“I can’t believe it.” Sugaru gazed up at the ceiling. “The only time I’ve ever seen Toko look like that is when she’s talking about Oguna. And now you tell me that all this time she was actually talking about the man she plans to kill. What does she mean ‘he’s dead’? She’s out of her mind.”
“Lady Toko mustn’t kill Oguna. It would be better for me to kill him than she.” Nanatsuka spoke with such vehemence that Sugaru looked at him in surprise.
“Ousu was my pupil from the age of twelve to sixteen,” Nanatsuka explained. “He was quiet, but a quick learner. We got along well. When he killed Prince Oh-usu, I felt responsible, because I had trained him. I decided that I would have to kill him with my own hands. I thought that maybe that was why I hadn’t managed to die during the war. I escaped west with the remnants of our forces. There was a village in the south of Izumo that was loyal to the prince. We waited there for an opportunity.”
Sugaru nodded. “I heard about that. So the band that was rumored to have attacked the prince was yours, was it?”
“Yes. Then you know what happened. It was a disaster. We were destroyed by the Sword without even a fight. It’s a mystery to me that I’m still alive. All that was left was a burnt field.” He rubbed a hand over his face and then continued. “But what stays seared in my memory is not the fire or the destruction. It’s the expression I saw on Ousu’s face a moment before that flash of light. He recognized me. He realized that I, Nanatsuka, had come to kill him. And his eyes … I will take that memory with me to the grave. Until that moment, I never realized how special I was to him. I never knew how few people he had trusted. But it was too late. He knew what I had come to do. And then there was that flash of light.”
Nanatsuka sighed deeply and drained his cup. “I fell into a ditch. That’s what saved me. I had survived yet again, and so I began to think … What was it that drove Ousu to that point? What victor in the world has eyes like that? That’s when I realized that the emperor is the ultimate cause. You must not let Lady Toko go through with this.”
Sugaru was playing absently with a chicken bone. His fingers tightened and it snapped in two. Staring at the pieces, he said, “Toko doesn’t know how to be flexible. If she isn’t careful, she’ll break … like this. And even if I try to convince her, she won’t listen. I may have taken on more than I can handle this time.”
WHEN TOKO woke the next day, it was already past noon. She had slept off the effects of the sake and was feeling quite refreshed, but she had a vague memory of being rather noisy the night before. When she apologized to the women who brought her some food, they burst out laughing. “You sang every song you knew. That was the first time you’d ever had a drink? Well, that explains it then.”
Oh dear. I hope I didn’t sing in front of Nanatsuka and Sugaru.
Feeling embarrassed and contrite, she went to Nanatsuka, but he did not even broach the subject. Instead, he said, “I already told Sugaru last night, but I’d like to accompany you to Mahoroba. What do you think?” Toko looked at him in amazement. “I may have a clue to where you can find the magatama you’re looking for,” he continued. “After I heard your story, I remembered something. One of Prince Oh-usu’s soldiers was a man named Miyadohiko. He came from a place called Kazuragi in the southwest of Mahoroba. I’m pretty sure that he belonged to an ancient line of priests that venerated a magatama. Perhaps I can help you get more information. He was killed in the war, but if we visit his family—”
Toko clapped her hands together. “I couldn’t have hoped for anything better! But is it really all right for you to come with us?”
“I was thinking of establishing a stronger foothold in the capital anyway. I have a reason to go already, so I won’t be going out of my way.” This was very encouraging. Nanatsuka had spent many years in the capital and would know his way around, unlike Toko and Sugaru, neither of whom had ever visited there.
Thank goodness, Toko thought. It looks like I didn’t sing in front of Nanatsuka after all. Nanatsuka knew that within her own clan Toko ranked as high as a princess; she would have felt ashamed to have behaved like that in front of him.
Just then, Sugaru walked up. Toko tried to be nonchalant, and he did not burst out laughing at her. She was just breathing a sigh of relief when he suddenly placed a hand on her head. “You poor thing,” he said.
“Why?” Toko asked, startled.
“Don’t you know any songs other than nursery rhymes?”
3
CLOUDS OF DUST billowed up from the main street, a broad road so well trodden that not even the most wayward weed could grow. Toko and Sugaru had at long last set foot in the capital. At a crossroads near the edge of the city was a marketplace overflowing with goods from every part of the land. This was exactly where the three of them were headed, leading packhorses hung with unglazed pots. Nanatsuka had insisted that posing as peddlers from the rural provinces was the best way to enter the capital without attracting suspicion.
Toko could not help staring about in open curiosity. They were right in the middle of the busiest place in the entire capital. To her, it seemed like a dazzling, colorful melting pot teeming with people, people, and more people—all strutting about, showing off their brilliant costumes.
“Aha, I see.” Sugaru smiled. “Hmm. So eye-catching, it’s hard to choose.” The moment they had set foot on the main road, Sugaru had come to life like a fish returned to water. Toko, who knew why, watched him out of the corner of her eye while she listened to Nanatsuka tell them about the city.
“Far down on the left you can see the great gate. Beyond it is the emperor’s palace. That roof you see over there is the chancellor’s hall, and this grove of trees over here houses the royal mausoleum. And over there …”
Until they had entered the city, Toko had forgotten how much Sugaru stood out. It was no wonder that the place was going to his head. He wasn’t just looking; he was being looked at in return. People passing by turned to stare. Even in the crowded, bustling capital, this red-haired, merry-eyed, long-legged youth effortlessly drew attention. And, to Toko’s consternation, he was obviously enjoying it. Nanatsuka frowned in concern when he noticed the effect Sugaru was having.
“Sugaru,” Toko said, “if you don’t try to blend in a little more, we won’t be able to walk with you. Why do you think we went to all the trouble of bringing packhorses?”
But her words did nothing to dampen his spirits. “No problem,” he said amicably. “Let’s go our separate ways then. Good thing Nanatsuka’s here. I’m sure he can take care of you.” Toko could only stare at him, speechless. Sugaru seized this chance to address Nanatsuka. “I’m so glad you came with us. Now I can finally get a break. I’m going to spread my wings a little bit. It’s been such a long time.”
“What do you mean ‘get a break’?” Toko demanded.
“Give me two days—no, make that three—then let’s meet again. I’ve come a long way without any entertainment. You can spare me for a few days, can’t you?”
Toko was furious. “You worthless playboy. I overrated you. You really did come to Mahoroba just for the girls.”
“No, for both.” Sugaru grinned. “I haven’t forgotten that we’re hunting magatama. That’s why I only asked for three days.”
Nanatsuka nodded. “That should be enough time to find out about the priest of Kazuragi. Let’s meet at the market in three days then.”
“Nanatsuka!” Toko protested, but he just shrugged.
“I don’t see what we can do to stop someone like him,” he said.
“Exactly. You’re a smart man.” With a wave of his hand, Sugaru strode off laughing, leaving Toko behind to fume.
Realizing that there was no way to smooth things over, Nanatsuka did not even try to appease Toko. “He’s quite the man,” he said. “He can hold his drink, he’s strong, and he has a way with women.”
“He’s a troublemaker, that’s what he is. You’ll be sorry you let him loose. You’ll see.” Toko was furious th
at Sugaru had dumped her on Nanatsuka as if she were so much unwanted baggage. But how could she say so? Especially when this might not have happened if Nanatsuka hadn’t come.
“Follow me,” Nanatsuka said. “We too can make good use of our time here. The market isn’t just for trading goods. It’s also where rumors congregate. We’ve set up a little hideout nearby so that some of my men can stay and gather information.”
Making their way to the market, Toko and Nanatsuka set out just enough wares to make it look like they were in business. Then Nanatsuka sat down and became a friendly peddler who enjoyed a bit of gossip. He looked like he could stay there all day just listening to others talk. Sitting beside him, Toko saw what he meant. Many others were engaged in lively conversation instead of buying and selling. Someone with ears to hear could trawl for information and hook what they wanted just like a fisherman.
“Go and see all the exotic things in the market,” Nanatsuka told her. “But keep your ears open. That’s the way to catch something big.”
What I want most is news of Prince Ousu. I’ll go see what I can find. With this aim, Toko wove her way among the stalls. She did not have far to look. She heard Prince Ousu’s name everywhere she went. Here, so close to the palace, he was praised as a brilliant warrior and revered almost as a god, for the people of Mahoroba knew no better. It was only natural that they would side with the prince, yet Toko began to feel irritated. Try being on the receiving end of the Sword for once, she thought every time she heard him called a hero. As she walked about, feeling far from tranquil, she began to notice something else. Many people sided with the prince because they felt he was being treated unfairly. Far from rewarding his son for his meritorious service, the emperor, it seemed, ignored him.
The emperor, his own father, rejects him … So the glory that enveloped Prince Ousu was not pure and untainted. Toko should have been glad, but for some reason she did not feel like rejoicing. Why, she wondered, did his father behave so coldly? She was even more bothered by the fact that people talked about Prince Ousu as if he were not there. Hadn’t he just returned from the west? Then why wasn’t he in Mahoroba?
Returning to Nanatsuka’s stall, she found that he had already learned what she wanted to know. “It looks like Prince Ousu has left,” he said. “The emperor didn’t let him relax even for a moment before sending him off to conquer the east. Such a convenient way to get rid of someone who’s in your way.”
“But why?” Toko asked.
“He did the same thing to Prince Oh-usu,” Nanatsuka said, frowning. “That’s how he keeps power in Mahoroba to himself. By sending Prince Ousu off to distant places, he excludes the prince from any meaningful role in the capital and prevents him from gaining popular support.”
TOKO’S CLAIM that Sugaru was a troublemaker proved to be prophetic. On the night of the third day, he caused an uproar that convulsed the entire city. Toko and Nanatsuka were asleep in their hideout, a hut located in a clump of trees near the market, but the clamor reached them even there. One of the men ordered by Nanatsuka to investigate returned to report. “The streets are filled with private guards bearing torches. It appears that thieves snuck into the chancellor’s residence.”
“Well, there’re some thieves that deserve admiration here in the city too, it seems.” Nanatsuka chuckled at his own remark without much concern. But as additional details reached him, it became clear that the situation was no laughing matter.
“They’re saying that it was just one person, not a band of thieves. Apparently someone snuck into the chancellor’s residence and abducted a concubine. I heard that he’s being pursued to the west. He appears to possess extraordinary powers. The rumor is that he’s not human but a demon. A demon in the guise of a young man with red hair.”
Toko gasped. She could picture it vividly: Sugaru, a cocky grin on his face, caught in the light of burning torches; Sugaru, leaping boldly over a wall, the most beautiful woman in the capital under his arm.
“Is he out of his mind?” she said. “I’ll never understand him.”
“If it’s really Sugaru, then we can’t just wait around doing nothing,” Nanatsuka said. “We have to help him escape.” He moved to grab his gear, but Toko stopped him.
“He doesn’t need our help. No, I’m not just saying that because I’m angry. I’m saying that because I know they’ll never catch him. If you aren’t careful, you’ll give yourself away.”
Nanatsuka’s man agreed. “You and the lady have already been seen with him in the marketplace. I think it would be safest if you both left as soon as possible. Leave the rest to us.”
It took a moment for Nanatsuka to decide, but then he nodded. “All right. Let’s go on ahead to Kazuragi. Although I failed to find Miyadohiko’s family in the capital, we should be able to find out more once we get there.”
And so it was that Toko and Nanatsuka set out on the main road in the middle of the night, leaving Sugaru to his fate. Toko was angrier with Sugaru than she had ever been, and it did not help that she was also worried. She found it particularly hard to forgive him for using the magatama’s power to serve his own selfish ends. He hadn’t spared a thought for her and Nanatsuka. “What’s so great about beautiful women anyway?” she grumbled. “I’ll never trust him again. He’s not suited to bear the magatama. I was a fool to even consider that he might be.” Every time she thought of him, it made her angry all over again. Nanatsuka, on the other hand, seemed to have put all concern for Sugaru aside and to be focused solely on what they would do when they reached Kazuragi. Along the way, he shared his thoughts with Toko.
“Miyadohiko was a loyal soldier. When Prince Oh-usu rebelled, he gave up his life so that the prince could escape to Mino. But as far as Mahoroba was concerned, Miyadohiko was a traitor. This wouldn’t be a problem in my case because I have no kin, but his family home was in Mahoroba. It would be very unlikely for his family to escape unpunished. According to my men, he came from an ancient line of shrine priests. His family home was destroyed and all his relations scattered. We haven’t managed to find out where they went.”
Toko prepared herself for the fact that finding leads would not be easy. No one willingly associated with those who fell out of favor with the emperor. She and Kisako had themselves needed to be very cautious after Mino fell.
Everywhere I go, the emperor has already been there first, persecuting those who guard the stones. I may not like it, but if he’s trying to prevent us from gathering the Misumaru, he’s right …
Just before they reached Kazuragi, Nanatsuka stopped at a small, empty hut previously selected as a base, and the next day he began cautiously probing for information.
TOKO,who had relied completely on Nanatsuka since their unexpected reunion, decided that the least she could do was cook up a meal. But what seemed like simple tasks—lighting a fire in the stove and placing the washed rice in a pot to boil—were much harder than she had thought. Her mother had once told her that a god lived in the stove, but Toko did not seem to have won his favor. She was so engrossed in blowing on the fire, fanning the flames, and peering inside, that she failed to notice there was someone behind her. She whirled around at the sound of chuckling.
“I must applaud your enthusiasm, but you’re going to burn the rice with a fire that hot.”
“Sugaru!” The demon that had caused chaos in the capital stood before her, looking completely at ease. Despite being three days late for their rendezvous, he showed no remorse. Toko was so indignant that at first she could not speak.
“I appear to have come at a good time. Feed me, will you? I haven’t had a bite to eat since last night.”
“No, I won’t,” Toko snapped. “Do you have any idea how much we—”
But Sugaru did not let her finish. “Please, don’t be stubborn. I’m not alone.”
Toko started. Outside the doorway where Sugaru stood, she could see a flash of mauve cloth—the edge of a woman’s robe. “You didn’t. Not … from the chancellor’s hall …”
Toko whispered.
With a nod, Sugaru pulled the girl inside and pushed her toward Toko. “The very one. Let me introduce you to Lady Kage. Lady, this is Toko, the Tachibana girl I was telling you about.”
So here she was—the peerless belle from the capital, Toko thought, only to find that she was not. Lady Kage was certainly pretty, but to Toko’s eyes she did not come even close to Kisako. She looked about eighteen, but she lacked Kisako’s blossomlike blush, and her pale, sad face seemed listless. Toko could not imagine why Sugaru would have risked his life to make this woman his own. Still, Lady Kage was clearly exhausted. It seemed that Sugaru had not been lying about not having eaten since the previous night.
“I’m sorry to bother you,” Lady Kage said. “But this gentleman encouraged me, and so I came …”
She looked as timid as a doe, and Toko could not find it in her heart to be unkind. “It’s all right,” she said. “Here, sit down. I’m afraid the food won’t be very good.”
These last words proved to be true; the rice was indeed burnt. The two fugitives, however, ate it without complaint. Toko heaved a sigh of relief. She had actually succeeded in feeding people for the first time in her life. At that moment, Nanatsuka returned. He did not seem surprised to see Sugaru, but when he looked at Sugaru’s guest, his eyes widened.
“Are you by any chance related to Miyadohiko?”
“He was my elder brother. Did you know him?”
“I certainly did. You look very much like him.”
They all marveled at this coincidence—all but Sugaru. “It’s no coincidence,” he said and looked at Toko. “As soon as we walked down that main road, I knew there was someone connected to the magatama nearby. The resonance between the stones is far stronger than before. But Lady Kage herself is not the bearer. Apparently, her family worshipped a god that now keeps the magatama.”
Lady Kage nodded. “My father, Miyazukasa, intended to raise me as a shrine maiden. But he was stripped of his rank as priest after my older brother was killed, and he died disappointed, leaving my mother, several small children, and me behind. I agreed to enter the chancellor’s hall in return for safe passage for my mother and siblings to Awa.”
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince Page 31