be a game fairly played, a game innocently played. Too much was at stake. Well was I aware of the subtlety and deviousness of Priest-Kings, well was I aware of the determination and cunning of Kurii. I doubted that either might trust the other. Would the cards not be marked, the dice weighted? Might a hand not surreptitiously move a piece, or insert another? And who is to say on what tiny matters, a sedative pellet scarcely visible, a sliver of iron in the foot, might hang the performance of even the mighty tharlarion? Too, to my dismay, I knew not which pieces were backed by which players. Then I dismissed these arrant conjectures. How absurd to suspect that wars lurked behind wars. The tree, the rock, the sharpened blade are themselves. The motivations of Lord Yamada, greed and ambition, power and wealth, were clear enough, and familiar enough, as were the responses of Lord Temmu, who was, perhaps, not really so different from Lord Yamada himself. Content yourself with the visible. It can be felt; it can bleed. Put aside fruitless, paranoid aberrations.
“I bear, on behalf of my lord, and yours, Lord Yamada, Shogun of the Islands,” said Tyrtaios, “welcome, merciful words, words of exoneration, and clemency.”
Lord Temmu remained impassive.
“We have spared the holding of Temmu,” said Tyrtaios, “from the rain of burning arrows, because of our love for our wayward, misguided servitor, the glorious, honorable Temmu.”
It was easy to understand the reluctance of Yamada to destroy, or attempt to destroy, a fortress, castle, and holding as large and beautiful, and as nigh inaccessible and impregnable, as that of Lord Temmu. It had remained secure and undefiled even in the darkest days of the war, even before trapped Pani had mysteriously vanished from a beach several pasangs to the north.
“It is the word of my lord, and yours, Lord Yamada, Shogun of the Islands,” said Tyrtaios, “that peace, amity, harmony, and love, be between us, fully and forever.”
Lord Temmu sat in the center of the dais, cross-legged, toward the rear. His reader of bones and shells, a man named Daichi, was behind him, to his left. Ponderous Lord Okimoto was seated to his right, and lean Lord Nishida on his left. I was seated a bit to the side of, and behind, Lord Nishida. Other officers were about, as well. Several minor officers were standing about the dais, before it, on the left and right. Ashigaru guards were present. At the back of the dais, unobtrusive, demure, in their elegant kimonos, and obis, were several contract women. I knew few of them, as they tend to be shy and retiring. I did know Sumomo and Hana, contract women of Lord Nishida, largely from my relationship to Lord Nishida, to whom I usually reported. The only other contract woman I knew by name was Hisui, whose contract was held by Lord Okimoto. I recalled she had once worn about her neck the medallion of the Ubara of Ar. I had decided to accompany Lord Nishida to the World’s End. No slaves were present, but that would not be unusual, given the occasion. Certainly I had given it little thought at the time.
“We have been below your walls and before your gates, at the foot of your trails, for months,” said Tyrtaios. “The patience of Lord Yamada is known to be prodigious, but it is not inexhaustible. Accordingly, my lord, and yours, Lord Yamada, Shogun of the Islands, is willing, under certain conditions, to grant full amnesty to all rebels.”
I expected at least a ripple of interest to course through the assembled Pani, but they seemed impassive. Tyrtaios himself, as I, apparently expected a greater reaction to his words.
Lord Temmu nodded to his right, to Lord Okimoto, appropriately offering his senior daimyo, and cousin, the first opportunity to speak. The lips of Lord Okimoto moved but little sound emerged. He also shook his head, slightly, and moved his hand a little. He generally did not wish to speak publicly, and perhaps particularly not now, as
“I bear, on behalf of my lord, and yours, Lord Yamada, Shogun of the Islands,” said Tyrtaios, “welcome, merciful words, words of exoneration, and clemency.”
Lord Temmu remained impassive.
“We have spared the holding of Temmu,” said Tyrtaios, “from the rain of burning arrows, because of our love for our wayward, misguided servitor, the glorious, honorable Temmu.”
It was easy to understand the reluctance of Yamada to destroy, or attempt to destroy, a fortress, castle, and holding as large and beautiful, and as nigh inaccessible and impregnable, as that of Lord Temmu. It had remained secure and undefiled even in the darkest days of the war, even before trapped Pani had mysteriously vanished from a beach several pasangs to the north.
“It is the word of my lord, and yours, Lord Yamada, Shogun of the Islands,” said Tyrtaios, “that peace, amity, harmony, and love, be between us, fully and forever.”
Lord Temmu sat in the center of the dais, cross-legged, toward the rear. His reader of bones and shells, a man named Daichi, was behind him, to his left. Ponderous Lord Okimoto was seated to his right, and lean Lord Nishida on his left. I was seated a bit to the side of, and behind, Lord Nishida. Other officers were about, as well. Several minor officers were standing about the dais, before it, on the left and right. Ashigaru guards were present. At the back of the dais, unobtrusive, demure, in their elegant kimonos, and obis, were several contract women. I knew few of them, as they tend to be shy and retiring. I did know Sumomo and Hana, contract women of Lord Nishida, largely from my relationship to Lord Nishida, to whom I usually reported. The only other contract woman I knew by name was Hisui, whose contract was held by Lord Okimoto. I recalled she had once worn about her neck the medallion of the Ubara of Ar. I had decided to accompany Lord Nishida to the World’s End. No slaves were present, but that would not be unusual, given the occasion. Certainly I had given it little thought at the time.
“We have been below your walls and before your gates, at the foot of your trails, for months,” said Tyrtaios. “The patience of Lord Yamada is known to be prodigious, but it is not inexhaustible. Accordingly, my lord, and yours, Lord Yamada, Shogun of the Islands, is willing, under certain conditions, to grant full amnesty to all rebels.”
I expected at least a ripple of interest to course through the assembled Pani, but they seemed impassive. Tyrtaios himself, as I, apparently expected a greater reaction to his words.
Lord Temmu nodded to his right, to Lord Okimoto, appropriately offering his senior daimyo, and cousin, the first opportunity to speak. The lips of Lord Okimoto moved but little sound emerged. He also shook his head, slightly, and moved his hand a little. He generally did not wish to speak publicly, and perhaps particularly not now, as
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