“I beg your forgiveness anyway, Father,” Tyrus said. “Given the circumstances, though, you will understand if I’m wary.”
A look passed from Tyrus to the emperor, one that said, however much he loved his father, he knew him, too, and he knew what came first in his life. The empire. As it should be.
“I do understand, son. You should be wary. But as you can see, I did not come with an army to drag you back. It’s just me and Lysias…” He motioned to the head of the guards, whom Moria now saw standing to the side. “We’ve come quietly and in disguise to find and speak to you.”
“And the third man?” Moria said.
Tyrus stiffened at the blunt question, his court manners returning, but then he nodded and stepped closer, brushing his hand against hers, telling her to go on. She glanced at Okami and his men, but not a single one gave any indication that they thought her interruption disrespectful.
Moria cleared her throat. “We were told there were three figures following us on horseback. Since it would seem that you only just arrived before us – given the dust on your boots – that suggests you were one of the three. You said you came with only Lysias, though, so who was the third?” A momentary pause before she added, “Your imperial highness,” and Lord Okami’s lips twitched in a smile.
Emperor Tatsu nodded. “Yes, that was us. As for the third party, I would suggest we go speak to him now.” When Tyrus tensed, he said, “No, I’m not leading you into the compound, Tyrus. I can see your gaze moving, however subtly, to that rear gate, judging the distance should you need to flee. This meeting will be held out there, in the forest, where he waits. If you’ll come with me, we’ll share what we both know on the ride.”
Tyrus and Moria looked at each other. Not a word passed between them, but she knew he was thinking the same thing she was. Did they truly have a choice? The emperor might have men waiting outside to ambush them, but they’d rather be out there, with a chance of escape, than trapped inside these walls.
“Only Lysias will escort you?” Tyrus asked.
His father nodded.
Dalain stepped forward. “I ought to come, too, your imperial highness. The, um, land here is treacherous and, uh, it would be wise to have an escort who can help you navigate it.”
Emperor Tatsu smiled, shook his head, and turned to Lord Okami. “Sometimes I think letting you marry my cousin was a very poor idea. She has managed to teach her family the need for pretty lies, but not the art for telling them.” He turned back to Dalain. “You wish to add your sword to Tyrus’s, should this meeting prove less friendly than it seems.”
Dalain’s eyes widened. “Of course not, your —”
“Your loyalty to my son is appreciated more than your loyalty to your emperor. You know Tyrus. You do not know me. Yes, you may come. Now, we’ll take our leave. The day grows short, and there is much to be done.”
FIFTY-FIVE
They rode from the compound. Five of them, plus Daigo, who stayed so close to Moria that he made her horse uneasy.
“Tell me what happened,” the emperor said as soon as the gate closed behind them. “Start with Fairview.”
Tyrus did. He explained what they’d found there, and the decisions they made after that. He let his father know that his choices had been supported by the counselors, without impressing the point so deeply he seemed defensive. He told him about the merchant by the roadside, whose story had seemed to support Tyrus’s decision. He told him about Jorojumo and the plan to attack the camp. He took full responsibility for any poor choices, and when Moria leaped in to defend him, he quieted her with a look.
“It’s all right,” Emperor Tatsu said to Moria. “I do trust that he made informed choices that my men supported. I will also be the first to admit that he should not have been placed in a position where he had to make them. It was a mission that a seasoned veteran would have struggled with.” He looked at Tyrus. “You did well.”
“I’d have done better if I’d won the battle.”
“There was no chance of that. You’d have done better if you’d realized Jorojumo planned to betray you, but that is a skill you were never taught, and it isn’t one that comes naturally to you. You have your mother’s good heart and trusting nature. I would not ever say that I’m glad of this experience, for teaching you mistrust, but I am glad that it was a lesson you learned with more speed than I would have expected.”
He paused at a fork in the path, then led them east before he continued, “When I left the imperial city three nights ago, I told Marshal Mujina that I wished to meet quietly with some of my warlords to discuss the impending war. The truth is that I was looking for you. Lord Okami was not the first I visited. I thought you might have taken refuge with one of my relations or even your mother’s people. I am pleased to see that you were more cautious than that. You made the best possible choice. The Okami clan are loyal to their own above the empire, much like a wolf with its pack.”
Dalain made a noise in his throat.
“I take no insult in your choice,” the emperor said, glancing at the young man. “Every clan has its way, and the trick to leading them is to know what those ways are and work within those boundaries.”
“And what clan is this person you’re taking us to meet, your highness?” Moria asked.
The emperor laughed. “You could be an Okami yourself, child. You struggle with the niceties as much as they do. Yes, I know you’re anxious to learn who it is, but it’s best to wait. This meeting was not my purpose in coming here. I left the city with only Lysias and met our third party just this morning, when our paths crossed by fortuitous happenstance. In coming after Tyrus, though, my purpose was to ensure he was safe and to tell him to stay that way.”