02 Bloody Dawn Before The War

As they arrived, Suzume observed the carnage happening below.

"I'm afraid we're a bit late Reiko-sama. Both the Crane and Lion are engaged in combat. It will be difficult to have them listen to reason as they are now..."

Suzume then carefully scanned his surroundings, hoping to not see any more of this shadowed form...

Tohi stares at the scene before them, the chaos swirling about the fighting. So many opportunities, a nudge here or there could change matters significantly.... he thought to himself and out of the corner of his eye he saw Inara moving to his side. After she asked her question he simply shrugged slightly "I am sorry Asako-san, there is very little else I can tell you. Certainly some of our caravans that have been moving through these lands have been more....inconvenienced of late but I am not aware of anything that may be an indication of more unnatural origins."

Quite right, Suzume-san, but my duty is to try anyway.
Reiko looks around at the small band gathered with her.
The Crane high command will not dare refuse this, and they will try to control their troops. They are very disciplined, and most will obey. The Lions will try to pursue the retreating cranes, and that will be the most dangerous moment. I will need to ride towards a charging army to try and stop them. I cannot in good conscience order any of you to accompany me at that time. No, not even you Kawanabi.
She frowned as she said it. She looked at each of them in turn.
If I don't make it back, you all need to continue this investigation.

As he noticed Reiko was about to ride in the thick of things, Suzume spurred his horse to interpose Reiko's own. "Oh, the Lions' willingness to perform noble sacrifices..." mused Suzume... "Some things haven't changed much since I left..."

"Sumimasen Magistrate-sama, but before you charge boldly, perhaps we could ask our shugenja friend if she has a spell or two which might help in ensuring your return... It would be easier for you to fulfil your Imperial duties if you remained alive."

He then points at Inara currently talking to Tohi, the two of them discussing aside from the main group.

"I do not know much about prayers to the kami, but if an enchantment could enhance your aura of Imperial authority, this might help greatly in having both sides comply much more readily..."

5 minutes had barely passed before DAIDOJI Akeha came back to them, and everyone could realize that she was not alone, accompanied by two middle-aged men, with the white hair so characteristic of the Crane clan.

But all the same, it took all the foreigners in the clan a few seconds to recognize these two men. Known as the two Wings of the Crane, they were the two closest advisers to the DOJI family.
The first, KAKITA Yoshi, had the charge of Daimyo of the KAKITA family and representing the family on diplomatic matters, while his elder brother, KAKITA Toshimoko, was the Chief General of the clan armies.

And if the aura of DAIDOJI Uji was overwhelming, that of the two KAKITA brothers gave the impression of being a perfectly sharp blade, ready to use.




Strange as it sounded, every member of the ride knew these two brothers.

Reiko and her second had most likely already seen them at the Imperial Palace from time to time.

Inara, too, seemed to have met them before, in previous exchanges between the Phoenix and the Crane, a child at that time.

For Tohi, without ever having the opportunity to meet them directly, the charisma that the two brothers exuded when they were together, including the day before at Shiro Daidoji, when the Crane forces were regrouping in the fortress, made him remember without difficulty having watched the two leaders by order of the Scorpion clan, without ever being detected.

Finally, Suzume, from the time when the two brothers did not yet have their present responsibilities, recognized them easily, despite the many years that had passed.

And the reverse was true, as the two officers identified those people with a single glance.
Akeha did not have time to make the introductions as KAKITA Yoshi took the lead and showed the extent and finesse of the Crane clan's diplomacy.

He first addressed the magistrate, displaying a pleasant and engaging smile.
"Esteemed Magistrate, it is an honor to welcome you among us, even if the present situation does not lend itself to it. From the words of the young Akeha, it seems that you have solid reasons for wanting to put an end to the fights. Rest assured of our support."
"Toshimoko, if you will take care of it now and order the retreat of our troops?" he asked his brother, as they exchanged a quick glance.
He dismissed then the young DAIDOJI, while placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you for leading our guests to me. I'm not holding you back, I know you still have a lot to do. My best regards to your father."

Used to the pretenses of different people, Tohi did not fail to notice the hand resting on the warrior's shoulder, noticeably tense for those who knew how to observe these micro details. Something to do for sure, but maybe not to go back to Shiro Daidoji immediately. And perceiving the state of emotional tension that Akeha contained somehow inside of herself, Tohi's intuition was easily confirmed.

And as she left the scene, accompanied by the troop of Crane soldiers who had escorted them, the Daimyo turned his glance to the Phoenix Shugenja, who was talking with a Scorpion.
"We haven't been introduce yet, but I bet Lady BAYUSHI Akami is sending you to help us with this whole affair? Rest assured of the gratitude of the Crane clan for your help, Scorpion-San. "

"Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me, but aren't you ASAKO Inara-San? We met about fifteen years ago, a little more I believe. I hope your parents are doing well. I remember being warmly greeted by your father at the Palace of Morning Glory, he would pity me to learn that your presence in our lands is the mark of your predecessor's decline."

He only took a moment to dwell on the presence of the Dragon monk, faded smile and ice in his eyes and voice.
"So Cousin ... There you are again ..."

Obviously very skillful at handling several conversations at the same time, he returned to Reiko to ask her one last question, once again finding his diplomatic smile.
"How can we help you, esteemed Magistrate?"

Tohi takes in the interplay between the Crane but files it all away for the time being. He bows in response to the Daymio addressing him directly "I am Bayushi Tohi and it is a pleasure to serve in whatever small manner I can Kakita-sama. Your assumption is indeed correct that Akami-sama has tasked me with this duty, she is keenly aware of how matters like these can escalate needlessly if not dealt with in a timely manner."

"I am sorry Asako-san, there is very little else I can tell you. Certainly some of our caravans that have been moving through these lands have been more....inconvenienced of late but I am not aware of anything that may be an indication of more unnatural origins."

Inara did not allow her disappointment to show on her face... at least, she hoped it was not evident. Patience, she reminded herself. you know better than to expect the trust of the claws and dart before it is earned.

With her back to the rest of the group, she might have missed the appearance of the Crane brothers if it was not for the young Scorpion's gaze shifting to a spot over her shoulder as he finished speaking to her. Inara turned, and stared for a moment, trying to distinguish their faces in the glare of the morning sun. More than their appearance, the presence of these men felt familiar to her. She observed the other introductions in silence, trying to work out from whence the familiarity came. She did not have to wait long for the answer.

"Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me, but aren't you ASAKO Inara-San? We met about fifteen years ago, a little more I believe. I hope your parents are doing well. I remember being warmly greeted by your father at the Palace of Morning Glory, it would pity me to learn that your presence in our lands is the mark of your predecessor's decline."

Inara smiled, caught off guard by the warmth of his welcome and the memory of the visit he spoke of. She had indeed been very young at the time, far too young to have given even the smallest care to political discourse, but she remembered the rapport the Crane ambassador had shared with her father, and that put her mind at ease. Her worry began to fade... and in its place, the flame of hope began to rise.

She bowed, carefully not too low; she was not a child anymore, after all. Still, her respect, and even the edges of her hope and relief, were obvious in the gesture. "It is good to see you again, Kakita-sama. My mother and father are well, and I am sure they would be pleased to know you are as well. I pray when this is over, you might find yourself in the halls of Kyuden Asako once again. For now... there is much work to do, and in whatever way I can, I am here to serve."

Suzume was surprised at first to see his cousin here, though he should have anticipated it, it was his men, after all, who were fighting down there... It was obvious that his cousin was not happy to see him here... Suzume decided it would be more prudent to say nothing and let the others do the talking. At the very least, he'd be able to convince Reiko to not foolishly throw her life away...

I'm... sorry sir, I'm a bit surprised. I didn't expect to find someone of your exalted rank here...
As a matter of fact, I believe you can be of great help to me. I'm fairly certain your presence alongside my official standard can grant me access to the Lion High Command.
She frowned as she realized she had just suggested the two wings surrender themselves to their enemies.
Of course I don(t mean for you to actually accompany me to their camp, but to facilitate my passage.
The bitter irony of needing help to be certain to have access to her own kinsmen was not lost on Reiko, but she was pragmatic enough to recognize the truth of battle and war.
I wish I had time to explain the circumstances fully, but I believe time is of the essence for now.

A few steps in the company of the Daimyo of the KAKITA family offered the team members the opportunity to glimpse the beginnings of the military communication of the Crane clan.

A new excitement stirred the camp, as Toshimoko conveyed his orders to the shugenjas present. The latter, a good twenty seated in a circle, and equipped with light colors Shamisen, began to play in chorus, a bluish glow misting the stringed instruments. The orders of the military commander were clear, the Crane army had to withdraw and return, in its entirety, to the base camp.If the 3 men did not know how to perceive more, Inara was surprised to notice that small Kamis, affiliated with the element of the air, danced in the center of the circle of her peers.

From these Kamis arose a wind, at first turning, hesitating, seeking its direction, and which then turned into a determined breath, strong enough to shake the fabric of the clothes of anyone in the vicinity, the whole team included.

For who could pay attention, the same bluish glow, very light, clouded the uniforms of the combatants in the plain, and in a few minutes, we could see that the army was getting organized to set up their retreat.
Seasoned eyes had no difficulty in guessing that the various officers had at heart to protect their troops during this delicate maneuver, and thus easily distinguished the excess of prudence which accompanied the diffusion of the order of withdrawal.


As the Shamisen melody continued to ring in everyone's ears, KAKITA Yoshi, who had advanced to the edge of the encampment to observe the movements of the troops, turned, and immediately addressed Reiko.
"Esteemed Magistrate, as you can see, my brother Toshimoko is already in charge of warning our soldiers to stop fighting. Unfortunately, I don't have the authority to ask so much of our fierce adversaries."

There were old memories going back to Suzume's mind, of clan traditions, of how the clan handled crisis situations, and the Daimyo's obsequiousness seemed strange to him. Admittedly, the Cranes wielded politeness and diplomacy like no other, but that sounded false to the ears of the monk. He knew the Crane clan, and knew that he and his companions were not in danger. Which seemed to mean that both Crane's Wings were knowingly hiding information. But which ones? Like Tohi for a moment, he became aware of the tense and precipitous departure of DAIDOJI Akeha and her troop.

But the actions to be taken in the near future depended on the imperial authority, it was now up to Reiko to make decisions. And to enforce them.

The sound of music rising in counterpoint to the chaotic din of battle surprised Inara, and she found herself overcome by interest and curiosity. It was out of place, cool and inviting and laced with delicate magics, and it drew the young shugenja's attention like a moth to a flame. She followed the sound to the working circle of Crane mages, watching as they played and the kami danced among them. She didn't quite understand what they were doing, what the purpose of all this was, but the spreading blue mist and the withdrawal of the Crane troops soon after let her believe that they were somehow a part of that process.

Fascinating.

She didn't want to impose, and certainly there were far more important things to worry about than sating her curiosity. But she stayed to watch, enjoying the song and the dance of the little air spirits, and promised herself that when she was back in her beloved library she would learn all she could about the technique.