The ridge was not steep, but the ride had been a long one and the horses were breathing heavily by the time they reached the top. Seishiro glanced over to Nagori and they both reigned to a stop for a short rest. Seishiro took the time to study the valley below him. Gardens, fields, small copses of trees, the imposing splendor of Kyuden Doji--nothing seemed troubled or out of place.

"I don't think the maples will get red enough this year," Nagori said. He pointed towards a group on the downward slope before them. "You see? Some of them have already begun to lose their leaves, before their color has peaked."

"I doubt Lady Doji has summoned us to confer about tree leaves," Seishiro said.

"One could hope for it, though," Nagori said.

Seishiro had no answer to that. Domotai's message had come not by human messenger but by the goodwill of the air kami, sent from one of her house shugenja to Asahina Handen, and it had ordered Nagori and himself to come to Kyuden Doji with all possible haste. It was unusual for a message to be sent via shugenja in such a manner, and was typically reserved for matters of considerable importance. It had not mentioned the Emperor, or those who were sent after him, and that itself bothered Seishiro more than he liked to admit. Nagori had not mentioned the matter, but the warrior thought it must be bothering him as well. At several times during the journey Seishiro had been ready to fall out of his saddle with weariness and the poet had brightly suggested that they ride on a little longer.

They kicked their horses back into motion and sent them down the road towards Kyuden Doji. Soon they were clattering into one of the palace's outer courtyards. Servants arrived to take the horses away, followed by a young woman. Seishiro thought she looked familiar, but he couldn't place her name. "Greetings, Nagori-sama, Seishiro-sama," she said after bowing to the two men. "Lady Doji says that she will meet with you at once."

Nagori bowed in return. "Thank you, Chieri-san," he said. "Please tell Lady Doji we will attend her immediately after we have bathed and changed."

"My apologies for being unclear," Chieri said. "Lady Doji says that she will meet with you now." She put a slight emphasis on the last word.

Nagori and Seishiro exchanged brief, worried looks. To appear in the Crane Champion's court unwashed and stinking from the road was unthinkable. To disobey an order from the Crane Champion was even more so. "It is I who should be apologizing," Nagori said finally. "You were quite clear--we shall see her at once."

To Seishiro's relief Chieri led them not to a public audience chamber but to a small study. Domotai was there already, sitting at a writing desk. The two men offered her their greetings, each privately noting details of the room and wondering what clues they offered about the meeting. Seishiro noticed an unfamiliar katana sitting in a daisho rack in the alcove to her right. Nagori noticed the heavy, pungent scent of the incense Domotai was burning.

"It pains me to be so blunt, but we have little time to plan," Domotai said after she had dismissed Chieri. "Asahina Sekawa has returned from the Shadowlands. The Emperor is dead."

Seishiro bowed his head to hide his face. After a moment Nagori spoke. "How?"

"According to Sekawa, shortly after the Emperor found the Tomb an army of oni attacked, seeking to kill him. Then the Emerald Champion's force arrived to defend him, along with a regiment of Daigotsu's Lost." Domotai smiled thinly at the looks on Nagori and Seishiro's faces. "So we have confirmation of the claim that Daigotsu is in conflict with the Overlords of the oni. But to continue, the Emperor had found a cache of scrolls and other items in the tomb, things he thought were desperately important for the Empire to have. So important that he ordered Sekawa and the other officers to bring them back, while he stayed behind. As bait."

"Scrolls? What scrolls could be worth the life of an Emperor?" Seishiro said angrily. "How could Sekawa have agreed to this? He's supposed to be enlightened, not insane!"

"You will not speak of the Jade Champion in such a fashion," Domotai said. "However mad it seems to us, the Righteous Emperor issued a command, and Sekawa followed his lord’s wishes. He was exhausted from his journey from the Wall to here, but no sooner than he had made his report he was on his way to Shinden Asahina to study the scrolls and put what he can learn into action."

"And the Emerald Champion?" Nagori asked.

"Yasuki Hachi is dead," Domotai said. "He refused to leave the Emperor's side." She hesitated a moment, and then her voice softened, became that of the girl she had once been. "I am sorry, Nagori."

"He made the choice he could live with," Nagori said. His voice was even, his face was frozen into a mask of composure. "I suppose... I suppose I will have to write a poem about it."

"Sekawa returned, Hachi perished, what of Daidoji Kikaze?" Seishiro said.

"Kikaze returned," Domotai said, in a voice that did not invite further questions.

"So the Asahina and the Daidoji still have a lord," Seishiro said, "but the Yasuki do not. I think we will have difficulties finding a candidate that is acceptable to the Crab."

"The Crab, unfortunately, are the least of our worries," Domotai said. "We do not know who the Emperor's heir is."

"Why, that would be," Seishiro started, and then paused. "One of his brothers?"

"So one assumes," Domotai said. "But which one? Is Sezaru fit to rule?"

"That is difficult to say, my Lady," Seishiro said. "Marriage to Angai seems to have brought the Wolf some peace, but there is no saying how he will react to news of his brother's death."

"If he is named as the heir we will of course support him," Domotai said. "But I do not like the idea of an insane Emperor."

"Better a lunatic than a thief," Seishiro muttered.

"And yet Kaneka may be the Emperor's heir, and that may be an advantage to us," Nagori said. He ignored the look Seishiro gave him. "He is married to a Doji, and the precedent for Scorpion Empresses is not a good one."

Domotai sighed and rubbed her forehead slightly. The action made Seishiro's stomach clench slightly--he had seen Doji Akiko make that motion many times. "We shall maintain our support of the Empress until the Emperor's heir is known and power transferred to him. In the meantime, we shall work on improving our standing with both men. And there is one last thing." Domotai rose from her place, went to the daisho rack, and reverently picked up the katana on it. She walked around her desk and knelt down in front of the two men, pulling the blade out a few inches so that they could examine it. The sheath was richly lacquered in sky blue and ornamented with silver. The blade was rust-free and sharp, but looking at the grain of the steel Seishiro thought that it must be old, very old. "This sword was found in the Tomb by Kikaze, and Sekawa has communed with the kami within it to learn its identity. This is Kakita's sword."

"How can this be?" Nagori asked. "Kakita's sword is held at the Kakita Academy--I have seen it myself. And it looks nothing like this one."

Domotai shook her head. "That is the sword the Hantei gave him when he married Doji, the sword he used until his death. This is the sword he carried out of the north, the sword he used to win the first Emerald Championship."

"But how did it get in the Tomb?" Seishiro said. "Why is there no record of its disappearance?"

"We do not know," Domotai said. "But it does not seem, properly speaking, to have disappeared. I ordered a search through the records here and there is a note sometime after the First Day of Thunder that Kakita presented the sword as a gift. It does not say to whom."

"What will you do with it? Nagori asked.

"That is why I summoned you here," Domotai said. "Sekawa is convinced that all of the items were put there for a reason, and they were found now for a reason. He wishes me to present it to a worthy person, so that its purpose can be fulfilled. I want your advice on who I should give this too."

"A student of the Kakita would be most appropriate," Nagori said. "And we have no shortage of worthy students: Kakita Korihime, Kakita Matabei, Doji Seo,--"

"No," Domotai said. "We must not give it to a Kakita-trained duelist."

Nagori and Seishiro stared at her. "Why?" Nagori asked.

"This is the blade that Kakita used to defeat Matsu in the contest that started the long feud between their houses, and if I give it to a duelist then everything they do will remind them both of it. My father fought to break Chukandomo's curse and end the feud, and I will not undo his work."

"Forgive me, Domotai-sama," Nagori said. "You are correct."

"If that is the case," Seishiro said thoughtfully, "you should give it to Nagori."

"Me?" Nagori said.

"Throughout his life Kakita studied all the arts, not just dueling--you are as much Kakita's student as Korihime is. And he worked tirelessly on behalf of the Empire, just as you have served the Empire in the Emperor's Court, and before that as one of the Emerald Champion's advisors."

"He has a point," Domotai said.

"I am honored by the comparison," Nagori said, “but surely Kakita's sword should go to someone who can use it."

"A sword need not be drawn to be useful," Domotai said. "Merely having it will add weight to your words in court, for everyone will know that you have received a great honor from your champion. Your influence will grow, and you will be able to accomplish many more things for our clan and the Empire."

"You are putting great trust in me," Nagori said. "I do not know if I am worthy of it."

"You never doubted me, cousin," Domotai said. She slid the blade back into the sheath and offered Nagori the sword. "I will never doubt you."

Nagori bowed deeply and accepted the sword.

It looked no different from any other funeral urn; Ikoma Yasuko was sure she could go to the Hall of Ancestors and find a dozen more like it. Yet she could not take her eyes off of it. It sat on a small table in the front of the temple, with nothing about it to show that it held the ashes of the First Lion Thunder.

Kitsu Katsuko went to stand in front of the urn, offering it incense and reverence. Yasuko took the opportunity to discreetly look around. The temple was filled with Lion samurai, all of whom seemed to have the same fascination for the urn that she did. The idea that Lady Matsu's ashes had been preserved uncorrupted in the Shadowlands since the First Day of Thunder was too incredible to believe, and yet here it was. Katsuko herself had led the ritual which communed with the Lion ancestors to determine the urn's contents. Yasuko didn't think the Kitsu daimyo was wrong, but she still found the idea difficult to believe.

Katsuko finished her offering, moved to the side and started to chant a prayer. Matsu Yoshino, the young Champion of the Lion, arose and offered incense. After him, one by one, the lords of the Clan made their offerings. Yasuko arose after her husband and went up to the urn. As she added her pinch of incense and bowed before the urn she privately marveled at how sincere the gesture felt. Her Scorpion sensei had trained her to use such actions to manipulate and mislead--but this was Matsu, the first Lion Thunder, comrade of Shosuro, and only true reverence would serve.

She returned to her seat and waited patiently for the ceremony to end. At this moment, she was sure, Kyuden Bayushi was seething with the news of the Emperor's death. Recent reports from spies would be studied, orders for new information would be sent out, plans and contingency plans made. Here at Kyuden Ikoma the Lion had dropped every nonessential activity--and the Lion definition of nonessential was staggeringly large--so that ceremonies honoring Toturi III and celebrating the return of Matsu's mortal remains could be held. She would have called the Lion actions foolish once, but Yasuko now knew better. The Lion were just as interested in who would be the next Emperor, but they did not forget who they were. They were the Lion Clan, the Emperor's Right Hand, the clan that placed its devotion to bushido, honor, and ancestors above all other things. From the Lion perspective, she mused, the Scorpion's activities spoke of a certain lack of self-confidence.

The ritual drew to a close, with Katsuko offering some final words on how Lady Matsu would surely guide them in whatever the future held for the clan. A final round of bows from the assembled samurai and it was over. Yasuko waited patiently until Otemi came to collect her. "Yoshino-sama desires us to meet with him in an hour," he told her. Yasuko just nodded. It was time for her to become a Scorpion again.

"I don't understand," Yoshino said. "Why don't we know who the Emperor's heir is?"

"The Righteous Emperor was a man who keenly understood the value of information, my Champion," Otemi said. "His choice of which brother would succeed him, should he die without issue, would have given insights into his thoughts, insights he was not willing to give his enemies." Not to mention, Yasuko thought, a reason for some of them to want him dead. But that was a thought a Lion would never think of, and not even a Scorpion would speak it aloud.

"Enemies," Yoshino said disdainfully. "Traitors! We are the Emperor's Right Hand. His enemies tremble in fear that we might be loosed against them."

"The Lion Clan swore to the Splendid Emperor that we would act to protect the Empire, and not the Emperor," Otemi said. "His son would never have asked us to transgress that oath."

"Perhaps we need to swear a new oath," Yoshino said. "The Emperor had no one to trust, so he went out alone into the Shadowlands and was slain. How does that serve the Empire?"

Otemi made as if to speak and then paused as if struck by thought. "There is truth in your words, Yoshino-sama. But only the Emperor could approve of such a change."

"Or the Empress," Yasuko said. The two men stared at her in surprise. "She was specifically left in charge of the Imperial Court while the Emperor withdrew. Until his heir is officially crowned, she speaks with the Emperor's voice."

Yoshino grinned triumphantly. "Otemi-san, you will prepare the necessary petition at once."

"Your will, my Champion," Otemi said. "May I also prepare an answer to Doji Domotai's offer?"

"Marriage," Yoshino said. "Why must I marry a Crane?"

"We must strengthen our alliance with them, Yoshino-sama," Otemi said patiently.

"It is already strong," Yoshino said. "Domotai was trained by the Lion, and she's married to Korin's son. Why should we give them the chance to influence our actions?"

Otemi's eyes flicked over to his wife's for a fraction of a moment; Yasuko would not have seen it had she not been waiting for it. "Yoshino-sama, it is not a question of them influencing us, but of our influencing them. Does Leadership not say, appear weak when you are strong?" She waited until he nodded and went on. "Our influence on their Champion is very strong now, so strong that it will make some of the weak-minded members of her court fearful. By marrying a Crane you will soothe them and make them unlikely to argue against us."

Yoshino considered this. "Leadership applies to court?"

"Without question," Yasuko said. "Courtiers are samurai, and so court is a battlefield."

"I will do it, then," Yoshino said.

"I will have the letter written," Otemi said. "There only remains the matter of honoring Matsu Benika. Some have proposed that a new vassal family might be created, but I think a simple deed of land--"

"I have chosen her accolade,” Yoshino announced. “She shall wield Chukandomo.”

"Chukandomo?" Otemi said.

"Chukandomo," Yoshino said. "It was forged by a Thunder, so it is the appropriate gift to one who has retrieved a Thunder. And it was given as a gift to my father by Doji Kurohito himself, so it will soothe those nervous Crane you are so worried about." He smiled triumphantly.

"Yes," Otemi said. "Yes, it will, Yoshino-sama. We will need to locate it, and then we can arrange the ceremony."

"I know where it is," Yoshino said. "It is in my aunt's rooms in Shiro Matsu. My father gave it to her, and she used to wear it to important ceremonies before… before…" He was quiet for a moment. "She told me once that it was a sword that loved honor."

"Then let Benika use it with honor," Otemi said.

When Yoshino had gone Otemi turned to his wife. "You have received no news?" She shook her head and he sighed. "The Empire will not know true peace until we know who the heir is."

"Benika remembers that there was a group who left the battlefield after Sekawa's group did. One of them, a Mantis, seemed to bear some news."

"He wouldn't have left that decision until the last moment, would he?"

Yasuko shrugged. "He was the student of two Emperors. Who can fathom his mind? And we lose nothing by investigating."

"We have no influence with the Mantis."

"If you have koku, you have influence with the Mantis."

"I leave it to you, then. Korin is busy keeping an eye on the Unicorn. The Khan's recent actions make no sense, and that is disturbing."

"Your will, my husband. But...you know I will be expected to share what I learn."

"I know." Otemi gave his wife a grim smile. "Paneki claims to be the Defender of the Empire; we will share what we know and judge his claim by what he does with it."

Yasuko bowed slightly and left. As she walked to her rooms she passed a maple whose leaves had begun turning red. In years before she had always enjoyed the splash of color it had given to the dour Lion castle. Now she wondered how she could have possibly missed seeing that its leaves turned the color of fresh blood.