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Daimyo's Hall - Officer Discussion Area; Officers and Admins/Mods only!
Topic Started: 18/08/2011 - 04:33 am (6,594 Views)
Naughty_Ranko
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Fallen Angel

Fujiko dragged herself into the hall, her eyes red. She hadn't slept at all last night, worry keeping her awake. "I apologize for being late," she said and proceeded to read over what she had missed from the ever present scribe.

"I see you've been busy. I can only agree with not giving in to ransom demands. But it seems to me that between letting him go free and lopping his head off, none of you have brought up the obvious course of action.

Stick a ninja on his back. Have him followed back to his masters. That organization, or whatever it is, thinks they are your equal, Hirotada-sama. Once we know their location, we can wipe them out and finally concentrate on the Hattori war."
 
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Hirotada saw the despair in Fujiko's face and felt his stomach lurch. Deep down he knew the source of her concern but he could not bring himself to ask about it yet. He quickly started to talk of business to try and mask his own worry.

"A good idea Fujiko-san, I will speak with my Head of Security and see if he has somone in mind to follow this man."

As for the rest of you, let's get down to business. The war has started and there is much to be done. I want to ensure we are prepared for what the Hattori have to throw at us and also that we are ready to spring a surprise or two on them. I want them to be scrambling in fear before they even know what has hit them."
 
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Yusei stumbled into the Hall early in the morning his eyes showing the little sleep he had had this whole week. Apart from a mastermind jeopardizing his plan and Icorisu finally taken care of, Yusei was able to focus on his main job this season of discussions. As he sat himself on the tatami mat, Yusei went over his orders last year. He had realized how foolish and rushed they were. He wanted to make up for that.

He began,"Now that the Hattori was has finally started, we can now begin doubling our territorial gains over the seasons and increase our ratio. With our economy up, I request building a more elite Samurai army led by Mochikata, or you, My Lord. However, you do not wish to fight on the frontlines and I can respect that. This army will be implemented for strategical manuvers, such as cutting of reinforcements, supporting our main armies, and finally assisting in taking Kyoto."

"For the moment thoughts of taking Kyoto are to be dismissed. We need not waste our troops in an assault on Kyoto when a Hattori army could be sitting deep within their western conquests waiting for a moment to strike. If you want to take a huge castle, then I suggest Iga. Iga is just a walk through the woods, totally avoiding the Ashikaga, and taking a great recruitment and supply castle nestled in the mountains and have a large garrison in case of attack."

"As for Ieyasu, things were very delayed by the conversion of the Metsuke. We are going to have to wait for the Metsuke to arrive before moving out again. This can be worked for our advantage at this moment. We can use this time to rest the men and start recruiting garrisons to keep public order. Once the metsuke arrive an ideal target is Settsu. Settsu is right at the edge of this peninsula and can cut off western Hattori reinforcements. Two problems arise, last time we saw an army of the Hattori around the vicinity of Settsu. I ask Vhikage-sama, to assist in assassinating and subverting that army. For all we know that could be the best army the Hattori can have. Next, to get to Settsu, we will have to pass through Kyoto, depending on the situation we might get stuck in Kyoto and face the Ashikaga. If this is the case then we must make the necessary preparations so that we could pass through without trouble. Chikage-sama, I would like to hear your opinions. Fujiko-sama I understand that you are in charge of the princess's security when war began. If the princess didn't come back yet, there is a chance she could be at Iga."

With that he finished.
 
Naughty_Ranko
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Fallen Angel

"Why?" Fujiko asked. Everyone gave her a quizzical look. Obviously they didn't understand the question.

"Why do we need to go through Kyoto? Last spring Ieyasu was in an ideal psoition to strike at the Hattori flank and fortify a position at their rear. I agree that Settsu is an important strategic target, but you can't just waltz over there without securing anything in between.

If Ieyasu hadn't pulled back to Wakasa for absolutely no reason, he would still be at the border between Tango and Tamba, perfectly poised to take Tamba and then Settsu. Now he's half a year's march away from any action. While we're on the subject, that Metsuke business was also poorly handled. You had him walk up all the way from Suruga, lord Hirotada. Instead you could have brought him to Owari and have Mochimori's metsuke make the short trip over to Ieyasu. That would have cut the delay in half.

But I'm not here to dwell on the past. The fact is that marching from Wakasa through Kyoto won't be a shortcut, since the army will have to march through a heavily forested area. What's more is that even if the Ashikaga do not attack him, he'll be caught between two Hattori armies, one near Tamba and the other currently occupying Iga. In essence he'll march head first into the Shogun's forces with Hattori armies at either side. The term suicide mission comes to mind, even if the agents are able to deter one army, which I doubt in their present state."

She turned to Chikage. "No disrespect intended, but you have to agree that apart from Yorimasa they're still fairly green. Sabotaging a full-stack army might not be achievable for them at this moment in time."

Fujiko turned to the daimyo again. "Concerning Sado. There is no more Christian presence on the island. Building a temple there is a waste of time and money. But Wakasa has a free building slot, as I've pointed out last year, so that's where we should build a temple, because it has the highest percentage of non-Shinto believers." She turned towards Chikage once more. "And while I appreciate the thought of trying to send a monk there, I respectfully ask that you don't. It's a very delicate situation right in between the lands of our vassals. Putting an agent of any kind there could be more trouble than it's worth, if they get the wrong impression. If we just build a temple in Wakasa, the problem will dissolve over time and we'll be under 10% within a year."
 
KodKod
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Chaos Angel

“It pains me, but Fujiko is correct; our ninja are simply too poorly skilled to be relied upon to successfully sabotage an army, preventing its movement and killing some of its men. I had hoped that they would have had more time before the war began to practice their arts by performing simple tasks such as building sabotage, but that seems to have flown out of the window since that Hattori started this war before we thought. Yorimasa, as we know, is reasonably skilled at assassination, however even he will struggle against an army consisting of four generals.”

“For the moment I would suggest that my ninja are only used to attempt to sabotage or assassinate when it becomes a necessity, for now the risk to them is simply too great. Naturally if an act of sabotage against a Hattori army could mean the difference between victory and defeat we ought to take the chance, even if the odds of success are not as high as I would like them to be, but given the cost of such a feat for an unskilled ninja against such large armies, such acts should be kept to a minimum.”

“I do, however, insist that their training is kept up, we cannot simply squander their presence in the area simply because they lack skill. Ideally I would like each ninja to perform an act of simple building sabotage each season; the odds of success would be fairly reasonable, farms make cheap targets, and it would help them to grow their skills, making sabotage against large armies and assassination more feasible prospects in the long run.”

“I also find myself in agreement with Fujiko’s assessment, the metsuke currently overseeing Mochimori's army should instead be sent to Ieyasu, whilst the newly recruited metsuke can make his way up the much shorter distance. This will offer Ieyasu protection against assassination much sooner. I cannot stress how important that is now that they have undoubtedly drawn the attention of Hattori ninja, city walls will not protect them.”

She turned to Fujiko “As a final note, do you truly believe that we are at risk of drawing the ire from our vassals simply from having a monk in our own lands? To declare war on us for something entirely legitimate seems foolhardy on their part. The reason I suggested sending a monk is because not only would his initial cost be less than that of a temple, but he could actually be of use to us in current and future wars once the task of converting the remainder of the population is done, whereas the benefits of a temple are... unimpressive in comparison, to say the least; after all, we all bore witness to what that Ashikaga monk was capable of.”
 
Naughty_Ranko
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Fallen Angel

"I'd rather not take the chance, Chikage. Frankly even without either temple or monk Wakasa's non-Shinto population would fall beneath 10% within the next year. Gradual change is always preferable to something that could agitate the situation. A temple would even out the impact on public order and then it wouldn't matter how long it took."

"If you're looking to put a good monk into the fight, though, I have another suggestion. The man who is currently overseeing Hitachi was recruited in Shimotsuke. The hallowed ground from that province makes him superior to any newbie you could recruit from Mino. It'll take him a few months to get to the front lines, but his experience bonus might be well worth it. Hitachi's Christian population has declined to 6.4%, so his presence isn't all that important there anymore."

"Think about it. Just remember that if you recruited a monk now and sent him to Wakasa, you'd still have a completely green agent in the field a year from now, because he wouldn't be able to get any experience while he converts the province."
 
KodKod
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Chaos Angel

“Very well, if you’re quite happy with the monk in Hitachi leaving his post then I will ensure that he gets put to good use. Given his current level of experience he ought to have a decent chance of demoralising the armies of the Hattori, and even should that not be the case for the army with the support of four generals, he can still inspire our own troops to feats of greater bravery; given the current balance between the two clans that could well be the one factor which swings a battle in our favour.”
 
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Hirotada's eyes were red and puffy, he had been up all night juggling maps and plans and scribbling down numerous notes. The events of the past few days had obviously taken their toll on the man, he felt run down and his body ached through lack of sleep.

"Here are my observations," he began addressing the two officers that were left.

"I am going to base my upcoming military strategy on my past endeavours and that is defence followed by counter attacks. If we capture the Hattori's lands in key locations, I have no doubts that they will throw their main armies against our walls in a desparate bid to reclaim what is lost. We only need defend successfully with the added protection of our castles and then the rest of their lands will be defenceless and ripe for the picking. It worked against the Uesugi and it can work again.

Now, Ieyasu-kun is currently outside the gates of Wakasa and his Metsuke is only a seasons march away. I plan to have him move his army inside the gates and lead the garrison there. The excess troops that will be left over will patrol outside and provide reinforcements in the event of a siege. The Hattori Daimyo Kanube Fuyufusa is heading into the lands of the Takoaka and will probably take Tango very soon, the only direction he can go after that will be towards Ieyasu-kun and I doubt he could resist the temptation to try and beat my son in battle. It will then be down to our heir to defeat the Hattori Daimyo and with his remaining troops retake Tango, reinstate the Takoaka and then move onto Tamba where he capture it and then wait inside and replenish his numbers. If we have any spare garrison troops left over in Wakasa that Ieyasu-kun deems necessary to leave behind, they will head into Takoaka territory and provide assistance againt the Hattori's coastal lands in the north.

Mochimori-san will move his troops out of Owari and make it a priority to defeat the small contigent of Hattori troops in Omi province before moving on to capture the castle. It then remains to be seen if we can lure the garrison out of Iga to attack him because I do not want him to fight that army in the field, unless it's general is assassinated and the army sabotaged to reduce it's numbers, maybe having a monk to demoralise it would also prove beneficial. If the army in Iga is vanquished, either in battle on the field or if defeated in a castle defence the Hattori's 2 main forces will be shattered and we merely need to methodically take their lands, piece by piece.

Meanwhile, in the Date lands Ugo will be liberated under our banner and then our newly promoted general Fujuhira-san shall gather all the excess forces in the region, dispatch of the Date rebels and then move onto the nearby ships and sail down into Hattori lands to provide assistance in the war effort. I estimate it would take him 8 seasons to reach his destination but his presence would be a welcome and no doubt prove vital, if not against the Hattori then almost certainly in the capture of Kyoto.

I also have it on good authority that a Chosokabe fleet is heading towards our shores and it contains a full force of troops. Therefore I am immediately ordering the recuritment of Bow Kabaya and Medium Bune in Owari, Mikawa and Totomi. The resultant fleet will then merge with the already assembled trade ships and intercept the Chosokabe fleet before it reaches its destination, thus ending all plans they have of invasion.

That should keep us in good stead for at least the next season, after that I hope to have a new Kensei on board and it will be down to them to carry on the work."

Hirotada picked up a roll of parchment from a nearby table and scanned his eyes over it. After a few moments he began to speak again.

"I am making the building of Rice Exchanges and the upgrading of port structures a priority and thus all provinces that are capable of building them will do so. The only exceptions being Mikawa which will see an Archery Dojo built completing its military capabilites, Sado will commence the upgrading of it's Gold Mine and Wakasa will see a temple listed on the construction plans."

The plans were cast down onto the floor and Hirotada looked at his officers sympathetically.

"I know it has been tough these past few seasons. Things have not gone smoothly to say the least but I know you are resilient and I have my utmost faith in your ability to come through these trials and tribulations stronger then ever. My eyes have been opened and I have been shown that I need to work harder to ensure our effort is not in vain. We are only a handful of years away from unifying Japan for the right reasons. I know that many people are against me, they see me as a tyrant, our clan as a plague but I am determined to be triumphant over such narrow minded people. All I ask from you is to remain loyal and as determined as I and when the time comes you will be rewarded well. I speak not in terms of material gain but in a sense of pride and accomplishment."




Edited by damo2986, 10/10/2011 - 02:02 am.
 
Naughty_Ranko
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Fallen Angel

Fujiko had listened intently to the daimyo's thoughts. She too was tired and red-eyed and her reasons were pretty much the same as Hirotada's.

"I completely agree with your building plans," she began. "And your strategy is also solid. But I'd like to offer my own suggestion, if you don't mind. Please direct your attention to the map."

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"Now in red is general Mochimori-sama. I've inked in pretty much what you have said. Defeat the small force near Owari, then move on to Omi and hunker down. Hopefully that will lure the army in Iga into an attack and the castle will be ripe for the taking, after they have attacked."

"My problem is with the plans for your son. Frankly I don't think it very likely that a Hattori army will assault Wakasa. It's too far out of their way and we can't afford to have him sitting there for a year, waiting for an attack that might not happen. The army near Tamba will more likely turn south, so they'll be able to respond to Mochimori's advance. That then would leave Tamba unguarded. I suggest Ieyasu-sama to march around the mountains through Tango and then take Tamba as shown in yellow. The ninja will be able to tell us whether it's underdefended or not, but I think it will be when he gets there.

It's probably a better place to sight tight and wait for the Hattori army to strike. They might not assault Wakasa, but they are sure to want back Tamba. After another defense, the army can then take Settsu, perhaps even Kawachi with a token force. This will guard the flank against the third Hattori army our ninja detected further south and completely surround Kyoto for whenever we are ready to take it. If Yorimasa keeps track of that army, we'll be able to abort such a plan and go back to your original strategem, if need be."

Fujiko took a deep breath. "Taking Tamba will also secure the Takaoka's flank. That's my main reasoning. To let Tango fall without resitance would be a waste. The Takaoka are ready for war and can strike out along the shore line. They might be able to take 2 or even 3 provinces from the Hattori. To throw them away like this would kill that momentum. The last word on that is of course yours, I merely wished to make you aware of this alternate possibility. Though I'd love to hear the Shinobi Elder's thoughts on military affairs. She probably knows the Hattori better than either of us."

She allowed herself a weak smile. "Finally I have some good news. I know. Shocking, right? It hasn't been the best of years. But I'm genuinely happy to report that your daughter Neneme-sama has returned. She is safe and sound at the temple right now. Only..." Fujiko hesitated, not knowing how to best break it to the daimyo.

After all that had happened, she thought it would be best to give it to him straight. "Only she doesn't want to see you, my lord. For now I've given her a room in the temple for her use. As hard as this may seem to you, I suggest that you respect her wishes for the time being. She's been through a lot and it'll take time for the emotional wounds to heal. I'm sure she'll see you when she is ready. In the mean time my staff will be at her full service and take care of her. Please take comfort in the knowledge that she is alive and safe at last."
 
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Hirotada smiled weakly. Finally some good news amongst the bedlum but it was slightly tarnished with Neneme's refusal to speak with him. Hirotada was not surprised, he had experienced a similar reaction from Ieyasu many years ago and still he felt that wound had not completely healed.

"I thank you for telling me Fujiko-san. Of course I will respect her wishes, all I ask is you inform me immediately when she allows me to visit.

As for Ieyasu, I have no plans to have him rest on his laruels for a year. The Hattori army may move North towards Tango and ultimately Wakasa or indeed they may move south as you have suggested. Ieyasu has to wait one more season until his Metsuke arrives, I'm sure during this time the Hattori army will make its intentions clear. If they make any further advancements north, my plan will remain, if they do travel south or even towards Mochimori, I will have Ieyasu make a break for Tamba as you have suggested."

The Daimyo then looked to the Shinobi Elder for her input as Fujiko had suggested.
Edited by damo2986, 10/10/2011 - 05:13 am.
 
KodKod
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Chaos Angel

Chikage thought extensively about what had been said, silently studying the maps that had been provided for her, as well as recalling all of the information her agents had uncovered. “For the most part I find myself in agreement with what has been said before; however there are a few concerns of my own which I feel need to be addressed.”

“Firstly, we cannot underestimate the military might which the Hattori is currently fielding, if the reports of my agents are to be believed then they have two huge armies, easily the equal of our own, as well as smaller scattered patrols of troops, and the occasional light garrison. We are taking an offensive stance to this war, and plunging our own soldiers deep into the heart of Hattori territory, and as such we are at a disadvantage from the start. Expect our losses to be heavy should we come up against an evenly matched force, this is why it is vital that our ninja are used to keep an eye on the situation, we cannot allow more than one of the Hattori’s armies to attack our own.”

“With these sieges that are planned, we also risk losing our armies to attrition; holding a castle within enemy territory is one thing, but being able to keep hold of it indefinitely is a different matter entirely. I implore you to consider reinforcements before we even begin making an advance, at a point it will become necessary for our troops to be relieved as we will no doubt lose whole squads in this conflict, and we may be unable to afford waiting the necessary time for troop replenishment, should it even be available. If, however, you begin recruitment of reinforcements immediately, and within a few seasons have a sizable force to send within the Hattori lands to support our initial expeditions, we stand a much greater chance of coming out of this war as the victors. Remember, these are the Hattori’s lands, reinforcements come easily to them, as does troop replenishment, and we must plan to match this advantage of theirs.”

“Naturally the large additional troop force from Wakasa would also be able to serve this purpose once we can be sure that it no longer requires a garrison, it could easily be sent to relieve whichever army required it the most. This also adds a two-fold advantage in that it will no doubt provide us with the few token troops we require to capture the more poorly-defended provinces, without detracting from our primary armies.”

“Meanwhile our agents should naturally be put to full use in this situation. As unskilled as they may be, any opportunity we can take to weaken the Hattori forces immediately before an otherwise balanced attack is one worth taking. The cost may yet be significant, and the chances lower than any of us would like, but this is war, and we must take every advantage that we are given. I shall ensure that, as planned, our monk is sent to provide additional support to our troops in the field.”

“Have no fear; I am confident that we are capable of emerging from this conflict as the victors. The Hattori may match us, or even surpass us, in terms of the sheer brute force of their armies, and that is why we must simply temper brute force with the force of mind that we share here. If this war is fought wisely we cannot lose.”
 
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Storming down the corridor, the four Tatami Guards had their weapons with them; however they were not in their hand and were carried harmlessly all over their bodies. The one in the lead was a man of medium size, armed with a Katana, Naginata as well as a bow. His build was that of a traditional samurai warrior, some muscle but still fairly slim and agile. Both his hair and eyes shared the colour brown with his hair being short in the traditional male fashion. Directly behind him, was a towering tall man armed with a naginata and a small katana. Scouring around the room, his green eyes were alert. His medium length brown hair was the longest out of the four and moved around as he himself moved. To the left of him was the third guard, He was the short man armed with a katana. His eyes were filled with anger and he stamped furiously towards his target. Finally, on the right on the tall guard, was a short man armed with a Bow and a small katana. Bulging with muscles in his arms, he marched forward. A look of calmness was on the man’s face and he tried to keep up with the others.

As they approached the hall, the one in the lead ordered the guard to announce himself as Chonda Grato and say that he was accompanied by the rest of the Tatami Guard and they needed to talk to the Daimyo. Also, he ordered him to explain they would have their weapons on them as they never leave their weapons, even when they are sleeping their weapons are within reaching distance if not actually in their hands. Scurrying of, the guard went to tell carry out Grato’s orders and announce the Tatami Guard.
 
Naughty_Ranko
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Fallen Angel

Out of the corner of her eye Fujiko spotted the four warriors armed to the teeth. The Tatami Guard? Then everything clicked into place in her mind. The supposed survivor of Motohisa's traveling group. The man they had arrested and tried to question. He had spoken to the Tatami Guard before coming to the Daimyo's Hall. Now he was dead. And then there were the words he had spoken. "The Tatami Master trusts his personal bodyguards at Mikawa with more than just his life." It wasn't a statement of trust. It was a code. The man had been fed his ludicrous story, just so he would get this message to Mikawa.

Fujiko looked at the ground and determined the tatami mat that was directly above the waiting room for the officers' guards. She made a fist and hit the floor with three measured beats. She prayed to the gods that the four ronin downstairs would understand the signal. Then she directed a look at Chikage. She didn't make a sound, merely mouthing the words to her. "Something's up. If you have any agents in the building, get them in here NOW."

As a final preparation she unobtrousivly slid her right hand into her left sleeve and placed her fingers around the tanto she kept hidden there, ever since the first time someone had attempted to kill her. Remaining calm on the outside, she sat and waited for what was about to happen.
 
KodKod
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Chaos Angel

Chikage did not pretend to understand what had spooked the priestess, but she did not need to. Working under pressure was her forte, and she merely nodded at Fujiko, before disappearing in a single, swift movement; if the priestess wanted agents, then she would have them.

She quickly darted towards the rooftop, her black silhouette a jarring contrast to the brightness skies above, but at least for the moment she wanted to be visible. It took only a brief moment before she was joined in her rooftop perch by several other shadowy figures; they were the eyes and ears that she had positioned strategically throughout Mikawa, her information network. From all walks of life they descended, taking upon themselves the guise of those who lingered within the walls of the castle town, priests and peasants, guards and vendors amongst those hiding in plain sight, alongside those who would merely hide; all skilled shinobi and kunoichi, all armed to the teeth.

Half a dozen crouched before her in silence before one spoke up. Four armed warriors entering the castle unchallenged, weapons in hand, reason unknown. This is what the head priestess was worried about? She thought to herself. This castle is the most well guarded building in the entire land, by forces visible and not-so-visible. If any men hoped to do any harm here then they should have brought an army.

For the moment it mattered little, she ordered five of her ninja to mark her, whilst the sixth was sent to have the remaining agents within the castle town converge upon the location, to attack the daimyo’s hall was suicide, but to do so without the element of surprise, or a legion of troops to back you up, was utter madness; she hoped, for the sake of the approaching warriors, that they were here on peaceful terms.

Silently she re-entered the room, little more than a breath on the wind, and grasped Fujiko by the shoulder, reassuringly, before taking to the shadows and disappearing from sight.
Edited by KodKod, 11/10/2011 - 08:24 am.
 
Posted Image damo2986
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Hirotada was perusing intently through the final plans of the season that was fast approaching when the arrival of Tatami Guards at the castle were brought to his attention. Without warning the officers sprung into life and began the necessary preparations should the situation call for such measures. Hirotada quickly rose to his feet and shouted at Hitoshi who was stood by the window, "KATANA!"

Hitoshi ran across to a statue of Bishamonten that was stood in the corner of the hall. He pushed the head of the statue backwards causing it to swing open reavealing a storage area within. He reached into the statue and pulled out two ornate Katana, the blades engraved with dragons. Hitoshi ran back over to his master, bent down on one knee and held them out in front of him. Hirotada took them from Hitoshi and lifted the man to his feet, he was visibly shaking.

"Do not worry, everything will be fine. Get out of here, if you do no hear from me by sundown, send word to Ieyasu." He patted the young man on his head. Hitoshi stared at the Daimyo like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

"Go," Hirotada urged and Hitoshi bowed before making his way out of one of the side doors.

Hirotada placed the Katana by the side of his throne and sat down calmly. He had expected trouble to reach him long before now and was not in the least bit worried by the arrival of the Tatami guard. He nodded at Fujiko and Chikage and sat up straight staring at the main doors, expecting them to slide open at any time.
 
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