SI3 The Way of the Traitor (1997)

by Laura Joh Rowland

  oKenji, go to the mainland and fetch Chief Ohira immediately, the commander ordered. oTell him " His startled gaze took in the clerk, bound and gagged, and Sano at the window. Fury suffused his face. oYou. He spoke on a disgusted laugh. oI might have known.

  In a motion so fast that his image blurred, Nirin whipped his sword from its scabbard and lunged. The blade whistled through the air, straight toward Sano's neck. Sano had his stolen long sword ready, but its unfamiliar weight and grip disconcerted him. He almost failed to parry Nirin's stroke. Their blades met in a jarring clash of steel. Swinging his sword free, Sano tried a cross-body cut.

  His blade glanced harmlessly off the commander's armor tunic. Nirin laughed and launched another assault. Sano, unaccustomed to fighting in armor, found himself at a serious disadvantage. He saw that Nirin was no better a swordsman than himself; his own helmet, tunic, and leg and arm guards shielded him. But this style of combat demanded a different strategy. All strikes must target an unprotected area of his opponent's body: face, neck, thighs, or upper arms. As Sano thrust and parried and circled, his wounded shoulder grew sore. The tunic chafed against the bandage. And he could tell that Nirin knew about his handicap.

  The commander centered his attack on Sano's upper body, forcing him to fight with his sword raised, which strained the injury even more. Sano managed few counterstrokes while Nirin chased him around the room. He leapt backward over desks, bumped cabinets and screens. He heard shouts from the doorway. Clerks and guards burst into the room.

  oStand back, Nirin told them, slashing at Sano. oHe's all mine.

  Sano was gasping in pain, sweaty and panting with exertion. Warm blood trickled down his chest. Nirin, not even winded, closed in on him. Completely on the defensive now, Sano dodged and parried. His shoulder weakened. Nirin aimed a cut at Sano's neck. Their blades crossed, locking Sano's arm in a high, awkward twist. Pain shot from his shoulder to his hand. He let go the sword, and the spectators cheered. Nirin raised his weapon in both hands. Sano leapt backward just in time to avoid the slice. He drew his short sword, but with his reach reduced, he couldn't get close enough to Nirin to score a cut. The commanders longer, heavier sword battered his. If this continued, the fight was lost.

  Ducking a swipe aimed to sever his head, Sano kicked a screen into Nirin's path. The commander stumbled, throwing out his arms to regain his balance. Sano didn't use the chance to slay his opponent: He needed Nirin alive. Darting behind the commander, Sano grabbed the back collar of Nirin's armor tunic and jerked him upright. He jammed his sword under the commander's right arm, with the tip of the blade touching the unprotected armpit.

  oDrop your weapon! he ordered.

  Nirin went rigid. Slowly he turned to Sano, eyes sharp with terror and hatred. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound emerged. Cries of dismay issued from the men at the door. When Sano repeated the order, Nirin dropped his blade.

  oNow unsheathe the other one, and throw it over there, Sano said. oGood. Now fold your arms.

  Nirin did, and his wide sleeve fell, hiding Sano's sword.

  oLet him go, blurted a guard.

  Ragged breaths tore Sano's chest as his body fought to restore its depleted energy. oWe're going to walk off the island together, he said to Nirin. Holding the commander by the armor, Sano marched him toward the door. oOut of the way, Sano told the guards and clerks, oor he dies.

  Mouths agape in shock, the men didn't budge. Sano thrust the blade upward, felt it bite flesh. Nirin flinched, croaking, oDo as he says.

  The men sprang away from the door. Sano propelled Nirin down the corridor and out of the house. oDon't follow, or I'll kill him, Sano called over his shoulder, halting the guards' rush across the garden after them.

  oIf you think you can get away with this, you're crazy. Outrage and fear mingled in Nirin's voice. oThere are troops all over the island. You'll never get past them.

  Sano fought his own doubt. oYes, I will, because you're going to help me. He kicked open the gate and shoved Nirin through. oNot one word, unless I tell you to speak. His heart seized when he saw guards swarming the street, hunting the trespasser.

  oOver here! Nirin called. oHe's got me.

  All heads turned toward them; all sound and motion stopped. Then came the outcry. Guards surrounded Sano and Nirin, swords drawn. Sano remembered a hostage incident he'd once resolved. Now he was the villain. A nightmarish sense of unreality fell over him.

  oLet us through, or I'll kill him, he shouted.

  He jerked his sword forward, exposing the hilt. The crowd quieted, looking to their leader for orders. Nirin sucked in his breath as the blade poked his armpit, then forced a laugh. oYou can't kill me. You need me to escape. Don't listen to him. He's bluffing.

  The crowd stirred, but Sano felt Nirin's uncertainty, and saw it on the other men's faces. He knew what they were thinking: Anyone mad enough to break into Deshima was mad enough to murder his hostage. Finally the crowd parted. Sano and Nirin proceeded, step by step, down the endless street.

  oWhere is Chief Ohira? Sano asked Nirin.

  The commander shot a venomous glance at Sano. oMy superior's whereabouts are none of your business, he said as they neared the main gate. oI will tell you nothing. And you have to keep me alive to get past the bridge guards.

  oWhere is Ohira? Sano jabbed Nirin again, provoking a stifled groan. After the bridge, he must pass the main guardhouse, the heavily occupied promenade, and the troops in town, but he would handle one thing at a time. oI'll hurt you if I must.

  They reached the gate. oOpen it! Sano ordered the sentry. oAnd make sure no one follows us.

  Nirin stiffened; sweat ran down his face. It was clear that he feared maiming more than death. He spoke through clenched teeth. oDo as he says.

  The sentry opened the gate. Sano marched his prisoner onto the bridge. oWhere is Ohira?

  oAll right. All right! Nirin was trembling now. oHe said he was going to the Daikoku Shrine. At Sano's prompting, he gave the location. oWhat do you want with him?

  The truth about Spaen's murder and the smuggling operation, Sano thought. Chief Ohira's cooperation was the key to freedom for himself and Hirata.

  As Sano and Nirin crossed the bridge, the sentries bowed to their commander, frowning at Sano. oTell them I came to Deshima with your permission, Sano whispered, keeping the sword hidden beneath the commanders sleeve. oThey're to make sure no one else leaves the island.

  The commander repeated the lie in a thin voice so unlike his normal one that Sano feared his ploy would fail. He sensed Nirin's mind racing through possible strategies for escape, all of which led to his own death. When the sentries let him and Nirin pass, relief flooded him. They got through the guardhouse without the customary exit formalities. On the promenade, they blended with troops dressed in similar uniform.

  oYou won't get away with this, because I'm going to kill you, Nirin said, dragging his feet.

  oWas it you who shot me? Sano asked. oDid you burn my house?

  oNo, but I wish I had, because then you'd be dead now!

  oDid you kill Jan Spaen or Peony?

  oNo!

  Sano knew he couldn't restrain Nirin indefinitely. As they moved up the street past clusters of departing townspeople, he cast about for a way to shed his hostage without a fight to the death. Then he quickened his pace, forcing Nirin to walk faster.

  oWhere are you taking me? Nirin demanded.

  Sano marched the commander to the well at which he'd gotten the water buckets. oOut of the way, he ordered the bearers gathered around it. Then, to Nirin: oJump in.

  Struggling in Sano's grip, Nirin gave an incredulous laugh. oI will not. You're mad!

  Another jab with the sword, and he climbed onto the well's stone rim, cursing. A hard push from Sano sent him over the edge. He disappeared down the shaft, a long scream trailing after him. There was a splash as he hit the water. His terrified cries echoed from the depths of the well. oHelp! Help!

  Citizens flocked to see who'd fallen
into the well. Police came and shouted for rope, for strong men to help rescue the victim.

  In the confusion, Sano slipped away before anyone could stop him, and headed for the Daikoku Shrine.

  Chapter 31

  THE DAIKOKU SHRINE was located on a wooded slope near the edge of town, off the main highway leading beyond the hills. Between the double crossbeams of the torii gate, an engraved stone tablet bore the name of Daikoku, god of fortune.

  Sano entered the gate along with a stream of peasant, merchant, and samurai families who had come to seek the god's blessing during the anticipated war. He climbed a flight of stone steps to the shrine precinct, a clearing sheltered by cypress trees. A flagstone path led to the main shrine building. Worshippers clustered around refreshment and souvenir stands. A stone statue of Daikoku, plump and smiling, carried a sack of treasure and the magic mallet with which he granted wishes. He sat upon two rice bales gnawed by carved rats "his earthly messengers "amid flowers and other offerings. Priests dressed in white robes and oblong black caps mingled with the crowd. The fresh mountain air carried the sweet, musky perfume of incense. Over the children's laughter, the clack of wooden soles, and chanted prayers, a bell rang, deep and clear. Above the city, the sun's rays pierced the clouds like spokes of a gleaming silver fan. As Sano washed his hands in the stone ritual basin, the tranquil atmosphere of the shrine lifted his spirits. His problems seemed remote; he could almost forget that he must cause immense suffering to the man he'd come to find.

  Scanning the precinct, he saw Chief Ohira standing at a stall that sold lucky figures and candy, colorful strings of origami flying cranes, which signified longevity, and wooden prayer stakes. Alone, in his somber clothing, the chief looked out of place among the brightly dressed families. As Sano approached, Ohira bought a stake. He inked one of the brushes set out for the customers' use and wrote a prayer on the stake. Engrossed in the task, he didn't notice Sano come up beside him.

  oPlease protect us from evil, and replace our troubles with blessings, Sano read over the chief's shoulder. The names of Ohira's large family followed. It was a commonplace prayer, but poignant under the circumstances. Sano hated what he must do, but Chief Ohira had earned his own destiny.

  Now Ohira looked up and saw Sano. oYou again, he said wearily. oHow dare you disturb me in a sacred place? He seemed more gaunt than ever, as if his flesh had withered around a core of pain, all that was left of him. oWhat do you want? How did you find me? Turning away, he walked to the statue of Daikoku.

  Sano followed. oYour commander told me where you were.

  Ohira's steps faltered. oYou've been to Deshima? But how?... Your pass was revoked. He stared, then shook his head when Sano's appearance offered no clue.

  Before coming to the shrine, Sano had discarded the stolen armor. His clothes had dried in the afternoon heat, and with his lone short sword at his waist, he looked like any ordinary low-rank samurai. Now he didn't waste time explaining his escapade to Ohira, who would find out soon enough anyway. The Deshima guards would report what he'd done. Troops would be searching for him. He must act fast.

  oHow I got to Deshima isn't important, Sano said. oIt's what I found there that matters. He pulled the scroll and the unfinished copy out of his kimono. oThe tribunal will be interested in these, don't you think?

  Recognition flared in Ohira's eyes. A shudder ran through him. Then he squatted and pushed his prayer stake into the ground amid others at the stone god's feet. His hands trembled.

  oSo I am in your power now, he said, despair reflected in the slump of his shoulders, the melancholy timbre of his voice. He touched the stake. oI've sent my prayers too late for them to do any good.

  The moment seemed as fragile as a priceless porcelain tea bowl Sano had once used at an Edo Castle tea ceremony: thin, translucent, its surface crazed by the heat of the kiln. He took a deep breath, seeking the wisdom to handle the moment without damage. oOr maybe your prayers have already been answered, he said.

  oWhat do you mean? Ohira rose, avoiding Sano's gaze.

  oYou left these documents out in the open, as if you hoped someone would find them and punish you, although there was little chance of that on Deshima. You're not really sorry I found them. Sano tucked the scroll and copy back in his kimono. oThe gods are wise. Sometimes they know and grant our deepest, most secret wishes.

  Ohira emitted a humorless laugh. oThrough you, the agent of my fate? Do you think I wish public disgrace and dishonorable death? I can assure you that's not the case.

  He stalked down the path to the main shrine building, a wooden hut with a thatched roof and railed veranda, elevated on wooden posts and surrounded by a picket fence. Sano followed Ohira up the stone steps. oWhen your boyhood friends died, you swore to uphold the law and prevent others from committing crimes, he said, referring to the story Ohira had told him yesterday. oBy breaking your vow, you destroyed your own honor. You couldn't openly confess and endanger your family, but you crave punishment. He paused as Ohira pulled the rope that hung from the eaves, ringing the bell to summon the god. Leaving their shoes outside the door, they entered the shrine. oAnd you can't bear to live while your son dies.

  In the anteroom, daylight filtered through the door and window gratings, casting soft diamond patterns on the polished cypress floor. Sacred white paper plaits hung from the pillars. The walls were covered with gifts to the shrine: model ships, swords, houses. White curtains shrouded the doorway to the inner sanctuary, receptacle for the god. A calm hush pervaded the air, which smelled of incense, candles, and pine resin. Chief Ohira dropped to his knees before the curtains, head bowed in tacit acknowledgment of Sano's words. Sano knelt beside him. After a long moment, Chief Ohira spoke in a voice quiet with sad resignation.

  oI compromised Deshima security and falsified the warehouse inventory on Governor Nagai's orders. I didn't want to, but what choice had I? A samurai must obey his superior.

  In Bushido, obedience was the supreme virtue, which often conflicted with individual morality and the law. Sano, who understood the conflict all too well, realized that guilt and self-hatred had caused Ohira's physical infirmity, eroding body and spirit.

  oNagai said that if I refused, Ohira continued, ohe would replace me with someone who would allow the smuggling. He threatened to withdraw his patronage of Kiyoshi. The chiefs voice cracked in anguish he turned to Sano, hand extended in a plea for understanding. oWhat was I to do? Then the rush of emotion subsided. Ohira bent his head over his folded hands. oNow all is lost.

  oIt doesn't have to be, Sano said.

  oWhat do you mean? Ohira's voice held a glimmer of hope.

  Sano had evidence; he had Ohira's confession, which the chief, in his eagerness for punishment, would repeat to the tribunal. But he wanted more.

  oKiyoshi can be saved. Sano hesitated, feeling a sudden unwelcome sense of identification with Jan Spaen. In view of what he meant to do, was he not also an exploiter of men? oYour son is not a smuggler or a murderer "his one crime was accusing me to protect you. If we can persuade him to tell the truth, he won't have to die.

  Chief Ohira exhaled in a moan. oYou don't know the whole story. And I can assure you that when you do, you won't be so willing to help Kiyoshi.

  oI visited him in jail this morning. He was like a madman, but he regained his senses long enough to tell me everything. Two months ago, he chased the mysterious lights because a fortune-teller told him they were ghosts who could give him enough money so he could marry the girl he loves. Kiyoshi saw the lights go to Deshima and followed them to the cove, where he saw the smugglers. Later he overheard me telling the guards to relax Deshima security on nights when the smuggling occurred. He didn't know that Governor Nagai and other officials were involved. He assumed I commanded the ring myself. On the night of his arrest, he went to the cove to persuade me to give it up. o

  So it was his father whom Kiyoshi had gone to ostop and owarn. Sano's guess was confirmed.

  A mournful laugh caught in Ohira's throat
. oMy poor, devoted, naA_ve son. Yes, he protected me, but not just by lying. He began prowling the waterfront at night because he was afraid the police would catch me "how was he to know they were accomplices? Ohira paused, as if gathering courage. oKiyoshi fired arrows at anyone who went near the harbor.

  oHe shot me? Sano said, amazed. Not Nirin or the Deshima guards, then; not an assassin sent by Chamberlain Yanagisawa. He'd guessed Kiyoshi's motive, but not how far the boy had gone to shield his father. Now his incoherent rambling made sense. He'd oplaced personal interests above those of the shogun and nation not by smuggling, but by protecting his family instead of reporting the crime. The oblood on his hands was neither Jan Spaen's nor Peony's, but Sano's.

  oI apologize for my son, Ohira said. oHe intended no harm; he only meant to frighten you. When you wouldn't leave the harbor, he panicked. His shot went wild and hit you. The chief shook his head sadly. oBut that's no excuse. He attacked a representative of the shogun, which is treason. Therefore he must be punished. As must I, and the rest of our family.