The Heavenward Path (22 page)

    But the old monk hardly noticed. He was staring out over the trees, saying, "Oh my. Oh my. Oh my!"

    "Is this the first time you have traveled this way, Dento-san?"

    "What? Yes. Oh my!"

    I almost laughed at his whoops and exclamations, but I did not wish to be disrespectful to the one responsible for my new life. I said nothing further but enjoyed the sight of the hilltops and rivers shining in the morning sun.

    The tengu set us down a mile or so outside Heian Kyo, so that our arrival would be seen by few people. The one or two rice farmers who noticed our landing would have unbelievable stories to tell their families. We waved good-bye to the tengu, and Dento and I set out on our own.

    We had to hike some ways down a rough rural path until we reached the Great Road, the Tokaido, where we joined the already busy traffic of merchants and peasants heading into Heian Kyo.

    It was very strange, entering the city on foot with no carriage around me. I felt quite naked. It was difficult to accept the fact that some men stared at me. Stranger still was that many people did not notice me at all. I was jostled and ignored as if I were no better than Suzume. I wanted to berate those who elbowed me, but I held my tongue. I could no longer be the imperious Mitsuko. I noticed that Dento accepted the pushing and shoving with humble dignity, and I tried to do the same.

    We entered by the eastern gate, which brought us into the city quite close to the Imperial Palace. We went by side streets, and suddenly I stopped, my gaze caught by a familiar white stone wall with a fine, high gate.

    "What is it?" asked Dento.

    "My father's house," I said, softly.

    "No, you are mistaken. That is Lord Fujiwara's house. He once had a daughter named Mitsuko, but she has disappeared. We have nothing to do with this place."

    "But, couldn't we…"

    "Couldn't we what?"

    "Just… talk to him?"

    "And tell him what?"

    "I do not know. Perhaps we could make up something… tell him I was killed by wild animals or taken to heaven by a bosatsu."

    "You would lie to the Great Lord Fujiwara? The pain such lies would cause you both would be tremendous and unnecessary. Remember, he is still a powerful man. If we pretend to have news of his missing daughter, there would be questions, inquiries, suspicions, perhaps imprisonment. No, no, leave him to his innocent grief. It is better for all concerned."

    I scuffed my feet in the dirt. "Sotoko might tell him in a letter, anyway."

    "She may. But our business here will be done, and we will be long gone by the time such a letter arrives, so that will be no danger to your new life."

    The gate opened, and one of the guards glared out at us. "You there! What are you loitering around here for?"

    "Forgive us," said Dento, bowing, "but my, um, niece was just admiring the pretty house."

    "This neighborhood is not for the likes of you. If you do not have business here, move along!"

    "Yes, sir. Come along, niece." Dento tugged at my sleeve, and I followed him, sadly, down the street.

    "How could that guard be so rude to you, a holy man?" I asked, at last.

    "He was doing his job. I might have been a thief or some other rogue dressed as a holy man. I do not blame him."

    "What a suspicious way to view the world."

    "Ah, my dear, you have much to learn." Dento said nothing more until we reached the smooth, high wall of dark wood and gray stone that marked the boundary of the Palace grounds. Dento stopped by a small gate set into the wall.

    "This is not the proper entrance," I said.

    "Not for Those Who Live Above the Clouds," said Dento. "It is an entrance for servants, soldiers, and lowly folk like us."

    I was about to complain about being called lowly folk when the little gate opened. Goranu in his Imperial Courtier-form, except that his robes this time were green, stepped out.

    "Ah, there you two are," he said, in a slightly sneering tone. "I am glad you did not keep me waiting long."

    Despite his attempt to act aloof, my heart fluttered joyfully to see him. "Why are you dressed as a Third Rank noble?" I blurted out. "You were First Rank before."

    "Good morning to you, too," said Goranu. "I see some things about you haven't changed. Yet. I believe your former sister Great Lady Fujiwara no Amaiko knows just about all the First Rank nobility at the palace, so I doubt I could fool her. However, a lowly third ranker might have escaped her notice, neh?"

    "Oh. I see. Yes, that was clever of you."

    "Would you expect less of me? So. Come in, come in. Mustn't keep the Good People waiting."

    We entered. It was all I could do to keep walking and not stare at the beauty around me. The Imperial Palace, truly, is another world. The gardens were beautifully kept, with little streams flowing beneath tiny bridges, past chrysanthemum beds and carefully trimmed pine and cherry trees, disappearing and reappearing amid the buildings. White sand was strewn and raked to resemble coastlines, with the rocks known as mooring stones placed on the sand to resemble mountains or sailing boats. The eye was delighted no matter where one looked. The simple but beautiful wood corridors and bridges were spotlessly polished. People walked quietly, dignified, and now and then we would pass a bamboo blind where just the edges of some Lady's elegant sleeves would be showing, and just a hint of her perfume would waft out to us.
That could have been me
, I thought,
had I chosen this life
.

    As I paused to gaze upon a particularly lovely garden of chrysanthemums, Goranu whispered to me, "Remember, all this will pass. It is only a dream. Sooner than you know, all this will fall to ruin and nothing will remain."

    Truly, the tengu do not appreciate beauty. "And no tengu will mourn its passing," I said.

    "Of course not. That is why we are superior to mortals. Come along."

    We were led to one of the women's wings of the Palace, though not the one used by the current wives and female relatives of the Emperor. I remembered having been there once before, long ago. But the Palace is such a maze, I could not have found my own way around.

    We were not allowed into the main room itself, but had to wait out on the veranda beside a closed bamboo blind while Goranu went inside. And we waited quite a while. I confess I began to fidget with impatience, while Dento knelt with eyes closed, perfectly calm and still.

    At last we heard someone approach the other side of the bamboo blind. Goranu emerged from somewhere else and came around to join us. "Great Lady Amaiko honors us with her presence," Goranu said.

    Dento bowed low and, reluctantly, so did I. How much I wanted to shake the blinds and say, "Amaiko! It is me! Your little sister!" But I did not.

    "We thank the Great Lady," said Dento, "for agreeing to speak with such lowly personages as we are."

    "Good day to you," said Amaiko, her voice as pleasant and cultured as ever. "Lord Atamasaru has made your skills known to me, and I confess I am curious as to why you would be so interested in my family's troubles."

    "My Lady may not remember," Dento said, "that I had occasion to be of help to your family two years ago, in Tamba Province. I have since followed the fortunes of your illustrious family with interest and wish to continue to offer assistance in any way I may."

    "Two years ago. Ah. Yes. I prefer not to speak of that time. Or even think of it."

    I stared at the blind, shocked. She would forget all that I went through to help her? How could she?

    "Then I beg my Lady," Dento replied, "to forget I have even mentioned it."

    "You are forgiven, of course. But Lord Atamasaru has told me of your curious theory that Lady Kiwako is possessed."

    "There can be no doubt of it, my Lady. Only a treacherous spirit who has no concern for the body it possesses could engender such foolish behavior on the part of a lady so nobly born. She doubtless knows that she could better her position in life were it not for her… problem. It surely must be that she cannot help herself. Therefore, if we can drive out the cause of this foolishness and enjoin her to protect herself against it ever returning, then surely she can be forgiven and become eligible for the position she so rightly deserves. If I may humbly say so, I am skilled in exorcisms of this nature, and if we can apply this method to your sister, I have no doubts of its success."

    "Ah. I see. Yes, that is an interesting theory. It is certainly worth a try. I will speak with Lady Kiwako and see if she is agreeable. Please return tomorrow, and I will tell you if we can put your theory to the test. I will have you lodged nearby so that I may call upon you quickly."

    "I thank the Great Lady for the opportunity to again be of assistance."

    Suddenly, I became aware that Amaiko was peering out at me through the blinds. "That girl with you. Who is she? Something about her is familiar, though I cannot imagine where I might have seen her."

    My hands clutched one another, and I am sure my heart beat so loudly she must have heard it. Yet I said nothing.

    "This is my acolyte, who also serves me as a medium, Great Lady."

    "Ah. Tell me, girl, have you been to Court before, as a servant, perhaps?"

    It took all my will, but I changed my voice to speak like Suzume. "The Great Lady flatters me. No, I haven't served here."

    "Ah. I must be in error, then. Good day to you both. Lord Atamasaru, I would speak with you further."

    "There is something the Great Lady wishes of me?" Goranu asked, nervously.

    "Yes. I am curious as to what sort of business the Office of the Hour of the Monkey conducts."

    "Ah! My Lady brings joy to my heart. It is a relief to be acquainted with someone possessed with such intellectual interests as yourself. I rarely get the chance to tell anyone about my work, for no one seems to want to hear about it. I look forward to the many delightful hours it will take to explain all our meticulous record keeping, note taking, and paperwork to my Lady."

    "Ah. Well, if it will take some hours, then perhaps we ought to put it off until a later time. I would not think of taking you away from your important business for so long simply for my amusement."

    "Oh, it would be no trouble at all, Great Lady! It would be best, however, that you let me know a day or two in advance so that I may gather all the necessary materials to show you. You simply must see examples of the hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly records in order to understand it."

    "That is quite all right, Good Sir," Amaiko said. "I could not think of putting you to so much effort for my sake. If you will now excuse me, I have some business of my own to attend to. Good day to you all." With a whisper of fine silk, I heard her leave the blinds and depart.

    A deep sadness flowed over me, and I followed Goranu and Dento out through the hushed, polished corridors without speaking.

    "What is the matter?" Goranu asked.

    "She didn't recognize me," I whispered.

    "Of course not. She wasn't expecting to see her sister dressed as you are in the company of an old provincial monk like Dento. You mortals rarely see things if they are out of place. Besides, the Good People don't really know each other very well. They do all they can not to. Intimacy is beneath them."

    "That is cruel," I muttered.

    "Truth often is," he replied.

    Goranu led us across a Palace courtyard to some simple buildings that adjoined the outer wall. "You will be lodged here," he said, curtly, "to await the Great Lady's summons." With brief glances at me and Dento, Goranu spun on his heel and walked away.

    I watched him go, wishing I could have asked him when I would see him again. I felt Dento's hand on my shoulder.

    "He cannot take too much interest in us," Dento said softly, "if he is to keep up appearances. Come, let us see our lodgings."

    Our room was next to the kitchens and reeked of cooking smoke. As we ate a plain meal of rice and vegetables, servants would come and go around us, paying us little mind. They used coarse language and laughed too loud. One woman staggered through, clearly drunk.

    "I have never seen such sordid people," I said to Dento.

    "Do not be quick to judge," said the monk. "You know nothing of their life, and there are many more like these than like Those Who Live Above the Clouds. These sorts will still be numerous and thriving after noble families have fallen."

    "But why? Surely such lives cannot be pleasing to the Great Kami or the Amida."

    Dento paused in chewing his rice and said, "Sometimes I think that the Great Kami did not create mortals with thoughts toward perfection. Rather the opposite. They made mortals more and more contradictory and flawed and unpredictable, until we have become an enigma that cannot be solved. This way, the Great Kami have endless entertainment. They can watch us forever and rarely see the same story twice, and never quite know the end. The Amida Buddha, of course, came among us to teach us how to be free from the kami's meddling, so that we can escape behaving foolishly for their benefit."

    Dento's philosophy was truly different from what I had learned at Sukaku Temple. "What a distressing vision of the world," I murmured.

    "Then forget I said it. Think of it only if it is useful to you."

    "But, then, how will I know when you tell me what is true?"

    "Why should you know what is true?"

    I found I could not answer him, and I stared numbly at the floor.

    An ugly young man sauntered in and noticed me. "Hey! A new girl around here. Where are you from, little cherry blossom?"