The City Barracks - Soichigune

"Your Highness," said the black-draped clerk beside her as she stepped out of her carriage and onto the streets of Mitzushima. He scurried after the silk-wrapped woman, whose dark eyes took in the facade of the barracks and a few of its run down corners. Jewelry chimed in her hair as she moved, turning to regard the clerk.

"I really must insist that we go back to the Palace," the clerk said. "It is not safe for you beyond the walls."

"My father went beyond the walls of the Imperial Palace daily. Each day, he returned unharmed."

The clerk looked at the Empress, and in an instant she read the shining doubt in his eyes. He returned every day, that is, until he was poisoned and his death lead you to the Golden Throne. 

"Yes, Your Highness, but times were different then."

"Ah, I see," The Empress spoke, nodding her head. "Yes, times have changed. And in these changing times, the Empress wants to view her city guard." She gestured with a hand, and the guards that had accompanied her opened the gates of the barracks.

She left the stuttering clerk behind as she walked through, her head held high and her silken garments trailing behind her.

Inside the barracks, a few men were sparring, although the more correct term would be f*cking around with the wooden training swords. A couple men were leaning against the posts of the open stables. One had picked up a rake as if he'd intended to actually clean the stench from the stables but had gotten distracted and had chosen to have a conversation instead.

A few other men had overturned buckets to sit and play cards, while a few of the young recruits seemed to be working very hard to polish swords and armor. The smithy was cold, the black smith snoring in his chair, a pile of swords needing to be sharpened barely touched.

They didn't look up when the doors opened, but the glittering gold of the Empress' jewelry caught the sun and it earned her a second glance. It was almost amusing to watch as the men's jaws went slack and then they quickly put themselves to rights, immediately going onto their knees and bowing until their heads met the dirt.

From one of the buildings, the door slapped open and a man came walking out, with large ears and a thundering face. He bowed to the Empress, but then kept walking to her.

"Empress, you should not be here. It is indecent for a woman to be within the barracks," he said in a quick and angry deluge of words.

Miyuri smirked behind the Empress' shoulder. She reached for a silk fan that had been tucked into her obi and snapped it open. A dragon's face was painted on the outside, and the splash of red upon the fan signaled the death of many black-clad warriors.

The sarcastic and arrogant little smile on the servant's face disappeared behind the curve of the fan, but her laughing dark eyes were still upon the superior officer who had just bludgeoned his way into a corner. The moment was tense, and Miyuri was enjoying herself.

She watched the man lower himself, humble himself in front of her, and she did not give him permission to raise his head. Instead, she turned her own, golden jewelry shining in her hair and beckoned to a soldier.

He came towards her, but kept his eyes downcast. "Bring me the ledgers of the barracks, and the records of every employed man within the City-Guard," she told him, plainly.

Then she turned to the warriors that had followed her in, her guardians. "Spread out. Examine the barracks and the compounds. Give me your opinions. Miyuri, come with me."

She moved past the captain, who was on his knees on the ground. And she never did give him permission to lift his head.

Yukihasu Akira arrived a little later than he had implied he would, yet still within the two-day promised limit he had given Miyuri at the Inn. Wearing a brown cloak and a straw hat over the rather traditional attire of the Samurai, he wore the two-sword badge of honour and was being followed by at least a hundred men, all of whom carried that same status symbol of the warrior nobility.

However, they were none of them commanded by a Lord or Daimyo. Instead, they followed Akira, who himself was no higher in rank than they. They entered Mitzushima, with eyes gazing upon them, then marched straight into the Soichigune with the man in the cloak leading the way.

He was immediately stricken with the scale of the job they would have to do, but it would be done. "Yukihasu Akira, here with my men in order to take up servitude under the Queen and keep her peace," he announced himself to all who were there.

Akira stopped in front of Sano and, though he did not know the man's name, bowed never-the-less. "You're correct, I would have guessed. However, I have absolutely no quarrel with your presence here; indeed, I myself planned to 'spy' for the Empress, as it were, and so we will no doubt be working together on that regard. I am, as you will soon discover, a devout follower and loyal servant of the Divine Empress and with her divine guidance, we will have this city back up to scratch in no time at all."

The man seemed eager and happy to do his job, with nothing except his slightly rugged appearance as anything for cause for suspicion. The 'ronin' who followed him also seemed eager, for this was their chance at turning from roaming, nameless Samurai to respected individuals and guards of the Empress's law. They, though dressed poorly, looked extremely up to the task.

"I suggest, then, that we get straight to work. First, I will need to know these barracks and any men who still remain here. I need to know what we have and where they are, what condition the equipment, if any, is in; what food and other necessities are here and whether any part of the building is damaged or unfit for Divine presence."

He turned, then looked to his men. "This, friends, is our new home. Akani, Jerosuke and Ryuken will guard the gate for now. The rest of you, I want logs, books and accounts of everything here and the Soichigune itself cleaned and ready for duty."

Akira nodded to Sano. "In that case, everyone: find your way around and explore a little. Make sure you know where you need to be and when," he told them, then turned back to the Samurai as the others began to separate and wander the grounds. With the scrolls that Sano handed to him pushed under his arms, he looked towards the office building and began to march towards it.

"The inexperienced men can train with the Ronin who followed me here. They'll quickly toughen up, I think," Akira predicted with a smirk. "After we finish speaking, I'll set up the first few patrols to take a look around and learn the city while I go over the accounts. I plan to run a loyal, efficient and quick operation here. My men know me for my speed, strategic knowledge and my demand for discipline and I plan to bring those attributes of mine to this position."

Akira placed the scrolls down onto the table, then took one of the wine cups and the offered drink. "I see. Well, I can't say I didn't know as much. The way in which we approached, met and discussed this agreement was one shrouded in secrecy and silence. I proved to her that I was the correct man for this job and it seems she is wise enough to accept me for it. She'll have her eyes and her ears." And he would have his, though the Empress needn't worry as long as their paths remained mutually beneficial.

"I plan to help the Empress secure and maintain her power and in return, she gives me and my men lease at a new, better life. One of official capacity, with pay, food and beds to sleep in; not camps by the road's edge or bandit blades we sell for scrap metal. We mutually benefit one another."

He sniffed his cup, then swirled it slightly by rotating his hand. "A man like you would have much to gain if this drink was poisoned. Though I do not suspect it is, it would be unwise for me to drink it."

He smiled, then placed it down on the table. "As part of my job, I will drink only from tested wine that I pour myself. As you imply, this job is incredibly dangerous; I will be a target."

Akira laughed, then tapped his finger down on the list after he lay it out on the table. "And that is why I will be testing my wine. I am more than happy to carry out the Empress' will, but this makes me a target. Unless, of course, neither of us here speaks of this to anyone but our most trusted companions. I trust the two of us, since we are both equally involved, yet do I trust my men? Do you trust your own? Oh, I believe I have their utmost loyalty, yet there are some who will look at some of the things the Empress orders us to do and have their doubts; doubts which will lead to discontent, then revolt."

"You understand what I am saying, I hope. This needs to be a secret. We will officially investigate in full view, we will perform our lawful duties in full view. Yet our most loyal duties will be carried out only by our most loyal soldiers. Men who value secrecy, a shut lip and the word of the Empress as truth. I can fabricate evidence and I can murder, but there are few who I trust to carry those tasks out."

He lowered himself into a seated position. "Has the Empress mentioned when she will be meeting with me again?"