anyone so honored by the Emperor.
Lady Okara rejoined Shonto and Nishima as her admirers wandered off to eat and laugh and court and gossip.
“Oh, Mito-sum, this isn’t good for a person, all of this.” She waved her hand to encompass the garden in general, at a loss for words. “I must pay my respects to the Emperor before I leave.”
“Okara-sum, don’t be in such a rush to go. The worst is over. You have survived! Let me get you some wine so that you may begin to enjoy the rest of the evening.” Shonto smiled at her, his voice full of affection. He was touched by his friend’s discomfiture.
“Well, one cup and then I must go,” Lady Okara conceded.
Shonto left his friend in his daughter’s care and set off to find a servant. One came to his aid before he had gone far.
“Lord Shonto,” an unfamiliar voice called. A young man who looked vaguely familiar strode toward Shonto across the lawn. The lord sent a servant hurrying off to look after Lady Okara and turned to speak to the young man.
“Excuse my bad manners, Lord Shonto,” He bowed. “I am Komawara Samyamu.”
Ah, yes, Lord Shonto thought, the same slim build and the long thin nose. If this youth is anything like his father, his apparent lack of muscle is deceptive. The old Komawara had been a strong swordsman and lightning fast.
“I am pleased to meet you, Lord Komawara.” Shonto returned the man’s bow. “I met your father several times when I was young. He was an impressive man.”
“Yes, a great loss to us all, I’m afraid. I honor his memory.” He caught Shonto’s eye and hesitated briefly before he went on. “I understand that you will come to Seh as our new governor. It is about time that the Emperor sent us a soldier! I mean no disrespect to Lord Shidako—he has admirably resolved the problems left by the corrupt Hanama bureaucracy.” He let the statement hang in the air, but Shonto didn’t take the offered opportunity to either criticize the Hanama or to praise the Yamaku.
The young lord was obviously unnerved by Lord Shonto’s lack of response, and his resolve seemed to flounder momentarily. “Your daughter plays very well, Sire. The Shonto continue to produce artists, to the goodfortune of the rest of us. I have recently read your father’s memoirs—what a delightful approach he took to his life!”
Shonto nodded, letting the man ramble on, wondering what this young lord’s purpose was.
Lord Komawara’s eyes hardened and he regained his determination.
“Will you come to Seh soon, Sire?”
“Yes, very soon.”
“That is good. Perhaps you will get to the bottom of these mysterious raids.”
“I didn’t realize that they were thought in any way mysterious, Lord Komawara.” Politics, Shonto thought, everyone must have a theory.
“It seems, Sire, that only I find them unusual. May we speak privately, Lord Shonto?”
“Certainly, I am most interested.” Shonto pointed off to their left where they could talk without being overheard. He had liked the old Komawara immensely, though he’d been a man doomed by his refusal to change with the times.
“As a native of our northern province, Sire, I have had first-hand experience of the ways of the barbarian tribes all of my life,” the young man began, the tones of his father’s voice occasionally echoing among the words. “I have traded with them when we were at peace, and fought with them the rest of the time. I have to say that in both areas they are formidable and have no code of honor whatsoever!
“Through all the years that we’ve warred with them, though, two things in their behavior have remained consistent. They are always bold. Bold beyond anything
these
people would imagine,” he waved a hand at the assembled guests with a slight disdain, “and, whenever it is possible, they take our women. This never fails! It is more than just the fair skin. One of our servant girls is valued above the daughters of their most powerful chief! A woman of Wa
Lady Okara rejoined Shonto and Nishima as her admirers wandered off to eat and laugh and court and gossip.
“Oh, Mito-sum, this isn’t good for a person, all of this.” She waved her hand to encompass the garden in general, at a loss for words. “I must pay my respects to the Emperor before I leave.”
“Okara-sum, don’t be in such a rush to go. The worst is over. You have survived! Let me get you some wine so that you may begin to enjoy the rest of the evening.” Shonto smiled at her, his voice full of affection. He was touched by his friend’s discomfiture.
“Well, one cup and then I must go,” Lady Okara conceded.
Shonto left his friend in his daughter’s care and set off to find a servant. One came to his aid before he had gone far.
“Lord Shonto,” an unfamiliar voice called. A young man who looked vaguely familiar strode toward Shonto across the lawn. The lord sent a servant hurrying off to look after Lady Okara and turned to speak to the young man.
“Excuse my bad manners, Lord Shonto,” He bowed. “I am Komawara Samyamu.”
Ah, yes, Lord Shonto thought, the same slim build and the long thin nose. If this youth is anything like his father, his apparent lack of muscle is deceptive. The old Komawara had been a strong swordsman and lightning fast.
“I am pleased to meet you, Lord Komawara.” Shonto returned the man’s bow. “I met your father several times when I was young. He was an impressive man.”
“Yes, a great loss to us all, I’m afraid. I honor his memory.” He caught Shonto’s eye and hesitated briefly before he went on. “I understand that you will come to Seh as our new governor. It is about time that the Emperor sent us a soldier! I mean no disrespect to Lord Shidako—he has admirably resolved the problems left by the corrupt Hanama bureaucracy.” He let the statement hang in the air, but Shonto didn’t take the offered opportunity to either criticize the Hanama or to praise the Yamaku.
The young lord was obviously unnerved by Lord Shonto’s lack of response, and his resolve seemed to flounder momentarily. “Your daughter plays very well, Sire. The Shonto continue to produce artists, to the goodfortune of the rest of us. I have recently read your father’s memoirs—what a delightful approach he took to his life!”
Shonto nodded, letting the man ramble on, wondering what this young lord’s purpose was.
Lord Komawara’s eyes hardened and he regained his determination.
“Will you come to Seh soon, Sire?”
“Yes, very soon.”
“That is good. Perhaps you will get to the bottom of these mysterious raids.”
“I didn’t realize that they were thought in any way mysterious, Lord Komawara.” Politics, Shonto thought, everyone must have a theory.
“It seems, Sire, that only I find them unusual. May we speak privately, Lord Shonto?”
“Certainly, I am most interested.” Shonto pointed off to their left where they could talk without being overheard. He had liked the old Komawara immensely, though he’d been a man doomed by his refusal to change with the times.
“As a native of our northern province, Sire, I have had first-hand experience of the ways of the barbarian tribes all of my life,” the young man began, the tones of his father’s voice occasionally echoing among the words. “I have traded with them when we were at peace, and fought with them the rest of the time. I have to say that in both areas they are formidable and have no code of honor whatsoever!
“Through all the years that we’ve warred with them, though, two things in their behavior have remained consistent. They are always bold. Bold beyond anything
these
people would imagine,” he waved a hand at the assembled guests with a slight disdain, “and, whenever it is possible, they take our women. This never fails! It is more than just the fair skin. One of our servant girls is valued above the daughters of their most powerful chief! A woman of Wa
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