"That"s what many say. But, so sorry, bullocks will s.h.i.t gold dust before you or any are allowed to insult the Lord Yaemon.... Please take your hand away from your sword!"
"Then watch your tongue!"
"Of course, so sorry. You agree?"
"I"m overlord of Izu now, and promised Totomi and Suruga," Yabu had said, beginning to bargain. He knew that though he was trapped, as Mariko was trapped, so equally was Ishido trapped, because the dilemma Mariko had precipitated still existed.
"Yes, so you are," the samurai had said. "But I"m not permitted to negotiate. Those are the terms. Is it yes or no? ..."
Yabu finished cleaning his sword and arranged the sheet over the seemingly sleeping figure of Sumiyori. Then he toweled the sweat off his face and hands, composed his rage, blew out the candle, and opened the door. The two Browns were waiting some paces down the corridor. They bowed.
"I"ll wake you at dawn, Sumiyori-san," Yabu said to the darkness. Then, to one of the samurai, "You stand guard here. No one"s to go in. No one! Make sure the captain"s not disturbed-he needs rest."
"Yes, Sire."
The samurai took up his new post and Yabu strode off down the corridor with the other guard, went up a flight of steps to the main central section of this floor and crossed it, heading for the audience room and inner apartments that were in the east wing. Soon he came to the cul-de-sac corridor of the audience room. Guards bowed and allowed him to enter. Other samurai opened the door to the corridor and complex of private quarters. He knocked at a door.
"Anjin-san?" he said quietly.
There was no answer. He pulled the shoji open. The room was empty, the inner shoji ajar. He frowned, then motioned to his accompanying guard to wait, and hurried across the room into the dimly lit inner corridor. Chimmoko intercepted him, a knife in her hand. Her rumpled bed was in this pa.s.sageway outside one of the rooms.
"Oh, so sorry, Sire, I was dozing," she said apologetically, lowering her knife. But she did not move out of his path.
"I was looking for the Anjin-san."
"He and my Mistress are talking, Sire, with Kiritsubo-san and the Lady Achiko."
"Please ask him if I could see him a moment."
"Certainly, Sire." Chimmoko politely motioned Yabu back into the other room, waited until he was there, and pulled the inner shoji closed. The guard in the main corridor watched inquisitively.
In a moment the shoji opened again and Blackthorne came in. He was dressed and wore a short sword.
"Good evening, Yabu-san," he said.
"So sorry to disturb you, Anjin-san. I just want see-make sure all right, understand?"
"Yes, thank you. No worry."
"Lady Toda all right? Not sick?"
"Fine now. Very tired but fine. Soon dawn, neh?" neh?"
Yabu nodded. "Yes. Just want make sure all right. Understand?"
"Yes. This afternoon you say "plan," Yabu-san. Remember? Please what secret plan?"
"No secret, Anjin-san," Yabu said, regretting that he had been so open at that time. "You misunderstood. Say only must have plan ... very difficult escape Osaka, neh? neh? Must escape or ..." Yabu drew a knife across his throat. "Understand?" Must escape or ..." Yabu drew a knife across his throat. "Understand?"
"Yes. But now have pa.s.s, neh? neh? Now safe go out Osaka. Now safe go out Osaka. Neh?" Neh?"
"Yes. Soon leave. On boat very good. Soon get men at Nagasaki. Understand?"
"Yes."
Very friendly, Yabu went away. Blackthorne closed the door after him and walked back to the inner pa.s.sageway, leaving his inner door ajar. He pa.s.sed Chimmoko and went into the other room. Mariko was propped in futons, appearing more diminutive than ever, more delicate and more beautiful. Kiri was kneeling on a cushion. Achiko was curled up asleep to one side.
"What did he want, Anjin-san?" Mariko said.
"Just to see we were all right."
Mariko translated for Kiri.
"Kiri says, did you ask him about the "plan"?"
"Yes. But he shrugged the question off. Perhaps he changed his mind. I don"t know. Perhaps I was mistaken but I thought this afternoon he had something planned, or was planning something."
"To betray us?"
"Of course. But I don"t know how."
Mariko smiled at him. "Perhaps you were mistaken. We"re safe now."
The young girl, Achiko, mumbled in her sleep and they glanced at her. She had asked to stay with Mariko, as had old Lady Etsu, who was sleeping soundly in an adjoining room. The other ladies had left at sunset to go to their own homes. All had sent formal requests for permission to depart at once. With the failing light, rumors had rushed through the castle that nearly one hundred and five would also apply tomorrow. Kiyama had sent for Achiko, his granddaughter-in-law, but she refused to leave Mariko. At once the daimyo daimyo had disowned her and demanded possession of the child. She had given up her child. Now the girl was in the midst of a nightmare but it pa.s.sed and she slept peacefully again. had disowned her and demanded possession of the child. She had given up her child. Now the girl was in the midst of a nightmare but it pa.s.sed and she slept peacefully again.
Mariko looked at Blackthorne. "It"s so wonderful to be at peace, neh?" neh?"
"Yes," he said. Since she had awakened and found herself alive and not dead, her spirit had clung to his. For the first hour they had been alone, she lying in his arms.
"I"m so glad thou art alive, Mariko. I saw thee dead."
"I thought I was. I still cannot believe Ishido gave in. Never in twenty lifetimes.... Oh, how I love thy arms about me, and thy strength."
"I was thinking that this afternoon from the first moment of Yoshinaka"s challenge I saw nothing but death-yours, mine, everyone"s. I saw into your plan, so long in the making, neh?" neh?"
"Yes. Since the day of the earthquake, Anjin-san. Please forgive me but I didn"t-I didn"t want to frighten you. I was afraid you wouldn"t understand. Yes, from that day I knew it was my karma karma to bring the hostages out of Osaka. Only I could do that for Lord Toranaga. And now it"s done. But at what a cost, to bring the hostages out of Osaka. Only I could do that for Lord Toranaga. And now it"s done. But at what a cost, neh? neh? Madonna forgive me." Madonna forgive me."
Then Kiri had arrived and they had had to sit apart but that had not mattered to either of them. A smile or a look or word was enough.
Kiri went over to the slit windows. Out to sea were flecks of light from the insh.o.r.e fishing boats. "Dawn soon," she said.
"Yes," Mariko said. "I"ll get up now."
"Soon. Not yet, Mariko-sama," Kiri told her. "Please rest. You need to gather your strength."
"I wish Lord Toranaga was here."
"Yes."
"Have you prepared another message about ... about our leaving?"
"Yes, Mariko-sama, another pigeon will leave with the dawn. Lord Toranaga will hear of your victory today," Kiri said. "He"ll be so proud of you."
"I"m so glad he was right."
"Yes," Kiri said. "Please forgive me for doubting you and doubting him."
"In my secret heart I doubted him too. So sorry."
Kiri turned back to the window and looked out over the city. Toranaga"s wrong, she wanted to shriek. We"ll never leave Osaka, however much we pretend. It"s our karma karma to stay- to stay-his karma karma to lose. to lose.
In the west wing Yabu stopped at the guardroom. The replacement sentries were ready. "I"m going to make a snap inspection."
"Yes, Sire."
"The rest of you wait for me here. You, come with me."
He went down the main staircase followed by a single guard. At the foot of the staircase in the main foyer were other guards, and outside was the forecourt and garden. A cursory look showed all in order. Then he came back into the fortress, and after a moment, changed direction. To his guard"s surprise, he went down the steps into the servants" quarters. The servants dragged themselves out of sleep, hastily putting their heads onto the flagstones. Yabu hardly noticed them. He led the way deeper into the bowels of the fortress, down steps, along little-used arched corridors, the stone sides damp now and mildewed, though well lit. There were no guards here in the cellars for there was nothing to protect. Soon they began to climb again, nearing the outer walls.
Yabu halted suddenly. "What was that?"
The Brown samurai stopped, and listened, and died. Yabu cleaned his sword and pulled the crumpled body into a dark corner, then rushed for a hardly noticed, heavily barred, small iron door set into one of the walls that Ishido"s intermediary had told him about. He fought back the rusted bolts. The last one clanged free. The door swung open. A draught of cool air from outside, then a spear stabbed for his throat and stopped just in time. Yabu didn"t move, almost paralyzed. Ninja Ninja stared back at him from the inky darkness beyond the door, weapons poised. stared back at him from the inky darkness beyond the door, weapons poised.
Yabu held up a shaky hand and made a sign as he had been told to do. "I"m Kasigi Yabu," he said.
The black-garbed, hooded, almost invisible leader nodded but kept the spear ready for the lunge. He motioned to Yabu. Yabu obediently backed off a pace. Then, very warily, the leader walked into the center of the corridor. He was tall and heavyset, with wide flat eyes behind his mask. He saw the dead Brown and with a flick of his wrist he sent his spear flashing into the corpse, then retrieved it with the light chain attached to the end. Silently he re-coiled the chain, waiting, listening intently for any danger.
At length satisfied, he motioned at the darkness. Instantly twenty men poured out and rushed for the flight of steps, the long-forgotten back way to the floors above. These men carried a.s.sault tools. They were armed with chain knives, swords, and shuriken. And in the center of their black hoods was a red spot.
The leader did not watch them go, but kept his eyes on Yabu and began a slow finger count with his left hand. "One ... two ... three ..." Yabu felt many men watching him from the pa.s.sage beyond the door. He could see no one.
Now the red-spot attackers were going up the stairs two at a time, and at the top of this flight they stopped. A door barred their path. They waited a moment then cautiously tried to open it. It was stuck. A man with an a.s.sault tool, a short steel bar, hooked at one end and chiseled at the other, came forward and jimmied it open. Beyond was another mildewed pa.s.sage and they hurried along it silently. At the next corner they stopped. The first man peered around, then beckoned the others into another corridor. At the far end a sliver of light shone through a spyhole in the heavy wooden paneling that covered this secret door. He put an eye to it. He could see the breadth of the audience chamber, two Browns and two Grays wearily on sentry duty, guarding the door to the complex of quarters. He looked around, nodded to the others. One of the men was still counting with his fingers, timed to the leader"s count two floors below. All their eyes went to the count.
Below in the cellar, the leader"s fingers still continued in tempo, ticking off the moments, his eyes never wavering from Yabu. Yabu was watching and waiting, the smell of his own fear-sweat dank in his nostrils. The fingers stopped and the leader"s fist closed up sharply. He pointed down the corridor. Yabu nodded and turned and went back the way he had come, walking slowly. Behind him the inexorable count began again. "One ... two ... three ..."
Yabu knew the terrible risk he was taking but he had had no alternative and he cursed Mariko once more for forcing him onto Ishido"s side. Part of his bargain was that he had to open this secret door.
"What"s behind the door?" he had asked supiciously.
"Friends. This is the sign and the pa.s.sword is to say your name."
"Then they kill me, neh?" neh?"
"No. You"re too valuable, Yabu-san. You"ve got to make sure the infiltration is covered...."
He had agreed but he had never bargained for ninja ninja, the hated and feared semilegendary mercenaries who owed allegiance only to their secret, closely knit family units, who handed down their secrets only to blood kin-how to swim vast distances under water and scale almost smooth walls, how to make themselves invisible and stand for a day and a night without moving, and how to kill with their hands or feet or any and all weapons including poison, fire, and explosives. To ninja ninja, violent death for pay was their only purpose in life.
Yabu managed to keep his pace measured as he walked away from the ninja ninja leader along the corridor, his chest still hurting from the shock that the attack force was leader along the corridor, his chest still hurting from the shock that the attack force was ninja ninja and not and not ronin ronin. Ishido must be mad, he told himself, all his senses teetering, expecting a spear or arrow or garrote any moment. Now he was almost at the corner. Then he turned it and, safe once more, he took to his heels and bounded up the stairs, three at a time. At the top, he raced down the arched corridor, then turned the corner heading toward the servants" quarters.
The leader"s fingers still ticked off the moments, then the count stopped. He made a more urgent sign to the darkness, and rushed after Yabu. Twenty ninja ninja followed him from the darkness and another fifteen took up defensive positions at both ends of the corridor to guard this escape route that led through a maze of forgotten cellars and pa.s.sages honeycombing the castle to one of Ishido"s secret bolt holes under the moat, thence to the city. followed him from the darkness and another fifteen took up defensive positions at both ends of the corridor to guard this escape route that led through a maze of forgotten cellars and pa.s.sages honeycombing the castle to one of Ishido"s secret bolt holes under the moat, thence to the city.
Yabu was running fast now and he stumbled in the pa.s.sageway, just managing to keep his footing, and burst through the servants" quarters, scattering pots and pans and gourds and casks.
"Ninjaaaaaa!" he bellowed, which was not part of his agreement, but his own ruse to protect himself should he be betrayed. Hysterically the men and women scattered and took up the shout and tried to vanish under benches and tables as he raced across and out the other side, up more steps into one of the main corridors to meet the first of the Browns" guards, who already had out their swords. he bellowed, which was not part of his agreement, but his own ruse to protect himself should he be betrayed. Hysterically the men and women scattered and took up the shout and tried to vanish under benches and tables as he raced across and out the other side, up more steps into one of the main corridors to meet the first of the Browns" guards, who already had out their swords.
"Sound the alarm!" Yabu shouted. "Ninja-there are ninja ninja among the servants!" among the servants!"
One samurai fled for the main staircase, the second rushed forward bravely to stand alone at the top of the winding steps that led below, sword raised. Seeing him, the servants came to a halt, then, moaning with terror, blindly huddled into the stones, their arms over their heads. Yabu ran on toward the main doorway and through it to stand on the steps. "Sound the alarm! We"re under attack!" he shouted as he had agreed to do, to signal the diversion outside which would cover the main attack through the secret door into the audience chamber, to kidnap Mariko and hurry her away before anyone was wiser.
Samurai on the gates and in the forecourt whirled around, not knowing where to guard, and at that moment the raiders in the garden swarmed out of their hiding places and engulfed the Browns outside. Yabu retreated into the foyer as other Browns came rushing down from the guardroom above to support the men outside.
A captain raced up to him. "What"s going on?"
"Ninja-outside and among the servants. Where"s Sumiyori?"
"I don"t know-in his room."
Yabu leapt for the stairs as other men poured down. At that moment the first of the ninja ninja from the cellars dashed past the servants to the attack. Barbed shuriken disposed of the lone defender, spears killed the servants. Then this force of raiders was in the main corridor, creating a violent shouting diversion, the milling frantic Browns not knowing where the next attack would spring from. from the cellars dashed past the servants to the attack. Barbed shuriken disposed of the lone defender, spears killed the servants. Then this force of raiders was in the main corridor, creating a violent shouting diversion, the milling frantic Browns not knowing where the next attack would spring from.
On the top floor the waiting ninja ninja had ripped open their doors at the first alarm and rushed the last of the Browns who were hurrying below, killing them. With poison darts and shuriken, the had ripped open their doors at the first alarm and rushed the last of the Browns who were hurrying below, killing them. With poison darts and shuriken, the ninja ninja pressed their onslaught. The Browns were quickly overwhelmed, and the attackers jumped over the corpses to reach the main corridor on the floor below. A furious charge of Brown reinforcements was repulsed by the pressed their onslaught. The Browns were quickly overwhelmed, and the attackers jumped over the corpses to reach the main corridor on the floor below. A furious charge of Brown reinforcements was repulsed by the ninja ninja, who whirled their weighted chains and cast them at the samurai, either strangling them or entangling their swords to make it easier to impale them with the double-edged knife. Shuriken flashed through the air and the Browns here were decimated. A few ninja ninja were cut down but they crawled on like rabid animals and stopped attacking only when death took them completely. were cut down but they crawled on like rabid animals and stopped attacking only when death took them completely.
In the garden the first rush of the defending reinforcements was easily thwarted as Browns poured from the main doorway. But another wave of Browns courageously mounted a second charge and swept the invaders back by sheer force of numbers. At a shouted order the raiders retreated, their jet-black clothes making them difficult targets. Exultantly the Browns rushed after them, into ambush, and were slaughtered.
The red-spot attackers were still lying in wait outside the audience room, their leader"s eye to the spyhole. He could see the anxious Browns and Blackthorne"s Grays, who were guarding the fortified door to the corridor, listening anxiously to the mounting holocaust below. The door opened and other guards, Browns and Grays, crowded the opening and then, no longer able to stand the waiting, officers of both groups ordered all their men out of the audience room to take up defensive positions at the far end of the corridor. Now the way was clear, the door of the inner corridor open, only the captain of Grays beside it, and he also was leaving. The red-spot leader saw a woman hurry up to the threshold, the tall barbarian with her, and he recognized his prey, other women collecting behind them.
Impatient to complete the mission and so relieve the pressure on his clansmen below, and whipped by his killing l.u.s.t, the red-spot leader gave the signal and burst through his door an instant too soon.
Blackthorne saw him coming and automatically drew his pistol from under his kimono and fired. The back of the leader"s head disappeared, momentarily stopping the charge. Simultaneously, the captain of Grays rushed back and attacked with a mindless ferocity and cut down one ninja ninja. Then the pack fell on the Gray and he died but these few seconds gave Blackthorne enough time to pull Mariko to safety and slam the door. Frantically he grabbed the iron bar and slid it into place just as ninja ninja hurled themselves against it and others fanned out to hold the main doorway. hurled themselves against it and others fanned out to hold the main doorway.
"Christ Jesus! What"s go-"
"Ninjaaaaaa!" Mariko shouted as Kiri and Lady Sazuko and Lady Etsu and Chimmoko and Achiko and the other maids poured hysterically from their rooms, blows hammering on the door. Mariko shouted as Kiri and Lady Sazuko and Lady Etsu and Chimmoko and Achiko and the other maids poured hysterically from their rooms, blows hammering on the door.
"Quick, this way!" Kiri screamed over the uproar and fled into the interior.
The women followed, helter-skelter, two of them helping old Lady Etsu. Blackthorne saw the door rocking under the furious blows of the a.s.sault jimmies. Now the wood was splintering. Blackthorne ran back into his room for his powder horn and swords.
In the audience room the ninja ninja had already disposed of the six Browns and Grays at the main outer door and had overwhelmed the rest in the corridor beyond. But they had lost two dead, and two were wounded before the fight was complete, the outer doors closed and barred, and this whole section secure. had already disposed of the six Browns and Grays at the main outer door and had overwhelmed the rest in the corridor beyond. But they had lost two dead, and two were wounded before the fight was complete, the outer doors closed and barred, and this whole section secure.
"Hurry up," the new red-spot leader snarled. The men with the crowbars needed no urging as they ripped at the door. For a moment the leader stood over the corpse of his brother, then kicked it furiously, knowing his brother"s impatience had destroyed their surprise attack. He rejoined his men, who circled the door.
In the corridor Blackthorne was reloading rapidly, the door shrieking under the blows. First the powder, tamp it carefully ... one of the door panels cracked one of the door panels cracked ... next the paper plug to hold the charge tight and next the lead ball and another plug ... ... next the paper plug to hold the charge tight and next the lead ball and another plug ... one of the door hinges snapped and the tip of the jimmy came through one of the door hinges snapped and the tip of the jimmy came through ... next, blow the dust carefully away from the flint.... ... next, blow the dust carefully away from the flint....
"Anjin-san!" Mariko cried out from somewhere in the inner rooms. "Hurry!"
But Blackthorne paid no attention. He walked up to the door and put the nozzle to a splintered crack, stomach high, and pulled the trigger. From the other side of the door there was a scream and the a.s.sault on the door ceased. He retreated and began to reload. First powder, tamp it carefully ... again the whole door shook as men tore at it with shoulders and raging fists and feet and weapons... again the whole door shook as men tore at it with shoulders and raging fists and feet and weapons... next the holding paper and next the ball and next another paper ... next the holding paper and next the ball and next another paper ... the door bellowed and shuddered and one of the bolts sprang away and clattered to the floor.... the door bellowed and shuddered and one of the bolts sprang away and clattered to the floor....
Kiri was hurrying down an inner pa.s.sageway, gasping for breath, the others half-dragging Lady Etsu with them, Sazuko crying, "What"s the point, there"s nowhere to go...." but Kiri ran on, stumbling into another room and across it and she pulled a section of the shoji wall aside. A hidden iron-fortified door was set into the stone wall beyond. She pulled it open. The hinges were well oiled.