DemetrioMachete
Messiah of the New Night
Suigini, Fukuya. 3:17 PM
Daylight was steadfast and strong, the sounds of birds chirping amidst the untamed wildlife of the Fukuyan islands filling many open ears. Even from within the heart of the island, if one listened closely enough, one could still hear the ocean beating upon the white, sandy beaches.Upon an isolated path of green forestry, marked only by the footprints of equine, by his lonesome a man on a horse did walk. The horse was a solid black color, its mane coarse and unkempt, it's body a writhing, wriggling mass of muscle, twitching ever so often as flies attempted to bite at it. A primitive leather saddle was fastened to the horse's back, and upon it sat its rider; garbed in a visored helm, encasing his face in shadow, red and gold armor with many decorations adorning the chest and shoulders clinking gently as the horse trotted, leather gloves and unarmored leggings. Upon the rider's back was a long, slender black pole ending in a wide, curved blade, as well as a bow nearly as tall as he was, and the quiver which certainly fed such an unwieldy beast of archery. This visage was one of the regal Samurai who dutifully served the hierarchy of Fukuya, a picture-perfect specimen of honor, respect, and courage. Only one piece of this Samurai's attire would set him apart, though, and that was the presence of the wide, round iron shield fixated upon his arm. All across Fukuya, shields were emblems of cowardice and fear, and for a Samurai to carry one was sure to spread rumors with the intent to sully his reputation. Though this man seemed not to care what others thought of his shield; for today, he had important business.
The path he took ended as he reached the top of a certain hill. Here, he dismounted his horse, and pat it on the nose, allowing it peace to feed as he moved away from it. He cautiously looked to his left, to his right, then back behind him where his horse was feeding. After he was sure no one had followed him, he began to waddle awkwardly past several trees, vines and bushes. When he finally got through, he sighed with relief. Home sweet home, he thought. His eyes were greeted by the sight of cherry blossom trees, bright green grass, rectangular pools populated with fish, and the presence of several temples, all guarded by his fellow samurai. Nodding to himself, he walked down toward this hidden haven, Suigini, it was called, and approached the largest of the temples. As he walked, he was briefly joined by another. It was a man shorter than this Samurai, dressed in the propagandic image of the Shinobi, but far too refined to actually be considered one. This was the Samurai's companion, or rather, his slave trained in the ways of the Shinobi; yet another reason many others looked upon this particular man with nothing but disapproval. They quietly exchanged words, before the masked servant nodded, and began to walk out of the hidden town, taking the same path his master did.
Before he could enter the temple,
he was halted by two similarly dressed men with swords. They looked him up and down, before one of the swordsmen addressed the newcomer.
"Hiroshi... hmph. State your business." He spoke with utter contempt and disgust. This "Hiroshi", spoke back, his voice calm, almost condescendingly so.
"I must have audience with the Empress. It is a matter of... importance."
The swordsman shuddered, utterly filled with hate at the sight of this disgraceful Samurai. Why would the Empress not have him exiled as a ronin? It baffled him. Nonetheless, he and his comrade stepped aside, allowing Hiroshi access. He stepped inside without a word, making his way through several halls, making no eye contact with any of the guards, until he came across one of the widest of doors. It was reinforced with thick wood, though there was a panel covered only by paper. It was here that Samurai and Shogun could communicate with the Empress, were she there. Even though it was permissable, many Samurai still considered it disrespectful to look upon the Empress.
"Most esteemed ruler," Hiroshi spoke, as he kneeled before the panel of paper, close to the bottom of the door. "I request an audience with your magnificent, august presence. It would seem as though men from the north and the south have sailed to our islands, attempting to settle there. Our men have banished them with no blood spilt. They claimed to be from lands alien to our own... a strange occurence, I must admit. What are your wishes, in light of these events?" Patiently, the Samurai remained kneeling, hoping to hear the wise words of his dear Empress. It wouldn't be the first time he had spoken to an empty wall, if she wasn't even there...
. . .
Sea route between Kuretsu archipelago and Loltha. 3:14 PM
Yet another day on the sea. Farim did not enjoy these prolonged journeys, always preferring to remain in the comfort of the Capitol. Though when he heard that his settlers had encountered an entirely new nation, which had peacefully sent them home? The old man absolutely had to go and see this new place for himself. The rather large ship he, the Sutavo of Skalesh, took quarter on contained not only him, but a crew capable of manning the ship, as well as a handful of his best soldiers, as well as a few mercenaries he found for reasonable prices. He took them with him not in an act of war, but his own paranoia of being attacked. Hopefully it would never come to that, he thought. Farim Hakae-Omba was a man of peace!Sea route between Kuretsu archipelago and Loltha. 3:14 PM
Down below the deck, Farim vanished off to, deciding he wished to feed the livestock he had brought with him. They brought with them camels to ride, turtle and chicken to kill and cook, as well as a few of their native cats, hoping to use them as gifts of peace. Farim began with the camels, offering them handfuls of grain. Soft, yet hearty chuckles left his throat as the camels he fed leaned down and flapped their gums about, chewing up the food they had been brought. Before he could move on, though, one of his soldiers entered below deck, bearing news.
"Great Sutavo, I have just received word from the crow's nest that we should touch down on the nearest island in at least an hour. Might want to get your things ready, sir." He spoke, respect and authority pouring from his voice. To this, the old leader of Skalesh replied, his old, gentle voice raising just loudly enough to be heard over the sounds of chickens bwaking, cats meowing, and the occasional camel grunt.
"Oh, we are in no hurry, have you ever counted an hour out on your hands? It takes quite a long time. That aside, I do not want to rush my first visit with these natives. Dear me, I may make a bad first impression! Eufice is already stubborn with trade, we need someone more reliable."
What would the population of this ship do, with their hour to spare?