Lian Hearn - Heaven's Net Is Wide

Shigeru forced himself to smile in return. “These are my only interests, so I will not be deprived of my brother’s company. Thank you, Uncle, for your wisdom and kindness.”

HIS MOTHER QUESTIONED him closely about the meeting when he returned to the house; he told her about Terada and the suggestion of marriage but kept his uncles’ discussion of Takeshi from her. However, later that night, exhausted as he was, he confided in Ichiro all that had been said, and the old man made a record of it, placing the scroll inside one of the many chests that filled the room.

“You seem like a different man when you enter this room,” he remarked, glancing at Shigeru.

“What do you mean?”

“Lord Shigeru, I’ve known you since you were a child, have watched you grow up. I know which is your real self and which is a role you assume.”

“My brother is now hostage to my role-playing,” Shigeru said with a deep sigh.

“I’m glad to see you have profited so from my instruction,” Ichiro said obliquely. “Especially in the art of patience.”

ICHIRO SAID NOTHING more on the subject, but it was a comfort to Shigeru in the coming months to know that his teacher, at least, understood his secret motives and sympathized with them.

In the sixth month, news came from Inuyama of the birth of a son to Iida Sadamu. Official celebrations were held in Hagi and lavish gifts sent to Inuyama, and Shigeru rejoiced privately, for if Iida’s wife had given him an heir, he had no reason to divorce her and look elsewhere.

The plum rains came, followed by the days of high summer. He was fully occupied with overseeing the harvest, rose early, and retired late. When he had time, he gathered more ghost stories-and people, learning of this interest, went out of their way to bring him new material or to suggest haunted places for him to visit. In the autumn, after the typhoons had abated, he took a few days to travel north from Hagi along the coast, stopping at each village and temple, and hearing the local legends and folktales. The journey was partly to maintain his new character, partly to test how much he might travel freely without being recognized or followed, but mostly to alleviate his restlessness as the months since his last meeting with Naomi stretched away with no word from her or any way of contacting her. He returned the night before the full moon of the ninth month with several fine new tales, reasonably sure that he had not been trailed, and was writing them down when Chiyo came to the door and said, “That friend of Lord Shigeru’s, the strange one, is at the gate. Do you want to see him tonight, or will we tell him to come back tomorrow?”

“Muto Kenji?” Shigeru said, delighted, for it was over a year since Kenji’s last visit. “Bring him in at once, and bring wine and prepare something to eat with it.”

“Will you move to the upper room?” Chiyo inquired.

“No. Let him come in here. I will show him my compilation.”

Chiyo looked pleased, for she had already supplied him with many grim and weird stories.

“He can probably tell you a few stories of his own,” she said as she left the room. “If he’s not an apparition himself.”

After they had exchanged greetings, Kenji cast an eye over the collections of scrolls and asked, “What are you so engrossed in?”

“It is my compilation of supernatural tales, haunted places, and so on,” Shigeru replied. “Chiyo thinks you might be able to add to it.”

“I can tell you some chilling things, but they are not tales-though they involve ghosts and their masters.” Kenji laughed. “They are all too true.”

“Histories of the Tribe?” Shigeru inquired. “They would make an interesting addition.”

“They certainly would!” Kenji was studying him closely. “Have you been away?”

“Just along the coast. I enjoy traveling-and now I have this new hobby…”

“Yes, a perfect excuse!”

“You are too suspicious, my dear friend,” Shigeru said, smiling.

“I like traveling, too. We should go together sometime.”

“Gladly,” Shigeru said and dared to add, “There’s a great deal I would like to learn from you.”

“I’ll pass on to you all I can that helps you,” Kenji replied and went on more seriously, “I can tell you something of the Tribe too. I know we interest you. But to reveal all our secrets is impossible: I’m one of the two most important figures in the Tribe, but it would still cost me my life!”

Shigeru longed to question Kenji about his father’s lover, the Kikuta woman, and her child-what had become of him, had he had children, was he still alive-but he remembered she had warned his father never to speak of it; the Tribe had not known of the affair. Perhaps it was better that they never did. He put the matter aside for the time being.

“Do you have any news for me?”

“You’ve heard about Iida’s son, no doubt?”

Shigeru nodded. “Has it changed Iida?”

“It’s calmed him down, temporarily. But now that he has an heir it will spur him on to consolidate the Tohan lands and his new territories. My niece often asks after you, by the way.”

Chiyo returned with flasks of wine and cups and trays of food. Shigeru poured wine. Kenji drained his cup in one gulp. “Arai, it seems, still harbors some hopes of alliance against Iida.”

“I have given up all such ideas,” Shigeru said blandly, drinking more slowly. “Shizuka betrayed both Arai and me,” he went on. “I am surprised he lets her live!”

“Arai is less astute than you. I do not believe he ever suspected her. If he did, he must have forgiven her, for they have another son,” Kenji remarked.

“They are lucky.”

“Well, children are always welcome,” Kenji said. “Zenko was born the year of the battle. He is now two years old. The younger one is called Taku. But Arai is to be married next year, and that may make Shizuka’s position more precarious.”

“Presumably you will look after her,” Shigeru said.

“Naturally. And more than any woman I know, Shizuka can take care of herself.”

“But her sons must make her vulnerable,” Shigeru said. “Who will Arai’s bride be?”

“Someone selected by the Tohan. No one of any importance. Arai is still in disgrace.”

“Am I?” Shigeru said.

“Iida thinks you have been made harmless. He is not afraid of you, at the moment.” Kenji paused as though wondering if he should say what he said next. “Your life was in some danger last year, but that danger is not so great now. If Iida feels anything for you, it is contempt. He often expresses it. He even refers to you as the Farmer!”

Shigeru smiled inwardly.

“Of course, the clever hawk hides its talons,” Kenji remarked.

“No, my talons are drawn, my wings clipped.” Shigeru laughed. “And I believe Sadamu has given up hawking.” He reminded himself of the day he saw the now all-powerful lord of the Tohan naked. He was relieved and encouraged that his new role was accepted even as far away as the East. Moreover, he felt that if any rumors of his meetings with Naomi had reached Kenji, the Tribe Master would have let him know. Kenji seemed to take pleasure in telling him things he knew about him. If he said nothing, it meant he probably knew nothing. The young man, Bunta, had not given them away. He was not from the Tribe. He smiled again at his own suspicions and refilled the wine cups.

Kenji stayed for a few days, and the two men grew closer. The events from their past, a common delight in the good things of life, and a certain mutual attraction deepened their friendship. In fact, Kenji was becoming the closest friend Shigeru had ever had, apart from Kiyoshige. Like Kiyoshige, the Fox was excessively fond of women and often urged Shigeru to accompany him to the pleasure houses of Hagi, particularly the famous House of the Camellias, where Haruna still held sway. Shigeru always refused.