Shogun

"Why protect him? When he detests him? Very strange, neh? Could it be that now the Lord General also sees the Anjin-san as a possible weapon against the Catholic daimyos?"

"I don't follow you."

"If, God forbid, you died, Sire, Lord Onoshi becomes supreme in Kyushu, neh? What could the Lord General do to curb Onoshi? Nothing - except, perhaps, use the Anjin-san."

"It's possible," Kiyama said slowly.

"There's only one reason to protect the Anjin-san - to use him. Where? Only against the Portuguese - and thus the Kyushu Christian daimyos. Neh?"

"It's possible."

"I believe the Anjin-san's as valuable to you as to Onoshi or Ishido or my Master. Alive. His knowledge is enormous. Only knowledge can protect us from barbarians, even Portuguese."

Kiyama said scornfully, "We can crush them, expel them any time we like. They're gnats on a horse, nothing more."

"If the Holy Mother Church conquers and all the land becomes Christian as we pray it will, what then? Will our laws survive? Will bushido survive? Against the Commandments? I suggest it won't - like elsewhere in the Catholic world - not when the Holy Fathers are supreme, not unless we are prepared."

He did not answer her.

Then she said, "Sire, I beg you, ask the Anjin-san what has happened elsewhere in the world."

"I will not. I think he's bewitched you, Mariko-san. I believe the Holy Fathers. I think your Anjin-san is taught by Satan, and I beg you to realize his heresy has already infected you. Three times you used 'Catholic' when you meant Christian. Doesn't that imply you agree with him there are two Faiths, two equally true versions of the True Faith? Isn't your threat tonight a knife in the belly of the Heir? And against the interests of the Church?" He got up. "Thank you for your information. Go with God."

Mariko took a small, thin, sealed scroll of paper from her sleeve. "Lord Toranaga asked me to give you this."

Kiyama looked at the unbroken seal. "Do you know what's in it, Mariko-san?"

"Yes. I was ordered to destroy it and pass on the message verbally if I was intercepted. " Kiyama broke the seal. The message reiterated Toranaga's wish for peace between them, his complete support of the Heir and the succession, and briefly gave the information about Onoshi. It ended, "I don't have proof about Lord Onoshi but Uraga-noh-Tadamasa will have that and, deliberately, he has been made available to you in Osaka for questioning if you wish. However I do have proof that Ishido has also betrayed the secret agreement between you and him giving the Kwanto to your descendants, once I am dead. The Kwanto has been secretly promised to my brother, Zataki, in return for betraying me, as he has already done. Please excuse me, old comrade, but you have been betrayed too. Once I am dead, you and your line will be isolated and destroyed, as will the whole Christian Church. I beg you to reconsider. Soon you will have proof of my sincerity."

Kiyama reread the message and she watched him as she had been ordered. 'Watch him so carefully, Mariko-san,' Toranaga had told her. `I'm not sure of his agreement with Ishido about the Kwanto. Spies have reported it but I'm not sure. You'll know from what he does - or doesn't do - if you give him the message at the right time.' She had seen Kiyama react. So that's also true, she thought.

The old daimyo looked up and said flatly, "And you are the proof of his sincerity, neh? The burnt offering, the sacrificial lamb?"

"No, Sire."

"I don't believe you. And I don't believe him. The Onoshi treason, perhaps. But the rest ... Lord Toranaga's just up to his old tricks of mixing half-truths and honey and poison. I'm afraid it's you who've been betrayed, Mariko-san."

CHAPTER 54

"We'll leave at noon."

"No, Mariko-san." Lady Sazuko was almost in tears.

"Yes," Kiri said. "Yes, we'll leave as you say."

"But they'll stop us," the young girl burst out. "It's all so useless."

"No," Mariko told her, "you're wrong, Sazuko-chan, it's very necessary."

Kiri said, "Mariko-san's right. We have orders." She suggested details of their leaving. "We could easily be ready by dawn if you want. "

"Noon is when we should leave. That's what he said, Kiri-chan," Mariko replied.

"We'll need very few things, neh?"

"Yes."

Sazuko said, "Very few! So sorry, but it's all so silly, they'll stop us!"

"Perhaps they won't, child," Kiri said. "Mariko says they'll let us go. Lord Toranaga thinks they'll let us go. So presume that they will. Go and rest. Go on. I must talk to Mariko-san."

The girl went away, greatly troubled.

Kiri folded her hands. "Yes, Mariko-san?"

"I'm sending a cipher by carrier pigeon telling Lord Toranaga what happened tonight. It will go at first light. Ishido's men will certainly try to destroy the rest of my carrier birds tomorrow if there's trouble and I can't bring them here. Is there any message you want to send at once?"

"Yes. I'll write it now. What do you think's going to happen?"

"Lord Toranaga's sure they'll let us go, if I'm strong."