She took Yodoko's hand, honoring her. "Lady?"
"O-chan?" Yodoko whispered, using her nickname.
"Yes, Lady?"
"Ah, how pretty you are, so pretty, you always were." The hand went up and caressed the beautiful hair and Ochiba was not offended by the touch but pleased as always, liking her greatly. "So young and beautiful and sweet-smelling. How lucky the Taiko was."
"Are you in pain, Lady? Can I get you something?"
"Nothing - nothing, I just wanted to talk." The old eyes were sunken but had lost none of their shrewdness. "Send the others away."
Ochiba motioned them to leave and when they were alone she said, "Yes, Lady?"
"Listen, my darling, make the Lord General let her go."
"He can't, Lady, or all the other hostages will leave and we'll lose strength. The Regents all agree," Ochiba said.
"Regents!" Yodoko said with a thread of scorn. "Do you agree?"
"Yes, Lady, and last night you said she was not to go."
"Now you must let her go or others will follow her seppuku and you and our son will be befouled because of Ishido's mistake."
"The Lord General's loyal, Lady. Toranaga isn't, so sorry."
"You can trust Lord Toranaga - not him."
Ochiba shook her head. "So sorry, but I'm convinced Toranaga's committed to become Shogun and will destroy our son."
"You're wrong. He's said it a thousand times. Other daimyos are trying to use him for their own ambitions. They always have. Toranaga was the Taiko's favorite. Toranaga has always honored the Heir. Toranaga's Minowara. Don't be swayed by Ishido, or the Regents. They've their own karmas, their own secrets, O-chan. Why not let her go? It's all so simple. Forbid her the sea, then she can always be delayed somewhere inside our borders. She's still in your General's net, and Kiri and all the others, neh? She'll be surrounded by Grays. Think like the Taiko would or like Toranaga would. You and our son are being pulled into..." The words trailed off and her eyelids began to flutter. The old lady gathered her remaining strength and continued, "Mariko-san could never object to guards. I know she means what she says. Let her go."
"Of course that was considered, Lady," Ochiba said, her voice gentle and patient, "but outside the castle Toranaga has secret bands of samurai, hidden in and around Osaka, we don't know how many, and he has allies - we're not sure who. She might escape. Once she goes, all the others would follow her at once and we'd lose a great security. You agreed, Yodoko-chan, don't you remember? So sorry, but I asked you last night, don't you remember?"
"Yes, I remember, child," Yodoko said, her mind wandering. "Oh, how I wish the Lord Taiko were here again to guide you." The old lady's breathing was becoming labored.
"Can I give you some cha or sake?"
"Cha, yes please, some cha."
She helped the old one to drink. "Thank you, child." The voice was feebler now, the strain of conversation speeding the dying. "Listen, child, you must trust Toranaga. Marry him, barter with him for the succession."
"No - no," Ochiba said, shocked.
"Yaemon could rule after him, then the fruit of your new marriage after our son. The sons of our son will honorably swear eternal fidelity to this new Toranaga line."
"Toranaga's always hated the Taiko. You know that, Lady. Toranaga is the source of all the trouble. For years, neh? Him!"
"And you? What about your pride, child?"
"He's the enemy, our enemy."
"You've two enemies, child. Your pride and the need to have a man to compare to our husband. Please be patient with me, you're young and beautiful and fruitful and deserve a husband. Toranaga's worthy of you, you of him. Toranaga is the only chance Yaemon has."
"No, he's the enemy."
"He was our husband's greatest friend and most loyal vassal. Without ... without Toranaga ... don't you see ... it was Toranaga's help ... don't you see? You could manage ... manage him...."
"So sorry, but I hate him - he disgusts me, Yodoko-chan."
"Many women.... What was I saying? Oh yes, many women marry men who disgust them. Praise be to Buddha I never had to suffer that...." The old woman smiled briefly. Then she sighed. It was a long, serious sigh and went on for too long and Ochiba thought the end had come. But the eyes opened a little and a tiny smile appeared again. "Neh?"
"Yes."
"Will you. Please?"
"I will think about it."
The old fingers tried to tighten. "I beg you, promise me you'll marry Toranaga and I will go to Buddha knowing that the Taiko's line will live forever, like his name ... his name will live for...."
The tears ran freely down Ochiba's face as she cradled the listless hand.
Later the eyes trembled and the old woman whispered, "You must let Akechi Mariko go. Don't ... don't let her reap vengeance on us for what the Taiko did ... did to ... to her ... to her father...."
Ochiba was caught unaware. "What?"
There was no answer. Later Yodoko began mumbling, "...Dear Yaemon, hello, my darling son, how ... you're such a fine boy, but you've so many enemies, so foolish so .... Aren't you just an illusion too, isn't..."
A spasm racked her. Ochiba held onto the hand and caressed it. "Namu Amida Butsu," she whispered in homage.
There was another spasm, then the old woman said clearly, "Forgive me, O-chan."
"There is nothing to forgive, Lady."
"So much to forgive...." The voice became fainter, and the light began to fade from her face. "Listen... prom - promise about . . . about Toranaga, Ochiba-sama . . . important . . . please . . . you can trust him . . . ." The old eyes were beseeching her, willing her.
Ochiba did not want to obey yet knew that she should obey. Her mind was unsettled by what had been said about Akechi Mariko, and still resounded with the Taiko's words, repeated ten thousand times, "You can trust Yodokosama, O-chan. She's the Wise One - never forget it. She's right most times and you can always trust her with your life, and my son's life and mine...."
Ochiba conceded. "I prom-" She stopped abruptly.
The light of Yodoko-sama flickered a final time and went out.
"Namu Amida Butsu." Ochiba touched the hand to her lips, and she bowed and laid the hand back on the coverlet and closed the eyes, thinking about the Taiko's death, the only other death she had witnessed so closely. That time Lady Yodoko had closed the eyes as was a wife's privilege and it had been in this same room, Toranaga waiting outside, as Ishido and Kiyama were now outside, continuing a vigil that had begun the day before.
"But why send for Toranaga, Lord?" she had asked. "You should rest."
"I'll rest when I'm dead, O-chan," the Taiko had said. "I must settle the succession. Finally. While I've the strength."
So Toranaga had arrived, strong, vital, exuding power. The four of them were alone then, Ochiba, Yodoko, Toranaga and Nakamura, the Taiko, the Lord of Japan lying on his deathbed, all of them waiting for the orders that would be obeyed.
"So, Tora-san," the Taiko had said, welcoming him with the nickname Goroda had given Toranaga long ago, the deepset eyes peering up out of the tiny, withered simian face that was set on an equally tiny body - a body that had had the strength of steel until a few months ago when the wasting began. "I'm dying. From nothing, into nothing, but you'll be alive and my son's helpless."
"Not helpless, Sire. All the daimyos will honor your son as they honor you."
The Taiko laughed. "Yes, they will. Today. While I'm alive - ah yes! But how do I make sure Yaemon will rule after me?"
"Appoint a Council of Regents, Sire."
"Regents!" the Taiko said scornfully. "Perhaps I should make you my heir and let you judge if Yaemon's worthy to follow you."