said, "Thank you for a most interesting chat. Will you please visit me again before you leave Miyako? I should welcome the chance to improve our acquaintance."
"So would I. Yes, I'll come back."
While glad of an opportunity to learn more about Lady Jokyoden's possible role in the murder, Reiko glimpsed new dangers ahead. If Jokyoden was the killer, might she perceive Reiko as an enemy to destroy?
7
A series of hoots and yelps sounded outside the Purple Dragon Hall, where Sano, Yoriki Hoshina, and Right Minister Ichijo waited with Emperor Tomohito.
"Momo-chan!" the emperor called from his throne. "Come in here."
The side door opened. A small, skinny young man, perhaps a few years older than Tomohito, entered. He approached the emperor with a jerky stride. The strange noises issued from his mouth; his head tossed like a horse's. As he knelt near the throne, courtiers looked away from him; their mouths tightened with the disgust usually accorded cripples. Sano stared, unable to hide his shock.
"My cousin, Prince Momozono," the emperor announced.
Right Minister Ichijo whispered to Sano: "The prince is a hopeless idiot who can't control himself."
But Momozono was clearly trying. His jaws clenched in an effort to silence the sounds; his mournful eyes rolled. Sweat beaded his thin, pallid face. When he bowed to the emperor, his left arm suddenly shot up into the air. He forced it down with his right hand.
Tomohito said, "Momo-chan, this is Sosakan Sano," with an impudent glance at Ichijo and the attendants, as though he enjoyed subjecting them to his cousin's loathsome presence; he didn't seem to share their disgust. "He wants to find out who killed Left Minister Konoe."
"I b-beg to be of assistance," said Prince Momozono. He let out more hoots, then cried, "A thousand apologies!"
On the way to the palace, when Sano had asked Hoshina about the prince, Hoshina had said, "Momozono is the emperor's pet." However, the yoriki's description of the prince had failed to prepare Sano for the appalling spectacle of him.
"The two of you discovered Left Minister Konoe's body together?" Sano addressed the emperor, too startled to think of communicating with his cousin.
Right Minister Ichijo said, "Really, Your Majesty, I don't think it's necessary for Prince Momozono to be present." Distaste curdled his polite tone. "You can answer the sosakan-sama's questions by yourself."
"Momo-chan can stay if he wants," the emperor said. Turning to his cousin, he said, "Do you?"
"Yes, p-please!" Prince Momozono's hands flapped.
Sano observed the devotion in his eyes and the entreaty in his voice: The "pet" adored its master. Pity alleviated Sano's initial repugnance. Sano also perceived shame in Momozono's blinking eyes: He had the wits to know how repulsive he was.
Folding his arms, Tomohito glared down at his subjects. "If any of you don't like it, you can leave."
No one did. In a low aside, Ichijo said to Sano, "Please pardon the inconvenience."
"That's quite all right." Sano understood the embarrassment that having an idiot in their midst must cause the Imperial Court, even while he regretted their cruel attitude toward Momozono. He said to the boys, "Tell me how you happened to find Left Minister Konoe's body."
While Momozono hooted and tossed his head, Tomohito said, "We heard a scream in the garden, so we went to see what it was. We saw the left minister lying by the cottage."
"Did you see anyone else there?" Sano asked.
"Everyone c-came right after us," Momozono said.
"Not then, but when you first arrived," Sano said, noting the boy's surprisingly clear, cultured speech. Upon closer examination, Sano saw that Momozono had a well-proportioned body; the spasms gave the false impression of physical deformity. His fine features might have been handsome, if not for
"So would I. Yes, I'll come back."
While glad of an opportunity to learn more about Lady Jokyoden's possible role in the murder, Reiko glimpsed new dangers ahead. If Jokyoden was the killer, might she perceive Reiko as an enemy to destroy?
7
A series of hoots and yelps sounded outside the Purple Dragon Hall, where Sano, Yoriki Hoshina, and Right Minister Ichijo waited with Emperor Tomohito.
"Momo-chan!" the emperor called from his throne. "Come in here."
The side door opened. A small, skinny young man, perhaps a few years older than Tomohito, entered. He approached the emperor with a jerky stride. The strange noises issued from his mouth; his head tossed like a horse's. As he knelt near the throne, courtiers looked away from him; their mouths tightened with the disgust usually accorded cripples. Sano stared, unable to hide his shock.
"My cousin, Prince Momozono," the emperor announced.
Right Minister Ichijo whispered to Sano: "The prince is a hopeless idiot who can't control himself."
But Momozono was clearly trying. His jaws clenched in an effort to silence the sounds; his mournful eyes rolled. Sweat beaded his thin, pallid face. When he bowed to the emperor, his left arm suddenly shot up into the air. He forced it down with his right hand.
Tomohito said, "Momo-chan, this is Sosakan Sano," with an impudent glance at Ichijo and the attendants, as though he enjoyed subjecting them to his cousin's loathsome presence; he didn't seem to share their disgust. "He wants to find out who killed Left Minister Konoe."
"I b-beg to be of assistance," said Prince Momozono. He let out more hoots, then cried, "A thousand apologies!"
On the way to the palace, when Sano had asked Hoshina about the prince, Hoshina had said, "Momozono is the emperor's pet." However, the yoriki's description of the prince had failed to prepare Sano for the appalling spectacle of him.
"The two of you discovered Left Minister Konoe's body together?" Sano addressed the emperor, too startled to think of communicating with his cousin.
Right Minister Ichijo said, "Really, Your Majesty, I don't think it's necessary for Prince Momozono to be present." Distaste curdled his polite tone. "You can answer the sosakan-sama's questions by yourself."
"Momo-chan can stay if he wants," the emperor said. Turning to his cousin, he said, "Do you?"
"Yes, p-please!" Prince Momozono's hands flapped.
Sano observed the devotion in his eyes and the entreaty in his voice: The "pet" adored its master. Pity alleviated Sano's initial repugnance. Sano also perceived shame in Momozono's blinking eyes: He had the wits to know how repulsive he was.
Folding his arms, Tomohito glared down at his subjects. "If any of you don't like it, you can leave."
No one did. In a low aside, Ichijo said to Sano, "Please pardon the inconvenience."
"That's quite all right." Sano understood the embarrassment that having an idiot in their midst must cause the Imperial Court, even while he regretted their cruel attitude toward Momozono. He said to the boys, "Tell me how you happened to find Left Minister Konoe's body."
While Momozono hooted and tossed his head, Tomohito said, "We heard a scream in the garden, so we went to see what it was. We saw the left minister lying by the cottage."
"Did you see anyone else there?" Sano asked.
"Everyone c-came right after us," Momozono said.
"Not then, but when you first arrived," Sano said, noting the boy's surprisingly clear, cultured speech. Upon closer examination, Sano saw that Momozono had a well-proportioned body; the spasms gave the false impression of physical deformity. His fine features might have been handsome, if not for
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