The Harvest Moon Consortium

[Winterhawk99]

The group starts off as the sun goes down. Drasta is in the lead with Sei trailing and covering their tracks. Mika and Samo are both in the middle being they are in full heavy armor. Sei casts a spell on Samo called One with the Land, being Samo is so big and easily spotted. He then sets his bird to scouting.

They start to work their way up the game paths along the hollows and hills avoiding roads and homes. At 10pm Sei’s bird comes back and perches on his arm. Sei speaks to it in the animal language. “What did you see?”
“Horse, woman, no shell, many spines. Slow, makes same path off to left.”

He gathers the group for a moment. “Seems that there’s a horsewoman in the area, traveling slowly, no armor but heavily armed. Likely following the same path, we are. We’ll need to find a back way we can slip into to let her pass without noticing us.”

Drasta nods, “Then we travel off the path but close enough to know what she is doing.”

Sei affirms, “Works for me.”

They move again and take a position a few hundred feet from the rider. Enough that she would have to be explicitly searching for the party to spot them depending upon terrain. They hug the trees they find, small boulders, farm border walls, hillocks, whatever they can find to take cover from both the road and the woman moving in the same direction.

As they move along it gets past midnight on a new moon. Mika and Samo must step very carefully now and start to slow the small group down. Sei looks ahead and murmurs to them, “Take all the time you need.” To reassure them. Drasta nods and slows down significantly.

The bird comes back again and perches. It moves and tilts its head looking at Sei. “Woman up ahead in woods near field. There is fire. She sits at it, eyes closed legs folded large spine in lap. Spine is cold. Edge covered in darkness.”

Sei relays the information to the others then says, “I doubt she will be a bother to us.”

Drasta looks back, “I am unsure.”

Sei looks at her oddly, “You think she’ll notice us despite being mid-rite?”

“Perhaps we keep our wits…” Drasta looks around suspiciously.

Sei scratches his head, “If we need to keep a wider berth, we can, or are you saying she might be scrying for some other such thing?”

Drasta studies Sei. Even in the night her eyes see his full form in infravision. “We must be careful either way… The ninja of this land can be deceptive.”

Sei frowns but agrees. “Aye, we will need to keep our wits about us nonetheless.”

The party moves again but at only about ¼ to a 1/6th of the speed they started. They are trying to not attract the attention of the woman and the two samurai are having a hard time negotiating in the darkness. Sei seeing the situation casts ultravision on the pair. They pick up the pace. By dawn they make it to an outcropping of woods near Shinto Sadao’s home.

The main house is to the northwest of them. It’s on about 80 acres of land. Woods cover the northern part on top of the hill above the house and there is a large clump of trees and bamboo on the southwestern side where they are currently taking cover.

There is a dirt road to the home slanting up the hill going southeast. Two very large barns are down the road about 200 yards from the home. The bird again perches on Sei’s arm. He looks to it for information.

“Woman here. Other wood. Has large spine in claws. Has 6 smaller spines under wings. Some longer, some shorter.”

Drasta looks at Sei. He says, “Another armed woman it seems, off in the woods. I think we see about going around her as well, if possible, of course. She’s hiding in the Northwoods past the house. We are on the southwest side.

Drasta rubs her forehead. “The hells…”

Sei concentrates on her. “Something wrong?”

“She shouldn’t be here…”

As dawn breaks two attendants come out of the north barn. They bring out horses to a corral behind it. 3 men also come out of the house and lazily walk around the property.

Sei looking at the scene asks, “Drasta, can you slip closer to those men and get eyes on them?” Drasta takes a step and vanishes into darkness.

She takes the quietest out of view route quickly shuffle stepping and using cover. She knows she has two people at the barn, three waltzing around the house and a woman hiding in the stand of trees to the north.

Inside the home Khzuro is playing a rousing game of Go with Haruki. She brought him scrambled eggs and ham with some fried ginger and milk. She has a plate of her own. They flip coins on the board as they make their moves against each other while taking small bites of food when the other is in play. Meanwhile Drasta is making her move towards the house to study the guards’ movements while keeping an eye on the forest.

She suddenly sees a split-second glint of the sun to the north which is funny because the sun is rising in the east. Drasta takes note of it and studies the men. They wear swords and have a mon on their robes, but she cannot make it out, though it is most likely the Shinto mon. She turns her attention to the hill with the woods behind. Every few minutes she barely catches a glint of the sun to the north.

Sei down on the other side starts to get the feeling something isn’t right about the terrain. He can’t quiet put his finger on it, but it makes him uneasy in a tactical sense.

Drasta moves slowly to within 250 yards of the house. She soaks up the shadows and jumps back to Sei quickly and quietly. She gets back to the group. She then reports everything she saw including the glint on the hill.

Sei surprised asks, “Oh?” and perks up.

Drasta restates, “There is something near that reflects the sun… And there may be a demon in the woods.”
Sei considers, “The demon is worrisome, yes. Can you trace the source of the sun reflection from your observations?”

Samo looking out at the scene says, “You realize we are in a really bad position. We need to go up the hill in full view of the entire field, run 300 yards to the home to attack it. If we are going to attack, everyone will be able to see us.”

Drasta answers Sei’s question, “The woods north… It seems to be reflecting the sun…”
Sei becomes more worried. “I think we retreat, then swing back around to the north, giving the house a broad berth, and staying away from the demon.” The small group starts to double back using the woods for cover.

Drasta insists, “This may be some type of signal for others to know what we are.”
Sei concentrates. “Have the glints been flickering on and off at all, or has it been a steady glint to the north?”

Drasta states, “It flickers.”

Sei nods, “That sounds like someone with a signaling mirror. Best we keep a wide arc to get around them, but we may not be able to shut them down without being detected by whoever’s on the other end.”

At this point Haruki and Khzuro are still playing go. Khzuro starts to get a sense of something. Something like negative energy but different. It’s just a slight whiff of magic with his attuned senses. He looks sharply aside, then at Haruki, casually speaking while playing the game. “Ssskh, were there any particular visitors of note coming today that you know of?”

Haruki shakes her head, “We have no appointments today. I still have tome options to flip your pieces and get caught up.”

He looks over at the Go board, furrowing his brow. “Jusst, thought I could sense some bad enerty in the air.” He lets a breath out. (I have a bad feeling about this, he though, but keeps silent on that for now as he waits for Haruki to make her move.

After two hours the Sei and company make it to the western edge of the northern woods. Drasta comments, “Our options are getting lower each moment… What is it you suggest?”

Sei looks east. “Can you get eyes on the signal mirror situation?”

Drasta looks out to the east but now she’s 400 yards from the reflection which is now blocked by the woods. She climbs into the trees and slowly makes her way closer.

Drasta carefully crosses over tree to tree until she gets about 25 yards from the spot she saw the glint. She now sees a horse back behind the woods. There is a pack at the edge. Beside it is a long tube like a sea captain’s looking glass.

She turns her attention to the field. She sees a very badly scarred woman of about 40 yrs. old. She is low-crawling inch by inch toward the house. She is in a dark yellow robe that seems to match the grass around her. It’s made of very tight fine silk. Drasta has seen these types of robes before. They are Onna-mucha fighting robes that give high damage reduction.

The woman has a naginata strapped to her back. Its edge is covered with void magic. She also has three katanas and two wakizashi on her belt harness. Her kaiken is taped to the back of her neck. She does have a mon, but Drasta does not know what clan it represents. She is moving so slowly that she will not make it to the house before dusk.

Drasta enters shadow and void jumps in front of her. Pulling her void sword she screams out, “Give me a single reason!”

Reiko Endo’s cover is blown. Drasta hears a tearing and jumps back as a kaiken just misses the inside of her thigh. She void jumps as men come running after the sounds.

[Winterhawk99]

Khzuro looks at the board. He looks over the pieces. It stared like a perfect board of white pieces, but this one played the black pieces. Slowly but surely setting up a position to surround and take over. Pieces are starting to fall. Things look good for the white pieces, but doom is inevitable… (Why does Khzuro feel the same way of this place right now? Something doesn’t feel right…) He keeps it to himself and just keeps playing the game.

Outside the house Sei’s bird comes back to tell him what is going on. That Drasta found the woman who was attacking the home and Drasta is attacking the woman. Sei scribbles a note real fast and tells the bird to dangle it in Drasta’s face, then gives it to the bird. The note reads “Return to camp—we cannot afford to blow our cover any further.”

Khzuro just continues playing Go, blissfully unaware of what is going on and receiving head pats and hugs from Haruki.

Drasta goes to put her hand on the mouth of the badly scared woman. The woman now responds. Drasta hears a tearing sound from just behind the woman. A large knife comes out of nowhere as the woman tries to bury it into her chest thinking she is a hire for Sadao. Drasta jumps back and the kaiken just misses her thigh.

After the woman takes a swing. She stands up. Drasta void jumps away. Five men start to surround the Onna-bugeisha. She sheaths her dagger and flips her naginata into her hands. The edge of the blade is covered in a thin coat of something…. blackness… nothingness… no one is sure.

Drasta finds herself in the woods to the north. Samo, and Mika start running through them tangent to the action. She runs toward them to meet.

On the hill above the home the fight starts the woman quickly takes out three of the men trying to surround her but has taken several wounds herself. More men join in. Three more henchmen move in as she makes a slow waling retreat toward the woods. Again, they battle. She takes several cuts and each time her blade strikes her opponents their skin pales as it takes part of their lifeforce. Yet she takes several more sever wounds. Then they stop a moment after she has killed two more.

Khzuro finally notices the battle going on outside and takes Haruki to the closet they hide there. Mika, Sei and Samo are running through the woods when they meet Drasta. Sadao comes up to the woman in his heavy armor. The men split and back off. Words are exchanged between Sadao and her.

Drasta isn’t sure what is going on but to Sei he well knows a formal challenge between samurai when he sees one. At this point he knows Mika and Samo will refuse to do anything until one of the two combatants dies. He looks at Drasta. “Tis a formal challenge. Were it not that this would be our time, us as hammer to her anvil to fell our quarry, but it is, and we’d be made out as ninja were we to dishonor it. We stay in the woods for now, and if Sadao is victorious in his challenge, then we confront him. If he falls, then we join the mop-up effort.

Drasta exasperated says, “If that is your wish.”

The two square off. The woman has a bad limp now. Sadao brings out his katana and it lights up with flame. Drasta draws her bow watching.

Sei shakes his head to Drasta. “If he is to be confronted, it may very well be the case we have to address him to his face. Once again, striking from the shadows against him will let others paint us as ninja.”

Drasta lowers her aim. “I understand.”

Each of them goes into different guards either offensive, defensive or a counter guard to the other. This part last for several minutes, each trying to intimidate the other to back down. (The only way a duel of this kind can be stopped with each retaining their honor.) The woman is first to break. She rushes Sadao and attacks him at a distance where her blade can reach but he cannot attack but can counter. He does counter with a parry. She steps back and goes on the defensive. (Now the only way out is for one to die.) His guard back off and form a circle. They sheath their weapons.

This time Sadao attacks avoiding her guard and getting on the inside of her blade. He strikes her in the left bicep abut gets to close before her left hand falls useless. She bashes him with the backside of the naginata ripping his helmet off and part of his ear with it. He stumbles to the side giving her time to draw her own katana.

He gets up and again the clash. She nips him in the arm while he drives his flame blade through her groin. He smiles while he does it. She falls to her knees. He then quickly takes her head off.

Sei studying the scene says, “He have seen what he can do. Now is our time if we are to challenge him.” He indicates to Drasta for the party to move up. She nods moving forward and drawing both her blades.

As Sadao lifts up the head to show to his men, Khzuro feels something very dark in the area seem to wake up. Its presence is so evil he shudders at the thought of what it might be. He quickly hugs Haruki tight thinking (We both need snuggles right now.) He winces, stumbling and leans against her. He speaks quietly. “I wasn’t wrong when I sensed something bad before. Has there been dealings with Oni in this house?”

The others outside see a shadow move quickly from the whipping pole in the back yard. It seems to slither along the ground and goes underneath the woman warrior’s body. The flesh shrivels away as whatever the shadow is completely exsanguinates it. Sadao pays no attention to the creature while showing off the head to all his men.

All in the group becomes terrified of whatever this shadow is in the ground it is completely draining all the blood from the headless body within minutes. All except for Drasta who seems to have a feeling of pleasure. Mika takes a step back saying, “I’m not going there.”

Haruki remains silent until Khzuro presses her then she speaks timidly and fearfully. “The blood at the pole. I and my other sisters noticed it when he used to whip my sister. It would not be there the next morning as if something fed. Later it grew for us to see the shadow on the ground from time to time. It fed off her for years. Then it was my turn after the others had left. Now I feed it.

There's a visible grimace "This one sees." The kobold stews on the information for a moment.
"Is a major violation if it is what this one thinks it is." He pauses but doesn't elaborate.
"These ones might be in danger if the Oni gets loose. Do you know where they have this one's things?"

She nods.

He continues. "That pole, we will need to destroy it thoroughly and slay the spirit inside once our main goal is accomplished. Bring this one there. You know of the Oni now. This one can sense it. It's likely the Oni can sense this one too. You're not safe anymore." (Bit dishonest but I might as well lean on the thought of being a magical Kami or something. Still, I just hope I know what I'm doing, I'm nowhere near equipped to fight demons right now...)

Haruki guides him through the house and digs up all his equipment while they look for the demon item. Khzuro casts spider climb on himself and Haruki. “Sskh, will allow you to walk up walls. Do that if you need to run from something dangerous. She takes him to her father’s office. She scans the shelves and finally gives him a wooden box that seems to have no lid.

He sighs and tries to fiddle with it. “You’re the one who led this one here, so what is it you are looking for?”

“I think it’s in the box.”

Khzuro fiddles with it. He tries to press and pull on the top, but nothing moves. He goes to one of the short sides. As he works with it, he finds the top decoration slides about ½ inch then stops. There is wood underneath it.

Before messing with it further he casts detect magic on it. To his eyes something glows a deep red/crimson but not the whole box. The glow is just in the middle. (well, that’s justification to keep going then) He tries the other short side. Again, the top decoration slides but this on ¾ inch. The top of the box seems to be able to slide now but only about ¼ inch.

He flips the box over to see if there is anything there. All he finds is a plain wooden panel finished with shellac. He tries the other long side one of the panels of decoration starts to wiggle. A needle springs out hitting the wall. There is a white paste covering it as it drops on the desk. It misses his finger by about an 1/8 inch.

He slides another panel down along one of the long sides and the top moves another ¼ inch. You see an opening in the box now it is open about the size of one of the short sides. The long sides stop moving completely but he now finds a loose corner on one of the short sides. He wiggles it but it doesn’t seem to move any further.

He continues to work at it and finds one of the corners can be pressed down about ¼ inch it seems to connect with the loose corner on the short side. He presses it down and finds he can now slide the other corner down. He tries the top of the box again. He slides it all the way off now revealing 3 compartments. The center one has a small crimson/black gem in it. Parts of it look faceted, the other parts look melted. He takes it out of the box feeling it. It looks and feels like a Yokai soul gem.

Khzuro takes his positive energy hand crossbow, he takes aim and shoots the soul gem. When he does there is a flash but nothing else happens for a moment.

A rising sense of dread and darkness closes in around them until there seems to be a shadow blocking the door to the office. It grows up and out at the doorway and forms a body. Khzuro casts protection for evil on the two of them.

As the shadow congeals the form of a woman slowly appears from the tendrils of smoke. She is in a black kimono with white markings on it. Her face is pale and her eyes blood red, but nothing glows around her. Without speaking she lifts her arm and holds the balm out her hand as if expecting them to give her something.

Khzuro looks to Haruki, to see if she has any idea what is going on. She looks utterly terrified and speechless. Khzuro tries to pass the box with the gem to the shadowy figure. He slides it to them handing it over directly.

The woman picks up the box slowly and reaches into it while keeping her eyes on the pair. Both Haruki and Khzuro hear a soft whispering voice. “You gave without thought children… I will not consume you… I am a gracious mistress…”

She walks over to Haruki and grabs her. The woman takes her nose and smells her cheek up to her hair. “I have fed on you and your sister enough… The dark blood of a killer… and the innocent blood of the naïve… such wonderful bouquets… We will not meet again.” Khzuro points his crossbows at the apparition as it grabs her but is too afraid to take a shot.

With that the woman slowly loses her form into smokey tendrils that turn to a shadow on the floor. It moves away from the office as it does. The feeling of dread and fear is lifted.

Khzuro then looks over to try to figure out what just happened. It seems to be gone. All that is left is the fighting outside. He looks to her, then puts his crossbows away. “Come on, we need to hide again. I don’t know if the Oni is truly gone but we can’t stay here.”

He casts prestidigitation to try to hide the evidence of the office break in. He seems to remember where everything was and puts it all back in order including the puzzle box. He will not know for sure until Sadao comes back to check his office if he does. The pair go back to their hidey-hole under the house.

[Winterhawk99]

Outside Drasta has drawn both her blades and is walking toward Sadao. He shouts orders to the 7 men he has left. One gives him a Tedate shield, and they form a semi-circle in front of him. Sei hangs back a bit to see how Drasta fares in the upcoming challenge. Sei’s bird is circling over the grassy hill.

Drasta gets about halfway then crouches down watching the formation. She rubs the runes on her sword and transforms into a solid black raven and flies to the homestead. Sei just glances at Samo at this not knowing what to do. Samo shrugs and doesn’t have an answer for him.

Drasta goes into the home through the mid back door and flies into the kitchen. The soldiers with Sadao hold their position for the moment. They talk amongst each other while pointing to the others in the group now that they are in view.

Utter depression and fear creeps into Drasta’s nerves has she enters the home. She sees a shadow roll across the wooden floor and out the central door on the other side of the hall. She watches it. It recedes out of the home and down the road for some reason. It seems to be leaving the property. She caws at the shadow to no effect. The shadow never stops it pace. It disappears down the road, most likely looking for its next victim to feed upon.

Sei meanwhile is holding position with Samo, waiting to see just what Drasta has cooked up for a scheme. Sadao looks up at the sun a moment then motions to one of his men. The man starts for the house. Sei notes the man and keeps his eyes on him.

A door opens and closes in the home. Someone, a man, calls out for Haruki. Drasta dips into the shadows of the home changing back into her true form.

Khzuro looks at Haruki speaking quietly, “Is that him?”

She shakes her head. “It’s Asa a trainee and one of the weakest of father’s men.”

He whispers back. “Look, they’ll ask me about the things, possibly my weapons. We can say that we got them in case I needed to protect you in case you were attacked, that work?” She nods.

“Right, means they won’t attack us at least… should we stay here or go to meet them?”

Haruki says, "we should stay here. if father finds us, he might reward you for keeping me safe.
He still loves us you know in his own way, twisted and dark way.”

"Here's our story. We were playing Go when we heard the attack, and I felt a hostile presence. We decided to move and try to hide, then we got my equipment in case I had to defend you. After that, we kept moving to avoid the fighting until we found our way here." She nods again.

Sadao motions Samo, and Sei over. Sei looks over Sadao, stepping forward slowly. Samo says, “He’ll probably kill us you know, but maybe you can sweat talk him into a deal. He is corrupt.” Sei nods.

Sei stops short of melee range, signaling to Samo to hold. He looks around first for the demonic presence he felt. The air of depression and fear moved away and disappeared, however there is and always will be a residue around the backyard of what has happened. The very ground cries out about the things done here by both Sadao and the demon.

Sei speaks up calmly. “That pole, sir, do you wish help removing it now that it’s reason for being had departed?”

Sadao smiles and then chuckles. “First let us gather everyone together. Where is the besshikime and that ill begotten westerner and of course” he points up “The bird comes down. I do my homework.”

“I’ll have to fetch them.” Sei calls for his bird to return to his shoulder, before heading off to go get Mika to rejoin the group now that the demon is gone. Samo stays.

Asa the trainee is going room to room calling Haruki’s name. As he works his way through the home, Drasta throws a marble to the other side of the room and waits a moment for the man to come. He looks in the direction walking slowly to the marble knowing full well one of the enemies turned into a bird and went into the house. He checks the rooms adjacent to where the marble was thrown scanning everything. He walks back out of the place to join his comrades. Drasta follows him out quietly holding her hand in a semantic que for a spell.

As he meets with Sadao and the others he says, “No one seems to be in the home master.”

“Good! Haruki and her pet most likely are safe then.”

Sei meets Mika at the edge of the woods. He motions her to come. “The demon has left. Let us regroup.” She follows him back to Samo.

As Sei and Mika come back Sadao smiles, “Seems to be no sign of the outlander in my home. Where could she be? The one that screws everything up. Did she abandon her duties? I wonder?”

Drasta creeps behind the formation staring into the back of Sadao’s head. She stops about 50 ft away bow by her side.

Sadao smiles again, “We will wait.”

Sei smiles back, “On that question, perhaps the answer is something we know, and you will find out.”
“I give you some respect. You alerted me to the presence of someone that may have challenged me had she succeeded in getting into my home. However, we both know that isn’t the reason you came.

Who was it that sent you? Barasume? My daughter perhaps? Or someone else?” He points to Mika then Samo. “I know these two would not do this if not given orders too.”

"Have you considered that harboring a demon might attract...unwanted attention?"

He shrugs "The demon came here on its own attracted by my training techniques decades ago. It was not by my hand that it came. I simply left it alone until it became somewhat of a threat then made sure I could control it. I would suppose my control is gone now due to your friend."

"Control of a demon is never not an illusion, something it grants to you knowing it has the upper hand, no?" Sei's tone is calm, inquisitive, collected, not betraying anything about what he might know that Sadao doesn't.
"Umph when you have its very soul in your keeping you may rest assured that it will not bother you. And besides it was a good helper in cleaning up the back yard. I left it alone and it left me alone.

But again, who put you up to this falconer? I will know one way or the other. eventually. I can be a patient man and very well know how to get what I want. So let us spare your pain and your friends’ pain and just tell me. Perhaps you will even get out of this alive.”

Drasta lifts her bow pulling back a blackened arrow to full draw trained at Sadao and lets it loose. The arrow pieces Sadaos shoulder. He cries out a war cry turns around and goes on the attack after her while snapping the arrowhead off his man while running pulls the shaft out of him. Two immediately go after Sei. The last 4 of his men go after Samo and Mika.

Khzuro and Haruki, again hearing sounds of battle, hug each other. She pets his head. Khzuro listening carefully to what is going on outside from their hiding spot.

The two soldiers coming at Sei strike out with their swords. They miss every time showing they are not the best Sadao has.

Mika sidesteps the first on her easily but the second strikes her. His katana bounces off her armor.

The first man on Samo strikes him twice to which like Mika the katana bounces off his armor. The other, however, comes from the side with some vicious blows. One of them slipping past his armor giving him a light wound. She drops her bow and draws her blades.

Sadao and his second get little over halfway to Drasta when she releases a rapid fire of arrows. Two of them punch through Sadaos shield and graze his arm.

Sei takes on the opponent on his left first with his Axe and dagger. He finds some gaps in the man’s armor and lightly wounds him.

While Sadao is sluffing of the slight pain he feels after the arrows hit him, Mika nearly devastates one of her enemies with well-placed shots through the gaps in his armor. He stumbles and nearly goes down.

Samo not to be outdone also lands some devastating blows against one of men on him. The man nearly keels over from the pain, but his discipline sustains him long enough to fight on.

One of the men on Sei finally break through his armor giving him a good cut across the back with a wraparound shot. Samo gets hit twice by both men. Blood starts to seep through his armor. At the same time Mika seems to dance around her opponents making it very hard for them to hit her.

Drasta flairs her eyes and swings her blades quickly at Sadao. Most of her furious attacks miss but she does get two cuts in. Her rapier punctures his armor in his side this time doing some damage and her other weapon cuts him, but he easily shakes it off while concentrating on his shield work.

In turn Sadaos man ties Drasta up while Sadao takes his time finding soft spots in her armor. He strikes out several times. Two of the blows connect, severely injuring her ribs and setting her armor on fire.

The two men on Sei try several attacks on him failing all of them. By this time Sei knows they have little experience and are probably trainees. The two on Mika manage to connect a few times but again her heavy armor protects her from harm. Again, Samo gets hit. He yells out a battle cry and goes into a frenzy.

Sei strikes out on the other samurai lightly wounding him. Mika, who is to his left suddenly guts one of her opponents. His intestines fall out and his body falls into them a second later. Samo also destroys one of his opponents taking his leg off at the knee, but the man is still swinging as he falls to the ground. Samo smiles and concentrates on his second opponent.

Drasta, now spitting out blood tries to rake her rapier along Sadao’s leg then vanishes in a void jump.

While Khzuro continues to enjoy the time spent snuggling and receiving head pats, He and Haruki don’t move out of their hiding spot while the fighting continues.

The two on Sei, though both heavily wounded hit him with their swords but the blows are so weak the weapons have no effect. The one on Mika still cannot get though her heavy armor and his sword is deflected by it. Samo gets hit once again across the arm. His armor protects him mostly but a trace line of blood shows as his gauntlet is ripped off his arm.

Sei sets to work on the weakest of his opponents now switching again. Every strike he makes produces another flesh wound in a style much like death by a thousand cuts. The man is so weak now he can barely hold up his sword.

Mika nearly takes out the last samurai facing her with two deft cuts to the ribs and on her last strike she sees an opening driving her sword under the man’s armpit and out the back of his shoulder. He is almost dead now but will fight to the end for his lord. In the meantime, Samo strikes out with three shots almost severing his other opponent’s arm. It drops useless by the man’s side as his sword hits the ground. Drasta is moving though the void away from Sadao as quickly as she can to a position behind the group.

Sadao seeing how badly his men are faring starts rushing to help them now that Drasta has disappeared. His lieutenant is right behind.

One of the men on Sei is so badly wounded he cannot go on with the battle and falls. The other one attacks him but misses being he is also very wounded. The one on Mika falls to his knees. He knows it’s over now and waits for the inevitable. One of Samo’s opponents dashes behind the other while he strikes. Again, Samo is hit for another light wound as he is confused by the new tactics.

Sei takes out the wounded samurai burying his dagger into the man’s neck. Then scores a hit on the others outer thigh making him stumble and back off. Mika takes off the head of her last enemy and starts to rush the two on Samo who is tired and bleeding in several places.

The last one on Sei gets a lucky strike and slices him across the hips. Sei’s armor again mostly protects him, but he can feel the burn of the blade bite into him. Sei hacks and hacks at him again and again until he slits the man's helmet and takes half his skull off. Mika’s move interferes with one of Samo’s attackers. He turns and faces her. The other continues his attacks on him but misses in the confusion of Mika showing up. The last on Sei again tries to take him out but is so badly wounded and weak he completely misses now.

Sadao’s henchmen roars into the fight surrounding Samo and Mika. He attacks Samo striking out several times but only hitting the big samurai once near the knee as Samo backs up. Drasta re-enters from the void 180 feet behind the battle now. She holds herself stern through all the wounds staring Sadao down and picking her bow back up from where she left it. Sei’s bird dives at Sadao but misses its strike completely. It almost dives right into the ground but at the last moment gains lift and circles again for its next strike.

In the haze of battle Mika attacking her man slips on all the blood on the ground and falls down in between everyone grouped here as Sadao makes a slow but steady defensive advance. Samo shakes his head and strikes out in her defense wounding the man on him again.

Drasta imbues a fireball arrow. Aiming carefully at Sadao but in her badly wounded state she lets the arrow fly before she is ready. The arrow flies wild and hits the ground 50 ft behind him. There is an explosion. Again, Drasta stumbles from blood loss.

Sadao sees Drasta on the field again and makes a beeline to her however he is also holding his shield in a defensive position so moves slowly. The fireball blinds almost everyone but Samo and Sadao who has his back turned to it.

While the battle is still going on, Khzuro keeps hugging Haruki who is holding her eyes closed with her hands in a fetal position waiting for the battle and the screams of the dying to stop.

Sei is the first to gain his ground again and jumps on Sadao’s 2nd hitting him over and over again with axe and dagger nearly killing him. Sei’s sparrow hawk makes another dive trying to harangue him, but Sadao sluffs it off like its nothing. Mika turns from her opponent and buries her katana into the lieutenant’s chest killing him instantly all the while Sadao is closing in on Drasta. Samo finishes off his last man and cuts off his head. The three of them rush to catch up to Sadao before he can get to Drasta.

Drasta unleashes a furry of arrows at him. They all bounce off his shield stick into it only slightly or graze his armor. He continues to come forward but must meet the distance. Sei’s bird keeps trying to harass him or get into his vision to cause him to panic but Sadao has had hundreds of battles. By some kind of luck, it does distract him for a split second whether its claws scrap his face, or he sees something else no one will know. It does give Drasta one more chance to hail a round of arrows at him.

Drasta’s last arrow hits him through the eye past his demon mask the arrowhead comes out the back side of his helm about an inch and stops. Sadao falls to the ground.

Drasta collapses to the ground huffing, “This is why you old bastard… Take his head!” Drasta falls sideways and passes out.

Sei grins broadly, before starting to dispense some light healing to at least get folks to stop making a bloody mess all over the field. He then decapitates Sadao and posts his head where he fell.

[Winterhawk99]

After an hour, Sei’s healing, bandages, and a few potions, Drasta wakes up. Sei had dragged everyone together to tend to them. Mika is hardly wounded, but Drasta and Samo are still in bad shape. Drasta pulls a bottle and raises it up to honor the dead. Sei makes a small laugh at that. She takes a sip and passes it to Samo then Mika takes a slug. Sei turns it down being he is still trying to patch Drasta up. He says, “Thanks for the offer but no thank you.”

Mika completes the head posting while Drasta takes the last of her healing potions. The scars won't be too bad but will be permanent. The wounds from such a successful weapons master are quite brutal. She will remember them all her life with the ugly marks she bears.

Khzuro from his hiding place tries to hear if the combat is over. He’s been enjoying Haruki’s snuggles while everyone else was murdering each other. He looks around warily, trying to hear what’s going on from his hiding spot. He hears the battle sounds and screams of the dying quiet and starts to hear laughter and talking now. He whispers to her, “Think the battle is over now. Not sure who won. Spell should still be active if you need to run up walls. What's the usual protocol for after a battle finishes?"

"We should wait for father."

Drasta looks at Sei now that she can move again. “That was half the contract. We need to find the wolverine’s sister.”

Sei nods, “You have anything for a scent?”

“They were in the homestead from what one of the samurai was yelling for them.”

“Alright let me see if I can pick up something.” Sei puts his nose to the wind trying to see if he can pick up any scents. The wind, however, is coming from the south. All he picks up are small animals, horses, and hay.

Drasta exclaims, “Sei if I may?”

“Fair enough, if you have a better lead than I can get go right ahead.”

Drasta traces the runes on her blade and places the flat of it on Sei’s shoulder. Sei accepts the shapeshift with a grin, taking wing in the form of a raven and giving his own bird a friendly “Caw!” to join it in an aerial formation.

Haruki listening says, “I guess we can go out of our hiding place now…I think?”

Khzuro affirms, “This one doesn’t sense any evil presence at least.” He stalks along, crossbows out, keeping alert and trying to keep hidden. “Right, let's keep low and try to keep hidden until we know we’ll be safe.” Haruki nods and follows crawling after him.

Sei heads for the house with his bird on his left wing. They go in while Drasta walks through another door in the back of the home still bleeding a trickle. Sei continues his search in raven form. He finds multiple areas where someone could hide in the home but cannot check in his shape changed form as of yet being they are closets that are closed and places where the doors are closed.

Drasta calls out, “Your free now child… Shinto has judged this.”

Just as Khzuro tells Haruki, “Think we're clear, I don't hear anything. But... sskh, wouldn't we hear his guards moving around?" He hears Drasta calling out and stops dead in his tracks moving his crossbows and pointing them toward the hatch door. He continues, “I’ve got an ill feeling, any idea who these attackers could be?”

Haruki shakes her head.

Drasta calls out again, “come child. Wolverine will be happy to see you safe.”

Khzuro thoughtfully says, “Might be prudent to assume any attackers want to wipe your tribe out completely. There a way outside the grounds from here?”

Haruki whispers, “One just invoked my sister’s war name.”

“Secret ally then. Or are they just well informed?”

Haruki responds, “I don’t know?”

Sei flies over to Drasta and perches on her shoulder briefly. He then takes to wind and circles Drasta a few times before leading her in the direction of the trap door under the building which his bird is doing a holding pattern over.

Khzuro sighs, “Right, options. This one can scout ahead. We could head out. Or we could try to sneak off the grounds.” Haruki just nods not knowing the best path.

Drasta follows Sei muttering, “Well now… The bird will not like to be kept without information when I see her.”

Khzuro hearing where the footsteps are headed says, “We’d better choose quickly. Hearing footsteps approaching. Better make a call now.”

“I don’t know Khzuro. I don’t know what to do. Daddy always defeated everyone else.”
Sei leads her to the trap door.

“Sskh, we move deeper into the tunnel. Come on.” He and Haruki start to try to crawl under the house to make their escape.

Drasta opens the door to find the complete underside of the house. There seems to be no one there in her present view being she can only see a small part. Khzuro keeps leading Haruki away to the other side of the home from whomever might be approaching.

Sei heads in through the crawlspace hatch and flies off in the direction of the perimeter of the house. He has his bird go outside and circle it, looking for anyone around or trying to sneak out. Drasta sits by the hatch and listens for any movement.

Khzuro and Haruki make more noise than expected. Drasta hears movement underneath and behind her as she stares down at the hatch. Sei sees a small woman and a kobold backing away from the hatch as he enters it. They are trying to make it around the nearest house pillar to exit from underneath the home.

Sei and his bird fly over to the pair. Sei trying to alight onto the woman’s shoulder as his bird does the same to the kobolds. Haruki freezes in sheer terror. Drasta void jumps to where she heard the sound and appears next to Haruki. Khzuro points his crossbows at her thinking she is a ninja. He realizes that they haven’t attacked yet. He relaxes but keeps his crossbows loaded and pointing down at the elven.

As Drasta appears Haruki’s last vestige of nerve leaves her, and she flees as fast as she can for the exit knocking Sei off her shoulder. He does his best voice-as-a raven trying to say, “There is no more evil here for you to fear but it only comes out as “Caws!”

Khzuro calls out. “Haruki wait, if they intended you harm, they would have attacked immediately when they found us! Not spoken to us! Best stand down!”

Haruki stops and lays on the ground crying. “If you’re going to kill me, do it quickly!”

Khzuro looks to Haruki, then moves over to Drasta, the kobold looking the wounded woman up and down. “So, is it true? Sadao is dead?”

Now that everyone's out in the open, Sei unshifts his form into that of a tallish, somewhat shaggy, plain-clothed, and leather-clad man "It is true, Sadao is no more."

Khzuro cries out to Haruki. “You had mentioned that your sister wanted to rescue you. It fits.”
The bolts in the kobold’s hand crossbows vanish. He holsters them and hides them away. Haruki is still crying, “She tried once. I wouldn’t go.”

Drasta looks to the kobold with flared eyes, “He is dead… Her sister sent me here for other reasons though.”
Khzuro his attention still on Haruki says, “Guess she didn’t stop trying.” Then looks again at Drasta. “What reasons?” He then walks over to Haruki, as if standing near her protectively.”

“To train… Though this was the challenge of a lifetime… Him and his seven…” chuckles deeply and coughs out blood. “Fucking asshole.”

“This is how mammals train themselves?” Khzuro huffs, shaking his head. “Whatever. Is she here?”

“Miwa is not here. It is how humans train themselves, tiny one.” Places her hand on his skull.

(Khzuro enjoys the new person giving head pats. It feels heavenly and nice after so tense a situation.) He remains still, nervously trying not to provoke the. If they killed Sadao, Khzuro figure he has no chance in a fight. He knows enough that Sadao was a master samurai and rider. He replies tentatively, “Well what do you intend for us, then?”

Drasta looks at Sei. He answers. “Let us tend to our wounds well enough to travel, then back to Shinto’s court. We’ll need to join back up with Samo and Mika while we’re at it of course.”

Khzuro becomes reluctant. “So, are you going to have us come with you, or are you leaving us here?” He looks over at Haruki.

Mika and Samo walk into the home with a load of equipment. Drasta nods to them as best she can with her injuries that could not be fully healed.

Sei tells Khzuro, “I reckon you two will join us, if that is alright by you?”

When Mika sees Khzuro she drops all her items saying excitedly, “A Kami! She ruses over and rubs his head. “I wish Kyo would let me become a retainer for lady Yamamoto.”

(Khzuro purrs happily and eagerly accepts all the head pats and snuggles it’s lovely) Let’s Mika do what she wants, still nervous, but carefully not provoking any hostility.

Samo just stands there and Snorts out, "Mika, you’re so superstitious."

Mika retorts, “You shouldn’t challenge the ways of the gods, Samo.”

Drasta winces and whispers, “Selune would not like that.”

Everyone looks at Drasta like she’s lost her mind except for Khzuro, who things everyone here lost their minds already.

Drasta now speaks up. “The moon… Have you not been taught her ways in some form?”

Haruki feints from exhaustion. Khzuro looks over to her with a sigh. “This one supposes she got what she really wished for… Just perhaps not how she wanted or didn’t like the price.”

Haruki’s dress is ripped up now. Everyone sees that her back has been lashed from time to time over the last decade or so. Over 40 permanent horsewhip marks mar the back of her body. Drasta recognizes them but they are only a 1/10th of what Miwa has on her back. Miwa’s back was completely shredded by marks by the time she was 12.

Drasta looks at her sadly, “I am sorry Haruki… I could not save you sooner.”

Khzuro looks back to Drasta, “So that was your intention? Ssskh, this one sees.”

Sei does some more work to mend Samo’s wounds while the others are talking. Mika counts items, 4 +1 katanas, 2+2 katanas, 1 +3 katana, 1 +5 katana with 2-8 fire damage, +5 breastplate with +2 strength, helm +2 int immunity to poison. Large shield +4, +3 will saves, boots of hardiness +3, belt +2 strength with freedom of movement. Amulet ac +4 immuity to death magic, disease and regen +1, ring of cold and divine resistance -/5, electrical -/15, gauntlets of wisdom +2 18 spell resistance and a ring of immunity to sneak attack and fear. Along with 60,000 ryo.

Khzuro seems to stay point defense by Haruki for now. Sei gives the kobold a soft, reassuring smile, His bird now perched on his own shoulder now. Drasta asks, “You will cause no problems, yes?”

He stares back “Ssskh, this one isn’t dumb. Knows what will happen if this one does regardless of what it is you really intend towards Haruki.”

Drasta holds out her hand gesturing. “Turn it against me and I will not be generous.”

Samo recognizes that Sadaos blade has the Shinto mon on it. It’s an ancestral blade that can only be awakened by one of Shinto blood. “That blade should be given to the Daimyo. The blade should be inherited.”

Drasta looks at Khzuro, “Kobold… What are you?”

Khzuro stays silent a moment and nods, “The blade should go to a Shinto.” He then raises an eye ridge looking at Drasta. But doesn’t reply just yet seemingly letting them get to other matters. Like looting the place. He still seems very protective of Haruki. Drasta continues to look over items. He keeps watching her for now, perhaps trying to interpret if her actions are a threat.

After a few more minutes she speaks up. “You have a name do you not… All that humans perceive as monsters do?”

“This one is called Khzuro.”

Sei bows slightly. “A good meeting Khzuro. I am Sei, of Barasume’s court.”

Drasta starts to clean her weapons and looks up. “I see.”

Khzuro turns his attention to Sei. "Greetings to you, Sei of Barasume." A breath out, sitting back "Barasume, one of Sadao's enemies among mammal politics, this one presumes."

Sei half smiles, “Sadao made many enemies with his ways, an example neither warm-blood nor cold-blood should follow."

Khzuro gives him a nod. "Even in the short amount of time this one has been here, this one could tell that." Shakes their head "Suppose it's a good thing it did not escalate to the point the dragons and celestial bureaucracy did not need take matters into their own."

"Aye, it is very good that it did not escalate that far.” Sei responds.

Mika breaks Sadao’s code and finds a book. It details how Sadao, and his men stole livestock from Shinto and did banditry along the roads of Natari to start a war. This was to draw Drasta here to both test her mettle and if proven worthy capture here for Sadaos personal training to protect his daughter. if deemed unworthy she was to be killed. She was deemed unworthy and a menace to society over observations that were made during your travels.

It also details the party’s whole trip and every incident about it. along with the fact that Kame was Sadaos hire not to spy on the Barasume palace but to spy on Drasta herself.

Khzuro nods, “"This one had a feeling it was near a breaking point where such would have become necessary, though..." noting more offenses with Mika’s reading.

Drasta suddenly rips the book out of Mika’s hand and stands at the door. “We need to leave now.”

Khzuro surprised says, “One of you would need to carry Haruki. She is not in fit state for travel. That or you could leave us here. She is technically owner of this household now. Ssskh.”

Drasta places all the coded books into the kobolds arms and picks up the girl, “Fine!”

He growls at her. "Be careful with her! You'll cause her harm by handling her roughly in her current state!" but does take the books. Drasta snarls at him giving him the eye.

He looks at Drasta and says, “May be best another carries her.”

Sei decides to take care of carrying Haruki. Khzuro gives him a nod of appreciation.

Drasta goes to look for other coded books. Khzuro stays near Haruki then looks up to Sei. “Ssskh, a question for you Sei... how did you ever come to work with the one who smells of old magic? The highly temperamental one."

Sei shrugs, “By matter of happenstance, more or less.” Khzuro nods aside to Sei and doesn’t press the matter further.

Drasta comes back and places a hand on Khzuro’s head. “Why are you here young one?”

Looks up to Drasta. Perhaps finding it strange how she seems to run hot and cold but doesn't comment on that. "Ssskh, was taken. Given as a gift to the house. Called Kami. Made a pet for Haruki. Have been her companion since."

“Curious… You speak but yet it is shallow?”

He raises an eye ridge. “What do you mean?”

“Fool is one who can be taken advantage of.” She switches to draconic. “What were you sent to do?”

Khzuro narrows his eyes back at Drasta, also switching to Draconic. "This one already told you, was captured and made a pet here. They made it clear this one couldn't leave without being punished. Didn't want Haruki to be punished either once it became clear what was going on here."

“She is your ward now.”

Khzuro sighs heavily. "Is pretty obvious when here that things... weren't right in this household. Many problems. Dark feelings. Shadows of malice at the edges of perception. Haruki kept in a prison of gold and luxury and blood. As was this one when they were taken here."

“I know what you feel child.”

He sighs heavily again. "She made a wish upon this one. For her mother to be brought back, so her father would stop being evil. How he used to be. Think what she really wanted was for the torment she came to know to be over." Looks around, shaking his head.

Drasta raises her head. “It is over.”

"For the moment... am not so sure it is all over for her though."

“It will not be for some time...I have struggled with the same.” He nods in turn. She continues. “We will find our time in court it seems...” coughs a bit of blood.

"This one hopes her sister is a better all-watcher than Sadao was."

“Her mind… Yes…. But maybe not eyes… Which is why I was sent to train.”

He cranks his head, noting the coughing blood. "Live training with lives at stake? ssskh, does it count as training when one's actions have tangible consequences?"

It is the chance we take doing battle with someone more skilled... *coughs a bit more trying to stay up.”
"Well, yes, but wouldn't call it training. Would call it real battle."

“A difference then...”

Khzuro shrugs at that. “Yip.”

[Winterhawk99]

The companions gather up all the bodies and burn them in the back yard with honors. Khzuro thinks to himself, (What a waste of good food but I shouldn’t eat them in front of others.) they pack up slowly and wait until the next morning to move out. They go out the same way they came avoiding the roads and other people. It takes them all day at a slow walk to make it back to Osamu’s court. A low-level administrator comes out of the fort and greets them. Ominously they see the banners of Shogun Miyoshi all over the fort that were not there before. All except Drasta and Khzuro know that the Shogun himself or a representative is now in the area on some important business.

Sei bows a greeting, although he raises an eyebrow at the banners. Khzuro just follows along, looking around warily. He tries to stay near Haruki but remains cooperative with the others around him. Haruki has her head down the whole time and speaks to no one except Khzuro. The administrator after inspecting them says, "Welcome to Fort Shinto."

Sie after studying the man bows and asks, “Ah, guests I see. Is now a good time, or would you folks rather we wait until you are finished entertaining the current round of guests?”

He recognizes Sei, “Hai, you are the leader of your group?”

“At this point in time, yes, in a fashion.” He nods a bit.

“You have a Kami with you?”

“We do it seems.”

Hideo comes rushing out of the fort waving his hands, “They are with me!” Drasta bows her head when she sees him.

Sei shakes his head and responds, “Aye, we are with Hideo’s group. We are returning from an errand we were sent on.”

Khzuro stays near Haruki who is displaying a dispassionate face of sadness now that she is around other nobles. A defensive mechanism. A shield which others will know should not be breached.

The administrator looks back at Hideo then to the group. “You will be wanted in court but will have to wait at least 2 hours. Welcome to Fort Shinto.” He bows to Hideo then to the group and leaves. Sei recognizes him.

Elated Hideo spurts out, “Hey! Hey! You all made it back…. All of you this time.” Kenshin steps after him ever vigilant.

Hideo starts to move like he’s in a fight swinging his arms, “So! Did you get it done swords slashing and magic pow, powing!”

Sei chuckles, “A bit of fighting, a spot of trickery, and we were able to pull through.” Drasta adds, “A few scrapes and bruises.” Then chuckles.

Hideo jumps up and down, “Yea! Another victory for clan Barasume. Umm but Shogun Miyoshi is here and there seems to be a lot of upset people too.”

Khzuro remains quiet but listens intently. Though he also pays close attention to how Haruki regards the conversation. She keeps her head down but tells Khzuro what everyone is saying, being it’s all in High Shou. (He never told her about his ring.)

Hideo notices Haruki, “Wow, I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful. Who is she? He makes to grab her face and lift her head up.

As Soon as he does, Khzuro steps between them and hisses at him. Drasta looks suddenly annoyed glares at Hideo and asks, “Any word on why they are upset?”

Sei sighs and also glares at the young man as well, “Let us not spoil the goodwill before we even get it.”

Hideo backs up a step at the hissing, “And what is this monster?”

Sei informs him, “He came with us on our return from the errand we were assigned.”

Khzuro starts to yell at Hideo, “"I'm Hawuki's bestest fwiend yipyip! And she needs comfowt and cawwe and hugs. Currently Haruki'sss companion and protector. Don't want her being hurt further!"

Hideo charges back. “I’m the shogun’s son. Step aside and let me see her!” Haruki flinches away from him.
Drasta calmly says, “Hideo… Not the time please.”

Khzuro raises and eye ridge, but then decides to play it cool and try to persuade the boy. “She has…. Been through a lot lately. Best you give her some time and space, be gentle.”

Hideo looks at everyone’s faces especially Khzuro’s and backs down, “Fine. I’ll get to know her soon enough.”

Khzuro cuts him down. “You can get to know her without grabbing her face, yip? Or isss that a human custom?” He seems oblivious to the connotations.

Hideo tones himself down. “We can go to the suite they provided me and my other girls.”

Mika murmurs to Khzuro in low shou. “He’s an obnoxious boy that thinks he’s a man.” Khzuro keeps watching Hideo, staying by Haruki protectively.

Hideo and Kenshin lead the group to his suite. Suzu and Etsuko are there. They bow to the party then try to hug everyone. Haruki goes to a corner and tries to be small. Sei doesn’t seem interested in most the rest of the party. Instead, he joins Haruki quietly in the corner. “Do you mind…?” She shakes her head.

Drasta keeps her distane from Haruki keepin an eye on her from a distance. Mika comes up to her. “If we are called in front of the shogun do not go to your knees. he is not your shogun. bow deeply and respectfully, understand. There are a hundred ways to bow in our land and you need to know when to use each one."

Drasta bobs her head, “understood, Thank you.”

While remaining protectively around Haruki, Khzuro enjoys all of the hugs and snuggles from the concubines. (It’s the best thing ever!)

Haruki looks to both Khzuro and Sei. “I don’t know what will happen. I have been spoiled. By right they should kill me or make me an eta to be sold as a whore.”

Khzuro asks, “Your sister wouldn’t let that happen to you, would they?”

“My older sister is a debt slave, Sango is at the great shrine, Miwa is banished to the other side of the world for two more years.”

Sie considers and says, “"It is not my court we walk in, so I cannot make any guarantees. That said, I can at least speak to respecting your will if you just want to live out the rest of your life in peace."

Khzuro sighs "This one sees..." (Refrains from making comments about how chaotic the mammal world is.)
Hideo looks around, “What is going on? Why all the sour looks? We have wine, food and you did the job! Let’s celebrate!”

Drasta looks up and says, “You may celebrate if that is your wish. The task is not complete until we reach the courts.” Samo looks over at the boy like he would enjoy beating the ever-living snot out of him.

Drasta mutters to herself looking at Mika. “This child…”

After 3 hours they are all called to court.

[Winterhawk99]

The members of the group go to court. Hideo and Sie are both front and center side by side. Samo is on Hideo’s left side with Kenshin behind the boy. Mika is to the left of them with Drasta on her right and Haruki on her left. Khzuro is to Haruki’s left. Osamu is not in the center seat. It is Shogun Miyoshi Hojin himself on it. The daimyo is beside him. All their wives and concubines are sitting to the left of them and there seem to be a slew of lawyers to their right.

In the first row to the right side of court are two Onna-bugeisha that have the same mon as Endo Reiko. As your group bows the shogun does not immediately recognize you. He waits to survey the situation. Minutes pass. He does finally recognize the group in full, but it is a bad omen. “Lord Barasume Hideo, do you speak for this group?”

“Umm, I am the leader, yes! However! I will have my counsel Sei speak for me.”

“Then Step Aside, BOY!” Sei steps up to the front with a deep bow. He waits for the shogun.

“How long has Barasume been walking in my territory?”

"For but a week or two, on a diplomatic mission to help settle some tensions on the border." Sei responds coolly.

"Explain yourself."

"We had heard reports of skirmishing and thefts at the border and were sent to address it before it inflamed into a full-on war. We first visited Daimyo Nakari to get his side of the story, then visited here to get Daimyo Shinto's side. At that point, we found an agent of provocation had been working to heighten tensions, and Daimyo Shinto here sent us to handle that. We return from that trip."

One of the lawyers gets up, bows to the shogun and whispers in his ear.

He studies Sei. "One of my lords is dead Shinto Sadao. There is a funeral pyre at his home. And I see that Shinto Haruki is with your group. Explain this Counsel?"

"He was the agent of provocation in question, trying to inflame war between Daimyo Shinto and Daimyo Nakari through the hiring of ronin to conduct thefts and raiding, and other such underhanded tactics."
"And why would one of my lords conduct such an operation? This is unheard of!"

"There was a... dark presence near his homestead when we first arrived there, that fled shortly thereafter. I suspect that may have had something to do with it. He also may have been trying to humiliate his daughter."
Khzuro keeps quiet, but keeps around Haruki protectively, trying to see how she reacts to this. Haruki is wincing after almost every other word of the shogun.

"Are you admitting that this group somehow killed Sadao. The Tiger of the Shinto clan?"

Sei nods slowly, “nods "Better he fall then be allowed to spark a bloody war between our shogunates."
Again, the lawyer stands up and is about to come to the shogun, but the high lord throws his hand out. “Do you have justification for this? If you do this better be good."

Sei nods with a serious look upon his face. "He tried to plant a spy amongst our diplomatic party, and men with his mon attacked and harassed members of our group, in addition to him being the primary suspect in backing many acts of lawlessness at the border."

The shogun grunts, "Prove it. Justify your actions. I should not have to tell you your heads are on the line."
Drasta looks over to Sei then to Mika not knowing what is in the books she took. Sei studies her next and turns to the shogun. “I think the tomes we took from Sadao’s house might be of use here.”

Drasta puts her head down and holds her pack out towards the side holding it with both hands. He takes them and flips through them for himself, briefly. Meanwhile the Daimyo’s first wife stands and comes over to Osamu whispering to him. Osama whispers to the shogun.

Sei turns his head to Khzuro afterward. “Did you grab some of the books from Sadao’s house as well?”

“Yip.”

“If I may have them, please?” Sei responds. The kobold offers the books to Sei. He flips through these ones more slowly. He then looks up at the shogun. “We have a diary of his plans and works, as well as his accounting-books that document payments between him and ninja and yakuza going back some 20 years.”

The lead lawyer steps down and bows, reaching out for the books with both hands. Sei resents them. The man takes them and hands them to his second. Half the crowd on the right-side leave with the books. The shogun turns his attentions back to the group. “There was a fight in an inn while you were occupying the city. Did you have anything to do with this? The owner has requested restitution and compensation.”

Sei looks at Drasta then to the shogun. "The battle in the inn was one of the assaults launched on ours by men of his allegiance."

"My judgement is that you are to pay 3,000 ryo to the owner 1/2 of the damages. For not conducting yourselves within diplomatic limits."

"That is fair."

The shogun waits. Samo looks at Drasta and whispers to Mika, “It is she who should pay.”

Drasta grunts slightly and counts out 3,000 ryo in front of her from the treasure they took from Sadao’s office. A court servant collects it.

The shogun turns his attention to Haruki. “Lady Shinto Haruki! The women of the court wish to question you. Go with them. Now!" Both Osamu's and Hojin's first wives stand then their other wives and concubines together. Haruki looks to Khzuro for a moment then leaves and bows before the shogun’s first wife. She recognizes her and takes her hand, leading her out of court through a side door. Khzuro tries to walk with her as she is called over. The shogun spots him. “You! Come here.”

He walks over in front of the lord. “Yes?”

Drasta watches Khzuro keeping an eye on him.

“Bow and show respect.” Khzuro does a bow though it is probably the worst the shogun has ever seen.
He still recognizes the small creature. What are you? Kami?”

Am called Khzuro. Have been companion to Lady Shinto Haruki for about a week since this one was taken there."

“Taken?”

"Was roaming the wilds alone. Was taken by his men while roaming around. Was given as a gift to Haruki. Done their best to tend to her since then."

"Do you have a superior, Khzuro?"

"Has been tending to Haruki." (Khzuro really wishes he had time to look through those books now!) "Answer to her and Sadao. Not Sadao anymore though."

"Lady Shinto is being interrogated over delicate rumors. Rumors about Sadao's household. We already know he almost beat his third daughter to death. There are other rumors that only women can find the truth of. Do you understand. You cannot go with her now."

Khzuro looks over to the Shogun, like he doesn't want to be separated from Haruki now. Like he wants to protest, but instead, he caves in. "This one... understands... can only request that she be given some time to... recover after what's happened there recently."

"We will see after we have answers. Back to your place."

He sighs, bowing, then shuffling back near Drasta and Sei, behind Sei anyways. Drasta places a hand on the kobold’s head looking down. (He purrs happily as he has hands on the head and head pats again.) He looks up to Drasta as she does so, but the kobold looks worried.

The shogun's attention turns back to Sei. He points to the Onna-bugeisha. "These women are looking for their leader. The Lady Endo Reiko. Do you know anything about her whereabouts? It is quite interesting because Sadao's family and Endo's family have a rivalry between them. I am suspicious that she has disappeared while you have been wandering my lands."

"She confronted Sadao and was felled by him. Our party bore witness to the duel."

He looks at the two women then back to Sei, "By all account thus far you have been honest with me. Do you have her head?"

"We burned it as part of the pyre."

The shogun grunts displeasure. "Do you have Sadao's head?"

Sei presents it. "That we remembered." Drasta half smirks at the statement.

The shogun centers his attention to the Daimyo. Osamu comes down and takes it. This is when one of the Onna-bugeisha’s speaks up, "We did not see the body or the head burn. We demand justice for our commander! The head should have been brought back for proper funeral rites!"

The Shogun sighs and thinks about it. He motions his lawyer to him. They whisper to each other. and the lawyer leaves.

The shogun steadies himself, "For the crime of neglect to a body. I demand 2,000 ryo compensation to be given to our honored guests. A letter will be written to your Shogun about this neglect."

"That is fair" Sei nods slightly. Drasta pulls a pouch and hands it over to Sei. Sei then hands the coin to a servant.

The lawyers come back. The shogun goes over to them for a long discussion. When he comes back, he grunts. "Justification for Execution is acknowledged based on records and notes from the lord’s office.

You have done the Miyoshi shogunate a service in bringing down a ruthless lord and will be compensated 5,000 ryo for your actions. I do not want ever to hear your names assassinating one of my lords ever again. Do we understand each other?"

"Aye. Let this not repeat again." Sei bows deeply. “We understand each other fully.”

The court waits a long time, long enough for everyone’s feet to start to hurt.

The women finally come in with Haruki. "Her face is completely smeared up from crying. Her makeup is a mess. The women take their places and sit except for the 1rst wives. Both Shogun, Daimyo and the head lawyer have a long discussion with them. Drasta perks her ears up attempting to listen from across the room. So does Khzuro.

Khzuro hears only a few words. Most are legal and he can’t understand them, but the words little wolverine come up several times. Drasta cannot catch anything.

He whispers to Drasta and Sei. "They keep talking about 'little wolverine'. What is that?"

Drasta whispers back making sure no one is paying attention to them. "That is Miwa, the warrior among Sadao's daughters. The one I am to protect."

The wives sit down, and the lawyer goes back to his place. Hojin again takes center. "Shinto Haruki! Stand before me!" Haruki Stands goes front and center and bows. The shogun recognizes her.

Khzuro looks worriedly towards Haruki.

The shogun stands. “"Shinto Haruki! Did your sister know?"

“Yes.” Hojin's countenance gets very dark. "MY lord just ten days after the battle of Osaka. Thats when she learned at the battle. She came for revenge. It was me!" She starts to cry. I stopped her!"
“WHY!”
"Our houuuse. Our house has always been plagued by the death of our mother. He starved us, beat us, He........he........."

The shogun puts his hand up. "Stop right there. No word of other things." Drasta stands and grits her teeth a bit but not audibly. She suddenly sees the guards go on alert and sits back down on her mat.

Haruki starts to cry despite her upbringing. "I just wanted it to stop. I could not see Miwa die like that: Crucified for patricide. I stopped her. I wanted it to all end. I knew if I accepted him and stopped her it would end. It would all end and there would be peace in our family once again. If anyone should be punished it should be me. It’s my fault."

The shogun paces for the first time not sure of himself. He stops and lowers his eyes to her. She gets on her knees and puts her head to the ground. "By law I should have you killed. You are a spoiled noblewoman. I also know from your very deminer that you are an innocent. If not for the letter of justification that I will personally write to Shogun Barasume the little wolverine would have to declare revenge for the death of her father. That is not on me that is on those who gather around you. Knowing her she may still go after everyone here. There is a reason for war names.

If I kill you, she will most likely be honor bound to kill me and knowing her she might just be able to do it. even if not kill have my guard in the process. You have put me in a situation.” He paces again then continues. “Not only that Barasume Miwa is a high official now with an imperial appointment which clouds the situation even more.” He stops and looks about the entire court.

Here is my judgement. "Shinto Haruki. You are to be remitted to the Barasume clan. Shogun Barasume Kyo will have to deal with you. furthermore, if anything gets out about Shinto Sadao's personal family and the dealings of he and his daughter Shinto Haruki the one who spoke those lies will be hunted down by the Shinto clan and killed by slow boiling in oil. I will write letters to the shogun personally. Does everyone in this court understand my words?"

Khzuro Looks over to Drasta and Sei at that, perhaps not comprehending the political complexities, but the kobold says nothing.

Sei nods slowly and bows. “Aye, this will not be told of.”

The shogun waits until every single person in the court affirms his judgement. Drasta nods quietly without losing her vision of them both. Hideo seems to be the only stand out. He's wide eyed and confused. After everyone else affirms.

The shogun looks at him. After a minute the shogun puts his hand on his sword. "Boy! If you do not affirm. You'll be seeing a very dark place for a very long time."

Drasta mutters quietly to him. “Don’t be a fool.”

Hideo seems to wake up, "I affirm! I affirm!"

The shogun shouts, "THIS COURT IS OVER, LEAVE EXCEPT FOR DAIMYO SHINTO!"

Sei bows and looks at the group. "We depart next morning for Daimyo Natari's palace, return to him and tell him that the situation is settled."

Khzuro goes back to remain near Haruki once the court is adjourned but keeps listening to the others. It might be difficult to tell what's on the little lizard's mind, but they might seem a touch unsettled. Drats nods and bows with a bit of relief.

The group including Haruki is ushered back to the suite made for them. Upon their return Drasta sits in a corner making notes in her book. Khzuro looks around after Haruki presumably falls asleep. He listens around to try to hear if anyone’s eavesdropping. His attention turns to Drasta and Sei. Drasta looks up from her book noticing him then turns her head back down writing.

He shuffles close to Drasta and speaks quietly. “It safe to speak here?”

She closes her book. “What do you wish to speak of?”

Khzuro sighs, looking around. “Just… not sure. Lots going on. Don’t understand all the… angles? Politics? Getting the feeling something isn’t right. Is what happened today normal?”

“Many things I would not consider normal here.”

He sighs again nodding, “Am glad this one is not the only one.”

“I am not from here young one. I cannot judge on their laws and traditions. There are many things I would not consider normal here.”

“Is fair.” The kobold pauses, considering. “Will Haruki be, okay?” (He implies with the Barasume clan but doesn’t vocalize it.)

Drasta looks up. “I am unsure… I can only ask that she be taken care of gently.”

“This one truly hopes so.” He heavily sighs. “Who are the Barasume clan anyways?”

She nods, “I cannot promise any outcome.”

“This one knows. Just…” Another sigh.

“What is it?”

"Feels like there's a lot of tangles, too many unknowns. Things clearly don't work as this one thought they might. Way of... Bushido humans follow? Sometimes seems like they don't follow it at all. Completely misinformed. Worrisome."

“Something I do not know of. You talk with one who is only able to speak and not read the language of high.”

"Is fair..." There's a pause "Do you know the Barasume Clan, though? What they're like?"

“I would like to believe they are just and fair....They do have power as well.”

"This one hopes you are right, then."

“I cannot fully attribute to their ethics.” Khzuro nods aside. She continues, “I am sorry I cannot tell you more...I am already in enough trouble as it is.”

“OH… “

Drasta opens her book and continues sketching. Khzuro shuffles over to Sei. He looks at the kobold. “Hmm?” Drasta keeps her eyes on them both sketching.

(Khzuro looks up to Sei with those adorable kobold puppy eyes just begging for head pats)
"Say um... this one... wanted to ask. Are... things like what we've seen today normal here?"
Speaks quietly of course.

"Not...everyday, at least. The courts can be somewhat dramatic at times, especially when a shogun is trying to assert their dominance, if you will."

"Ah... just... wondering... do you think Haruki will be okay where they are going?"

"I will do my best to ensure that she is well."

"This one gives thanks"... "Doesn't know much of the Barasume Clan though... what are they like?"

"Their elders are fair. Hideo has yet to...grow into the role he is expected to fill, though" putting it diplomatically.

"Ah, that's good to hear. Hoping they will not be too upset with this one for..." A pause "What did Hideo want with Haruki anyways?" Drasta looks up to them then back to her book. Khzuro just waits and keeps looking up to Sei, glancing around every so often.

"He...is easily smitten by pretty women, wanting to wine, dine, and bed them."

“Oh…” The kobold quiets down, in deep thought.

[Winterhawk99]

Everyone packs up and starts off in the morning. It was a pleasant trip. The group makes it back to the town where Drasta trashed the inn looking for Kame. Sei looks to her. “Did you want to handle paying the reimbursement to the innkeeper yourself, or would you rather I was with you for that?”

“Best to have someone better with words. I will pay though.”

Khzuro looks up from Haruki’s side and thinks, (wonder if mammals are so destructive in recreational activity.)

Haruki looks scared most of the trip and seems to have gone into herself except when she and Khzuro are alone.

Sei leads Drasta over to the inn, looking for the innkeeper when they arrive. Drasta follows, also looking for him. The innkeeper, when he knows you are at the door, holds it closed. “NO ADMITTENCE FOR YOU! YOU RUINED MY INN!” is what the two hear though the door. "IM STILL TRYING TO CLEAN UP THIS MESS!"

Drasta whispers to Sei, “Perhaps we double his payment?” While Khzuro wonders just what happened here.

Sei shouts out, “WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU WITH THE MESS!”

“HOW SO?”

"We can help you with the cleaning, and we also bring compensation!"

"COMPENSATION? HOW MUCH COMPANSATION?"

Drasta shakes the bag of coin, audibly. Sei says, “Three thousand coins!”

They hear a man’s voice and a woman’s voice talking behind the door. It starts out softly then gets loud, then soft again. After a few minutes they hear a scampering of feet, and the innkeeper opens the door. “Ah, Welcome honored guests. Admittance is 3,000 ryo and you have the best seats in the house……. “Don’t destroy it.”

Sei steps in with a deep bow, letting Drasta do the honors of handing over the coin. She does saying, “Doubtful without any spies around anymore.” She bows after handing the coin over then pulls an extra 20 platinum and hands it over separately.

Sei affirms her. “Aye, no more agents of provocation sending spies, ninja, or ronin after us.”
The innkeeper takes the bag with both hands, goes over and weights it, then gives the thumbs up to his wife. “Come! All of you. My wife is setting up a special table.”

Everyone follows him. (Khzuro wonders why they are stopping in a place they destroyed.)

The inn keeper sets up a large table for all of you. The wife serves you first fish soba then grilled squid (small ones.) It’s not giant squid season yet. Tuna steak and Kobi beef with wasabi, tea cakes and candies are set on the table, there is grouper sashimi and baked thresher tail all of you to enjoy.

Sei digs in heartily. Haruki eats lightly. Mika and Kenshin gorge themselves on all the treats like fighting men and women. Etsuko and Suzu eat sparingly and daintily. Drasta finishes her bite and looks to Hideo.

One by one everyone goes to their rooms. Mika takes her watch inside Hideo’s room. Kenshin stands outside, leaving Drasta and Samo the night off. Everyone has a comfortable night except for Drasta who is awakened out of revelry several times by Samo’s rather loud snorts and other sounds, and a few unpleasant odors admitted by his luxurious dinner.

Before they move out in the morning Drasta checks on Haruki and Khzuro. He looks up to Drasta, staying near Haruki. (And of course always enjoys the snuggles.) Haruki remains poised and silent when anyone, but Khzuro is around. Drasta says, “You have my condolences if that is necessary.”

She nods and stares out the window toward the horizon.

"Will she kill me? Or will I already be dead for my misdeeds with our father?"

Khzuro is the first to speak after. "Given what you've said of her, this one doubts your sisster would kill you."

Drasta affirms Khzuro’s line of thought. “I do not believe she will. Your sister is very different than the last time you had seen her.”

Samo clears his throat and says, "Have no worries, Lady Shinto. The Barasume court holds bushido in higher regards than other courts. We believe in true justice one to which may be harsh but is fair for those who have been done wrong. You were the one wrong. I would fear more for your sister and yourself. She abandoned you when she could have had justice."

"I was the one who stopped her?"

He answers her firmly. "She was lacking in her duty still. Justice was not served. You do not have to follow the code. She did and does."

Khzuro not understanding the line of thought says, “"Is ultimately the Sadao's crimes, not the sister's."

Drasta murmurs. “The crimes of the father or...Something I have heard of such.”

Samo nods, “It will be put to our Lord's hand and his justice if any."

The group mounts up. They come out of Shinto lands and pass into Natari territory. As they pass by a field, there is a large old wolf there on its haunches in the middle of it. It watches the group closely.

Both Drasta and Sei take notice. They both mention that it was there before. Khzuro, he thinks, (Aw a puppy to hug!) while watching the wolf warily but doesn’t make any aggressive actions.

Mika makes the comment, “Strange.”

Sei notes, “Nonetheless, it would be but a distraction to u, so let us carry on.”

Hideo muses, “It’s probably rabid being out in the middle of the day.”

Drasta corrects him. “A rabid wolf would attack on sight.”

Sei studies it again, “Aye, it’s awfully placid for a rabid wolf.”

Khzuro shrugs, “If it ignores us and keeps to itself, this one says we move on.”

Drasta studies it carefully from a distance as they walk past. The wolf starts to walk parallel to the group. As they hit the end of the field it breaks along the treelined opposite their direction. Stopping and looking back occasionally until they pass the trees, and he is no longer in sight. Drasta turns to Sei, “It is watching, I’m not sure why.”

Sei agrees, “That is odd, yes… I can go investigate if you wish?”

“It is not up to me though it may be interesting.” She replies with a chuckle.

Sei makes a decision, “Everyone else, stay here and stand watch.” He dismounts and slips off to approach the wolf cautiously. Drasta holds position and stands atop the horse to get a full view. The wolf says still until Sei gets within a bow shot then runs 20 yards back, stops and waits.

Again, Sei approaches cautiously but keeps in plain view of it so it can watch him. He tries using his animal handling skills but gets a sense that the wolf is ignoring his calls. Each time he comes closer it waits then moves further into the field 20 or 30 yards out of bow shot.

Sei stalks back off with a small chuckle, returning to the party. “Must be a shy wolf, no worries, let us continue on then.”

As he walks back the rest see the wolf slowly walking to a very dense hollow filled with bamboo and jagger bushes. The group moves on to reach the Natari palace by late afternoon. No one comes down the road. They find some bandits with their throats ripped out on the side of it along the way.

Drasta hums a sylvan song throughout the rest of the journey. Sei comments on them. "Could have been the wolf's work, if so, a well done to them" small smile and a chuckle as he looks over the dead bandits.

Drasta smile gets bigger as she hears Sei’s comment. As they approach the residence, they see several banners resting along the side of one of the walls. Drasta and Khzuro do not recognize them. Mika comments.
“It’s the south-west cavalry regimental banner. A tough group of elite women Onna-bugeisha.”

As the group is seen, the council of the court hastily sets one up for their entourage. Sei bows deeply to the administrator as they enter. “Hail. We have word from Daimyo Shinto’s lands.”

The man comments, “I hope good news. The lord will be ready momentarily. He hopes all is in good order and you have solved our problems with the Shinto clan.”

“Indeed. The trouble at the border should be no more; 'twas the work of an agent of provocation we were able to track down and bring to justice."

It takes about a 1/2 hour to set the court up. When you enter the Daimyo is there along with his wife sitting to his left and several of his council to the right. There are about 20 women in light armor sitting on mats on floor. Lady Yamamoto is present front and center of the group. There are also several monks there from the closest cloister. You enter and do your honorifics. The Daimyo returns them.

Sei speaks first. "We arrive bearing good news, Daimyo. The border issue with the Shinto clan lands is resolved, without need for assembling a ranging force."

The daimyo gives him a nod, “You have proof?”

"We were able to bring the agent of provocation that was responsible for the trouble to justice. Daimyo Shinto's court received the diaries and accounting records we found that proved that agent's entanglements with yakuza and ninja."

"Who was this agent?"

"We are not at liberty to speak their precise identity but suffice it to say he was an elder and a man with influence in the courts there."

His eyes catch Haruki "Is that why the lady Shinto Haruki is with you?" The kobold continues to stand by her protectively.

“Likewise with her companion.” He motions to Khzuro.

Drasta stands quietly studying the room and listening.

The Daimyo thinks it over a long time. " If all is true then good work. We, the Natari clan, thank you. Is that a Kami with you?" Khzuro doesn’t clarify but keeps close to Haruki. Lord Natari waits for an answer.

Sei nods, “As far as we can tell at least.”

The Daimyo stands, “Come here little one.”

Khzuro looks up to Haruki, then shuffles over to the Daimyo. “Yess?”

"Let me think for a moment. “He then strokes Khzuro's head, "Yes I think that will do."

Two voices ring out, one is his wife. “MY LORD!” The other is lady Yamamoto, “Lord Natari?”

Khzuro (Purrs happily and accepts all of the head pats Lets the Daimyo do what he wants.)

The Daimyo ignores his wife and motions lady Yamamoto over. she gets down on her knees and rubs Khzuro's head. Meanwhile the Daimyo speaks, "This night I will let you stay out at the old lodge. It should give you a more peaceful rest if the spirits are in repose. Lady Yamamoto will guide you there." She looks up at him then hugs Khzuro hard giving him a kiss between his ear and eye. "Oh, it’s really true."

Khzuro (Squeaks and purrs happily as the Daimyo's wife gives him all the kisses and snuggles and hugs Just lets her do what she wants resisting hard at not freaking out completely.) She releases the kobold, " I would be honored to be with our guests this night at the lodge." come we will depart at once. She stares at Mika." The Daimyo grunts, "Make haste and you may get there by nightfall."

Drasta bows to the daimyo with thanks. Sie also bows with thanks as well as he joins the calvalry leader to head out to the old lodge.

The party races to the lodge led by Lady Yamamoto who is an excellent horse rider. They make it to the lodge at dusk. It is a two-story affair. There is an old woman and a young woman waiting for them.

The old woman directs everyone where they may stall the horses in a barn. The younger girl bails hay and fills the water troughs. Everyone meets back at the entrance.

The old woman says, "I am council member Kame. let all those that want to help quell the spirits that live here. You see the incense stand at the top of the steps. This is Amaya she will see to your needs."

Sei nods along. Khzuro sticks close to Haruki as ever, but listens along, still looking lost. Amaya goes up first and lights two sticks of incense and prays a moment before unlocking the door and opening it for everyone.

Mika and Lady Yamamoto go up together. Lady Yamamoto explains, "We will be taking the master bedroom." They then light incense and pray afterward they nearly dance into the doorway and in the home. Drasta smiles lightly at Mika.

Sei prays at the shrine himself before heading in to find a room. Hideo ignores the small shrine and waltzes in. Samo makes his due at the shrine then Kenshin and the concubines. Drasta gives a prayer in reverence at it and finds a comfortable place in the house to sit and listen.

[Winterhawk99]

As the group goes to dine, Amaya makes tea and starts cakes for the lot of you. She tells you, “It will be about an hour before dinner. You may explore if you like.”

The walls of filled with many katana, naginata, tantos, and other weapons along with shields and hunting spears. Most look like they may be war trophies.

There are 5 bedrooms that are rather tight but two can sleep in each comfortably.

Otherwise, the lodge seems somewhat spartan. There are two locked offices. to each side of the house. There is a mantle with a fireplace in the living room with a large painting and figurines sitting on it.

Drasta sits for tea and cakes being she is hungry and wants to eat first. Khzuro tries to see how Haruki is holding up with all of this but does keep listening around. Sei joins for tea. Haruki seems different here. Her eyes widen as she explores the living room. She studies the paintings first then all the little figurines. Khzuro keeps up with her.

She for once pays no attention to him. Rather her eyes study the lodge that they are in. She almost steps on him.

Drasta picks up a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits and brings them towards Haruki. She accepts the gifts with a slight bow and eats looking around. Drasta looks around for prying eyes.

No one seems to be here but the party and Amaya. The painting Haruki is looking at shows a wounded owl on the ground while a wolverine and large wolf are locked in combat. Each are giving the other mortal wounds. The wolverine is ripping out the wolfs stomach while the wolf has its jaws locked on the inside of the wolverine’s thigh.

Drasta looks up at it and comments. “Interesting piece of art is it not.”

Haruki nodes, “Yes, yes, it is.”

Drasta continues, “Two great animals fighting over something that is already dead killing themselves in the process.” She chuckles lightly. “Perhaps there is much more meaning behind it.”

Perhaps, perhaps it represents the clan wars themselves. The never-ending fight to claim more territory for each clan… from each other that is. Each daimyo and shogun want to unite Kozakura under their own banner of course. It has killed thousands over the centuries.”

Drasta smiles looking to Haruki. “That is a great thought on this.”

Amaya comes back with food. She has a standard affair: just fish and rice with soy and wasabi sauce. There are some sushi rolls, enough for everyone to have two or three.

Sei digs into the relatively light meal.

Amaya sits beside Sei at the end of the table. There is a plate of food made at the head, but no one sits there. Hideo tries but Samo gives him a stern look and puts his hand on his sword. Hideo decides not to sit at the head of the table. Mika and lady Yamamoto talk quietly at the other end among themselves. Amaya just listens while you converse.

After dinner she shows everyone the guest rooms saying. “There is no need for guards. Few are willing to stay here for long and the home is well guarded when guests are here.”

Drasta, surprised, asks, “Wait! No need for guards but the home is well guarded?”

The young woman nods. “Yes, it is guarded by both spirit and others.”

Drasta looks around and nods, not truly believing. “I see…”

Sei tends to his bird a bit before he retires for the night.

As you blow the lanterns out, a lone howl is heard from outside.”

At about midnight Sei is disturbed by his bird flapping its wings. He wakes up. There is someone in the room with him. Kenshin is also snoring away but there is another shape in the corner.

He looks around and sniffs the air. “That’s odd.”

The smell of wolf carries to his nose, and he hears a voice. “Hello brother.”

Sei smiles softly, “Ah, hello there my furry friend. What brings you this way?"

"I had thought to contact you in more amicable conditions. I am Junjie Zhu another countryman. How fair you in the Barasume court?"

"I have been well. Is something the matter or is this just a reuniting of the long separated"? he smiles.

"Just an old monk that wishes if you need counsel. You have had a long and hard road this journey. The winds speak to me of your venture. The water sings your song. And do not worry a pinch and the human will not wake till morning. he is unharmed and will have a restful night."

"It is good to hear from you. I will let you know if I need aid alright?"

"I will be outside. No one wants to be near here for the restless spirit of the home. but I will make sure none disturbs your group. and do not worry it has never harmed anyone a bit of mischievous at times nothing more." When there is no answer, the man stands up and leaps out the window. Sei does not hear his feet tough the ground. The action is almost completely silent.

At one in the morning Drasta is deep into revelry when a picture falls to the floor in her room. She wakes up with a blade drawn in her hand to find the room is empty except for Suzu who seems to be still sleeping. She walks over and picks up the picture placing it back on the wall.

A cold mist starts to form at the bottom of the window. It floats to the floor and starts to fill the bottom of the room about an inch.

Drasta glances around the room waiting for something to happen. The room continues to fill with the cold clammy mist a few more inches above the bedline, which isn’t far since the beds in Kozakura only stand a few inches off the ground. It stops with it completely covers Suzu. The air then goes dead and silent.

She approaches Suzu ready to raise her head above the mist. The concubine doesn’t move other than the rise and fall of her chest. She seems to be sleeping comfortably. Drasta whispers, “Curious… Spirit?”

Nothing answers her. She walks to the window and looks out it. As she does, she feels a chill behind her. Her hair seems to move of its own accord as if someone brushed against it.

She spins around quickly muttering, “I’m not crazy… no…”

She stares into a blanket of fog that has filled the room about a ¼ way up to the ceiling. She goes to her bed and sits on it holding her necklace of Selune. “What… Why are you here?”

A cold breeze hits her in the chest pushing her down on her back on the bed. She suddenly feels quite stimulated. She giggles and chuckles lightly. It lasts about 20 minutes, then her body suddenly levitates in the air, and she is thrown back down on her stomach. She starts to be stimulated again in a different area.

She tries to kick off the bed flaring her eyes, “NO!”

Still, she remains pinned. She feels a sense of surprise and happiness as she stays pinned down for 15 minutes. After that the feeling subsides. A breeze seems to move her hair away from her ear. She hears a soft whispering voice like the wind, “My midnight flower, you have returned.”

The feeling suddenly leaves her, and the mist slowly dissolves. She sees Suzu smiling and sleeping on her side. Drasta sits on her bed and does not sleep the rest of the night.

At 3 in the morning Khzuro and Haruki wake up to screeching and flapping. Khzuro perks up and quickly starts to assemble their equipment together. A barn owl has flown through the window and seems to be trapped. It’s flapping around the room.

Haruki locks her eyes on it. “What do we do?”

Khzuro casts detect magic on it. He sees no aura. He then looks to Haruki, “Looks like it's just an animal.” As he looks around, he sees there is magic building around the room itself. It is very faint.

He studies the signature of the magic and finds both Alteration and transmutation magic at work and some other kind he does not know.

Haruki exclaims, “How do we…Wait!” She pulls back the curtains. Khzuro, not paying attention to her scans the magic field trying to see what specifically is enchanted.

He raises and eye ridge. “"Is it normal for places like this to have magic in the air? Walls? Enchanted presences?"

It seems to be the room itself is enchanted but there is something he cannot see like a shadow but magical, maybe ethereal. The owl finally finds the window and flies out. He casts a mage hand closing the door after the owl leaves but tries to sense if the presence is still there afterward.

A bit of mist forms itself in the corner into a squirrel. The squirrel runs across the room and then changes to mist again starting to go under the door.

Khzuro squeaks, “That definitely wasn’t natural.” After some thought he determines the mist seems to be an ethereal presence, but he doesn’t know what of. He spouts out, “Think we might want to check with the others, something feels off here.” Haruki follows him.

He heads out of the room, looking around, listening carefully. He also checks to see how high the walls are in the building. As he steps out of the room the misty squirrel is there. When it makes eye contact with him it jaunts down the hallway it moves slowly enough that he can follow it.

As he slowly follows from a safe distance he whispers to her. "That Squirrel definitely was magical. Had a magic aura around it. That's... not normal, is it?" She shakes her head and falls in behind him.

The kobold ties to hear if there’s other chaos going on in the household. He is met with dead silence. The squirrel makes a few turns and ends up at the door of the left office. Again, it unforms and the mist goes under the door.
He looks to see whose door that is. There is no indication it just seems like a locked door.
“Think these should alert the house's security rather than break in. Do you remember where we can find them?"

Haruki answers. “There's no one here remember she said a spirit protects the home.”

He looks around for others who might be up at this hour then says, “Oh right…” He then pauses considering. “Think it's the spirit protecting the home and not something malign, then?" Looks up to Haruki.

"What if that is the spirit? What does it want?"

Khzuro shrugs, “"Don't know, could be playing. Could be trying to guide us somewhere..." He casts another detect magic at the door, trying to sense if there’s any notable auras there or beyond. There seems to be nothing on the door that is magic.

He turns around and looks at her. “"No magic on the door or through it that I can sense. Hrm, was said the spirit was mischievous, but not harmful. Think we can probably safely go back to sleep. That or maybe it wants to play with us. What do you think Haruki?"

"I think maybe it wants us to open the door."

"Well, I can try to if you want me to..., that or we can just go back to sleep..."

"I think I want to see this room. I think it’s my sisters or her husbands."

"Got it, in that case, I brought these..." Gets out his thieves’ tools and attempts to pick the lock.

Khzuro picks it easily. The door opens. As it does, several lanterns in the room light up by themselves. They enter the room, looking around for anything unusual.

It looks like an office. There is a large desk and files to the right neatly stacked. There is a bookshelf full of law books. Also, a painting of a woman in heavy samurai armor on a brown war horse. Her face painted like Haruki's. There is a gavel on the desk. It’s on a wooden mount. to be readily picked up.

He looks around, hoping there is no demons in this office. He then looks up at the painting. “Is that a picture of your sister?"...

She nods, "it is a kind picture. There are no scars. Her scars were so bad no makeup could cover them." As she says that, two books fell off the shelf.

Khzuro goes to look at the files on the desk "Still her, could have been painted before she got them, maybe. Or generous artist. Either way, odds are the spirit wants us to find something here." Though he does glace at the two fallen books. Most of the files are ledgers on harvest yields and monthly fishing yields. Some notes on the annual giant squid hunts, some successful, some not.

He walks over to the books, picking them up. One book is plain with no title, the other has a title. "Village judgements"

Khzuro walks over and puts the two books on the desk, then opens them, trying to see if anything stands out when looking them over.

The untitled book seems to be a diary of sorts. About the woman’s struggles with the code of bushido and how she seeks to do better with it especially on the value of kindness.

The village judgements are on the judgements of three villages month by month. there seem to be judgements for 10 years on the book but only 8 are filled in. the judgements correspond to the diary in that in the beginning the woman used the harshest judgements she could within the law and as she got older, she softened. She sometimes wondered if this was the right thing to do but noted that the villages appreciated the lesser judgements which made her hand. It made her husband happier and the villagers too. There are also other struggles she tried to tackle understanding the code and how to do better in all 8 of the values.

He continues reading through it, trying to see if there's anything in particular that stands out, also looks to Haruki, letting her read if she wants to. She reads with him.

the woman also noted others struggles with bushido and how no one she knew was perfect in the code some put it to their hearts and did their best others just used the code for lip service and did what they wanted. those often infuriated her, but she could do nothing about other than a challenge since samurai were often slightly above her station.

Khzuro seems convinced there's something here they were meant to find. They also try to see if any of the particular judgements correlate to the harvest ledgers.

Harvest numbers were down in the beginning of her judgements but progressed upward as she learned to be a better lady and knight. There are notations here and there of how things became better.

He nods then looks to Haruki to see how she takes the information.

There are also some notes about a black coated wolf and an ancient shrine in a hollow where a goddess of floods sleeps. The wolf seems to be working with a monk to help her protect her realm even when she is angered that the monk somehow knows all her six names.

He looks over at Haruki to see how she reacts to this. Khzuro for his part remains stoic.

As Haruki reads, she murmurs, “She tried. She tried to break free of his grasp one step at a time. But his shadow will ever haunt her. She still cries over her disfigurement."

"These judgements, do you think any of them might have caused resentment?"

Haruki nods, "They start like my father’s judgements. She was his apprentice. It’s all she knew. It was the love of her husband that guided her to do better. I think. she talks about him many times in these entries."

"I see..." Takes a closer look at the notes regarding the ancient shrine and the sleeping goddess, trying to see if there's any potential problems there. "Do you think you'll be in a position to be making such judgements?"
She shakes her head as she does a breeze comes through the window. Both hear a soft whispering voice, "for your scaly goddess that she may know."

Khzuro nods aside, but says nothing, still pondering the problem with the monk knowing all six names. "Think we got what we needed here... Let’s clean up and head back to sleep."

They tidy the place up, putting the books and papers back and lock the door behind them. They go back to bed and sleep the rest of the night.

In the morning everyone wakes up. Lady Yamamoto and Mika both walk down with their hair completely messed up and frizzed. Mika complains when the woke their hair was tied together. The two of them had too undue it. Hideo comes down pale as a ghost and seems not wanting to speak to anyone. Samo seems to be happy and all smiles. Etsuko and Suzu look well rested. Drasta sits in a corner looking a bit unnerved. Khzuro tries to hide the fact that they were woken up and tired but tries to keep mental notes of what they found.

Samo is the first to speak. “It’s a great day everyone. Maybe we should stay here for a couple more days?”

Mika looks over at the elven recruit, “Something wrong, Drasta?”

Sei seems well rested and comments, “I think the spirits may have had a play with them.”

Drasta looks over to Sei. “Something is not right here. I do not enjoy being toyed with or called pet names.”

The kobold shrugs, "Is often a reason beyond what is apparent for what they do."

Hideo finally speaks up, "Let’s go I want out of this house as fast as we can."

Drasta answers him. “Something we finally agree on...”

Sie nods, "Aye, let us take our leave I reckon."

Khzuro takes his position near Haruki once again.

Everyone gathers their things and start to walk out. As Drasta tries to cross the threshold she seems to hit a brick wall. She can’t seem to cross it. Khzuro looks over at her.

She slams against an invisible barrier trying to use her quick stride. She falls on her back.

Sei, surprised and frowning says, “That's...a lot more than a mere prank."

The kobold sighs and casts a detect magic over where Drasta hit the wall. Those outside can hear and see her, but she seems to not be able to cross the door out.

“What the hells is going on!?” she exclaims.

Khzuro squints over her. “Did you find something in there?”

“I did not.”

He shuffles over to Drasta. "Think this one might know what's causing it. Will need to look through your things though, yip."

She raises an eyebrow. He looks over her as if asking permission to go rifling through whatever he’s looking at… almost like he’s looking through her bags at something more specific. Others walk in and out of the doorway. They find that nothing hampers their movement.

Drasta drops her pack to the ground with a heavy thud. “Be careful on what you touch in there....”

"ssskh, try heading outside without the pack on you. Should be able to walk through.”

She takes a step towards the exit and again hits an invisible wall.

The first thing Khzuro finds are letters of permission to have Drasta travel from Adalee to Kozakura to train as a guard they would be the most obvious thing the letters are signed ambassador midnight bloom. The handwriting is the same as was in the office. He then scans Drasta again to see what else she’s carrying that could cause the blockage.

She in turn watches him carefully to make sure he hasn’t stolen anything of hers.

With the detect magic still working he scans both Drasta and her bags. There are several things that seem to glow about her. He exclaims “Ah… I get it…”

A breeze goes through the door. Drasta and only Drasta hears, “"Stay with me my midnight flower."

She holds her hands over her ears and screams out, “I AM NOT HER!” She suddenly grabs her pack from Khzuro. Looking at the group. There is something here that is keeping me… How or why?”

"This one can tell that the spirit wants to... keep certain things here safe." Looks to Haruki, seeing her reaction, then back to Drasta "Will either need to leave them here for the spirit or... ask the spirit's permission to keep them with you."

Drasta pleads. “And how would one do that?”

Haruki looks like she feels saddened by Drasta’s dilemma.

"Show reverence, deference, ask politely. May ask something in turn. May not respond. Show respect. “May help this one figure out how exactly to do that if you let him know what happened with you last night."

“The spirit attempted to...Kindle some love with me I think...”

Hideo raises an eyebrow and snickers. Samo stretches his arms and accidentally whacks him in the face, "Oh my sorry my lord."

“He was calling me Midnight Flower…” Drasta exclaims.

Haruki says, "Thats my sister's court name."

It’s Sei’s turn to snicker, "That is one mightily confused spirit then."

The kobold pauses, considering… "Ah, Midnight Flower... So, the spirit is trying to protect her, wants to keep and catalogue her things here. Either thinks you are her or are someone important to her."

Mika gets thoughtful. "Drasta if you have anything with the ambassador’s essence on you leave it inside, everything. that may be what is confusing it."

Khzuro nods, “Yip, that... think the spirit wants to keep that."

She continues. "He thinks you are her because you have things of hers on you. anything that she gave to you. spirits do not see like we do."

Khzuro affirms Mika. "She has the right of it. Think I know where you should place it. Come with this one?"
Drasta raises and eyebrow at that then follows. The kobold shows Drasta to the room he busted into before. Not mentioning he took Haruki there too "You'll want to leave her things on the desk here."

Drasta sees a large office with a desk. There’s a gavel on the desk files to the right and a large law library to the left. There is a picture of a young Miwa in full armor on the wall that is scarless.

She walks to the desk and sits on the floor rummaging through her belongings pulling a few potions the scroll given to her for travel and sighs deeply pulling a small quiver of arrows from her pack placing them on the floor under the desk then stands looking to the picture pulling a glowing energy dagger from her sleeve and lays it gently in front of it motions the Kobold out from the room standing staring amongst the chamber a moment. The office seems silent.

Khzuro heads out but waits near the entry lamps for her.

She whispers under her breath. “Protect the things I leave here We will both return some day for them...” She steps out from the room, closing the door and heads out joining the others.

As they walk once again to the door outside, Khzuro says, "Spirit should be satisfied now. We should be able to depart."

Drasta is now able to walk out of the house and to her horse. The intrepid diplomatic party moves on to Renkyu and Shogun Barasume’s palace.

[Winterhawk99]

While our companions make the long journey to the shogun’s palace in Renkyu, Hideo doesn’t say a word and Haruki seems to have her spirits uplifted momentarily. As they ride at a slow place Drasta hums a sylvan tune about joy and war.

Mika turns to her after she finishes. “Don’t say anything to her about this. She’s very jealous. I don’t know what she would do.”

Drasta says, “Who? Bird?”

Mika nods, “Some things are better left unsaid.”

“Agreed.”

As they get in view of the city Lady Yakamoto and her cavalry detach and head back the way they came. An administrator greets the group at the palace entrance. “Lord Barasume will see you in a few days after he reads the reports of Samo, Mika and his son. Until then you may go back to your regular duties.

Sei bows to him. “Hello sir, we have returned from our mission. Things… did not go as planned, but we were successful in preventing a greater war from starting.”

Khzuro keeps near Haruki, still looking around warily. (In between happy snuggles of course.)

The party breaks up, all going their separate ways or to their assigned duties. Khzuro tries to stay with Haruki to ensure she’s not taken advantage of, and to find out more and overhear things. Khzuro is told he cannot stay with Haruki but is offered space in the loft above the aviary with Sei for the moment.

He doesn’t seem happy with being separated from her but complies after some more firm ordering. The administrator says that visit her during daylight hours under a chaperon being she is put with the concubines of the palace for now.

As Hideo passes all smiles in the knowledge that Haruki will be with the concubines the administrator tells him he is banned from then until after the meeting with his father. Khzuro manages to resist trying to bite Hideo’s bits off. (Because he’s just hurting and needs hugs of course)

For the next few days, he wanders around and keeps an eye on things, trying to keep an eye on Haruki of course to make sure she's safe, but keeps an eye on other things too. (And of course seeks out all of the head pats and snuggles, what else could a kobold want after all?) Khzuro gets lots of head rubs as he wanders and word spreads there’s kami in the palace. He enjoys all the head pats and hugs it's the best thing that could ever happen to a kobold. (Manages to not freak out over all of the strange humans touching him but keeps alert for any gossip.)

He also listens to what is going on at the palace and in the city. Rumors abound in the palace on just about every subject from as serious as clans at war to mundane as weddings and festivals. The first hot rumor he hears is that there seems to be a shake up going on in clan Miyoshi which may end up in an inner power struggle.

The second rumor he hears is about the latest Kabuto show that feature’s Lord Barasume’s sly move in defeating a Koryoan businessman to the northeast and stopping a grave threat to the shogunate a year or so ago. The show is all the rage.

The third rumor he finds are about questions on who lord Barasume will arrange to marry his son or if his son is even fit yet to be considered to be married. Not by age but more because he has not taken the samurai trials. He hears from several different people of between 20- and 30-women’s names from all over the South Island provinces.

Sei goes back home. He makes a place for Khzuro in the loft and then tends to his sick bird. It takes a few days, but the bird does get better. Sei is an expert at caring for large raptors.

Both Mika and Drasta are treated with some coolness back at their headquarters, Especially from Haru after reading Mika’s report and as Hiromy’s fate becomes known. Drasta sits on her bed alone using magic to hide the new scars on her body quietly. She sighs thinking, “Am I to look like Miwa in a few years?”

The next day she wanders the palace for a meal and finds a quiet place in the garden writing in her journal. She is wearing the black and gold kimono Miwa gave her. It’s still overly large for her. An older samurai sits down beside her with a bowl of soba.

She looks at him for a moment from doodling and scribbling in common. The book is wide open in her lap. He is happily slurping his soup while dishing noodles in his mouth with a pair of chopsticks.

Drasta continues to draw the weapons she has seen used in this country with great detail and asks him, “It is good soba, yes?”

The samurai nods, “You that western girl training with the besshikime. What do you call yourselves? Eels?”

She chuckles, “Why would I have a name like that? My name is Drasta.”

He shrugs, “The whole ear thing, and the thinnest. No meat on your bones.”

She half smiles. “I see. I have no need of extra weight. The equipment I carry in combat weights enough for two of me.”

“Hump. How have you enjoyed our land?”

“It’s complicated.”

He grunts, “It’s a complicated land. You can spend 30 years here and still not know us unless born and bred here. We are a polite and deeply spiritual people though sometimes it doesn’t seem that way.”

She nods lightly while drawing. “I understand this in only the time I have spent here, yet I find there are still complications to it.”

“How so?”

“I believe it may be the laws put unto each tier of citizen that seem complicated yet… I understand why they are there.”

The older samurai chuckles, “There are 100 ways to bow in Kozakura. Knowing which to use at what time means you know where you stand.”

She nods, “I see.”

“Follow the code. Do your part. Work hard at it. In time you may understand the why.”

“That is the reason I was sent here: to train amongst others.”

“As old as I am. I am still training……. And still learning.” He taps his finger to his head. “Well, it seems I’ve finished my soba. Good day.”

“Be at peace.”

He nods to her with a smile on his face as he hears a proper polite good day from her. She seems to be learning.

After two days everyone is told to go to the palace tea-room in the afternoon, not the court.

Drasta dresses in her newest kimono and does her make up before leaving her room. Mika helps her with it. Drasta sighs, “This is definitely not my strong point.” Mika smiles and shakes her head.

Sei arrives in his usual Shou-lung affair. Khzuro follows Haruki to the room.

[Winterhawk99]

As they come into the tearoom servants show them to their spots at the table. Kyo is at the head with Yoshie to his left and Hideo to his right. On Yoshie’s side its Mika, and Etsuko. To Hideo’s side is Sei, Drasta and Suzu. Khzuro and Haruki are at the other end. There is only tea at the table.

Once everyone is assembled all the servants leave and the doors are locked. You see samurai walking around outside through the windows on the west side of the room. Yoshi has her head down her eyes focusing on her tea.

Khzuro looks around, though sniff the tea as it is offered to him. He keeps alert. Tea is poured until everyone has a bowl. Drasta stays very quiet until addressed.

Kyo studies each individual before speaking, “You have completed the mission. I have received not only the official leader’s reports but… considerable correspondence from daimyos.” He pauses. “Not only from our lands but others.

First it is a pleasure having the Lady Shinto Haruki here with us today and a new guest. Khzuro, I believe?” Sei nods to the question and so does Khzuro. Drasta gently nods as well.

“I have spoken to my wu-jen about you Khzuro. A kobold. Is this right?”

Khzuro nods again. “That’s correct.”

It is my understanding that many of your tribes work for those that are a part of the celestial bureaucracy. Are you one of these?”

Khzuro processes the question for a time. Choosing his words very carefully. “That would be true of this one’s tribe, yes.”

"Then consider yourself my honored guest. You may walk freely within the palace except for the private quarters. Remember though that the courts of humans are a battleground rougher than any clash of arms. Do not put your faith and trust into just anyone."

The kobold responds. "Has had time to learn of this, but this one thanks you for the advice."

Kyo grunts and takes a sip of tea before continuing. He looks at his son. His voice gets much lower, "Based on the reports of your colleagues. The reports I trust more and other reports. You showed cowardice and complete disregard for the others of your team at every turn. I am embarrassed."

Drasta sits quietly sipping her tea listening to Kyo's words and Hideo’s expressions.

"You my only son have embarrassed me. Everyone here at least tried to do their best in the given situation even if wrong." He looks directly at Drasta then continues. You will be dealt with finally and I will make a man out of you or kill you myself!"

Yoshie looks up at Kyo pleading but he stares her down hard. She goes back to watching her tea that has not been touched yet.

Khzuro seems rather uncomfortable with that proclamation but keeps quiet.

"From this day forward, I will release all of your concubines. You don’t deserve any woman of merit. You will live in the barracks with the samurai and will not see another woman until you have completed your samurai training and if you do, I'll have it cut off. Am I understood!"

Hideo goes pale. “Yes, father.”

Khzuro almost smirks a bit at that.

"Get out, remove what you need from the palace. when not training in arms you will be tutored in the arts. until you can pass the test. Now get out of my sight."

Yoshie responds, “My lord, May I……….”

“No, you may not! You have coddled this boy for far too long.”

Drasta sets her tea down and looks at Kyo and Yoshie.

Khzuro looks at Haruki to see how she reacts to this. She waits patiently and poised her face a mask. Hideo gets up and knocks on the door in the back. The door is opened he leaves. It closes and locks again.

"Etsuko and Suzu. I will give you ladies a week to make a choice. I will find some younger samurai to marry you, or I may send you to another court of your choosing. I leave this up to you. You have done your duty to this family and your services are no longer needed here, but I will not leave you to the winds."

The two ladies bow.

"You two may leave now. the rest of you tighten up and have another tea."

They leave.

Drasta grabs a teapot gently and looks amongst the gathering of who may need some. Kyo watches, also he has a mask of impassion on his face while considering who to speak to next.

Drast gets up to pour Kyo some more tea. Yoshie stares her down. She takes the pot out of Drasta’s hands and pours his tea herself. Drasta bows her head to her and sits back down. Kyo grunts at that.

Drasta puts her eyes down. “I meant no disrespect.”

Yoshie states, “Never try to serve a man when his wife is beside him.” Drasta bows her head a bit more in apology.

Khzuro watches the interaction, taking note.

The shogun turns his attention to Sei. "Sei. I sent you there to ride herd over the group in the background. I knew Hideo by himself would make a mess of it. How did you lose control? In your own words please. Paper does little to show emotion."

"It started with the Oni banditry...the way they talked and acted, they lost my trust in them to keep their word as negotiating partners..., and then Drasta here can talk more about what happened to her." he sighs "We were set up assuming that our neighboring shogunate would tend their lands as well as we do. Had we been expecting an... untended hinterland, I'm not sure if I'd have taken Hideo at all, instead taking more samurai."

"I do not blame you for the Oni. It was a tough circumstance. There are many things that live deep in the hollows of our lands. We often need to root out. Still, you choose not to go after the women. Why?"

"We had to...make some difficult decisions about priorities at that point, what we could and couldn't get back. We nearly lost Hideo.”

“Did you learn from this?”

"Aye, not to expect much of those who travel with us except for the samurai."

Drasta stares down at her tea after Sei’s last comment.

“I had reason to send a small group, Sei. a show of force could cause trouble near a border. I wanted a small enough unit that it would be discreet. However, I have also learned from this."

"Aye, Hideo insisting on traveling...plumed if you will made discreetness a lost cause in some ways."

Kyo rubs his head in frustration. "What of Hiromy? The reasons in this report? why?"

"She...felt that she had no way to atone for the dishonor she brought upon her own head uh...contesting Drasta's station, if you will. I reckon the reasons she took such upon herself went with her funeral pyre, never to be known." Drasta looks down a bit saddened.

"Drasta is just a trainee. there should be no conflict?"

"There...shouldn't have been. Hiromy still somehow felt threatened though. I guess. Kind of stabbing in the dark on this.”

Kyo nods, "The heart that one keeps to themselves is often never known." Sei nods in agreement. Ky considers everything then asks, "One last question. There was a spy in your group working for the very adversary that you were trying to stop, and yet you obtained no information from that spy. This is perhaps the hardest question for me to understand?"

"The situation at that point was a... whirlwind. I was keeping a very narrow focus on the objective in front of us to avoid getting dragged hither and yon into wanders."

"Part of being a leader is learning how to broaden your scope and awareness. I am about to send you out on another mission. I worry. Learn from this. Everyone makes mistakes their first time doing these things. You need to learn quickly. Don’t make the same mistake twice."

"A fair point, aye, something I will definitely work on."

Drasta speaks up. “You may blame my quick actions on this...I was the one who killed them.”

Kyo stares at Drasta, "I will get to you, young lady." She nods, putting her eyes down.

Kyo turns his attention now to Mika. "Mika, I have read your reports. Are they truthful?"

"Yes, my Shogun."

Kyo grunts again. "I find you unfit in a leadership role among the besshikime of a shoguns court. I am assigning your husband to Daimyo Yakamoto’s court. There you will guard his wife as her personal besshikime. Do not fail in this duty. Perhaps after learning more, you may be in Harus position in that court in the future."

Mika bows, "Yes, my Lord."

“You may go.”

Mika stands but before she leaves, she gives Khzuro a huge hug, rubs his head and whispers in his ear, "It came true."

Kyo grunts out, "Remember your place."

Drasta’s ear flicks a bit listening to everything. Khzuro hugs Mika back enjoying all of the hugs. He gives a nod to Mika, caught in the hug. “So, it did... sometimes not in the way one intends though, alas..." He returns the hug.

After Mika leaves the shogun stares at the elf hard. "Drasta, I've only known one person as bloodthirsty as you are. I knew how to put that foolish girl in her place. I am at a loss about you though. You acted foolishly against the needs of your team, often hampering more than helping. I am aware of your combat skills. You are not here for this other than using the weapons you don’t know how to use yet. You are here to learn how to act. And you are not doing that well. You tell me what I should do with you?"

She looks at her tea and sighs A question I have asked myself for a hundred years....” She places her journal on the table and thinks a moment. “....I have realize I am a fool when it comes to customs...Years have made me so bitter to take haste and cause death when I want to help without thinking of those around, yet even still I feel I have learned from my errors...I find myself bound to something yet I may not pick up easily on the training of your weapons I have interest in them. Your tactics for combat are not my own yet my own saved your son in some way...I am not a person who easily adjusts to order, but I am trying, I have lived in chaos too long for it to be easy. So, I will say you may punish me as you will...I will not resist this yet carry out my orders as they are requested to the point. Stands from the table bowing her head not lifting it.

"You are a foreigner and that has been taken into consideration. I want you to realize that you will not be some average besshikime if you pass the tests. You will be the besshikime for an imperial appointee. This is a lot of responsibility to bear. Do you understand the gravity? Do you understand the threats you will be facing from all sides?

“You know what I will do for her....” not lifting her head up. You know the blood I have already spilled for her on that boat.

"Remember this and remember this well. The strongest link in a chain is useless if the chain is already broken. This is what you will do. When training here in Renkyu one out of every ten-day you will not train. You will go to a different Shinto shrine or temple and help the monks in whatever they wish. While you are there you are to learn from them and meditate with them. I do hope by then you will have found the answer to the question."

She gives a slight bow. “I hope this as well.”

Kyo looks at Haruki. " My sincere apologies. If I had known......I cannot marry you to a samurai. I can however marry you to an administrator or since you are a noblewoman put you in a position where you most fit. I shall leave this to my wife and you to discuss your future. It is the best I can do due to the circumstances."

Haruki bows, " I understand."

Kyo nods to her. "That is my end to this part of this tea discussion. It was not a discussion that would have done well in court. My wife would like to speak to Sei after this alone. Thank you."

Khzuro for the most part, just keeps quiet, but he does look to Haruki worriedly, perhaps wondering if they're okay with this situation.

Kyo stands. "Let us leave them to it then."

Drasta walks over to Khzuro and Haruki and whispers, “Are you ok with this?”

Once Haruki gets out the door, she says to Khzuro, "He has shown me great mercy. And will not divulge my great dishonor."

"Then, this one hopes it works out well for you, then." There's a pause "This one supposes they were still hoping to find their sister again, but perhaps this will be good enough."

"I could go to Sango. perhaps there will be a place for me at the temple."

Drasta comments on that. “It is your choice on that young bird...”

After everyone leaves Yoshie looks up to Sei. "Have you considered my question?"

"Hm, mind repeating it? It's not coming to mind at the moment."

"What qualities Hideo needs in a first wife?"

"Ah, that is...a good question. He is yet unstable enough that I doubt he will be able to be settled and happy in such."

Yoshie answers. "He is the heir. He will have to marry soon."

"We will have to see how he fares in the training."

Yoshie nods. “Thank you, Sei.” She gets up and after proper honorifics, leaves.

Drasta is ushered to the nearest temple at this point. As Khzuro and Haruki are alone at this point the small kobold turns to her. "This one knows that it won't be easy either way, but this one admits they're not sure what would be best for you. Has been breaks. Where do you think you would fit best now? Be most comfortable?" Khzuro cranes their head, looking to Haruki, still looking concerned.

"I do not know. I was trained as every noblewoman in accounting, law, ethics, dance, letters, religion."

Khzuro nods, not bringing up the breaks in proper protocol he'd observed but considers the point. "Suppose this one would ask if they did find their sister again, what was the plan there? Now that things are more settled, more options are available. Proper consideration can be made."

"I know she would help me. I don’t know if I should stay here. My other sister will be back in a few years. She’s very much like father. She never forgives and she never forgets and is just as ruthless."

"I see... " Khzuro pauses, thinking, trying to recall what he might know about her other sister. Such never occurred to him before "Few years gives you some time though."

"Some time, yes."

"But she would have no reason to feel angry with you, would she? No proper reason at least."

“She does. "I stopped her from killing our father. I wasn't thinking of me or him. I was protecting her and our family name. I don’t think she would see it that way though."

"Noted... " A breath out...

"I guess we will see. for now, I am at the mercy of the shogun's wife."

"The Shogun seemed a reasonable man, am hoping their wife will be so as well."

"Even if......Even if they give me the choice I would not know how to. My choices have been made by another since birth."

He slowly nods to Haruki. "I see... am hoping one can show you how to, then.”

" I hope so too Khzuro."