Read Online Emperor of the Eight Islands: Book 1 in the Tale of Shikanoko (The Tale of Shikanoko series) by Lian Hearn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lian Hearn
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had been taken from her husband and given to his older brother. She had lain awake at night, furious in her helplessness, imagining plunging the dagger into the throat that lay exposed next to her. She had never contemplated killing herself, for to do so would be to lose Matsutani, the family home where she had grown up and which she loved passionately.
She waited for love to develop for Kiyoyori. She could see rationally that he was an admirable man. He was courageous and intelligent, kind to his daughter, good-looking in a way, though not as handsome as his younger brother. But love never came; it had come once, for Masachika, and her heart refused to be unfaithful though her body had to be. Even after their son, Tsumaru, was born, she felt only indifference for her husband. Now she was also afraid of him. Since the attack by Akuzenji and the apparent disloyalty of Enryo and his wife, his suspicions of her had increased. She had to conceal her grief for her friend and her anger at her husband. She was determined that she would give him no excuse to kill her.
She knew she did not love Tsumaru passionately as some mothers seemed to, and Hina was always cool toward her, but she made sure the children were brought up properly. She prided herself on carrying out her duties. She oversaw the running of the household, the making of clothes, the supplies of food and charcoal, the pleasure gardens, rice paddies, and vegetable fields. She made the most of the life that had been given to her, tried to shut away all memories of Masachika, and was not unhappy, until the arrival of the sorceress who had enthralled Kiyoyori with a single look and who now lived in the summer pavilion.
Tama hated this woman for her supernatural beauty and strangeness, for her self-confidence, her indifference to everyone but Kiyoyori, for the way she had taken up residence as spiders and foxes move into deserted houses. Sometimes Tama took out the dagger and felt its sharp edge, and imagined slashing that beautiful face to ribbons. She imagined setting fire to the pavilion, and ordered the winter’s firewood to be stored along its southwestern side. Her loathing embraced the old scholar. Until now she had paid little attention to him though his presence in her well-ordered home irritated her. He had come without permission or invitation; he upset the maids by never allowing them to clean his room, and she disliked his sharp eyes and his air of superiority. Now she suspected him of some close connection with Kiyoyori’s woman. She sensed that they were two of a kind, both involved in sorcery. Her dislike included Shikanoko, even though Hina and Tsumaru admired him and followed him around while he cared for the horses and carried out Lady Tora’s orders. He seemed to tolerate their company and was patient with them, but Tama still disapproved and tried to forbid it. The children, however, were adept at disappearing outside, and Hina, she was sure, took pleasure in disobeying her.
She began to watch Shikanoko obsessively, following him as much as the children did, resenting how assiduously he served Lady Tora. She saw how, after Kiyoyori had decided he should live, Shikanoko had been given the choice of Akuzenji’s horses and had taken the white stallion for himself, as well as the brown mare. She thought the horses gave him undeserved status, the right to be fed along with the rest of Kiyoyori’s men; she knew he slept on the veranda outside the summer pavilion while her husband was within, and that he was aware of her as she prowled jealously through the gardens.
* * *
In the tenth month Kiyoyori decided to go to Miyako. It would probably be the last chance he would have before the snow came, and he had said he was disturbed by rumors of intrigue and unrest, which he wanted to investigate for himself. Hina moped and had bad dreams. A few days after his departure the weather was suddenly fine and warm and, feeling it was the last of the
She waited for love to develop for Kiyoyori. She could see rationally that he was an admirable man. He was courageous and intelligent, kind to his daughter, good-looking in a way, though not as handsome as his younger brother. But love never came; it had come once, for Masachika, and her heart refused to be unfaithful though her body had to be. Even after their son, Tsumaru, was born, she felt only indifference for her husband. Now she was also afraid of him. Since the attack by Akuzenji and the apparent disloyalty of Enryo and his wife, his suspicions of her had increased. She had to conceal her grief for her friend and her anger at her husband. She was determined that she would give him no excuse to kill her.
She knew she did not love Tsumaru passionately as some mothers seemed to, and Hina was always cool toward her, but she made sure the children were brought up properly. She prided herself on carrying out her duties. She oversaw the running of the household, the making of clothes, the supplies of food and charcoal, the pleasure gardens, rice paddies, and vegetable fields. She made the most of the life that had been given to her, tried to shut away all memories of Masachika, and was not unhappy, until the arrival of the sorceress who had enthralled Kiyoyori with a single look and who now lived in the summer pavilion.
Tama hated this woman for her supernatural beauty and strangeness, for her self-confidence, her indifference to everyone but Kiyoyori, for the way she had taken up residence as spiders and foxes move into deserted houses. Sometimes Tama took out the dagger and felt its sharp edge, and imagined slashing that beautiful face to ribbons. She imagined setting fire to the pavilion, and ordered the winter’s firewood to be stored along its southwestern side. Her loathing embraced the old scholar. Until now she had paid little attention to him though his presence in her well-ordered home irritated her. He had come without permission or invitation; he upset the maids by never allowing them to clean his room, and she disliked his sharp eyes and his air of superiority. Now she suspected him of some close connection with Kiyoyori’s woman. She sensed that they were two of a kind, both involved in sorcery. Her dislike included Shikanoko, even though Hina and Tsumaru admired him and followed him around while he cared for the horses and carried out Lady Tora’s orders. He seemed to tolerate their company and was patient with them, but Tama still disapproved and tried to forbid it. The children, however, were adept at disappearing outside, and Hina, she was sure, took pleasure in disobeying her.
She began to watch Shikanoko obsessively, following him as much as the children did, resenting how assiduously he served Lady Tora. She saw how, after Kiyoyori had decided he should live, Shikanoko had been given the choice of Akuzenji’s horses and had taken the white stallion for himself, as well as the brown mare. She thought the horses gave him undeserved status, the right to be fed along with the rest of Kiyoyori’s men; she knew he slept on the veranda outside the summer pavilion while her husband was within, and that he was aware of her as she prowled jealously through the gardens.
* * *
In the tenth month Kiyoyori decided to go to Miyako. It would probably be the last chance he would have before the snow came, and he had said he was disturbed by rumors of intrigue and unrest, which he wanted to investigate for himself. Hina moped and had bad dreams. A few days after his departure the weather was suddenly fine and warm and, feeling it was the last of the
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