The Road to Kyoto ~ A Shogun 2 RotS AAR (Abandoned)

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Chapter 2.9
A Clan Revived
1179

Satake Masakiyo had certainly learnt from his predecessor’s mistake, that much was for sure. As when we had fought the Amakasu, I neglected to fortify the town walls; content to organise my defensive in the town proper. The Satake took full advantage of this, using the buildings to cover their advance. Masakiyo had no doubt surmised that my army was in no shape to launch any form of counter-attack. Unlike Chikanaga, who had kept his force intact, Masakiyo had spread his lines thin; separating his army into three groups. They approached from the north, east and west in an attempt to overwhelm us. A wise decision, I admitted grudgingly.

I wasn’t sure what was going through the mind of Tadahira. He was sat atop his horse, observing the proceedings with a blank expression. We stood with our retainers at the rear of the Fujiwara formation; our soldiers arraying themselves around the tenshu in a line of battle. We were stretched to breaking point, trying to cover our flanks against the three separate bodies of Satake men. If we gave ground anywhere, our lines would break. I would need Tadahira in this battle. I only hoped he could pull himself together before the first arrows were let loose.

I didn’t have long to hope. Eager for battle, the Satake host descended upon us in quick order. My veteran swords and naginata held the right flank against a ferocious initial charge by the western Satake group. The northern detachment clashed with my levies in the centre, whilst on the far side of the battlefield the local Fukushima levy threatened to buckle on the left flank. It would have been a mirror of our battle against the Amakasu, had not Masakiyo committed the bulk of his army to the flanks. As I looked on, I already saw my brave attendants suffering casualties. They had been barely fifty men all told before the start of the battle. With the pressure the Satake was exerting on the left flank, my men would surely be overwhelmed.

Whilst the centre and the right struggled, I was forced to ignore their plight. Raising my sword, I ordered my cavalry forward. Not even forty men could answer my call. My bodyguard was a shadow of its former self. Twenty brave Fujiwara samurai – the best and most trusted warriors I could call upon – had already fallen in the battles around Aizuwakamatsu. I bemoaned their loss every night, yet now – in the midst of battle – I had to trust that those who remained would be enough to help carry the day.

We rode out from behind the tenshu as the sun made its morning arc across the sky. Light flooded my vision as I emerged from the shadow of the building, galloping atop my steed to the relief of the beleaguered left flank. The attendants had already been forced back to the tenshu perimeter and the knee-height wall that enveloped the heart of the town. Spurring my horse onward, I leapt over the wall and came crashing down in the brutal melee below.

With Tadahira at my side, I swept through the Satake ranks; my sword rising and falling rhythmically as it danced through the battle. The ferocious charge of my steed sent men flying when they found themselves directly in my path. Bodies were sent flying in every direction, where they soon came into acquaintance with the cold steel of naginatas.

Even before we had cleared the Satake’s ranks, they had already begun to retreat. Whirling my horse around, I cut down the cowards who attempted to flee past me, before turning my attention to the rest of the battle. The battle for the centre was still equal, whilst the Fukushima levies still looked to be embattled on the far side of the village. Masakiyo stood at the rear of his northern body of troops – those currently engaged with my centre. Under his watchful eye, they would never break.

Calling to my samurai once again, we left the remainder of the fleeing Satake warriors on the left to the mercy of our attendants. We raced past the gruelling fight in the centre, steering north on to a collision course with Masakiyo himself. Having committed all his reserves to the fight, he stood alone; accompanied only by his retainer bodyguard. However, unlike the cowardly Chikanaga, Masakiyo was not one to shy away from battle.

Upon seeing my approach, he ordered his cavalry to meet us head on. I let out a battle cry at the top of my lungs and I heard it echoed in the precious few men still following behind me. Masakiyo did the same, raising his sword high as we began to close the distance at a frightening pace. I aimed my sword directly at his chest as the countdown to the ensuing battle came to be measured only in heartbeats.

Cavalry met cavalry in a titanic clash. Man and horse were scattered everywhere as we joined battle far behind the main struggle for the tenshu. I clashed blades with Masakiyo, but the momentum of our respective charges sent us flying past each other. I smashed into the heart of the Satake’s mounted retainers, hacking my way through their ranks with as much finesse as such tight confines would allow. Fujiwara and Satake men fell about me as a vicious melee erupted. I fought to keep my balance atop my horse as I fought off the numerous swords of the enemy. As I sliced the neck of a Satake samurai and sent him flying from steed, I saw Masakiyo re-emerge in the fight. We locked eyes as we began to fight our way toward each other. After sending another grey-clad horseman to the snowy ground below, I clashed blades with Masakiyo once more.

The Satake daimyo was a keen swordsman and he was relentless in his swings. It was all I could do to parry his sword as it fell upon me without end. One stroke would meet my sword and then a back stroke would immediately follow. Just as I was beginning to discern the pattern of his blows, he changed his stance. He lunged forward, thrusting his sword toward my exposed torso. I tried to escape the jab, but it embedded in my side. I gasped in pain as the steel cut into my flesh. As tears welled in the corners of my eyes, I saw Masakiyo snarl in delight. However, he had overextended himself. Bringing my own sword to bear, I slashed at his neck. Blood spurted from the wound and he collapsed into the snow below; the premature sneer of victory still stretched across his face in death.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Merchant of Venice]

Some great pictures you have there. I especially like the one with bird flying over the battlefield. A worthy entry to the POTW if you ever decide to enter. Keep it up!

could you also possibly give us a campaign map at the end. With all your expansion it's hard to keep up and I myself don't actually own ROTS

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Some great pictures you have there. I especially like the one with bird flying over the battlefield. A worthy entry to the POTW if you ever decide to enter. Keep it up!

could you also possibly give us a campaign map at the end. With all your expansion it's hard to keep up and I myself don't actually own ROTS

Many thanks I like that one as well, was pleasantly surprised when I managed to get a nice angle on it. My complete lack of photoshop skills means that I won't be entering the PotW contest any time soon though, but thank you for the compliment

I've been updating the campaign map every time I capture a province, so the last time I included one was Chapter 2.6. Would you - and by extension anyone else - prefer a campaign map at the end of every update? I do realise it can be hard to follow and I've been toying around with the idea of different/more maps for a while now. I was also thinking I could expand the opening post a little more with some of the history of the Genpei War and the Rise of the Samurai era. I've been trying to tell the history of the times through the characters so you guys can try and piece together the puzzle from their point of view, but again I realize that I'm throwing you guys in at the deep end as it were. Any thoughts? This is exactly the kind of feedback I love by the way, so thank you for speaking up. If the story is confusing, then that's a problem I really need to sort out to make the AAR more accessible.

[Merchant of Venice]

Many thanks I like that one as well, was pleasantly surprised when I managed to get a nice angle on it. My complete lack of photoshop skills means that I won't be entering the PotW contest any time soon though, but thank you for the compliment

I've been updating the campaign map every time I capture a province, so the last time I included one was Chapter 2.6. Would you - and by extension anyone else - prefer a campaign map at the end of every update? I do realise it can be hard to follow and I've been toying around with the idea of different/more maps for a while now. I was also thinking I could expand the opening post a little more with some of the history of the Genpei War and the Rise of the Samurai era. I've been trying to tell the history of the times through the characters so you guys can try and piece together the puzzle from their point of view, but again I realize that I'm throwing you guys in at the deep end as it were. Any thoughts? This is exactly the kind of feedback I love by the way, so thank you for speaking up. If the story is confusing, then that's a problem I really need to sort out to make the AAR more accessible.

I don't think you need to add some history at the beginning because what you're doing right now is quite good. An AAR is like historical- fiction. It tells us what life was like in a different time and in the case of war- died. On the campaign map note I do think you need to do it at every chapter especially as you continue to rapidly expand. I don't usually look at them as for me it ruins the immersion but it does help sometimes especially in a game I have not played. You have a good AAR going so keep it up!

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Chapter 2.10
A Clan Revived
1180

Spring arrived in a whirlwind of fresh peach blossoms and glorious sunlight. The snows melted into the soft grass of the land and pleasant winds washed away the stench of battle. An invigorating warmth stretched across the daylight hours and I found my troubles eased with the arrival of a new year. The Amakasu and the Satake had retreated to lick their wounds and all was well within the walls of Aizuwakamatsu. As the days passed, I found myself reminded of the last spring I had witnessed, when my army and I had still been marching across the luscious meadows of Fukushima. All had been well then; before the battles of Mt. Takayama and Aizuwakamatsu, when Tadahira bounded with naive enthusiasm through the camp and when Gin spent her evenings composing poetry under blossoming trees; before the unsheathing of swords and the cries of battle. As much as I wished it could be the same now, a different mood gripped Aizuwakamatsu. Gin seemed more reserved, whilst Tadahira seemed to have had lost his former energy. My army, depleted and battle-weary, now shared the same jaded and hollow eyes.

I tried not to think about the battles. I had been afforded a brief moment’s respite and I resolved to make the most of it. My wounds transpired to be but half as serious as I had feared. My armour had saved me from the worst of the enemy’s blades and even the pointed edge of Satake Masakiyo’s katana had done no lasting damage. As I recovered from the ordeal that had been the battle for Aizuwakamatsu, I spent my time in and about the town, enjoying the spring air and raising morale amongst my soldiers. Even if Gin and Tadahira had resolved to not enjoy the dawning of the new year, there was little to stop me basking in the renewed rays of the sun.

Peace, however, could not last forever. Spring had not seen two weeks before one of my spies reached my side with urgent news. The Amakasu and Satake had struck an alliance with each other. After being bested in their individual efforts to seize Fukushima, they had come to an agreement to jointly remove my presence from the province. Now the remnants of their armies, under the direction of Masakiyo’s adopted son Uchizane, were moving to join their forces. Despite being mauled by both the harsh winter and the sons of Fujiwara, their combined force still outnumbered my own. My decision was swift and immediate. We had to sally out and defeat them before they could link up.

Both the Amakasu and the Satake were manoeuvring to Yama Forest, in the shadow of Mt. Bandai, some ri north of Aizuwakamatsu. In the cover of the foliage, they could reform and renew their assault. The Amakasu already occupied a defensive position in the shadows of the trees, whilst the Satake were beginning their march north-west from the shores of Inawashiro. They were but hours apart when I finally arrived at the edge of the forest after a week’s march.

My army, now only five hundred strong, formed up in the shadow of the trees. Deep within the darkness of the woods, the Amakasu waited. After hesitating for a moment, I ordered my infantry into the depths of the forest. We had left the local levies at Aizuwakmatsu to keep the town secured. Now my veteran attendants spearheaded what little of the Fujiwara men remained.

A bright light and a whistle of arrows. Yama Forest erupted in flames as a flurry of fire arrows descended from the hidden Amakasu ranks. A battle cry sounded in the air and battle was joined in the forest as the Amakasu infantry sprang from their concealed positions.

Calling to Tadahira and my samurai cavalry, we charged into the forest, parallel to main battle unfolding before us. I hoped to catch the Amakasu on the flank, but – even despite the bright sunlight overhead – the thick canopy and close trunks of the trees created a perpetual darkness. My battle cry was coloured with surprise as I crashed into a unit of Amakasu bowmen, who had appeared before me as if from nowhere.

With their rear threatened by my charge, the Amakasu infantry fell back to protect their archers. My men were hot on their heels, giving them but a moment to reform before they collided into them once more.

The forest was thick with smoke and flames and the battle was fierce. The Amakasu however, without their daimyo leader, soon collapsed. Our cries of victory were premature, as a call from my archers confirmed the arrival of the Satake.

We had managed to subdue the Amakasu before they could join with the Satake, but the latter were still a force to be reckoned with. Shimizu Uchizane marched at the head of a large force, approaching rapidly toward the rear of our formation. My bowmen, who had been positioned on the forest’s edge, fired into the encroaching Satake warriors. At the head of my infantry, we spilled past them, emerging from the burning treeline.

In the open plain before Yama Forest, battle was met once more between Fujiwara and Satake. The faces of these men were fresh in each other’s memories and a bitter combat erupted. Veterans and consummate survivors found their luck finally escaping them and brave men on both sides fell in the ensuing melee. With Tadahira at my side, my cavalry and I finally routed the last of the Satake after skewering Uchizane and his men upon our blades.

No sooner had we seen the Satake off than another cry erupted from the ranks of my men. The Amakasu had reformed in the forest. With the Satake demanding our attention, we had failed to properly run down their allies in pursuit.

“Let us charge once more my friends!” I cried to my men. “Let us end the Amakasu once and for all!”

Their fire arrows depleted, the enemy bowmen could do little to impede the charge of my infantry as they re-entered the forest. Veering to the side, I led my cavalry around the forest, entering in the thick foliage to the north of the Amakasu position. Approaching the remainder of the Amakasu from both sides, we finally the destroyed the last threat to our dominance over Fukushima.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Congrats on finally securing Fukushima. with the gateway to the north safely under control surely it is time to advance into the Minamoto heartlands.

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Congrats on finally securing Fukushima. with the gateway to the north safely under control surely it is time to advance into the Minamoto heartlands.

We're nearly there! Hopefully it won't always take 10+ instalments to capture a province or this is going to be a very long AAR indeed.

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

As the MAARC submission thread was looking eerily empty, I decided to enter this in an effort to inspire some others to submit. When four (or more) other undoubtedly superior AAR's are submitted, make sure you go and vote for one of them instead

In other news, the opening post just got slightly snazzier if I do say so myself. Everything is in neat little boxes and I finally finished the descriptions for the rest of the characters in the dramatis personae - albeit if they are only a line apiece each. I'll also be updating the thread title whenever I update from now on (and not because I only just figured out how to do it )

Edit: Also, I just noticed that this humble AAR has had 1,000 views! Although I'm sure at least 500 of those have been me admiring my own work, I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and comment so far - you guys are the best

[Merchant of Venice]

Another great chapter cannot wait until war with the Minamoto or Taira. You really have a great AAR going here.

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Another great chapter cannot wait until war with the Minamoto or Taira. You really have a great AAR going here.

Thank you, that's incredibly kind of you! I must admit, neither can I! I have so many ideas about where I want to plot to go and I just want to skip ahead to the good bits

[Merchant of Venice]

I know how you feel. Sometimes you just really want to skip the beginning and skip ahead to where your fighting battles every turn, assassinating characters and then becoming SHOGUN!!!

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Chapter 2.11
A Clan Revived
1180

“You’re in contact with the capital right?”

“They send a messenger bird every once in a while,” Gin replied idly, giving a non-committal shrug.

I sighed. She was being difficult again. We were sitting in the shade of a cherry blossom tree, enjoying the relative peace that had descended over Fukushima. Summer was at its peak and the sun flexed its muscles in the absence of cloud. Gin was perusing the Eiga Monogatari, whilst I was trying to achieve some peace of mind. It would have been much easier to clear my head had I been alone. I had spent over an hour scouting the rolling hills around Aizuwakamatsu for a place to meditate, but just when I had found the perfect spot – atop of small embankment crowned by a single blossoming tree – Gin had shown up out of nowhere and perched herself beside me. With her incessant giggling at any and every section of the lewd scroll, I found it impossible to concentrate and, in the end, my thoughts drifted back to war; the very subject I had been trying to forget, if only for a few hours.

After she didn’t continue, I pressed her again. “Have they sent word about the status of my army?” I asked, although I wasn’t holding out much hope. “My samurai? The monks from Mt. Shirataka? Anything?”

“We don’t really talk much about that,” Gin answered, not taking her eyes off of her scroll.

I decided to let the matter drop. I certainly wasn’t interested in whatever it was Gin did talk about with my mother and the other court ladies at Hiraizumi. Apart from maybe one thing…

“How is Misako?” I asked as the thought struck me. “You’re in contact with her surely?”

My young wife had been studying under Gin before we had left for Fukushima, but she had been relocated to the capital after we had set out on campaign. Now she was supposedly continuing her education under my mother and her ladies in waiting. Not exactly the place I’d choose for her to go, but there were precious few other options.

At the mention of Misako’s name, Gin’s lips seemed to purse ever so slightly and the ghost of a frown crossed her painted face. “Your wife?” she replied in the same bored tone, as her features returned to normal. “I hear she’s fine. Lady Miken said that she’s becoming quite the young lady. I’m sure you’ll have a lot to look forward to when you get back.”

“You’ve been reading that scroll too much,” I half-joked, catching the implication in her words. My face fell slightly as I registered the last words she had spoken. “In all honesty, I don’t know when I’ll be going back. This is only the beginning of my journey. I can’t stop until I reach Kyoto.”

It was a sobering thought. Emerging triumphant in Sendai after my victory over the Kubota had been joyous. To bask in the happiness of my people was a thrill like no other. Now though, I would be travelling across the mighty plains of Kanto and Chubu; lands unknown to me. There would be no more triumphant parades. There would only be war.

“Well,” Gin continued, her voice brightening in an attempt to cheer me up, “at least you get me all to yourself.”

“Great,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. If she was just going to interrupt my meditations and continue to be this infuriatingly annoying, then I wasn’t particularly sure that I even wanted her around. Still, at least she was back to her old self. As the battle for Aizuwakamatsu had progressed, Gin had become more and more irritable. She had spent increasing amounts of time alone and whenever I had been unlucky enough to be caught in her company, she had chastised me for any faults in my person she could find – or make up. The night when she had burst into my chambers had been the strangest of all though. I still wasn’t certain of the meaning behind her break down that night. Stress perhaps. With the summer sun however, she had reverted back to her normal self; adopting once more than impenetrable demeanour of hers.

Tadahira too seemed to be finding himself once more. The boy still confused me, but he was fast becoming his chirpy – and annoying – self again. It was a striking difference though; the younger brother I had grown up with and the merciless killer I had seen on the battlefield. I had seen him take the lives of two dozen men during our fight for Aizuwakamatsu, yet he seemed blissfully unaware of such facts when I recounted them to him later. Gripped by the bloodlust of battle, I concluded eventually. I had been worried about how war would affect him. I wasn’t excited about this turn of events, but it wasn’t the worst that could have happened either. I would just have to keep him on a short leash, lest he end up doing something idiotic.

“We’d better go anyway,” Gin spoke eventually, snapping me out of my reverie. She was looking up at the sky, watching the sun inch toward the horizon. Was it afternoon already? How long had we been here?

“What?” I asked, perplexed. “Why?”

Gin glanced at me disapprovingly. “What do you mean 'why'?” she chided me for my forgetfulness. “We have to make an appearance at the feast.”

“The feast,” I groaned, finally remembering. One of the local nobles had invited us to a feast, in order to honour us as his new masters. All the landowners and gentry who had served under the Soma were gathering to praise us – or, in other words, heap shallow flattery upon our ears until we gave them what they wanted; land, tax breaks, titles, the fickle whims of society’s ‘elite’. Although I was in no mood to be served such platitudes, it would be discourteous not to attend a banquet held in my own honour.

“Fine,” I sighed eventually, pulling myself up from the grass. “Let’s get this over with.”

[Kaiserina Kratos]

I've been away for too long, but I wasn't expecting multiple chapters of this AAR goodness to greet me. Wow! Your conquest spree has brought you closer and closer to the Minamoto and the Taira. And oh, I love that aerial photo with the bird, there was chaos on the battlefield and yet a bird found its way there not realizing the danger of stray arrows.

Question/Suggestion, why don't you make that photo in the first post your signature? With perhaps a clickable link. To endorse.

[Merchant of Venice]

Another great chapter. I really like the dialogue Gin and Kunihara. Her character is coming along nicely

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

I've been away for too long, but I wasn't expecting multiple chapters of this AAR goodness to greet me. Wow! Your conquest spree has brought you closer and closer to the Minamoto and the Taira. And oh, I love that aerial photo with the bird, there was chaos on the battlefield and yet a bird found its way there not realizing the danger of stray arrows.

Question/Suggestion, why don't you make that photo in the first post your signature? With perhaps a clickable link. To endorse.

Don't worry It's always a delight whenever you drop by with a comment, thank you

Hmm, I'm still messing around with my signature to find something I like. I'm incredibly OCD about little things like that

Another great chapter. I really like the dialogue Gin and Kunihara. Her character is coming along nicely

Thank you It's always fun to write Gin. This instalment was actually completely unplanned. I have a feeling Gin is going to end up in a lot more random fan service scenes

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Gin is awesome. I do think she's been reading too much of the Heike Monogatari though.

Nice change of pace with the latest chapter. Keep up the good work.

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Gin is awesome. I do think she's been reading too much of the Heike Monogatari though.

Nice change of pace with the latest chapter. Keep up the good work.

Do you mean the Eiga Monogatari? If so, then not even possible

Cheers mate

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Oops. Yes that.

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Just to let everyone know, updates might be a little slow from now until June, as I have my final exams coming up next month (meaning I'm dying under the weight of revision). I do want to round off Chapter 2 this month though. There are about four more instalments left in the chapter before we can finally leave Aizuwakamatsu for good. I have the screenshots all prepared for the last battle of the chapter; I just need to edit them and make them look pretty for y'all. Then, with any luck, I can make a start on Chapter 3 next month Thank you for your patience.

[Hitai de Bodemloze]

Chapter 2.12
A Clan Revived
1180

Feasts needed no assistance from circumstance to be detestable affairs in their own right. After travelling with an army for so long, fine dining was alien to my companions and I. Food was arranged according to colour and texture, being then served on crafted wooden trays. Meat was excluded from the menu and I soon found myself with a plate of rice and vegetables in front of me. I eyed it warily, not entirely sure of whether or not I should be eating it or serving it instead to a small woodland animal.

Tadahira, Gin and I were seated at the head of a circle of noblemen and women from Aizuwakamatsu. We were being entertained in a vast dining room of our host’s mansion, beset upon all sides by incessant conversation. Our host, one Nashino Oma, seated himself beside us – in some feeble attempt to show off his prestige to the other guests – and babbled inanely in my ear.

“I must say,” he began, not even pausing to swallow his food as he talked, “I am most certainly glad that those foul Soma are gone from this place. Aizuwakamatsu is much better off with the glorious Fujiwara as its lords.”

Gin glanced over at him, appalled at his eating habits. I recoiled slightly as he unwittingly spat food into my face. “Well, quite,” I replied, attempting to edge away from the man.

“I only hope that you see off those wicked Ashikaga,” Nashino pressed on, oblivious to our discomfort. “We here could not abide being under the thumb of a scion of those upstart Minamoto.”

“How do you about our war with the Ashikaga?” Gin asked him, confused. I shared her sentiments. As far as I could tell, it wasn’t common knowledge. All the same, I couldn’t help but think that, if it were the Ashikaga being entertained in our stead, Nashino would be stating exactly the opposite.

Nashino wagged a chubby finger at Gin, leering towards her with what he probably thought was a seductive smile. “I have my ways fair lady,” he said slyly, winking as he did so. “Nothing escapes old Nashino.”

Gin merely turned her face, looking even more disgusted than before. It was Tadahira who spoke next however. “The Ashikaga are part of the Minamoto family?” he asked me. The boy seemed as oblivious to the poor mannerisms of the noblemen as indeed the noblemen were themselves. He sat next to Gin, picking at his food with a bemused look about his countenance. After I replied in the affirmative, adding that all the great families had splinter clans, he pressed on. “What about us? Surely the Fujiwara have similar relations?”

“Umm,” I cleared my throat as an uneasy pause descended over the proceedings. “Well, we did.”

“We did? Who were they?”

I scratched my chin and looked away, attempting to delay the inevitable. “Well,” I began slowly. “There was the Amakasu. And the Satake. The Soma as well, we were related to them too.”

Tadahira looked at me in horror. “They were part of the Fujiwara house?” he cried in disbelief. “We murdered our kinsmen?”

“Indeed,” I sighed. I felt no remorse for what one might dub our crimes. There was a slight hollowness in the circumstances that had brought about our battles with each other, but our actions were both necessary and justified. “They betrayed us Tadahira. Just as the Kubota betrayed us. After we were stripped of our power, they turned their backs on us, seeking to carve out their own empires. They refused to stand with us in our hour of need. They cannot now accompany us on our road to glory.”

My brother fell quiet upon hearing my words, returning to his meal with a downcast look. In a thus far rare act of intuition, Nashino recognised the pall that had enveloped our group, launching excitedly into another conversation. “Do not despair my lord Kunihira, for I have a present for you!”

“A present?” I reiterated, even more warily than before. “What kind of present?”

Nashino snapped his fingers and one of his attendants materialised at his side. After a quick word, the servant departed, only to return a minute later accompanied by an elegant woman. She was tall, with long black hair and sharp features. Her face was had a beautiful severity about it and she looked perhaps even less confortable than Gin and I. “It is my honour to present you with this shirabyoshi my lord,” Nashino spoke proudly, as he presented the newcomer to me. “This is Lady Shiro and she is now yours to do with as you please!”

Before I could react, I heard a startled sound, halfway between a laugh and a shriek. I turned my head, bemused, to see Gin nearly choke on the water she had been drinking. Confused I looked back towards Lady Shiro, who was looking increasingly distressed. “My lord Kunihira,” she addressed me, bowing as she did so; her strident voice barely containing an edge of pained anger. “It is an honour to serve you.”

Gin snorted in a very unwomanly way. “I take it you two know each other?” I asked the pair of them after an awkward silence. The two shirabyoshi were refusing to meet each other’s gazes, both staring determinedly in opposite directions.

“But of course,” Gin answered eventually. “Lady Shiro was a Kubota retainer before the war. I was surprised when we didn’t find her in Yamagata. I never knew she was hiding out here in Aizuwakamatsu though.”

“Circumstances demanded my presence in Fukushima,” Shiro spoke uneasily. “I of course longed to return to the Fujiwara fold, but the political situation made such an endeavour difficult.”

Gin suppressed another laugh and I felt myself becoming increasingly removed from whatever private history the two women had between them. Aware that no answers were going to be forthcoming that night, I bid Shiro leave. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance my lady,” I dismissed her politely. “Hopefully we can become better acquainted soon.”

With a nod, Shiro stalked away to re-join the feast. Before I could return to my own paltry meal, of which I had yet to even touch, Nashino’s attendant had returned to take Shiro’s place beside us, whispering once more in the nobleman’s ear. A perplexed look about his features, Nashino turned to me once more. “My lord Kunihira,” he addressed me again. “It appears a carriage has arrived here from Hiraizumi. You have a guest.”