Hizashi Mansion [Secret Operations Room]

Daimyo Akagi Zuikaku

The mansion had been closed off to any visitors and all meetings had been cancelled. Officially Homura was down with a fever, but he was taking no chances when daimyo Akagi was coming to see him travelling along with Kiri. Homura had gotten the message a few days earlier and had prepared the secret room for the daomyo's arrival. The room was designed to be practical but not exactly luxurious in its decoration and though it didn't suit one of his status, Akagi would probably sleep here too for his own safety.

"I am a bit surprised, but happy that you chose to come and discuss our combined efforts to... find an alternate solution to who is going to lead Tawakoshi in the future." Homura said as he led Akagi into the secret room which was accessible through fake wall and a few meters of narrow 'hallway' between walls. "I must admit that I'm still not happy about having to assassinate the shogun, but when thinking about how he has polluted the honor of the shogunate and is keeping the emperor as his puppet I gain strength again." Homura said and gestured towards a pillow in the room as he took a seat in front of Akagi.

"Please have a seat and excuse me if this room isn't fit for a daimyo. It was made from need, and I believe in taking absolutely no chances with your security here." Homura said before clearing his throat. "Now... going straight to business, do Quying want to assist the Hizashi army attacking Jeoncho from the other flank?" he asked and folded his hands in quiet anticipation.

Homura felt himself loosen up a bit as Akagi mentioned his time on a ship.
"Haha I forgot that you're a thick skinned sailor, Zuikaku-dono!" Homura said light hearted. "It so good to see you again, it feels like it's been forever since last time. And I guess it really has been a few years, but when was it again..?" Homura asked and mused.

"You can't imagine my relief hearing this. Quying's forces would me immensely appreciated in the war and I have absolutely no doubt of their competence. The stories about how they protect the Tawakoshi shores are nothing short of inspiring." Homura said with great respect in his voice.

"How do you see your army making most of an impact? I direct attack might be the shortest route, but I see possibilities in taking the route from the north or south, which are both accessible from ship. From there awaits a long march where your men might be exposed." Homura explained pointing at a map he had laid out between them.

"Ahh yes... I may have somewhat repressed that event. It's always painful to mourn good men, but at least your father ended his life honorably." Homura said and nodded. "However that won't be the case for the current shogun. Even if every spirit in Tawakoshi put their combined effort into changing his fate, the taint he has brought upon beautiful Jeoncho and Tawakoshi as a whole will only wash away along with a stream of his dirty blood. And still I'd imagine the land itself would reject his filthy blood and eventually let it carry far out into unknown waters where it may start its cleansing deep beneath the surface for thousands of years until finally generations of wrongdoings have been dealt with." Homura said and took a deep breath as not to agitate himself too much more.

"Zukikaku-dono, your determination to support Hizashi and throw down the shogun for all the things he has done to you too are more than apparent." Homura said and smiled. "However impressed I am with this clever coy, things have already been set in motion that means the Hizashi army is well within striking distance. We are pushing the borders and few of his soldiers considers us allies thus making the need for the shogun to call for our aid moot." Homura explained and pointed at the map again. "But the Quying army and its versatilty in being able to attack both from the south and sailing along the river to Xuangdao, would add a most needed extra leg to the assault." Homura letting his finger follow the river and afterwards cross down under Yamato Castle in a line from Quying to Xuangdao.

thefantasysandbox.boards.net/thread/2808/tawakoshi-map

"Well you have us. None of the previous Hizashi clan leaders have had high thoughts about the shogun, but the time needed to be right before we could move. Genji brought a lot of soldiers back from Katashima." Homura said paused before continuing in a slightly more muted voice. "Unfortunately the gains Genji-dono made towards by pushing the borders from Kiyonai were halted by his illness. I'm just happy that he had time to influence the young lord Kojuro Hizashi in the right direction. He's quite a prodigy that boy and I don't doubt that he will carry Genji's will to its successive conclusion." Homura said with confidence and pride in his voice.

"I will lead a force inside the city that will seek to open the main gates. I hope to catch a glimpse of the glorious sight of your ships when you come." Homura said with a wry smile. There was never any doubt that he trusted Akagi's words, you didn't get a more stalwart ally than the one who shared your misery as well as vision.

"Sarisu is in our hands but is also in disarray. The will not participate, they have plenty to do rebuilding their lives after the terrible accident that razed their capital to the ground. Tokhung has seen great and - mostly positive - changes since the Iron Crane took over from Nubohide who we suspected to having collaborated with the shogun to make life difficult for Hizashi and Kiyonai. But she has a task making sure all his followers will join under her banner, and I don't believe she has the men to join, though first reports tells us that she is indeed friendly towards House Hizashi." Homura explained believing that sharing the truth between allies was of utmost importance.

"But the last thing we want when our forces are marching towards the capital is bandits and pirates running free. I trust you will still allocate forces to keep them properly at bay Lord Akagi? I would hate for this to mean that the good people of Tawakoshi would see their homes ransacked by opportunists." Homura said, expecting that Akagi probably had but wanting to be sure.

"Ahh... Of course you had thought it all through, Lord Akagi." Homura said with a wry smile. "We may run into the fact that the siege becomes protracted, but hopefully our combined forces will mean that we sweep the table." he said and nodded. "Also as the original plan of using the cat for assassinating unfortunately couldn't be used, I believe we have a secondary plan which we may employ to similar effect. And when the shogun dies, Xuandao and its armies will surely turn into disarray." Homura concluded self assured. Indeed there were doubts lingering still but if there wasn't it meant he hadn't considered enough options.

Homura took a deep breath and shuffled his hands a bit.
"If we succeed the power structure will change. I don't know how much Kiri have told you, but I will become the regent of Tawakoshi due to my seniority within the clans and close ties to Jeoncho and Xuandao. However the ultimate power will still lie with the one holding the highest rank within House Hizashi, and with Genji-dono very ill Kojuro-dono is the one I consult with before any big decisions are made." Homura explained. "So I hope I can count on your backing me as regent? Not that I believe there are others who will contend this and try to usurp the title of shogun but with all the daimyo behind me people will settle more quickly and we can begin setting things straight again and reestablish a normal relationship between the provinces and Jeoncho and between the daimyo and the emperor." Homura said, hoping Akagi had no issues with this. If he did, now was the time to discuss them.

"No matter what grudges and personal reason you may have for helping us, I assure you that the shogun's death will not be your only compensation. Yours and Quying's contribution will be rewarded greatly. I have a few things in mind already which I will keep a secret for now, but should you have any particular wishes within fair reason and my power I will see it done." He said giving Akagi a warm smile.

Kiri had been up to the palace to beg His Excellency’s pardon for her husband’s absence. Putting on her best airs and graces was nothing beyond what she was used to on a daily basis, and though His Excellency seemed displeased she had at least convinced him that Homura was genuinely unwell. She was relieved, yet at the same time, she felt a smouldering resentment that she had to bow and scrape to such a man at all. His grandfather had been an upstart to the position, and this Shingen had nothing of the dignity of his father, nor the valour of his grandsire. The sooner they disposed of him the better. But as she delicately stepped back through the halls of the palace she made sure to take note of those whispers behind her back that the other ladies pretended to conceal, but wanted her to hear.

Smiling a little to herself in the palanquin on the way back to the Hizashi mansion, she hurried inside to make her way to the secret room where Homura was talking to Lord Akagi of their plans. She did not wish to miss the entirety of the discussion. A maid quickly handed her a tray of refreshments, which Kiri brought herself to the small, hidden room. Kneeling outside, she cocked an ear and held her breath, to hear the last few sentences of their conversation. It seemed to be going well, and she was pleasantly warmed by Akagi’s declaration to back Homura as regent.

She slid the door open a touch. “My Lord Husband, Lord Akagi, it’s Kiri,” she announced herself, before slipping inside with the tray of tea and rice crackers. “The Shogun accepts your excuses, my lord husband,” she said, giving a small bow, a smile upon her face. “I trust your discussion has been going well?” she looked between the two men, the very picture of propriety as the hostess should be, wishing to hear their news before she gave her own.

His hand dropped to the blade at his side as the door opened, then fell to his side as he saw it was Kiri.

"Lady Kiri, an honor to see you again. Your visit to Quying sparked a chain of events that I had not foreseen. The two of you are well-matched." He stated, smiling.

"Lord Homura, I do have one thing to ask. Will your troops be able to handle the usage of magic on the part of my troops? The influence of foreigners and the arrival of the Wave Warriors has prompted a new understanding of these forces."

Homura drank his tea as he listened to Kiri's words about what had been said in the court.
"Well, then it seems like they ate the bait raw. I must give it to the young lord Hizashi that this was a great idea!" Homura said and laughed, feeling a bit more relaxed now, knowing that they weren't being scrutinized for the reasons he first thought.

Homura looked sharply at Kiri.
"Remember though, that we are liberating the nation, not purging it. However I think there would surely be those, that we could find more... 'suitable' positions for." Homura said with a wry smile. Whatever 'suitable' positions they were however, he would let Kiri have fun figuring out.

"This is more than just polite talk, lord Akagi. I thank you for the words!" Homura said and nodded in his direction before catching Kiri's glance. "I agree. Whoever made this union a possibility surely have my gratitude." Homura said and returned Kiri's affectionate smile. "Kiri is vigilantly keeping me true to my heart in the path I walk." Homura told Akagi with a grin. "Very vigilantly actually!" he laughed.

It was common that Kiri in her eager would answer questions directed at her husband before he got the chance to reply, but Homura was equally taken aback every time though he couldn't help but smile.
"Well... The shogun surely have been conservative about the usage of magic. In one way it represents a chance to get the definite upper hand against his troops, but on the other hand winning with our swords, spears and bows will prove to even the most brain washed of his supporters, that it is not witchcraft that gives us legitimacy to claim the throne." Homura said and mused. "The tools used in war could be the very same tools a rebellion against us was build by - and in this case the fear of magic his supporters could place in the hearts of the people. But I know for a fact that lord Kojuro has the backing of a yin-yang master and shaman of legendary magic ability. However the way he will utilize him I don't know yet." Homura explained.

"There will be key places where magic could be used, and especially the more subtler magic as you say, Kiri dear. To incapacitate the shogun's ships, to stall his elite ninja forces and perhaps even to break open the main gate. That's where I see magic being used the smartest. Not to leave scorched or frozen bodies everywhere in the city." Homura said and crossed his arms. "Can you accept that, lord Akagi?"