The cloud warrior's brash confidence was really quite

insufferable. From the way he spoke anyone would think they were equals! Toshiro gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. 'I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself, sport. As yet, there is no deal. If you don't manage to convince me that the masked lady is a Mute, you'll be dead before morning."

Clearwater experienced a moment of alarm when she woke to find a masked samurai in her bedchamber. She shrank away as he went down on one knee beside her, but he indicated by gestures that he wished her no harm.

Putting a finger to his lips, he told her in fractured Basic that a gentleman who was concerned for her future was waiting near by and wished to speak with her. If she came of her own accord, he would ensure her safe return. Seeing her hesitation, the samurai a.s.sured her that both her guardians had been drugged and would not wake until dawn at the earliest, by which time she would be safely back in bed.

Clearwater put her travelling cape over the thin cotton shift she was wearing, pulled the cowl over her head so that her face was shadowed and picked up a pair of wooden-soled sandals.

The samurai, whose voice and build she thought she recognised, slid open the door to the antechamber and ushered her past Su-Shan and Nan-Khe. Both women lay sprawled on their futons, breathing heavily through their mouths. Stepping barefoot on to the veranda, Clearwater followed the samurai to the far end past several other guest rooms and then slipped on her sandals as they stepped down on to a winding path.

The moon had disappeared, leaving the post-house shrouded in almost total darkness, but as she was being taken to her room earlier in the day, Clearwater had noticed that the path led to a small pavilion set apart from the other buildings. No light came from the windows but as they drew closer she saw two red-stripes standing guard outside. One of them slid open the door-screen and bowed as she and the samurai mounted the steps, parked their footwear and went inside.

Standing in the light of a masked lantern was a man swathed in black.

Only his eyes were visible. As the door slid shut the man stepped into the shadows. 'Take off your cape and stand in the light."

Clearwater let the cape fall to the floor. The ankle-length cotton shift she wore hung from the points of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, moulding itself softly over her belly and thighs. Her hair, now unpinned, framed her face and throat. She swept it up with her hands and pushed it back over her shoulders. * The shrouded eyes of the Man in Black glistened briefly in the lantern light. He motioned her to lift the hem of her shift.

Clearwater reached down and gathered it up around her thighs.

'Higher."

She lifted the hem clear of her pelvis. The Plainfolk had no complexes about nakedness. They dressed and observed a certain decorum, but to be without clothes was viewed as neither shameful nor embarra.s.sing.

Plainfolk were vigorous and l.u.s.ty but they were not filled with prurient curiosity.

'Higher."

Clearwater calmly hoisted the shift up over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She felt nothing because exposing her body to these cold-eyed strangers meant nothing. It was the same with the Consul-General. Even though she had lost count of the times he had penetrated her she remained inviolate.

For Mutes, it was the inner self that was sacred. Her soul was pledged to the cloud warrior and would remain so.

'Turn round."

Clearwater turned to face the masked samurai. She was sure he was the same man who had inspected her when she had been held in the cave. She sensed that neither of the Iron Masters l.u.s.ted after her. If anything, they viewed her with a certain repugnance. So why were they so curious about her body? The fact that she had hair on her head and belly where they had none could not be the real reason why she had been carried off, released without any explanation, and was now once again in the hands of the same man and yet another of his accomplices.

Yama-s.h.i.ta and his friends had kept her hidden in a carriage-box and windowless rooms. If these men hid their faces behind masks and wrappings of black cloth then they must be adversaries of Yama-s.h.i.ta.

Her clear-skinned body had, in some way, become important to both sides.

'Cover yourself."

Clearwater pulled the shift down over her hips and let it fall. The masked samurai handed her the cape. She wrapped it round her shoulders and turned to face the Man in Black.

Toshiro switched to j.a.panese and addressed the ronin.

'Send one of your men to keep an eye on the housewomen. If they should wake and raise the alarm . . ."

'I'll make sure it doesn't happen."

'Good. I want you to stay out here and keep watch while I talk to these two. If I need any a.s.sistance I'll call.

Otherwise, there are to be no interruptions. Is that understood?"

n.o.buro bowed. 'Absolutely."

The Herald slid open the door-screen to the adjoining room and motioned Clearwater to enter. She bowed respectfully to both men, then went through. Her hand flew to her mouth as she saw the cloud warrior kneeling on the mat by the masked lantern.

Steve was equally surprised to see her.

Toshiro pointed to a spot on Steve's right. 'Move over there."

As Steve shuffled round, the Herald motioned Clearwater to take his place. When they were both kneeling with bowed heads, he sat down facing her, c.o.c.ked his elbows outwards and placed his hands on his splayed thighs. 'Okay, straighten up! Let's get this over with."

They sat back on their heels.

Toshiro flicked a hand towards Steve. 'This individual has made certain allegations which I wish to verify. You will answer me fully and with the utmost truthfulness. Is that understood?"

'Yes, sire."

'Good. This may not concern you in the slightest but I may as well tell you that -' he pointed towards Steve again - 'if this person has lied to me in any material particular you will be a witness to his immediate execution."

Clearwater bowed and stole a sideways glance at Steve.

Oh, my beloved cloud warrior/What have you said... ?

'Let us begin,' said Toshiro. 'Do you come from the underground world they call the Federation?"

'No. I was born under the sky."

'So you are a Mute..."

'I have never claimed to be anything else, sire."

'What is your true name?"

'Clearwater."

'And the names of your parents?"

'I am the blood-daughter of Sun-Dance. My father was Thunder-Bird - a great warrior."

'To which clan do you belong?"

'The M'Calls, from the blood-line of the She-Kargo, first-born of the Plainfolk."