The Sengoku Jidai(IC)

[Russian people of america]

Kazuki raced through the town on his horse, clad in full Samurai Armour. Following him were two soldier's, also dressed in Samurai Armour, however one lacked a helmet. These two boy's were his son, Makoto and Makoto's friend Akashi. They were loyal to the clan, and he had wanted them to meet their lord for quite awhile. Well, almost lord, currently he was only still heir. As they slowed to a trot, he gave a wide scanning of the building's and people who milled around attending to their business. Shaking his head they continued on, the only people within this section were Peasant's and Artisans, along with merchant's. They were of the lower classes, not apart of the clan. Turning a corner he continued on, Makoto commented upon the state of one such building that looked rather run down and old. He had to agree, still he shouldn't openly state these thing's. Luckily Akashi corrected him before he could utter a word. Finally he noticed a familiar face at the end on yet another long street, Galloping forward's past merchant's who scrambled to get out of the way. As he approached he jumped from his horse, dropping to one knee and bowing to the heir. Akashi did the same, as did Makoto with a little reminding from his old friend. "Deian! I have come bearing great new's, a messenger has arrived from Yaita Castle. Your Brother Kakinoba's wife has born a child"! He looked up to meet Deian's eyes in order to see his reaction. Makoto and Akashi however, being of a much smaller rank within the clan remained firmly bowed. "Also, i have been instructed by our lord to assist you". Makoto risked a glance at the boy to whom would soon be his lord, returning his gaze to the ground a moment later, unsure.

[Cuprum]

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

Jeon Do-jeon stands in front of the assembly of lords and ladies in the Great Hall of Seongyojang Castle. Behind him Chong son Jeon Dong-woon sits, looking uncomfortable upon the Clan throne, and throughout the room the Clan retainers stand at the ready, outfitted in brigandine with swords drawn. A quiet muttering currently fills the room. The assembled high born men and women do not know what to make of this lion sitting the Family throne.

Jeon Do-jeon raises his hand and the chamber grows quiet, when he finally speaks it is with a voice that commands attention, one that resonates throughout the room, and rests in the minds of those attending.

“The Japanese once stood where I stand now, conquering the peninsula with Iron and blood! Korea bowed to them, and to the shoguns who followed, staking their claim on Korea with the Hojo regent's, the corpses of their opposition dead on their swords!”

The words boom through the hall, echoing amongst the gaunt faces and reflecting off the polished helms of the retainers.

“A king of this land takes by blood! He takes by force! He takes by power! What blood more righteous than the lion who leads our clan? What force mightier than the armies of the Korean soil? What power more devastating than the iron fist of Seongyojang?”

With each sentence the retainers strike their swords against their shields, louder and louder, a banging din that grows until Jeon Do-jeon raises his hand once more, prompting the men into silence.

“None.” He says, almost a whisper. Turning Jeon Do-jeon points to the Chong son, sitting high upon the throne of the Clan.

“Swear my lords. Swear your loyalty to the family, swear your allegiance to the Chong son, Jeon Dong-woon. Swear fealty to the rightful lord of this land!” And they do. One by one the lords and ladies of the court step forward, bowing their heads before the Chong son and murmuring words of fealty. The heads on the Castle’s gate hang too fresh in their minds to do otherwise and the Clan soldiers loom, always present.

When the assembled are silent once more Jeon Do-jeon speaks again, unrolling a long roll of parchment signed with the Emperor’s hand.

“By the Emperor’s orders all those that do not swear fealty to our lord, the rightful Shogun, will be considered traitors of the Imperial throne and will hereby be relinquished of all lands and titles and put to death. The false shogun of the Ashikaga Clan will be considered a traitor unless he presents himself before the Chong son within a month’s time to swear fealty.”

Jeon Do-jeon pauses, letting the words hang in the air, their implications sinking in. Muttering is heard amongst the lords and ladies but Jeon Do-jeon continues, unperturbed.

“So is the Chong son and Japanese Emperor’s wish, so it shall be.” The parchment is rolled up, and the council ends.

[Russian people of america]

Sang-Min had joined the others at the castle, even though he was no retainer. His job was more security, being a long time general of the Jeon Clan. He listened intently, yet remained on the lookout for trouble, as he always was. As the lord finished his speech, he did as the others and offered his fealty to the lord, despite already being a member of the clan. He felt it was necessary to reassure his lord he would fight for the clan rather than himself. Suddenly a noise in the distance caught his attention, mumbling an apology to a young man to whom he had been speaking to he walked off. He knew the castle well, and finally came to a hall in time for a man to crash into him unexpectedly, obviously trying to escape the castle. Behind him came two guards, men he knew well. Drawing his sword he allowed it to rest between him and the man, the blade pointing rather close to his chest. One flick and he would be dead. In his hands he held a box to which held long and detailed inscription's and depictions, obviously a possession of his lord. How had he even been able to sneak so far into the castle? "Bring the thief" he commanded. The soldier's grabbed the man's arm's, dragging him along as he made his way back to the Great Hall. The man was nervous about something, obviously afraid of the death that awaited him once his lord knew of the treachery. As the came into view he directed the soldier's to his lord, forcing the man to his knees in front of Jeon Do-Jeon. "My lord, i apologize for the intrusion, we have caught a thief. We found a small box of yours in his possession. I would like your permission to execute him" he bowed, facing the floor respectfully as he announced the news. Stealing from his lord, the man was certainly bold. That or very stupid, it was a death sentence. Before anyone could utter another sound the thief raised his head, standing rudely and looking at his lord almost hysterically. "Please don't kill me! I didn't do anything! My lord told me to steal your box, it was him! i swear it, please don't kill me, I have a son"! He looked around frantically, much like a cornered animal before being restrained by the guards.

[Cuprum]

The thief

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

The Chong son face was red, he couldn't hide his anger. The other members of the clan try to calm him with words of flattering and profit, but he didn't listen. He raised his hand for silence and then he spoke with a serious tone:

''This castle is one of the biggest in region, my grandfather's father built it, Its walls are tallest and your men are guarding any single door or hole in this place, so how is possible that this man from the low caste entered my house and tried hard to stole part of my property. Today is peasant looking for food and gold, tomorrow an assasin looking for my head. Shall I cut his head and crucify you and all your men for your mediocrity or shall I forgive all, your honor has been stained anyway. I give you the right to choose because you are a general and a longstanding friend of the family. And now I ask you what will you choose?

[Russian people of america]

The thief

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

The Chong son face was red, he couldn't hide his anger. The other members of the clan try to calm him with words of flattering and profit, but he didn't listen. He raised his hand for silence and then he spoke with a serious tone:

''This castle is one of the biggest in region, my grandfather's father built it, Its walls are tallest and your men are guarding any single door or hole in this place, so how is possible that this man from the low caste entered my house and tried hard to stole part of my property. Today is peasant looking for food and gold, tomorrow an assasin looking for my head. Shall I cut his head and crucify you and all your men for your mediocrity or shall I forgive all, your honor has been stained anyway. I give you the right to choose because you are a general and a longstanding friend of the family. And now I ask you what will you choose?

He remained respectively bowed, Looking at his lord as he was spoken to, this hadn't gone the way he had expected. However he was right, it was his fault and he his honor had taken a blow. He could restore it with seppuku, however that would serve no purpose at all. He had more years to which he could fix his honor and bring undying honor to his lord and clan. "I thank you for your gracious and generous offer my lord, i accept. I will work ten time's as hard in order to ensure that this never happens again, and i will see to it that those responsible are punished severely. I will serve you faithfully for as long as my heart beat's". He pledged once again, his loyalty to his lord. The thief was cowering, fiddling with the inside of his robe.

///////////////////

Kazuki smiled, letting out a breath of relief silently. Suddenly Makoto came up, and he felt nervous for a moment till realizing that the boy was talking positively, rather than with anger or distrust. Suddenly pride washed over him and he couldn't help but keep it out of his voice. "He's nineteen, my lord" he resisted the urge continue describing Makoto, how they had trained since he was a mere boy, how he had taught him how to fight and act around others in society. Makoto remained rooted to the spot, his heart pounding fiercely. He had heard stories of how some lords were cruel to their samurai, killing them for nearly no reason at all. However he was reassured by his father's voice. Akashi remained quiet, not trying to bring undue attention to himself. He wasn't a member of a proud or honored family like Makoto or Kazuki, his father had commited Seppuku only a few years prior, however that honor had been destroyed when his mother attempted the same thing and failed. She had lost her status among the Samurai class, leaving him the only samurai in his family. Makoto shifted a second time, almost sensing his friend's distress, but not wanting to have attention drawn elsewhere. He had been brought along to meet his future lord, and he needed to ensure that he didn't disgrace himself in front of such an important figure.

[Cuprum]

Fresh Blood

We are preparing for a total war like the other clans. In conclusion we need strong men if I want to expand our domains. The Shogunate no longer exist and the other clans are struggling for the power at Tokyo, we can't lose this political war. Show me your true loyalty by achieving victory in the new campaign we are planning, I'll send you with your retinue to the north domain with 2,500 men. If you are wise you'll win against the lords of the north, If not you'll be impaled or worst. Please I beg you, don't dissapoint me again!''

The north regions are occupied by 6 warlike clans. The North tribes are quite ferocious and will often resort to violence at slight provocations. However, they are not entirely uncivilized: sometimes when a member from one tribe kills a member from another, their leaders have been known to negotiate a non-violent end to the feud by demanding blood money be paid as compensation by the offending tribe. The North are home to a population of people who have rejected the authority of the Shogunate and are independent from the rest of the Empire and its feudal society. They believe that every person's voice, regardless of gender, should be heard during councils.

They are a poor people with poor quality of weapons and armor. They subsist by raiding local villages, small groups of travelers and will attack even the Emperor if he is not properly protected. They take all weapons, grain, and armor they can find, as well as all women, whether they are wedded or not. Some women participate in raids. However, it has been hundreds of years since the clansmen have threatened the Empire with anything more serious than raids. Their numbers reach 30,000 but someone says that quality is better than quantity. Will General Nam Sang-Min defeat them with an army of 3,000?

[Russian people of america]

Fresh Blood

We are preparing for a total war like the other clans. In conclusion we need strong men if I want to expand our domains. The Shogunate no longer exist and the other clans are struggling for the power at Tokyo, we can't lose this political war. Show me your true loyalty by achieving victory in the new campaign we are planning, I'll send you with your retinue to the north domain with 2,500 men. If you are wise you'll win against the lords of the north, If not you'll be impaled or worst. Please I beg you, don't dissapoint me again!''

The north regions are occupied by 6 warlike clans. The North tribes are quite ferocious and will often resort to violence at slight provocations. However, they are not entirely uncivilized: sometimes when a member from one tribe kills a member from another, their leaders have been known to negotiate a non-violent end to the feud by demanding blood money be paid as compensation by the offending tribe. The North are home to a population of people who have rejected the authority of the Shogunate and are independent from the rest of the Empire and its feudal society. They believe that every person's voice, regardless of gender, should be heard during councils.

They are a poor people with poor quality of weapons and armor. They subsist by raiding local villages, small groups of travelers and will attack even the Emperor if he is not properly protected. They take all weapons, grain, and armor they can find, as well as all women, whether they are wedded or not. Some women participate in raids. However, it has been hundreds of years since the clansmen have threatened the Empire with anything more serious than raids. Their numbers reach 30,000 but someone says that quality is better than quantity. Will General Nam Sang-Min defeat them with an army of 3,000?

He was off, Nam knew that this would be a deciding factor in his clan's history and he would be trusted with it's success. If he failed, his clan would be too weak to adequately defend itself, not to mention he would be executed. If he succeeded he would go down in history, the history of his clan and the history of Korea. Not only would his disgrace in the castle be washed away, but his honor would be immense, as would the Honor of his lord. His army would be waiting. Grabbing his horse he jumped onto it's back and made his way to where the army was stationed, they were already organized. Three thousand men, he had to avoid a direct battle, and that only left a surprise attack. He couldn't risk a trap, he'd just be slaughtered, therefore he had to hit them when they weren't prepared. He'd need to engage and kill the leader's, without a general or chief they would certainly be more inclined to join his lord. When the horses were ready they rode north, it would be a long journey.

[Cuprum]

War preparations.

Tribes Ye of the East (东野) - Korean Peninsula

20,000 men were camping in the border between the North and the Jeon Clan domains. They were confident about theirs numbers, they believe that their victory will be easy to achieve. The histories say that the Barbarians were celebrating their recent victories with song, dance, and sake in a village in the border and making some sacrifices in honor of the Tiger god of their land. In the cloudy sky started to cry some tears when the land of Jeon Clan was going to be invaded.

''The Barbarians has 30,000 men marching toward this place? I don't believe that. They 'only' have 20,000 soldiers. Yes, that is still too many. So, Hyemsong, you want me to surrender. What if we do surrender? Will you get content with losing your life that way? Or what if we hold on like Ui wants me to? What if we stay here in this castle, lock it up, and wait until the Barbarians lose appetite and stop the siege and go home? We will be able to prolong our lives for five or ten days, and what we cannot defend will still be undefendable. We are at the bottom of the pit, you know. And our fate is interesting. Of course the misery is too great, too. But this is how I see it: this is a chance in a lifetime. I can't afford to miss this. Do you really want to spend your entire lives praying for longevity? We were born in order to die! Whoever is with me, come to the battlefield tomorrow morning. Whoever is not, just stay wherever you are and watch me win it! I'll secretly support the general because I want to be in the books and songs of out people.''

[Russian people of america]

Tribes Ye of the East (东野) - Korean Peninsula

20,000 men were camping in the border between the North and the Jeon Clan domains. They were confident about theirs numbers, they believe that their victory will be easy to achieve. The histories say that the Barbarians were celebrating their recent victories with song, dance, and sake in a village in the border and making some sacrifices in honor of the Tiger god of their land. In the cloudy sky started to cry some tears when the land of Jeon Clan was going to be invaded.

''The Barbarians has 30,000 men marching toward this place? I don't believe that. They 'only' have 20,000 soldiers. Yes, that is still too many. So, Hyemsong, you want me to surrender. What if we do surrender? Will you get content with losing your life that way? Or what if we hold on like Ui wants me to? What if we stay here in this castle, lock it up, and wait until the Barbarians lose appetite and stop the siege and go home? We will be able to prolong our lives for five or ten days, and what we cannot defend will still be undefendable. We are at the bottom of the pit, you know. And our fate is interesting. Of course the misery is too great, too. But this is how I see it: this is a chance in a lifetime. I can't afford to miss this. Do you really want to spend your entire lives praying for longevity? We were born in order to die! Whoever is with me, come to the battlefield tomorrow morning. Whoever is not, just stay wherever you are and watch me win it! I'll secretly support the general because I want to be in the books and songs of out people.''

Nam had marched his men tirelessly, doing his best to inspire those who doubted they could win against such a formidable foe. He knew one thing for certain, the leader's needed to go if the battle was to be won. Still, he wrestled with the thought, how would he be able to get at them? As they approached the border several scouts broke through the forest undergrowth. They described a huge enemy force unlike any other, thousand upon thousand's of men. They were resting in the town of Tongsu-Gol, most likely to be warm and comfortable as the rain began to pour over the land. Not only that, but light fog had began to settle in. Suddenly he knew what to do, giving the order's that would help him achieve his success. Nine hundred men were to take as many banner's as possible to the small temple just south of the city, they were ordered to establish them and set up a large camp. He would take the remaining 2100 of his soldier's to swing around and enter the northern face of the town, to which would most likely be poorly guarded. He gave the order, and the men scrambled away, taking most of the banner's, an overseer ensured that the weaker or less experienced soldier's be the banner carriers. He led his men silently through the damp, quiet night, circling around the town carefully. It was a little past midnight two day's later by the time his forces were arranged along the north side of the town. Luckily both the fog and rain remained, in fact they had intensified. He allowed the men a few hour's of rest before finally dawn broke. He ordered the men to their position's, and thinking on the spot he gave both a speech and a instruction of the plan. "Men, today will be a historic day in the history of the Jeon clan, honor and immortality await us within this town. We will be hero's, and you all will have immense honor after this day. The enemy is asleep, almost all of the fifteen thousand of them. They sleep comfortably, having raped the women and tortured the men to death. Our Lord has commanded that we defeat these hordes of men to whom have committed unspeakable crimes towards the people of Korea. They would kill you in a heart beat if they could, as such you must do the same. Those who follow me in the initial attack will help me eliminate the guards, to whom are unaware of our presence. Once they are dead or captured we advance forward in a charge. Kill anyone who get's in your way, once we are within the town move as quickly as you can towards the command tent. Kill anyone inside who draws a blade, but if you can try to take them alive, apart from the main general. He has to die regardless of our success or not, We are after the leader's"! He announced, watching the determined and uncertain faces among the crowd of soldier's. He whipped the reign's and began to make his way down the hill towards the barbarians. The sound of the rain would have easily drowned out his speech before it could be heard in the village. The others followed, not giving out a cry but the sound of hooves pounded against the soft ground. The enemy was in sight, and the battle was about to begin.

[Cuprum]

(Image)
Tribes Ye of the East (东野) - Korean Peninsula

20,000 men were camping in the border between the North and the Jeon Clan domains. They were confident about theirs numbers, they believe that their victory will be easy to achieve. The histories say that the Barbarians were celebrating their recent victories with song, dance, and sake in a village in the border and making some sacrifices in honor of the Tiger god of their land. In the cloudy sky started to cry some tears when the land of Jeon Clan was going to be invaded.

''The Barbarians has 30,000 men marching toward this place? I don't believe that. They 'only' have 20,000 soldiers. Yes, that is still too many. So, Hyemsong, you want me to surrender. What if we do surrender? Will you get content with losing your life that way? Or what if we hold on like Ui wants me to? What if we stay here in this castle, lock it up, and wait until the Barbarians lose appetite and stop the siege and go home? We will be able to prolong our lives for five or ten days, and what we cannot defend will still be undefendable. We are at the bottom of the pit, you know. And our fate is interesting. Of course the misery is too great, too. But this is how I see it: this is a chance in a lifetime. I can't afford to miss this. Do you really want to spend your entire lives praying for longevity? We were born in order to die! Whoever is with me, come to the battlefield tomorrow morning. Whoever is not, just stay wherever you are and watch me win it! I'll secretly support the general because I want to be in the books and songs of out people.''

Battle of Tongsu-Gol

When they approached by more than one assailant, the barbarians always focus on the entire group and not one person individually. They tried to find a way through the enemy army and escape. Once they view your potential exit, they do whatever needs to be done to reach it. Redirect attacks, strike and constantly move. They didn't interact with all your attackers, just the ones that block the path between you and the escape route. One key advantage they have that most people find hard to understand is that when they start breaking joints, cracking noses and poking out the eyes of the first few “recipients,” the remaining men may begin to back up and unknowingly help them clear the path and make the survivours to escape. But when the barbarians reached the exit a horn sounded with all his potential. An army of 10,000 strong leaded by the Chong son appeared.

''We need slaves for the new harvest so don't exterminate them. It looks like General Nam strategy worked as I expected. Let's return to our tent while he finish the dirty work'' The Chong son declared.

[Mangjukoia]

Kaga and Echizen, the so-called peasant kingdoms ruled. These provinces, one of the only of its kind, a Japanese land ruled without Samurai. Here was were the monks directly 'ruled' per-se, in the castle city of Kanazawa, with their branches of Buddhist temple-fortresses dotted over the country, such as in Osaka and Kyoto. In the temple-castle, the many warrior monks made their prayers with a large statue of the Amida Buddha sat in-front of them, the sounds of their chants echoing throughout the city to the ringing of the Bonshō. Among the split country of Daimyo and Samurai, the Ikko-Ikki of Kaga and Echizen offered sanctuary and guarantee of the Pure-Land to the believers.

The Monshu, Shinyo, leader of the militant Buddhist clan, a progressive man for the preservation of the Ikko-Ikki name, came to see the war brought by rivaling daimyo. Unlike them, he and his clan did not follow the Bushido or the Samurai codes of conduct and law. He needed to expand his realm, secure it from destruction at the hands of the larger clans. While their castles were almost almost unsiegeable, this didn't stop the fact that the rest of their home provinces could still be threatened by the many clans. The Takeda, Oda, and Uesugi were the most immediate clans that posed the highest threats, but all were enemies or rivals of one another. This could either lead to Ikko-ikki victory or demise at the hands of other clans.

[Cuprum]

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

The wind whistled willfully through the woods. Whispers of man caught up in the whispers of the Gods. Jeon Dong-woon and his council sat at their newly fashioned war table. The table had been made in the sacred wood at the behest of Jeon Dong-woon, believing that the Gods should have a seat at the table where men play the game. The table itself was made from a fallen tree, the seats they sat upon were nothing more than stumps. The table, smooth and sanded down on top, underneath was a different tale. It felt corrugated, lined creases laden with holes. There were was one larger hole and a couple of smaller ones, sap from the holes wept out, anyone who tried to trace the table’s underside would soon find themselves covered in the sap.

Around the table sat Jeon Do-jeon, the head of one of the Clan Branches or True Bone. He always came across as a sensible man, a man of wit and integrity. He commanded those who stood closest to the Lord and represented the most trustworthy man at the table.

To his left sat Captain Hae Mangnae, a taller man than the Chong son and more practically built. He looked like a fighter in every sense of the word, his long hair fell to his shoulders, his eyes narrow and defensive. He was a relatively new member of Clan, he had shown promise in being able to lead, but further promise still in his ability to train and use words as well as arms to get his will. In another life, Mangnae would have been the perfect Lord to some castle, it is unfortunate for him he was born into a family who had no such luck, he was instead the Master-at-Arms.

To his left was an empty chair, it wasn’t symbolic, though it carried the weight of a position that needed to be filled. The seat was left for the man who proved himself to Jeon Dong-woon to be worthy of a place at the table. It was indeed thought at one point that the man who called himself Go Eosu would once have sat here. However, since his dead in the war against the savages long time ago, the seat stayed empty, a haunting reminder that Castle lacked a Castilian. To the left of that chair was where the leader sat, not at the head of the table, but on the side, giving the sacred tree, and the face carved into it the position of being at the head of the table. Whilst they convened the Gods whispered their thoughts and ideas out and into the minds of those around the table. Man had never been closer to the gods.

Jeon Dong-woon took a moment to look at the two men that stood before him, both seemed to be ready. Both seemed to be primed. What these three men would discuss today would be kept a secret. What they discuss today would affect proceedings in the North for many moon turns to come.

“I wanted to start this meeting with a thank you, to you both.” Jeon Dong-woon started. “My family was torn from its rightful place and all hope for this place to be able to redeem itself seemed lost. But it is through help such as yours that we are beginning to find our feet. Help such as yours that what we talk of today could even be a possibility. Both of you are more loyal than I could even had hoped for, and you both show great wisdom both on the field and off. That is why you are here. That is why you have the position you have. That is why we will win the war we started. The North has been pacified our next route is...”

NPC EVENT: IKKO - IKKI RISE!

Imperial Court - Kyoto

It was February 7th, 1524, and Japan was in the midst of debilitating civil war. The Hosokawa and The Yamana clans vied for dominance throughout central Japan. In the southern island of Kyushu, the Shimazu have entered a bitter standoff with the Ito and the Shoni. Shikoku is similarly divided between the Kono and the Chosokabe. To the east of Japan the clans of the Takeda, Uesugi, Date and Satake fight bitter wars. But our story took place in the small forgotten north, where the two rivals Ando and Kasai fought for survival when a new and terrible danger broke out ...... the Ikko-Ikki.

The Ikko-Ikki rebellion was born out of hate and fear, the monks took up the fight against the tyrannical samurai lords. Starting out as a patient Shinto monk in the Kaga province of the Azai clan. Angered by the pain and the hate these wars caused, this Buddhist sectarian monks used fancy language and past services to lead a village in a rebellion against the local strongman, easily defeating them and his few men. It was said that the monks were good man at heart but when they look apon the strongman's tax room, their eyes lit up with greed and ideas and fantasies. After that day the rebellion got stronger and stronger, but the coffers ironically emptier and emptier because they don't believe in taxes but in donations. Eventually the monks were known as the Kaga-Ikki in respect of the rebellion, and took the entire province as well.

The Emperor didn't care about the fanatics menace since they would benefit him in some manner. The Emperor believe that the monk's expansion would reduce the warlords influence, increasing his holy authority as the religious and political head in Japan.

[Russian people of america]

Battle of Tongsu-Gol

When they approached by more than one assailant, the barbarians always focus on the entire group and not one person individually. They tried to find a way through the enemy army and escape. Once they view your potential exit, they do whatever needs to be done to reach it. Redirect attacks, strike and constantly move. They didn't interact with all your attackers, just the ones that block the path between you and the escape route. One key advantage they have that most people find hard to understand is that when they start breaking joints, cracking noses and poking out the eyes of the first few “recipients,” the remaining men may begin to back up and unknowingly help them clear the path and make the survivours to escape. But when the barbarians reached the exit a horn sounded with all his potential. An army of 10,000 strong leaded by the Chong son appeared.

''We need slaves for the new harvest so don't exterminate them. It looks like General Nam strategy worked as I expected. Let's return to our tent while he finish the dirty work'' The Chong son declared.

They continued on, the sound's of fighting, and death filled the air before being put out by the rain and pounding of hooves upon the wet ground. General Nam struck down those who stood in the way of him and the command tent. He continued to thrust hiss spear through those who wouldn't or couldn't surrender. His men continued to pour in like a overflowing river, sweeping through and destroying whatever got in their way. Finally the tent came into view, too large and important to not be the command tent. They continued towards the tent as several guards moved to cut them off from being able to enter. He dismounted along with a few others and they struck down the men at the cost of an older soldier. Ahead stood the chieftain, or main general of the army. He stood unaware of the situation, unable to see them clearly due to the rain. They wasted no time closing in, by the time he realized his demise and had drawn his sword, Nam had thrust his wakizashi through his chest. He gave a bloody sputter, the blood running from his mouth and down his chin before failling backwards into death's embrace. Nam gave a flick of his blade to clear it of blood. "Quickly, we must take their leader's"! The soldier's who had followed him charged through the canvas of the tent alongside the general, helping him obtain control of the leadership. Several drew blades, and they all fell. Those who didn't seemed older, wiser than their barbarian counterparts. They surrendered, and without leadership the barbarian army panicked. Some attempted to flee, while the rest either gave up or died in the chaos. Calling in the remaining 900 men from the temple, the camp and barbarian's were secured. A messenger was sent back to the Jeon leadership, to his lord. After a day or so he mounted his horse with a small group of 250 men, they had all proven to be great soldier's. All had done something worthy in the battle, and he wanted them to be with him when he met with his lord. He whipped his horse and made his way back to the province to which his clan resided.

[Russian people of america]

Kazuki smiled, letting out a breath of relief silently. Suddenly Makoto came up, and he felt nervous for a moment till realizing that the boy was talking positively, rather than with anger or distrust. Suddenly pride washed over him and he couldn't help but keep it out of his voice. "He's nineteen, my lord" he resisted the urge continue describing Makoto, how they had trained since he was a mere boy, how he had taught him how to fight and act around others in society. Makoto remained rooted to the spot, his heart pounding fiercely. He had heard stories of how some lords were cruel to their samurai, killing them for nearly no reason at all. However he was reassured by his father's voice. Akashi remained quiet, not trying to bring undue attention to himself. He wasn't a member of a proud or honored family like Makoto or Kazuki, his father had commited Seppuku only a few years prior, however that honor had been destroyed when his mother attempted the same thing and failed. She had lost her status among the Samurai class, leaving him the only samurai in his family. Makoto shifted a second time, almost sensing his friend's distress, but not wanting to have attention drawn elsewhere. He had been brought along to meet his future lord, and he needed to ensure that he didn't disgrace himself in front of such an important figure.

Deian examined the boy closely. He walked around him, and put his index figure to his lip. Finally, he finished and walked back in front of them.
"I must say I am impressed. You look physically fit, and well trained. I like you. Let's be friends." He said cheerfully. "I just hope you know something about military tactics and politics or you'll be a bad general on the battlefield, which is what I'll make you when I come to power."
He then shifted focus to Akashi, and pointed at him. "And you. You don't feel like a child of Kazuki. What are you? A child of a dishonored Samurai family?" He noticed the boy's surprise and shame, and smiled. "Don't worry. I'll give you the opportunity to restore your clan's honor and serve me faithfully. To me, dishonoring clans is not a good idea during wartime. I'll make you one of my highest ranking retainers."
He then turned to Kazuki again. "You must have adopted Akashi, yes? How about I adopt him as my son instead? Not my heir, unfortunately, just my son. Would that be okay with you?" He proposed cheerfully.

Kazuki stood visually stunned by his lord and how thing's had transpired. This boy, Deian certainly wasn't like those who had come before him. He couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing. Either way he couldn't stop a grin from appearing across his face for but a moment before he shook it off. "Of course you can adopt him my lord, i'm sure he would be honored to be the son of such a honorable man". Akashi remained speechless, surprised but joyous, though he did his best to conceal it. He would of course be honored to be the son of his lord. Makoto was also in shock, to think he would become a general when this man came to power. It was an honor, and luckily his father had taught him those skills. He had only expected to have to fight in the clan's army to advance to such a rank, suddenly he would be right on top, right beside his lord and father in helping bring his clan to control the land. "I'd like that my lord" he agreed, having no problem's with being a friend of his lord.

[Cuprum]

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Basugui Castle - Gusuinji - Korean Peninsula

A twang of bowstrings rang out as soon as the barbarian lord disappeared from view. They descended like a rainstorm from the tops of the wall, aimed squarely at the two knights below. Their sharpened metal points thirsted for blood, but were unsatisfied for the most part. They fell woefully short as Dong-woon’s warrior instincts kicked in and he wheeled his horse around to escape. His banner carrying companion however, was not as sharp. A carnal cry of panicked pain filled the air as an arrow buried itself into the man’s thigh. The clan banner fell to the ground with a dull thud.

The camp spread out around Basugui was massive in size, the banners of the prominent retainers among the assembled forces, although some minor Lords had sent forces and the unique sigils of hedge knights were often visible in the crowd.

As expected Jeon Hyeonjong had opened the floodgates and turned the zone into an island, with the gates firmly sealed shut and a variant of the barbarians banner flying high above the Castle. The Jeon men were bus building poleboats to assail the Fortress. The day was clear, the weather warm and comfortable with nary a cloud in the sky and the men worked swiftly.

Jeon Dong-woon sat in his tent, looking over troop numbers and dispersion of his forces while he awaited Hae Mangnae and Jeon Do-jeon. He had not brought much, and as a result the tent housed only a handful of chairs sat around a table, upon which sat a map of the lands immediately surrounding the zone. In Jeon Dong-woon’s lap sat “A history of Wars in Koryo” which was heavily earmarked anywhere he found information on battles around and within the fortress of Basugui.

Chong son's pavilion was modest, even that description was generous. The tent was barely large enough to pass as a lord's pavilion, with just enough room for a cot, a trunk, and a stand for his armor. Jeon Hyeonjong waited dutifully for the trout as he lifted the flap and exited into the crisp Basugui' air.

"How goes it?" The Chong son said groggily rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Jeon Hyeonjong wore simple leathers covered by a plain black tunic, his faithful cat still trailing behind him.

"The lines have been set, my lord. The castle is flooded, and as of yet there has been no word from General Nam."

The Chong son grunted in approval as he began to walk down the tent rows towards the massive pavilion in the center flying the Mon of the Clan. Benjen had his fill of nongju the night previous and his head pounded mercilessly with each step he took. Soldiers in plate and chain rattled past the Chong son as he trudged steadily onward followed by Jeon Hyeonjong and the lad's cat.

The Chong son's patience had been reached. The siege had only persisted for little over a day, but the Barbarians was keen to finally own the castle that had eluded him his entire campaign.

''My lord must be frank with you, this siege may last a month or more. Their food supplies are extremely low, and the castle cannot hope to hold out against a siege." said the general, clasping his hands in his lap as he regarded the clan leader coolly. Impatience radiated off of him like heat off the summer sun. He hadn't even taken a seat, instead choosing to pace the room like an angry wolf.

"What is important to remember is that the Barbarians are not fighting in regards to any great cause. In the history of siege warfare men have refused to starve over something they do not believe in. So i counsel you to have faith and patience. The men in the castle will soon grow hungry, and the day they cannot feed them is the day they decide that maybe our banners would be more attractive to fight under." finished the general, his eyes never leaving those of the Lord opposite him.

"That day cannot be predicted, it may be a week, it may be a month, but I swear to you it will happen. There is no need to have bloodshed when it could be so easily avoided." the general sat back in his chair, hoping that the Chong son would see some reason.

''We are going to attack, that danm fortress will fall today!'' The Chong son claimed.

An old letter:

To the Yukoshi Clan

I think It'll be prudent for both of our clans, if we agree to achieve an alliance agreement in the future. I assure you that our clans will get a lot of benefits from it.

My best regards and wishes.

Chong son of the Jeon Clan.

[Russian people of america]

Jeon Clan

General Nam continued down his path, behind him were the 250 warrior's chosen to ride alongside him back to his lord. They were marching to a battlefield, he hadn't realized his lord even had additional forces for a siege. Finally the shape of a looming building came into view in the distance, he whipped his horse and followed by his soldier's, made their way down to the Jeon Encampment. A siege, he was shocked they had done so without his presence, if he had known he would have brought his full force. Still, the shame couldn't be inflicted onto him for this, he had no prior knowledge of the siege. He rode through the camp till his lord came into view, dismounting he fell to the ground and bowed respectfully. "My lord, the northern territory's have been secured, the hostile leader's have been killed, and the remaining landowner's have pledged their allegiance to the Jeon Clan. I have brought my 250 best warrior's, i wasn't aware you had prepared a siege, otherwise i would have brought back my full force".

Yukoshi Clan

Akashi had once again been shocked. So now they were the Iwaki Three, And he was to temporary heir to the Yukoshi clan, until his new father could have a son by blood. It was more than an honor, he had in an instant been raised to the heir of the Yukoshi clan, even if it were only temporary. He had completely surpassed both Makoto and Kazuki in rank. He followed as Deian's father died, of course he would mourn the deceased lord. He had led the clan well during his life and was an honored samurai. Finally he went with Kazuki in order to prepare the army for battle with some other clan's. Their was some difficulty organizing all of the samurai, however the army was prepared in a decent amount of time. He awaited deian's order's within the camp, Kazuki was off helping train the younger Samurai in a few old trick's to surviving battles. Makoto helped, between the time he spent charming the local village girl's. The boy wasn't married, as Kazuki was too busy to arrange one. However he was here now, helping Akashi sharpen his Katana. His katana had been given to him by his blood father, just before his death, it was a valuable weapon, having been in the family for generations.

[Cuprum]

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

“RAISE THE FUCKING LADDER!” screamed Hae Mangnae as another arrow whizzed past his face. ''Tell General Nam to advance toward the fucking walls''

The entire scene around him was chaos. Fires sprouted where pitch arrows had struck wooden barricades. Men were dead and dying, arrows sticking out of them like pincushions. In the distance he saw another ladder raised onto the wall, with men beginning to climb it, intent on quickly reaching the top.

The ladder that Hae Mangnae had been carrying was next to ascend. The butt was planted into the soft ground below, and Hae Mangnae saw a man run forward with a rope. Beside them soldiers held a wooden plank up to shield them all from arrow fire above, dull thuds rang out whenever they did.

“NOW! CLIMB!” Hae Mangnae yelled again, as the first few men began to ascend. Brave men were these, as they instantly began to draw arrows from desperate defenders above them, and now unshielded by the wooden barricades. Hae Mangnae was not far behind either, clutching his shield in one arm and ascending with the other.

The ascent was arduous, and his shield bearing arm was burning with strain by the time he vaulted onto the walls of his childhood home. The knight had barely enough time to shift his shield to his other arm and draw his sword before the first soldier was upon him.
Two quick slashes later and the man was on the ground, dead or dying. Hae Mangnae stepped over his body, already swinging at the next soldier that presented himself. That one went down too, and so did the next, and the one after. Chaos reigned on the walls of Basugui, man fighting man, all thoughts of Kings and Lords forgotten and the only thing that mattered was living through the night.
“AGAIN!” came the call, and again came the siege ram, smashing into the threshold of the inner keep.

The crash filled the night, wood smashing wood. Hae Mangnae heard it loudest, crouched nearby with others, ready to charge into the gap as soon as the doors were opened. The Barbarian forces had seemingly ran out of arrows some time ago, so the besiegers openly gathered around.

He could not remember how long it had been since that pray with his father. An hour? Many? He could guess with some certainty that it was indeed still night. And that meant that their shared ordeal was not over.

“AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN!” Crash. Crash. Crash.

Hells. Put some effort into it, Jeon Dong-woon thought to himself, but almost as if in answer the next crash was louder than usual, and the air was suddenly filled with wooden splinters.

WIth a war cry, Jeon Dong-woon launched himself through the gaps, intent to finally end this battle. But for his eagerness, he paid dearly. Dimly he heard the twang of the crossbows across the hall as they fired at the incoming soldiers. The bolt punched through his armor easily and buried itself into his shoulder, knocking him back onto ground the shield that the shoulder heen bearing dropping uselessly.

The pain was excruciating, radiating out from his shoulder in sharp waves. He felt hands grab and drag him back away from the unfolding scene of chaos. Soldiers rushed into the threshold, and the echoing sound of swords clashing rang out.

“Get that damm armor off,” Jeon Dong-woon heard a voice say, followed by desperate tugging at the straps that held it in place.

“Stay with us, man!” it continued, and that was the last thing Jeon Dong-woon heard before the world went black.

Jeon Dong-woon awoke in a white tent, surrounded by men that were dead or dying. Looking around, he saw monks floating from one man to the next, checking to see if there was still life in their bodies.

He attempted to sit up in his cot, but was immediately hit with a terrible pain from his shoulder. Gasping in pain, he remembered the crossbow bolt that had struck him. Gingerly he examined the bandage that covered the wound. No blood. No bolt either. He flexed the muscles that ran along it, and though another spasm of sharp pain rewarded him, he was relieved that it was still working. Could have been much worse.

The situation hit him then. I could have died. In that exact instant. If the bowman had been a better shot, if I had been only inches to the side. It would have been over.

A Monk approached, examining nearby men. Eventually she got to Jeon Dong-woon’s bed, and looked at the clearly alive human with blank, blue eyes. She moved to continue her work, before Daeron spoke up.

“Monk,” he called. “Monk please. Did we win?”

He looked at him again, just as blankly. He doesn't care about me. It’s only the dead that concern him now.

“In the name of Buddha,” he tried again. “The bloody Jeon's. Did we win?”

For a long moment, he only stared at him. Then, finally, he nodded.

''Where are my generals yikes! it hurts.''

[Russian people of america]

(Image)
Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

“RAISE THE FUCKING LADDER!” screamed Hae Mangnae as another arrow whizzed past his face. ''Tell General Nam to advance toward the fucking walls''

The entire scene around him was chaos. Fires sprouted where pitch arrows had struck wooden barricades. Men were dead and dying, arrows sticking out of them like pincushions. In the distance he saw another ladder raised onto the wall, with men beginning to climb it, intent on quickly reaching the top.

The ladder that Hae Mangnae had been carrying was next to ascend. The butt was planted into the soft ground below, and Hae Mangnae saw a man run forward with a rope. Beside them soldiers held a wooden plank up to shield them all from arrow fire above, dull thuds rang out whenever they did.

“NOW! CLIMB!” Hae Mangnae yelled again, as the first few men began to ascend. Brave men were these, as they instantly began to draw arrows from desperate defenders above them, and now unshielded by the wooden barricades. Hae Mangnae was not far behind either, clutching his shield in one arm and ascending with the other.

The ascent was arduous, and his shield bearing arm was burning with strain by the time he vaulted onto the walls of his childhood home. The knight had barely enough time to shift his shield to his other arm and draw his sword before the first soldier was upon him.
Two quick slashes later and the man was on the ground, dead or dying. Hae Mangnae stepped over his body, already swinging at the next soldier that presented himself. That one went down too, and so did the next, and the one after. Chaos reigned on the walls of Basugui, man fighting man, all thoughts of Kings and Lords forgotten and the only thing that mattered was living through the night.
“AGAIN!” came the call, and again came the siege ram, smashing into the threshold of the inner keep.

The crash filled the night, wood smashing wood. Hae Mangnae heard it loudest, crouched nearby with others, ready to charge into the gap as soon as the doors were opened. The Barbarian forces had seemingly ran out of arrows some time ago, so the besiegers openly gathered around.

He could not remember how long it had been since that pray with his father. An hour? Many? He could guess with some certainty that it was indeed still night. And that meant that their shared ordeal was not over.

“AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN!” Crash. Crash. Crash.

Hells. Put some effort into it, Jeon Dong-woon thought to himself, but almost as if in answer the next crash was louder than usual, and the air was suddenly filled with wooden splinters.

WIth a war cry, Jeon Dong-woon launched himself through the gaps, intent to finally end this battle. But for his eagerness, he paid dearly. Dimly he heard the twang of the crossbows across the hall as they fired at the incoming soldiers. The bolt punched through his armor easily and buried itself into his shoulder, knocking him back onto ground the shield that the shoulder heen bearing dropping uselessly.

The pain was excruciating, radiating out from his shoulder in sharp waves. He felt hands grab and drag him back away from the unfolding scene of chaos. Soldiers rushed into the threshold, and the echoing sound of swords clashing rang out.

“Get that damm armor off,” Jeon Dong-woon heard a voice say, followed by desperate tugging at the straps that held it in place.

“Stay with us, man!” it continued, and that was the last thing Jeon Dong-woon heard before the world went black.

Jeon Dong-woon awoke in a white tent, surrounded by men that were dead or dying. Looking around, he saw monks floating from one man to the next, checking to see if there was still life in their bodies.

He attempted to sit up in his cot, but was immediately hit with a terrible pain from his shoulder. Gasping in pain, he remembered the crossbow bolt that had struck him. Gingerly he examined the bandage that covered the wound. No blood. No bolt either. He flexed the muscles that ran along it, and though another spasm of sharp pain rewarded him, he was relieved that it was still working. Could have been much worse.

The situation hit him then. I could have died. In that exact instant. If the bowman had been a better shot, if I had been only inches to the side. It would have been over.

A Monk approached, examining nearby men. Eventually she got to Jeon Dong-woon’s bed, and looked at the clearly alive human with blank, blue eyes. She moved to continue her work, before Daeron spoke up.

“Monk,” he called. “Monk please. Did we win?”

He looked at him again, just as blankly. He doesn't care about me. It’s only the dead that concern him now.

“In the name of Buddha,” he tried again. “The bloody Jeon's. Did we win?”

For a long moment, he only stared at him. Then, finally, he nodded.

''Where are my generals yikes! it hurts.''

Suddenly then tent's flap could be heard as the General entered the room, avoiding the monk's to whom would most likely request peace and quiet. He scanned the body's, walking towards the men that he had brought to the fight. With each he recorded name's, these men had survived two major battle's, costly battles. Most had survived, luckily. He figured they should be honored for such deed's. They had suffered too many casualties in the battle, more than what it would have been to just wait until the barbarian's surrendered. Either way it hadn't mattered, he had led his forces bravely, and they had fought heroically, striking down many, many foes. Sadly out of the 250 who had arrive only 149 had survived the battle. He himself had suffered a light cut to the rib's, nothing that would stop him from fighting. A bandage was in place under his robe's. He remembered having fought his way into the castle, just ahead of his lord. Sadly he had been hit by an arrow in the process of leading the attack. He noticed the man laying on one of the bed's, walking over carefully he spoke, not giving a bow as he had done before. He had earned the right to stand after being thrust into battle without a second of rest after a long journey. "My lord, i'm glad your alive, we have taken the castle, with terrible casualties. The Surviving barbarian's have been captured, i must speak to you later about them. My lord, we have won, but my men are tired and hungry, not to mention they suffered terrible injury's in the battle to which we had been thrown into, i must ask that they be rewarded in some way. Also, my forces in the north have secured the land to which you asked for, the surviving barbarian leader's have swore their loyalty to the Jeon clan. The rest of my troop's are on their way back, transporting the able bodied warrior's" he finished.

[Cuprum]

Kokujin

''You are alive that's a good thing, you'll be the new castellan of this castle. Your duties as Kokujin will be creation of a new army to subjugate the provinces of the West. The North will be ours in a couple of months. Now, the west is calling for us!''

[Russian people of america]

General Nam

He blinked for a moment, surprised but honored. He cautiously bowed his head. "Thank you my lord, it's an honor. I swear to raise a powerful army to which we can conquer the western provinces with. I was going to ask, if perhaps i could have control over the captured barbarian's from this castle and the north. Despite their lack of discipline and honor, they are of better fighting material than the civilian's who inhabit the land. I believe i can whip them into a state to which they could rival any clan, should i receive the fund's to do so. They would make excellent soldier's i think" he suggested. He glanced around at the wounded soldier's. glad that their were monks around to help them. Suddenly the tent flap burst open, another man entering the room, flinging himself past the monk's and wounded, he carried a tanto in his hand and lunged towards the Jeon leader, his lord. In the blink of an eye he had unsheathed and sliced at the man, who fell to his side clutching his chest, to which we was bleeding from heavily. "My lord! Stay were you are" he said preparing to give an order for his soldier's to gather near. Fortunately they had already caught on and joined him, checking around the tent for other potential threats. Swords in hand.

Kazuki

Kazuki entered Deian's tent cautiously, Akashi was still out, sharpening his blade alongside Makoto. The men were tense, They sensed the coming battle and knew that plenty of them could end up dead. They were relying on a lord they had never fought under before. Still, Kazuki was a well known general, and the men could find some comfort in his reassurances in the lord's ability's. They were going to win, he was certain of it. He looked around quickly, trying to find his lord in the darker tent.

[Cuprum]

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

Jeon Dong-woon sat on a cushioned couch, placed precariously near a window to allow a clear view of the sky. The sounds of life made its way through his window, allowing him to hear the dim echoes of men and women in their cups, of merchants arguing over end-of-the-day sales, of soldiers patrolling. All of these were a delight to Jeon Dong-woon's ears, who loved the sounds of big cities.

"Park Geun-hye," Jeon Dong-woon called, beckoning his handmaiden forward. "The water in my basin's gone cold. Be a dear and fetch some hot water."

The girl obliged, and Jeon Dong-woon removed his feet from the basin. He had been soaking them, an easy way to relax the feet and get the rigidity of a hot day out of him. When the girl returned, Jeon Dong-woon dipped his feet back in with a relaxed sigh.

A cool breeze drifted through the window, and Jeon Dong-woon pulled his silks closer to hiss body. It was a nice night, and even the air had a depth to it. The Korean lord looked up and peered at the moon, who's face was full and rising in the sky. Around it, stars littered the sky like diamonds. Jeon Dong-woon could swear he felt the rays of the moon on his skin.

Park Geun-hye returned not a few moments later, not enough time for the water to have grown tepid.

“My lord,” she said. “The Princess is here to see you.”

Jeon Dong-woon looked at Kakune-hime, confusion spreading across his face. "The Princess? At this hour?"

Jeon Dong-woon pulled his feet from the basin and grabbed the cloth next to him, drying them off. He slipped his feet into his sandals. He made his way across the room until he reach the door of the apartment.

"Princess Kakune," he said after opening the door. "What a pleasant surprise, to see you on this fine evening. Please, come in."

[Russian people of america]

General Nam

General Nam set to work after his general's departure. Immediately working towards fixing his new castle, to which had suffered damage during the attack. In doing so he organized the local villager's, giving them food in exchange for labor. While the worker's toiled he began to train his new 'army'. The captured barbarian's had been given a choice, three actually. Join his army, swearing fealty to him and by extension his lord. Die. Or have their dominant arm broken beyond repair before being released. As you can assume, most chose the first option. Adding some villager's to his new army he managed to raise nearly 30,000 men, a huge army for the time. Most were still receiving their equipment, but all were made to practice and train. He had begun several different stages of the day, in the morning they practiced swordsmanship skill's. By midday they practiced training their body's, lifting, wrestling exercising and walking over hot or sharp rock's, all in an effort to toughen their body's. From the afternoon till dusk they were given a small dose of poison, not enough to kill but more than enough to cause pain for the body. This would allow them to build immunity to poison's. Afterwards they were sent to rest. The regime showed sign's of success, he just hoped that the extra expense didn't backfire on them.

Kazuki
KazukI nodded, bowing quickly before leaving the tent to organize the troops. Finding Makoto and Akashi he quickly explained the plan before leaving with his force of three thousand. This plan couldn't work, they were dividing their forces too much against a much larger force. Still, he would follow his lord's order's. The men traveled quickly, resting once they arrived at their destination They would wait three day's, for the lord to attack their rear, then he would attack and continue with the plan.

[Cuprum]

Jeon Clan (전일족) - Korean Peninsula

Seongyojang loomed large in her vision as Kakune-him mercifully came back to her groom's home. The tall stone walls called to her, the gates intensely familiar. The princess urged her horse onward, the Jeon men struggling to keep paste.

The gates stood open, the rider Princess had sent in advance waiting patiently in a small party of men waiting to greet her. The Princess's heart fluttered in her chest, her stomach rolling with anticipation as she reigned up. Ano, who the Princess clutched tight to her chest, began crying in all the commotion, her sobs drowned out by the thundering hooves.

When they blessedly rode to the entrance of the keep the Princess was in tears. Relief flooded through her body as the sobs wracked her unbidden. She was perturbed that her groom was not their to greet her, but Chong Son’s friendly smile, and warm embrace, was more than enough comfort to her. She didn't realize when she was whisked down from her horse, but suddenly she was being lead into the castle, her child still cradled in her arms.

“Please, come inside. You and your men are welcome to beds and a hot meal.” The words were spoken by the Castellan, as he lead The Princess away. The Princess vaguely recognized the route to her Husband's study.

She heard the latch open, the creaking on the hinges as the heavy oak door swung open. She smelled the dust that collected on the long unopened tomes that filled the shelves. The room felt stuffy to her, the Castellan illuminating the room when he threw the curtains aside to let the sun in.
by any trouble.” Benjen added, rubbing his neck nervously. “Well, you know what you're doing.” Talisa said, glancing slowly about the room. “I expect you'll continue to fill Gareth's duties even if I'm here. I confess I'm not feeling overwell after my journey. I just want to rest, I promise I'll fill you in on the details in good time.” Talisa explained, her voice low.
“Of course my lady, I'll have a servant prepare your room immediately. It's been vacant since you left.” With that, Benjen whisked out of the room, on his way to do his ladies bidding.