The Beast Player

by Nahoko Uehashi

  Someone was weeping quietly, fighting to suppress their sobs. Perhaps a loved one had been killed by the Toda. The sound made her want to plug her ears. A maid came running up as she stepped into the lord’s hall and led her into a room beside the entrance. The wounded Se Zan lay on mattresses on the floor. There were already two men fewer than those she had treated on the ship. A young man whose arm had been bitten off and another whose breast had been pierced by an arrow were nowhere to be seen. They had not made it. She closed her eyes for a moment.

  Only two others had been gashed by Toda… It was, she realized, a miracle that as many as two of those within range of the Toda’s fangs had survived at all. She smeared their wounds with the shilan ointment and helped them drink the antidote she had brought, all the while wondering where Ialu was. When she finished treating them, she went out into the corridor and stopped a maid who was hurrying past.

  “Excuse me, but do you know where I can find Ialu, the Se Zan?”

  The maid shook her head impatiently. “I’ve no idea. I’m sorry, but I’m in a hurry.”

  Elin watched her as she rushed away, wondering what to do. She could not leave without treating his wounds. She began walking along the corridor deeper into the hall and bumped into a middle-aged man coming through a door on her right. He was speaking to someone in the room behind him.

  “Be sure to follow my instructions. You can serve dinner in about an hour,” he said. Turning, he noticed Elin and stopped, staring at her as if she were a ghost. His face was familiar, and she realized it was the servant who had been on the boat with the Yojeh. Judging from a blue bruise along his jawline, he must have hit his chin when they were attacked. He was a very lucky man to have come away with such a minor injury.

  “How is Her Majesty, the Yojeh?” she asked quietly.

  “Ah…” He blinked, as if recollecting himself. “Her Royal Highness has not yet regained consciousness. But according to the physicians, while we must be vigilant, her condition is not life threatening at this moment.”

  Elin let out a sigh of relief. “I am very glad to hear that.”

  “Yes, well, Damiya’s injury is also not dangerous, but he has gone to bed with a fever.”

  “I’m sorry. Please take good care of them, and of yourself.” He nodded, and Elin asked, “Forgive me, but can you tell me where I might find Ialu, the Se Zan? I have brought him some medicine.”

  “Ialu? He’s in the middle of a meeting.”

  “A meeting? When he was that badly hurt?”

  The manservant frowned. “He failed to save Her Royal Highness the Yojeh. As a Se Zan, he has no right to be concerned about his own health.”

  Elin’s temper flared at the tone of his voice, but she hid her emotions. “I am very sorry to trouble you,” she said, “but may I ask you a favor? Could you please tell Ialu when the meeting is over that I am here treating the wounded Se Zan?”

  The manservant nodded haughtily and stalked off down the corridor.

  Ialu did not come. Even when the last rays of the sun falling through the window had faded and a blue darkness spread across the land, he still had not appeared. A servant came and lit the lanterns, but when Elin asked if the meeting was over, she just shrugged her shoulders.

  The medicine administered by the physicians must be working because the wounded were all sleeping. While she listened to their shallow breathing, Elin noted that the tension inside her must have eased for she was suddenly starving. Thinking back, she realized that she had not had a bite to eat since breakfast.

  Annoyed, she stood up. She had just put her hand on the door when someone pulled it open from the other side. It was Ialu.

  He raised his brows. “You’re still here?”

  “You mean you didn’t come here to be treated? I asked the servant to tell you that I was here.” It was obvious from his expression that no one had told him. “Well, never mind. We need to do something about your wound.”

  She led him to a corner of the room. Being careful not to wake the sleeping men, she brought a candlestick over and set it beside him where he sat on the floor. Someone must have dressed his wound already for his arm was securely bandaged, but his thumb, which protruded from it, was red and puffy. Gently removing the bandage, she found that not only the area around the wound, but his entire arm had swelled.

  “Why didn’t you come to me sooner? You knew that I must be here.”

  “There was no time.”

  Elin frowned as she cleansed the gash with the ointment. “You could lose the use of your arm with the poison spreading like this. How could you put off taking care of yourself like that? Especially your right arm.”

  Staring dully at the wound, he whispered, “It wasn’t much use to me when I needed it most.”

  Elin’s eyes flew to his face. He raised his head and looked at her. “I never even thanked you, did I? Forgive me. It was you who saved all of us, yet we didn’t even offer you a meal…”

  She shook her head and turned her gaze back to his arm. “It’s better that way. It would be so much easier if everyone would just forget what I did…”

  His face darkened. “That will never be… Now everyone sees you as a wielder of the Ahlyo’s secrets.”

  Pain pierced Elin’s heart. Washing his wound carefully, she said, “Do you also think so?”

  “There’s too little evidence as yet,” he said quietly. “If raising a Royal Beast from infancy can make it tame enough to lick your hand, then you wouldn’t need any secret powers to get on its back and fly.” He smiled faintly and added, “And besides, if it is you who wields those secret powers, then as a Se Zan, I have nothing to fear.”

  Elin looked up. “Why?”

  “Magic is the same as martial arts—what matters most is the user. If you had attacked us, then we should worry. But as you saved our lives, there should be no need for concern, right?” Still, there was a shadow in his eyes. He started to say something, then shifted his gaze to his companions where they lay in the darkness.

  “Whatever the case, these lives you saved won’t last long.”

  Elin shook her head. “Yes, they will. They’ll all get better. None of their wounds are fatal.”

  A wry smile touched his lips. “I wasn’t talking about their wounds.” He looked at her again. “Today it became very clear that the pillar which has shored up this country for so long is too rotten to last. The Yojeh has no army. If the Aluhan has decided to dispense with reverence and awe, with faith in and loyalty to the Yojeh, and to take up arms against her, then this country will never be the same again.”

  Elin watched him, saying nothing. Gazing into her green eyes, he continued, voicing thoughts he normally would never have shared with a woman or a commoner. “It is not the Se Zan that have protected the Yojeh. It is the hearts of the people who love her and believe that she, as the divine ruler, brings happiness to this land. There are only forty-three Se Zan in all. While we may be able to protect her from assassination, we would be no more than a wall of straw against even the smallest of the Aluhan’s Toda troops.” He spoke simply, without either belittling or romanticizing the Se Zan’s state.

  He knows exactly what he’s protecting, Elin thought. He isn’t sacrificing his life from a blind belief in the Yojeh.

  As she listened to him speak, it was as if the kingdom as she knew it had grown thin and transparent, exposing the structure beneath—a land held together by placing an army-less ruler at its summit; a ruler supported solely by her people’s will.

  She looked down at the floor. Yet someone is trying to shatter that will like brittle glass. Clearly, he believes that the Aluhan has finally revealed his intention to rebel. Because Toda were used in the attack. But he’s probably wrong.

  From the moment she had noticed the lack of notches on the Toda’s dorsal fins, Elin had been thinking, and her thoughts always led her to the same conclusion. The Aluhan could not have ordered the attack. Rather, someone had used the Toda to implicate him. If she were to te
ll Ialu this, she would have to tell him about her mother. If she did not tell him… both the Yojeh and the Aluhan would be forced down a terrible path, dancing to someone else’s tune.

  She raised her eyes and watched him sip the medicinal brew she had given him. “Those Toda…” she said. “They weren’t the Aluhan’s.”

  He took the cup from his lips and stared at her. “…How can you be so sure?”

  “Their dorsal fins bore no clan marks.”

  “Marks?”

  Elin nodded. “There are twelve villages that care for the Aluhan’s Toda. The Stewards of each village take great pride in the Toda they raise. In order to determine which village’s Toda excel on the battlefield, each clan makes distinctive notches in their dorsal fins so that they can tell them apart… There were no notches on the fins of the Toda that attacked you today.”

  Ialu frowned. “But what if they were raised especially for the purpose of assassinating the Yojeh…” he began, then shook his head. “No, there would be no point. The Toda themselves are the symbol of the Aluhan. And if the Aluhan indeed attacked with the intent to kill the Yojeh, then he would have no reason to hide his intentions…”

  He rested his chin in his good hand and stared into space. Finally, he returned his gaze to Elin. “If you speak the truth,” he said in a strained voice, “then I must reexamine the meaning of what happened today. Not even I, a Se Zan, knew about the notches. It’s not that I doubt your word, but can you be absolutely sure?”

  Elin nodded. “The Toda marks were developed out of clan rivalry. I doubt that anyone outside those clans would know about them.” She closed her eyes briefly, then looked straight at him. “There is no mistake. I know because I was raised among Toda from the time I was very small. My mother was a Steward.”

  His eyes widened in surprise. She told him about her upbringing, her mother and the reason she was killed, and finally about how she had ended up in Yojeh territory. She told him everything, except the fact that her mother had controlled the Toda.

  Ialu listened, his face expressionless. When she had finished, he still said nothing. In the wavering light of the candle, they sat in silence while he stroked his chin thoughtfully. Suddenly, a spark of amusement kindled in his eyes. Seeing the look on her face, he explained hastily, “Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t laughing at you… I’m not quite myself, maybe because of everything that’s happened today. I feel like I’ve been telling you a lot of things that I shouldn’t. And I just thought that perhaps the same was now true for you.”

  A faint smile rose to Elin’s lips. He might be right. She did not know why, but telling him about her mother had been much easier than she had expected, even though she barely knew him.

  Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a bell rang in the distance, heralding the coming of night. As though waking from a dream, he said, “It’s so late… You should stay here tonight. I’ll let the servants know.”

  Elin shook her head. “No, I have to get back to take care of Leelan.”

  “Ah, I see.”

  Standing carefully so as not to knock over the candle, Elin said quietly, “You should rest. Even if just for a little while. You’ll probably have a fever tonight. I’ll ask someone to bring you some water. Be sure to drink as much as you can.”

  Ialu nodded. “I will.” He paused, then said, “I won’t return your kindness with disloyalty. You can rest assured that I won’t tell anyone about your mother.”

  Elin smiled. “Thank you… But if necessary, don’t hesitate to tell. It may still be hard for me to talk about, but it’s over.” She bowed and left the room.

  Ialu watched her leave. Only when she had closed the door behind her did he lie down in the dimly lit room and turn his eyes toward his men. Listening to their breathing, he thought of those who breathed no longer. Like him, in return for serving as the Yojeh’s shields, they had all gained a station and lifestyle far beyond that into which they had been born. Yet, even so, a life was a life. Was there not something he could do before they were caught and crushed within the schisms of this kingdom’s twisting structure? He ran a hand through his sweat-damp hair.

  If it was not the Aluhan who attacked us… The ambush now revealed a scheme completely different from the one he had been considering. Because the attackers were Toda riders, he had simply assumed that they were the Aluhan’s men. Now, however, he realized that the Aluhan would never stoop to such underhanded measures. It was completely out of character. If he ever decided that the Yojeh must be removed, he would announce his intentions openly and surround the capital with his formidable army.

  What can that man be thinking?

  The man he had suspected for so long… If the attack were his doing, then the scheme made more sense. Yet, the falsely accused Aluhan would be furious. Even if the man had connections with Toda dealers, surely he could not have amassed a force large enough to oppose the Aluhan. He could never prevent the destruction of the Yojeh’s sovereignty if the enraged Aluhan should attack, and what could he possibly gain by bringing the Yojeh’s reign to an end?

  He sighed. As he puzzled over the meaning of the attack, an image of a woman’s face distracted him. Half hidden in the shadow cast by the candle, it flickered in the back of his mind and would not let go.

  She saw her mother devoured by Toda, right before her eyes… Maybe that’s why she had a quietness that set her apart—because she carried such a cruel memory concealed within. He recalled her face as she had cared for the Royal Beasts, and closed his eyes. He did not want to drag her into this any further. But that was likely impossible.

  The sight of the Royal Beast descending from the heavens and feasting on the docile Toda like sacrificial offerings had been burned into the mind of every person there. He could see all too clearly the path that she would be forced to tread.

  6 RESOLUTION

  Four days after the attack, Elin received an invitation to dine with the Yojeh. She found the lord’s hall much calmer than when she had last visited, and the maid who greeted her at the door treated her with deference. As she followed her down the wide, shadowed corridor, Elin’s agitated mind raced madly. It was highly unlikely that she had been invited here purely out of gratitude for saving the Yojeh’s life. There would be no turning back once she stepped into the room at the end of the corridor. Now was her last chance to decide, yet her mind was still frantically seeking a way out.

  Two guards with unsheathed swords stood on either side of the entrance. As she approached, they swung the doors open, and light spilt out of the room. Myriad candles burned in a glass chandelier, shedding a soft glow over the rich gold-threaded tapestries that covered the walls. A feast of sumptuous dishes had been spread across a low table in the center of the room, and servants knelt near the door. At the far end of the table, the Yojeh reclined on a rug bolstered with soft wadding, while Damiya sat on one side of the table holding a wine glass in his hand. His other arm was still in a sling, but he looked far better than the last time Elin had seen him.

  When she entered the room, all eyes turned to her.

  “Elin,” Damiya cried out gaily. “It’s good to see you. Come, come. There’s no need to stand on ceremony. Come and sit beside the Yojeh.” He gestured with his hand.

  Elin knelt where he had indicated and then bowed her head to the carpet in formal greeting. “Your Majesty, I am here in response to your summons.”

  The Yojeh smiled and said gently, “Raise your head, Elin.”

  She did as she was told. There was a bright gleam in the Yojeh’s eyes, despite her neck brace, bandaged head and sallow skin. “It is thanks to you that we are able to sit together at this table tonight,” she said. “We owe you our lives.”

  Elin bowed her head again. “I do not deserve such praise… Please accept my humble felicitations on Your Majesty’s speedy recovery.”

  “Thank you. Now raise your head and relax. There is no need to speak so formally with me.” She gestured to her lady in waiting. Rising gracefully,
the woman approached Elin and placed a large, heavy brocade bag in her hands.

  “Forgive me for not giving you a greater reward at this time,” the Yojeh said, “But as you know, I am traveling. Ask for anything you desire, and I will make sure it is yours.”

  Elin set the bag she had been given on the carpet. “I am very honored, but—”

  Before she could finish her sentence, however, Damiya interrupted. “There’s no need to hesitate. Your service was outstanding. When you dropped from the sky on that Royal Beast to rescue the Yojeh, I shook with awe… It was as if the legends of the gods were coming to life before my very eyes.”

  Elin kept her eyes on the floor, but he ignored her, continuing gaily. “With you and that Royal Beast on our side, we have nothing to fear. Even if the Aluhan were to send more Toda against us, you could easily repel them. How could we be any safer than that?”

  Elin stared fixedly at a single point on the carpet.

  In her soft voice, the Yojeh added, “It’s just as Damiya says. Thanks to you, we can sleep soundly at night.”

  Elin bit her lip and closed her eyes. The heat seemed to ebb from her body, yet sweat beaded her brow.

  “While we stay here, let Leelan sleep in the garden and watch over us,” Damiya said. “Then, when the Yojeh has recovered, the two of you can guard us on our journey to the capital.”

  Elin took a deep breath and opened her eyes. A cool stillness spread through her, and she knew that the time had come… Here, right before her, was the last line. Once she had crossed it, it would no longer be in her power to close the door.

  She raised her face and looked straight at the Yojeh. “While you are here, Leelan and I will protect you. However, I beg of you, please do not ask me to take Leelan to the capital.”

  The Yojeh’s eyes opened wide. Before she could speak, however, Damiya leant forward. “What exactly are you saying?” he asked quietly, as if trying to reason with her. “Do you realize what that means, Elin? Think carefully before you speak. What you just said could be interpreted as a refusal to protect the Yojeh.”