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Authors: Sean Russell
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embarrassment. Kogami Norimasa smiled openly.
He gloats, the priest thought, unable in his state to feel anger. Two sailors held him as he leaned over the rail and was violently ill, completing his public humiliation. Ashigaru sank to the deck in a heap, his beard and clothing soiled. His mind whirled. The monk must die, screamed his thoughts. The trader must pay! May this ship and all aboard her be swallowed by the ocean!
For a moment he fell into utter darkness, and when he returned to his senses he was sure that the monk had opened him with his own knife, releasing his spirit which had then appeared in a hall before the seated form of Botahara. The Enlightened One had barely looked at him before pronouncing him unfit to return to Life as a human. Botahara had turned over a sand glass on a stand and the grains had fallen like feathers through the air—so slowly. Ashigaru’s new life would be thus—interminable, without event.
The priest shook his head to clear it. The deck hurt his back and his leg lay twisted under him where he had fallen like a drunk in his own vomit. The sky spun overhead when he moved, so he lay still watching the masts sway among the stars. The air was cool and the moon stared at him openly, unmoved by his fall. Soon the anger would return, the hatred.
* * *
More lamps had been brought to the cabin and the mother asked to leave. Shuyun raised the empty cup that sat beside the bed. He smelled it.
“Was this the only thing the priest gave her?”
The maidservant nodded. Shuyun set the cup back in its rack. For a change, one of the priests had not done his charge irreparable harm. Loda root, the sleeping draught. The girl would survive the potion’s after-effects, which were considerable.
Several wide sashes had been used to restrain the patient, but they did not stop her from shaking or reduce the pain. Shuyun held her head gently and opened one eye to the light. He nodded. The maidservant knelt to one side, ready to assist him without question. She was a good choice, the monk realized. She had all the signs of one who had seen many births and had nursed countless of her charges through their childhood illnesses. She also had utter faith in the Botahist trained.
From a silk case, Shuyun removed needles of silver and gold, sterilizing each one before carefully inserting the point into the girl’s skin. The chi flow of her body was interrupted, and suddenly there was no pain. The girl’s face softened, and her breathing became regular, almost normal.
The edge of the tiny knife was unimaginably sharp. When Shuyun drew it across the girl’s skin, she felt nothing. The monk was not a second too soon.
* * *
The priest Ashigaru mounted the steps leading from below. He ignored Shikibu Kogami seated on a cushion outside her cabin door. Ashigaru hadwashed and changed, and though he still felt weakened and unwell his anger carried him onto the deck. Ignoring the staring eyes, he crossed immediately to Kogami Norimasa who still held his position by the rail. All caution was abandoned now. The priest didn’t care who saw them talking. He had decided on his course of action.
He grabbed Kogami’s sleeve, roughly, and spun the smaller man around. “Now, Kogami Norimasa, you will earn your rewards.” The man’s voice was a hoarse whisper.
“Everyone watches,” Kogami protested.
“Let them watch and damn them for it!”
“Ashigaru-sum, please!” The trader was alarmed by the man’s manner and by the frenzy in his voice.
“Listen to me, Kogami,” the priest spat out the man’s name, “Jaku Katta will hear of your treachery. You have my word that if you do not follow my instructions now, you will not pass beyond the docks with your head on your shoulders. Katta-sum has no patience with failure and I do not intend to try
that one’s
patience.”
“But I…I was only ordered to observe, to report. I…”
“You lie, Kogami Norimasa. You were ordered to assist me
He gloats, the priest thought, unable in his state to feel anger. Two sailors held him as he leaned over the rail and was violently ill, completing his public humiliation. Ashigaru sank to the deck in a heap, his beard and clothing soiled. His mind whirled. The monk must die, screamed his thoughts. The trader must pay! May this ship and all aboard her be swallowed by the ocean!
For a moment he fell into utter darkness, and when he returned to his senses he was sure that the monk had opened him with his own knife, releasing his spirit which had then appeared in a hall before the seated form of Botahara. The Enlightened One had barely looked at him before pronouncing him unfit to return to Life as a human. Botahara had turned over a sand glass on a stand and the grains had fallen like feathers through the air—so slowly. Ashigaru’s new life would be thus—interminable, without event.
The priest shook his head to clear it. The deck hurt his back and his leg lay twisted under him where he had fallen like a drunk in his own vomit. The sky spun overhead when he moved, so he lay still watching the masts sway among the stars. The air was cool and the moon stared at him openly, unmoved by his fall. Soon the anger would return, the hatred.
* * *
More lamps had been brought to the cabin and the mother asked to leave. Shuyun raised the empty cup that sat beside the bed. He smelled it.
“Was this the only thing the priest gave her?”
The maidservant nodded. Shuyun set the cup back in its rack. For a change, one of the priests had not done his charge irreparable harm. Loda root, the sleeping draught. The girl would survive the potion’s after-effects, which were considerable.
Several wide sashes had been used to restrain the patient, but they did not stop her from shaking or reduce the pain. Shuyun held her head gently and opened one eye to the light. He nodded. The maidservant knelt to one side, ready to assist him without question. She was a good choice, the monk realized. She had all the signs of one who had seen many births and had nursed countless of her charges through their childhood illnesses. She also had utter faith in the Botahist trained.
From a silk case, Shuyun removed needles of silver and gold, sterilizing each one before carefully inserting the point into the girl’s skin. The chi flow of her body was interrupted, and suddenly there was no pain. The girl’s face softened, and her breathing became regular, almost normal.
The edge of the tiny knife was unimaginably sharp. When Shuyun drew it across the girl’s skin, she felt nothing. The monk was not a second too soon.
* * *
The priest Ashigaru mounted the steps leading from below. He ignored Shikibu Kogami seated on a cushion outside her cabin door. Ashigaru hadwashed and changed, and though he still felt weakened and unwell his anger carried him onto the deck. Ignoring the staring eyes, he crossed immediately to Kogami Norimasa who still held his position by the rail. All caution was abandoned now. The priest didn’t care who saw them talking. He had decided on his course of action.
He grabbed Kogami’s sleeve, roughly, and spun the smaller man around. “Now, Kogami Norimasa, you will earn your rewards.” The man’s voice was a hoarse whisper.
“Everyone watches,” Kogami protested.
“Let them watch and damn them for it!”
“Ashigaru-sum, please!” The trader was alarmed by the man’s manner and by the frenzy in his voice.
“Listen to me, Kogami,” the priest spat out the man’s name, “Jaku Katta will hear of your treachery. You have my word that if you do not follow my instructions now, you will not pass beyond the docks with your head on your shoulders. Katta-sum has no patience with failure and I do not intend to try
that one’s
patience.”
“But I…I was only ordered to observe, to report. I…”
“You lie, Kogami Norimasa. You were ordered to assist me
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