Last night she had accompanied Koiko to talk to Abeh and he had told her to sleep in this communal room, plenty of space for her to one side--a perfectly satisfactory arrangement. Four guards were using it, two sleeping and two on duty. There she had made a bed, not easily to sleep, her mind in turmoil for she had overheard Yoshi telling Koiko they would not travel onward with him, and overheard Koiko saying to Abeh, "Lord Yoshi has decided from tomorrow I, and my party, will follow leisurely."
"What arrangements does he want made, Lady?"' "I believe he said he wants to leave you and ten men to guide me to Yedo, so sorry to be a problem."
"It is no problem for me, Lady, so long as he is safe."
Safe, and out of reach, Sumomo had thought, dismayed by the change in plan. So much could go wrong between now and Yedo.
Eventually she had slept. To dream.
Normally she did not dream. Last thing at night and in the morning she would always say a prayer, Namu Amida Butsu, just the name of the Buddha Amida, which was enough if there was a god to pray to. Last night she had forgotten. Now, silently she said the words, and closed her eyes.
In moments she was again in the shishi hut.
That had been the worst experience of her life, the attack without warning, gunfire through the walls and in the same instant the head of the youth beside her exploded, no time for the lad even to shout but others did, partly in panic, partly in agony as random bullets poured at them, Katsumata paralyzed for a moment, then directing the defense, ordering some to charge out the front others the back. Both charges driven back, she not knowing where to hide, knowing all was lost, fire beginning and more screams and more blood and this the end, Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu, then hands grabbing her roughly, shoving her down into the hole after the escaping Takeda--who, raving, had dragged another man out of the way, as Katsumata had torn someone else away--as her savior shishi, whose face she never saw, was murdered in his turn and a fight ensued that blocked the escape until it was too late.
Somehow out of that hate-filled darkness into the open air. Fleeing, their panic run going on and on until, chests bursting, Katsumata lead them tortuously to his haven of last resort.
Iwakura's back door.
Immediately a council of war with the shishi there.
"I suggest we scatter for the time being,"
Katsumata had said. "We'll regroup and meet in the spring, third or fourth month. In the spring we will start a new offensive."
"Why wait?"' someone asked.
"Because we're betrayed, because there's a spy in our midst, or amongst our patrons. We are betrayed. We must conserve and scatter."
And so they had. "Sumomo, you'll go to Koiko..."
But before that her disorientation had been vast, unaccountable tears, rushing heart beat, too easily in panic. "It will pass, Sumomo," Katsumata had said.
Again he had been right. He had given her a draft that had made her sleep, and calmed her.
By the time she saw Koiko she was like before, almost but not quite. "When you feel the fear returning, just take a little sip of the medicine," he had said.
"In a week or two you will be perfect again. Always remember, sonno-joi needs you perfect..."
She came out of her reverie, sweating again, the fear coming on again. It was still night. Her fingers reached for her bundle beside her head that held the small bottle. But the bundle was not there. She had not brought it with her when she had changed rooms.
Never mind, she thought, I do not need it, I can do without it.
She repeated that several times, twisting in her bed, the quilts damp and clammy around her. Then she noticed the guard still watching her.
"Bad dreams, neh?" he whispered, his voice kind.
She nodded silently.
"I could give you good dreams." He moved his quilt aside, invitingly. She shook her head.
He shrugged and turned over and forgot her, considering her stupid to reject such pleasure. Not offended she turned her back too, just a little amused. Her hand moved to her obi knife in its sheath at her waist. Its touch gave her the peace she needed. A last Namu Amida Butsu.
She closed her eyes and slept without dreams.
Koiko was pleasantly awake. It was not quite dawn. Yoshi slept peacefully beside her. It was nice to lie there, drifting, knowing she would not have to endure another day's discomfort in a palanquin, being bumped from side to side, because of unseemly haste. And also because her night had been tranquil. Yoshi had slept solidly.
Occasionally a small snoring snuffle would tweak him but that did not disturb her. "Train your ears, Ladies," the retired courtesan would cackle toothlessly and endlessly to all maiko in the school, "your working life will be spent with old men. All men snore, but old men really snore, but old men really pay--the young ones take your flowers and snore anyway."
Of all the men she had slept with, Yoshi was the most serene while asleep. Awake he was the most difficult. To stay ahead of. To satisfy.
Not physically. Physically he was strong and practiced and as much as she was trained to be uninvolved within an embrace, he would guide her so she too, most evenings, would gain the sheen of pleasure.
Katsumata was more of a magician.
He caressed her imagination and thoughts, stimulating her beyond anything she could have imagined. He was delighted when she mastered a new skill--like training her ears to hear underspoken words: "That is where the golden knowledge is, the important parts, signs of danger, of safety, of what is within the secret heart within the secret heart.
Remember, all of us here, men and women, have three hearts, one for all the world to see, one for their family, and one for themselves alone. Certain men have six hearts. Yoshi is one of these. He is your goal, the one for whom you must be the foil."
She chuckled to herself, remembering how she had said that Lord Yoshi was completely beyond reach and Katsumata had smiled that smile of his and told her to be patient, "You have time enough. You are eighteen, there is not much more I can teach you. You must begin to expand yourself. Like every serious student, follow the most important law for all students: repay your teacher by making it your duty to surpass him! Be patient, Koiko, at the correct time your mama-san and I will ensure the Lord Yoshi becomes aware of you..."
And they had. Within the year. The first invitation to the castle six months and five days ago. Racing heart and fearful she would fail, but not really. She was prepared and had done her duty to her teacher.
But am I guide enough for Yoshi? I know he enjoys me and my company and my mind. Where should I guide him? Katsumata never said, just told me that that will become clear. "Sonno-joi sums it up. Bind Lord Yoshi to you. Help him change. Gradually you will help him move even more to our side. Never forget, he is not enemy, on the contrary, he is vital to us, he will head the new Bakufu of loyal samurai, as tairo --there will no longer be any need for a Shogun or Shogunate--with our new and permanent Council of Samurai helping him..."
I wonder what it will be like in the new era, if I will live to see it, she thought, lying there comfortably. Now, what about Sumomo?
It had been completely unnecessary to send her to another room--as if it mattered that she was next door, she would not be listening to their cries or thrashing about. That was not the reason. When Yoshi told Koiko quietly she would not be going on with him, she thought she had heard movements in the outer room, as though Sumomo had shifted closer and was actually trying to overhear what they were saying--an astonishing invasion of privacy, and bad manners.
Only a nasty busybody would do such a thing, she had thought. Or a spy. Ah! Is Katsumata dispassionately playing one of his intricate games within games, using me to wheedle a spy in to watch my Tora-chan and me? I will deal with her tomorrow, meanwhile she can sleep elsewhere.