Shogun

"Mariko-san might want Confession? Or a Mass? Or a conference? She sent Chimmoko to arrange them?"

"Any or all, Anjin-san. All ladies of the daimyos, both of friends to the Lord General and of those who might oppose him, are confined very much to the castle, neh? Once in, they stay in, like fish in a golden bowl, waiting to be speared."

"Leave it! Enough of your doom talk."

"So sorry. Even so, Anjin-san, I think now the Lady Toda will come out no more. Until the nineteenth day."

"I told you to leave it! I understand about hostages and a last day." It was quiet on deck, all their voices muted. The guard was resting easily, waiting out their watch. Small water lapped the hull and the ropes creaked pleasantly.

After a moment, Uraga said, "Perhaps Chimmoko brought a summons - a request for the Father-Visitor to go to her. She was surely under guard when she crossed First Bridge. Surely Toda Mariko-noh-Buntaro-noh-Jinsai was under guard from the first moments she crossed from Lord Toranaga's borders. Neh?"

"Can we know if the Father-Visitor goes to the castle?"

"Yes. That is easy."

"How to know what's said - or what's done?"

"That is very hard. Very sorry, but they would speak Portuguese or Latin, neh? And who speaks both but you and me? I would be recognized by both." Uraga motioned at the castle and at the city. "There are many Christians there. Any would gain great favor by removing you, or me-neh?"

Blackthorne did not answer. No answer was needed. He was seeing the donjon etched against the stars and he remembered Uraga telling him about the legendary, limitless treasure it protected, the Taiko's plunder - levy of the Empire. But now his mind was on what Toranaga might be doing and thinking and planning, and exactly where Mariko was and what was the use of going on to Nagasaki. 'Then you're saying the nineteenth day is the last day, a death day, Yabu-san?' he had repeated, almost nauseated by the knowledge that the trap was sprung on Toranaga. And therefore on him and Erasmus.

'Shigata ga nai! We go quickly Nagasaki and back again. Quick, understand? Only four days to get men. Then come back.'

'But why? When Toranaga here, all die, neh?' he had said. But Yabu had gone ashore, telling him that the day after tomorrow they would leave. In a ferment he had watched him go, wishing that he had brought Erasmus and not the galley. If he had had Erasmus he knew that he would have somehow bypassed Osaka and headed straight for Nagasaki, or even more probably, he would have limped off over the horizon to find some snug harbor and taken time out from eternity to train his vassals to work the ship.

You're a fool, he flayed himself. With the few crew you've got now you couldn't have docked her here, let alone found that harbor to wait out the devil storm. You'd be dead already.

"No worry, Sire. Karma, " Uraga was saying.

"Aye. Karma." Then Blackthorne heard danger seaward and his body moved before his mind ordered it and he was twisting as the arrow swooshed past, missed him fractionally to shudder into the bulkhead. He lunged at Uraga to pull him down to safety as another arrow of the same volley hissed into Uraga's throat, impaling him, and then they were both cowering in safety on the deck, Uraga shrieking and samurai shouting and peering over the gunwale out to sea. Grays from the shore guard poured aboard. Another volley came out of the night from the sea and everyone scattered for cover. Blackthorne crawled to the gunwale and peeped through a scupper and saw a nearby fishing boat dousing its flare to vanish into the darkness. All the boats were doing the same, and for a split second he saw scullers pulling away frantically, light glinting off swords and bows.

Uraga's shrieking subsided into a burbling, gut-shattering agony as Grays rushed on to the quarterdeck, bows ready, the whole ship now in an uproar. Vinck came on deck fast, pistol ready, ducked over as he ran. "Christ, what's going on - you all right, Pilot?"

"Yes. Watch out - they're in the fishing boats!" Blackthorne slithered back to Uraga, who was clawing at the shaft, blood seeping from his nose and mouth and ears.

"Jesus," Vinck gasped.

Blackthorne took hold of the arrow's barb with one hand and put his other on the warm, pulsing flesh and pulled with all his strength. The arrow came out cleanly but in its wake blood gushed in a pumping stream. Uraga began to choke.

Now Grays and Blackthorne's own samurai surrounded them. Some had brought shields and they covered Blackthorne, heedless of their own safety. Others quaked in safety though the danger was over. Others were raging at the night, firing at the night, ordering the vanished fishing boats back.