by Devin Madson
Tears dampened my eyes. I had seen too many wounds to believe anyone could come back from these.
The scissors snipped. Again Wen jerked, gripping my hand so hard I thought the bones might snap. Blood oozed through his linen bindings.
‘Is there nothing more to be done?’ I asked as Master Kenji snatched up another bandage. ‘To ease the pain at least.’
‘I am doing all I can, my lady,’ he said. ‘I’m afraid he’s in the hands of the gods now. Xi has run for a priest.’
‘Not just any priest,’ I said. ‘Get Father Kokoro.’
Master Kenji stopped what he was doing for a moment and looked up. ‘The Court Priest? For a Pike?’
‘Do it. He’ll come for this.’
Another boy was sent running. I clung to Wen’s hand and together we waited. To keep him with me, I entertained him with reminiscences. Of the day I had found him chained to the fence outside a whorehouse for being unable to pay, of our numerous narrow escapes along the bandit pass, and many a night telling tales around the campfire when our small rebel army had been more like a family, Monarch our god.
Throughout it all neither Endymion nor Kimiko spoke or even seemed to move, until the leather curtains parted and Father Kokoro stepped in. At his appearance Endymion flinched and turned his head, leaving only Kimiko to meet his curious gaze.
The priest spoke to neither, but came quickly to my side. ‘My lady,’ he said, bowing reverentially. ‘You wished for me?’
‘Certainly, Father. This man needs you, and then you and I need to talk.’
He bowed again, and without questioning the identity of the man upon the table, prepared to intercede with the gods on his behalf.
General Ryoji returned as Father Kokoro began his prayers. ‘Riders have gone out,’ he said, drawing me aside. ‘But there is no guarantee they will find them quickly.’
‘How long?’
‘Perhaps not until evening. They planned to ride hard. His Majesty was... in a mood when he left.’
‘And that is my fault.’
‘My lady—’
‘Damn you and your “my ladies”!’ I hissed. ‘I have been a farmer’s daughter and a rebel soldier much longer than I have been a lady. What does General Rini say? Have you informed him?’
‘Yes, my—’ he swallowed hard. ‘Yes. He says nothing can be decided until His Majesty returns.’
‘Then we had damn well better hope His Majesty found the scenery so fine that he dawdled on the road.’
General Ryoji agreed with a grimace and went out again. Wen watched him go with drooping eyes, paying no mind to Father Kokoro who was chanting the invocation over him. In sign I said: Your turn on watch, northern tree, and this seemed to please him, but he soon closed his eyes and lay like a man asleep.
Only once the invocation was done did Wen find the energy to speak again. ‘Captain?’ he said in a whisper.
‘Yes?’
‘Thank you for staying with me.’
‘I would not leave you alone.’
A weak smile. ‘Takehiko?’
That name. My heart hammered. I held my breath. Across from me Father Kokoro’s gaze flicked to Endymion. The boy was getting slowly to his feet. ‘Yes, my friend?’ he said, approaching with shuffling steps. That could not be right. Takehiko was not Endymion’s name.
Wen attempted to smile at him. ‘You helped me find peace. Thank you.’
‘And to you.’ There was great sadness in the young man’s face, but tears did not slide down his cheeks as they slid down mine.
‘I think I am ready to die now.’
In silence the three of us remained while Wen’s breathing became laboured. We were an unlikely group. Beside me Endymion trembled. Wen had called him Takehiko, but I had lost my Takehiko long ago.
In the close, putrid space time lost all meaning and I knew not how long it was before General Ryoji returned. He entered looking grim, and shook his head.
No sign of Kin.
‘How many men do we have in Shimai?’ I asked as he came to my side.
‘Half the garrison,’ the general said. ‘Enough to hold a siege for a few hours, maybe days depending on what Katashi throws at them, but not enough to beat him back.’
‘Mei’lian?’
He shook his head. ‘Half a battalion perhaps, most city guards, not soldiers.’ General Jikuko had not been recalled from The Valley. General Yi was marching east. We were closest, but General Rini would not move without imperial sanction.
‘How long will it take us to reach Shimai?’
‘Times and distances are not fixed in military movements, my lady,’ General Ryoji said. ‘If we push the men hard and travel light we could be there in a day, or a day and a half. If we travel in the imperial style then I’d say about four days.’
I looked down at Wen, still holding on to life. ‘It must be nearly noon,’ I said.
‘Just past,’ the general replied.
‘And it will take time to mobilise the men.’
He did not answer. I bit my lip, gnawing on the soft flesh. ‘Shivatsa,’ I breathed. ‘We have to move. We have to move now. Give the order.’
‘I cannot do that. I command the Imperial Guard, not the army. The men will not take their orders from me, and neither will General Rini.’
‘Then damn well give the order in my name, General. Tell them the empress orders them to make ready to march for Shimai, in the name of Emperor Kin.’
‘And if they do not listen, my lady?’
‘Then I will talk to them.’
‘If you could come now—’
‘No. I will not leave this man to die alone.’
General Ryoji lifted his brows and lowered his voice. ‘One man is more important than the empire?’
‘This man is. A leader who loses sight of the importance of individuals is not fit to command armies, General.’
‘A wise observation, my lady.’ He bowed stiffly. ‘I will convey your order to General Rini.’
He left, and in his absence I felt Endymion’s presence more keenly, as though he had been listening to our conversation. Takehiko. The name gnawed at my thoughts, but it was a problem for another time. While Wen’s breathing grew shallower, General Ryoji would be trying to convince the council that we needed to move. Kin was nowhere to be found and Katashi was planning to set Shimai alight. Even my white sash seemed unimportant beneath this new weight, every second now clicking along faster and more urgent.
Wen sucked in a series of short, sharp rasps, drawing me back to the present. I squeezed his hand, hoping the end would come soon. There was somewhere else I needed to be, but I had made a promise and I would keep it. I would be loyal to him as he had been to me.
‘He knows you’re still here,’ Endymion said.
I did not look around, but kept my gaze upon the broken Pike. Had he read my mind? ‘Is he in a lot of pain?’ I asked.
‘Yes, my lady.’
‘Are you in a lot of pain?’
‘Yes, my lady.’
‘You may leave.’
‘No, my lady. Your sadness is heavier than his pain.’ Endymion touched my hand. It tingled oddly and I shivered; a shiver that ran from my fingers all the way to the tips of my hair and back. He pulled his hand sharply away as though I were the cold one. Perhaps he didn’t like people. Darius had never been one to touch without reason.
I looked down at the man on the table in front of us. His face was a mess. Another victim of Katashi’s wrath.
‘Is he dead?’ I asked.
‘He is nearly gone,’ Endymion said. ‘He is finding peace.’
When General Ryoji returned he halted on the threshold, grimmer than ever. ‘There is still no sign of His Majesty and General Rini is refusing to accept your commands,’ he said. ‘They won’t take orders from a woman, emp
ress or not.’
Master Kenji shot a disapproving glare in the general’s direction, but went on rolling bandages.
‘It isn’t that she’s a woman,’ Father Kokoro said, breaking his silence. ‘They are afraid of her. They can all remember swearing the oath of allegiance at Emperor Lan’s feet. An oath that swore to protect and serve him and his heirs. If they will not take orders from Lady Hana, give them Emperor Lan’s legitimate heir instead.’
He smiled. ‘Priests see a lot of things, my lady. We hear a lot of confessions, too.’
‘I’m sorry, my lady,’ Master Kenji interrupted, lifting his hand from the burned man’s forehead. ‘He’s gone.’
Master Kenji was a compassionate man, but the sympathy in his expression was troubling. Why was he so sorry? The man was unknown to me. At another time I might have asked, but I had already lingered too long.
‘Master Kenji?’
‘Yes, my lady?’
‘We are marching for Shimai. Bring as many supplies as you can, but be prepared to travel fast.’
The man’s eyes bulged from his head. ‘Yes, my lady.’
‘Good.’
Master Kenji gestured toward the dead body. ‘What would you like us to do with him?’
‘Why? What do you normally do with a corpse?’
‘Bury it.’
‘Then bury him.’
‘Er... Yes, my lady.’
General Ryoji followed me to the entrance, where we were met by a grey afternoon lashed with rain. ‘General Rini has gathered the council,’ he said. ‘Shall I take a message that you wish to speak to him?’
‘No, I will go to the council. If I speak to him alone he can deny everything I say. I need an audience. Just make sure they are all present.’
General Ryoji bowed. ‘Yes, my lady.’
As he strode away I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, listening to Master Kenji ordering his assistants to be sure to pack the bandages and the herb box, but not to worry about the press. As he listed off herbs and oils I found myself frowning at the dull afternoon, as though each word was creating an itch in my brain that needed to be scratched. I ran my fingers through my hair but it was not enough. Inside the tent Endymion still had not moved from the dead man’s side. Had he known him? I couldn’t recall. No one had said.
Father Kokoro stepped up beside me. ‘There is something you wished to say to me, Your Majesty?’
‘Yes, there was,’ I said, recalling why I had sent for him. ‘You wanted to know what the Vices are capable of. That is what they are capable of. Katashi burned that man with his hands. Fire without fuel.’
‘Katashi? Then it can be done to anyone. That means the Vices are not special, they are just vessels for their creator’s abilities. And once they are gone…’
‘No more Vices. That is my guess. I know no more, but if you feel it would be helpful to your cause you may speak to Endymion.’
‘Thank you, Your Majesty, I shall. May the gods go with you.’
‘I think I stand in need of them.’
The councillors were arguing when I arrived at the meeting tent, the noise of their disagreement carrying far into the camp. Two dozen men, their names all known to me, varying in age from General Ryoji at one end to General Rini at the other. He had served so long that he had once outranked General Kin, in a Kisia that had belonged to my father.
It was General Rini who saw me first. ‘Good afternoon, General,’ I said, as a hush fell over them man by man. ‘I see you are wasting valuable time bickering amongst yourselves.’
‘We are discussing the situation, my lady,’ General Rini said. ‘And I can assure you we have it well in hand. When His Majesty returns—’
‘When His Majesty returns we will be too late. If we do not move this army now, Shimai will fall.’
‘Shimai has a standing garrison, my lady. It also has walls that are near impossible to breach—’
‘Like Koi?’ I said. ‘Near impossible is not good enough. Think on all Katashi has done before you decide you are safe behind your tall walls. And when Shimai falls, nothing is to stop him taking Mei’lian.’
Whispering rose over the patter of rain. General Rini stood. ‘And how can we be sure your information is even correct?’ he said, his indulgent smile asking to be slapped. ‘The dying words of a Pike? A traitor?’
I had every councillor’s attention. In the silence my rapid heartbeat sounded like a war drum. ‘If being a Pike makes him a traitor, then you are a traitor, too, General.’
‘Me? I am no Pike!’
‘No, you are worse. Pikes have sworn an oath to my cousin and to him they are loyal. Tell me, General, when you first joined the Rising Army, to whom did you swear your oath?’
‘To Emperor Lan.’
‘You swore an oath to my father, but you no longer serve him.’
‘How can I serve a man who is dead?’ General Rini said.
‘Did you serve his legitimate heirs? Did you serve my uncle? Did you serve my cousin? Do you serve me?’
General Rini’s mouth opened and closed without sound. ‘I serve Emperor Kin. I am loyal to Emperor Kin.’
‘Because you chose to abandon your oath and give it to another. That makes you a traitor. My father is dead. My uncle is dead. My cousin has made himself an enemy of Kisia, but I am here, General Rini, I am here. I am your emperor’s chosen bride and you will do as I command. If you don’t Shimai will fall.’
For the first time they were really listening to me, no longer just humouring a pretty girl. ‘You all know what we need to do,’ I said. ‘You all know how this works. Order your men to march and we can be in Shimai by nightfall tomorrow, waste time and you will find yourselves bowing to a different Otako. Make your choice.’
In the ringing silence all eyes turned to General Rini. He took a deep breath and nodded, just once, short and sharp. ‘Do it,’ he said. ‘Send out the orders.’ He turned to me. ‘I pray you are right, my lady. I do not like to make bad decisions.’
‘Do not pray for me, General, pray for Kisia, for I fear what tomorrow will bring.’
Chapter 12
There was no headstone. I hadn’t been able to bury his body, but he had left behind more than burned flesh.
Damp seeped through the knees of my clean breeches and my hands were covered in dirt. ‘In the hands of the gods may you find true peace,’ I said. ‘In the hands of the gods may you find true justice.’ I had grown up listening to the prayer and it came easily to my lips now. ‘May Qi guide you gently. His wisdom is great. His mercy everlasting.’
Rain was still falling, filling the air with the scent of wet grass and pinwheel blossoms. Back up the hill Kin’s men were taking a brief respite and I could hear their words as well as their whispers. Hana had not wished to halt at all, but she had pushed the men hard and the horses needed water.
‘I don’t know what else to say,’ I said. ‘I’m sorry Hana isn’t here. I told you I was stealing memories, well, I think… I think she doesn’t remember what you were to her. I think I took you from her and now…’ I trailed off, staring at the mud while never-ending whispers washed over me. ‘I can remember finding you outside a brothel, but I don’t remember why I was there. I can remember you bringing me a horse, but I don’t remember the ride. I gave you the crown and told you to run, but I don’t remember why I had it or why you had to run.’
I drew the symbol of Qi in the mud. ‘I don’t know if I knew you or if that was someone else tied up with you in the swamp. I have so many names in my head that I’m not sure who I am anymore.’
A long ragged breath passed my lips and I stood.
Wen had carried his leather satchel everywhere. It had been his constant companion and now it marked his final resting place. It had been full of medicinal herbs in bunches and pouches, of crushed seeds and dry leaves, of pastes and oils
and sticks. And because all good healers knew the determination of death, there had been a funerary box as well. It held candles, a miniature book of prayers, the sign of Qi embroidered on a silk square, and a tiny box full of shimmering seeds that I protected from the rain with the curve of my hand.
‘Kanashimi blossoms,’ I said, taking a pinch and sprinkling them over the ground. ‘By law they are only allowed to grow on the graves of noblemen, but your honour is greater than that of any man with a title.’ I thought of what Wen would say, and smiled despite the uneasy feeling that I was talking to a stranger. ‘I hope you will be grateful when I am hung for such a transgression. They’re pink. Pretty girls will come down here to pick them.’
I stayed a while longer, preferring the peace of this abandoned glade to the buffeting of emotions back on the road. When the call came to march I bid Wen farewell and made my way back up the hill through the dense growth of fleeceflower.
Kaze had wandered a short distance to follow a line of grass in the ditch. I patted his nose, my heart immediately full of yearning for the kiri wood human with the curls like a storm cloud.
‘Kimiko is with some of General Ryoji’s men,’ I said. ‘I think they are more afraid of her than they are of me.’
He blinked and snorted, before ducking his head back to the grass.
‘I don’t think so,’ I said. ‘Humans don’t have your sense of smell. Or my Sight.’
‘Endymion!’
I had been hooked into Kaze’s soul and not felt the approach of another. At the edge of the road Emperor Kin sat astride a brindle stallion looking every bit the god he claimed to be. He was dressed for battle, a grand figure in layers of leather strapped over a skirted tunic. Leather straps criss-crossed his breeches too, tying into grooves on the underside of his sandals. A curved blade hung at his side and a dagger was strapped to his thigh, another under his arm. There might have been more, but I could not see them. Unlike people, weapons did not whisper.
‘Your Majesty.’
He looked down at me, his inescapable ire like a stone to the head. ‘It seems we cannot escape one another,’ he said. ‘You show up just when I wish you furthest away.’