The Initiate Brother Duology (76 page)

She shrugged, tugging with one hand at a strand of grass from the floor mat. “I believe, Brother Shuyun, that you are a pure spirit, untainted by the…present state of the Botahist Orders.”

“You believe the Sisterhood is tainted, Shimeko-sum?”

She stopped playing with the strand of straw, covering it with her palm as though this would somehow repair the damage. Her voice dropped to a near whisper. “I believe both of our Orders are corrupt, Brother Shuyun. Excuse me for saying so.”

“I see. Is this belief related to Sister Morima’s crisis, Shimeko-sum?”

Lifting her hands she found that magic had not occurred. The straw remained as it had been. She nodded. “Yes, Brother. That and other things.”

“I do not wish to pry, Shimeko-sum, but, in truth, I wonder what has occurred that caused you to turn your back on Botahara.”

She shrugged. “I…I have not truly turned my back, Brother.” She seemed to struggle for words. “I am no longer sure how to serve the Perfect Master. I feel that those things which I learned from my teachers have been…tainted, debased in some way. To worship the Perfect Master in such a way…” She shivered visibly. “This must be wrong, Brother,” she said, her voice suddenly gaining clarity. “It must be.”

“You make strong statements, Shimeko-sum. Did Sister Morima speak of her concerns specifically? Again, I hesitate to pry.”

“As you know, Brother, Morima-sum suffered a crisis of the spirit. She is convinced that the scrolls she saw at the Ceremony of Divine Renewal were not the scrolls of Botahara. I am not sure what evidence convinced her of this, but Morima-sum is a scholar of great repute, Brother. I do not doubt her assessment.” She folded her hands in her lap now and closed her eyes as if searching her memory.

“Because of Sister Morima’s crisis, she has spoken to me of things that I
should otherwise never have heard. She did not seem to care, Brother. It is my understanding that the Sisters have methods of collecting information, even from within your own Order. They seem to believe that the Sacred Scrolls have disappeared. That the Brotherhood searches for them secretly.” She opened her eyes and met Shuyun’s own. “Though Sister Morima believes the scrolls have not been in their possession for a long time, perhaps hundreds of years.”

“I see,” Shuyun whispered. “The Scrolls of Botahara are guarded night and day by the Sacred Guard of Jinjoh Monastery. It is inconceivable that they could be stolen, Sister.”

“Shimeko,
Brother,
Shimeko.
The Sisters seem to agree, Brother Shuyun. Some do not believe they were removed by men. They believe it was divine intervention.”

“Shimeko-sum. This can hardly be the belief of the Senior Sisters.”

She shrugged. “It appears to be, Brother, Morima-sum reported this to me as though it were commonplace. And there is more.” She began to worry the loose straw again. “No doubt you have heard the rumor that the Udumbara has blossomed?” The straw broke free of the mat and she began to weave it through her fingers. “It is not a mere rumor, Brother Shuyun. Sisters witnessed the blossoming before your Order closed the grounds of Monarta. It is beyond all doubt, Brother, the Teacher who was spoken of is among us.”

“I have discussed this rumor with a senior member of my own Order,” Shuyun said quietly. “He assures me that this is not the case, Shimeko-sum. Why would he lie to me? Why would my own Order deny the rumor?”

“The Sisters ask this same question, Brother. It is an issue of grave concern to them. It is thought that the Teacher is as yet unknown to the Brotherhood, and they cannot proclaim him. If they admit the Udumbara has blossomed, as the prophecy was written, and they cannot bring forth the Teacher…. As you see, Brother Shuyun, the activities of the Botahist Orders seem to reflect a self-interest that I find repugnant. I apologize for the insult that is implied, but I cannot help but speak the truth, Brother, please excuse me.”

“I value the truth, Shimeko-sum, but it is not always easy to discern or to accept.” Shuyun fell into a long silence and was finally brought back to awareness when Shimeko cleared her throat.

“Please excuse me, your words have given me much to consider.” He tried to smile. “I come back to the question of how I may serve you, Shimeko-sum.”

“But it is I who have come to serve you, Brother Shuyun.” Suddenly she prostrated herself before him. “I ask this most humbly, Brother.”

“Please, Shimeko-sum, sit as you were. Do not do this.” He looked around in acute embarrassment as though afraid someone would come in and see them. “This is most unseemly. Why are you doing this?”

Shimeko spoke from her position, prostrate on the mats. “Brother Shuyun, there are some in the Sisterhood who believe that you may be the Teacher who was spoken of. I wish to serve you.”

Shuyun rocked back on his heels. What could possibly make the Sisters believe such a thing? “Shimeko-sum, I assure you, if I were the Teacher I would not keep such a thing secret.”

“Awareness is often preceded by accomplishment, Brother.”

“In truth, Shimeko-sum, my own faith is not unassailable
by
questions and doubts. Shimeko-sum, rise up,” he ordered and the young woman complied. She rose to a kneeling position, the texture of the straw mat marking an intricate relief on her forehead.

She obeys her Teacher,
Shuyun realized, and this unsettled him more than her words.
You stopped a blow without it touching you.
It was like a whisper in his mind.
Brother Sotura was not even aware that such a thing was possible. Senior Brother Sotura!
It cannot be true, he told himself, my faith is so easily shaken, doubts grow in me like weeds. I cannot be the Teacher—I may never be a senior Brother if I continue as I am now.

“Brother,” Shimeko said flatly, bringing him back to the world. “I have nothing, no coins, no roof, no walls, no skills, no family. If you send me away, I shall live in the street, and though I have no compunctions about begging, I have no experience of this life. I will live outside your gates, Brother, until I am given some task or until I am driven away. I do not know what else I can do.”

Shuyun sighed. He believed she would do exactly as she said. Botahara have mercy on her; a lost one. “Your calligraphy is presentable?”

“I am told it is sufficient. Brother. I acted as Morima-sum’s secretary often.”

“Would you object to serving a highborn lady in the same capacity?”

“If she is within your household, Brother, I would accept gratefully.”

“I serve within
her
household, Shimeko-sum.” He paused, thinking. “I can promise nothing, Shimeko-sum, but I will inquire.” He shook his head. “And please, we can have no more displays of…this kind. I am not the Teacher, I assure you.”

“If that is your wish, Brother Shuyun.”

“Come, I will find a maid who will take you to the kitchens for now. You have not eaten in some time?”

“Three days only, Brother.” She tried to favor him with a smile. “I—I thank you, Brother Shuyun.”

“Yes, but no more of this. You must promise.”

She started to bow but turned it into a nod.

L
ORD SHONTO’S STEWARD, Kamu, wove his way unsteadily down the hallway. He held a lantern ahead of him in his only hand and occasionally used his elbow against a post to regain his balance. Guards bowed smartly as the old man passed. Despite his appearance—gray hair in a tangle, robes obviously thrown on and belted in the most haphazard manner—Kamu had once been a famed swordsman and the young men among Shonto’s guard treated him like a legend who had descended from some Great Beyond to walk briefly among them.

The old steward careened down the hallway like a ship with a broken rudder, bow lantern swinging. Four of Shonto’s personal guard watched the doors to their lord’s chambers—solid doors, not screens. The four bowed as Kamu approached and hands went to sword hilts.

After speaking the password, Kamu was forced to set the lantern down to give the accompanying hand signal. The force with which the lantern made contact with the floor indicated the steward’s level of annoyance.

The senior guard tapped on the door and a viewport slid open. Quiet words were exchanged and the night guard, one of the few allowed into the lord’s chamber while he slept, slid the port closed.

Kamu left the lantern on the floor as he waited. The viewport slid aside again and the senior guard nodded, stepping aside as the door opened.

Passing through the small entrance hall that acted as a guard room, Kamu entered an inner chamber. A lamp flickered on a small table, casting
a weak light in the almost empty room. Kamu had barely knelt when Shonto entered the room, looking only slightly less disheveled than his steward.

The lord nodded in return to his retainer’s bow but did not take the second cushion. Instead he placed his back against one of the deep lacquered posts and crossed his arms, waiting.

“Excuse this…”

Shonto held up his hand and the steward stopped in mid-sentence. “Despite our apparent youth, Kamu-sum, I believe we are too old for such formalities, under the circumstances. Please, speak directly.”

Without a hint of a smile, Kamu began. “The Kintari, Sire…. They have fled.”

“Huh.” Shonto rubbed his chin.

“I have taken the liberty to awaken and inform your advisors, Sire. I’ve tripled the guard around the palace.”

Shonto started to speak, but the night guard appeared in the doorway.

“General Hojo and Lord Komawara, Sire.”

Shonto gestured to allow them entrance.

The sounds of doors and rustling clothing. By their dress, both Hojo and Komawara had also been caught unaware. They bowed to Kamu and their liege-lord.

Shonto said, “The Kintari have refused our hospitality, General Hojo.”

Hojo nodded.

“Most unfortunate. All of them, I suppose?”

“It appears so, Sire,” Kamu answered. “We will know in a few hours.”

“We should take precautions, but I don’t believe this means the Emperor is about to move against us.” Shonto pulled his robe closer. “His plan is more subtle than that.”

Kamu waved his arm in a sweeping gesture that seemed to take in all of Seh. “I believe, Sire, that the Kintari are less important than what this incident tells us. They were warned, there can be no doubt.”

Shonto paced across to the opposite post, then back again. He looked up at Hojo.

“I agree, Sire. They must have had knowledge from within the Governor’s Palace. Unless it was a sudden loss of nerve, and I consider that unlikely. Even the Emperor does not choose the fainthearted to carry out his treachery.”

“I have also had word from those who watch our new ally. A messenger came to Jaku’s barge about the same time as we received word of the Kintari. Apparently this caused quite a stir aboard the Guard Commander’s barge. Jaku is on his way to the palace as we speak.”

Shonto nodded. “Lord Komawara, if you were Lord Kintari, where would you go?”

Komawara pressed the bridge of his long, thin nose. “The quickest escape would be down the river, but once the sea is reached they will find few ships willing to risk the winter storms: it seems unlikely that they would make such a choice unless utterly desperate. The Grand Canal is the most easily searched, despite the numbers of craft that would be involved.” He looked around the room, meeting each set of eyes in a manner he would never have done a few months before. “If everything we believe about Lord Kintari is true, I would seek them in the desert, Sire.”

“Ah.” Shonto gave half a laugh. “How far ahead of us do we think they are?”

Kamu and Hojo exchanged glances. “We are not yet certain, Lord Shonto,” Kamu said. “Their servants may have been keeping up a pretense for several days, though no more than three or, perhaps, four.”

“Excuse me, Sire,” Hojo said quietly, “we should also consider what this may say about our friend in the Imperial Guard. Jaku was well aware of our intentions; he received a message just as we did. Could he be the ear in our midst?”

“Jaku’s loyalty will always be in question. It is only comforting to remind oneself that the Emperor must be haunted by the same question.” Shonto stretched his arms high. “Morning is too near for a return to sleep. Please, join me for my meal.” Shonto clapped and a servant appeared. He gave quick orders and then began to pace again, an activity his retainers had seldom seen him indulge in.

Before servants arrived with the meal, the night guard again interrupted, whispering to Kamu.

“Brother Shuyun and General Jaku have both arrived, Sire.”

“Ah,” Shonto said to those around him. “As in all good tales: mention the spirit by name and he appears.” Shonto crossed to the small dais upon which his sword sat in its stand and took up a place on the cushion, pulling an armrest closer in a familiar gesture.

Shuyun appeared, his tonsured scalp and simple manner of dress allowing
him to arrive looking as he always did. Oddly, Jaku, who had the farthest to travel, was impeccable in his black uniform.

The monk and the general bowed as their stations required.

“I set out as soon as the news reached me, Lord Shonto.” Jaku seemed very calm, Shonto thought, despite the fact that he certainly knew he would be under suspicion—someone warned the Kintari.