Burden of the Emerald Empire (A Legend of the Five Rings Tale)

Not feeling up to writing an update tonight. Have fluff instead.
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Your shoulders feel like knotted rocks for all the good that the hot bath had done. While for now everything was going apace, the weight of the Empire still felt immeasurable. When was the last time you had truly slept without worrying long into the night about this or that? You were enduring, reliable...you would do your duty.

As you listen to the Otomo representative, Mochika, that was his name once again petition you to build another castle in one of the non aligned lands so that they could move out of the Crane lands. You can feel your head ache beginning to build. By all the gods, the Crane had been nothing but gracious hosts and it still wasn't enough for this arrogant tool?

You wanted to tell him to go kill himself, wanted to just go grab some shochu and ignore this.
But, you can't. Annoying you isn't technically a crime, and you can understand the desire to have your own home, free of commitments from others. Understand, that the Otomo being reliant on the Crane actively reflected on your prestige.

Even so, you just wanted to rest, just wanted to let your head fall down and sleep while listening to the midnight winds...

Finally you give some vague words and reassurances and dismiss the man before retreating into your inner quarters, the one place you could say you wouldn't be accosted by someone needing something.

And Kaname is there...lovely. You put on your 'Emperor does not in fact want to snap and kill something face' and approach her as she doesn't seem to notice you. Hmm might need to rename that face.

"Shiba-san, to what do I owe the pleasure?" You ask.

Gods, why couldn't you get one moment of peace?

"Ah..." She turns around and kowtows as is proper.

"Forgive me Tenno, I didn't think you would be back for some time." She says.

"...I do keep late hours, but your own chambers are comfortable enough aren't they?" You ask.

She looks up.
"They are...but...I wanted to understand the chambers I would be in if I wed." She says softly.

"You...intend to share my bed regularly?" You are surprised.

While there is the marriage bed, typically...that bed is only for when you are amorous with each other. Outside it the Empress can and often does keep her own rooms and beds. Officially so that if Heaven's forbid something happened to you, she could be safe. Unofficially, it was so the Empress didn't have to watch her husband sleep with his concubines. While the Toturi had not really indulged in the practice. Tradition was it's own keeper.

"...Um hai. I know...I know you don't, particularly like me, but I do want us to have a good marriage...and keeping separate from you, doesn't help with that."

You stop for a moment...don't like her? While that wasn't entirely true....but you could see how she came to that conclusion. You had after all spend much time with her debating and convincing her she was wrong with her. You gesture her to stand up.

"Shiba-san, it's not that I don't like you, it's just..."

She stands up and looks at you.
"That I'm too outspoken, to set in my justice and beliefs, I don't...bend like most people do. I understand Mikado, but I am who I am."

Unspoken in her eyes, was that she believed you regretted that decision, and a part of you did. Another part of you resolved that you would change things.

"You are Shiba-san...but you are growing, and I do like you, I just want what's best for everyone." You say quietly.

Kaname shifts, feeling awkward.
"I know my Emperor, that is why I want to try and make this a good marriage, you walk so alone, and it does not seem...right that you should do so."

You let out a chuckle internally. You were the Emperor, the Empire was your burden and yours alone.
"That so?"

"Hai." She says simply.

"And how do you intend to do that?" You ask wryly.

"I...if my Emperor permits...would show you." She says.

You raise an eyebrow, but nod as she gestures for you to sit on the futon. You do so, wondering if the naive Kaname is really that naive if she's going to do...that. Instead of 'that' she kneels behind you and you feel strong, but feminine hands on your back and shoulders.

They dig into your muscles, working out the knots with an implacable determination. She's good at this, you wonder when the Shiba Ryu began teaching that. Did she go out and learn this herself? If so from...oh that feels so nice...it hurts but it feels nice. You feel yourself leaning back into her, leaning into Kaname's warm fingers, in many ways this is scandalous beyond compare. Yet, you find the touch of her soothing, the feeling of someone taking care of you, not because you're the Emperor but because your just a man...is oddly liberating.

You can hear her softly singing humming an old lullaby that you can only vaguely remember your mother humming to you when you were young. The back rub continues as you find yourself slowly relaxing more and more into Kaname's arms. You are tired...and you find that her hums and hands are only making the siren call of Yume-do stronger.

"...You are..talented, Shiba-san" You say.
Your eyes are drooping as you fight going to sleep. You need to stay up to...was she always this comfortable?

You feel her still for a moment.
"If it pleases you, please call me Kaname" She says softly.

"...Hai Kaname-chan" you mumble.

You feel her pet your hair, as finally mercifully, sleep comes to you, no worrying no nightmares, just sleep.

-Kitsuki Akane

You place the files back down. You know that the Crane and Scorpion will both scream bloody murder if you don't choose them. However....Kitsuki Akane offers a unique insight, set of variables, and perhaps most importantly, can keep Yoritomo Hiroko in check for you. Taking that particular burden off your shoulders.

With that in mind, and the fact that the Dragon are arguably the one Clan that doesn't have eternal vengeance sworn upon them by one of the other Clans. The War of Silk and Steel was a war. But the Dragon don't do the whole vendetta thing.

The Crane and Scorpion are strong candidates...and you can only hope and pray that the Crane manage to actually win the contest they designed so they would always win, instead of failing to like they had for the last fifty odd years or so. Although, granted, the Yasuki winning was entirely your father's fault.

That left the Scorpion upset, but on the other hand...you suspect the Scorpion had some sort of long term game plan involved that let them lose here to win somewhere else. You'd deal with that when it came.

Steepling your hands, you look around.
"I have made my decision, we will have Kitsuki Akane-san as our Imperial Advisor." You declare

"As you will Mikado" The rest of the council echoes as one.

"Now on to other business..." You say.

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7th Day of the Horse

"My Emperor, Bayushi Kaukatsu-sama's appointment has arrived Your herald announced.

Now came the consequences of your choice you supposed. What would the Scorpion want? Could you afford not to give it to them? Could you afford to not not give it to them. The Imperial Legions were still weak relatively speaking a war was not in your interests, maybe if you had put that over rebuilding...
Bah the die is cast, and all you can do is live with it. You had to give your Imperial Chancellor the time of day, even if you excluded him from your inner councils.

"Send him in then" You say.

You place the admittedly boring document on the Seppun accounts, and lean back slightly, establishing your authority through posture.

An old man walks into the room, even as you watch him approach and kowtow, your senses strain to feel for more of them, than 'exists' and find nothing but empty space. You suppose that one does not get to be an old Scorpion by not knowing how to disappear at need.

Silence fills the room, Kaukatsu is prepared to wait you out, to make you come to him. You are the Emperor of all Rokugan, and yet he dares to make you wait. Another reminder of how far the office had fallen.

However, two can play at that game. So you lean back, waiting. You are young, but you are not impatient. The Earth is your guide as well as the Air. Long minutes trickle past, as neither of you bends. Finally he breaks first.

"My Emperor, forgive me for not realizing your intent, allow me to thank you for this audience and assure you that the Scorpion remain loyal servants of the Empire." Kaukatsu says, his voice at odds with his appearance.

It's young, cold, the voice of a calculated killer, not someone who looks like he should be retiring to be a simple monk.

"I am assured of such by Lord Bayushi, but I thank you Bayushi-san for the reaffirmation. You may rise."
You reply.

"Thank you. I am of course distressed that you did not see fit to use me as your advisor, but I understand the appeal of Kitsuki-san. That is however, not what drove me to seek this audience."

Liar, you know he's lying, he knows you know, and you both know that you can't call him out on it...not without cause.

"What then Bayushi-san drives my Imperial Chancellor to seek an audience with me?"

"If I may approach you, Holy Tenno, I will show you what brings me to seek an audience with you." He says.

You nod slightly, and watch warily as he approaches, you can feel your Seppun guards tensing in the air. The Hantei had died when a Scorpion approached them...was this a new attempt? It was madness, yet madness was only rarely admitted as such.

Kaukatsu hands over a small stack of papers from his kimono, slowly, carefully to show no hostile intent. You take them and begin reading it over quickly. What was this?

Letters, witness testimony, ledgers, troop movement records. All of them pointing at a conspiracy at the very heart of the Empire. Moto Chagatai and Naizen seeking to over throw you and put in place someone who would be more pliable to their interests, your little brother....someone who would make the rest of the Empire fund their ambition. Chagatai to be lord of the East and take even the Jewel of the Desert Medinaat-al Salaam. While Naizen was the lord of the West, and given free reign to do whatever he willed in the Ivory Kingdoms. The Lion were to be driven into strife with Ikoma Otemi framed for the murder of his charge. The Crane and Crab sent back to war until one was finished...and the Scorpion would burn, having revealed their treachery by murdering you and your young wife to be.

It was breathtaking in sheer audacity...and at the heart of their plans they were guided by two men one you'd never heard of Susumu, and one you had, only briefly. Usharo, a former Otomo who was cast down for his crimes. The two men working together to turn the Clans against the Throne.

If this was true, then it was treason on a scale not seen since the Scorpion coup...if it was true. Kasuga Taigen was far from the most skilled Kizoku you could have...but to miss this? No one was that incompetent were they? It was all very convenient for the Scorpion, you'd have to dismiss Hiroko and with her your main reason for choosing Akane was gone, you would look somewhat foolish, and the Scorpion and Crane could divide things among them as wise protectors of their young monarch.

You put the documents down and look at Kaukatsu.

"I apologize for upsetting you my Emperor...but this had to be brought to your attention."

"Why has my Kizoku not found any hints of this?" You ask.

Kaukatsu shrugs. "I would say that it is because the Scorpion have always been the masters of the shadows. This is what we were commanded to do. Practice does make perfect"

In other words, his suggestion is that Taigen is an incompetent idiot. Which...you don't think is entirely fair, but if this is true...is the one that most would come to.

Yet, it all comes down to that question doesn't it? Is Kaukatsu showing you the truth like a loyal Samurai...or has he fed you an exceedingly well created forgery in order to gain what he wanted through other means?

"Leave me, Bayushi-san, I must consider this on my own." You say at last.

"Of course my Emperor" The old Scorpion again kow-tows leaving you entirely alone in your office.

The question of whether to believe him or not, still rings in your head....you have to make a decision.

[] Believe Bayushi Kaukatsu
[] Do not believe Bayushi Kaukatsu

AN: Next update will contain a policy vote. What that vote is depends on this choice.