Shogun

"I don't agree. And, please excuse me, I don't think you put much faith in the attempt either."

"You're wrong. Oh, of course they may stop us tomorrow and if they do there'll be the most terrible quarrel and threats but they'll all mean nothing." Mariko laughed. "Oh, such threats, Kiri-san, and they'll go on all day and all night. But at noon the next day we'll be allowed to go."

Kiri shook her head. "If we're allowed to escape, every other hostage in Osaka will leave too. Ishido will be weakened badly and he'll lose face. He can't afford that."

"Yes." Mariko was very satisfied. "Even so, he's trapped."

Kiri watched her. "In eighteen days our Master'll be here, neh? He must be here."

"Yes."

"So sorry, then why is it so important for us to leave at once?"

"He thinks it important enough, Kiri-san. Enough to order it."

"Ah, then he has a plan?"

"Doesn't he always have many plans?"

"Once the Exalted One agreed to be present, then our Master was trapped, neh?"

"Yes."

Kiri glanced at the shoji door. It was closed. She leaned forward and said softly, "Then why did he ask me secretly to put that thought into the Lady Ochiba's head?"

Mariko's confidence began to fade. "He told you to do that?"

"Yes. From Yokose, after he'd seen Lord Zataki for the first time. Why did he spring the trap himself?"

"I don't know."

Kiri bit her lips. "I wish I knew. We'll soon know, but I don't think you're telling me everything you know, Mariko-chan."

Mariko began to bridle but Kiri touched her, again cautioning her to silence, and whispered. "His dispatch to me told me to trust you completely so let's say no more than that. I do trust you, Mariko-chan, but that doesn't stop my mind from working. Neh?"

"Please excuse me."

"I'm so proud of you," Kiri said in a normal voice. "Yes, standing up like that to Ishido and all of them. I wish I had your courage."

"It is easy for me. Our Master said we were to leave."

"It's very dangerous, what we do, I think. Even so, how can I help?"

"Give me your support."

"You have that. You've always had that."

"I'll stay here with you till dawn, Kiri. But first I have to talk to the Anjin-san."

"Yes. I'd better go with you."

The two women left Kiri's apartments, an escort of Browns with them, passing other Browns who bowed, clearly enormously proud of Mariko. Kiri led down corridors, across the expanse of the great audience room, and into the corridor beyond. Browns were on guard here, and Grays. When they saw Mariko, all bowed, Browns and Grays equally honoring her. Both Kiri and Mariko were taken aback to find Grays in their domain. They hid their discomfiture and said nothing.

Kiri motioned at a door.

"Anjin-san?" Mariko called out.

"Hai?" The door opened. Blackthorne stood there. Behind him in the room were two more Grays. "Hello, Mariko-san."

"Hello." Mariko glanced at the Grays. "I have to talk to the Anjin-san privately."

"Please talk to him, Lady," their captain said with great deference. "Unfortunately we are ordered by Lord Ishido personally on pain of immediate death not to leave him alone."

Yoshinaka, tonight's officer-of-the-watch, strode up. "Excuse me, Lady Toda, I had to agree to these twenty guards for the Anjin-san. It was Lord Ishido's personal request. So sorry."

"As Lord Ishido is only concerned with the Anjin-san's safety, they're welcome," she said, not at all pleased inside.

Yoshinaka said to the captain of the Grays, "I will be responsible for him while the Lady Toda's with him. You can wait outside."

"So sorry," this samurai said firmly. "I and my men have no alternative but to watch with our own eyes."

Kiri said, "I will be glad to stay. Of course someone's necessary."

"So sorry, Kiritsubo-san, we must be present. Please excuse me, Lady Toda," the captain continued uncomfortably, "but none of us speaks the barbarian."

"No one suggests you would be so impolite as to listen," said Mariko, near anger. "But barbarian customs are different from ours."

Yoshinaka said, "Obviously the Grays must obey their lord. You were totally correct tonight that a samurai's first duty is to his liege lord, Lady Toda, and totally correct to point it out in public."

"Perfectly correct, Lady," the captain of the Grays agreed with the same measure of pride. "There's no other reason for a samurai's life, neh?"

"Thank you," she said, warmed by their respect.

"We should also honor the Anjin-san's customs if we can, Captain," Yoshinaka said. "Perhaps I have a solution. Please follow me." He led the way back to the audience room. "Please, Lady, would you take the Anjin-san and sit there." He pointed to the far dais. "The Anjin-san's guards can stay by the doors and do their duty to their liege lord, we can do ours, and you may talk as you wish, according to the Anjin-san's customs. Neh?"

Mariko explained to Blackthorne what Yoshinaka had said, then continued prudently in Latin, "They will never leave thee tonight. We have no alternative - except I can order them killed at once if that is thy wish."