The Scorpion's Gambit, part 1 (L5R fiction)
Mostly for my own amusement, and as an exercise in wiriting.
Lady Bayushi Ryuku, Champion of the Scorpion Clan, carefully brushed her steed Chinyo. The warhorse - a gift from the Unicorn Clan - was tall and strong, and although it was inappropriate for someone of the samurai caste to directly care for the animal, no one dared to impugn the Mistress of Secrets. Ryuku cared deeply for the animal, a holdover from her time spent as a hostage of the Unicorn Clan in her youth. Besides, spending even a few minutes each day with Chinyo helped soothe the Champion’s worries as the day-to-day running of a Great Clan can tax even the hardiest soul. She finished brushing the animal’s flanks and patted them affectionately before reaching for an apple to give to Chinyo as a treat.
There was a polite cough behind her to announce a sudden presence, but Ryuku ignored it until Chinyo had devoured the fruit. She then turned to find Shosuro Hametsu, daimyo of the Shosuro House and loyal vassal, waiting patiently outside Chinyo’s stall. Unlike many of her advisors, Hametsu seemed to understand Ryuku’s love of Chinyo and had no problems with addressing his Champion in a stable. Hametsu knelt before Ryuku but she waved him to stand impatiently; in the stables she rarely stood on ceremony. Hametsu rose to his feet with surprising grace and slid a scroll out of his sleeve. He offered it to Ryuku without comment and she took it. The scroll was sealed with Bayushi Yojiro’s personal chop and appeared unbroken, but Ryuku looked up at Hametsu expectantly. Hametsu chuckled from behind his mask and said softly, “As far as I’ve been able to ascertain, this remains unread by anyone, my lady. However, I suspect Yojiro-san has encoded it regardless.”
“I suspect the same,” Ryuku confessed as she broke the seal and unrolled the scroll, “but one cannot be too careful.” Hametsu simply nodded as Ryuku scanned the scroll quickly, but he noticed her slight displeasure in the very subtle shift of her eyes. The Mistress of the Scorpion wasn’t a tall woman, but years as a samurai-ko and initial training amongst the barbarians of the Unicorn Clan had given her a solid physique and a slightly bow-legged gait typical of those who rode the large Unicorn steeds regularly. Currently she was dressed in a simple gi as she tended to her horse, with a simple strip of black cloth covering the lower half of her face to serve as her mask. Her hair was swept back in a simple ponytail to keep it out of the way. In contrast, Hametsu himself was tall but relatively thin; life as a courtier and poison master had sharpened his mind but he knew the battlefield was no place for him, especially as of late as age was starting to catch up to him. His long black and blood-red robes were immaculate, and his scorpion mask also covered the lower half of his face.
Ryuku read the scroll again, this time slowly and carefully, doubtlessly now deciphering whatever hidden message Yojiro-san had encoded from his post in Unicorn lands. Her initial displeasure deepened but Hametsu knew it was a sign of her trust in him that she showed her reactions in his presence. She finished the scroll and rolled it back up; Hametsu raised an eyebrow and asked, “Problems?”
Ryuku nodded as she handed the scroll back to him. “You know of Yojiro’s protégé in Turo-Kojiri, Shosuro Maru?” Hametsu nodded and she continued, “Maru-san’s position as an Emerald Magistrate has been exposed and two Otaku Battle Maidens are dead at the hands of the Scorpion. Both Unicorn were Kolat doppelgangers and spies, according to Maru-san.”
Hamtesu betrayed no other reaction other then a slight wince. “That makes our standing and operations in Unicorn lands… difficult.”
“An understatement, as always,” Ryuku retorted wryly. “You have a gift for that, my friend.”
Hametsu inclined his head at the compliment, and continued, “Maru-san has always had too much passion where the Kolat are concerned. That foul conspiracy keeps slithering deeper and deeper into the shadows, and now this exposure means they’ll go more underground then ever before.”
“Yojiro-san claims the Kolat operation in Turo-Kojiri has been wiped out entirely, and that the actions of several Emerald Magistrates of the Unicorn and Tiger Clans precipitated the action, although it’s obvious he is concerned both fro the sake of the operations against the Kolat but also for his protégé,” Ryuku replied. “Admirable, but dangerous.”
“Yojiro-san has always been a compassionate man,” Hametsu said simply, “that has always been his flaw. Your orders, my lady?”
“Find out more on what happened from independent sources, “Ryuku replied, “I want to know if Yojiro is correct and the Kolat cell in Turo-Kojiri was wiped out without the knowledge of the rest of the conspiracy.”
Hametsu bowed. “Your will, my lady.” He hesitated, and Ryuku gestured for him to speak. He spoke slowly, choosing his words with great care, “My lady, there is one other matter of some delicacy that I must discuss with you, for the good of the Clan.”
Ryuku rolled her eyes in mock-exasperation. “Just spit it out, Hametsu-san.”
“Very well,” Hametsu nodded and braced himself. “You need to find a husband and start making babies.”
Lady Bayushi Ryuku, Champion of the Scorpion Clan, carefully brushed her steed Chinyo. The warhorse - a gift from the Unicorn Clan - was tall and strong, and although it was inappropriate for someone of the samurai caste to directly care for the animal, no one dared to impugn the Mistress of Secrets. Ryuku cared deeply for the animal, a holdover from her time spent as a hostage of the Unicorn Clan in her youth. Besides, spending even a few minutes each day with Chinyo helped soothe the Champion’s worries as the day-to-day running of a Great Clan can tax even the hardiest soul. She finished brushing the animal’s flanks and patted them affectionately before reaching for an apple to give to Chinyo as a treat.
There was a polite cough behind her to announce a sudden presence, but Ryuku ignored it until Chinyo had devoured the fruit. She then turned to find Shosuro Hametsu, daimyo of the Shosuro House and loyal vassal, waiting patiently outside Chinyo’s stall. Unlike many of her advisors, Hametsu seemed to understand Ryuku’s love of Chinyo and had no problems with addressing his Champion in a stable. Hametsu knelt before Ryuku but she waved him to stand impatiently; in the stables she rarely stood on ceremony. Hametsu rose to his feet with surprising grace and slid a scroll out of his sleeve. He offered it to Ryuku without comment and she took it. The scroll was sealed with Bayushi Yojiro’s personal chop and appeared unbroken, but Ryuku looked up at Hametsu expectantly. Hametsu chuckled from behind his mask and said softly, “As far as I’ve been able to ascertain, this remains unread by anyone, my lady. However, I suspect Yojiro-san has encoded it regardless.”
“I suspect the same,” Ryuku confessed as she broke the seal and unrolled the scroll, “but one cannot be too careful.” Hametsu simply nodded as Ryuku scanned the scroll quickly, but he noticed her slight displeasure in the very subtle shift of her eyes. The Mistress of the Scorpion wasn’t a tall woman, but years as a samurai-ko and initial training amongst the barbarians of the Unicorn Clan had given her a solid physique and a slightly bow-legged gait typical of those who rode the large Unicorn steeds regularly. Currently she was dressed in a simple gi as she tended to her horse, with a simple strip of black cloth covering the lower half of her face to serve as her mask. Her hair was swept back in a simple ponytail to keep it out of the way. In contrast, Hametsu himself was tall but relatively thin; life as a courtier and poison master had sharpened his mind but he knew the battlefield was no place for him, especially as of late as age was starting to catch up to him. His long black and blood-red robes were immaculate, and his scorpion mask also covered the lower half of his face.
Ryuku read the scroll again, this time slowly and carefully, doubtlessly now deciphering whatever hidden message Yojiro-san had encoded from his post in Unicorn lands. Her initial displeasure deepened but Hametsu knew it was a sign of her trust in him that she showed her reactions in his presence. She finished the scroll and rolled it back up; Hametsu raised an eyebrow and asked, “Problems?”
Ryuku nodded as she handed the scroll back to him. “You know of Yojiro’s protégé in Turo-Kojiri, Shosuro Maru?” Hametsu nodded and she continued, “Maru-san’s position as an Emerald Magistrate has been exposed and two Otaku Battle Maidens are dead at the hands of the Scorpion. Both Unicorn were Kolat doppelgangers and spies, according to Maru-san.”
Hamtesu betrayed no other reaction other then a slight wince. “That makes our standing and operations in Unicorn lands… difficult.”
“An understatement, as always,” Ryuku retorted wryly. “You have a gift for that, my friend.”
Hametsu inclined his head at the compliment, and continued, “Maru-san has always had too much passion where the Kolat are concerned. That foul conspiracy keeps slithering deeper and deeper into the shadows, and now this exposure means they’ll go more underground then ever before.”
“Yojiro-san claims the Kolat operation in Turo-Kojiri has been wiped out entirely, and that the actions of several Emerald Magistrates of the Unicorn and Tiger Clans precipitated the action, although it’s obvious he is concerned both fro the sake of the operations against the Kolat but also for his protégé,” Ryuku replied. “Admirable, but dangerous.”
“Yojiro-san has always been a compassionate man,” Hametsu said simply, “that has always been his flaw. Your orders, my lady?”
“Find out more on what happened from independent sources, “Ryuku replied, “I want to know if Yojiro is correct and the Kolat cell in Turo-Kojiri was wiped out without the knowledge of the rest of the conspiracy.”
Hametsu bowed. “Your will, my lady.” He hesitated, and Ryuku gestured for him to speak. He spoke slowly, choosing his words with great care, “My lady, there is one other matter of some delicacy that I must discuss with you, for the good of the Clan.”
Ryuku rolled her eyes in mock-exasperation. “Just spit it out, Hametsu-san.”
“Very well,” Hametsu nodded and braced himself. “You need to find a husband and start making babies.”