Here is an small portion of my prologue as it currently stands.
“I
can understand that.” Hikaru stated then he paused a moment before speaking again.
“So you say that I am your last province?”
“Yes,
I am just following the Emperor’s instructions and I meant you no offense.” Ichiro
assured him. My father may have meant
offense though.
“None
taken.” Hikaru said and dismissed the idea with his hand “But I am very curious
why you have been sent to visit all the Daimyo of Teroushima.”
“As
you may have heard my father is very ill and he does not believe he will
survive.” Ichiro explained. “He offered me the chance to be the next Emperor.”
“Congratulations
Ichiro…” Hikaru began to exclaim but Ichiro held up a hand and chuckled
slightly.
“No,
I didn’t want the stress,” or to be
slowly assassinated like my father. “That stress is killing my father, so I
refused.” Ichiro continued. “He understood, but it took some convincing.”
“Then
why did he ask you to visit us?” Hikaru said as he stroked his chin.
“My
father has asked me to deliver the Gifts to the Daimyo of each province.” Ichiro
said. “These were given to him by the nine provinces, upon the unification of
the Empire.”
“Why
would he do that?” Hikaru asked.
“He
believes that if I am not to follow his footsteps then the person to acquire
the nine gifts from the Daimyo will have earned the right to be Emperor.” Ichiro
said with a sigh. “Until then, I must play the role of acting Emperor.”
“That
would be a massive undertaking…” Hikaru stated as he seemed to be puzzling something
out in his head. “I would imagine several of the Daimyo would really pursue
this endeavor.” Hikaru folded his hands as his thoughts appeared to focus.
“What is the gift you have for me?”
“Before
I give you the gift, I am also to speak with your citizens about your rule. If
I am not satisfied with the responses, I am to give the gift to a more worthy
individual.” Ichiro explained.
“Surely
that won’t be a problem.” Hikaru said as he smiled widely.
“I
don’t expect it will be, Uncle.” Ichiro said.
“Well I do have a gift for you, Ichiro.” Hikaru
said. “It is no secret that you have a love for all the women.” Ichiro grinned.
“So I have had a special room prepared for you upstairs.”
“Then
if you don’t mind…” Ichiro said as he began to stand up.
“By
all means, my Lord.” Hikaru stated as he motioned to another shoji door. The
door slid open and a loosely clothed woman stood in the doorway. She quickly
turned, walked upstairs and disappeared around a corner.
Ichiro
bowed on his way out of the room and swiftly followed the woman. As he rounded
a corner on the stairs, he found her kimono on the floor. He paused, and then quickened
his pace. True to Hikaru’s word, the room was ready for him and so was she. She
was already completely undressed.
“What
is your name?” Ichiro inquired.
“No
names.” The woman said. As she drew closer, Ichiro noticed a circular scar near
her collar bone. The scar was out of place on her otherwise unmarked flesh.
“Not
many beautiful women have scars like yours, what is the tale behind it?” Ichiro
asked.
“An
arrow, now no more questions.” The woman insisted.
“I
like to get to kn-“She pressed her finger tips on his lips and pulled him
further in to the room with her other hand. She then slid the door shut.
*****
A
samurai clad in gold and red o-yoroi, flying a nine flamed red sun upon a
banner of yellow gold, sat upon a horse. The samurai traveled to many towns,
one in the mountains, one on the coast, one in a lush forest, one on a plain
surrounded by rice patties and fields, and one at a crossing of roads. He made
many people happy, promising to help them cast off the evil men that demanded their
loyalty through fear and force. He fought this evil in every manner he could.
He used diplomacy, bartering, and when he had to, he fought.
People
scrounged for all they could just to give him nine multicolored boxes: one of
blue and teal, another of a rusty brown and dark orange, a third box of red and
cloud white and a fourth of green and tan. The samurai looked over the gifts
and began to open the one of blue and teal. As he did this a woman appeared
behind him out of swirling darkness and stabbed the samurai in the back with a
tanto.
*****
Ichiro
woke from his sleep and sat up. A dark room was all that surrounded him. Why did that dream fell so real? He
felt next to him and was relieved to feel the woman still sleeping there. He
slowly rose from the bed, walked to the window and slid it open. There was a
faint grinding noise as the window slid. Ichiro curiously ran his finger
through the window track. He felt some dirt that had made its way into the
track, hindering its slide. Ichiro rubbed the dirt from his fingers as he
looked out across Karu from his high vantage. The seabirds had become quiet and
the smells hadn’t been able to climb this high. He looked down to see the
courtyard below and noticed something peculiar. The moonlight had shown one of
the clay shingles was cracked and out of place right below his window. There
was also some dirt scattered around the broken shingle. Ichiro’s eyes widened
with realization. Forgive me fath- Realization
turned to pain as a piece of metal appeared, as if from inside his stomach. A
black hand covered Ichiro’s mouth as he was slowly being lowered to the floor.
He didn’t feel the blade enter his back as much as he did when it was removed.
The pain was so unreal to Ichiro that he forgot how to scream, all he could do
was make gasping sounds as shaking took hold of him. I knew something wasn’t right.
Oh kami it hurts. Ichiro felt a quick breeze enter the room and he saw the
window slide shut. He never saw anyone. He
crawled over to the bed to find the woman still asleep. Ichiro shook her.
“Please…wak..ke..up…” Ichiro pleaded. Her eyes
opened and looked around unsure of why she had been disturbed. Then she saw
Ichiro’s shaking and the blood. She opened her mouth to scream. Ichiro mustered
the strength to cover her mouth.
“If you …sc…scream they
will…c..c..come and blame …y..you. Leave cit….ty and ta…ta..take my h..horse.
It is…w ..what Hik..k..karu needs. Horse is Em…p..peror’s gift of
suc..c..ss.ssesion. G..go!” Ichiro pushed her as hard as he could then the strength
left him and his body went limp.
