White Serpent Castle (4 page)

“Lady Tama has nothing to do with hiring new retainers!” said Jihei angrily. “Get out and go about your lady's service!”

A man put his head in the door. “Jihei, the chamberlain wants you immediately.”

“Meddlesome old fool,” muttered Jihei, throwing a furious look at the old woman as he left.

Ume went to the door and peered cautiously up and down the corridor. When Jihei's footsteps died away, she turned back and closed the door.

From the window of the room Matsuzo could see down into the innermost courtyard. In this enclosure were the buildings that accommodated the castle's commander, his family, and other persons of high rank. Unlike the more austere quarters of the warriors, these buildings were luxurious and opened into beautifully landscaped gardens. The courtyard presented a peaceful scene, with the security that came from the protection of two encircling fortresses and moats.

Matsuzo turned from the window and prowled about the room, peeking into the cupboards and testing the thickness of the folded quilts inside them. These quilts would be unfolded and spread out later to become their beds. He was glad to see that the quilts were padded with silk floss. They would be very light and warm, unlike the stiffer cotton padded quilts that he had been sleeping on recently.

He finally loosed his clothing, pulled out a big cushion and sat down with a satisfied grunt. It had been a strenuous afternoon.

He saw that Zenta and Ume were silently studying each other. Ume looked slightly disappointed, and Matsuzo knew that she had the usual reaction of people seeing Zenta for the first time. Most of them, hearing about his exploits, expected a ferocious giant, not this harmless looking young samurai whose build was slender rather than muscular.

Finally the old woman broke the silence. “My lady wished to make sure that you have everything you desire.”

“That is most gracious of Lady Tama,” said Zenta politely.

Ume's small bright eyes stared hard at the ronin. Then she broke out into an ingratiating smile. “Serving Lady Tama can be very pleasant as well as profitable. She has many attendants who are beautiful and accomplished.”

Zenta looked amused. “What an irresistible prospect! But at the moment, all you have to do is offer me food. I don't remember when my last meal was.”

“I have already ordered food to be brought to you,” said Ume impatiently. “What my lady wants to know is whether you will enter
her
service, instead of the chamberlain's.”

Zenta's face showed surprise. “In what way can a ronin like me serve your lady? As Jihei said just now, it is not Lady Tama's business to hire samurai for the castle.”

“Have you sworn allegiance to the chamberlain then?” demanded the old woman.

“I believe I will put off my allegiance until the envoy gives his decision on the succession.” “My lady says that the envoy's decision depends largely on who is in actual command here,” said Ume. “Our daimyo wants most of all a warrior as commander of this castle, and he is likely to accept anyone who is strong enough to seize control here, provided he has a legitimate claim.”

This time Zenta's surprise looked more genuine. “Your mistress has the mind of a strategist! It's a pity that the daimyo can't appoint a woman, because Lady Tama appears well qualified to succeed her father.”

Ignoring this remark, Ume continued. “With the help of your sword, we should be able to take the control away from the chamberlain and win the support of his men.”

Matsuzo listened openmouthed with astonishment. Lady Tama sounded like a formidable girl. If the chamberlain succeeded in forcing her into marriage, he would find life quite harrowing, aside from any additional attentions he might receive from the White Serpent Ghost.

Even Zenta sat up upon hearing the old woman's words. “I have a few objections to your ambitious plan,” he said. “First, Jihei seems like a very competent officer, and I don't think his men will come running to me just because of my showy footwork in the courtyard. Secondly, you have not mentioned Lord Okudaira's younger son. I have heard that he is the designated heir.”

“Designated heir indeed!” sneered Ume. “Lord Yoshiteru is only nine years old. He is hardly the seasoned warrior that the envoy wants for his master.”

“Yoshiteru will have military advisors, and his mother can guide him in other matters,” said Zenta. “Situations like this are not unknown in the history of our country.”

“His mother, Lady Kaede, is Lord Okudaira's second wife, and a noblewoman from Miyako,” said Ume. “Women like that are soft, not like Lady Tama, who has been brought up in the military tradition. No, what we need is an heir who is of age.”

After a rather tense silence, Matsuzo spoke first. “You are referring to the older son, Shigeteru, aren't you? Lady Tama wants to see him as lord of this castle?”

Before Ume could answer, Zenta said, “You may be one of the few people here who has seen Shigeteru. The chamberlain sent away most of the older retainers, but you have been here from the time of Lord Okudaira's first wife, haven't you?”

Ume nodded. “Yes, but since my service was in the women's quarters, I caught only a few glimpses of Lord Shigeteru. Poor lad, he had not quite finished growing when he left, and the hair over his forehead was still cut short in the style of early youth. Of course I won't recognize him if I see him now.”

In spite of her denial, she sounded curiously smug and satisfied. Suddenly Matsuzo was convinced that she was lying and that she was confident she would recognize Shigeteru. Her air of suppressed excitement might mean that Shigeteru was actually here in the castle and she had already seen him!

If Zenta suspected the same, he gave no sign. “Are you expecting me to start an uprising on Shigeteru's behalf? If so, I shall have to disappoint you. Your plan sounds foolhardy and I want nothing to do with it.”

In Ume's wrinkled face her small eyes flashed menacingly, but all she said was, “Of course you have only just arrived, sir, and don't wish to commit yourself yet. We shall see.” She moved to the door. “I'll have food sent and order some maids to prepare a bath for you.”

Zenta called her back. “Just a moment. There is something else I want to ask you. We heard that you have seen the White Serpent Ghost. Can you describe it for me?”

The old woman looked wary. “It's not easy to describe something not of this earth. All I can say is that I saw a long white thing, faintly shimmering as it crawled along. I also heard strange flute music in the background during the appearance of the ghost.”

She gave a shudder which struck Matsuzo as false. He exchanged a smile with Zenta, and at that the old woman stiffened. “I was not the only person to see the ghost!” she said angrily. “Since that first night many other people have both seen the ghost and heard the music!”

“Jihei said it was probably a woman's sash that you saw,” said Matsuzo.

“I know what a woman's sash looks like! That monstrous thing which I saw was thick and fleshy! Of course, a henchman of the chamberlain would talk like that.”

“Why a henchman of the chamberlain particularly?” asked Zenta.

Ume smiled grimly. “Because the ghost is a warning of what would happen to the chamberlain if he tried to marry Lady Tama.”

“This is what some of the villagers said, but nobody would give me a good explanation,” complained Matsuzo. “What exactly is the story of the White Serpent Ghost?”

“Ah, you've asked the right person,” said Ume. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat for launching into the story.

“A hundred and twenty years ago, the lord of this region had an only child, a daughter who was surpassingly fair. Her skin was white and sparkled like new snow. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also a most talented musician. The lord could not find a husband who was worthy of his daughter's hand.”

Ume rolled off the narrative smoothly, as if she had told it many times. Matsuzo suspected that it was Lady Tama's favorite bedtime story. “It happened that the lord died suddenly after a short illness. A dispute followed about who should be his successor. One of the strongest contestants was a cousin who was only a distant relative. But he was a powerful man with many supporters, and he decided to strengthen his position further by marrying the daughter. However, she was still beside herself with grief for her father, and she hated this cruel, ugly suitor. Nevertheless, preparations for the marriage went on despite her protests. “Then on the night before the wedding, she sent away her attendants and shut herself in her room. As time passed, the attendants began to worry, and they decided to look in. They found the room empty. Her clothes were in a heap on the floor, but the girl had disappeared. It was thought at first that the desperate girl had thrown herself into the moat, but several witnesses saw something very long and white crawl away from the moat into the trees. They claimed that it looked like a huge white snake.”

Matsuzo shifted his position uneasily. He knew it was only a story, but told in Ume's low, hoarse voice, it made uncomfortable hearing.

“The ghost was seen in the castle soon afterwards,” Ume went on. “It was always a long, white slithering shape accompanied by eerie flute music. People remembered that the daughter had been an accomplished player of the horizontal flute. As for the cruel suitor, his fate was a terrible one. He began to feel icy things crawling across his neck at night, and he was dead within a month. Some say he died of fright, some say he was strangled.”

Matsuzo's hand involuntarily went to his throat and he swallowed. He glanced at Zenta and saw that he was listening to the story with a faint smile.

“Since that time,” continued the old woman, “the ghost has appeared several times in this region. In each case, it was at a time when a girl was forced into marriage soon after the death of her father. You can see an obvious parallel between the old legend and Lady Tama's situation. That's why the appearance of the ghost now is enough to frighten the chamberlain.”

“And it is clear why the appearance of the ghost must be very welcome to Lady Tama,” remarked Zenta.

“Are there many ladies here who play the bamboo flute?” asked Matsuzo with a grin, anxious to prove that the ghost story had not frightened him in the least. “Lady Tama is probably an expert player at this instrument.” Ume looked furious. “So! You dare to accuse us of arranging a fake ghost! Just wait, you skeptics. There are horrible stories about people who refuse to believe in ghosts!”

Zenta laughed. “When I feel icy things on my neck, my last doubt will vanish!”

The old woman's face suddenly became blank. She bowed without a word, and sliding open the door she quietly left the room.

Chapter 5

 

 

Zenta could see that his companion had a question on the tip of his tongue. As soon as the door closed behind the old woman, Matsuzo asked, “Do you think that Shigeteru will try to get in touch with Ume?”

“Why does everyone assume that Shigeteru and his men are coming?” said Zenta.

“Well, the chamberlain and Jihei seemed to expect his coming,” said Matsuzo. “Perhaps they have some definite news.”

“Shigeteru would be a stupid fool to come here and attempt to take over the castle by force,” said Zenta. “He would be an even greater fool to reveal his identity to that gossipy old woman.”

“He might not have any choice about revealing his identity,” Matsuzo pointed out. “I think she would recognize him.”

“I doubt it,” said Zenta. “You heard what Ume said: Shigeteru was only a boy when he left. Ten years, at his stage of growth, can change his looks completely.”

“I still think Ume knows something,” insisted Matsuzo.

Zenta didn't bother to answer. Ume was stupid and thought herself cunning, a disastrous combination in a conspirator. He wanted no part of her dangerous plots. Taking out his two swords, he sat down on a straw cushion and began a minute examination of the blades. Then from a little pouch attached to his sash he took out a small jar of oil and some rags. With these he polished his swords, his hands caressing the beautiful grain of the blades.

It had been said that a samurai's sword was his soul. For Zenta, his swords were also his only constant companions in his lonely, wandering life. They had been given to him by a grateful warlord. For a while his future at the court of this warlord had looked bright, but he had left that job, just as he had left so many other promising jobs.

Zenta glanced at Matsuzo and wondered how long the young ronin would be able to stand their life of restlessness and near starvation. Even worse was the occasional humiliation, such as when they had to ask for lodgings at farm houses because there was no money for an inn.

“Would you like to stay at this castle permanently?” Zenta asked his companion.

Matsuzo looked wistful. “This is a strong castle, from what I've seen of it so far. Are you planning to stay on after the succession dispute is settled?”

For an instant Zenta was gripped by a longing so intense that it was suffocating. Then their door slid open.

A pretty maid with roguish eyes poked her head in and said, “Your bath is ready, gentlemen.”

“Ah, at last!” said Matsuzo. “I was afraid that we had been forgotten.”

The two men followed the maid down some stairs. More than once she glanced back coyly at them, and her expression said plainly that she was one of the advantages they could expect if they entered Lady Tama's service.

They stepped out of a door and into a quiet courtyard. The stars were already out and the air was cold.

“This way, please,” directed the little maid. The bathhouse was a small wooden building consisting of a dressing room and a washing room. The floor of the washing room was of widely spaced slats, so that water could run off when the bather squatted on it to scrub and rinse. The tall square tub for soaking was made of fragrant cypress. It was brimming with hot water which gave off clouds of steam,