Ken Liu - The Grace of Kings

Mazoti nodded thoughtfully.

Cocru and Dasu again stood off across the Liru River.

Mata brought to Dimu the prisoners he’d captured in Zudi. In exchange for Kuni’s release of Noda Mi and Doru Solofi, Mata agreed to return Mün Çakri, Rin Coda, and Than Carucono. But he kept Kuni’s family despite repeated entreaties from Kuni.

Mata decided to press the psychological advantage he had to the fullest. On a large flat-bottomed boat — slow and shallow-drafting and thus not a military threat — he rode into the middle of the Liru and asked Kuni to join him for parley.

Kuni rode out on a flat-bottomed boat of his own. The two sat in formal mipa rari on the top decks of their respective vessels, staring at each other across a sliver of river water.

“Brother.” Mata spat out the word like a curse. “I had hoped to see you in Zudi, but apparently you were too ashamed to see me.”

“Brother.” Kuni sighed. “I wish we were still friends. This all could have been avoided if you had not been so jealous and full of rage when I entered Pan before you. We could have rebuilt Dara from the ruins of the empire together.”

The two sat quietly for a while, contemplating what might have been.

“Yet events have proven my foresight. You’re now in rebellion against me.”

Kuni shook his head. “It’s not you I’m fighting against, but the idea you represent. I mean to re-create the dream of Emperor Mapidéré, but this time I’ll do it right. You want to leave the world to be divided between Tiro states, full of endless wars to serve the empty martial glory of the great nobles. I want to end all that and give the common people a chance to live their lives in peace. Mata, don’t stand in my way. Abdicate and hand me the seal of the world.”

“You’re as ambitious as I am, only you dress up your desires with lies. If you really believe your pretty words, why don’t we settle our differences in single combat? Let no one else die for our dispute. You and me and our swords will decide our fate. Whoever wins gets to remake this world with his will.”

Kuni laughed. “You know me too well to think that I’d agree to something like that. I’m no match for you in a fight, but wars are not won by the strength in one’s arms alone.”

Mata gestured to his men, and they went inside the ship and brought up a large cutting board.

Kuni stared at it, confused.

They went inside again and brought up a pot large enough to cook a whole shark in. Setting it over a fire in the open-air hearth on top of the deck, they boiled water in it.

Kuni’s heart tightened.

They went inside again and brought up a kitchen knife, but it was so large that it was like a giant’s axe. A man would have to use both arms to wield it.

Kuni stood up. He wanted to tell Mata to stop.

They went down a final time and brought up a naked man trussed up like a pig. Kuni saw that it was his father, Féso Garu. He had been gagged, and his eyes bulged in fear.

Mata’s men laid Féso on the cutting board, and a burly man gripped the oversized kitchen knife and held it over his head like an executioner.

“Kuni, surrender. Or I will cook your father in front of you and eat him.”

Blood rushed to Kuni’s head, and he almost fainted. But he held on to the railing before him and drove all emotions from his face. He couldn’t tell how serious Mata was with this threat. This was just like playing a game of cards during his time as a gangster, except this time, he had much more at stake.

“If you surrender, Kuni, I will allow you to stay in Dasu and Rui, and all your men will be pardoned for their acts of disloyalty to me.”

He’s lying, Kuni thought. Mata hates betrayal more than anything else. He’ll never forgive me or any of my men. If I agree to surrender, all of us will die.

Kuni sat back and relaxed his legs into thakrido . He laughed. “Go ahead, Mata. Cook him. Cook our father.”

Mata Zyndu narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“You once called me ‘brother,’ so my father is also your father. If you want to cook our father today, I won’t stop you. Just make sure you save some for me. I’d like a taste too.”

“What manner of son are you?”

Kuni focused every ounce of attention to the muscles of his face and his tongue and throat. Perform! “Do you think that if I intend to replace you, I would be stopped by the loss of a single life? I invaded Rui when Jia was in your hands; I was prepared to leave my children behind in Zudi; do not underestimate me, for I am as dangerous and ruthless as you. I’ve seen plenty of men die. Now hurry up and kill him.”

Mata stared at Kuni with sorrow. He had staged this execution as a test, and this speech from Kuni had confirmed that he was right to distrust the man, for he was utterly cold, calculating, and without morals. How could Kuni even believe for a minute that I would kill and eat his father? He has such a low opinion of me only because he’s irredeemably corrupt himself. There were no lines the man wasn’t willing to cross; ambition had consumed him. To think that he had once called this man brother !

It’s impossible to see into men’s hearts. The last glimmer of hope in his mind died.

Kuni leaned forward, eagerly looking into Mata’s eyes. “Cook him! Cook him so I can focus on how to get you into the pot one day.”

Mata shook his head. He would demonstrate his moral superiority to Kuni today and shame him with his lack of filial piety — even if it was doubtful that Kuni had any sense of shame left. That had always been Kuni’s problem, utter lack of honor.

Mata ordered the fire extinguished and Féso Garu taken away. “Men ultimately sink to their true stations. You’re a heartless thug, Kuni, and the people of Dara will see through your facade.”

He sailed back toward Dimu, and behind him, Kuni waited until Mata was out of sight before collapsing to the deck. His clothes were soaked through with sweat, and he felt as though his heart had been pried from him.

Just because Kuni managed to bluff Mata, it didn’t mean that Mata’s trick wouldn’t work on others. Rin Coda immediately suggested that Kuni put Mata’s idea to work for himself.

“Several of the Tiro states have agreed to ally themselves with you,” said Rin. “It wouldn’t hurt to get a little bit of insurance. Also, having those princes and princesses here will give me more opportunities to gather intelligence.”

“Ah, Rin,” Kuni said, a bitter smile on his face. “Now I wonder if it was a good idea to make you spymaster. You’ve been hanging around with men comfortable with darker methods for too long.”

“Whether the path is well-lit or dark,” said Rin, “what matters is that we get there.”

Kuni sent out messengers to his allies, saying that he was concerned about the safety of their families. Perhaps, he suggested, it would be best for them to send their families to Dimushi, where the Dasu army could protect them. “With your families by my side, you can continue the fight against the hegemon without worrying about your loved ones.”

Reluctantly, the Tiro kings sent their hostages to Kuni.

THE THIRD MONTH OF THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE PRINCIPATE.

An informal armistice was now in place along the Liru. The people along the river tried to carry on their lives the best they could while living in a war zone that could heat up again at any minute. Merchants and fishing ships cautiously sailed up and down the river. Zones of control and safe passage for civilian vessels had to be negotiated. From time to time, Kuni and Mata sent each other envoys to work out these issues.