Emperor Tatsu smiled, shook his head, and turned to Lord Okami. "Sometimes I think letting you marry my cousin was a very poor idea. She has managed to teach her family the need for pretty lies, but not the art for telling them." He turned back to Dalain. "You wish to add your sword to Tyrus's, should this meeting prove less friendly than it seems."
Dalain's eyes widened. "Of course not, your--"
"Your loyalty to my son is appreciated more than your loyalty to your emperor. You know Tyrus. You do not know me. Yes, you may come. Now, we'll take our leave. The day grows short, and there is much to be done."
FIFTY-FIVE
They rode from the compound. Five of them, plus Daigo, who stayed so close to Moria that he made her horse uneasy.
"Tell me what happened," the emperor said as soon as the gate closed behind them. "Start with Fairview."
Tyrus did. He explained what they'd found there, and the decisions they made after that. He let his father know that his choices had been supported by the counselors, without impressing the point so deeply he seemed defensive. He told him about the merchant by the roadside, whose story had seemed to support Tyrus's decision. He told him about Jorojumo and the plan to attack the camp. He took full responsibility for any poor choices, and when Moria leaped in to defend him, he quieted her with a look.
"It's all right," Emperor Tatsu said to Moria. "I do trust that he made informed choices that my men supported. I will also be the first to admit that he should not have been placed in a position where he had to make them. It was a mission that a seasoned veteran would have struggled with." He looked at Tyrus. "You did well."
"I'd have done better if I'd won the battle."
"There was no chance of that. You'd have done better if you'd realized Jorojumo planned to betray you, but that is a skill you were never taught, and it isn't one that comes naturally to you. You have your
mother's good heart and trusting nature. I would not ever say that I'm glad of this experience, for teaching you mistrust, but I am glad that it was a lesson you learned with more speed than I would have expected."
He paused at a fork in the path, then led them east before he continued, "When I left the imperial city three nights ago, I told Marshal Mujina that I wished to meet quietly with some of my warlords to discuss the impending war. The truth is that I was looking for you. Lord Okami was not the first I visited. I thought you might have taken refuge with one of my relations or even your mother's people. I am pleased to see that you were more cautious than that. You made the best possible choice. The Okami clan are loyal to their own above the empire, much like a wolf with its pack."
Dalain made a noise in his throat.
"I take no insult in your choice," the emperor said, glancing at the young man. "Every clan has its way, and the trick to leading them is to know what those ways are and work within those boundaries."
"And what clan is this person you're taking us to meet, your highness?" Moria asked.
The emperor laughed. "You could be an Okami yourself, child. You struggle with the niceties as much as they do. Yes, I know you're anxious to learn who it is, but it's best to wait. This meeting was not my purpose in coming here. I left the city with only Lysias and met our third party just this morning, when our paths crossed by fortuitous happenstance. In coming after Tyrus, though, my purpose was to ensure he was safe and to tell him to stay that way."
"Keep lying low," Tyrus said. "Hiding."
"Which you will hate, as I can tell by your tone. But you're a more gifted politician than you care to admit, Tyrus. You know full well that I do not dare plead your case under the current circumstances. That doesn't mean, however, that I'm not trying to clear your name. The first step is to break Simeon, which won't be easy when he's now considered a hero. I can hardly throw him into my dungeons and interrogate him."
"So where is he?"
"He was in the court. As an honored guest . . . under very close guard, supposedly for his own protection. He's now joined an expedition heading to the eastern provinces. Sadly, he'll vanish in the night. Perhaps he already has. It's difficult to schedule these things."
"I'm not sure you'll get more from him than the admission that he lied," Tyrus said. "While it's possible someone was directing his betrayal, I fear he may have acted on his own, after Ashyn rejected his advances."
"Rejected his . . . ?" The emperor shook his head. "I would certainly hope he would have a better reason than that for accusing an imperial prince of treason, but with young men, one never knows."
They crossed a streambed riding single file. Daigo took a running leap and jumped from shore to shore.
"Now, Moria," the emperor said. "We've heard Tyrus's tale. I'd like to hear yours."
"First, if I may ask, your imperial highness, has there been any word of the children?"
"No, child. My scouts and spies search, but there is no sign of them. I can only trust Alvar realizes their value and would not harm them."
She nodded and told him her story, starting with the events on the battlefield and ending with a simple, "I was captured and held hostage until I managed to escape."
"May I ask about the nature of your captivity? You were cared for, I presume?"
Moria tried not to hesitate. She could feel Tyrus's gaze on her, and she was determined not to let him know about the dungeon.
"I was adequately cared for, your highness. My needs were met, though I was clearly a captive."