"Yabu-san asks if you would like a palanquin?"
Blackthorne thought about that. At length he decided that a samurai would walk-would try to walk.
"No, thank you," he said, as much as he would have liked to lie down, to be carried back, to close his eyes and to sleep instantly. At the same time he knew he would be afraid to sleep yet, in case this was the dream of after-death and the knife not there on the futon but still buried in the real him, and this hell, or the beginning of hell.
Slowly he took up the knife and studied it, glorying in the real feel. Then he put it in its scabbard, everything taking so much time.
"Sorry I'm so slow," he murmured.
"You mustn't be sorry, Anjin-san. Tonight you're reborn. This is another life, a new life," Mariko said proudly, filled with honor for him. "It's given to few to return. Do not be sorry. We know it takes great fortitude. Most men do not have enough strength left afterwards even to stand. May I help you?"
"No. No, thank you."
"It is no dishonor to be helped. I would be honored to be allowed to help you."
"Thank you. But I-I wish to try. First."
But he could not stand at once. He had to use his hands to get to his knees and then he had to pause to get more strength. Later he lurched up and almost fell. He swayed but did not fall.
Yabu bowed. And Mariko, Omi, and Igurashi.
Blackthorne walked like a drunk for the first few paces. He clutched a pillar and held on for a moment. Then he began again. He faltered, but he was walking away, alone. As a man. He kept one hand on the long sword in his belt and his head was high.
Yabu exhaled and drank deeply of the saké. When he could speak he said to Mariko, "Please follow him. See that he gets home safely."
"Yes, Sire."
When she had gone, Yabu turned on Igurashi. "You-manure-pile fool!"
Instantly Igurashi bowed his head to the mat in penitence.
"Bluff you said,
"Yes, Sire, you're right, Sire. I beg leave to end my life at once."
"That would be too good for you! Go and live in the stables until I send for you! Sleep with the stupid horses. You're a horse-headed fool!"
"Yes, Sire. I apologize, Sire."
"Get out! Omi-san will command the guns now. Get out!"
The candles flickered and spluttered. One of the maids spilled the tiniest drop of saké on the small lacquered table in front of Yabu and he cursed her eloquently. The others apologized at once. He allowed them to placate him, and accepted more wine. "Bluff? Bluff, he said. Fool! Why do I have fools around me?"
Omi said nothing, screaming with laughter inside.
"But you're no fool, Omi-san. Your counsel's valuable. Your fief's doubled from today. Six thousand koku. For next year. Take thirty
Omi bowed to the futon. Yabu deserves to die, he thought scornfully, he's so easy to manipulate. "I deserve nothing, Sire. I was just doing my duty."
"Yes. But a liege lord should reward faithfulness and duty." Yabu was wearing the Yoshitomo sword tonight. It gave him great pleasure to touch it. "Suzu," he called to one of the maids. "Send Zukimoto here!"
"How soon will war begin?" Omi asked.
"This year. Maybe you have six months, perhaps not. Why?"
"Perhaps the Lady Mariko should stay more than three days. To protect you."
"Eh? Why?"
"She's the mouth of the Anjin-san. In half a month-with her-he can train twenty men who can train a hundred who can train the rest. Then whether he lives or dies doesn't matter."
"Why should he die?"
"You're going to call the Anjin-san again, his next challenge or the one after, Sire. The result may be different next time, who knows? You may want him to die." Both men knew, as Mariko and Igurashi had known, that for Yabu to swear by any god was meaningless and, of course, he had no intention of keeping any promise. "You may want to put pressure on him. Once you have the information, what good is the carcass?"
"None."
"You need to learn barbarian war strategy but you must do it very quickly. Lord Toranaga may send for him, so you must have the woman as long as you can. Half a month should be enough to squeeze his head dry of what he knows, now that you have his complete attention. You'll have to experiment, to adapt their methods to our ways. Yes, it would take at least half a month.
"And Toranaga-san?"
"He will agree, if it's put correctly to him, Sire. He must. The guns are his as well as yours. And her continuing presence here is valuable in other ways."
"Yes," Yabu said with satisfaction, for the thought of holding her as hostage had also entered his mind on the ship when he had planned to offer Toranaga as a sacrifice to Ishido. "Toda Mariko should be protected, certainly. It would be bad if she fell into evil hands."
"Yes. And perhaps she could be the means of controlling Hiro-matsu, Buntaro, and all their clan, even Toranaga."
"You draft the message about her."
