Obediently Naga brought the silk-covered package to Toranaga. Toranaga threw off the cover. There were two matching swords, one short, the other a killing sword. "Noticing that the earth had swallowed my swords and that I was unarmed, the Anjin-san went down into the crevasse again to find his own to give to me. Anjin-san, I give these in return. They were made by the master craftsman, Yoriya. Remember, the sword is the soul of the samurai. If he forgets it, or loses it, he will never be excused."
To even greater acclaim and private envy Blackthorne took the swords, bowed correctly, and put them in his sash, then bowed again.
"Thank you, Toranaga-sama. You do me too much honor. Thank you."
He began to move away but Toranaga bade him stay. "No, sit down here, beside me, Anjin-san." Toranaga looked back at the militant, fanatic faces of his officers.
'Fools!' he wanted to shout. 'Don't you understand that war, whether now or after the rains, would only be disastrous? Any war with Ishido-Ochiba-Yaemon and their present allies must end in slaughter of all my armies, all of you, and the obliteration of me and all my line? Don't you understand I've no chance except to wait and hope that Ishido strangles himself?' Instead he incited them even more, for it was essential to throw his enemy off balance.
"Listen, samurai: Soon you'll be able to prove your valor, man to man, as our forefathers proved theirs. I will destroy Ishido and all his traitors and first will be Ikawa Jikkyu. I hereby give all his lands, both provinces of Suruga and Totomi worth three hundred thousand koku, to my faithful vassal Lord Kasigi Yabu, and, with Izu, confirm him and his line as their overlords."
A thunderous acclamation. Yabu was flushed with elation.
Omi was banging the floor, shouting just as ecstatically. Now his prize was limitless, for by custom, Yabu's heir would inherit all his lands.
How to kill Yabu without waiting for war?
Then his eyes fixed on the Anjin-san, who was cheering lustily. Why not let the Anjin-san do it for you, he asked himself, and laughed aloud at the idiotic thought. Buntaro leaned over and clapped him on the shoulder, amiably misinterpreting the laughter as happiness for Yabu. "Soon you'll get the fief you merit, neh?" Buntaro shouted over the tumult. "You deserve recognition too. Your ideas and counsel are valuable."
"Thank you, Buntaro-san."
"Don't worry - We can get through any mountains."
"Yes." Buntaro was a ferocious battle general and Omi knew they were well matched: Omi the bold strategist, Buntaro the fearless attack leader.
If anyone can get us through the mountains, he can.
There was another burst of cheering as Toranaga ordered sake to be brought, ending the formal meeting.
Omi drank his sake and watched Blackthorne drain another cup, his kimono neat, swords correct, Mariko still talking. You've changed very much, Anjin-san, since that first day, he thought contentedly. Many of your alien ideas are still set firm, but you're almost becoming civilized "What's the matter, Omi-san?"
"Nothing - nothing, Buntaro-san..."
"You looked as though an eta had shoved his buttocks in your face. " "Nothing like that not at all! Eeeee, just the opposite. I had the beginnings of an idea. Drink up! Hey, Peach-Blossom, bring more sake, my Lord Buntaro's cup is empty!"
"I am instructed to inquire if Kiku-san would be free this evening," Mariko said.
"Oh, so sorry, Lady Toda, but I'm not sure," Gyoko, the Mama-san, said ingratiatingly. "May I ask if the honored client would require Lady Kiku for the evening or part of it, or perhaps until tomorrow, if she's not already engaged?"
The Mama-san was a tall, elegant woman in her eariy fifties with a lovely smile. But she drank too much sake, her heart was an abacus, and she possessed a nose that could smell a single piece of silver from fifty ri.
The two women were in an eight-mat room adjoining Toranaga's private quarters. It had been set aside for Mariko, and overlooked, on the other side, a small garden which was enclosed by the first of the inner wall defenses. It was raining again and the droplets sparkled in the flares.
Mariko said genteelly, "That would be a matter for the client to decide. Perhaps an arrangement could be made now which would cover every eventuality."
"So sorry, please excuse me that I don't know her availability at once. She's so sought after, Lady Toda. I'm sure you understand."
"Oh, yes, of course. We're really very fortunate to have such a lady of quality here in Anjiro." Mariko had accented the "Anjiro." She had sent for Gyoko instead of visiting her, as she might possibly have done. And when the woman had arrived, just late enough to make a distinct point, but not enough to be rude, Mariko had been glad of the opportunity to lock horns with so worthy an adversary.
"Was the Tea House damaged very much?" she asked.
