Sugaru waved his hand. “I think you should hurry. It’ll take you some time to get there on foot.”
Frowning suspiciously, the leader gestured to his men. “Seize him!”
But Sugaru vanished before the soldiers had even swung their spears toward him. He reappeared on a rock ledge some distance away and stuck out his tongue. I hope you have a happy reunion. There was no need for him to keep Oguna captive. He had promised not to run or hide. And whether Oguna continued his journey to the east or not did not matter. He could never be far enough away to escape Sugaru’s reach.
4
A MONTH PASSED and another was drawing to a close. Conscientiously following the emperor’s orders, Oguna had led his troops safely as far east as the barbarous land of Sagamu. The people here were fiercely independent and protective of their freedom. Only a few powerful families paid tribute to Mahoroba, and the territory to the north belonged to the Emishi, a completely different race with their own language. Having no intention of ceding authority to Mahoroba, Emishi bands frequently harassed the borderlands.
The people of Sagamu welcomed the prince and his troops almost everywhere they went, but Oguna knew this reception could turn to betrayal at any moment. The people appraised him and his men with a blatancy he had not seen in the west, obviously curious to see what a prince who claimed direct descent from the God of Light could do. Although situated at the eastern edge of the country, Sagamu was still part of the same land mass as Mahoroba, and rumors of the prince who wielded the Sword had resounded even here, inspiring fear and awe. Oguna and his troops had learned how to take advantage of this, overwhelming whole cities without resorting to physical force, but even so they could not travel through the region entirely without incident.
The company from Mahoroba was riding north along a wide river that cut across the land. Rushes, fluffed with seeds, crowded at the water’s edge, and the signs of autumn were everywhere. Once the colorful evening glow had faded from the sky, the insects would begin to buzz. The troop had to hurry if they were to reach the next village before dark, and heralds had already gone ahead to inform the chief and arrange sleeping quarters.
Other than the soldiers crossing the sunset field, there seemed to be not a soul in sight; there was only the wind rolling like waves through the grass into the distance. Looking ahead, however, the company noticed a man standing in the middle of the empty plain, as if he had been waiting for them all along. It was the moment just before the sun dyed the clouds crimson and everything stood out with a strange clarity. The youth’s red hair blazed in the light. With his wild hair, towering height, and insolent expression, he was hard to forget.
As soon as Takehiko, the captain of the troop, caught sight of him, he exclaimed, “You again! What are you doing here?”
Sugaru grinned back wordlessly. Oguna and Takehiko came to a halt before him, bringing the entire company to a standstill. The captain opened his mouth again, but Oguna stopped him. “It’s all right. His business is with me.”
Takehiko turned to the prince with an expression of surprise. “But, sir, who is he?”
“I owe him,” Oguna answered calmly. “He has something to tell me. Lead the men on. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Do you intend to stay here on your own?” Takehiko looked doubtful, but Oguna did not let him protest any further.
“I promised. Please go on ahead. I’ll come after you as soon as we finish. If you all wait here, you won’t reach the village before nightfall.”
Takehiko reluctantly obeyed the prince and urged his horse forward, casting a deeply suspicious glance at Sugaru. The soldiers passed by, one by one, until even the last packhorse had receded into the distance. After watching them depart, Oguna dismounted swiftly. The metal of his light marching armor rang faintly as he touched the ground.
“Well, you certainly look like a commander, don’t you?” Sugaru said. “The way you sent your men off like that was impressive, particularly when you know why I’m here. I have to give you credit for remaining so composed.”
Oguna gazed at Sugaru. “Where’s Toko?”
“Nowhere. I can’t find her.”
Until that moment, Oguna had shown no sign of emotion, but now despair clouded his face. “You can’t find her?”
“No, I can’t. I went to every place I thought she might go. To Mino, to her village, even to the mountain where the shrine used to stand. Then I followed the same route she took to Izumo and searched through Izumo. She’s not there. After that I flew to Himuka and met with Lady Iwa, to whom Ki, the Stone of Life, belongs. I went to Mahoroba, and searched the marketplace and Kazuragi. No one had seen her. She didn’t turn up anywhere. There’s nowhere left to look.” The anger of one who has had all his efforts thwarted smoldered in his voice. “There’s no proof anywhere that she’s still alive. I don’t give up easily, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know when it’s time to call it quits. If she’s dead, then she must be laid to rest, just like anyone else. You understand what I mean, right?”
“I can’t believe it,” Oguna whispered.
“If Toko’s gone, I’m going back to Izumo. I have a home to return to and friends waiting for me. So … for her sake, I’ve come to finish this before I leave.”
A gust of wind assailed them, tangling their hair. The sun had sunk below the horizon, and they faced each other in the rapidly falling dusk. Birds flying home to roost called to one another. “You told me you would not run or hide,” Sugaru said calmly. “It seems you’ve kept that promise.”
Oguna nodded. “Yes.”
“Then you know it’s time to die. As long as you live, Toko’s mission will remain unfinished. Her wish will never be fulfilled. I expect that this isn’t what you want, but it’s not what I would have chosen either. I’d appreciate it if you’d go quietly when I kill you.”
“No.”
“What?” Sugaru took a deep breath. It had not occurred to him that Oguna would refuse. “Don’t tell me you’ve suddenly decided your life is too dear to part with. Remember, you promised—”
But Oguna cut him off. “Toko’s alive.” Seeing that Sugaru had braced himself to attack, Oguna assumed a fighting stance. “I’m sure of it. I have to see her again. So I can’t—I just can’t die now.”
“Enough!” Sugaru shouted, furious. “How can you change your mind so easily? I can’t say I like people who want to die, but those who don’t do what they say are even worse. Don’t go pleading for your life in front of me. I can’t bear to watch something so shameful.”
“I’ve no intention of pleading for my life.” Oguna placed a hand on the hilt of his sword—not the Sword but an ordinary blade. “But I can’t give you my life. I didn’t realize this before, but I do now. The only reason I could have died last time was because it was Toko. Only Toko could have killed me.”
“Fine, then. Have it your way. But it’s useless to resist. I’m offering to send you to Toko. It would have been nice if you could have recognized that as a kindness.” Sugaru summoned the Misumaru’s power—the power that gave birth to myriad lives and then extinguished them again. He would finish this with one blow.
A tremendous impact shook the world, and he was momentarily blinded by a burst of light. Something not only blocked his blow but threw him backwards. He landed on his back in the grass, stunned, feeling as if he had just slammed into an invisible wall. Bright spots floated in front of his eyes. Lifting his face, he saw Oguna less than half a pace away, looking down at him with his sword held at the ready.
“Please understand.” Despite the fact that he had the upper hand, Oguna seemed to be imploring him. “Please don’t make me use the power of the Sword. Toko’s alive! I’m sure of it. Please look for her again.”
“But I thought the power was sealed away,” Sugaru said, surprised. “The power of the Misumaru was greater than yours. You weren’t able to resist it at all. Were you just bluffing?”
“No. I was defenseless. I wasn’t faking it.” He lo
oked somewhat sadly at Sugaru. “You probably can’t understand, but until then I had never moved the Sword, never managed to suppress its power, even once. But when I saw Toko and realized why she had come, I was able to control it for the first time. That’s why I could have died then—probably quite easily.”
“You mean it wasn’t the Misumaru that sealed the power of the Sword but you, because you wanted to?”
“Much of the Sword’s power is still held in check. But its power now runs in my veins. The force that works to protect me moves faster than thought or will. And it grows stronger as my physical strength returns.”
Sugaru clicked his tongue at his own folly. “What a laugh. I let you go thinking I could kill you any time only to find the tables reversed. I was a fool not to finish you off when you were weak.”
“I’m sorry, but only Toko can slay me.” Oguna did indeed look sorry. He sheathed his sword and then knelt before Sugaru on one knee. “I just can’t understand why she would give up and vanish after coming so far. It’s not like her. Do you know?”
Sugaru searched Oguna’s face. He was very hard to understand—one moment he behaved like an adult and the next he was a child. “Is that why you can’t die? Because you want to find out?”
Oguna’s voice grew small. “It was Toko who taught me that the Sword was my problem. She made me realize that I had given up and was just running away … I have to see her again. I don’t know why she left like that, but next time I want to do things differently.”
“You’re that convinced that she’s alive, are you?”
“Yes, I’m sure she’s alive somewhere.”
Hearing this, Sugaru realized that somewhere inside he was actually relieved. Although he had come to kill Oguna and put an end to it all, in his heart he had not wanted to believe that Toko was dead. Perhaps he had really only come to test Oguna’s conviction. What a cowardly thing to do, he thought as he looked at the youth in front of him. He had not expected Oguna to recover from his wounds so completely in just two months. Yet that was not necessarily a bad thing. Oguna was younger than Sugaru. He was at the age where sudden spurts of physical and mental growth were only to be expected, a thought that gave Sugaru hope.
“I think that if I decide to destroy the Sword myself, of my own free will, there might be a way … if I work with the magatama you wield. I didn’t gain this power by choice. If it’s possible to extinguish it, then that’s what I want,” Oguna said earnestly, watching Sugaru’s face. “I’m asking this for Toko’s sake also. Won’t you help me try?”
Sugaru considered his request carefully, although he already knew the answer. Shrugging his shoulders, he finally said, “I don’t know why I’m such a nice guy, but I take back what I just said about knowing when to call it quits.”
DARKNESS HAD FALLEN, and Oguna spurred his horse after Takehiko and his men. Sugaru sat behind him. He had responded to Oguna’s invitation not just to test his idea but because he was tired of traveling alone. Although fearless in the face of demons and gods, Sugaru yearned for human companionship. It was a weakness known to few and one he never even admitted to himself. Roaming the land alone went against his nature. He needed friends; it was his loyal companions who made him the man he was. Unable to find even Toko, he found the loneliness much harder to bear, and this had put him in a bad temper. Although Sugaru remained unaware of it, it was this part of him that Oguna had touched. He found himself drawn to this boy who was struggling so desperately to find his way on his own.
In the darkness they saw the red light of torches up ahead. They finally caught up with Oguna’s men at the entrance to the village where they were waiting. Together they hurried into the stockade. The chief, head of one of the most powerful families in Sagamu, had come out to welcome them. Following behind, Sugaru was impressed by the large man. Despite his graying hair, he was obviously still hale and strong and, judging by the scar on his forehead, was a seasoned warrior.
Returning the chief’s greeting, Oguna betrayed no sign of his youth. He drained the cup of sake given to him and smiled with easy confidence, bearing himself with a dignity that was no less than that of the chief.
I see. So that’s how a prince behaves, Sugaru thought as he watched the chief usher Oguna inside the main room of his hall. Takehiko, Sugaru, and the others were led into a courtyard where a lavish feast had been prepared. Someone clapped a hand on Sugaru’s shoulder and he turned around to face Takehiko.
“What did you say to the prince?” Takehiko demanded. “Just because our lord is generous, don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll get away with anything. If something happens to him, it will be disastrous for everyone. We’ll make sure you pay for it.” Several other soldiers closed in around Sugaru, who gazed calmly back at Takehiko. The man looked to be about thirty. Lean and sinewy, he was no longer young but was not yet experienced enough to keep his feelings from showing. Right now, his expression betrayed both suspicion and a touch of envy. One glance had told Sugaru where his value lay as a soldier—honesty and loyalty. He was the type of man who, once he had pledged fealty, would remain steadfast even if it cost him his life.
Sugaru shrugged. “We weren’t talking about anything important. Your prince asked me to come with him, so I came. That’s all.”
“I don’t believe you,” Takehiko said, pressing Sugaru. “Who are you? You appeared out of nowhere once before, didn’t you? You were the one who told us where to find the prince. What relation are you to him?”
“No relation in particular,” Sugaru answered coolly. “I merely tried to kill him twice, that’s all. Who knows what will happen next time?”
“What?” Color suffused Takehiko’s face, but at that moment a young soldier came running up and called out to him.
“Captain, the prince bade me convey a message. His lordship begs you to entertain personally the man who joined us today, as he is greatly in the man’s debt. Twice he has saved the prince’s life.”
Silenced, Takehiko stared at Sugaru for a long moment, and Sugaru watched with interest to see how he would react. The man’s expression cleared suddenly. “You really like a joke, don’t you? Why didn’t you just say so in the first place? I would never hesitate to welcome someone who had saved the prince himself.”
Sugaru grinned broadly, highly amused, and Takehiko, taking this as a sign that they had overcome their differences, thumped him repeatedly on the shoulder. “Come. Let’s drink the night away.”
5
FISH AND FOWL on skewers roasted over a bright fire in the center of the courtyard. The chief plied the men from Mahoroba so generously with sake that they grew merry and broke into song and dance. It was impossible for Sugaru not to join in, and soon the men were treating him as if he had been a member of their party all along.
“Where’re you from?” Takehiko asked.
“Izumo. How about you?”
“I’m from Kibi. We’re practically neighbors. Drink up, drink up.” Takehiko seemed to have concluded that Sugaru was a good man. “We’re both a long way from home here in the remotest corner of the nation, aren’t we? I couldn’t believe at first that the emperor would send the crown prince to such a dangerous place as this virgin land.”
“Why did he choose Prince Ousu to lead the expedition?” Sugaru asked, drawing him on.
“The prince volunteered to go. He has suffered so much.” Takehiko fell silent for a moment and then continued. “After his aunt, the Itsuki no Miya, passed away, he lost his only ally. The emperor is heartless. I can’t understand why he would hate someone as kind and good as the prince.”
“I heard about the prince when I was in the capital,” Sugaru said after draining his cup. “People were saying that you might as well serve the thunder god, that the men under him risk being struck by lightning. Yet you say he’s kind.”
“As long as we serve under him, we’ll never be subjected to such a fate,” Takehiko stated flatly. “I learned that soon after we set off on these expeditions. No matte
r what the rumors say, he’s the model of a true leader, someone who deserves our respect.”
THE NIGHT was far advanced, and the fire had died down to embers. Although Takehiko had insisted that he would stand guard the first night in this new place, Sugaru had volunteered to take his place. He had never been drunk in his life. In fact, sake only made him more alert, whereas Takehiko, unable to keep pace, had been left staggering.
Once the men had all retired to their sleeping quarters, the starlit garden sank into sudden silence. A sliver of moon, thin as the tip of a fingernail, perched at the top of a huge zelkova tree, and the chirping of the crickets grew louder. Sugaru did not find watchman duty difficult. Since he had begun to carry the Misumaru, sleep had become less essential. He could also go without food for several days before feeling the effects. But he saw no reason to rejoice in a life without the pleasures of food and sleep. He particularly found the long nights hard. Tonight, he felt content for he had shared food, drink, and laughter with others for the first time in a while. The memories of company lingered after the others had gone to bed.
He was not sure how long he had been there. He was just looking up at the stars, trying to judge the time, when he heard a faint noise behind him—the sound of someone walking stealthily. He swung the spear from his shoulder, glad to have something to relieve the boredom. I wonder if it’s an assassin. From what Takehiko said, that wouldn’t be unusual. He crept to the corner of the hall and, waiting for the right moment, stepped out suddenly. A shadowy figure jumped back as if startled.
“Who goes there?” Sugaru demanded. To his surprise, the figure responded with a question of his own.
“Is that you, Sugaru?”
Sugaru lowered his spear incredulously. “And just what is the prince of Mahoroba doing wandering about alone at night?”
It was Oguna. He peered intently at Sugaru as if surprised to see him there. “Did they make you serve the night watch?”
“Not really. I volunteered.”
“I thought you must be Takehiko.”
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince Page 37