Warlords Of Gaikon

Chapter 11

Blade and Lady Oyasa met in the forest but three more times during the next three weeks. They might have done it more often if they had risked meeting in the castle itself. But that would have meant disarming too many booby traps and bribing too many guards and servants to keep eyes, ears, and mouths shut. Sooner or later word would have reached Lord Tsekuin.

Then there would have been less than no chance of mercy for them. Lord Tsekuin was in a foul mood these days. He walked about with a hand on the hilt of his sword and his eyes constantly roving about him, even in the castle. He looked like he expected six armed opponents to leap at him out of the walls or sprout up around him from the ground under his feet.

Meanwhile there was weapons practice. There was instruction in all the manners and skills of a dabuno, including the approved games such as Hu. Blade did not find time heavy on his hands.

Blade's swordsmanship steadily improved under Yezjaro's teaching. It improved to the point where Yezjaro admitted, «It might take me as much as ten minutes to kill you, Blade.» That was high praise from the deadly young instructor.

In spear fighting there was no one in the castle who could last more than a couple of minutes with Blade. Yezjaro himself said, «If you were not a wandering stranger, I would have you made an instructor in the spear, under me. But it is too soon yet to expect most of our dabuni to obey you properly. After we return from the journey of Obedience, there may be time for you to gain the respect you deserve.»

«If we return from the journey of Obedience,» said Blade grimly. «Or if we do not return with more important things to deal with than my status.»

Yezjaro returned Blade's smile. «So our worries are becoming yours?»

«Why not? I have sworn an oath and I am not without notions of honor. Besides, a man can breathe in fear from the air of this castle.»

Yezjaro's smile faded. He did not like to hear the word «fear» mentioned when speaking of warriors. But at least he was not one of those thick-headed dabuni who would have challenged Blade on the spot for saying the word. He had too much sense for that-and he was too aware of how serious the situation was.

The time for the journey of Obedience approached rapidly. The matter came up of choosing the forty dabuni who would accompany Lord Tsekuin on the journey. A good many of the house dabuni would have been happy to have Blade stay behind.

«But don't worry about that,» Yezjaro told him. «I know that Doifuzan and I see alike on this. Being part of the journey of Obedience will be an important part of your training as a dabuno. You will learn much through seeing the court of the Hongshu with your own eyes. Indeed, I think I could talk until Kunkoi's chimes sound for the next Season of the World without telling you as much as your own eyes will.»

Yezjaro and Doifuzan both spoke out for Blade, and Lord Tsekuin followed their advice. He usually did. With their lord choosing Blade to accompany him, none of the dabuni could properly do more than mutter into their wine cups and glower at Blade.

Blade was too happy about being able to join the journey of Obedience to worry about the other dabuni. The more he saw of Gaikon, the better he would be carrying out his mission of exploring new dimensions. In any case, he had never liked sitting it out while things happened somewhere else. It didn't make any difference how dangerous those things might be. Blade was a natural adventurer, born into the wrong century for that kind of man-the twentieth century of large institutions and organization men. But Project Dimension X had given him the perfect job.

Lord Tsekuin would be taking forty dabuni with him on the journey of Obedience, as well as servants, porters, cooks, and messengers. These would accompany the party to Deyun, the Hongshu's capital. But they would not enter the Hongshu's palace. «No one but a dabuno or a person under the sponsorship and protection of one may enter the palace,» said Yezjaro.

«I suppose the Hongshu feels that a dabuno's sense of honor makes him less-dangerous?»

«Quite right. For a mere breach of etiquette a dabuno can be asked to commit suicide-and he will. That is also why the etiquette is so strict and so complex. It will tangle the feet, the tongues, and the swords of any who have not had it hammered into their skulls for many years.

«That is one reason why I fear for Lord Tsekuin's fate in Deyun. During the years when he was destined for scholarship, he learned much, but not court etiquette. He has had little time and less desire to learn since his succession.»

«I see,» said Blade.

«I hope so,» said Yezjaro grimly. «I would not have you, whom I have sponsored personally, disgrace the clan by any breach of etiquette. For the clan there might be mercy, if the Hongshu is willing to forgive us for foolishly sponsoring a bungling stranger. But for you there will be none. Lord Tsekuin and I will take your head with our own swords and lay it before the Hongshu with our own hands. So follow my lead, and do not follow drink, argument, or women.»

«Why should I be such a fool, Yezjaro?» said Blade coolly. «Have I shown any signs of being such?»

«You have certainly shown signs of being a man of strong appetites and strong will,» said Yezjaro. He turned and strode away. Blade wondered if the instructor had been firing a shot in the dark, or knew something about Blade and Lady Oyasa. It was impossible to say-or ask. Therefore-why worry?

But if Yezjaro did know something … Blade decided to start keeping his mouth as tightly shut with Yezjaro as with all the other dabuni.

The day for the departure on the journey of Obedience dawned gray and damp. But the sun broke through the clouds as the party began assembling in the outer courtyard of the castle. It took nearly an hour to assemble the hundred and fifty-odd people, from Lord Tsekuin down to the youngest baggage boy, with all the animals, litters, and wagons. By the time everyone was lined up, the sky overhead was blue, and a brisk wind was drying off the ground and the leaves of the trees. It was weather for a more cheerful occasion.

As it was, not even the priestess of Kunkoi sounded convinced when she declared the clearing of the sky to be a good omen for Lord Tsekuin's safe return. She sounded to Blade like someone trying to convince herself of this so that her voice wouldn't shake too much as she intoned the ritual blessings. She certainly didn't convince anyone else. Yezjaro and Doifuzan managed at least not to look openly gloomy, but not all the dabuni were as self-controlled. Most of the servants looked like men sentenced to death, and the women were openly weeping.

Lady Oyasa once more threw etiquette to the winds and came out in a litter to watch the party depart. She did not risk saying anything to Blade. Instead she contented herself with kissing her departing Lord's gloved hand, in the formal manner of a heroine from one of the epic poems. Then she climbed back into her litter. But she left the curtains open, and Blade saw her eyes swing toward him and linger briefly as he spurred his horse toward the outer gate.

The party kept up a good pace until they had reached the bottom of the castle's hill and were well out on the plains. The men on foot had to practically jog to keep up, but no one fell out, complained, or even seemed tired. It was as though they were all eager to get out of the castle and well on their way toward Deyun.

Certainly Blade felt better for being out of the castle and on the way to the Hongshu's capital. Sun, fresh air, a good horse under him, a journey to someplace new-for the moment that was enough to keep him happy.

But then this was not his home, and he had some hope of avoiding the fate of Lord Tsekuin and his clan, no matter what that might be. This set him apart from the others, and always would.

Blade was reminded of just how far apart he and the others were when they reached the Simu River. On the far side of that river was a small hill. The top of the hill was the last place where a man could look back and see the castle.

Each man did look back as he reached the top. Each man had the same expression on his face-even Yezjaro. It was the expression of a man looking back on a place he never expected to see again.