Makoto - Complete Sincerity
These events took place shortly before Origins '99 and the release of Honor Bound. After Ryosei, Daimyo of the Fox Clan, turned down Yoritomo's offer of marriage, the Son of Storms grew angry, and threw the Fox Clan out of Yoritomo's Alliance. Further inquiries about the status of the Clans in question resulted in this letter from Ree. The Crane was sought for thier response, which is below.
A Letter To the Fox Clan
By Ree Soesbee
A missive from an emissary, unsigned and unmarked, comes to the Fox palace.
In it is a carefully phrased note from someone who ends only with a Crane mon, asking if the Lady of the house has had enough of Mantis attacks and subjugation. Would she seek an alliance with another clan, one who would offer to treat the Fox with the dignity it deserves?
Katsume hands this on to his diamyo wordlessly...
Makoto - Complete Sincerity
A Letter to the Fox Clan: Crane Response
By Kakita Kaori
The Lady's hand let slip the message, which drifted, a white snowflake, to the ground at the feet of her jade kimono. "It must be a trick. The Crane are fighting their war, and will use my lands to stage their battles. They will fight here until my fields are salted with blood, and then they will claim that their "protection" will permit them access to our great libraries to attempt to prove succession to the Emerald throne lies with the Crane."
The blunt-faced samurai before the Lady bowed. "That must be so, Ryosei-sama. We do not even know who sent this missive. See, it has no mark or seal."
She stood, and tilted her chin up proudly. "Just so. Is the emissary who brought this letter still here?"
The samurai nodded. "They are still here."
Cloaking herself in ice and the pride that was her birthright and her greatest defense, the Daimyo pointed to the door. "Bring them to me."
"Hai." The man pulled open the shoji and disappeared from the room, and a cool swirl of wind fluttered Ryosei's hair.
'Has it truly come to this? Are we so frightened of the shadows that we cannot trust our allies from our childhood days? Our closest friends have turned against us, time and again, and I grow so tired of war. There is a sickness in the heart of the Empire, and I see no hope for my people. We are alone, and I must dance, even for Yoritomo, if the Fox is to survive it.'
No trace of fear marred her perfect face, however, when the screen opened, and the two Crane entered. 'Children. The Crane send us children?' Faces pressed to the tamaka, the two seemed little more than that. The stains of water and travel discolored the sky-blue lacing of the bushi's armor, wetted the silk of the courtier's kimono. As they lifted their faces, the Lady could see the likeness. 'Brother and Sister. Twins. And children.'
"I see the Crane has no one to spare from the lines of battle that are being drawn between them. They send only shinsakuto, newly-made swords, to our aid."
The young man spoke, his tones soft and respectful, though without the skilled confidence of the true Doji courtier. An artisan, perhaps. "Newly made, but true steel, if it please you. Not many students of the academy survived its destruction, and fewer of our teachers. My sister and I are the first to graduate since it was burned. Kakita Musashi-sama has sent us."
The daimyo brushed a slender finger-tip across the hilt of her wakizashi. The Kakita. No party to the war, and yet seen working with both sides, while in the Imperial Court… "You may take a message back to your school. The Fox are comfortable in their alliances, and need no help from the Crane, who are too busy with their war and their gold to send more than children to us."
The Bushi looked up, and Ryosei saw her lovely, delicate features with surprise. The Crane normally save such a one for a well-placed marriage. The girl's eyes were gray and sad. Her brother spoke again. "Please.I know that we are young, but we are the first, only. There is a runner who will convey your message, and we will go if you command, but I was sent to bring word of how many koku you require, and my sister was sent to join her sword to yours, if you would wish it."
Ryosei did not blink, but the corner of her mouth twitched upwards slightly. Koku and one lone bushi, fresh from her gempukku. Even Yoritomo would laugh. "The Crane always require something in return for their gifts. I have no wish to see my people pay their price."
The young man, his eyes wrinkled at the corners as if he were more used to laughter than these serious deliberations, pressed his forehead to the ground again. His shoulders were tense, though, and the Fox Daimyo could easily see his concern. No Doji would slip so easily. The bushi at his side finally lifted her head, her voice soft and shy. "And if we prove that we, as Crane, will serve you with our lives, asking nothing in return?" The Lady caught the quick look between the twins - questions and answers sent in a glance. The boy seemed to nod.
She was amused. "Nothing in return? You would serve taking nothing from the Fox at all?"
The two said in unison, "Hai."
She shook her head. "I will give you no roof over your head."
The artisan said softly, "Then we shall be wet, Ryosei-sama." His voice carried the tone of calm acceptance, now.
She said again, "I will give you no fire."
He replied again, "Then we shall be cold, Ryosei-sama."
The Fox Daimyo was surprised by the audacity of the pair, and said again, "I shall give you no food. Then what?"
The bushi responded, "Then we shall starve, Ryosei-sama." Her voice was as soft as a maiden's, but carried the tone of one prepared for death.
'The first of their class? Sent by the Headmaster of the School?' The Lady shook her head slowly, and then turned to her Hatamoto. The gruff samurai stepped forward. "We shall wait on our decision, and discover how well the Crane may serve without taking. Give these two their duties, but make sure they take nothing. Perhaps the Crane know of something other than greed. We shall find out."
"Hai." The samurai lead the twins out into the rain.
A Letter To the Fox Clan
By Ree Soesbee
A missive from an emissary, unsigned and unmarked, comes to the Fox palace.
In it is a carefully phrased note from someone who ends only with a Crane mon, asking if the Lady of the house has had enough of Mantis attacks and subjugation. Would she seek an alliance with another clan, one who would offer to treat the Fox with the dignity it deserves?
Katsume hands this on to his diamyo wordlessly...
Makoto - Complete Sincerity
A Letter to the Fox Clan: Crane Response
By Kakita Kaori
The Lady's hand let slip the message, which drifted, a white snowflake, to the ground at the feet of her jade kimono. "It must be a trick. The Crane are fighting their war, and will use my lands to stage their battles. They will fight here until my fields are salted with blood, and then they will claim that their "protection" will permit them access to our great libraries to attempt to prove succession to the Emerald throne lies with the Crane."
The blunt-faced samurai before the Lady bowed. "That must be so, Ryosei-sama. We do not even know who sent this missive. See, it has no mark or seal."
She stood, and tilted her chin up proudly. "Just so. Is the emissary who brought this letter still here?"
The samurai nodded. "They are still here."
Cloaking herself in ice and the pride that was her birthright and her greatest defense, the Daimyo pointed to the door. "Bring them to me."
"Hai." The man pulled open the shoji and disappeared from the room, and a cool swirl of wind fluttered Ryosei's hair.
'Has it truly come to this? Are we so frightened of the shadows that we cannot trust our allies from our childhood days? Our closest friends have turned against us, time and again, and I grow so tired of war. There is a sickness in the heart of the Empire, and I see no hope for my people. We are alone, and I must dance, even for Yoritomo, if the Fox is to survive it.'
No trace of fear marred her perfect face, however, when the screen opened, and the two Crane entered. 'Children. The Crane send us children?' Faces pressed to the tamaka, the two seemed little more than that. The stains of water and travel discolored the sky-blue lacing of the bushi's armor, wetted the silk of the courtier's kimono. As they lifted their faces, the Lady could see the likeness. 'Brother and Sister. Twins. And children.'
"I see the Crane has no one to spare from the lines of battle that are being drawn between them. They send only shinsakuto, newly-made swords, to our aid."
The young man spoke, his tones soft and respectful, though without the skilled confidence of the true Doji courtier. An artisan, perhaps. "Newly made, but true steel, if it please you. Not many students of the academy survived its destruction, and fewer of our teachers. My sister and I are the first to graduate since it was burned. Kakita Musashi-sama has sent us."
The daimyo brushed a slender finger-tip across the hilt of her wakizashi. The Kakita. No party to the war, and yet seen working with both sides, while in the Imperial Court… "You may take a message back to your school. The Fox are comfortable in their alliances, and need no help from the Crane, who are too busy with their war and their gold to send more than children to us."
The Bushi looked up, and Ryosei saw her lovely, delicate features with surprise. The Crane normally save such a one for a well-placed marriage. The girl's eyes were gray and sad. Her brother spoke again. "Please.I know that we are young, but we are the first, only. There is a runner who will convey your message, and we will go if you command, but I was sent to bring word of how many koku you require, and my sister was sent to join her sword to yours, if you would wish it."
Ryosei did not blink, but the corner of her mouth twitched upwards slightly. Koku and one lone bushi, fresh from her gempukku. Even Yoritomo would laugh. "The Crane always require something in return for their gifts. I have no wish to see my people pay their price."
The young man, his eyes wrinkled at the corners as if he were more used to laughter than these serious deliberations, pressed his forehead to the ground again. His shoulders were tense, though, and the Fox Daimyo could easily see his concern. No Doji would slip so easily. The bushi at his side finally lifted her head, her voice soft and shy. "And if we prove that we, as Crane, will serve you with our lives, asking nothing in return?" The Lady caught the quick look between the twins - questions and answers sent in a glance. The boy seemed to nod.
She was amused. "Nothing in return? You would serve taking nothing from the Fox at all?"
The two said in unison, "Hai."
She shook her head. "I will give you no roof over your head."
The artisan said softly, "Then we shall be wet, Ryosei-sama." His voice carried the tone of calm acceptance, now.
She said again, "I will give you no fire."
He replied again, "Then we shall be cold, Ryosei-sama."
The Fox Daimyo was surprised by the audacity of the pair, and said again, "I shall give you no food. Then what?"
The bushi responded, "Then we shall starve, Ryosei-sama." Her voice was as soft as a maiden's, but carried the tone of one prepared for death.
'The first of their class? Sent by the Headmaster of the School?' The Lady shook her head slowly, and then turned to her Hatamoto. The gruff samurai stepped forward. "We shall wait on our decision, and discover how well the Crane may serve without taking. Give these two their duties, but make sure they take nothing. Perhaps the Crane know of something other than greed. We shall find out."
"Hai." The samurai lead the twins out into the rain.
