Spirit's Princess (24 page)

My best was bad. The shaman laid one hand on my shoulder and gave me a pitying look. “We don’t call the dead close often, Himiko, and never without good cause. Too many of them bear grudges against the living and would love nothing more than the chance to punish us for the crime of enjoying the pleasures of taste and touch and all the other things that now lie beyond their reach. We
never
summon them timidly. We must show them from the start that
we
are the ones in control. If you keep on c-c-c-c-calling them that way”—she did a fine imitation of my chill-shaken voice—“I’m afraid they’ll think you’re weak and overwhelm you.”

“B-b-but doesn’t it take more th-than words to bring them close?” I asked. There was no question that I believed in the spirits of the dead, in their feelings of envy and resentment for the living. I felt their presence as surely as that of the gods. I sensed them lingering at the edges of life, hungrily watching us.

“Sometimes we don’t even need words. Often they don’t wait to be summoned, but come uninvited.”

“Why—” A fresh attack of shivers shook me, but I forced myself to speak without stammering from the cold. “Why summon them at all?”

Yama’s mouth was a hard, straight line. “Because there are people in this world who heed fear more than honor. They won’t do what’s right, but at least they can be scared away from doing what’s wrong. Summoning the dead has
the power to do that. This is why it’s something you should learn, but nothing you should abuse.”

“Ah.” I shifted my freezing body and sat up straighter. “I promise, Lady Yama. Please teach me how to call them. I’m r-ready now.”

The shaman leaned forward and laid the back of her hand against my cheek. It felt very warm, which probably meant my face was ice. She looked mildly worried. “I’d be wiser to teach you the ritual for sending them on their way first, and we can do
that
indoors beside a good fire. This lesson is over.” And that was the last business I had with the unquiet spirits of our departed clanfolk for several days.

We were fortunate that year. The winter turned mild and spring came early, once more strewing the far hillside with cherry blossoms. I was the first one awake and about on the morning they revealed themselves. I stepped out of our doorway into the clear, sweet air and was caught up in a sudden rapture when I saw that swath of pink blossoms in the distance. When the rest of my family woke up, they found me kneeling on the porch, gazing happily at the springtime’s beauty.

“Uh-oh, this looks bad,” Aki joked. “You’re not going to run away to see the cherry blossoms again, are you?”

“You needn’t worry, Big Brother,” I replied. “I’m old enough to know the way there
and
the way home.”

“I’m not so sure of that,” he said with mock concern. “I’d feel much better if I went with you.”

“Don’t bother.” I pressed my lips together, trying to keep from smiling. “You must have many other things to do. Many, many,
many
—”

“But if I don’t go with you, I’ll miss the pleasure of seeing the blossoms myself.”

“No, you won’t,” I said, gesturing toward the mountains. “There they are.”

“It’s not the same as seeing them up close, and you know it.”

“Maybe so. I’ll tell you what, Aki, you stay here and I’ll bring you back a branch of cherry blossoms to admire.”

“That would be all right, provided that you’ve learned the difference between a flowering branch and a bare stick.” He laughed. “How long did you hold on to that thing?”

I didn’t answer. The truth was that I still had that relic tucked away in my bedroll. It was almost as precious to me as the amulet Yama had given me. I was never without my lady of the dragon stone, but I often carried the bare cherry branch with me too. I always wound up taking it to my lessons with the shaman, though I couldn’t say why I felt compelled to do so. Once, I mentioned this to Yama in a small, embarrassed voice, as though I’d been up to something shameful. She gave the leafless twig a long, searching look, then patted me on the back and said,
“There are times we all do things for no other reason than it feels right to us. I believe the spirits have a hand in it, guiding us with whispers onto a path they can see before we do. If no harm comes of it—to us or others—why should we resist?”

“What’s the matter, Himiko?” Aki persisted, tugging one of my hair loops in his old way. “Nothing more to say? Did an owl swoop by so fast I didn’t see him steal your tongue?”

“Don’t tease your sister.” Mama didn’t even look up from combing Yukari’s hair.

“Never mind Aki, Mama,” I piped up. “He can’t hear you. His head’s so hollow, a pair of woodpeckers nested in his ears.” Even Father laughed at that.

“Oh, caw, caw, caw,” Shoichi grumbled, blinking sleepily in the sunlight. “Why don’t you two crows stop clacking your beaks and go look at the stupid trees?”

“
This
crow wants breakfast first,” Aki said cheerfully. “After that, I’m ready to fly. What about you, Little Sister?”

“I’d better come along,” I said, deliberately sounding as reluctant as if I’d been asked to carry three storage jars on my back. “If you got lost, I’d never forgive myself.”

Aki and I burst into sputtering laughter, and Shoichi rolled his eyes.

“You can go, Aki,” Father said gruffly. “But see that you take good care of your sister and that you bring back some game for our dinner. I don’t care what you get as long as it’s nice and fat.” He glanced at Emi with a rare smile and added, “I want this family to be well fed and healthy.”

Emi giggled and folded her hands over her swelling belly. The baby she carried would be born in the summer and was already a lively one. We’d all felt it kicking heartily.

“Anything you catch will be good, Aki,” Emi said. “And if there’s nothing worth your arrows, don’t worry about it. We all know there won’t be many fat animals to be found now. It’s too soon since winter.”

“Ha! You’re talking to the young man who kept our rice topped with meat all through the lean season,” Father
replied, his pride in Aki plain to see. “He’ll do it. Right, my son?”

Aki dipped his head. “As you say, Father.”

We left as soon as breakfast was over. Aki carried his bow and quiver; I took my bare cherry branch stuck into my belt like a sword. Aki’s eyes widened when he noticed it.

“Is that the same—?”

“It’s good luck,” I said, holding my chin high, and refused to say another word about it, despite Aki’s inquisitiveness, until he gave up and changed the subject.

“Things will be quite different at home soon, Himiko,” he said as we walked out of the village gateway.

“I know. Do you think Emi will have a boy or a girl? I’d like to have a little sister.” Every time I thought about the coming birth, I was filled with happy anticipation.

He shrugged. “You’re the one who’s so close with our shaman. You should ask her to implore the gods for a little girl.”

“It doesn’t work that way.”

“I know; I was only joking. But her prayers must have
some
effect. We all saw how often Emi visited the shaman’s house with gifts, and now, after many years, she’s finally pregnant again.”

“Lady Yama likes gifts, but she would have helped Emi even if she’d brought her nothing,” I said.

“Is that so?” Aki raised one eyebrow. “And yet, when she forced Father to let you help in her house every three days, she called it a debt.”

“Can you think of a better way to make him give in to
her? How could he preserve his honor if the village heard he’d failed to respect what he
owed
our shaman?”

“Ha! Clever woman. I hope she’s not teaching
you
all that cleverness. You’d grow up to rule the world!”

“Oh, I’d never want to do that on my own, Aki. If Emi has a little girl, I’ll let her share my power. It’s the least a sister can do,” I replied lightly.

“I wasn’t thinking of Emi’s child when I said things will be different at home, Little Sister. Everyone else will know this soon enough, but yesterday Shoichi took me aside and said that he wants to get married.”

“Shoichi? Impossible!” I cried.

Aki found my reaction
much
too amusing for my taste. “Himiko, you’re goggling like a frog! You may see Shoichi as just another miserable brother who does nothing except torment you, but he’s old enough to take a wife and make a home of his own.”

“Why did he tell you first?” I asked. “Why not Father?”

“Why do any of us keep secrets from Father?” Aki answered, his good humor suddenly extinguished. “He wanted to know if I thought Father would approve of the girl. I said yes, so our brother’s going ahead with it.”

“What would he have done if you’d said Father wouldn’t approve?”

“Do you need to ask that?” Aki’s expression went from rueful to grim. “What have
I
done for so many years? Kept away from the girl I love because of him. I should have had a home of my own by now. I should have been my own man. Instead, I’m still nothing more than
his
son. Did you hear how he spoke to me just now?
‘You can go, Aki.’
 ” He
mimicked Father’s intonation perfectly, but in a voice steeped in bitterness. “Do I
need
his permission? Do I have to die to escape his control, or does he?”

“Aki, don’t say such things!” I grabbed his arm and dug in my feet, bringing us both to a dead halt at the edge of the fields.

A fresh change came over my beloved brother’s face. He was no longer downhearted, but determined. The rich smell of the reviving earth was all around us, a scent heavy with the magic of new beginnings. “Himiko,” he said quietly. “How would you like to see your friend Kaya again?”

I held my breath for three heartbeats. If this was a dream, I didn’t want to do anything that might blow it away. “You heard what Mama said, Aki,” I replied at last. “Don’t tease me.”

“I’m not teasing. I’m going back to the Shika village. I’m going back, and this time I’m not going to haunt the forest, waiting to catch sight of Hoshi. I’m going to walk through their gates and see her face to face. I don’t know how she’ll react, or if she’ll even remember who I am, but I’m not going to leave this unfinished any longer.” He took my hands. “Come with me.”

“Aki, how can we—?” I stopped. Old words from the argument that parted us whispered through my mind:
“You’re smart, Aki. You can find a way.…”
I smiled. I’d been right. “I will come with you, Big Brother. Tell me what we’ll do.”

We walked on, but though the beauty of the blossoming trees before us was like a wonderful song, my ears were deaf to everything but Aki’s plan. His part in it was simple:
who’d question another hunting trip? I had more complicated steps to follow: I’d need to get our shaman to send me with him.
“She’s told everyone what a help you are to her, how your young eyes are better at spotting the plants she uses for her potions. Here’s her chance to spare herself a hard trek into the mountains! She can trust me to protect you and trust you to fetch whatever she needs. She might be reluctant at first, but that won’t stop you, will it, Little Sister? I know how persuasive you can be.”

I promised him that I’d do my best. He was so pleased with himself for coming up with that plan! I didn’t want to steal his glory by saying I wouldn’t need to persuade Yama at all. I intended to tell her everything, knowing that she’d recognize this journey for what it was: a healing. She’d do all she could to help us.

“I’m so happy, Aki,” I said as we walked on. “I can’t wait to see you and Hoshi together again. She’s going to be overjoyed, I know it!”

“You have brighter hopes of that meeting than I do, Little Sister. I think she’s only going to be confused. I’ll have to do some hunting on the way so that she’ll welcome me for the gift, at least.”

“She’ll welcome you even if you arrive empty-handed,” I said. “I do wonder what Kaya’s going to say when she sees me. Probably, ‘Who are you?’ I hope Lady Ikumi will do something to save me too much embarrassment.” I kicked a rock out of our path. “Whatever happens, it’ll be worth taking this chance. How soon can we go?”

“How soon can you talk to our shaman about—?”

Aki’s words died. My brother turned to stone. His eyes were fixed on something in the distance, and it wasn’t the
cherry trees. I followed the direction of his gaze and saw a sight that was completely new to me, and completely terrifying: a company of armed men coming toward us on the road that led to our village. I couldn’t tell exactly how many of them there were, but the sun goddess’s light was reflecting off the metal bosses of their shields and the blades of their towering polearms.

“Go home, Himiko,” Aki said in a strained voice. “Go as swiftly as possible, but don’t run—don’t let them
see
you run—until you’re within sight of our gates. Then
race
! Alert the sentry, sound the alarm—”

“Aki, what about you?” I clung to my brother’s arm desperately.

“I’m staying here. This might not be anything more than a trading party. They travel armed too. Whatever business those men have with the Matsu, I’m going to delay them while I can. Now, go!” He shoved me away so roughly that I staggered.

I did as he said, walking quickly without breaking into my ungainly run until our village was in sight.
I’ve
got
to do better than this!
I groaned to myself, lamenting how badly my mishealed leg was hampering me yet again.
I can’t be this slow: I have to warn our people!
Clenching my teeth, I put all my strength into a fresh burst of speed. It was more of a high-speed stumble than a run, but though it felt like I was going to trip over my own feet at every second step, I closed the distance to the gate faster and faster.

The first of our clanfolk were heading out to the fields, but when they saw me racing toward them, the work songs died on their lips. Some of the men dropped their farming
tools and rushed ahead to meet me, demanding to know what was wrong. I told them, and the next thing I knew, I was being swept back to my house between two men while all around us the Matsu made ready for battle.