Shogun

"Yes," Sazuko echoed, nestling closer to Mariko, and said in a torrent, "whenever we go out of our gate Grays swarm around us like we were queen bees. We're not allowed to leave the castle, except with the Council's permission - none of the ladies are, even Lord Kiyama's - and the Council almost never meets and they hem and haw so there's never any permission and the doctor still says I'm not to travel yet but I'm fine and the baby's fine and .... But first tell us-" Kiri interrupted, "First tell us how our Master is."

The girl laughed, her vivacity undiminished. "I was going to ask that, Kiri-san!"

Mariko replied as Toranaga had ordered. "He's committed to his course - he's confident and content with his decision." She had rehearsed herself many times during her journey. Even so the strength of the gloom she created almost made her want to blurt out the truth. "So sorry," she said.

"Oh!" Sazuko tried not to sound frightened.

Kiri heaved herself to a more comfortable position. "Karma is karma, neh?"

"Then - then there's no change - no hope?" the girl asked.

Kiri patted her hand. "Believe that karma is karma, child, and Lord Toranaga is the greatest, wisest man alive. That is enough, the rest is illusion. Mariko-chan, do you have messages for us?"

"Oh, so sorry. Yes, here." Mariko took the three scrolls from her sleeve. "Two for you, Kiri-chan - one from our Master, one from Lord Hiro-matsu. This is for you, Sazuko, from your Lord, but he told me to tell you he misses you and wants to see his newest son. He made me remember to tell you three times. He misses you very much and oh so wants to see his youngest son. He misses you very..."

Tears were spilling down the girl's cheeks. She mumbled an apology and ran out of the room clutching the scroll.

"Poor child. It's so very hard for her here." Kiri did not break the seals of her scrolls. "You know about His Imperial Majesty being present?"

"Yes." Mariko was equally grave. "A courier from Lord Toranaga caught up with me a week ago. The message gave no details other than that, and named the day he will arrive here. Have you heard from him?"

"Not directly - nothing private - not for a month now. How is he? Really?"

"Confident." She sipped some sake. "Oh, may I pour for you?"

"Thank you."

"Nineteen days isn't much time, is it, Kiri-chan?"

"It's time enough to go to Yedo and back again if you hurry, time enough to live a lifetime if you wart, more than enough time to fight a battle or lose an Empire - time for a million things, but not enough time to eat all the rare dishes or drink all the sake...." Kiri smiled faintly. "I'm certainly not going to diet for the next twenty days. I'm-" She stopped. "Oh, please excuse me - listen to me prattling on and you haven't even changed or bathed. There'll be plenty of time to talk later."

"Oh, please don't concern yourself. I'm not tired."

"But you must be. You'll stay at your house?"

"Yes. That's where the General Lord Ishido's pass permits me to go." Mariko smiled wryly. "His welcome was flowery!"

Kiri scowled. "I doubt if he'd be welcome even in hell."

"Oh? So sorry, what now?"

"Nothing more than before. I know he ordered the Lord Sugiyama murders and tortures though I've no proof. Last week one of Lord Oda's consorts tried to sneak out with her children, disguised as a street cleaner. Sentries shot them 'by mistake.'"

"How terrible!"

"Of course, great 'apologies'! Ishido claims security is all important. There was a trumped-up assassination attempt on the Heir - that's his excuse."

"Why don't the ladies leave openly?"

"The Council has ordered wives and families to wait for their husbands, who must return for the Ceremony. The great Lord General feels 'the responsibility of their safety too gravely to allow them to wander.' The castle's locked tighter than an old oyster."

"So is the outside, Kiri-san. There are many more barriers than before on the Tokaido, and Ishido's security's very strong within fifty ri. Patrols everywhere."

"Everyone's frightened of him, except us and our few samurai, and we're no more trouble to him than a pimple on a dragon's rump."

"Even our doctors?"

"Them too. Yes, they still advise us not to travel, even if it were permitted, which it will never be."

"Is the Lady Sazuko fit - is the baby fit, Kiri-san?"

"Yes, you can see that for yourself. And so am I." Kiri sighed, the strain showing now, and Mariko noticed there was much more gray in her hair than before. "Nothing's changed since I wrote to Lord Toranaga at Anjiro. We're hostages and we'll stay hostages with all the rest until The Day. Then there'll be a resolution."

"Now that His Imperial Highness is arriving ... that makes everything final, neh?"

"Yes. It would seem so. Go and rest, Mariko-chan, but eat with us tonight. Then we can talk, neh? Oh, by the way, one piece of news for you. Your famous barbarian hatamoto - bless him for saving our Master, we heard about that - he docked safely this morning, with Kasigi Yabu-san."