Akodo and Matsu
Akodo went out in the world to seek men to stand beside him, to become samurai: those who were willing to die to protect the Emperor. For every man who stood up to Akodo’s challenge, there were one hundred who met their fate at the end of his blade.
Unworthy.
Weak.
Cowardly.
Each man who died beneath Akodo’s blade became a testament to the rigors of battle. For nearly three years, Akodo traveled through the land, testing each mortal who came to him, yet none were worthy in his eyes.
Those who watched Akodo’s bloody search were said to have chastised him in the Emperor’s court, proclaiming him to be a scourge upon the land. Each year, Akodo would return to the palace for his brother’s coronation anniversary. No followers came with him, no generals to lead the armies which waited for his command. “I do not seek them,” he would say to those who dared mention it in his presence. “They must seek me.”
Slowly, Akodo’s clan grew. Led by Ikoma and Kitsu, Akodo’s troops began to form an army of great proportion. Yet, Akodo was dissatisfied. After all his searching and valorous deeds, the Lady Matsu, possibly the greatest mortal warrior in the land, had still not come to be tested by his blade. When he did convince her to fight, their battle was said to have shaken the earth and the sky.
Matsu lived alone in a small village near the city which became Otosan Uchi, teaching her students how to fight against the occasional beast or bandit. Her students were among the most celebrated warriors of ancient history, although none of their deeds outshines her own. When Matsu heard that Akodo was seeking warriors for his army, she had only scornful words for the samurai he gathered. When the kami traveled through her village seeking men to fight him and join his household, Matsu spent the day practicing katas by the river – ignoring the daimyo’s request entirely.
At last, after Akodo had gathered all the finest warriors in the land, he returned to Matsu’s village and sought her out. She took his courtship as an insult, then challenged him to meet her on the field of honor. The winner would win his army, and rule the Clan of the Lion, while the loser would serve the winner. Akodo added the condition that if she won, she would have to marry him. Matsu then added the condition that if he won, he would never ask her to marry him. Their famous battle occurred on the plain near the spot where her house stood, and it ended with the tip of Akodo’s blade at Matsu’s throat.
Although she did not have to marry him, Matsu joined the Lion Clan. It is also said that Akdo continued to try to woo her, but that she spurned all of his advances. When she did marry, she chose Akdo’s fourth follower—a man whose name has long since been forgotten. In Kakita Morushijin’s famous play about Matsu, No Man’s Bride, the tale is told more elaborately. On her wedding day, Akodo came to Matsu and demanded to know why she had chosen this man over his own offers of marriage. Matsu’s answer was simple: “If I marry you,” she says, “then I will be the bride of Akodo. If I marry him, then he will be the husband of Matsu.”
When Shinsei asked Akodo to send the bravest of his warriors into the Shadowlands with him, the first one to step forward was Ikoma Jujinin, son of Ikoma. His voice was loud as he promised to follow Shinsei, and his prideful words rang out to the armies of the Lion. Then, as he turned to salute Akodo, Matsu stepped between them. With a single blow from her balled fist, she sent the Ikoma to his knees. With a cold glare, she snarled, “Does anyone else wish to challenge my right to go?”
No one did.
Without even notifying Akodo, and without his permission, Matsu departed with Shinsei to the Shadowlands, leaving behind her wakizashi, her husband, and her two young sons. To this day, her wakizashi is carried by her heirs, never to be drawn…lest she find in other than as she left it when she returns.
Unworthy.
Weak.
Cowardly.
Each man who died beneath Akodo’s blade became a testament to the rigors of battle. For nearly three years, Akodo traveled through the land, testing each mortal who came to him, yet none were worthy in his eyes.
Those who watched Akodo’s bloody search were said to have chastised him in the Emperor’s court, proclaiming him to be a scourge upon the land. Each year, Akodo would return to the palace for his brother’s coronation anniversary. No followers came with him, no generals to lead the armies which waited for his command. “I do not seek them,” he would say to those who dared mention it in his presence. “They must seek me.”
Slowly, Akodo’s clan grew. Led by Ikoma and Kitsu, Akodo’s troops began to form an army of great proportion. Yet, Akodo was dissatisfied. After all his searching and valorous deeds, the Lady Matsu, possibly the greatest mortal warrior in the land, had still not come to be tested by his blade. When he did convince her to fight, their battle was said to have shaken the earth and the sky.
Matsu lived alone in a small village near the city which became Otosan Uchi, teaching her students how to fight against the occasional beast or bandit. Her students were among the most celebrated warriors of ancient history, although none of their deeds outshines her own. When Matsu heard that Akodo was seeking warriors for his army, she had only scornful words for the samurai he gathered. When the kami traveled through her village seeking men to fight him and join his household, Matsu spent the day practicing katas by the river – ignoring the daimyo’s request entirely.
At last, after Akodo had gathered all the finest warriors in the land, he returned to Matsu’s village and sought her out. She took his courtship as an insult, then challenged him to meet her on the field of honor. The winner would win his army, and rule the Clan of the Lion, while the loser would serve the winner. Akodo added the condition that if she won, she would have to marry him. Matsu then added the condition that if he won, he would never ask her to marry him. Their famous battle occurred on the plain near the spot where her house stood, and it ended with the tip of Akodo’s blade at Matsu’s throat.
Although she did not have to marry him, Matsu joined the Lion Clan. It is also said that Akdo continued to try to woo her, but that she spurned all of his advances. When she did marry, she chose Akdo’s fourth follower—a man whose name has long since been forgotten. In Kakita Morushijin’s famous play about Matsu, No Man’s Bride, the tale is told more elaborately. On her wedding day, Akodo came to Matsu and demanded to know why she had chosen this man over his own offers of marriage. Matsu’s answer was simple: “If I marry you,” she says, “then I will be the bride of Akodo. If I marry him, then he will be the husband of Matsu.”
When Shinsei asked Akodo to send the bravest of his warriors into the Shadowlands with him, the first one to step forward was Ikoma Jujinin, son of Ikoma. His voice was loud as he promised to follow Shinsei, and his prideful words rang out to the armies of the Lion. Then, as he turned to salute Akodo, Matsu stepped between them. With a single blow from her balled fist, she sent the Ikoma to his knees. With a cold glare, she snarled, “Does anyone else wish to challenge my right to go?”
No one did.
Without even notifying Akodo, and without his permission, Matsu departed with Shinsei to the Shadowlands, leaving behind her wakizashi, her husband, and her two young sons. To this day, her wakizashi is carried by her heirs, never to be drawn…lest she find in other than as she left it when she returns.
