by Duncan Lay
‘But there must be things you can do. You know so much — you must be able to help them! They need a hero like you.’
Sendatsu stared at her, at the expression of blind trust, and tried to find the words to convince her this was not possible. Even if he had not had a desperate need to find magic and knowledge enough to allow him to return to Dokuzen, this was the last thing he would have done. Without warning, an image of his father flashed into his head, and the memory of yet another humiliation.
‘You must show your leadership ability. It is important not just for the Council to see but also for our clan. They must see you as a strong successor to me,’ Jaken declared.
‘But Father …’ the ten-year-old Sendatsu protested.
‘Don’t disagree with me, boy! You must take command at training tomorrow, when the Council arrives to watch. Show you know more than the others.’
Sendatsu had not slept that night for worrying and he had vomited his breakfast back up again. He dearly wanted to say he was too sick to train but Jaken’s penalty for that would be too severe.
Sweating, he had stepped forwards first when his sensei called for a volunteer to lead the demonstration. But, under the gaze of the Council — and his father’s glare — the familiar moves slipped from his mind. Gaibun, standing just behind, tried to help, whispering instructions, but the laughter of the other children had drowned that out and he had finally let his sword fall to the ground, his face red, tears rolling down his cheeks and his humiliation complete. Worse, the adults did not rage at him, the way he knew his father would do later. Instead, they merely shook their heads and sighed.
The adult Sendatsu remembered the feeling and shuddered. He could not risk that again. Much better to walk away.
‘You said the village could have held off a score of men, back when we rode in here,’ Huw said. ‘How would they have done it?’
Sendatsu paused. He wanted to get off the subject but this was fairly safe ground. ‘Well, the village needs lookouts, to give them warning. Then the animal fence around the village needs to be made bigger, a ditch dug so they can only come at you from one direction, then you concentrate the men there …’
‘See, you do know how to help them,’ Rhiannon said excitedly.
‘Well, that might help one village. But there are dozens of them out there …’
‘So we travel around to the other villages!’ Rhiannon was exultant at the thought.
‘She’s right,’ Huw agreed. ‘There is much we can do. And once people know that you are an elf, they will be inspired by more than just fear to help us.’
Sendatsu gaped at them. ‘This cannot happen. I have important work to do. I must find out why the elves sealed themselves away. I cannot do that if I am spending all my time building walls.’
‘Well, you won’t be spending much time on wall-building. The villagers will do that,’ Huw said persuasively.
‘But what can they do? Most of them will be old, or young, or women …’ Sendatsu trailed off, aware he was arguing the wrong point.
‘They all know how to work. Trust me on this,’ Huw assured him. ‘They will surprise you with just what they can do.’
Sendatsu stared at them, horrified.
‘Look, you must be thinking of going back to Dokuzen, that you did not come here to get involved in petty human disputes,’ Huw said, correctly judging Sendatsu’s silence but not the reason for it.
‘Please, just talk to the people, tell them what you told us. What harm can that do?’
Sendatsu was tempted to agree, their expressions were so hopeful, so pleading. Aroaril knew these humans needed help. But his hand brushed against his belt pouch, he felt the outline of the toys within and he shook his head.
‘No,’ he said firmly. ‘I did not come here for this. I do not have time to waste. Huw, I am sorry about your father but I came here for the knowledge he had. Without him, there is no reason to stay. I shall leave in the morning to find it, whether here in Vales or further south. I wish I could help you but I cannot.’
Rhiannon looked at Huw, seeing her own devastation at this news on his face. But while he looked like he would simply accept Sendatsu’s words, slump into a chair and dissolve into tears, she was determined not to give up. Her mind raced. She had persuaded Huw to stay in Cridianton when he wanted to return. Obviously that had been a mistake — but perhaps she could use something similar to make up for it.
‘You will never find the knowledge you seek without us,’ she declared.
Sendatsu stopped in shock, while Huw also stared at her.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Vales is the only place that really knows the elves. After all, this is the place where they lived among the humans. The elves only visited the other countries and what knowledge we have of them is more legend and story than anything. I know more about the elves than every other Forlish. It is my dream to dance with the elves and my father did everything he could to help make that come true. He purchased every book with elven stories in them he could find — including those our armies brought back from the other countries. And do you think I was much help to you?’
Sendatsu coughed. ‘Well, some of the stories you heard were a little strange …’
‘You have spent the last few days telling me none of them are true! If you travel south, you will wander forever and find nothing,’ she said forcefully, delighting in the way everyone was hanging on her words. Usually people just stared at her face, or legs. This was so much better! Having been robbed of her voice for so many years, finding it was almost as inspiring as the applause after a performance.
Sendatsu shivered at the thought of wandering, unable to find what he needed to get home. ‘Fine. I shall stay within Vales then …’
‘But Vales will be gone soon. And the knowledge you seek will be gone with it. Already King Ward’s men have come here and snuffed out a candle of knowledge. Imagine what they are doing across Vales. Men and women like Huw’s father, who hold the answers you seek, are being hunted down and slaughtered. You will wander Vales hopelessly.’
‘Then I shall just have to race the Forlish to find them first,’ Sendatsu said defiantly, hiding his fear she was right.
‘But you don’t know where the information is, nor where the Forlish will strike next. And you are an elf — you will just be swamped by the people. They won’t listen to your questions because they want your magic. They will surround you and drown you in requests to save their sick children, or bless their elfbolts, or tell you what you already know. You could be in the right village but you will never learn their secrets.’
Sendatsu said nothing. He had seen that happen too many times already. He did not understand these Velsh — and they certainly did not understand him.
‘You need a pair of guides to take you around. We can bring you to the right villages, protect you from the people and help you find what you seek. In return, all you have to do is help the people protect themselves.’
‘But we can’t spend days and weeks at the one village …’ Sendatsu warned feebly. Rhiannon’s argument was hard to fight against, although the thought of these people relying on him, of taking on a leadership role, was terrifying. Almost as bad as wandering helplessly across Vales, unable to return to Mai and Cheijun. If they could really help him …
Rhiannon hid her smile. His objections had changed and she knew she all but had him.
‘We told you before. The Velsh can work like nothing you have seen. The villages will be protected in a day or two and you can move on to the next.’
‘But only until I have the information I seek. Only until I get my answers,’ Sendatsu insisted. Talk of days made him feel sick inside. He wanted to go home now — but his troubles would not end with simply walking back into Dokuzen. The fight would begin there.
‘As soon as you get what you need, you can return to Dokuzen — although I would ask that you at least tell your leaders of our plight, and what they might face from the Forlish,’
Huw added his voice to Rhiannon’s.
Sendatsu was torn. Half of him said this was a mistake, he should leave now, see what he could find on his own. Yet what if this was the best way? Rhiannon’s words about the other villages not helping him were hauntingly real.
‘We’ll give it a try,’ he said finally. ‘But I will need a bath in exchange.’
‘This is like finding a maggot in a cauldron of rice,’ Hanto grumbled.
His two companions said nothing. They had learned silence was the best way to deal with the angry Council Guard. Silence — and instant obedience. They had faced the uncertainty of travelling through the magical barrier without flinching, had walked into a tree without knowing they would walk out the other side intact — but travelling with Hanto was far more dangerous.
‘We can’t reveal our presence here and yet the humans would be the only ones who might know where that accursed Sendatsu has gone. What are we to do?’
His companions exchanged nervous glances. This was a question they could not ignore. Their clan leader, Jaken, had ordered them to do whatever Hanto said and warned them they must succeed or suffer an eternity of pain at his hands. The bigger of the two, Jin, cleared his throat.
‘Perhaps if we go in at night, keep our hoods on …’
‘And that won’t look at all suspicious — three hooded figures in kimono and hakama, asking about an elf, when one hasn’t been seen in these lands in centuries!’ Hanto spat.
Taigo, the other, adjusted his swordbelt.
‘One of us could dress up in some human clothes, keep the hood — or use one of the cowls we have seen some wear. Then he could go in and ask some questions, perhaps get some information …’
Hanto struck Jin on the shoulder with his open hand. ‘There you are — that’s the sort of thinking we want!’
‘And we should go into the human villages that have old elven buildings — that’s what Sendatsu would have been looking for,’ Taigo continued.
Hanto nodded. ‘It is the best plan. We shall find and kill a suitable human tomorrow. Be sure not to mark the clothing. We shall perhaps get them to take their clothes off before death. Then, Taigo, you shall wear the human clothing and go into another human village.’
‘Why me?’
‘Because I can’t trust Jin here not to say something stupid. And because a good dose of human lice and fleas will teach you not to be too clever.’
Asami had trained with both Sendatsu and Gaibun over the years and had beaten many of the male elves at their Test. She was also Sumiko’s favourite student and the most gifted with magic for her age so, even without a weapon, she was confident of besting whoever was out there.
‘Who’s there? Show yourself!’ she challenged, taking up a fighting stance in the middle of the path.
A chuckle answered her and she clenched her fists, prepared to reach into the magic to defend herself.
‘You’re getting better,’ Gaibun commented, as he pushed out of the undergrowth.
Relief flooded through her. ‘What are you doing here? Why were you hiding in the bushes?’
‘I arrived home from patrol not to a wife’s welcome but to an empty house. I knew where you would be, so came to find you. And to warn you.’
‘Warn me?’
Gaibun walked to her side, smiling a little as she stayed in a fighting stance.
‘I am not your enemy,’ he said gently. ‘Please — we do not know who is around …’
Asami relaxed reluctantly and embraced him awkwardly, stiffening again as he kissed her cheek — and whispered in her ear.
‘I have been to see Jaken.’
Asami pushed away, looked around wildly, her heart thumping, expecting to see armed Council Guards appear out of the undergrowth.
‘I have not denounced you. I would not have bothered coming all the way out here to do that, I would have simply waited for you to come home. No need to worry. Yet.’
‘Then tell me what is going on,’ Asami insisted.
Gaibun glanced down the path and then placed his arm around her shoulders, beginning to walk back towards Dokuzen, ignoring the tension radiating from her. ‘We are being betrayed on all sides,’ he said softly, their heads close together. ‘Sendatsu is but part of a larger plot. We think we are helping him but in fact we will be bringing him back to his doom.’
‘Can you stop being dramatic and just tell me?’ Asami demanded.
‘Jaken wants Sendatsu back here, he has even sent out Hanto and two warriors to bring him back. But they do not want him dead, they want him to return. They will even help save him out there, if necessary. But his return will be used by Jaken to overthrow Daichi and take control of the Council. He will use Sendatsu as evidence of Magic-weaver treachery and then crush both the Magic-weavers and Daichi,’ Gaibun said urgently.
Asami forced herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
‘What will you get out of it?’
‘He has offered to make me clan leader, when he becomes Elder Elf.’
‘And why are you telling me this?’
‘Because you have to trust me. We are the only two who actually want to return Sendatsu. Sumiko wants him back so she can use his knowledge to topple the Council and rule in its stead. Jaken wants to use him to rule Dokuzen, then the world.’
‘But do you want to return Sendatsu? You would make a fine clan leader, it would be good for you. You might be able to set me aside and marry whomever you wanted …’
Gaibun stopped abruptly and turned her to face him. She was shocked to find his eyes brimming.
‘Listen to me,’ he said hoarsely. ‘I have made so many mistakes. It is time to wipe the slate clean and start again.’
‘What do you mean? You are frightening me …’
‘Please. Before we were married, we were friends. But I have always loved you. I hid my feelings, for I knew you only had eyes for Sendatsu. When he was forced to marry another, I was heartbroken for you both but I went to see Jaken and asked for your hand. I wanted you to be happy and thought this was the only way when you couldn’t have the one you truly loved. After all, there are many such marriages in our circle. Two elves brought together for reasons of politics manage to find friendship, even love together. I thought you might have learned to love me. Perhaps not the way you love Sendatsu but something close enough …’
‘Gaibun, you don’t have to …’
‘Yes, I do!’ he cried. ‘I pushed too hard, I did not give you the space and time you needed. I see that now but I was a fool then.’
‘I am sorry too. If you had only told me even a little of this from the start …’
‘As I said. I have been a fool and blundered from mistake to mistake. The worst was the night when I tried to force you to my bed and you used magic on me …’
‘I don’t want to talk about that,’ Asami interrupted, turning away. That memory still sickened her.
‘Then I shall not,’ he said, catching her arm and turning her gently back. She hesitated before looking at him, seeing the tension in every line of his face. ‘But please believe me when I say I burn with shame at my actions — and the way I behaved afterwards. In my hurt and anger I took mistresses to make you jealous, an attempt to make you change, when it was I who needed to. I betrayed you and I betrayed myself. I told myself such a thing is common in Dokuzen but it does not excuse it.’
‘Why are you telling me all this now? Why not years ago?’
Gaibun took a deep, shuddering breath. ‘Things have gone too far,’ he groaned. ‘Whatever happens, whether Sendatsu returns or not, things will change and perhaps not for the better. I have to change as well. I know these are only empty words but I want to prove to you that I mean them. Let me help you get Sendatsu back.’
‘Gaibun …’
He held up his hand, his gaze burning even more than usual. ‘Please, let me help. We need to work together on this. Jaken thinks he can buy my loyalty with the promise of clan leader. The arrogant bastard!
The position should have been mine to inherit. My father had the best claim to lead clan Tadayoshi, only Jaken tricked him, outmanoeuvred him and won it for himself. Now Jaken offers it to me as a consolation prize! He orders my father about as if he was esemono and seeks to play me like a lyre! I know he is sitting there in his study, like some evil spider, pulling on his strings and laughing as we struggle to escape his snares. Using me to trick others would be hilarious to him. He used my father’s honesty against him, now he seeks to twist that in me for his own ends.’
‘Your father was always honourable. Jaken was too devious,’ Asami agreed.
‘My father raised me to always speak the truth, to stand by your word and your friends. Even if it costs you what you really desire. That was the way he lived his life and the way he wants me to live mine. But look what it brought him. He wants me to follow in his footsteps but I shall find my own path. I will tell Jaken what he expects to hear, what he wants to hear. But we shall work together to bring Sendatsu back. We have to stand as one, for Sumiko seeks to use us, as does Jaken. If we lie to them both, then we might be able to play them off against each other.’
Asami looked up at him and saw the way he could not look at her as he worked to keep himself under control. She held him close, leaned in and kissed him.
‘Gaibun, you are a true friend …’
‘Don’t call me that! Please! Can’t you see this is hard enough already?’
Asami laid her hand on his arm, feeling the muscles jump.
‘Then let me say thank you. We shall work together, and together we shall bring Sendatsu home.’
‘And us? What will happen with us?’
‘One problem at a time perhaps?’ Asami said carefully.
Gaibun nodded jerkily. ‘Let me show you I mean what I say. What do you need me to do?’
Asami sighed. ‘Sumiko wants me to break into the tombs of the forefathers and steal as many books as possible.’
Gaibun grunted. ‘You do know Jaken expects that very thing, and has placed a strong guard there?’
‘Yes. But he will not expect the both of us.’
‘True. But don’t tell me here — we shall talk once we are home.’ Gaibun’s arm tightened around her and he began to walk back towards Dokuzen. Asami went with him. This time she was willing to let his arm stay around her but, by his side, she missed movement in the bushes, as a vine slowly sank back into the ground.