Shogun (101 page)

“Oh! Oh, that I should be so fortunate to serve the great Lord!”

“You will, child, you will if we scheme. But the barbarian! What will all your other customers think? What will they say? Of course I left it undecided, tolling Lady Toda that I didn’t know if you were free, so you can still refuse if you wish, without offense.”

“What can other customers say? Lord Toranaga ordered this. There’s nothing to be done,
neh?”
Kiku concealed her apprehension.

“Oh, you can easily refuse. But you must be quick, Kiku-chan.
Oh ko
, I should have been more clever—I should have.”

“Don’t worry, Gyoko-sama. Everything will be all right. But we must think clearly. It’s a big risk,
neh?”

“Yes. Very.”

“We can never turn back if we accept.”

“Yes. I know.”

“Advise me.”

“I cannot, Kiku-chan. I feel I was trapped by
kami
. This must be your decision.”

Kiku weighed all the horrors. Then weighed the good. “Let us gamble. Let us accept him. After all he is samurai, and hatamoto, and Lord Toranaga’s favored vassal. Don’t forget what the fortuneteller said: that I would help you to become rich and famous forever. I pray I may be allowed to do that to repay all your kindnesses.”

Gyoko stroked Kiku’s lovely hair. “Oh, child, you’re so good, thank you, thank you. Yes, I think you’re wise. I agree. Let him visit us.” She pinched her cheek affectionately. “You always were my favorite! But I would have demanded double for the barbarian admiral if I’d known.”

“But we got double, Mama-san.”

“We should have had triple!”

Kiku patted Gyoko’s hand. “Don’t worry—this is the beginning of your good fortune.”

“Yes, and it’s true the Anjin-san is no ordinary barbarian but a samurai and hatamoto barbarian. Lady Toda told me he’s been given a fief of two thousand koku and made Admiral of all Toranaga’s ships and he bathes like a civilized person and no longer stinks….”

Ako arrived breathlessly and poured the wine without spilling a drop. Four cups disappeared in quick succession. Gyoko began to feel better. “Tonight must be perfect. Yes. If Lord Toranaga ordered it, of course it has to be. He wouldn’t order it personally unless it was important to him personally,
neh?
And the Anjin-san’s really like a
daimyo
. Two thousand koku yearly—by all
kami
, we should have
so much good fortune! Kiku-san, listen!” She leaned closer and Ako leaned closer, all eyes. “I asked the Lady Toda, seeing that she spoke their vile language, if she knew of any strange customs or ways, stories or dances or positions or songs or instruments or potents that the Anjin-san would prefer.”

“Ah, that would be very helpful, very,” Kiku said, frightened that she had agreed, wishing that she had had the wisdom to refuse.

“She told me nothing! She speaks their language but knows nothing about their pillow habits. I asked her if she’d ever asked him about that and she said yes, but with disastrous results.” Gyoko related the occurrence in Osaka Castle. “Can you imagine how embarrassing that must have been!”

“At least, we know not to suggest boys to him—that’s something.”

“Apart from that, there’s only the maid in his household to go by!”

“Do we have time to send for the maid?”

“I went there myself. Straight from the fortress. Not even a month’s salary opened the girl’s mouth, stupid little weevil!”

“Was she presentable?”

“Oh yes, for an untrained servant amateur. All she would add was that the Master was virile and not heavy, that he pillowed most abundantly in the most ordinary position. And that he was generously endowed.”

“That doesn’t help much, Mama-san.”

“I know. Perhaps the best thing to do is to have everything ready, just in case,
neh?
Everything.”

“Yes. I’ll just have to be most cautious. It’s very important that everything should be perfect. It will be very difficult—if not impossible—to entertain him correctly if I can’t talk to him.”

“Lady Toda said she’d interpret for you and for him.”

“Ah, how kind of her. That will help greatly, though it’s certainly not the same.”

“True, true. More saké, Ako—gracefully, child, pour it gracefully. But Kiku-san, you’re a courtesan of the First Rank. Improvise. The barbarian admiral saved Lord Toranaga’s life today, and sits in his shadow. Our future depends on you! I know you will succeed beautifully. Ako!”

“Yes, Mistress!”

“Make sure that the futons are perfect, that everything’s perfect. See that the flowers—no. I’ll do the flowers myself! And Cook,
where’s Cook?” She patted Kiku on the knee. “Wear the golden kimono, with the green one under it. We must impress the Lady Toda tonight very much.” She rushed off to begin to get the house in order, all the Ladies and maids and apprentices and servants happily bustling, cleaning and helping, so proud of the good fortune that had come to their house.

When all was settled, the schedule of the other girls rearranged, Gyoko went to her own room and lay down for a moment to gather her strength. She had not told Kiku yet about the offer of the contract.

I will wait and see, she thought. If I can make the arrangement I require, then perhaps I will let my lovely Kiku go. But never before I know to whom. I’m glad I had the foresight to make that clear to Lady Toda before I left. Why are you crying, you silly old woman? Are you drunk again? Get your wits about you! What’s the value of unhappiness to you?

“Hana-chan!”

“Yes, Mother-sama?” The child came running to her. Just turned six, with big brown eyes and long, lovely hair, she wore a new scarlet silk kimono. Gyoko had bought her two days ago through the local child broker and Mura.

“How do you like your new name, child?”

“Oh, very much, very much. I’m honored, Mother-sama!”

The name meant “Little Blossom”—as Kiku meant “Chrysanthemum”—and Gyoko had given it to her on the first day. “I’m your mother now,” Gyoko had told her kindly but firmly when she paid the price and took possession, marveling that such a potential beauty could come out of such crude fisherfolk as the rotund Tamasaki woman. After four days of intense bargaining, she had paid a koban for the child’s services until the age of twenty, enough to feed the Tamasaki family for two years. “Fetch me some cha, then my comb and some fragrant tea leaves to take the saké off my breath.”

“Yes, Mother-sama.” She rushed off blindly, breathlessly, anxious to please, and collided into Kiku’s gossamer skirts at the doorway.

“Oh, oh, oh, so sorryyyy …”

“You must be careful, Hana-chan.”

“So sorry, so sorry, Elder Sister …” Hana-chan was almost in tears.

“Why are you sad, Little Blossom? There, there,” Kiku said, brushing away the tears tenderly. “We put away sadness in this house. Remember, we of the Willow World, we never need sadness, child,
for what good would that do? Sadness never pleases. Our duty is to please and to be gay. Run along, child, but gently, gently, be graceful.” Kiku turned and showed herself to the older woman, her smile radiant. “Does this please you, Mistress-san?”

Blackthorne looked at her and muttered, “Hallelujah!”

“This is Kiku-san,” Mariko said formally, elated by Blackthorne’s reaction.

The girl came into the room with a swish of silk and knelt and bowed and said something Blackthorne did not catch.

“She says that you are welcome, that you honor this house.”

“
Domo,”
he said.

“
Do itashemasite
. Saké, Anjin-san?” Kiku said.

“
Hai, domo.”

He watched her perfect hands find the flask unerringly, make sure the temperature was correct, then pour into the cup that he lifted toward her, as Mariko had shown him, with more grace than he thought possible.

“You promise you will behave like a Japanese, truly?” Mariko had asked as they set out from the fortress, she riding the palanquin, he walking beside, down the track that curled to the village and to the square that fronted the sea. Torchbearers strode ahead and behind. Ten samurai accompanied them as an honor guard.

“I’ll try, yes,” Blackthorne said. “What do I have to do?”

“The first thing you must do is to forget what
you
have to do and merely remember that this night is only for
your
pleasure.”

Today has been the best day of my life, he was thinking. And tonight—what about tonight? He was excited by the challenge and determined to try to be Japanese and enjoy everything and not be embarrassed.

“What—what does the evening—well—cost?” he had asked.

“That’s very un-Japanese, Anjin-san,” she had chided him. “What has that to do with anything? Fujiko-san agreed that the arrangement was satisfactory.”

He had seen Fujiko before he left. The doctor had visited her and had changed the bandages and given her herb medicines. She was proud of the honors and new fief and had rattled on nicely, showing no pain, glad that he was going to the Tea House—of course, Mariko-san had consulted her and everything had been arranged, how good Mariko-san was! How sorry she was to have the burns so that she
couldn’t make the arrangements for him herself. He had touched Fujiko’s hand before he left, liking her. She had thanked him and apologized again, and sent him on his way hoping that he would have a wonderful evening.

Gyoko and maids had been waiting ceremoniously at the gate of the Tea House to greet them.

“This is Gyoko-san, she’s the Mama-san here.”

“So honored, Anjin-san, so honored.”

“Mama-san? You mean mama? Mother? That’s the same in English, Mariko-san. Mama—mommy—mother.”

“Oh! It’s almost the same, but, so sorry, ‘mama-san’ just means ‘stepmother’ or ‘foster parent,’ Anjin-san. Mother is
‘haha-san’
or
‘oba-san.’”

In a moment Gyoko excused herself and hurried away. Blackthorne smiled at Mariko. She had been like a child, gazing at everything. “Oh, Anjin-san, I’ve always wanted to see the inside of one of these places. Men are so very lucky! Isn’t it beautiful? Isn’t it marvelous, even in a tiny village? Gyoko-san must have had it refurbished completely by master craftsmen! Look at the quality of the woods and—oh, you’re so kind to allow me to be with you. I’ll never have another opportunity … look at the flowers … what an exquisite arrangement … and oh, look out into the garden….”

Blackthorne was very glad and very sorry that a maid was in the room and the shoji door open, for even here in a tea house it would be unthinkable and lethal for Mariko to be alone with him in a room.

“Thou art beautiful,” he said in Latin.

“And thou.” Her face was dancing. “I am very proud of thee, Admiral of Ships. And Fujiko—oh, she was so proud she could hardly lie still!”

“Her burns seemed bad.”

“Have no fear. The doctors are well practiced and she is young and strong and confident. Tonight put everything from thy mind. No more questions about Ishido or Ikawa Jikkyu, or battles or codewords or fiefs or ships. Tonight no cares—tonight only magic things for thee.”

“Thou art magic for me.”

She fluttered her fan and poured the wine and said nothing. He watched her, then they smiled together. “Because others are here and tongues wag, we must still be cautious. But oh, I am so happy for thee,” she said.

“Thou. What was the other reason? You said there was another reason you wanted me to be here tonight?”

“Ah yes, the other reason.” The same heavy perfume drifted around him. “It is an ancient custom we have, Anjin-san. When a lady who belongs to someone else cares for another man, and wishes to give him something of consequence that it is forbidden to give, then she will arrange for another to take her place—a gift—the most perfect courtesan that she can afford.”

“You said ‘when a lady
cares for
someone else.’ Do you mean ‘love’?”

“Yes. But only for tonight.”

“Thou.”

“Thou, Anjin-san.”

“Why tonight, Mariko-san, why not before?”

“Tonight is a magic night and
kami
walk with us. I desire thee.”

Then Kiku was at the doorway. “Hallelujah!” And he was welcomed and served saké.

“How do I say that the Lady’s especially pretty?”

Mariko told him and he repeated the words. The girl laughed gaily, accepted the compliment, and returned it.

“Kiku-san asks if you would like her to sing or dance for you.”

“What is thy preference?”

“This Lady is here for thy pleasure, samurai, not mine.”

“And thou? Thou art here also for my pleasure?”

“Yes, in a way—in a very private way.”

“Then please ask her to sing.”

Kiku clapped her hands gently and Ako brought the samisen. It was long, shaped something like a guitar, and three-stringed. Ako set it in position on the floor and gave the ivory plectrum to Kiku.

Kiku said, “Lady Toda, please tell our honored guest that first I will sing ‘The Song of the Dragonfly.’”

“Kiku-san, I would be honored if tonight, here, you would call me Mariko-san.”

“You are too kind to me, Madam. Please excuse me. I could not possibly be so impolite.”

“Please.”

“I will if it pleases you, though….” Her smile was lovely. “Thank you, Mariko-sama.”

She strummed a chord. From the moment that the guests had walked through the gateway into her world, all her senses had been tuned.
She had secretly watched them while they were with Gyoko-san and when they were alone, searching for any clue how to pleasure him or to impress the Lady Toda.

She had not been prepared for what soon became obvious: clearly the Anjin-san desired the Lady Toda, though he hid it as well as any civilized person could hide it. This in itself was not surprising, for the Lady Toda was most beautiful and accomplished and, most important, she alone could talk with him. What astounded her was that she was certain the Lady Toda desired him equally, if not more.

The barbarian samurai and the Lady samurai, patrician daughter of the assassin Akechi Jinsai, wife of Lord Buntaro! Eeeee! Poor man, poor woman. So sad. Surely this must end in tragedy.

Kiku felt near to tears as she thought of the sadness of life, the unfairness. Oh, how I wish I were born samurai and not a peasant so that I could become even a consort to Omi-sama, not just a temporary toy. I would gladly give my hope of rebirth in return for that.