Letters from Daidoji Kukojin to Doji Yari
Seventh day of the Rooster, Third Year of Hantei XVII
We are successful! Our strategy worked perfectly, and the castle of Bayushi Uduwara belongs to the Crane. Uduwara himself was killed in the battle, but we have captured his wife and two sons.
I plan to move northward toward Shiro no Shosuro in the morning. While I do not expect to receive a ransom (such a thing is for brigands), I do suspect that their diplomats in your court shall be more forthcoming this next week, which shall make our negotiations much simpler.
My lord, I am certain that when snow falls on the walls of your home, I shall be sending you a letter, confirming our victory over our treacherous cousins, removing their vile fetor from Rokugan forever.
Ninth day of the Rooster, Third Year of Hantei XVII
The last two days have proven to be highly educational. I have spent these days speaking with Lady Shosuro, learning of the Scorpion spirit. She begs me for the lives of her sons, saying that she will trade anything for my assurance of their safety.
“Anything?” I asked, failing to hide my smile.
“Anything,” she repeated, her eyes glimmering with desperation.
I can tell you one thing for certain, my lord. The Scorpion certainly know how to educate their women.
Fifteenth day of the Rooster, Third Year of Hantei XVII
On this, my final day in this world, I hope that this letter will teach others the errors of my weakness and neglect.
Only yesterday we arrived at the foothills of Shiro no Shosuro. Archers stood on the parapets waiting for us to move into range. My lieutenants and I moved forwards, three Scorpions leading the way.
As we approached the walls, I saw Scorpion officers rushing to their commander, informing them of our captive guests. And while they were safe behind their walls, I could see the fear fill their eyes as we approached with the wife and children of the great lord of their clan.
Again she turned to me, begging me for the life of her children.
“Please,” she said, her eyes red and her voice trembling. “Allow me to speak to the lord of the castle. He will never listen to you. I have…some influence with him.” Her suggestion made me smile.
“He will not listen to me?”
She shook her head. “No. He will refuse any negotiation. Please. I do not want to see the blood of my children spilled on my homeland.”
I thought for a moment, then agreed. Her joy overcame her, and she fell to my feet, kissing my heels. Then she leapt to her feet and ran to the castle, the gates opening wide for her. I was certain our victory was assured.
Then, moments later, she appeared on the walls, calling down to me by name.
“Crane fool!” she called down. “Watch carefully.”
Suddenly, a wall of arrows fell down upon us, cutting into my lieutenants and the bodies of her sons. They screamed as they fell, looking up at their mother. I looked up as well, not realizing until later that not a single arrow had targeted me.
“Look here, Crane!” she cried down to me as I gazed up from the riddled and bloody bodies of her children. “Look here!”
“Your children…” I started, but she halted me with a laugh that was as cold as a blade.
“I can bear others,” I saw her smile grow slowly on her lips. “I fact, I already have.”
As she continued, I felt my skin crawl.
“And when he is old enough, I shall tell him of his father, his weak-willed and foolish father. He shall grow from boy to man, and I shall nourish his growth with hatred and desire. His hatred will be fore you, coupled with his desire to see your blood spill on your native land.”
I felt myself nod slowly as the realization fell upon me.
“The last thing you shall ever see will be the eyes of your son as he slices your old, withering body in two and the walls of your native home burn and crumble about you. That is my revenge, Kukojin. A revenge that will haunt you until you and your son embrace…with blood and steel.”
As she retreated behind the safety of the wall, I heard my army screaming for my attention. I turned about, the vision of her laughing at my folly possessing my every thought.
But when I saw my troops, surrounded by two mighty Scorpion armies outnumbering us at least two to one, I knew there was only one recourse.
And so, with this letter, I tell you that I can only find peace at the end of my father’s blade. There is no other way to erase my shame. I am uncertain if even that act will be enough.
I shall discover the truth soon. Sooner than I ever expected.
We are successful! Our strategy worked perfectly, and the castle of Bayushi Uduwara belongs to the Crane. Uduwara himself was killed in the battle, but we have captured his wife and two sons.
I plan to move northward toward Shiro no Shosuro in the morning. While I do not expect to receive a ransom (such a thing is for brigands), I do suspect that their diplomats in your court shall be more forthcoming this next week, which shall make our negotiations much simpler.
My lord, I am certain that when snow falls on the walls of your home, I shall be sending you a letter, confirming our victory over our treacherous cousins, removing their vile fetor from Rokugan forever.
Ninth day of the Rooster, Third Year of Hantei XVII
The last two days have proven to be highly educational. I have spent these days speaking with Lady Shosuro, learning of the Scorpion spirit. She begs me for the lives of her sons, saying that she will trade anything for my assurance of their safety.
“Anything?” I asked, failing to hide my smile.
“Anything,” she repeated, her eyes glimmering with desperation.
I can tell you one thing for certain, my lord. The Scorpion certainly know how to educate their women.
Fifteenth day of the Rooster, Third Year of Hantei XVII
On this, my final day in this world, I hope that this letter will teach others the errors of my weakness and neglect.
Only yesterday we arrived at the foothills of Shiro no Shosuro. Archers stood on the parapets waiting for us to move into range. My lieutenants and I moved forwards, three Scorpions leading the way.
As we approached the walls, I saw Scorpion officers rushing to their commander, informing them of our captive guests. And while they were safe behind their walls, I could see the fear fill their eyes as we approached with the wife and children of the great lord of their clan.
Again she turned to me, begging me for the life of her children.
“Please,” she said, her eyes red and her voice trembling. “Allow me to speak to the lord of the castle. He will never listen to you. I have…some influence with him.” Her suggestion made me smile.
“He will not listen to me?”
She shook her head. “No. He will refuse any negotiation. Please. I do not want to see the blood of my children spilled on my homeland.”
I thought for a moment, then agreed. Her joy overcame her, and she fell to my feet, kissing my heels. Then she leapt to her feet and ran to the castle, the gates opening wide for her. I was certain our victory was assured.
Then, moments later, she appeared on the walls, calling down to me by name.
“Crane fool!” she called down. “Watch carefully.”
Suddenly, a wall of arrows fell down upon us, cutting into my lieutenants and the bodies of her sons. They screamed as they fell, looking up at their mother. I looked up as well, not realizing until later that not a single arrow had targeted me.
“Look here, Crane!” she cried down to me as I gazed up from the riddled and bloody bodies of her children. “Look here!”
“Your children…” I started, but she halted me with a laugh that was as cold as a blade.
“I can bear others,” I saw her smile grow slowly on her lips. “I fact, I already have.”
As she continued, I felt my skin crawl.
“And when he is old enough, I shall tell him of his father, his weak-willed and foolish father. He shall grow from boy to man, and I shall nourish his growth with hatred and desire. His hatred will be fore you, coupled with his desire to see your blood spill on your native land.”
I felt myself nod slowly as the realization fell upon me.
“The last thing you shall ever see will be the eyes of your son as he slices your old, withering body in two and the walls of your native home burn and crumble about you. That is my revenge, Kukojin. A revenge that will haunt you until you and your son embrace…with blood and steel.”
As she retreated behind the safety of the wall, I heard my army screaming for my attention. I turned about, the vision of her laughing at my folly possessing my every thought.
But when I saw my troops, surrounded by two mighty Scorpion armies outnumbering us at least two to one, I knew there was only one recourse.
And so, with this letter, I tell you that I can only find peace at the end of my father’s blade. There is no other way to erase my shame. I am uncertain if even that act will be enough.
I shall discover the truth soon. Sooner than I ever expected.
