The end of winter brought with it more news of the south: what had begun as a minor territorial conflict had escalated into a war, between the Akarui domain of Kanto and the neighboring territory to the south, run by a man named Sanada Nobuhiro. Perhaps it was not surprising, then, that as soon as the winter had departed far enough for Hokkaido to be easily traversable again, Akarui Heisuke paid the Fujiwara residence an official visit.
He came in quite the procession, too, a line of several carriages carrying a proper formal detachement from his householdārepresentatives, advisers, servants, and even a few concubines, though these were hidden away in a closed carriage and not visible to the public as the procession came through the main road in Shimamaki. Reiko was in town at the time, walking down the road with Ayla, when the first of the line became visible, and she pursed her lips, concern creeping into her expression quite evidently.
"Thatāsā¦ Akarui-samaās crest. We were not supposed to be seeing him again until we sent our contingent in a few weeks.ā Something must have happenedāand something big, from the looks of it. Reiko had her guess as to what it might be, but she dare not voice it aloud just yet. Turning to her friend, she smiled apologetically. "Forgive this one, Ayla-san. It would appear that she is needed at home.ā
To say Ayla was disappointed, would have been an understatement. She visibly frowned when Reiko spoke, and gave the young girl a flat look. "Must you really?" she asked, keeping her gaze focused. The look upon Reiko's face meant that she had to, and Ayla conceded. Taking a deep breath, she placed a gentle hand on Reiko's shoulder. "Can 'this one' at least escort you home?" she asked, mimicking Reiko's speech pattern. She glanced up towards the small army of people that arrived. Her eyes narrowed in a soft manner before taking her gaze away from them.
"But if you'd rather go your own way, I'll just have to follow you to make sure you get there safely," she added, giving Reiko little chance to deny her request. However, Ayla wouldn't be so forceful upon Reiko if she truly did not wish her to escort her home.
Reiko nodded, smiling a little. "Youāre welcome, of course, Ayla-san. This one canāt promise it will be very interesting, since everyone will be preoccupied with Akarui-donoās arrival, but you are always welcome in this oneās home.ā With that, the two of them set off for the north of town, taking the seldom-used road up towards the Fujiwara estate.
Though, as one could easily see upon cresting the hill nearest the location, estate was a bit of an understatement. It was nothing less than a castle, and an impressive one at that. Several outbuildings sat just outside the wallsāa couple of guard stations, a house for the groundskeeper, and the like, but the majority of the place was blocked off with a wall, beyond which the layered roofs could be seen to rise. The skeletons of trees told of the beauty the place would have in the warmer months, and from somewhere near the center of the place, motes of golden light seemed to float up towards the sky, gently blinking in the light. The castle was traditional in the extreme from the architecture, but there was a sort of elegant, light beauty to it, despite the fact that it was obviously a fortress above all else.
They reached the front gate, where the guards on duty both bowed deeply to Reiko. āWelcome home, Hime-sama.ā She gave them a soft smile and waved her hand to allow them to straighten, then turned to Ayla behind her. "Wellā¦ this is it. Would you like to come in, or shall this one be seeing you later?ā
Ayla merely smiled and accompanied Reiko to her home. The smile that adorned her face, however, fell flat when they approached Reiko's estate. She glanced down at Reiko, and back at the palace. It took a minute for it to fully process before Ayla chuckled lightly. "I'd rather not cause trouble for the Hime-sama. Perhaps I shall see you some other time, Rei-chan," she stated, grinning at her friend. She wasn't in the particular mood to visit such a place, and honestly, buildings like these brought back things she'd rather not remember. And on top of that, she knew a certain asshole might be around. She didn't want to cause trouble for Reiko.
"Ayla-san! Rei-chan!" a voice called out as Ayla turned to spot Sayuri. The younger girl gave a polite bow before standing next to Reiko. "But Ayla-san, you should stay. After Akarui-sama states his business, and Reiko-chan is finished with it, we could show you around," she began, however; Ayla merely shook her head and bid the two farewell. As Ayla left, Sayuri turned towards Reiko, and frowned.
"What do you think Akarui-sama wants? It's... early, isn't it?" she questioned. She was hardly, if ever, part of the socializations her sister attended, and didn't know much about what was going on. Of course, she knew the things that Reiko told her, but Sayuri didn't want to feel left out this time.
Reiko looked a bit disappointed when Ayla said she wasnāt coming any further, but she understood. The castle was a lot to take in, and honestly, it was much better that no one antagonize her brothers right now. This was going to be importantāReiko could sense it. So she bid her friend farewell and turned to Sayuri, smiling thinly. "Heās probably here about the war, Sayu-chan. It has grown much more fierce in the south than it used to be. Akarui-dono may be seeking our help, because we are allies now.ā It was a grim thoughtāReiko did not like to entertain speculations about what would happen if her familyās soldiers were unleashed on a field of battle. Not all of them were vampires; most in fact were not. But they were an especially fierce and loyal brand of soldier, trained by vampires, and they were quite elite by comparison to the average samurai, if Tsubasa had told her the truth.
"You should come with us to greet him,ā she continued, her smile softening a little bit. "A little hospitality will be most welcome, this one is sure. The journey from Kanto is not easy, and this one thinks that perhaps Akarui-donoās household must be tired.ā Most of the lead servants and retainers of House Fujiwara were already assembling, and JirÅ was already there, acting as head of household for this matter, which Reiko doubted Tatsuya would have any interest in.
The two of them moved into the lineup next to Kentaro, who along with Takahiro, was also present. "Taro, why is Akarui-donoās household accompanying him here?ā That was the one thing Reiko didnāt understand about this. If it were an alliance visit, he would have perhaps one or two of his top generals with him, and enough servants to keep them comfortable. That would be itāthis was many more people than that.
Kentaro pursed his lips faintly, his face otherwise as expressionless as ever. When he answered, his voice was flat. āI suspect he seeks refuge.ā
Sayuri remained silent as Reiko spoke, acknowledging that she had heard the older woman speak. The war down south was growing more fierce? She shivered at the thought of the idea of sending aid to Akarui, however; it wasn't her call to make. Instead, she remained silent as she mused the thought over, walking quietly next to Reiko's side as the two made their way through the compound. Once they reached their destination, Sayuri blinked as she stood a little behind Reiko. Refuge? Why would Akarui seek refuge with them?
"You think they seek refuge? Does that mean that the war has turned against his favor?" she questioned her thoughts outloud, glancing up nervously towards Kentaro. He always unnerved her, and made it a little uncomfortable just being near. She shifted in her spot as she kept glancing from him, and towards Akarui and his household.
An odd look crossed Kentaroās face as he turned his head to glance at Sayuri, as though he were trying to place how he knew her. Reiko resisted the urge to sigh. Her brother didnāt mean anything by it, she knew; Sayu was a relatively new development in his life, given how many centuries it extended. He usually took a while to get used to such adjustments, if they didnāt immediately concern him. Probably heād forgotten who she was, exactly. He seemed to either recall or decide it didnāt matter though, because he nodded, feathery strands of blond hair falling into his eyes at the motion. He was the only one who shared the beautiful shade with Tatsuya.
āIt would be a fair guess.ā His tone was still flat and rather inexpressive, but it wasnāt hostile at all. Taro wasnāt one to stand on rank or ceremony, and so Sayuriās informal mode of address didnāt bother him, really. āHis lands have not recovered form his grandfatherās poor management. He has far fewer troops than his foe.ā Reiko pursed her lips, nodding her understanding.
It was at this point that the procession finally made its way inside the gates, and from the most ornate of the carriages stepped Heisuke himself, followed by two of his generals. Only two? Reiko wondered if the others had fallen on the field of battle. She recalled him having seven, previously.
JirÅ stepped forward, and Heisuke approached him first, bowing somewhat, his long brown topknot falling over his shoulder with the motion. He straightened up, bringing green eyes to rest briefly on the other members of the family, flicking from Kentaro and Takahiro to Sayuri and Reiko. He turned them back to JirÅ, though.
āMinamoto-dono. I have come to request asylum for my household and my family. Our castle has been seized by southern forces, who employed the use of dishonest tactics to overthrow my rightful seat as protector of the Kanto region and its people.ā
JirÅ nodded slightly. āIn recognition of our alliance and the treaty between our domains, the house of Fujiwara grants you asylum, and with you your household and retainers.ā
Sayuri sighed softly once Kentaro spoke. She glanced away from him and towards Heisuke and his Generals, watching them with mild interest as he approached and JirÅ stepped forward. When he spoke, and JirÅ granted him sanctuary, she frowned slightly. "Akarui-sama will be staying with us, it seems," she stated more to herself. Something akin to a shiver rolled down her spine. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, really, and felt more like a static shock. She expelled any thought from her mind and turned to Reiko and Kentaro.
"I shall help see to Akarui-sama's accommodations, then," she stated, glancing at the both of them. Servants were usually the ones who did such things, however; as Reiko stated before, a little hospitality would be nice. She knew that the other brothers would not see to things, and Reiko would likely be busy handling other affair. It would be the least she could do.
He came in quite the procession, too, a line of several carriages carrying a proper formal detachement from his householdārepresentatives, advisers, servants, and even a few concubines, though these were hidden away in a closed carriage and not visible to the public as the procession came through the main road in Shimamaki. Reiko was in town at the time, walking down the road with Ayla, when the first of the line became visible, and she pursed her lips, concern creeping into her expression quite evidently.
"Thatāsā¦ Akarui-samaās crest. We were not supposed to be seeing him again until we sent our contingent in a few weeks.ā Something must have happenedāand something big, from the looks of it. Reiko had her guess as to what it might be, but she dare not voice it aloud just yet. Turning to her friend, she smiled apologetically. "Forgive this one, Ayla-san. It would appear that she is needed at home.ā
To say Ayla was disappointed, would have been an understatement. She visibly frowned when Reiko spoke, and gave the young girl a flat look. "Must you really?" she asked, keeping her gaze focused. The look upon Reiko's face meant that she had to, and Ayla conceded. Taking a deep breath, she placed a gentle hand on Reiko's shoulder. "Can 'this one' at least escort you home?" she asked, mimicking Reiko's speech pattern. She glanced up towards the small army of people that arrived. Her eyes narrowed in a soft manner before taking her gaze away from them.
"But if you'd rather go your own way, I'll just have to follow you to make sure you get there safely," she added, giving Reiko little chance to deny her request. However, Ayla wouldn't be so forceful upon Reiko if she truly did not wish her to escort her home.
Reiko nodded, smiling a little. "Youāre welcome, of course, Ayla-san. This one canāt promise it will be very interesting, since everyone will be preoccupied with Akarui-donoās arrival, but you are always welcome in this oneās home.ā With that, the two of them set off for the north of town, taking the seldom-used road up towards the Fujiwara estate.
Though, as one could easily see upon cresting the hill nearest the location, estate was a bit of an understatement. It was nothing less than a castle, and an impressive one at that. Several outbuildings sat just outside the wallsāa couple of guard stations, a house for the groundskeeper, and the like, but the majority of the place was blocked off with a wall, beyond which the layered roofs could be seen to rise. The skeletons of trees told of the beauty the place would have in the warmer months, and from somewhere near the center of the place, motes of golden light seemed to float up towards the sky, gently blinking in the light. The castle was traditional in the extreme from the architecture, but there was a sort of elegant, light beauty to it, despite the fact that it was obviously a fortress above all else.
They reached the front gate, where the guards on duty both bowed deeply to Reiko. āWelcome home, Hime-sama.ā She gave them a soft smile and waved her hand to allow them to straighten, then turned to Ayla behind her. "Wellā¦ this is it. Would you like to come in, or shall this one be seeing you later?ā
Ayla merely smiled and accompanied Reiko to her home. The smile that adorned her face, however, fell flat when they approached Reiko's estate. She glanced down at Reiko, and back at the palace. It took a minute for it to fully process before Ayla chuckled lightly. "I'd rather not cause trouble for the Hime-sama. Perhaps I shall see you some other time, Rei-chan," she stated, grinning at her friend. She wasn't in the particular mood to visit such a place, and honestly, buildings like these brought back things she'd rather not remember. And on top of that, she knew a certain asshole might be around. She didn't want to cause trouble for Reiko.
"Ayla-san! Rei-chan!" a voice called out as Ayla turned to spot Sayuri. The younger girl gave a polite bow before standing next to Reiko. "But Ayla-san, you should stay. After Akarui-sama states his business, and Reiko-chan is finished with it, we could show you around," she began, however; Ayla merely shook her head and bid the two farewell. As Ayla left, Sayuri turned towards Reiko, and frowned.
"What do you think Akarui-sama wants? It's... early, isn't it?" she questioned. She was hardly, if ever, part of the socializations her sister attended, and didn't know much about what was going on. Of course, she knew the things that Reiko told her, but Sayuri didn't want to feel left out this time.
Reiko looked a bit disappointed when Ayla said she wasnāt coming any further, but she understood. The castle was a lot to take in, and honestly, it was much better that no one antagonize her brothers right now. This was going to be importantāReiko could sense it. So she bid her friend farewell and turned to Sayuri, smiling thinly. "Heās probably here about the war, Sayu-chan. It has grown much more fierce in the south than it used to be. Akarui-dono may be seeking our help, because we are allies now.ā It was a grim thoughtāReiko did not like to entertain speculations about what would happen if her familyās soldiers were unleashed on a field of battle. Not all of them were vampires; most in fact were not. But they were an especially fierce and loyal brand of soldier, trained by vampires, and they were quite elite by comparison to the average samurai, if Tsubasa had told her the truth.
"You should come with us to greet him,ā she continued, her smile softening a little bit. "A little hospitality will be most welcome, this one is sure. The journey from Kanto is not easy, and this one thinks that perhaps Akarui-donoās household must be tired.ā Most of the lead servants and retainers of House Fujiwara were already assembling, and JirÅ was already there, acting as head of household for this matter, which Reiko doubted Tatsuya would have any interest in.
The two of them moved into the lineup next to Kentaro, who along with Takahiro, was also present. "Taro, why is Akarui-donoās household accompanying him here?ā That was the one thing Reiko didnāt understand about this. If it were an alliance visit, he would have perhaps one or two of his top generals with him, and enough servants to keep them comfortable. That would be itāthis was many more people than that.
Kentaro pursed his lips faintly, his face otherwise as expressionless as ever. When he answered, his voice was flat. āI suspect he seeks refuge.ā
Sayuri remained silent as Reiko spoke, acknowledging that she had heard the older woman speak. The war down south was growing more fierce? She shivered at the thought of the idea of sending aid to Akarui, however; it wasn't her call to make. Instead, she remained silent as she mused the thought over, walking quietly next to Reiko's side as the two made their way through the compound. Once they reached their destination, Sayuri blinked as she stood a little behind Reiko. Refuge? Why would Akarui seek refuge with them?
"You think they seek refuge? Does that mean that the war has turned against his favor?" she questioned her thoughts outloud, glancing up nervously towards Kentaro. He always unnerved her, and made it a little uncomfortable just being near. She shifted in her spot as she kept glancing from him, and towards Akarui and his household.
An odd look crossed Kentaroās face as he turned his head to glance at Sayuri, as though he were trying to place how he knew her. Reiko resisted the urge to sigh. Her brother didnāt mean anything by it, she knew; Sayu was a relatively new development in his life, given how many centuries it extended. He usually took a while to get used to such adjustments, if they didnāt immediately concern him. Probably heād forgotten who she was, exactly. He seemed to either recall or decide it didnāt matter though, because he nodded, feathery strands of blond hair falling into his eyes at the motion. He was the only one who shared the beautiful shade with Tatsuya.
āIt would be a fair guess.ā His tone was still flat and rather inexpressive, but it wasnāt hostile at all. Taro wasnāt one to stand on rank or ceremony, and so Sayuriās informal mode of address didnāt bother him, really. āHis lands have not recovered form his grandfatherās poor management. He has far fewer troops than his foe.ā Reiko pursed her lips, nodding her understanding.
It was at this point that the procession finally made its way inside the gates, and from the most ornate of the carriages stepped Heisuke himself, followed by two of his generals. Only two? Reiko wondered if the others had fallen on the field of battle. She recalled him having seven, previously.
JirÅ stepped forward, and Heisuke approached him first, bowing somewhat, his long brown topknot falling over his shoulder with the motion. He straightened up, bringing green eyes to rest briefly on the other members of the family, flicking from Kentaro and Takahiro to Sayuri and Reiko. He turned them back to JirÅ, though.
āMinamoto-dono. I have come to request asylum for my household and my family. Our castle has been seized by southern forces, who employed the use of dishonest tactics to overthrow my rightful seat as protector of the Kanto region and its people.ā
JirÅ nodded slightly. āIn recognition of our alliance and the treaty between our domains, the house of Fujiwara grants you asylum, and with you your household and retainers.ā
Sayuri sighed softly once Kentaro spoke. She glanced away from him and towards Heisuke and his Generals, watching them with mild interest as he approached and JirÅ stepped forward. When he spoke, and JirÅ granted him sanctuary, she frowned slightly. "Akarui-sama will be staying with us, it seems," she stated more to herself. Something akin to a shiver rolled down her spine. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, really, and felt more like a static shock. She expelled any thought from her mind and turned to Reiko and Kentaro.
"I shall help see to Akarui-sama's accommodations, then," she stated, glancing at the both of them. Servants were usually the ones who did such things, however; as Reiko stated before, a little hospitality would be nice. She knew that the other brothers would not see to things, and Reiko would likely be busy handling other affair. It would be the least she could do.