Calm Before Death

Mukui Toshi, on the Dragon Heart Plain: Early Spring 1143

The Joyous Frog was a place of celebration today. The restaurant was packed to capacity as samurai and servant alike ducked beneath the vividly colored streamers hanging from every rafter. The owners, members of the Kaeru Family, made sure everyone had plenty to eat and drink, happy to foot the bill this one time. After all one of their own had recently given birth, and new life was definitely something to celebrate.

Happiest of all present were the new parents. Kitsuki Ketsumei circled through the room with ease, greeting all the guests and well-wishers. Even with the threat of a new war against the Phoenix and their Crab allies, some members of both were present. The bounds of friendship transcended the squabbles between clans. That is what the Empire was truly based on, at least in Ketsumei’s mind.

The courtier beamed across the room toward his wife Sayuri and the small bundle she cradled in a green blanket. Both mother and daughter were obviously tired, and yet the baby was very well behaved despite the loudness of all those present. Even more surprising since she didn’t hardly sleep at all last night, Ketsumei mused. It’s a wonder any of us gets any rest at all: the little one certainly has a powerful voice.

Resting on that blanket was a set of jade prayer beads, a gift from one of the guests. The little one had immediately become mesmerized by the polished green stonework when it was presented to her. She even reached out for them when the Kuni had offered the gift, which made Sayuri’s smile even larger. In fact, the only time the baby got fussy was when someone tried to move the beads off the blanket. So there they stayed.

As Ketsumei passed that Kuni’s table one of its other occupants slipped him a scroll, which the Dragon accepted it without a second glance. It was the fourth such letter he had received since the party began, and he had given out two others himself. Over the last few months the courtier had been setting up an information network to stay abreast of activities in the Empire, using events like this as cover for the passing of messages.

One would imagine that a courtier of some skill and renown such as Ketsumei what not have to go to such lengths for information. Unfortunately for him he had made an enemy of perhaps the best courtier in the history of Rokugan, one whose skill in court was overshadowed by his ruthlessness. To make matters worse, the Dragon’s own wife was being blackmailed into spying on him for the Imperial Regent. Ketsumei gave Sayuri a sad glance from across the room while she was fiddling with their child. She didn’t know he knew, and in his mind it was best that way.

Still, this new network of informants was starting to bear fruit as well: rumors of...

That thought was cut-off as a messenger staggered into the restaurant, knocking over a serving girl who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Her surprised yelp cut through the noise of the party-goers, causing several glances that way. The lad picked himself up, ignoring the mess he had made as he spoke with a shaky voice:

“Shiro Matsu has been engulfed by fire!”

The entire room was stunned into silence for a moment, then there was an explosion of words from nearly everyone in attendance. The messenger was bombarded with questions for more information; questions he didn’t have answers to. In the corner, the sudden change in timber and volume in the room startled the baby and she was now wailing at the top of her lungs: Sayuri was doing everything she could to calm her down. Over the den, Ketsumei noticed one of the Lion present glare at one of his Crane guests, the events at Toshi Ranbo still fresh in the first one’s mind. Things could get out of hand quickly if action wasn’t taken....

“Silence!” Ketsumei bellowed, channeling all his courtly training to ensure that his voice reached every ear. The one word had the desired effect as the entire room paused at the command: even the baby was stunned speechless, which resulted in Ketsumei receiving a thankful glance from his wife.

All other eyes in the room were on the courtier as well as Ketsumei strided forward toward the messenger. “It is not the time to make baseless accusations,” he began as he walked. “More information is needed, and it is clear that this young man doesn’t have the answers we need.”

He looked down on the lad with a stern expression. “Off with you. I’ll make sure your sensei reviews with you the proper etiquette for message delivery later.” The boy visibly gulped, then left more quickly than he arrived.

Ketsumei turned back to his guests. “My friends, thank you for your attendance today. Although I wish we were parting on better terms, outside events clearly cannot be ignored. I look forward to seeing you again in the near future.” He bows to them all, then neatly side-stepped a long-haired Matsu that all but sprinted outside to see what was transpiring in his home lands. Not that I can blame him…

Another, more proper messenger arrived in the city later that evening: Sayuri had just gotten the baby to sleep when he came looking for Ketsumei. The male Dragon accepted the scroll silently, and Sayuri watched his dismayed reaction as he read it. He nodded to the messenger, dismissing him without a word, before nearly collapsing onto the nearest cushion.

He met his wife’s concerned eyes with a haunted expression. “Shiro Matsu still stands, but the city around it has been devastated by fire…” Sayuri saw the words get caught in his throat: it was honestly the first time she had ever seen him speechless. “First reports…” Ketsumei stammered. “first reports indicate it was caused… caused by a Tattooed Man…”

Sayuri gasped, her hands instinctively moving to cover her mouth. “That cannot be…” she whispered. She noted his shoulders sag, as if suddenly carrying all the weight of Ningen-do on them. In an instant she was at his side. “I’ll send word to the servants so that Taishou is ready at first light. You’ll need to get to Lion lands quickly after all.”

Ketsumei looked up at her, nodding at her suggestion that his horse be prepared. “Thank you -chan. You are a very good wife, and will be an excellent mother.” He saw her blush despite the fading light of Lord Sun outside. “I’ll spend some time with the baby while you arrange that.” Then he reached out and caressed her cheek. “Don’t take too long.”

The following morning Sayuri watched her husband ride off to the south while their servants made preparations for her and her daughter to return to Toi Koku. Despite Ketsumei now serving directly under family daimyo Kitsuki Mizuochi, the family still lived in his estate in the heart of Shinjutsu Province.

If he comes home at all… she shivered. She pulled her outer kimono tighter around her small frame. Her husband’s words from the night before echoed in her mind. A very good wife… she mused. And traitor… the voice in the back of her head tacked on. Not for the first time she battered herself emotionally with the fact that she was spying on her husband for the Regent to protect her family in the Frog Clan.

He deserves better than this… Sayuri told herself.

In that moment, a decision was made. When he returned she would tell him the truth. It would probably mean her death, but her time with the Kitsuki had taught her that it was preferable to living a lie. And when she got home, she had one last letter to compose…