Somehow out of that hate-filled darkness into the open air. Fleeing, their panic run going on and on until, chests bursting, Katsumata lead them tortuously to his haven of last resort.

Iwakura's back door.

Immediately a council of war with the shishi there.

"I suggest we scatter for the time being,"

Katsumata had said. "We'll regroup and meet in the spring, third or fourth month. In the spring we will start a new offensive."

"Why wait?"' someone asked.

"Because we're betrayed, because there's a spy in our midst, or amongst our patrons. We are betrayed. We must conserve and scatter."

And so they had. "Sumomo, you'll go to Koiko..."

But before that her disorientation had been vast, unaccountable tears, rushing heart beat, too easily in panic. "It will pass, Sumomo," Katsumata had said.

Again he had been right. He had given her a draft that had made her sleep, and calmed her.

By the time she saw Koiko she was like before, almost but not quite. "When you feel the fear returning, just take a little sip of the medicine," he had said.

"In a week or two you will be perfect again. Always remember, sonno-joi needs you perfect..."

She came out of her reverie, sweating again, the fear coming on again. It was still night. Her fingers reached for her bundle beside her head that held the small bottle. But the bundle was not there. She had not brought it with her when she had changed rooms.

Never mind, she thought, I do not need it, I can do without it.

She repeated that several times, twisting in her bed, the quilts damp and clammy around her. Then she noticed the guard still watching her.

"Bad dreams, neh?" he whispered, his voice kind.

She nodded silently.

"I could give you good dreams." He moved his quilt aside, invitingly. She shook her head.

He shrugged and turned over and forgot her, considering her stupid to reject such pleasure. Not offended she turned her back too, just a little amused. Her hand moved to her obi knife in its sheath at her waist. Its touch gave her the peace she needed. A last Namu Amida Butsu.

She closed her eyes and slept without dreams.

Koiko was pleasantly awake. It was not quite dawn. Yoshi slept peacefully beside her. It was nice to lie there, drifting, knowing she would not have to endure another day's discomfort in a palanquin, being bumped from side to side, because of unseemly haste. And also because her night had been tranquil. Yoshi had slept solidly.

Occasionally a small snoring snuffle would tweak him but that did not disturb her. "Train your ears, Ladies," the retired courtesan would cackle toothlessly and endlessly to all maiko in the school, "your working life will be spent with old men. All men snore, but old men really snore, but old men really pay--the young ones take your flowers and snore anyway."

Of all the men she had slept with, Yoshi was the most serene while asleep. Awake he was the most difficult. To stay ahead of. To satisfy.

Not physically. Physically he was strong and practiced and as much as she was trained to be uninvolved within an embrace, he would guide her so she too, most evenings, would gain the sheen of pleasure.

Katsumata was more of a magician.

He caressed her imagination and thoughts, stimulating her beyond anything she could have imagined. He was delighted when she mastered a new skill--like training her ears to hear underspoken words: "That is where the golden knowledge is, the important parts, signs of danger, of safety, of what is within the secret heart within the secret heart.

Remember, all of us here, men and women, have three hearts, one for all the world to see, one for their family, and one for themselves alone. Certain men have six hearts. Yoshi is one of these. He is your goal, the one for whom you must be the foil."

She chuckled to herself, remembering how she had said that Lord Yoshi was completely beyond reach and Katsumata had smiled that smile of his and told her to be patient, "You have time enough. You are eighteen, there is not much more I can teach you. You must begin to expand yourself. Like every serious student, follow the most important law for all students: repay your teacher by making it your duty to surpass him! Be patient, Koiko, at the correct time your mama-san and I will ensure the Lord Yoshi becomes aware of you..."

And they had. Within the year. The first invitation to the castle six months and five days ago. Racing heart and fearful she would fail, but not really. She was prepared and had done her duty to her teacher.

But am I guide enough for Yoshi? I know he enjoys me and my company and my mind. Where should I guide him? Katsumata never said, just told me that that will become clear. "Sonno-joi sums it up. Bind Lord Yoshi to you. Help him change. Gradually you will help him move even more to our side. Never forget, he is not enemy, on the contrary, he is vital to us, he will head the new Bakufu of loyal samurai, as tairo --there will no longer be any need for a Shogun or Shogunate--with our new and permanent Council of Samurai helping him..."

I wonder what it will be like in the new era, if I will live to see it, she thought, lying there comfortably. Now, what about Sumomo?

It had been completely unnecessary to send her to another room--as if it mattered that she was next door, she would not be listening to their cries or thrashing about. That was not the reason. When Yoshi told Koiko quietly she would not be going on with him, she thought she had heard movements in the outer room, as though Sumomo had shifted closer and was actually trying to overhear what they were saying--an astonishing invasion of privacy, and bad manners.

Only a nasty busybody would do such a thing, she had thought. Or a spy. Ah! Is Katsumata dispassionately playing one of his intricate games within games, using me to wheedle a spy in to watch my Tora-chan and me? I will deal with her tomorrow, meanwhile she can sleep elsewhere.

When this had been arranged, telling Sumomo only that Lord Yoshi preferred to be alone, she came back and quickly searched Sumomo's bundle, not knowing why, for she was not certain the girl had actually tried to spy on them.

There was nothing unusual in there. A few clothes, a bottle of some kind of medicine, nothing else. The neatly folded day kimono was ordinary and merited only a cursory glance.

Relieved, she had retied the bundle. As to the bottle... surely it could not be some kind of poison?

Before rejoining Yoshi she had resolved to make sure that it wasn't. Sumomo would take some.

Never wrong to provide against a potential danger. Yoshi had said, "That's what killed Utani. He did not post proper sentries."

So sorry, what killed Utani was the news of the tryst whispered to my maid from the samurai barracks that I allowed her to pass on, to Meikin who told Hiraga. I wonder how Hiraga is? As a client, the two times he was a client when I was sixteen, he was no better or worse than the faceless others, but as a shishi, the best. Curious...

Yoshi snuffled in his sleep but did not awaken. Her hand touched him lightly, encompassed by his warmth. Sleep, my dear one, you please me more than I dare tell myself, she thought, then continued thinking about the past.

Curious that I remember only two faces amongst all the others: just Katsumata and Hiraga. Curious that I was groomed to be Lord Toranaga Yoshi's Lady--for a time. How fortunate I am. A year, perhaps two, no more than three and then I will marry. Tora-chan will choose him for me. Whoever he is he will be samurai. Eeee, how many sons shall I have? The old woman soothsayer said three sons and two daughters, the Chinese monk two sons and two daughters.

She smiled to herself. Oh I shall be so wise ruling my husband's household and so good to my sons and so strict with my daughters but, never mind, they will marry well.