Shogun

"That's what many say. But, so sorry, bullocks will shit gold dust before you or any are allowed to insult the Lord Yaemon .... Please take your hand away from your sword!"

"Then watch your tongue!"

"Of course, so sorry. You agree?"

"I'm overlord of Izu now, and promised Totomi and Suruga," Yabu had said, beginning to bargain. He knew that though he was trapped, as Mariko was trapped, so equally was lshido trapped, because the dilemma Mariko had precipitated still existed.

"Yes, so you are," the samurai had said. "But I'm not permitted to negotiate. Those are the terms. Is it yes or no?..."

 Yabu finished cleaning his sword and arranged the sheet over the seemingly sleeping figure of Sumiyori. Then he toweled the sweat off his face and hands, composed his rage, blew out the candle, and opened the door. The two Browns were waiting some paces down the corridor. They bowed.  - "I'll wake you at dawn, Sumiyori-san," Yabu said to the darkness. Then, to one of the samurai, "You stand guard here. No one's to go in. No one! Make sure the captain's not disturbed - he needs rest."

"Yes, Sire."

The samurai took up his new post and Yabu strode off down the corridor with the other guard, went up a flight of steps to the main central section of this floor and crossed it, heading for the audience room and inner apartments that were in the east wing. Soon he came to the cul-de-sac corridor of the audience room. Guards bowed and allowed him to enter. Other samurai opened the door to the corridor and complex of private quarters. He knocked at a door.

"Anjin-san?" he said quietly.

There was no answer. He pulled the shoji open. The room was empty, the inner shoji ajar. He frowned, then motioned to his accompanying guard to wait, and hurried across the room into the dimly lit inner corridor. Chimmoko intercepted him, a knife in her hand. Her rumpled bed was in this passageway outside one of the rooms.

"Oh, so sorry, Sire, I was dozing," she said apologetically, lowering her knife. But she did not move out of his path.

"I was looking for the Anjin-san."

"He and my Mistress are talking, Sire, with Kiritsubo-san and the Lady Achiko."

"Please ask him if I could see him a moment."

"Certainly, Sire." Chimmoko politely motioned Yabu back into the other room, waited until he was there, and pulled the inner shoji closed. The guard in the main corridor watched inquisitively.

In a moment the shoji opened again and Blackthorne came in. He was dressed and wore a short sword.

"Good evening, Yabu-san," he said.

"So sorry to disturb you, Anjin-san. I just want see - make sure all right, understand?"

"Yes, thank you. No worry."

"Lady Toda all right? Not sick?"

"Fine now. Very tired but fine. Soon dawn, neh?"

Yabu nodded. "Yes. Just want make sure all right. Understand?"

"Yes. This afternoon you say 'plan,' Yabu-san. Remember? Please what secret plan?"

"No secret, Anjin-san," Yabu said, regretting that he had been so open at that time. "You misunderstood. Say only must have plan . . . very difficult escape Osaka, neh? Must escape or . . ." Yabu drew a knife across his throat. "Understand?"

"Yes. But now have pass, neh? Now safe go out Osaka. Neh?"

"Yes. Soon leave. On boat very good. Soon get men at Nagasaki. Understand?"

"Yes."

Very friendly, Yabu went away. Blackthorne closed the door after him and walked back to the inner passageway, leaving his inner door ajar. He passed Chimmoko and went into the other room. Mariko was propped in futons, appearing more diminutive than ever, more delicate and more beautiful. Kiri was kneeling on a cushion. Achiko was curled up asleep to one side.

"What did he want, Anjin-san?" Mariko said.

"Just to see we were all right."

Mariko translated for Kiri.

"Kiri says, did you ask him about the 'plan'?"

"Yes. But he shrugged the question off. Perhaps he changed his mind. I don't know. Perhaps I was mistaken but I thought this afternoon he had something planned, or was planning something."

"To betray us?"

"Of course. But I don't know how."

Mariko smiled at him. "Perhaps you were mistaken. We're safe now."

The young girl, Achiko, mumbled in her sleep and they glanced at her. She had asked to stay with Mariko, as had old Lady Etsu, who was sleeping soundly in an adjoining room. The other ladies had left at sunset to go to their own homes. All had sent formal requests for permission to depart at once. With the failing light, rumors had rushed through the castle that nearly one hundred and five would also apply tomorrow. Kiyama had sent for Achiko, his granddaughter-in-law, but she refused to leave Mariko. At once the daimyo had disowned her and demanded possession of the child. She had given up her child. Now the girl was in the midst of a nightmare but it passed and she slept peacefully again.

Mariko looked at Blackthorne. "It's so wonderful to be at peace, neh?"

"Yes," he said. Since she had awakened and found herself alive and not dead, her spirit had clung to his. For the first hour they had been alone, she lying in his arms.