it was almost, to Blackthorne, as if he were already climbing down one of the barrels, though the gunports were still closed. The ship carried eight cannon a side on her main deck, two at the stern and two at the bow. Erasmus could take her, he told himself, without a doubt, providing the crew was right. I'd like to take her. Wake up, stop daydreaming, we're not aboard Erasmus but this sow-gutted galley and that Portuguese ship's the only hope we have. Under her guns we're safe. Bless your luck for Toranaga.
"Tell the captain to break out Toranaga's flag at the masthead. That'll be enough, senhora. That'll make it formal and tell them who's aboard, but I'd bet they know already."
This was done quickly. Everyone in the galley seemed to be more confident now. Blackthorne marked the change. Even he felt better under the flag.
"My Master says, but how do we tell them we wish to go alongside?"
"Tell him without signal flags he has two choices: he waits outside cannon range and sends a deputation aboard her in a small boat, or we go directly within hailing distance."
"My Master says, which do you advise?"
"Go straight alongside. There's no reason for caution. Lord Toranaga's aboard. He's the most important daimyo in the Empire. Of course she'll help us and - Oh Jesu God!"
"Senhor?"
But he did not reply, so she quickly translated what had been said and listened to Toranaga's next question. "My Master asks, the frigate will what? Please explain your thought and the reason you stopped."
"I suddenly realized, he's at war with Ishido now. Isn't he? So the frigate may not be inclined to help him."
"Of course they'll help him."
"No. Which side benefits the Portuguese more, Lord Toranaga or Ishido? If they believe Ishido will, they'll blow us to hell out of the water. "
"It's unthinkable that the Portuguese would fire on any Japanese ship," Mariko said at once.
"Believe me, they will, senhora. And I'll bet that frigate won't let us alongside. I wouldn't if I were her pilot. Christ Jesus!" Blackthorne stared ashore.