The Mark of Fate
25 January 2005
by Jason Postma

The doors closed almost silently behind the departing samurai. The Emperor Toturi III, Naseru, sat silent in thought for a moment before speaking.

"Kurohito, do you find my solution to the circumstances of Ridachi's birth acceptable? If I had guessed what else Tetsujin might reveal I would have perhaps handled things more delicately."

Doji Kurohito glanced at the masked Scorpion daimyo at his side before answering. "Surely my friend Paneki-san knows the harm that would be done to the Scorpion's reputation for omniscience should it become known that they have been outwitted by a peasant. Or even worse, the harm that might occur to the Scorpion should certain parties who unfortunately already think less of them come to suspect that they have willfully overturned the Celestial Order in this matter. As for the Crane, we have no desire to harm our friends the loyal Scorpion, and hold that the judgment of the Son of Heaven in this matter as absolute. Ridachi-san is samurai." Bayushi Paneki nodded slowly, and Kurohito could almost hear the smile in his voice as he spoke. "My esteemed colleague speaks truly. The Scorpion would take no great pleasure in the possible discomfort of the honorable Crane should it come to light that their champion has taken what was (but is no longer) a peasant boy as his ward, and I should hate to destroy two such valuable servants as Ridachi is today and Korekaeda may yet prove. The mere possibility of questioning your judgment on the matter, Toturi-sama, never occurred to me for an instant. Ridachi-san is samurai."

The Emperor showed no amusement at the political dance going on before him. Or he hid such amusement well.

"What of Tetsujin's words? Now that we have questioned him, do you believe it is the Thunder Dragon that has spoken to him?"

"I believe he is deceived," said Paneki. "The use of an assassin seems out of character for the dragon. I would expect it to openly proclaim the danger to such honorable individuals as Takako-san and Niakan-san, and trust them to take measures to prevent it. I cannot say who has performed the deception, however. Someone with significant abilities in misdirection, in any case. There are several in my clan who could produce both the dreams and the bead, although not without my knowledge."

"I am uncertain," said Kurohito. "I agree that the use of an assassin does not seem right, but perhaps the fault lay in Ayako. Tetsujin-san acted more as we would expect one of his clan at such news – by meditation and long thought before action – and the Thunder Dragon did not command him to act on the knowledge."

"That would imply that the Thunder Dragon chose poorly in Ayako," said Paneki.

"The Dragons, powerful though they are, do not know everything," was Kurohito's response.

The Emperor cut any further debate short. "Very well. Either it was a deception, and one of the Imperial families was struck down without cause, or it was truth, and the son of Takako-san would have been a threat to the Empire. In either case it seems we must know more. Was it indeed the Thunder Dragon who commanded Takako-san's death? If so, has the threat been averted? The Empire has learned in the past, to its great grief, the dangers in trying to avert prophecy by such means." Paneki bowed his head at this. "How shall we proceed?"

The long silence that followed the Emperor's question was broken by an unexpected cough. In an instant both Kurohito and Paneki held the Celestial Swords of their clans the merest finger's-breadth from the neck of the man who had somehow appeared in the middle of the audience chamber without any of them noticing.

The old man was dressed in a bright blue kimono and sandals, elegant in their simplicity, and appeared unarmed. He had a flowing white beard that matched the long fringe of white hair surrounding his otherwise bald pate, and he squinted out of one eye at the Emperor, seeming not to notice the bright blades held before him.

"I suppose you want to know who I am? Very well, I am Megumi – the Fortune of Heroic Guidance. I apologize, your Highness, for the unexpected entrance, but sometimes I can't resist making a scene." There was not the slightest trace of fear in the old man's voice. Amusement, rather.

The swords of Paneki and Kurohito did not waiver, but they regarded the old man with new respect.

"How do we know you're really Megumi?" asked Paneki, after a moment. The old man did not look in his direction. "The Emperor will know me." The Emperor and the old man looked each into the eye of the other. Kurohito and Paneki could feel all of the Emperor's great skill at taking the measure of a soul finding focus on the old man before him. Suddenly Naseru shook himself slightly, as if startled.

"Yes, it is the Fortune. Lower your weapons." Kurohito immediately sheathed his sword with a practiced flourish. Pankei put up his own blade somewhat more reluctantly. Once the swords were out of the way Megumi bowed low to the Emperor, and received a bow in return. Naseru spoke first.

"We are grateful for your visit to our court, most venerable and honored Megumi. Any wisdom you can impart to us on this matter would be most welcome."

Megumi waved his hand, seeming to dismiss the terms "venerable and honored" before speaking. "Well your Highness, young Kurohito-san here had it right. Not only do the Dragons not know everything, but even we Fortunes are sometimes surprised – and not always pleasantly. Shinsei said that Fate favors the mortal man, and mortals often seem to take a perverse delight in doing the unexpected."

"So the fault was Ayako's." Paneki seemed to speak to himself.

"I didn't say that." Megumi squinted at the Scorpion, peering at his face as if he could see right through any mask. "I only said I was surprised. That's another bad habit of you mortals – always trying to read extra meaning into what we have to say. Especially you Scorpion types." Paneki bowed his head again.

Megumi let out a long sigh before continuing. "In fact I don't know why I or any other Fortune ever tries to talk to you people anymore – at least not when you know who we are – it never turns out like we expected it to. Sometimes we're just as surprised by the twists Fate takes as you are," the old man paused again, his squinting gaze darting about the room as if he expected Fate to be sneaking up on him at that moment. "Yes, poor Takako-san's death was a surprise. To me, at least, and to some of the rest of us."

"Megumi-sama, can you tell us if it was the Thunder Dragon who spoke to Tetsujin? Has the threat been turned aside?" He knew he was speaking out of turn, but Kurohito was surprised and perhaps a little impatient at the odd behavior of this Fortune.

"Actually no, I can't. The Thunder Dragon's affairs, including who she chooses to speak to, are her own," Megumi gave the Crane champion the same stare he had just shown the Scorpion before adding, in a softer voice "However if you really want to know you can ask her. Her oracle, that is."

"Me?" Kurohito asked in surprise.

"Well, no, not you personally. You're a very busy man after all. In fact," he said, turning towards the Emperor again, "I think his Highness knows the perfect man for the job. Someone who Takako-san's death affected very deeply."

The Emperor nodded. "I knew it was right when I restored his honor and that of his family. You'll recall I didn't need much persuasion from you, Kurohito-san. It was the will of Heaven." Everyone in the room bowed their head in reverence for a moment. "Most honorable Megumi, you advise me to send Nikana-san to ask the Oracle of Thunder, then?"

Megumi gave a single nod.

"His traveling companions can go with him. They seem strangely linked to each other," said Kurohito.

Megumi gave another nod. "They all bear the Mark of Fate. Your Highness, if I might advise you, I think Nikana-san would make an excellent Emerald Magistrate. That will give him what he needs to find the Oracle."

The Emperor nodded again, almost to himself.

It was Paneki who broke the silence again, "What is your interest in all of this, Megumi-sama? If this is an affair of the Thunder Dragon, and we mortals never act as you expect, why do you tell us this?"

Megumi seemed to regard the Scorpion with more respect this time, and a smile crossed his lips. "Why Paneki-san, I'm the Fortune of Heroic Guidance. It's my job." He turned and bowed once more, low, to the Emperor. "Please do not tell Nikana-san that I spoke to you, your Highness. I'm sure he would keep a level head about it, but I'm not so certain how some others might react," and the next instant Naseru and the two daimyo were alone in the chamber.