Chapter 7
"Are you INSANE?" demanded Blackthorne when Akiko outlined the plan. "You are altogether too young in any case; it's ridiculous! And to Buntaro of all people?"
"Is not Buntaro-sama the best choice of all? To heal the rift between our houses and restore harmony, honoured father?" asked Akiko.
"You do not know how he used his wife!" cried Blackthorne.
"That she drove him to the point of insanity by pretending to find you attractive and so he beat her? That he had lost his temper after drinking too much in your house and disturbed your peace with that? Yes I know of that" said Akiko. "I cannot see why he is so attached to her memory; she sounds disagreeable to me."
"You know NOTHING!" said Blackthorne "We loved each other she and I; she was the most perfect woman I have ever known. And he was always so harsh to her; sent her away for eight years to the north in the cold because her father was a traitor."
"And she blamed him for saving her life?" said Akiko "Honoured father, you know full well that she might have had to die too if he had not sent her far enough away that she might be forgotten! I have learned about Akechi Jinsai and his treachery to Goroda; you have said often enough that the only time treachery may be forgiven is when you win. Honoured father! Surely she did not betray Buntaro-sama with you?" she lifted her shocked hazel eyes; and read truth in his blue ones. She gasped. "Then my wishes no longer are of any importance" she said.
"Ah, you understand?" Blackthorne said eagerly.
Akiko nodded.
"Yes; were it not my wish you would have no choice but to offer your daughter to Buntaro-sama to redeem your shame in some measure. You took his wife; he should have your life. The offer of your daughter however is a measure of redeeming the shame on our house and name" she said.
Blackthorne stared.
"In God's name, Aki-chan, you will not tell him?" he fell back on the old oath in his horror of what might happen if Buntaro knew for certain.
"Iye, chichi-san" said Akiko "I will not betray her shame and yours; because he thinks too well of her and it would shame him also. And it is also necessary that there is no war between hatamoto. It is done; karma, neh? But there is an inequality to address. Here is the opportunity to redress that and" she peeped up and grinned at him in the unJapanese way that was a habit when they were alone "Have my own way also. Will I be cunning enough to be an adviser to Lord Toranaga some day?"
"More than likely" said Blackthorne "But I cannot understand why it is your wish!"
"You are not supposed to ask questions about lifetime favours honoured father" said Akiko "But I will try to explain; because I should like you to understand" she added wistfully.
"I want to understand" said Blackthorne.
"It is that he feels – and so do I – that it would be a waste of my talent and training not to continue to train with him; but that soon I will be old enough to be sought as a bride for alliance" said Akiko carefully "And it would be a marriage in name to ensure that I continue my studies. Though I am not sure that I ought not to be a full wife under the circumstances" she added "I expect that will depend on whether Buntaro-sensei will wish that or not when I am full grown. I should have to be married to someone in any case; and at least his mother is not alive" she added "I will not have to bow to some old crone of a mother-in-law."
Blackthorne gave a shout of laughter.
"Well that is a practical consideration" he said, recalling his own wife's discomfort when she was married to Omi, bullied by her mother-in-law.
"All the reasons I have are practical ones, if you please, honoured father" said Akiko. "I would like to continue to be an archer and to have my sensei who talks to me as though I were a boy and who honours me with his thoughts. There is affection between Buntaro-sensei and me. Is that not better than being an alliance bride to someone I have never met who is suitable? Though you said I should not marry against my wishes, what if it is the wish of Lord Toranaga? If you are ready to tell him that marriage between our houses will be a way to total peace between you and Buntaro-sensei, then if he knows about you and Toda Mariko he will understand that you do what is right. And if he does not know then he will see that you go out of your way to please him and make a bridge to Toda Buntaro."
"That was convoluted enough to be something Toranaga himself came up with" said Blackthorne. "I really cannot see how it can be your wish….. but I know how you enjoy your skill with the bow… very well. But if he makes you miserable or beats you, I will kill him. Whatever Lord Toranaga wishes."
"Please excuse me, but that is not a Japanese way to act" said Akiko "Our overlord's wishes must always be paramount. If you have an enemy that you are forbidden to kill, better to find a way to get another to kill him, neh? Though I do not want you to kill my sensei, please."
Blackthorne laughed again and sighed.
"As you grow there are ways in which you might be Mariko" he said sadly "Your cleverness and the way you know how to get your own way; and the way you make me do what you want even when being submissive. I – I fear that he will want you with as much violence as he wanted Mariko; and you are too young to understand what I fear. Promise me that if he ill treats you, you will tell me, Aki-chan?"
"That is an easy promise to make, honoured father" said Akiko "Because he will not."
"I hope not" said Blackthorne "I hope not indeed… I have reservations about this; I do not wish to grant this request even now. I would rather you married Kenichi when you would be closer to me also."
"But I can make Kenichi do what I want him to, father; he is a silly little boy" said Akiko "And because he is in the habit of it, he would ALWAYS do what I wanted."
"Well that is good isn't it?" said Blackthorne "He would let you continue in your studies."
"Probably; and he would also sulk because I would be proficient in something that he is not" said Akiko "Kenichi-kun is inclined to the sulks. I think it a flaw in the character. A hot rage that passes is preferable. Moreover I would despise him for letting me rule him. It would be uncomfortable to be married to a man one despises. I argue much with Buntaro-sensei and I do not always win; which is more entertaining."
"Your idea of entertaining is not mine" growled Blackthorne.
oOoOo
"And you feel that it is purely for my convenience that you should marry the girl?" said Toranaga in some disbelief. "Are you sure that it is not that you wish to push the Anjin-san to a point where he will challenge you?"
"No my lord!" said Buntaro "It is not the only reason. And I do not believe that I represented it as such!"
"You think she should continue to train in what is not, when all is said and done, a womanly art?" said Toranaga.
Buntaro flushed.
"Sire there have been martial women of great fame who have defended their homes; and we must not forget the legendary Empress Jingo who led her army to battle" he said "Not that I think that you will have need of Anjin Akiko leading armies! But she has an exceptional skill. And I am sufficiently fond of her to care that she does not have to give it up. She is – she promises to be a remarkable woman. I – I have wondered if she might not be Mariko reborn, to give me a second chance of being a better husband"
He had not meant to confide that thought; but the Shogun shot him a shrewd look.
"I see" he said. "If she is indeed Mariko reborn then I would hope that you would accept that I might find use for her?"
"Please excuse me, My Lord, but I should expect that you might" said Buntaro. "I cannot think that she is in any way identical to Mariko; Mariko after all never studied archery. But there are moments….."
"Hmmmm" said Toranaga. "The Anjin-san is a loyal vassal; and a useful one. I will not antagonise him or force him to choose between his Japanese loyalty and any strange barbarian urges he still may have. If he refuses out of hand, because of what lies between you and your jealous rages I will not order the marriage. He is mostly Japanese; but not fully, neh? He is not Japanese enough to take a test such as I enacted on Sudara. That is karma. And if you marry his daughter you must understand and accept that also" he added sternly.
Buntaro bowed. He knew that Toranaga had ordered his own son Sudara to kill his own children as a proof of loyalty; having secretly brought them to his own quarters to prevent that from happening. The Anjin was not capable of that level of loyalty to anyone; his own life he would lay down in an instant but he would not sacrifice those for whom he cared – or felt responsible for. Buntaro had an uneasy feeling that Toranaga gently chided him too; in that he, Buntaro, could not, would not permit the death of beautiful young Mariko; that he had been guilty of barbarian-like passions and near disloyalty.
"I understand" he said. "And it is nothing to do with the antipathy between the Anjin-san and myself; indeed, that is a bar to what seemed a good solution. Hence I came to ask you for your support, lord."
"I will consider it" said Toranaga. "I will at least tell any others who approach me that negotiations are already underway. It is no more than that; negotiation."
"Thank you, My Lord" said Buntaro, relieved. It had gone better than he had feared it might; for Toranaga might have said 'absolutely not'. And that would have been an end to his chance to protect Takubobu.
Now he might be easy for a while at least.
oOoOo
Blackthorne travelled regularly to Edo; and Toranaga required private speech with him the next time he was there.
"Anjin-san" he said "You have worked hard to make peace with Buntaro-san. I am aware of the grievance between you; and to keep the peace I have in the past lied to him about what I am certain took place between you and Toda Mariko."
Blackthorne bowed his head.
"You are very good" he said.
"No. I am very desirous that my most useful tools do not blunt each other" said Toranaga. "And besides I like you, Anjin-san; you of all men who are my vassals I have been able to speak with quite freely; because you are not wholly Japanese. But for that reason too I wish to speak to you privately not order your daughter married as I might with any other vassal. I indulge you in this."
"Thank you Toranaga-sama" said Blackthorne. "I would wish to hear who you had in mind as I had my own thoughts on my daughters marriage."
"Indeed? Let me hear your thoughts first, friend Anjin" said Toranaga.
Blackthorne swallowed.
"It would be meet" he said carefully "And would end any rifts if she were to marry Buntaro-san."
Toranaga was not often taken totally by surprise.
"Indeed!" he said taking refuge in what could be a meaningless word as he collected himself. "That would indeed appear to be an admirable solution…. Assuming that Buntaro-san is willing that would certainly be excellent all round. Yes indeed" he nodded as though the idea had only just occurred. "I am surprised but pleased that it occurred to you, Anjin-san."
Blackthorne reddened slightly.
"The suggestion was my daughter's initially" he said "As a means to continue her archery. But it would too wipe out much that is between us…. If he is ready to be a good husband."
"THAT lies between husband and wife" chided Toranaga. "Your daughter's idea, hmmm? It appears that she is quite able already at getting her own way…..warn her never to try to manipulate me" he added; and there was steel in his tone. Ah, he must have the Anjin's daughter more at his court; she sounded a very kestrel to fly with delicacy and precision, small, overlooked but deadly when stooped to the right prey.
"I am sure she would not attempt to manipulate you sire!" said Blackthorne, hoping that she would not. "Might I ask on whom you had considered bestowing her?"
"Hmmm? Oh it is not important; your solution is far more suitable than any other" said Toranaga. "Very well; It shall be considered to be an understanding then."
