by Duncan Lay
‘So how did you convince him?’
‘I gave him what he really wanted from us, why he tried to invade us in the first place.’ Sumiko drained her tea and replaced the cup on Jaken’s desk. ‘The Forlish king was dying and he thought we possess the secret of immortality. He read it somewhere, in some ridiculous story made up about us hundreds of years ago. So I had Archbishop Fushimi heal him and I promised that he and his followers would be made immortal once he had destroyed the Velsh and showed us that we could trust him with that power and knowledge.’
Jaken gasped. ‘You did what?’
Sumiko laughed. ‘Do not worry — of course I was lying to him. But he is only a gaijin, so it is no sin. He was less than a moon away from an unpleasant death and we have given him back another five years of life. He thinks it miraculous and so he believed everything else I told him.’
‘Such as?’
‘That the Velsh had betrayed us and stolen from us, tried to get the secret of immortality from us, so had to be punished. We wanted to do that ourselves but did not trust the Forlish not to attack us again while we were in Vales — or for the Velsh to make an alliance with the Forlish to attack us. We wanted to find an ally, I told them, and this was their chance to show they were worthy of trust — and win the secret of immortality as well.’
‘He really believes we are immortal? When his men saw us die in battle?’ Jaken let his tea grow cold.
Sumiko smiled. ‘I told him we could be killed in battle — just never die from old age or disease. To a man dying of disease, that was a powerful temptation. I pretended we could not let it go to a human, tried to buy him off with gold and jewels. When he insisted on immortality, I knew we had won. After that, it was simple. He will lead his army into Vales within the next moon. All we have to do is head west and watch the battle unfold. When the Forlish are tired and bloodied by the Velsh, we shall strike and destroy them. Both our enemies will be gone in one stroke.’
Jaken leaned back in his chair, unable to keep the smile off his face.
‘With them both out of the way, we shall round up the survivors and make them our slaves. The people will fall over themselves to worship me when the treasure of two nations flows into Dokuzen. I shall be the greatest Elder Elf in history!’
‘Indeed!’ Sumiko smiled at him.
Jaken stood and walked around the desk, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.
‘Are you sure you don’t have enough magic to use on me?’ he asked thickly. ‘The way I am feeling, it would not take much to get me ready …’
Sumiko put her finger on his lips. ‘I wish I could,’ she said sorrowfully. ‘But I need to recover from my journey. Tomorrow will be the earliest.’
‘First thing. Come and see me,’ Jaken demanded.
‘We have to be careful, my lord.’
‘Aroaril take that! I don’t care who sees us!’
‘Then it is a good thing I do. I shall see you after the Council meeting tomorrow. None will question that. I know it is hard for you to wait but if you stiffen your resolve, you will find the wait is worth it,’ she said throatily, brushing her fingers across his cheek.
He reached for her once more but she stepped back and opened the door.
‘Until tomorrow, my Lord Jaken. We can announce the plan to destroy our enemies at the Council meeting. I shall show you then how much I live to serve you.’
Jaken let her go and struggled to turn his mind back to his earlier thoughts, as well as her report from Cridianton. All he could think of was the way her hair looked, splayed wide on a bed. She had a way of getting inside his mind, the way nobody else was able to do. But, then again, she was the only lover he could ever have.
Asami paced around the garden for the twentieth time that morning. Just a moon ago, when she had been running the remnants of the Magic-weavers, she had been so busy that she could not remember having the chance to come out here. Between trying to help the younger students and training Rhiannon, there had been scarcely time to eat, let alone sit and relax. Back then she had fantasised about spending a whole day in the garden, relaxing, eating and sleeping; now that was all she could do, it felt less like a garden and more like a prison every day.
Gaibun and Lord Retsu were insistent that she stay at home, in case Sumiko tried anything else. She had kept her end of the bargain but they had so far failed to meet theirs. The investigation into the market attack was going nowhere. Lord Jaken had visited to announce he was doing everything to find out who was behind the attempt on her life but the words he left unspoken were much more informative. He had no idea who was responsible. Even the gossip in the market had died down, apparently. Or that was what her servants told her, because she was not allowed to go there herself.
She had spent one morning placing magical defences around the house, preparing items near the front door, the walls and of course the oak tree in the garden in case they tried anything here. Now she found herself wishing someone would attack, to give her something to do.
‘My lady, your parents are here,’ her maid announced.
Asami walked back into the house, her feet dragging. As if the day wasn’t bad enough, now her parents had come for a visit?
They were waiting for her in the reception room, admiring the new floor that had been laid after the blood of Sumiko’s attackers had ruined the last one. As she walked in, they rushed to embrace her, fussing over her and insisting she sit down.
‘Thank you for coming —’ she began.
‘How could we not? When we heard the happy news from Gaibun we had to rush over immediately!’ her mother said excitedly.
Asami stared blankly at them. How was an attempt on her life happy news?
‘You are giving up magic to look after our grandchild!’ her mother babbled. ‘Gaibun told us you were withdrawing from the Magic-weavers!’
Asami sucked in a deep breath. Retsu had suggested they put that story out there, to see if that stopped Sumiko’s plans. But it was not a happy decision, no more than the one where she had ordered Sendatsu to leave, to protect them both.
‘I am proud of you, my daughter,’ her father said pompously. ‘Finally you are behaving as you should, acting like a true wife to Gaibun. Luckily that attack on you failed but at least it has brought you to your senses.’
Asami glared at him, angry words lined up on her tongue. With great difficulty, she thought about what she was saying before she blurted something out that would possibly risk her life. Her father had always been Jaken’s greatest supporter and, with Jaken as Elder Elf, his rise had been dramatic. The cut and colour of her parents’ silken kimonos, the richness of their jewellery and the self-satisfied looks they wore told Asami all she needed to know about their fortunes.
‘I am staying here because Sumiko sent warriors to kill me,’ she said carefully. ‘Nothing else.’
‘I’m sure it wasn’t your old sensei’s doing. Why would she want you dead?’ her mother said reassuringly.
‘You know that, do you? You are part of Sumiko’s inner circle, are you?’ Asami said sharply.
‘Do not talk to your mother in that way,’ her father admonished.
‘I am sure it is just because of her pregnancy. It is affecting her mind,’ her mother said smoothly.
Asami ground her teeth together to stop herself from swearing at them.
‘Well, whatever the reason, it is good to see you have stopped this magical foolishness,’ her father said. ‘We can put all that business — and our arrests by Lord Daichi — behind us, as if it never happened.’
Asami could not stop herself. ‘Are you both blind?’ she cried. ‘Can’t you see what is going on around you? Jaken wants to start a war with the humans, while Sumiko stands at his shoulder and plots. Do you trust her?’
‘I trust Lord Jaken. He has always known what to do. You should accept your place in life and realise seeking to change it only brings problems. Look what you nearly did through your actions — gaijin at the gates of Dok
uzen; Lord Jaken in chains and us under guard!’
‘I did? My actions?’ Asami threw her hands up in the air. ‘It was Sendatsu and I who saved this city from the Forlish, freeing Jaken and bringing the Velsh in to fight for us.’
Her father surged to his feet. ‘You are a fool who needs to learn her place in Dokuzen. I was too soft on you as a girl. Lord Jaken was right — I should have beaten the wilfulness out of you. Listen to me. Sit here, look after your husband and your child, obey your husband, your clan leader and the Elder Elf and your life will be far better.’
‘I have too much power to sit and do nothing. Don’t you understand what is at stake here, how the world is changing?’
Her father held out his hand to her mother. ‘Come, dear. You are right. The pregnancy has ruined her mind. We shall return when she has seen some sense.’
Asami restrained the urge to shout at them and perhaps hurl something with difficulty. How could they be so short-sighted? And how could they be both proud of her for doing nothing, and ashamed of what she had done?
‘Did he believe you, sensei?’ Oroku asked as Sumiko walked out of the Elder Elf’s villa, not even acknowledging the bows of the guards.
‘Of course. I fed him lies and he clamoured for more. For a warrior who prides himself on using his mind more than any other elf, he is ridiculously easy to manipulate. A few suggestive words and the tiger of clan Tadayoshi turns into a purring kitten,’ Sumiko said with a smile. ‘Soon we shall be able to discard him but he has his uses until then.’
‘Can we trust the Forlish?’
‘To do what they think is best? They are like children, seeing only the prize in front of them. They will not be a problem.’
‘And what of Asami?’
‘Gaibun will be with the army that marches west to watch the Forlish and Velsh posture at each other. When he is gone we shall send twenty warriors into her house. The six we sent before should have been enough but it seems Jimai cannot tell the difference between esemono and true warriors. We shall not make another mistake. Once she is dead, and that human girl Rhiannon also, there will be nobody left to stop me.’
‘Your will, sensei.’ Oroku bowed.
Uffa and Wilfrid had never visited the library at Cridianton before, so they were late meeting their mother there, needing to be shown the way by a servant.
Their mother’s welcoming smile turned to a scowl in an instant when she saw that. ‘Go!’ Mildrith told the servant, who raced away as fast as possible. She turned on her sons furiously. ‘You should have found your own way here. Who knows how many of these servants will be reporting back to your father?’
‘But we were late and we knew you would be angry with us,’ Uffa whined.
‘Did you not consider my anger is as nothing compared to your father’s? I might give you a clip around the ear for your foolishness. If he finds out, you will be lucky to have a head on your shoulders.’
Even though both of them were much bigger than their mother, they melted before her anger, as if they were still small boys.
‘Now, what are we going to do about your father?’ Mildrith asked, her voice softening slightly.
‘Not much we can do. He has all the power and all the soldiers,’ Wilfrid eventually replied.
Mildrith pointed to chairs and they slunk over to them.
‘Listen to me,’ she said carefully, controlled anger tight behind every word. ‘If we do nothing, then either your father will rule forever, or he will hand over power to that revolting, common soldier, Edmund. You should have the throne, not some gutter scum with not even a scrap of royal blood.’
‘What can we do?’ Uffa protested.
‘Help me turn this to our advantage and prove that you have the wit and wisdom to rule this land.’
‘What do you want us to do, Mother?’ Wilfrid asked quickly, grasping the situation faster than his brother.
‘Your father rides north and says he is taking you with him. He plans to betray the elves, and seize their powers. What he is doing is risky and he will make a mistake. When he does, we shall use it to our advantage.’
‘How will we know he has made a mistake?’ Uffa asked.
Mildrith paused. ‘You may not recognise it. But I will, so I want you to take carrier pigeons north with you. I have bribed the handlers. I want you to write to me every day, telling me what your father is doing and his plans. I will work out what needs to be done from there.’
‘But you can’t give us instructions,’ Wilfrid said. ‘The pigeons only fly one way.’
Mildrith smiled. ‘Yes, you are learning. I will send a rider with a message. That will take a day or two to reach you, so you must tell me as early as possible what is happening.’
‘Yes, Mother,’ they chorused.
She smiled at them. ‘Good. Things may seem hopeless but we shall come out of this with the throne, I promise you. Now come here.’
The two lumbering princes stood awkwardly and allowed themselves to be embraced.
‘And not a word to your father. If he asks, you are sending messages of love to the mother who misses you desperately. He cannot find out what you are really doing. You can trust the handlers I have bribed but nobody else.’
‘Of course, Mother, we are not stupid,’ Wilfrid said.
She patted his cheek. ‘I know. But just in case.’
6
I made so many mistakes. That is not always a bad thing. Don’t be afraid of mistakes, for through them you can grow and understand more. Small mistakes are good in that way. But mistakes like the ones I made hurt people. I learned from them but the lessons came at too high a price.
Sendatsu looked out at the mass of Velsh filling the meeting hall, talking and eating and sitting and lying down. Some had brought their families, others had brought animals. The smell was indescribable — and not entirely due to the animals. A couple of Velsh looked like they were wearing brown tunics and trews but Sendatsu suspected they were more dirt than cloth.
At least half appeared to be trying some sort of magic, throwing strange substances into the air, waving their hands around and muttering or indeed shouting incantations. Sendatsu knew none of those things were needed for magic and he could not feel any magic going on, either. The smell, however, was making his eyes water.
‘And are these the hope of the Velsh, indeed the hope of these lands?’ he asked doubtfully.
Rhiannon shrugged. ‘Who knows?’
The word was spreading out across Vales by dragons riding on the fastest horses they had. Some of this crowd had arrived by themselves, while others had been collected by the Velsh dragons.
Sendatsu and Huw had given the headmen their instructions early that morning, then watched the grumbling men ride out to their villages, to begin preparing Vales for an Elfaran invasion. Mindful of Mai’s words, Sendatsu had tried to be gentler with them. But Aroaril, that was hard! Still, he thought they had the message. Although much depended on this strange assortment now stinking out the meeting hall.
‘Is there nothing I can do?’ Huw asked.
‘No,’ Rhiannon answered swiftly. ‘We shall get them one by one and see if they can make anything happen. It is going to take all day — and this is just the start!’
‘If only it would take just a day to get the smell out of the meeting hall,’ Huw said mournfully.
‘It is all in a good cause,’ Sendatsu said encouragingly. ‘There could be a dozen Rhiannons in there!’
Rhiannon looked at a half-naked man with a beard hanging down near to his knees. He was rolling some sort of dung between his fingers and chanting, eyes going back in his head.
‘I find that hard to believe,’ she said wryly.
‘Well, there had better be some. Or Vales is finished,’ Huw said fiercely.
‘It doesn’t depend on only these,’ Sendatsu said softly. ‘But we shall begin immediately.’
‘You get to test the dung sniffer,’ Rhiannon said instantly.
‘Mai would have mor
e magic than him,’ Sendatsu grumbled.
‘Then test her as well! But for sky’s sake, find us some more people with magic!’ Huw cried.
Sendatsu laughed. ‘Calm down. This is only the first of many such days. If we find a couple with magic, then we will have done well. Don’t lose hope. They will be out there.’
‘Will they? Rhiannon is Forlish, what if there is nobody in Vales with that talent —’
‘The more you worry, the less time we have to test,’ Rhiannon said tartly.
Huw snorted. ‘Things would go much faster if you had Asami to help you test for magic, and Gaibun to help train the dragons,’ he said meaningfully.
‘Not going to happen,’ Sendatsu said abruptly.
‘Well, I thought it was worth a try. They would make a difference and, perhaps, if you asked them —’
‘They have made their decision and that is the end of it,’ Sendatsu snapped.
‘Enough foolishness, we are wasting daylight,’ Rhiannon told them.
‘Fine!’ Huw held up his hands. ‘Not another word from me, I promise.’
Sendatsu and Rhiannon looked at each other.
‘Who first?’ Sendatsu asked.
But before they could walk in, a young man, dressed neatly in tunic and trews, pushed past a pair of goats and strode by them.
‘Where are you going?’ Rhiannon asked.
The young man had brown hair cropped close to his skull, and a broad face that was twisted in revulsion.
‘Home. This is a waste of time,’ he said disgustedly.
‘But we haven’t tested you yet,’ Sendatsu pointed out.
‘Are you going to tell me that the man playing with sheep dung is the saviour of Vales and steeped in magic?’
They looked at Dung Sniffer.
‘He’s steeped in something,’ Sendatsu admitted.
As they watched him, he broke open one of the round droppings, obviously found something to his liking in there and popped it into his mouth.