The sun was a little higher now by the time they reached the command tent. As he followed the two women in, Lawrence spotted Tomiichi and Hitomo. They exchanged nods with him. He felt there was more in those nods than simply their acquaintance with him.

So they approve.

That was good. But it was obvious before when Hitomo had allowed Lawrence to take Sakura aside and speak to her—where he had proposed courtship with her.

“Are you coming?” Arduani asked? “Everyone is waiting.” She was standing in the entrance.

“Of course,” he said, following her into the command tent as a runner ran past them. The two women were still wearing their sparring kimonos.

“He’s getting the others,” she said.

“Who?”

“Everyone. It’s time for our final plans to be hammered into place.”

That meant the emperor’s generals were coming. As he understood it, Arduani was in command, but his generals were still expected to be present for their war meetings, and once a plan of action was confirmed, they would take it to the emperor.

Lawrence still hadn’t decided what would be done about the Akaima Dancing Fan. Part of him hoped to have awoken to find the Nakamuras gone, secreted into the hills to their ship, safely out of Mikuma and across the sea.

If that happens, I hope Ishi has the good sense to follow…