by Kara Dalkey
“Oh, please let her in, Kuma-san. She is a good friend.”
Shonasaki heard someone grumble and the shutters were swung open. A somewhat disheveled man stood inside, eyeing Shonasaki cautiously. But she paid him little attention, giving him only a cursory bow as she hurried inside. She found Uguisu sitting by the hearth, and Shonasaki rushed to embrace her. “My Lady! Oh, you look so thin! Have you been treated well?”
“Oh, yes. Well enough. It is so good to see you, Shonasaki-san. But why have you come to find me? Were you banished from Court too?”
“No, I left by my own choice. I—oop, what’s this?” Shonasaki felt something soft shift beneath one leg and she moved aside. With a disgruntled meow, a yellow cat crawled out from under her and stretched.
“Can this be … it is Hinata-san! Oh, I am so sorry, Hinata-san. I did not mean to be so rude. I am glad to see you, too.”
The cat blinked at her and gave her hand a desultory lick.
A shoji slid aside and a woman who looked slightly familiar to Shonasaki sleepily entered the room. “Who is this, Uguisu?” said the woman. “Do we have yet another guest?”
“This is Shonasaki, Katte-san. She served me at Court.”
“Ah,” said Shonasaki, “You were the Lady of the Kitchens. I remember now. Everyone at Court wondered what had happened to you.”
“Like you, I chose to leave.”
There came rustling sounds from a dark corner of the room, and a young man with short hair sat up and yawned.
“Takenoko!” Kuma said, “Wake up! There is a lady from the Palace here to see you.”
“Eh? What? Ah, Shonasaki-san. What brings you here?”
Suddenly Shonasaki was aware that there were men in the room who could see all three ladies clearly. She turned to Katte and said, “Excuse me, but have you no kicho for My Lady and yourself?”
“Fah!” said Katte. “I have had quite enough of kichos and other courtly things. I am now plain, poor Katte again. As for the men, Kuma is my husband, and Takenoko is a priest and a friend. I do not fear their seeing me. If Uguisu wishes, there is that screen there that she sleeps behind, but I do not think it becomes her at all. I am sorry, Shonasaki-san, if my hospitality seems poor to you, but this is not a wealthy household.”
Feeling chastened, Shonasaki said, “I am sorry, Katte-san. I did not mean to seem demanding.” She turned and opened the lid of her cedarwood box. She pulled out a silk bag that contained some gold and silver hair combs. Handing the bag to Katte, Shonasaki bowed and said, “To atone for my rudeness, and to offset whatever expense my presence may cause you, please accept these.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly!”
“Please. I shall not be needing them again.”
Katte looked at Kuma who gave her a curt nod. Then she bowed, saying, “This unworthy one accepts your kind generosity, Shonasaki-san. Please feel welcome in our house.”
Shonasaki bowed in return and took from the box a plain comb of tortoise shell with which she began to comb Uguisu’s hair. “You are fortunate in a way, My Ladies, to have left the Palace so soon. It has become so sad. That is why I left—Oh, Takenoko! The message for you! I was so pleased to see Uguisu-san, I nearly forgot. It was very strange. Yesterday the Chancellor’s young son Korimizu approached me. He had heard me say I would be seeing a priest and wished me to pass on a message. He said His Majesty the Emperor, whom no one in the Palace has seen for many days, is very ill. The Chinese lady has disappeared also. Korimizu believes His Majesty is possessed by some evil spirit, but his father will let only the family priest near him and will not allow an exorcism. Korimizu begged me to ask you to somehow help but I don’t see what you can do.”
Uguisu’s brows shot up and she clutched the hem of her kimonos until her knuckles were white. “The eyes!” she whispered fiercely. “No wonder she looked at me that way. And now she has him and all I did to save him was useless! It is all my fault!”
“Please, what are you talking about, My Lady?”
Uguisu grabbed Shonasaki’s sleeve. “The evil spirit! Su K’an was my guardian kami and she’s going to kill all the Fujiwara and the Emperor and make her son the new Emperor! I tried to warn them but they didn’t understand! Oh, I should have died before I was born!” Uguisu began to weep.
Shonasaki put her arm around Uguisu’s shoulders. “What are you saying, My Lady? How do you know this? Yes, I remember you were worried about evil spirits, but why are they your fault?”
Tearfully, Uguisu recounted the story of how she was born to a family of witches, and how her guardian kami guided her to be an instrument of her family’s revenge.
Shonasaki sucked in her breath through her teeth. “Ai, that is a terrible tale, Uguisu-san.”
Quietly, Takenoko approached and knelt before them. “Truly, your karma has placed heavy burdens on you. But I cannot believe your past lives were so evil as to cause you to deserve such sorrow. Perhaps the Almighty Amida is testing you, trying your soul for greater glory to come. It is difficult to go against the wishes of one’s family to do what is right. Surely you will not be blamed for this.”
Stroking Uguisu’s hair, Shonasaki murmured, “Korimizu also defied his family to tell me of the Emperor’s condition and ask for help. And his betrayal no doubt took as much courage as yours. If only we could somehow do as he asked.”
“But if this spirit is so clever and powerful that she can possess our Emperor,” said Katte, “how could anyone defeat her? Who is more powerful than the Emperor himself?”
“The head of the Fujiwara,” Kuma said sardonically.
Shonasaki narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s not what she meant. Even so, the Chancellor would not help us. Korimizu said he forbade all help to the Emperor in order to keep events under his control.”
“He is a fool!” Uguisu cried, striking the floor with her fist. “They will all be killed!”
“Come, now,” said Kuma, “how can you be sure of that?”
“The Chancellor’s son, Hidoi, is already dead. He drowned, but the guards say that he seemed mad or possessed as he ran towards the river. Kazenatsu has disappeared and is rumored to have committed some grave error for which he awaits punishment. Perhaps the killing of the Fujiwara has begun already.”
Takenoko said softly, “Amidabha, bodhisattva, the Great Kami—”
“Are you praying, Takenoko-san?” asked Shonasaki.
“No, I was merely thinking of who was powerful enough to help the Emperor.”
Katte said, “Isn’t there one of the Great Kami who specifically looks after his Majesty?”
“Amaterasu,” Uguisu whispered.
The cat Hinata, who had been curled up asleep by the hearth, raised her head and pricked forward her ears.
“Yes,” said Takenoko, “Amaterasu is the Great Ancestress of all our emperors as well as the Kami of the Sun. She would be the one looking after him.”
“Then why doesn’t she help him?” asked Katte.
“Asking why a kami does or does not aid one is like asking why the wind blows,” said Takenoko.
“Perhaps she doesn’t approve of this Emperor,” said Kuma, “and she doesn’t care what happens to him.”
“That cannot be true!” said Uguisu. “The Emperor is good and kind! One cannot help but love him! Amaterasu could not possibly find him worthy of such treatment.”
Shonasaki noticed Takenoko staring at Uguisu, and she wondered why his expression was sad. “Perhaps,” she said tentatively, “Amaterasu does not know.”
“How could that be?” scoffed Kuma. “She is Kami of the Sun and can see everything.”
“Not everything is done in daylight,” said Takenoko, “and much happens beneath the shelter of roofs.”
“And,” Shonasaki added, “her shintai, the Sacred Mirror, has been locked in the Imperial Shrine. If no one has opened the altar to speak to it, she would not be informed.”
“Then we must tell her!” cried Uguisu.
“That is
foolishness,” said Kuma. “You can’t just walk into the Imperial Shrine and ask to speak to the Sacred Mirror.”
“There must be some other way,” said Uguisu.
The cat Hinata got up and padded to Uguisu’s side. “Mrow?” she said.
“Not now, Hinata-san,” said Uguisu. “Takenoko, you are a priest. Is there nothing you can do?”
“I am a Buddhist priest, and the kami are the province of Shinto.”
Hinata trotted over to Takenoko and put her face close to his. “Mrrrow?” she said. Takenoko gently pushed her aside.
“Well,” said Kuma, “perhaps when you summon Amaterasu you can convert her to Buddhism.”
Takenoko grimaced. “Well, I suppose it hurts nothing to attempt summoning. Certainly our cause is good. Now, what do we need? If her sacred shintai is a mirror, then a mirror should be part of the ritual.”
“I have a mirror!” said Shonasaki. She pulled her box of possessions to her side and took off the lid.
Hinata came running over. “Mrow!” she cried, and gently struck Shonasaki’s cheek with her paw.
“No, I cannot play with you now, Hinata-san. This is important.”
“Shall I take the cat outside?” said Kuma.
“That would be very kind of you, Kuma-san.”
But as Kuma grabbed for the cat, Hinata leaped away and ran to the other side of the room.
Shonasaki pulled out of the box a bundle of red and purple figured silk. Unwrapping the silk, she produced a small bronze mirror. “Now what?”
Kuma grunted in exasperation as he continued to chase Hinata.
“Place the mirror in a beam of sunlight; over there should do. I will get some incense and a prayer-scroll.”
Shonasaki propped the mirror against a wall in the midst of a sunbeam. But suddenly Hinata dashed over and sat directly in front of the mirror. Shonasaki sighed and began to move the cat, when bright golden light blazed out of the mirror. She had to cover her eyes, the light hurt so.
Katte and Kuma said, “What is it? What is happening?”
A voice smooth as honey said, “If you please, I would prefer that the cat remain.”
The blaze of light dimmed to a golden glow, and Shonasaki slowly uncovered her eyes. Hinata sat before the mirror as before. But instead of a cat’s reflection in the mirror, there was a beautiful woman’s face, shining like the sun.
“Amaterasu!” Takenoko whispered, and he bowed very low.
“It is pleasing to be recognized,” came the beautiful voice from the mirror, “even by one of a foreign faith.”
Shonasaki gasped and bowed also, followed quickly by Kuma, Katte and Uguisu.
“Great Mother of the Sun,” said Shonasaki, “I am honored … I mean, how did you come to be in my mirror before we even called to you?”
Bright laughter spilled from the mirror. “Hinata is my avatar—a part of me is with her, you might say. It is through her that I may appear in your mirror. It is through her that I would watch what happened at the Palace.”
Kuma rubbed his chin. “Great Amaterasu, I mean no disrespect, but as you are one of the highest kami in our land, why couldn’t you help the Emperor? He is your descendant, after all. Why could you not have prevented this calamity?”
“Please forgive this inattentive one, wise Kuma. It is surely a grave failing that I let things deteriorate so that no one thought to consult me until now. And my avatar, Hinata, was banished from the palace, so she could not help.”
Kuma winced and bowed.
“Great Amaterasu,” said Uguisu, “now that you have learned of the Emperor’s plight, you will help him, won’t you?”
“I will do what I can, child of the Earth. But although I am called a Great Kami, I am still only a kami. There is much I cannot do. I will need the help of all of you.”
“But Amaterasu,” said Shonasaki, “all of us are unable to return to the Palace, for one reason or another. We are as helpless as you.”
“Not so, Lady of Poems. For between the five of you there exists the knowledge and the skill to achieve all that is necessary in unorthodox ways.”
“What does she mean?” asked Takenoko.
“She means we can sneak in,” said Kuma. “And she is right. I know all the movements of the palace guards. You, Takenoko, know the palace grounds better than anyone.”
“So we could get in,” said Takenoko. “But then what?”
“Then you, Takenoko, must perform the exorcism to free the Emperor,” said Amaterasu.
“Me? But … but I haven’t the skill yet! I should not be entrusted with such a task. Let me ask my master, who is—”
“Who is old, Takenoko. And the spirit we must fight is very powerful. Your master would not survive the ordeal long enough to complete his work. You are young and strong.”
“I see. But I still do not know all I should.”
“You will have time to prepare. The best time to challenge the spirit will be the early morning of the first day of the New Year. During this time, all spirits visiting this earth are called back to the Other World from which they come. If the spirit possesses a body, it will anchor her to this Earth and she can resist the call. But if she can be coaxed or forced from the body in the Hour of the Hare, just before sunrise, then she will have no anchor and must answer the call of Emma-O, Lord of the Dead.”
“But New Year’s Day is a full month away,” said Shonasaki. “What if Our Majesty should die before then?”
“I think he will not,” said Amaterasu. “The spirit wishes the destruction of the Fujiwara more than the death of the Emperor. She will achieve this best by keeping His Majesty’s fate uncertain until the New Year promotions.”
“And His Majesty will have another month to suffer,” Uguisu said sadly.
“That is very much to be regretted,” said Amaterasu. “But it is the only time we will have a chance of success.”
“Well, that seems straightforward enough,” said Kuma. “Takenoko and I should be able to manage. But what reason could there be to involve the ladies in this dangerous task? Surely Takenoko and I could do this alone.”
“No, no,” said Amaterasu, “they are very important. Uguisu must play the flute for him.”
“But my flute is broken, Great Mother of the Sun,” said Uguisu. “And even if it were not, what good would my music do?”
“I will provide you with another flute. And your music is vital. The Emperor’s spirit has no doubt been broken by your guardian kami. You must, through your music, give him hope … give him a reason to live. The exorcism will not succeed without his efforts as well. He must have the inner strength, courage and motivation to drive the spirit from within. Your music will give him this.”
“But,” said Kuma, “there is no reason Katte should go.”
“She knows the Palace as well as Takenoko, and her knowledge will be needed.”
“What of me?” asked Shonasaki. “Poems will be of no use to the Emperor.”
“For Takenoko to perform an exorcism, he will need a medium—a human vessel into which he can transfer the troublesome spirit. This is the most dangerous task of all, for the spirit will be angry and may try to harm you. You must use your cleverness to distract and weaken her further so that Takenoko’s work may succeed. Will you do this?”
Shonasaki felt pride and fear mix within her. “I will do all I can for my Emperor and my Lady,” she said at last.
“I am pleased,” said Amaterasu.
“But exorcism with a medium will cause a great deal of noise,” said Takenoko. “We will alert the Palace, and someone will try to stop us.”
“Here is where your master may help. He must get word to the High Priestess of the Kamo Shrine, who is the Emperor’s daughter. She, in turn, will inform the other shrines. All are naturally interested in participating in New Year’s celebrations.”
“But there will not be New Year’s celebrations this year,” said Shonasaki. “All priests save one are banned from the Palace.”
> “Yes,” Amaterasu said calmly. “That is why they will help, never fear. Now there is one final thing I must ask. So that I may assist you in whatever way I may, you must take the Imperial Mirror from its resting place and bring it to the Emperor’s chambers.”
Takenoko’s eyes went wide. “You mean we must desecrate the Imperial Shrine?”
A pale beam of sunlight came out of the mirror and touched the priest’s forehead. “I shall forgive you.”
Hinata yawned and blinked sleepily. “I am tiring my avatar,” said Amaterasu, “and without her help I cannot remain in this shintai. Therefore I shall leave now. I will not speak to you again until my own Mirror is freed. My blessings are with all of you. With your courage, skill and cleverness we will not fail.”
Slowly the light faded from the mirror, and Hinata curled up beside the box and went to sleep.
Katte, Kuma, Uguisu, Takenoko and Shonasaki all gathered together around the hearth, and were silent some moments. “Can we truly accomplish this?” said Takenoko.
“We must,” said Uguisu.
“Of course we can,” scoffed Kuma.
“There are only five of us,” Katte said.
Shonasaki stared into the glowing coals in the hearth and said,
“It took but two to create all the world,
Who can say what five yet might accomplish?”
SPRING
Curious how the air
Crisp on this mountain road
Tastes of plums—ah! Dawn.
—Bashō
DEVIL DANCE
In the dark of midnight, two palace guards stood shivering and stamping by the Eastern gate of the Greater Imperial Palace. “It seems strange, this silence,” said one guard. “Particularly for the night before New Year’s Day. There should at least be a Demon Chase. Some of our company should be twanging their bowstrings by now. Say, do you remember last year when—what’s that?”
In the moonlight, the guard could make out the forms of several bald-headed, dark-robed monks approaching the gate in silence.
“Who goes there!”
The monks stopped and an old one at the front intoned, “We are the priests of Ninna-Ji. It is the New Year, and we have come to drive the demons and evil spirits from the Palace.”