Re: Takeda - A Shogun 2 AAR (Chapter XLVI uploaded - Jun 19)
XLVII: A father’s love
1562 – Autumn
Takanaga woke to the sight of wooden beams above his bed. The events of the past two weeks or so had gone by in a dizzying flash, and he, once of the Takeda, was now commander of the Kiso cavalry. The thought of commanding men of his own excited Takanaga. It had been his dream since childhood after all – but the concept of facing the Takeda remained a daunting proposition. Preparation of the Kiso army had gone adequately, and its numbers had swelled considerably in a relatively short time. The Kiso would inevitably be outnumbered by the Takeda forces should the latter commit their true might, but Takanaga felt sure that superior tactics and raw bravery would win the day for the Kiso. He had proposed an expedition into the Takeda heartlands in the areas around Matsumoto castle, but Kiso Yoshiyasu had rejected the plan, citing the danger of leaving Iida castle unprotected. Disappointment at Yoshiyasu’s decision was inevitable, but he could do little more than nod in acceptance. After all most men had more to lose than he did, Takanaga reasoned ruefully.
He had thought of home all but once, feeling an urge to write home to his father, but Akiko had insisted against it. It would be a show of disloyalty towards his new master, she had said. For her part Akiko had been everything he dared wish of her – and plenty that he hadn’t. As mistress to the Kiso daimyo her daily schedule was typically well filled, but what free time she did had was typically spent with him. The pair would steal touches and kisses out of sight, a fact that delighted Takanaga but equally frustrated him. Still coming to terms with the fact that a simple friend childhood had turned into the sensual goddess him now knew, Takanaga was bewildered by her apparent reluctance to talk about how she had come be part of the Kiso house. He dared not push excessively though, deciding that whatever reason she had for her reluctance was to be respected. He’d spent his entire life training as a man of the sword, and never knew much female affection, but he was determined not to drive away his newfound sweetheart with meaningless questions.
Turning over to face the window Takanaga could see the pale rays of morning light as they cast soft silhouettes against the walls. He would rise quickly and head down to the stables, he decided. The south of Shinano was a natural breeding ground for a rare kind of horse that was especially well acquainted to cavalry warfare, and the local merchants had promised a new stock of them.
“Takanaga-kun!”
He bounced up instantly at Akiko’s sing-song voice, only to scrambling to cover himself after realising he was barely dressed. The girl was dressed in a fiery red kimono that flourished over her generous figure, and a veil of light powder made her mesmerising features all the more alluring. As she pulled him towards her Takanaga took in her scent greedily. The stables can wait, he decided…
* * *
“Takanaga-sama! Come urgently! All is not well!”
Takanaga woke from a deep slumber to find himself lying face down on his bed. Akiko was gone, leaving only her flowery scent in the sheets that lay in small piles around him. As he reached for the nearest garment of his one of the castle guards charged into his quarters indignantly, ignoring all convention or courtesy as he delivered the news. Seeing the anger on Takanaga’s face the guard apologised hurriedly before delivering his message.
“The Takeda are upon us! Their banners were spotted by our watchmen and will reach the castle by midday! Yoshiyasu-sama has already raised the alarm, and the army is congregating. You presence is required in the courtyard, Takanaga-sama!”
Takanaga found himself waking sharply, all of his senses coming to him in an instant. Dressing hurriedly he followed the messenger through the winding staircases of the castle tenshu. The army were already massed in the castle courtyard, and had been brought to attention by their daimyo. As he took his place next to Yoshiyasu, Takanaga peered over the castle walls, hoping to catch a glimpse of the enemy at hand. As he counted the number of Takeda tents and banners that now stood amid the sparse forest beneath the castle, Takanaga found his throat dry as bone as he swallowed. Judging by what lay before him the Takeda army was at least fifteen hundred men – perhaps more. Standing tallest amongst all the banners was one that shook Takanaga above all. He could barely make out the gold characters on the black banner, but there was little question what they were. He had first seen it as a toddler, and it had accompanied him throughout the early campaigns.
“Swift as the wind, orderly as the forest, furious as fire, still as a mountain.”
Shingen!
Finding his heartbeat considerably faster than ordinary, Takanaga chastised himself for his lack of composure. Takeda Shingen had acquired near-legendary status as the conqueror of much land and many old clans, but truth in his eyes was that the clans vanquished by the Takeda – the Hojo, the Imagawa, the Hatano, among others – were each in their own way at a weakened state after decades of near continuous war, meaning the Takeda were never truly tested to the extent purveyed by the stories of the day. The campaigns against the Ikko Ikki he recalled as difficult, but in truth the zeal of the Ikko soldiers was undone by the lack of true organisational talent amongst their leadership. In a siege battle there would be little role for the famed Takeda cavalry, and the tall walls would give the Kiso a decisive advantage, Takanaga hoped. Once the battle was over and the Takeda threat was lessened he would begin making plans for marching towards Matsumoto. The lands there were rich and would serve his new clan well. Perhaps he would even venture towards Kai once that was over, he mused quietly.
It was noon by the time the Takeda had finished lining up their men, choosing to arrange most of the infantry in a long snake-like formation that spanned the western side of the castle. As the mass of dark red drifted slowly about, Takanaga turned to look at Kiso Yoshiyasu. The older man caught his glance and nodded back solemnly, emanating a steely determination that Takanaga felt reassuring, if not inspiring. As he watched what had once been his brethren he suddenly thought of Akiko. He hadn’t seen her since their morning sojourn, and he wondered where in the tenshu she would keep herself safe as battle raged around them. Before long however the image of the girl’s luxurious figure entered his mind again, and he was forced to shake his head free of his rapidly evolving thoughts. There would be plenty of time for that later, he told himself.
* * *
Yamadera Nobuaki sat silently in his saddle as men lined up all around him. Riding as part of Shingen-sama’s retinue was a honour he scarcely deserved, but he was determine to savour this last opportunity to live the life of a warrior. Takanaga’s actions had shamed him – and worse, the Yamadera name – greatly, and as both his father and the head of his clan Nobuaki was determined that his grave oversight would be righted this day – one way or another. Feeling the gentle wind brush against his face the old samurai looked across the Takeda rank and file. The man mountain that was Baba Nobufusa stood out as ever, but he had watched others still evolve into great leaders too. Yamamoto Kansuke was one such man he thought – the tactician had evolved into a key pillar of the Takeda war machine despite his physical limitations. The clan would be in good hands after today, Nobuaki decided as he touched the end of his wazikashi lovingly - the blade had been given to him as a young man by the old daimyo Nobutora, and it had never left his side since. He would instil sense into his insolent son one way or another. The others knew nothing of what he had planned, and perhaps that was for the better…
Nobuaki caught sight of Shingen-sama raising a hand in disagreement as his horse carried his old, frail body forward, and bowed slightly in gratitude for his lord’s acquiescence. The past weeks since Takanaga’s imprisonment at Osaka had been a torturous cycle of writing letters to Osaka and pleading for clemency before Shingen-sama, followed by desperation and shame at the news of his son’s defection to the newly-hostile Kiso. Now though as the walls of Iida castle loomed ever larger before him old Nobuaki felt a calming sense of liberation come about him. He would meet Takanaga in person again after so long – they would talk and he would come home. A lifetime of servitude and excellence leading the Takeda cavalry was worth at least the boy’s life, he thought – hoped. Approaching the western gate of the castle Nobuaki’s thoughts were broken by a solitary arrow as it planted itself at the feet of his horse, causing a well of anger to sprout within the old samurai.
“Takanaga! You dare not only to bring terrible shame upon your clan, but also to open fire upon your own father? Have I taught you nothing all these years?”
Takanaga felt a pang of shock flash through him as the voice of his father echoed through the air. The last letter from his father betrayed his ill health, and the fits of coughing that punctuated his words merely served to confirm his worries. It made no sense for the old man to be here, let alone ride towards the castle in an apparently suicidal act of passion. Sprinting towards the gatehouse Takanaga yelled orders at the archers to hold fire, and climbing the steps to the gate he felt tears swell up seeing the fragile form of his father. He was even more fragile looking than Takanaga had remembered.
“My son! All of my life I have lived my life as honourably as I could, serving the Takeda to the best of my ability and with unerring loyalty. I raised you according to the laws of our clan – to be a honourable, brave man, yet you have disregarded the devotion us Yamadera have to the Takeda, and shamed me personally as your father.”
The thought of leaving the castle to be at his father’s side entered Takanaga’s mind, but his legs would not carry him, and he merely watched the old man dismount from his horse with blade in hand before continuing in a broken, desperate voice.
“Takanaga! It is not too late! You have yet a chance to reject the evil you now represent and repent before the clan you truly belong. Your home is with the Takeda, not the snakes you consort with now. Return, and all shall be forgiven…”
Takanaga remained rooted to the spot. He was one of the Takeda once, and wanted desperately to excel in their ranks, but that was the past now. He had sworn himself to the Kiso, and they were his family now. Steeling himself Takanaga decided he would uphold his vows of loyalty, remembering Akiko’s words as he did so.
You will do well with an army at your back, Takanaga-kun, I’m sure of it. It is the right thing to do. Will you do it for me?
For a minute the world seemed to stand still, with father and son both looking at each other with unflinching eyes. Then, unadulterated horror filled Takanaga’s every crevice as his father unbuckled the armour which protected his torso, allowing it to fall to the ground with a dull thud. As Nobuaki’s blade entered his abdomen sprays of crimson painted his white garments a sickening dark red, while the determination on his face had been replaced by a contorted expression of agony. The characteristic horizontal tug followed quickly, and was accompanied by thick globules of blood, bile and innards as they oozed from the old man’s rapidly expiring body. Even as he felt his strength draining from himself Nobuaki raised a hand weakly, signalling in vain to his son in the hope that his words would carry more weight upon his death than in life, and that the prodigal son would return to his rightful place. As the air drained from his lungs Nobuaki felt a great sadness wash over his being, and forced his final words with his fading breath.
“Shingen-sama, I have failed you…”
Shingen had been surprised by Nobuaki’s solo advance, but relented seeing the latter’s stubborn determination. He hoped the old patriarch would be able to speak sense into his wayward son. Anger and lament in equal parts entered him therefore as he witnessed the events unfolding before him. Capturing Iida castle was a strategic imperative that would solidify the centre of the Takeda domains, but the desire to avenge Nobuaki burned just as strongly within him. He had promised the old man not to harm his son, but allowing Takanaga to live now seemed equally unpalatable. As the Takeda daimyo gave the order for Nobufusa to lead the advance he glanced once more at the pool of blood that surrounded the corpse before him. Before long Nobuaki would be but one among many fallen on the slopes of Iida castle, but he felt sure he would avenge this particular death personally…
My comments from before were spoilers 
I'm currently thinking of ideas to put into my AAR.
well don't let it be said that I don't cater to my readers 
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+rep 
