Leslie Moore - Griffin's Shadow

Ashinji bowed to Lady Kara and fled the room.

As he escaped out into the crisp, smoke-scented air of the fall night, the sound of renewed revelry followed him, mocking him with unbridled gaiety.

The moon rode high and full, bathing the countryside in quicksilver light. Fine gravel gave way to packed earth as he walked along the path toward the meadow where the army camped. He could hear the sounds of the camp off in the distance-the skirl of a flute, raucous laughter, the neigh of restless horses, voices raised in song. It filled him with intense longing and regret; never had he been more acutely aware of his own mortality than at this moment.

He paused on the moonlit path to drink in the sweet air. Closing his eyes, he visualized Jelena, standing before him, arms raised in love and welcome. In his mind’s eye, he reached out to embrace her.

If only I could hold you one last time, he thought. If only we could share one last kiss…

I could go to my death a happy man.

Sadaiyo returned to camp at sunrise, looking a little haggard, but well pleased. Ashinji had been awake and working for some time already, supervising the distribution of rations to his company.

Sadaiyo sauntered up and greeted him with a cheerful grin. “Good morning, Little Brother. Sleep well?”

“Yes, I did,” Ashinji lied.

“Well, I hate to brag, but I didn’t get much sleep,” Sadaiyo replied. “I didn’t think I could possibly keep up with three…but somehow, I managed to… rise to the occasion.” He chuckled lasciviously. “You know, you really hurt Tamina and Shuzen’s feelings, not to mention Lady Kara’s. You ought to have better manners.” He raised a hand as if to forestall a protest. “But don’t worry! I was able to, ah, smooth their ruffled feathers and sweeten their tempers.”

“Sex has never been a blood sport for me, like it is for you, Brother,” Ashinji retorted. He stared at Sadaiyo with weary eyes, wanting only to be left alone.

“Oh, Lady Kara and her daughters weren’t interested in sport, my naïve little brother. They were deadly serious.” Sadaiyo grinned again.

“What are you talking about?” Ashinji demanded, irritation and fatigue roughening his voice. He hated Sadaiyo’s word and mind games.

“Blood, Ashi. Heirs. In case you didn’t notice, none of Lady Kara’s daughters is exactly in the bloom of youth anymore. Enzan needs heirs or it will pass to the Crown upon the deaths of all the good ladies. I just stepped in and, uh, performed a little service for Lady Kara. With any luck, Enzan can stay in the possession of the family.”

Ashinji stooped to stuff a bag of dried fruit into his saddle bag, unsure of how to respond. That Sadaiyo would do such a thing, without their father’s permission, was outrageous, but not surprising. He looked up at his brother, considered several different replies, discarded them all, then settled for no reply at all.

Sadaiyo prodded Ashinji’s saddle bag with his toe. “Better fill up an extra water bottle. We won’t have time for a lot of stops today.” He strode off. Ashinji watched him go, wondering what Misune would do if she knew. He believed Sadaiyo loved Misune as much as he could love any person other than himself, but Sadaiyo’s idea of love clearly did not involve the concept of fidelity.

Homan trotted up. “Lord Ashinji, the company is ready to ride,” he announced.

“Thank you.” Ashinji stood and stretched the kinks out of his muscles. “Until my brother gives the order to form up, the company can relax,” he said. Homan saluted and headed off in the direction of the horse lines.

The morning sun had just topped the trees, bringing with it the promise of another hot day to come. The trampled grass in the meadow gave off a powerful, pleasant aroma. Bees buzzed in lazy circles among the late wildflowers growing in clumps along the margins. Ashinji retreated to the shade of the stately sentinel oak to wait and think. He leaned back against the rough bark, letting the trunk support his weight.

What little sleep he had gotten last night had been plagued with chaotic dreams. The vision of his death still haunted him, even though he knew no prophetic dream told of what would happen, only of what might happen. He could change his fate, if only he knew which path to take and which ones to avoid.

That’s the difficult part.

Ai, Goddess! You brought Jelena to me, chose me as her protector, and now, you show me my death? How am I to protect my wife if I’m dead? Why, then did you ever bring us together?

Raging to the heavens won’t help, you fool!

The bray of a horn, signaling the army to mount and form up, rang out. Ashinji sighed, pushed away from the tree trunk, and stepped from under the sheltering branches into the brilliant sunshine. He glanced up at the white disk of the sun and wished for the respite of a rainstorm. His brightly lacquered armor felt like an oppressive shell encasing his body, and he longed to strip it off and plunge into the nearest body of water. Even the little algae-filled pond at the bottom of the meadow looked inviting.

Homan walked up, leading Kian. Ashinji climbed into the saddle and Homan handed him his helmet. “I think I’ll ride bareheaded today, Sergeant,” he said. “The company has permission to do the same.”

“Thank you, Cap’n. I’ll pass the word along.”

Ashinji watched as the army coalesced into well-ordered ranks. Off in the distance, in the direction of the manor, he spied a splash of color. He focused his gaze until the splash resolved into the figures of four women, standing at the bottom of the path leading to the house. Sadaiyo, astride his stallion, cantered toward them.

Sadaiyo reined his mount to a skidding halt before Lady Kara and her daughters. He flung himself from the saddle and strode boldly to the first in line, who, by her height, Ashinji could tell must be Uebaru. They exchanged a few words, then Sadaiyo swept her into his arms and kissed her. He proceeded to do the same to Tamina and Shuzen. To Lady Kara, he bowed low and kissed the back of her hand.

What Sadaiyo had done for the Enzan family was not unheard of, but it usually happened only after a contract had been executed between all of the involved parties. Sen would be furious when Sadaiyo got around to telling him.

Sadaiyo remounted his horse, and with a final wave, turned and galloped back to where Ashinji waited along with Homan and Sadaiyo’s aide Lanic. “Let’s go,” he said.

As the army wound its way out of the meadow, the four women of Enzan raised their hands in farewell.

Nine days later, the army crossed into Kerala. They rode straight for the castle, arriving just as the sun dipped below the horizon in a blaze of orange, pink, and red. Iruka, Kerala’s steward, stood waiting at the outer gate to greet them. Ashinji and Sadaiyo dismounted and two stable hands came forward to take hold of their mounts’ bridles.

Sadaiyo spoke first, forgoing any greeting. “Iruka, I know Kerala has no place to billet eight hundred extra troops. What arrangements have you made?”

“Welcome home Lord Sadaiyo, Lord Ashinji. It is good to see you both.” Iruka bowed, his snow-white soldier’s braid falling forward over his shoulder.

“There is room for at least a hundred in the lower yard, and another hundred can camp in the upper,” the steward said. “It’ll be crowded, but that can’t be helped. The rest will have to make do out in the rear pastures. I had ample warning from your father, so there should be enough extra provisions laid by.” Supremely capable, Iruka had served Lord Sen for more years than Ashinji had been alive, and before becoming Kerala’s steward, he had been a sergeant in the army of Keizo the Elder.