Kisada Search 35
Eight Banners Reform 29
Month of the Rooster, Eight Day
You look out at the skyline of Capital, hands behind you back as you consider the latest missive from Kisada on your desk. The Old Bear as he styled himself these days had been going through the Spine of the World with a fine toothed comb, looking for the weapon that Lord Sun had left you. Unfortunately while Kisada had more or less eradicated a half dozen maho cults that had run to the safety of the mountains after your reforms, he hadn't found the weapon. Although he has no proof, Kisada believes he is close to where it lay, he can't explain it beyond 'it feels like home' which home he means, well is less clear than you would like. You hope he hurries over the coming winter months. You don't know how badly you will need that weapon, but you suspect that you will need it very badly when the time comes to take Medinaat al Salaam back from the Shadow Dragon. You ignore the twinge of future headaches no doubt coming when you decide what to do with the place.
Your headaches have largely ceased after the mandatory vacation Kaname made you take for half a month. While you on some level regret the time lost (even if regret is a sin) you know that you really did need a break. Time to rest, time to be well a normal person. The position you have is a huge burden for all of its perks and well, you're only human. Your wife more or less forced that upon you when she made you take a break with her.
Besides, in the end the Eight Banners have largely been organized. You had to execute more than one Samurai for being a screaming jackass, but you managed it just in time for them to all go home. There's something oddly cathartic about that. For months you have in combination with the hatamoto of the army, one Mirumoto Kei, daimyo of the Mirumoto, fought, screamed, and kicked the army into a cohesive unit. You don't doubt that a lot of people are going to have hell to pay for their failures to get more important positions. On the other hand the Dragon and the Minor Clans, have performed admirably given you had essentially three months to train them to lead your Eight Banners Army. (Which is inaccurate you guess, in terms of naming, but you are rolling with it for now.) All in all you feel like you can rest for the first time in a while, something that Kaname appreciates, even if she frets about you only having a single daughter. (Adorable and amazing as she is).
For yourself, you can't say that you're not worried, it seems less important to you at the moment. (The fact that you are still ultimately a young man getting to make many many prayers to Benten-no-kami with his beautiful wife probably contributes to this) Truth be told, you feel ready, ready for this war to come, ready to fight for your Empire and show everyone once and for all that the Toturi are here to stay and you will fight literal monsters to prove that. Maybe you have too much of your aunt in you after all.
However, while your armies are ready, and indeed most are even eager for the war in the new year, there are still a few key choices to make that you've been putting off. You decide to sleep on it, as you turn away from the skyline...tomorrow will always be waiting and for now, you'll pace yourself better. (Lest Kaname once again threaten death on anyone who disturbed you)
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The next morning you're looking over the missives from several people regarding one of the key choices. Who leads the Army of the Eight Banners?
You could promote Mirumoto Kei, she has experience, skill and while not a brilliant commander, competent enough. It would mean getting another hatamoto but that's her problem you guess.
On the other hand, Bayushi Paneki has volunteered to lead, and even offered to step down as the Scorpion Champion for the chance to do so. For decades now he has been one of the few given the title Defender of the Empire, something he had earned in the Spirit Wars. His skills may have degraded but he was still a skilled commander and had the clout to do so. His offering to leave his position as daimyo and Champion made it at least somewhat likely this was genuine on his part.
On the other...other hand (you needed more hands) Kaneka has said that his old strategy teacher. Hida Otoya, could also lead an army. While the man is positively ancient. There might be no one left alive who knows more about warfare than he does. But the chance of him dying is...higher than might be wise.
On the fourth hand, you do have a wife, and while Kaname is more noted for brilliant naginatajutsu, she is in fact a reasonably skilled tactician in her own right, with your uncle even lamenting that he had no daughters like her. With the political headaches ironed out you could give the Eight Banners to her to use.
However, there was also the option of yourself. In the first truly great war of your reign, should you not in fact be on the front lines, fighting for you Empire just as your father and grandfather had done? To earn with blood sweat and steel, undeniable truth that you were the scion of the Toturi in truth. While you had always preferred court and internal expansion to war, you could do war if it was needed and your uncle would be nearby to guide you.
[] Mirumoto Kei
[] Bayushi Paneki
[] Hida Otoya
[] Toturi Kaname
[] Yourself
There you had made the decision for better or for worse. Now for the second great decision. For what might well be the last Winter Court held in peace time for a very long time, you had to hold it where again?
[] Kyuden Hida (Crab)
[] Kyuden Doji (Crane)
[] Kyuden Kitsuki (Dragon)
[] Kyuden Ikoma (Lion)
[] Kyuden Bayushi (Scorpion)
[] Stay home
(Mantis and Unicorn are not options for this year's winter court)
AN: The Commander vote is also a vote for a perspective change. The War of Light and Shadow will be played out in front of you rather than having Hisao sit on the back lines worrying.
