"I will see what I can do." You say simply, aware that you are not promising much but still managing to give a fine impression of your willingness to help. "However, I will need information - anything you can tell me would be useful. For example, do you know when he was arrested, or anything of the circumstances? Did the magistrate tell you anything at all?"
The peasant woman all but falls over herself bowing in gratitude for your assistance, no matter how limited. "Fortunes bless you, samurai-sama." She says, still not daring to even approach looking you in the eye. "My uncle - his name is Strong Birch - was arrested yesterday. The magistrates took him from his place of work, in the Five Arches theater - they say he is a smuggler, that he has violated trade tariffs. He's not even a merchant!"
Wren takes a moment to control herself before continuing, evidently not wishing to be seen as immature or otherwise incapable. "The magistrates will not tell me anything, and I dare not press my luck, for they would not be kind to one who has forgotten her place. But... the doshin assigned to our district, Taru, I have heard him arguing with my uncle before. He likes to drink when off duty, and there have been troubles before. I think... I think he is lying to his superiors, and trying to use their borrowed authority to crush those who would stand up to him."
She falls silent at that, as though not quite daring to believe in her own boldness. You nod slowly, filing away the details in your mind.
"You should return to your duties, Wren-san." You say quietly, honouring the peasant by using her name. "I will look into this, and we will see what transpires."
The servant bows to you again, then hurries off. You stay there for a moment, contemplating the possibilities. If the doshin is indeed corrupt, then quietly resolving the issue before it becomes a public matter and brings shame to the magistrate in question would be the best course of action. The question is how to do that.
-/-
The next morning, you make sure to properly bathe and dress in a kimono of suitable if understated quality before calling upon Otomo Kairyu. At his request, you are not wearing armour, likely because of the image it would project to those he intends to meet. However you still have the benefit of your swords to call upon, and you have known more than one enemy to hesitate when confronted with the menacing form of a Bayushi Bushi.
Otomo Kairyu is, for his part, dressed relatively simply, in a business-like kimono of gold and brown. You doubt the use of Lion colors was an accident, nor the visible wakizashi hanging from his side. Of course, the true defense of an Otomo is their authority and their well known connection to the Emperor. Only a fool or a traitor attacks a member of the Imperial families - at least where anyone else can see.
"Soshi-san." He greets you with a nod. "I trust you are ready?"
"Hai, Otomo-sama." You say with a short bow. "Lead on. I will follow, and serve as your blade."
"Hopefully not a precaution that will become necessary, but the Empire was not built on hope alone." Kairyu says with a small smile. "We are heading into the town first - Kitsu Ami's offices are located there."
With that he heads off, moving with the deliberately slowed pace of a man well aware of his own importance and determined not to hurry for anyone or anything. You fall into pace at his side and slightly behind him, the traditional position of a Yojimbo, and busy yourself with discreetly observing the surroundings for potential threats.
Truthfully, you would be immensely surprised if there was trouble before you had even left the confines of Shiro Matsu proper, but since any harm to the Otomo would demand you open your own belly in shame, you feel a little extra caution is warrented.
It is only as you pass through the walls and head towards the town itself that Otomo Kairyu deigns to speak once more.
"You family have a long history of law enforcement, do they not Soshi-san?" He asks in an almost conversational fashion, and you have to stop yourself from turning all of your attention towards him (and away from the surroundings) as you respond.
"Hai, Otomo-sama. The Soshi Magistrates are said to be trained in the same techniques that Soshi Saibankan taught to his own yoriki, after the original establishment of the magistrate system."
"And yet you yourself did not train in your family's school." The Otomo comments quietly. You remain silent, unsure of how to answer the observation or even if an answer is required. "Are any of your immediate relatives magistrates, Soshi-san?"
Respond:
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QM's note - This is largely an excuse for me to foster some of the character background detail off on you lot. Naoto's family will come up in the future, and I'd like to see what ideas you have for them, as well as how it might have influenced his own character.
Similarly, if you have any suggestions for why Naoto was trained as a Bushi rather than in his family school (which could be anything from a political arrangement to an embarrassing incident in his youth) feel free to share.
