Doctor Who_ The Room With No Doors - Kate Orman [3]
The old lord sat on a stool on his daiza, magnificent in his armour, his helmet by his side. His hair was white and his dark eyes were sharp as arrows.
The three bushi knelt before the raised wooden dais.
Aoi tried to keep his eyes on the floor in front of them, instead of letting them wander around the great, empty room – to the daimyo’s personal guard of three ferocious-looking warriors, to the suit of decorated armour in the corner, to the great wooden butterfly carved into the wall above the daiza. A page sat beside the warlord, holding his sword. He wasn’t much older than Aoi.
The daimyo had returned from a skirmish this morning, and would be riding out again soon. His advisers sat nearby on stools, also in their armour.
‘I have a mission for you,’ said Gufuu. ‘A kami has fallen out of the sky in Han district, near the village of Hekison.’
A spirit? A god? The daimyo went on, ‘That territory is disputed. At this time, anything could bring us a tactical advantage. Your task is to find the kami and bring it back here before any of my rivals learns of this matter.’
‘ Hei! ’ said his father and Kiiro together. Aoi was a moment late in joining their reply.
Aoi felt his father’s attention, even though Father had not turned his head.
The warlord nodded, and his father moved forward a little. ‘My lord,’ he said.
‘My son Aoi turned sixteen yesterday. I would like to ask permission for him to accompany us on this mission.’
The daimyo looked down on Aoi, who had the sudden impression that the old man was sitting on a mountaintop, somewhere high above. Aoi bowed.
‘Very well,’ said the warlord. ‘Now, the border is in turmoil at the moment: beware of enemy troops and spies, brigands, and even armed peasants.’
‘How goes the war, my lord?’ asked Father.
‘The outcome hangs in the balance,’ said Gufuu, honestly. ‘I do not exaggerate when I say anything could affect it, anything could give us the advantage we need. Do not underestimate the possible importance of this mission.’ Aoi’s father bowed.
8
One of the daimyo’s advisers said, ‘Any battle may be the one that eventually determines who will rule the country. No matter how many warlords vie for power now, in the end one lord must unite the whole land.’
Gufuu said, ‘There is more. I have received word that two men have been sent from Doa-no-naiheya Monastery to investigate the kami.’
‘Monks?’ said Aoi’s father.
‘Not according to the report,’ said the daimyo. ‘Two foreign travellers.’
Father and Kiiro looked at one another. Aoi felt his excitement increase.
First sky spirits, and now foreigners! This was like a story!
‘Your best course of action,’ said the daimyo, ‘may be to intercept these foreigners and find out what they know about the kami.’
Father bowed. ‘What do you want us to do with them once we have found and interrogated them?’
‘Whatever they know,’ said the daimyo, ‘kill them.’
Afterwards, when they were arranging their saddlebags for the journey, Father clapped his hand on his son’s shoulder. Aoi smiled at his father. ‘The daimyo thinks you are a fine young man,’ Father said. And I believe that eventually you will surpass me as a bushi.’
Aoi bowed to his father. Kiiro laughed, shortly. ‘And Kiiro also,’ said Father, and the pair of them roared with laughter.
They set out that afternoon. The air was crisp and clear, like winter air, though the only snow left was high on the mountains. They had fresh horses, and Father rode hard. Aoi’s sashimono fluttered madly behind him, snapping like a flag in the wind.
They didn’t slow down until they came to the banks of a stream. Aoi could see a small village over the water, a little distance away. His father consulted with Kiiro for a few moments.
‘This village is between Doa-no-naiheya Monastery and Hekison, where the kami fell,’ Father said. ‘It’s likely the foreigners stopped here. We’ll soon find out.’
They forded the shallow stream. The villagers had spotted them; women were snatching up children and bundling