Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince

by Noriko Ogiwara

  “There’s no need to worry about him. He’s fine,” Tasuki said, grinning broadly. “I bet he wished he could be here to show what he can do. But it would look pretty funny if he came to the rescue with a baby strapped to his back.”

  Toko looked at him in surprise. “He’s been taking care of the baby? Sugaru?”

  “The whole time,” Imatate said. “She won’t have anyone but him. We tried leaving her with the wet nurse, but it was no good. And, of course, we were no good either. The only time she stops crying is when Sugaru holds her in his arms. Strangely enough.” Toko was stunned.

  “It’s good medicine for him to be on the sidelines for once,” Tasuki said. “He’ll just have to be content with that. He looks pretty disgusted when Abi wakes up in the morning and mistakes him for his mother though.”

  Toko burst out laughing. It felt so good to be alive and capable of laughter, and although it might offend Sugaru, the thought of him and the baby was too funny. Tasuki let her laugh to her heart’s content. Then he said, “But you know Sugaru. Even while he’s babysitting, he’s bound to be planning a big surprise.” Tasuki and Imatate winked at one another. Toko realized that they were hiding something. But before she could question them further, several young men came running up to them, panting for breath.

  “The chief, Kitsuhiko, has escaped. He and several men broke through our ranks and are heading back to the village.”

  “What should we do? He’s bound to bring reinforcements.”

  But Tasuki shook his head. “No, there won’t be any reinforcements. The shock he’ll get when he sees the state of his hall will stop him in his tracks. Let’s go and see Sugaru’s handiwork.”

  “What on earth is Sugaru up to?” Toko asked, but Tasuki and Imatate merely grinned knowingly and refused to answer.

  “Wait until you get there,” was all they said.

  IT TOOK THEM quite some time to get back down the mountain path. Unlike the chief and his men, they were not in any hurry and were escorting many young women, some of whom could only walk slowly. They finally came in sight of the plains below just as the sun was sinking in the west. From this vantage point, they could look down upon the village of Kawashimo where Kitsuhiko’s hall was located. At least, they should have been able to.

  The people of Kumaso cried out in disbelief. “Look! The village is gone.” They strained their eyes, searching carefully, but to no avail. Not a trace remained of the walled settlement beside the river into which the sun was now setting. All they could see was water which had escaped its banks, forming a huge pond spreading like a fan from the riverbed. The murky brown flood reflected the glaring red sun. The sky was clear, undisturbed by storms, and not a drop of rain had fallen, yet the village that had been there this morning was now completely submerged.

  “Impossible … Surely Sugaru didn’t do this … did he?” Toko tried to laugh but her voice shook. Imatate just shrugged without denying it.

  They continued walking, rendered speechless by the strange scene before them. Drawing closer, they caught sight of Sugaru on top of a small hill gazing down at the flood. In his arms, he held a baby wrapped in a blanket. By his side stood Abi. It was startling, and not just because of the incongruity of this tall, good-looking youth tenderly cradling an infant. As Sugaru stood frowning down at the water, lost in thought, his red hair blazing like flame in the setting sun, he looked so otherworldly that Toko recoiled. Yet Abi snuggled up beside him and the baby slept peacefully as if nothing was wrong. The three figures merged into one, like some sacred statue.

  Toko’s trepidation only lasted until Sugaru collected himself and realized he had an audience. When he turned to Toko, he was the same old Sugaru she knew.

  “Ah, there you are, Toko. I’m glad to see you look so well. How kind of you to foist this baby on me. Thanks to you I’m worn to the bone. I can’t even get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Mother!” Abi cried. Lady Hayakitsu pushed her way to the front of the crowd.

  “Abi!” He flew into her arms and she hugged him fiercely, tears flowing down her face. “You’re safe! You’re safe!”

  “Here, allow me to return your baby as well,” Sugaru said. “She’s in good shape. And when she cries, her voice is like thunder.” He passed the bundle to Lady Hayakitsu and then stretched his arms. “Ah! That’s better!”

  Toko doubted what she had felt but a moment earlier. Maybe I was mistaken … But from what Tasuki said next, she realized that she was not.

  “You never told us you were going to flood the place,” Tasuki said, nudging Sugaru. “You said you were just going to get their feet wet to teach them a lesson.”

  “I didn’t expect the water to rise so fast.” Sugaru shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I even shocked myself.”

  “You made sure everyone got out safely, I hope. There weren’t any prisoners trapped in the dungeons, were there?”

  “No, you don’t need to worry about that.”

  Toko covered her mouth with her hands. “It was you? Sugaru, you flooded the whole village? But how?”

  “With these.” He held out his right hand and opened his fist. On his palm lay two magatama—his own, shining green like new leaves, and the deep gold stone that belonged to Lady Iwa.

  “With the magatama?”

  “The infant Lady Iwa lent me Ki. See, they’re both glowing, right? Together they summon a much greater power than they have on their own. When I tried it out, this is what happened.” He waved his hand toward the brimming waters and frowned. He recognized the enormity of what he had done. “They have the power to call the tides. To make them ebb and surge. I’m making the water flow out now. It wouldn’t be right to leave it like this.”

  “But … how did you learn to control that power?” Toko whispered, awestruck. When she had seen the light flash from the Sword and sear the sky, she had felt the same thing—terror in the face of a power that should not be.

  “Lady Iwa told me.”

  “The baby?”

  “Well, via Abi. For some reason, Abi understands what his sister wants to say.”

  Toko found it hard to recover from this blow. It was not the mysterious power of the magatama that shocked her, but rather her exclusion from that power. Sugaru and Lady Iwa were both magatama bearers. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, they had made that power their own; they held the source of life and death in their hands. But Toko bore only the Tachibana name. She could not share in that mystery. Maybe I’m not qualified to gather the Misumaru. I’m not special. Even if I try to become the warrior, just the desire to do it may not be enough …

  Lost in these thoughts, she nearly jumped when someone grabbed her hand. Looking down, she saw that it was Abi. He had appeared out of nowhere and was now staring up at her with round eyes.

  “What is it?”

  “The baby says that you should hurry up and get your own magatama. If you do that, she says, even you can bear the Misumaru.”

  My own magatama?

  She turned to Abi in surprise. “What do you mean? Are you saying that I have a magatama? But the magatama of Mino was lost and is now in the hands of the emperor in Mahoroba.”

  The boy frowned and backed away. “I don’t know. I just said that because my little sister told me to.”

  “Oh Abi, I’m sorry. Of course.” Toko regretted drilling him with questions. Then she had an idea. Perhaps through Abi she could ask these things of Lady Iwa herself. I just have to know if there is any hope for me. I need someone to reassure me that I have chosen the right path …

  “Abi,” she said. “Let’s go talk to your little sister. I want you to tell me what she’s saying.”

  They found Lady Hayakitsu with Ezume and some other women sitting slightly apart beneath the shade of a tree. Lady Hayakitsu was nursing the baby, who was completely absorbed in feeding and had no eyes for either Toko or Abi. Looking at her, Toko could not imagine where the words of wisdom that Abi had conveyed could possibly have come fro
m. She was just a baby. While she was waiting, Toko told Lady Hayakitsu what she wanted. She had already related her own story when they were imprisoned together and Lady Hayakitsu understood readily.

  “I’m not able to hear Lady Iwa like Abi, but personally, I think her words mean that you should go ahead and pursue the path you’ve chosen. I wonder why she chose Abi as her mouthpiece. Perhaps it’s because children are closer to the gods. Toko, I’m sure you can become the bearer of the Misumaru.”

  “But …” It was not comforting that Toko wanted right now, but she could not say so. She was watching the baby nurse when Abi suddenly began to speak, even though the baby was still latched to her mother’s breast and Abi was twiddling Lady Hayakitsu’s hair.

  “… If you’re looking for the magatama, she says you should go to the land whose name has been forgotten. What? The land whose name has been forgotten is the capital. Mother, did you know that? Doesn’t the capital have a name?”

  “Yes, it does. It’s called Mahoroba. It was named that long ago because it’s where the God of Light left his footprint,” Lady Hayakitsu responded. “But she may have said that because none of us remember what that place was called before it was named Mahoroba. Lady Iwa knows what things were like long before the God of Light ever set foot in this land.”

  “Mahoroba is the land whose name is forgotten?” Toko exclaimed. “Does that mean there are Tachibana even in the capital, protecting a magatama in the land where the emperor rules?”

  “Sacred places are unique. It wouldn’t be strange for the same place to be sacred to more than one people or in more than one era.” Lady Hayakitsu thought a moment and then added, “Although considering that the emperor is so determined to obtain the magatama, it does seem odd that he hasn’t found and seized the one in the capital yet.”

  “It’s often hardest to see what’s right under one’s nose. Still, we should hurry.” Toko was suddenly overcome with the urge to leave.

  As if to fuel her anxiety, Abi said, “The baby says you should hurry too. But she says you should return to Izumo first. That’s where the prince from Mahoroba is heading. People will die there, just like they did here.”

  TOKO ALMOST FELL in her haste to get back to the others and warn them about the danger to their homeland. To her surprise, however, the three young men, who would normally respond instantly to such news, were lukewarm.

  “But Lady Iwa says you must hurry,” Toko said.

  “Yes, but it’s not like we’ve got nothing to do here and are free to just fly away home at a moment’s notice,” Sugaru said, pointing at the mud left in the wake of the receding water. “The river will be back to normal by tomorrow morning, but people’s lives won’t. Nothing has been solved yet. Nobody could say that we aren’t responsible.”

  “And if the group from Mahoroba comes back, there’s bound to be more trouble,” Tasuki said. “We made fools of them on that mountain. And we involved the men of Kumaso. It was fun, but still.”

  Toko did not know what to say in the face of this argument. While they appeared to be fooling around most of the time, the three young men clearly had their own principles by which they stood. It did seem irresponsible to leave Kawashimo like this. But still.

  At that moment, Lady Hayakitsu approached with the baby in her arms. She bore herself with pride and majesty. “I appreciate your feelings,” she said. “But please go home. You must use your power to help your own land. We will never forget how you helped us. But we don’t intend to blame you for any of the things that happened here. It’s not even Mahoroba’s fault. The responsibility is ours. We brought this on ourselves with our internal bickering and weakness. The burning of Kawakami and the flooding of Kawashimo were warnings from the heavens. Now that we have lost everything, I think that we can come together as one. Under Lady Iwa. We still have Lady Iwa. I will show you that I can lead my people.” It was clear that a new leader, a queen of the Kumaso, had appeared. She would surely rebuild the fortunes of her people. And she would not bow down to the might of Mahoroba.

  “There’s nothing more for us to do here then,” Imatate said to Sugaru. “Let’s go home.”

  AFTER THEY HAD been showered with gifts and reluctantly bid farewell, Sugaru muttered, “It’s not fair. I’m finally freed from that baby and have time to spend with the women when all of a sudden I have to say goodbye. What was the point of coming to Himuka? Nothing good came out of this at all. What are you going to do to make up for that?”

  “You can go home and boast, Sugaru. Tell everyone that even a newborn babe fell in love with you,” Imatate answered.

  “You can’t call that baby a woman. There was a beautiful girl back there though.”

  Toko knew he was referring to Ezume. “Too bad for you, Sugaru, but she’s already got a lover. It’s a good thing we left before you caused an uproar.”

  Sugaru looked at her in surprise. “What are you so upset about?”

  “Obviously the real reason you didn’t want to return to Izumo was because of the girls. How stupid of me to believe that you might have even a grain of responsibility in you. Your country is in danger, but even then all you care about is picking up girls.”

  Sugaru shrugged and looked at Tasuki. “What’s with her? Why’s she in such a bad mood?”

  Tasuki chuckled. “She’ll do you good. Didn’t you notice? Toko’s the only woman you’ve met who’s never changed her attitude toward you in all the time you’ve known her. She’s special.”

  “Don’t be stupid. That’s because she’s not a woman.”

  “I’m never speaking to you again,” Toko snapped.

  “I give her three days,” Tasuki whispered to Imatate.

  “I say two,” Imatate responded, stifling his laughter.

  AFTER PULLING Oguna-maru out of its hiding place behind the rocks and carefully checking the boat and their supplies, the party set to sea once again. The land at the western edge of the country gradually receded into the blue waves. Now that it was over, the time spent there seemed to have passed very quickly. What had been the point of going to Himuka, Toko thought as she let her body rock with the waves. Of course, they had accomplished their purpose. They had found Ki, the magatama borne by Lady Iwa in the land where the sun sets. Sugaru now carried it as the second stone of the Misumaru. But it’s Sugaru’s, not mine. Maybe he’s the chosen one after all. Not me. She had yet to receive a clear sign that she could become the warrior capable of using the beads. The only choice left was to continue chasing after Prince Ousu, the wielder of the Sword.

  5

  THEY RODE THE SEA current for much of the return journey, traveling far more quickly than they had on the voyage out. Driven by favorable winds, Oguna-maru flew over the waves without any mishaps. Despite their speed, however, they were too late. When they docked at Izumo, they were met with the news that the prince and his men had already left.

  “The prince of Mahoroba punished the Kuni no Miyatsuko,” they were told. “Who knows why? Maybe the men from Mahoroba resented the fact that Izumo is so prosperous. After all, we only need one capital … Still, what they did was pretty drastic, especially when we thought they’d just come for an official visit.” The company from Mahoroba had swept through like a typhoon, leaving massive confusion in their wake, and then vanished with the clouds. Unable to believe what they had heard, the four companions made their way to the Kuni no Miyatsuko’s hall. Instead of the grand buildings and thick, green hedge, there was only a burned field with charred posts sticking out. It looked so similar to what had befallen Kawakamihiko’s hall that Toko felt ill. A wave of nausea swept over her. Standing before the scorched ruins in Himuka, she had trembled with rage. This time, however, she felt as if she had been hit in the stomach with a heavy stick.

  “Whoa! Toko, what’s wrong?” If Sugaru had not caught her, she would have fallen. He lowered her to the ground, where she stayed, waiting for the nausea to pass. When she managed to open her eyes, she saw the three of them peering anxiously
into her face. It seemed an immense effort to speak, but she felt she owed them an explanation. “Kisako was here. There’s nothing left. Lady Toyoao’s house is gone. Lady Toyoao and Kisako …”

  Sugaru swore and Toko looked up in surprise. She had never seen him genuinely angry before; had never, no matter the situation or the battle, seen him look this way. “That’s it. Enough.” His voice rumbled like a thundercloud massing overhead. “To come here while I’m away and do as he pleases—”

  His words, however, were interrupted by a quiet voice. “Lady Kisako is safe. And Lady Toyoao as well. They both escaped and are living elsewhere.”

  They looked around in surprise and saw a young man walking toward them. None of them recognized him, and Sugaru stared at him suspiciously. Toko vaguely felt that she should know him, but she was in such a daze that she could not place him. He looked down at her and smiled. “Have you forgotten me already, Lady Toko?”

  “Ear? Is that you?”

  “Yes. It’s been a while.”

  “Who did you say he is?” Sugaru whispered, frowning.

  “He’s a servant of Lady Toyoao’s. He can be trusted.”

  “We’ve been waiting for your return,” Ear said. “Lady Toyoao is living in humble lodgings in Hikawa. She wanted to distance herself from all the speculations after the Miyatsuko died. But she wishes to see you and has asked me to guide you there.”

  “Can you walk?” Sugaru asked Toko.

  She nodded. “Yes, I’m fine now. And I can’t wait to see Kisako.”

  ON THEIR WAY to Hikawa, Ear told them what he could about the events that had transpired in the Miyatsuko’s hall. The truth of the matter, he told them, was a riddle that not even he, Lady Toyoao’s trusted informant, could unravel. “… We do know that there was no rift between the prince and the Miyatsuko until the very end. Rather, the Miyatsuko seemed very taken with the young prince from Mahoroba. They shared meals together and the lord took him out riding. He even took him to the bead-makers’ village. The prince was apparently looking for a superb bead to present to the emperor. But it seems they did not find one, and in the end the Miyatsuko gave him one from his own treasury. Yet none of this was in response to pressure from Mahoroba or forced upon him in any way.”