Prostrating themselves, the maid and Kamakura handed over the letter then withdrew. Mishiko gripped Toshiro's arm tightly as she watched Yoritomo read its contents then crumple it angrily between his hands.

And although he said nothing, his unspoken thoughts blazed an angry path through her brain.

You b.i.t.c.h! You treacherous b.i.t.c.h! I did not free you from that pig of a husband to marry someone else! You belong to me! Vile, faithless s.l.u.t! How could you allow the Herald to come between us?!

Mishiko pulled the Herald round to face her. 'Oh, my beloved! It was I who killed you! If I had not sent that letter you would still be alive!" 'No! Do not blame yourself! He had an even baser reason for ordering my death!" The Herald flung out his arm. 'See for yourself how they both conspired to betray me!" Mishiko followed his accusing finger with her eyes and found herself back in Ieyasu's study. The Chamberlain and her brother sat facing each other across a low table.

Shikobu placed a sheaf of doc.u.ments on the table then bowed his way backwards out of the room.

Ieyasu perused the doc.u.ments, nodding with satisfaction as he did so.

'I congratulate you, sire. Your plan to destroy the Heron Pool has succeeded better than we could have hoped. Lord Yama-s.h.i.ta is dead, those around him have paid with their lives, leaving his family in disarray, Lord Min-Orota has returned to the fold and we have brought the allegiance of the Ko-Nikka and Se-Iko at the Yama-s.h.i.ta's expense!"

He glanced through some more reports. 'And the blame for all this has fallen on the treacherous long-dogs and gra.s.s-monkeys that Lord Yama-s.h.i.ta was unwise enough to employ!" 'Have they left the country?"

asked Yoritomo.

'Yes, sire. Their safe pa.s.sage has been arranged. It was one of the guarantees I had to give our friends in the Federation in exchange for their a.s.sistance."

'So... with their departure, the trail runs dead. Our enemies cannot link me to the destruction of the Heron Pool and the deaths of those who had the misfortune to find themselves trapped there."

'Not through the long-dogs, sire,' said Ieyasu. 'But there remains one person who conveyed your orders to them - and who arranged the death of the Consul-General."

Yoritomo drew back. 'The Herald Hase-Gawa? You cannot mean to suggest... No! That would be monstrous!

I may have guided his hand but he was the true architect of our success. A loyal servant who obeyed my instructions to the letter."

'But one who also acted upon a few initiatives of his own .... '

Yoritomo frowned. 'Would you care to amplify that remark?"

'Do you intend to allow the Lady Mishiko to marry the Herald - as she has requested?"

Yoritomo appeared to stonewall. 'How do you know she has made such a request?"

Ieyasu met this with another thin smile. 'There is little that escapes my attention, sire - especially when itconcerns someone so... close to the throne."

The Shogun bridled at this veiled reference to his incestuous relationship with his younger sister. 'In my opinion, it is far too soon for her to think of marrying someone else,' he snapped.

'I agree, sire- but I doubt if she will. And I believe your refusal to countenance such a match will come as a deep disappointment to the Herald Hase-Gawa. Especially in view of the valuable services he has just rendered. In my experience, the disappointment that arises from the failure to receive what is viewed as a just and proper reward often leads to disaffection.

'Could such a man be trusted? A man privy to secrets which must never be spoken of beyond these four walls?

A man crossed in love, who felt himself betrayed by one he has served so loyally? If he were to reveal to the Yama-s.h.i.ta and the Min-Orota the part you played in the destruction of the Heron Pool, it could do great damage to 'our cause. And what would happen to our alliance with the house of Toh-Shiba if they learned you had initiated the murder of one of their favourite sons?"

Yoritomo's nostrils flared. 'Is there anything you do not know?"

Ieyasu spread his hands in a placatory gesture. 'Sire, your secrets are safe with me. I have but one concern to keep this country under the rule of the Toh-Yota. I have no wish to see you toppled from the throne by an embittered young man. As long as the Herald remains alive, he will retain a hold on your sister's affections. If you deny them permission to marry and she comes back to court, you would have to be on your guard. Day and night."

Yoritomo mused on this for a while. When he spoke there was a bitter edge to his voice. 'I would, in truth, be glad to get rid of him. But I cannot condemn him for following orders. My heralds are men of honour who serve me loyally because we share a sacred trust. If it became known that Toshiro was killed for the sake of political expediency, that relationship would be totally undermined!" 'Of course,' said Ieyasu soothingly. 'And to punish him for bringing aid and comfort to your sister would be equally reprehensible."

'Exactly! And she would never forgive me. No . . . ' Yoritomo open and closed the clawed fingers of his right hand as he searched for a solution, 'I need a more acceptable pretext. Something stronger, that takes this right away from me and any personal animosity I might be expected to harbour. Some evidence of wrongdoing that would persuade everyone - including Mishiko - that his punishment was just and well-deserved."

'Hmmmm." Ieyasu searched among the papers on the table and produced a letter. It had been opened, but still bore the undamaged seal of the Herald HaseGawa.

'By a stroke of good fortune, this doc.u.ment fell into the hands of one of my agents. I have a feeling it may be just what you're looking for - proof that he is a base and treacherous knave."

Yoritomo took the letter and read it. When he looked up, his face reflected a troubled mixture of uncertainty, relief and guilt.

'Hase-Gawa wrote this?

'Why not ask him?"

'I will." Yoritomo bowed to his grand-uncle. 'It seems I shall be forever in your debt."

Ieyasu responded with a deeper bow. 'Your happiness and well-being is reward enough, sire."

The room faded. Mishiko and the Herald were transported back to the sunlit woods where his horse now grazed peacefully by the side of the road.

Greatly distressed by what she had seen and heard, Mishiko seized the Herald by the arms. 'Why did you not defend yourself when my brother showed you this letter?!

Why did you not tell him you stood falsely accused?!" 'Because I knew him too well!" cried Toshiro. 'He spoke of witnesses who could testify that I posted the letter. I could tell he knew it was a forgery, but in his mind he had already condemned me - as you have just seen. I could not defend myself!" 'Why?!" 'Because I had sworn a sacred oath to serve him until my dying breath. If he had not demanded my life, I would still have had to kill myself. To have lived on in the face of such treachery would have dishonoured me and destroyed any hope I might have had of marrying you."

As the sister of the Shogun, Mishiko could understand the Herald's predicament. For any Iron Master worth his salt, loss of face was a deadly serious business that brought many promising lives to an abrupt end.

Gin- duty, obligation to one's superiors, took precedence over everything else And there were occasions, when a master's conduct was viewed as particularly unworthy, that a samurai would commit seppuku ritual suicide- rather than remain in his service. Someone from the Federation, or the Plainfolk, might view this as a somewhat radical form of protest but it was perfectly comprehensible to someone who embraced bushido, the rigid belief-system which underpinned Iron Master society.

In this system, run]o, human feelings took second place. But feelings were what Mishiko had in abundance; feelings which had been bottled up too long - first out of fear of her brother, then out of a sense of duty towards the husband that had been forced on her by Ieyasu.

Feelings which had been crushed and imprisoned by grief; and which now had been released. An unstoppable flood-tide of emotion that threatened to sweep all reason aside.

Mishiko reached up and caressed the Herald's haunted face. 'Had it not been for you, my life would have ended long ago. I cannot bear to be parted from you! And I cannot rest until I have freed you from this torment. Tell me what I must do!" Toshiro took hold of her hands and gripped them tightly. 'We need not be parted. I am condemned to this h.e.l.lish haft-life because my soul cries out for vengeance!

Justice demands it! If your love for me is stronger than your fear of death, break free of the bonds that tie you to earth by killing those who betrayed me!" 'My brother... ?"

'Yes! And Ieyasu too!" 'But how can I... ?"

The Herald tightened his grip on her hands. 'The two spirit-witches who brought me through the Veil have the power to help you achieve anything your heart desires!

Taking the lives of the Chamberlain and your cruel and faithless brother will free me from this twilight world!

I shall be as you remember me, and you will taste the joys that life denied you. Strike these mortal blows and join me! One short step through the Veil, and we shall be together - never ageing, ever loving, for all eternity!" Mishiko knew that if she should succeed in doing what he asked, her death would be just the beginning. Killing her brother would lead to the death of her children and all her servants, and any acquaintances who might be thought to be implicated. When someone as highly placed as the Shogun and Ieyasu were a.s.sa.s.sinated, innocence took second place to the need for vengeance, and to discourage anyone else with similar ideas.

But in Ne-Issan, that was par for the course. Mishiko did not hesitate. 'I will do what you ask of me."

The Herald gathered her into his arms and for one moment, as they kissed, his haggard face was transformed.

The deathly grey pallor faded from his cheeks, his eyes were clear and sparkling, his whole body pulsed with youthful vigour. The ardour of his embrace left her breathless and tingling from head to toe.

He stepped back, loosened his grip on her outstretched hands and said: 'Do it soon. Each day without you is like living a hundred years in h.e.l.l."