Rob Hobart

Campaign Fiction: Scenes from the Empire, Spring 1503

And here we are. In order to fully depict all the consequences of the Cherry Blossom Festival, I had to write a huge eight-part fiction that depicted each of the Great Clans' reactions. (I did not start out to write them in alphabetical order, but I did the Crab and Crane first and then it made sense to follow the pattern the rest of the way through.)

In addition to showing the outcome of the Interactive, this fiction was also intended to serve as a massive piece of foreshadowing for the events of the coming year. There are clear hints of the impending climax of the Three Old Men plotline, for instance.

An entertaining side-note: Although the Scorpion were quite successful in their goal of provoking war between other clans, they flubbed their secondary goal of getting themselves into a minor war with someone (in order to avoid making it obvious that they were maneuvering everyone else into fighting each other). The depiction here of Shosuro Hido's frustration with this outcome led to some Scorpion players who had not attended WiR complaining about how the fiction made their clan look bad. To which I could only think: "Well, maybe you should have attended the event and helped your clan do better?"

One other fun note: this fiction makes reference to various PCs trying desperately to push an investigation in the events at Jukami Mura (from the module Assigning Blame). Apparently, some of the players just could not accept that the villains would get away with their frame-up of the Crab, and believed that if they pushed hard enough at Interactives for an "investigation," it would somehow result in Gintaku's scheme being exposed. As the Lion section of this fiction shows, their hopes were in vain.

********************************************* In a stone chamber deep within Kyuden Hida, the man called “the Beast” pours a cup full of sake with a slightly unsteady hand. He glowers at the portly Yasuki seated across from him. “What news, Yasuki-kun?”

The Crab courtier swallows and grips the edge of the table to still his trembling. “As you expected, great lord, the Crane are intransigent, and continue to insist on their lies about Jukami Mura.”

Hida Gojiro’s face darkens. “Lies! Filthy Crane lies!”

“Yes, great lord, the Crane are indeed notorious liars,” the Yasuki hurriedly replies. “Our Lion allies see through them clearly, and they are pledged to support us against the Crane. Even better, the Mantis have also agreed to support us, making our victory all but assured.”

“The Mantis! Hah! I knew their bloodline could not endure submission to those filthy Scorpions for ever!” Gojiro slams back his sake and refills the cup. “What of the Scorpion, Yasuki-kun? Do they remain defiant? Perhaps we might crush them and the Crane in the same season.”

“The Scorpion have been most modest and retiring, great lord, offering no provocation. And the Hare have pledged to abandon all further efforts at creating a shugenja school. Accordingly, we have withdrawn from the ruins of Shiro Usagi.”

Gojiro shrugs dismissively. “So long as the Hare were suitably humble.”

“They were, great lord.” The Yasuki thinks for a moment, considering whether to mention the Minor Clan Alliance, and decides against it. “The only really troubling matter is the Unicorn, Gojiro-sama. We have heard rumors they may join the Crane side of the war.”

Gojiro laughs. “Impossible! The Unicorn would not attack us – how can they even reach us? At worst they might fight the Lion, who can handle them easily enough.” He tosses back another drink. “Come, drink, Yasuki-kun! Victory awaits us this year!”

***********************************************

In the gardens of Kyuden Doji, a small shrine looks out over the city below and the blue waters of the Umi Amaterasu beyond. Doji Akane, regent of the Crane Clan, spins and whirls on the tiled courtyard outside the shrine, fan dipping and weaving as she recreates the dance that won the heart of Doji Sarutomo and made her his wife.

She finishes to a round of polite applause from the men and women seated nearby. Akane smiles, tucks her fan away, and seats herself gracefully, accepting a cup of tea from a waiting servant. “Thank you, samas. Now that we are in harmony, perhaps we might discuss the results of your recent visit to the Imperial Capital? I understand the cherry blossoms were quite lovely this spring.”

“They were, my lady,” the senior courtier replies. “I am pleased to report that the alliance holds. The Dragon were most pleased with the gifts and favors we offered, and the Unicorn likewise. Both have pledged to aid us in the war against the Crab.”

Akane sips her tea with a pleased smile. “That is most excellent news, Doji-san.” She sets the cup aside and her expression dims somewhat. “But I note you said they would support us against the Crab, not the Lion. What does that mean? Are not the Lion going to attack our northern border, in keeping with their alliance to the Crab?”

“It seems most likely they are, my lady. The Unicorn and Dragon have pledged to send troops south through the Scorpion lands, to attack the Crab in the flank. The Scorpion have agreed to allow them passage. Once our combined armies have defeated the Crab, the Lion will have no choice but to make peace, lest they confront all of the alliance at once.”

“Good news indeed,” Akane nods, accepting a refill of her tea. She inhales the fragrant aroma of the brew for a moment, eyes closed, before resuming the conversation. “What of the Phoenix, however? Do they still remain wedded to the Lion?”

“My lady, they do. However, we have assured ourselves that this alliance is solely defensive, and will only trigger if one of our allies attacks the Lion directly. We believe we have convinced the Dragon not to do this, but rather await Lion aggression. Further, we have agreed to arrange for the last of Miya’s Blessing to go to the Phoenix, and to hold a series of joint tournaments in Phoenix lands, celebrating dueling in both its normal and magical forms. The Phoenix are also offering their further assistance in the construction of the new Shrine of Inari. Under the circumstances, this is perhaps the best that can be hoped for.”

Akane sighs. “Perhaps so. A pity. It pains me to see the Phoenix still so loyal to the warlike Lion.” She sets down her teacup and watches the seabirds circling off the side of the cliff, calling to each other in shrill voices. “What of the Mantis? You have said nothing of them.”

There is an uncomfortable pause. Finally a new man clears his throat. “It seems the Mantis have chosen to support the Crab, my lady.” Yasuki Fou-Lu speaks smoothly, without hesitation. “The matter is most peculiar, however, for we have heard rumors they have also pledged their support to the Dragon.”

“Pirates,” snorts another courtier. “What can one expect? They back both sides and hope to be friends with whoever wins.”

“Perhaps.” Fou-Lu fingers his chin, eyes turned inward. “Yoritomo Rinsei is no fool. I would prefer to know more of what he was planning.”

Akane hugs her elbows briefly, although the spring weather is warm. “Have we done anything to counter the Mantis?”

“My lady, we have,” Fou-Lu smiles. “As you know, the Minor Clans have been seeking to recreate their old Alliance from the time of the Four Winds. We have agreed to support this Alliance, and in return, we will be a part of the trading network they are establishing, building on the already existing networks of the Tortoise Clan. This will provide us with an effective counter to whatever commercial and mercantile campaigns the Mantis may attempt against us.”

Akane allows herself to relax slightly. “Just so. Excellent work as always, Fou-Lu. I feel confident our Clan will prevail with these arrangements.” She glances up at the position of the Sun. “It is time for my meeting with Lord Hagurashi-san. Does anyone have further advice before we depart?”

There is a moment of silence. Daidoji Kowaru, silent until now, sets a piece of origami on the table beside him and watches as it crawls away, waving paper claws. “My lady. I am not trained as a warrior, but since my ascension to rule of the Daidoji family, I have endeavored to learn all I can about the ways of war, so that my family might better serve the Crane. And I have grave concerns about this arrangement with the Dragon and Unicorn.”

One who looked closely at Doji Akane’s face might see it pale, very slightly. But her voice is as light and smooth as ever. “What concerns, Daidoji Kowaru-san? Please, share your insight.” “Simply this, my lady. This plan requires the cooperation of four different Clans – two of whom hate each other – and a march of over 300 miles. In the history of Rokugan’s wars, plans of this sort, complex alliances, long marches through hostile lands, have always failed.” He smiles thinly. “But of course, there is always a first time.”

*****************************************************

Mirumoto Daikabe strides out of the gates of Kyuden Tonbo, his gait broad and swaggering. The soldiers waiting in the courtyard snap to attention, the points of their spears glinting in the morning sunlight.

Daikabe grins at them, and his voice thunders across the field, loud as a war-trumpet. “Samurai! The time has come for long-delayed vengeance! Too long we have endured the bitter shame of the War of Bleeding Flowers, which razed this very castle to the ground! Now the Lion will know the same taste of ashen defeat! UTZ!”

“BANZAI!” the soldiers roar three times in one voice.

The courtier scurrying along behind Daikabe speaks breathlessly. “My lord? Are we to attack, then? I thought the agreement with the Crane and Unicorn…”

Daikabe shrugs and gestures expansively. “It will be very pleasant indeed if the Unicorn and the Scorpion both fulfill their pledges, and the Lion attack us instead of awaiting the hammer-blow of our wrath. But as I said at the Cherry Blossom Festival, complex plans can easily fail.”

The Kitsuki diplomat looks confused. “Then why agree to it at all, great lord?”

“Why not? Perhaps it will succeed. If it does, we get victory and glory. And if not, it costs us nothing – we simply attack the Lion as originally planned.” He strokes his short beard in a gesture of exaggerated contemplation. “Personally, I give it… one chance in three, perhaps. We’ll know within the month, one way or another.”

“But great lord… if we attack the Lion, the Phoenix will support them! Would it not be better…”

Daikabe laughs, a sound like thunder. “The Phoenix? They will send only a few token gestures to Lion lands, because they fear – Ha! Ha! – they fear an attack on their own lands! Why would we ever do that? The Lion are our enemies, it is they who we will attack. And with the Mantis supporting us, we need not fear running out of food before our victory is assured.”

“Even so, my lord,” the Kitsuki says cautiously, “can we not at least wait to see if the Crane Clan’s plan succeeds? If the Lion attack us first, the Phoenix need not enter into the calculation at all.”

“I said I would give it a month, did I not? Cease your worrying, Kitsuki-san. One way or another, this year will see the greatest victory in the annals of the Dragon.”

**********************************************

On the fields outside Shiro Sano ken Hayai, the lord of the Akodo watches an army assemble, marching with precision unmatched by any other Clan. The two men with him – one young, dressed in the robes of a courtier, the other older and in bushi’s armor – wait quietly for Akodo Gintaku to speak.

When he does, it is with no more emotion than he might discuss the weather. “War comes at last. And the Phoenix remain loyal.”

The young Ikoma bows. “As you say, my lord. I have already notified young Soto-san that he must travel to Phoenix lands to meet his bride.”

“A good place for him,” Gintaku says in the tone of a man discussing a disappointing horse. “What of these rumors I hear about the Mantis, trying to play both sides of the wall?”

The Ikoma bows again, more carefully. “My lord, I fear it is so. We already have reports of Mantis supply ships coming up the Drowned Merchant River to Dragon lands, even as other ships unload Mantis troops in Crab lands.”

Gintaku watches his marching troops with narrowed eyes. “Rinsei is a fool… or he is playing a deeper game than we thought.” He shakes his head briefly and turns to the elder of the two Lion standing behind him. “Mako-kun. What of the Unicorn?”

“Our intelligence says the Crane have concocted a plan to send them south, with the cooperation of the Scorpion, to attack the Crab. Also, there was… an incident… at the Cherry Blossom Festival. Something involving the slaughter of several Unicorn horses. The blame was apparently placed on a Lion trained by the Phoenix – or perhaps a Phoenix trained by the Lion, I am unsure of the details. Regardless, he was executed.”

Gintaku actually smiles, very briefly, though the expression does not show any human warmth. “A transparent ploy.”

“Indeed, my lord. The Unicorn were quite angry, however.”

“They are fools. Their Khan is not. I do not think this will end in the way its planners expected.” Gintaku turns back to looking at his armies, dismissing the matter. “Nor do I think the Khan will trust the Scorpion enough to send his own armies through their lands, solely to attack the Crane.”

“If not, then what? Will he attack us, as his allies would otherwise demand?”

“Perhaps. The Khan is not an easy man to read.” Gintaku plucks a scroll from his obi and unrolls it, regarding the sketch-map on it thoughtfully. “The Dragon will attack, sooner or later, for we will not offer them the excuse of aggression. And when they attack we will crush them.”

The Ikoma daimyo clears his throat, slightly nervously. “What if the Khan and the Dragon do send their troops south, to assault our Crab allies? Lord Nimuro-sama has expressed concerns as to whether we can fight three Clans at once.”

“We need not concern ourselves with Nimuro-sama. I have arranged for the Lion’s Pride to hunt out the remnant bandits from last year’s peasant revolt. That should keep him busy for the next couple of months at least.” Gintaku regards the sketch-map. “If the Unicorn and Dragon prove themselves fools, we will show them the price of foolishness. The longer a supply line, the easier it is to break.” His free hand caresses the hilt of the ancient wakizashi in his belt. “I do not think the Khan will hand us the Empire on a platter – but I will not turn down the offer if it is made.” He nods to the young Ikoma daimyo. “You are dismissed, Toroku-san. I will call you again when you are needed.”

A few minutes pass in silence, while the two middle-aged Lions watch their soldiers. Finally Akodo Mako speaks. “There is one other matter, anniki.”

Gintaku rolls up the scroll carefully and tucks it away. “And that is?”

“Certain… agents… of the Imperial Herald are snooping into the events at Jukami Mura. Suggesting that perhaps it was not the Crab who attacked the town.”

Gintaku’s voice remains unchanged. “They cannot find any evidence, of course.”

“Of course, anniki. We were most thorough. But they will doubtless continue to dig into the matter.”

“Then perhaps they should find something useful. To us.”

******************************************

Yoritomo Rinsei, lord of the Mantis, sits on a large boulder, eating a rice-ball while the ocean winds stir his hair and ripple the loose silk kimono on his shoulders. Below the cliff where he perches, the bay of Kyuden Gotei fills with sails as the warships of the Mantis Clan assemble.

A scuff of sandals on stone makes him turn his head, and he grins at the two figures making their way up to his perch. “Ogawa-sensei! A good morning to you, and to your young student.” “And to you, Rinsei-sama,” Yoritomo Ogawa answers. His face is lined, his bald head fringed with gray-white hairs, but he walks without a stoop, and ropy muscle lines his thin arms. The teenage boy next to him bows respectfully to the Mantis Clan Champion, but says nothing, watching with bright, attentive eyes.

As the two seat themselves on the boulder, Rinsei takes a thoughtful bite from his rice-ball. “I have read the reports. Most interesting. Is this truly the best course?”

Ogawa clears his throat and hawks a gobbet of spit off the cliff. “Strategically, it is vital that the Empire see the futility of internal conflict, and that will only happen when the Clans fight themselves into bloody ruin. Our support costs us little, while ensuring this result.”

“You are the wisest of us, sensei,” Rinsei nods. He looks at the boy, his gaze searching. “You look well, Hizatoru-sama. Your new bride-to-be suits you?”

Toturi Hizatoru gulps and nods, flushing. “Your daughter is a… a noble and honorable lady, Rinsei-sama.” He looks out at the assembling fleet. “Rinsei-sama, may I ask..?” At the Mantis Champion’s gesture, he draws a deep breath and continues.

“How long will it be? Until we are ready?”

It is Ogawa who answers. “Not long at all, Hizatoru-kun. The Empire is like a vast bubble of swamp gas, growing ever larger. Only a small nudge is needed to burst it. I have no doubt you will be in your proper place, hosting Winter Court, by the end of the year.”

Rinsei smiles broadly. “With the assistance of our friends, of course.” He chews on his rice meditatively. “Ogawa-sensei, while I trust your plans implicitly, I do not trust the Scorpion.” “Nor should you, Lord of Storms. But once our plan comes to fruition, the assistance of the Scorpion will no longer be necessary. And with the power of the Imperial Throne, they can be brought to heel easily enough.”

“Good, good.” Rinsei stands and brushes dirt and stray rice grains off his hakama. ‘Time to make a speech, then, before our men depart for Crab lands. And you, Ogawa…”

“Will be leaving shortly, to make final arrangements with our friends.” Ogawa bows to the boy next to him. “And when we next meet, Hizatoru-kun, it will be when you are seated on the Sapphire Throne.”

********************************************

Shiba Ninto prostrates himself before the Elemental Masters. “My lords, my lady. I bring word from the Imperial capital.”

Isawa Hitomi smiles and gestures for him to rise. “You are welcome in our council chamber, as always, Ninto-sama. What word do you bring us?”

“In accordance with your wishes, great Masters, we have maintained our alliance with the Lion on a purely defensive basis. They do not expect us to make any significant contribution if they are attacked by the Dragon, nor do they require us to support their offensive actions elsewhere.”

“That is good,” Hitomi nods, her graying hair soft in the candlelight. “I hope the Dragon do not strike at us directly.”

“We can only hope,” Ninto agrees. “Their lord Daikabe was clearly upset at our position, even when we proposed a treaty of mutual friendship and respect.”

Hitomi turns to the other Masters. “The greatest concern to us now, however, is not the Dragon, but rather these rumors of a slaughter visited on the horses of their ally, the Unicorn.”

Asako Heishi nods, leaning forward sharply in his seat on the far side of the Council’s round table. “I have been told there was suspicion of maho involved. Is this true?”

“It is true there were indeed suspicions, Asako-sama, although a careful investigation by one of your Jade Magistrates found no direct evidence of Taint. However, the slaughter certainly fit the patterns of an attempted maho sacrifice. The crime was traced to a Lion who had supposedly trained in the Phoenix school, a man who claimed bitter hatred of the Unicorn Clan. After he confessed, the Unicorn punished him in a manner traditional to their Clan.”

A delicate shudder passes through the four Masters around the table. It is the youngest of them, Isawa Moroto, who speaks next. “You say, ‘supposedly.’ Do you suggest this was a lie, a slander directed at our Clan or our Lion allies?”

Ninto bows slightly, acknowledging Moroto’s perceptivity. “The man in question has indeed visited Phoenix lands and we have found his name on the records of a dojo. The Lion have confirmed that this man lived among them. It may be he was exactly what he claimed to be. Yet…” he sighs and lifts his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. “I cannot imagine such a man going undetected in our Clan’s school after our recent efforts to root out all who might engage in blasphemy of any kind.”

Asako Heishi scowls. “The Bloodspeakers are known for their cunning.”

“Indeed they are, Asako-sama. Regardless, there is no question this incident has damaged our relations with the Unicorn. If we are to remain a force for peace, we must find a way to rectify this.”

“Of course, we have no desire for hostility with any Clan, least of all the Unicorn,” Isawa Hitomi says calmly. “I am sure a suitable gesture will settle things, especially as we can assure them of our continuing diligence in rooting out such criminals from our ranks. As for the coming year… I am still concerned, Ninto-sama, with these tales of a Dragon attack on the Lion. If the Dragon strike at our own lands as well, after the suffering of the last two years, we could pay a heavy price.”

“It is for that very reason our diplomats persuaded the Lion to expect only token help from us,” Ninto replies. “Even better, we were able to secure the remaining portion of Miya’s Blessing for our Clan. We have agreed to share a modest portion of it with the new Minor Clan Alliance, but the remainder shall be ours, and will go far toward alleviating the suffering of our people.”

“This is most excellent,” Hitomi agrees, smiling warmly.

Agasha Hiroshi, the Master of Fire, taps the scroll before him. “Indeed, the Minor Clan Alliance cannot help but be a force for peace in Rokugan, preventing further bullying by aggressive Great Clans. I see from this letter that the Badger Clan have also mended their relations with the Dragon, a much-needed remedy.”

“That is indeed true. Though it would be pleasant to take credit for that, in truth it was the Minor Clans themselves who undertook that decision. Further, the Badger representatives showed great forbearance in resisting provocations from certain Great Clan samurai at the Cherry Blossom Festival.”

“Admirable indeed. Is there anything else of note, Ninto-sama? We are already aware of the wondrous tournaments which you have arranged with the Crane, ensuring our good relations with the Clan of Doji.”

Shiba Ninto considers for a moment, his eyes turned inward, as though listening to words from another source. “Simply this, samas. I cannot help but feel there is a pattern to recent events. For such a great war to erupt so quickly and violently after a long peace – it cannot be merely accident or fate. Forces are at work, manipulating events in the Empire. It has happened before.”

Asako Heishi growls, “The Bloodspeakers have been defeated before, as they will be again.”

“Humbly, great Master of Air, I do not think it is the Bloodspeakers at work. But who it is, I do not know.”

********************************************

In a dark chamber, far underground, Shosuro Adoka prostrates himself before a bloated, wheezing figure. “Lord Hido-sama. I await your judgment.”

The Spider’s voice is a wet rasp, punctuated by deep breaths. “You were supposed… to find someone… to fight.”

“Indeed we were, my lord. I must apologize for my failure. Should you require seppuku, I shall perform the ritual at once.”

“Do not be… a fool.” The Shosuro family daimyo lifts a handful of reports from a table next to him. “What was… the problem? Surely one of these… two bloodthirsty Clans… would have jumped at the chance.”

“Regrettably, the Hare proved quite willing to abase themselves before the Crab for the sake of getting back their castle ruins. Without any further provocation from them, the Crab seemed uninterested in resuming hostilities with us. Clearly, the Beast’s entire attention is now focused on the Crane.” Adoka hesitates a moment, then adds, “As for the Lion, they seemed quite uninterested in fighting anyone but the Crane and Dragon.”

Hido is silent a moment, save for his tortured breathing. When he speaks again, there is a snarl in his words. “And this… agreement… with the Unicorn?”

“The best we could produce, Hido-sama. The Unicorn were reluctant to fight the Lion directly, all they would offer the Dragon was a pledge of support if the Lion invaded Dragon lands. The Crane seemed confident the Lion would attack, but…”

“Gintaku is… no fool,” Hido finishes. “But to invite the Unicorn… to send their main force… through our lands?”

“Surely it is no danger to us. We could cut their supply lines at any time.”

“Exactly!” Hido snaps, his voice a hoarse roar. His swollen, tortured body rises up from the cushions that cradle it. “And the Khan will see that… as well as we do! Even if that idiot Daikabe… does not.”

Adoka swallows, his hands trembling as he prostrates himself again. “I am sorry, Hido-sama. I did try to distract the Unicorn, however. Their horses were slaughtered, and we used one of our Butei to pin the crime on the Lion and Phoenix.”

“Better… than nothing, I suppose,” Hido mutters, subsiding into his cushions. “We will have to hope… the Unicorn listen to their anger. Time… grows short.”

“In that regard,” Adoka says quickly, eager to change the subject, “I have learned our Mantis friends are supporting both the Crab and the Dragon. That should ensure bitter and bloody warfare on both the northern and southern fronts.”

“Skillful of them,” Hido gasps. “If our combined plans… work, the time will soon come… for the Mantis to act.”

“And we will support them?”

“For now,” Hido says, and Adoka, to his relief, can hear a smile in his words. “For now. Our own tool… is secure… and her time comes soon.”

**********************************************

On a balcony high up the towers of the Moto castle, the Khan sees the Unicorn begin their muster. From every corner of the great plains surrounding the citadel, the riders approach, in twos and threes and dozens, riding to answer their lord’s call. The first full muster of the Unicorn Clan in three hundred years.

Moto Temujin’s gaze is not on his soldiers, however, but on the scroll in his hands. Behind him, Ide Zhi Shou fidgets nervously, stroking his salt-and-pepper beard.

“The Crab,” Temujin says quietly. His voice is as flat as a piece of hammered iron. “We are to fight the Crab. The least appealing of all the choices available. How did your diplomats decide on this plan, Zhi Shou?”

“The Crane were most generous and persuasive, Great Khan…”

“To the Dragon. I do not see much here that they offered to us, save to plead for us to save them from the Crab.” The Khan looks at the scroll again. “Move our armies through the Scorpion lands… with the Dragon marching alongside us. The Scorpion? What contribution do they make to this… plan?”

“Ah, well, that is… they will offer us free passage, and contribute supplies…”

“And nothing else. Our armies to their south, at the end of a long and vulnerable supply line which they can cut in an instant. Meanwhile the Dragon are supposed to refrain from fighting the Lion directly, simply so the mewling Phoenix can be left unprovoked.” The Khan lifts his dark eyes to regard the horizon. “What is on the wall of my chambers, Zhi Shou?”

“A map, Great Khan. Of our glorious Empire.”

“I invite you, Zhi Shou, to look at that map, and consider a question. Which Clan is not fighting anyone, this year? Not even potentially fighting anyone?”

The Ide daimyo swallows and answers carefully. “The Scorpion, Great Khan.”

“Which Clan manipulated the Hare War?”

“Also the Scorpion, Great Khan.” Zhi Shou hesitates a moment, then continues, “With the greatest of humility and respect, would it not be simpler, if the march through Scorpion lands seems unacceptable, to simply fulfill our obligations to the Crane and Dragon, and go to war with the Lion?”

“It would if I wanted to fight the Lion now.” The Khan’s smile is as cold as ice. “But I am not a fool, and neither is Akodo Gintaku. We each wish to strengthen our position first, by defeating different enemies than each other.” He thinks for a moment.

“Your diplomats have made commitments that must be kept, if we are to maintain our position. But I will not entrust the main strength of the Baraunghar, let alone the Khol, to the tender mercies of the Scorpion.”

“A token force, then, Great Khan?”

“A token force, while your diplomats find a reason for us to fight the Scorpion.” The Khan turns away from the view off the balcony, facing his chief diplomat directly. “As for this slaughter of horses…” He laughs coldly. “Xiuling-chan is screaming for vengeance on the Phoenix. Foolish girl. A more obvious Scorpion gambit would be difficult to imagine.

“The Phoenix expressed their regrets, and handed the criminal over to us for safekeeping. We will seek no further vengeance on the Phoenix, great Khan?”

“Of course we will ‘seek vengeance’ on the Phoenix, Zhi Shou. The Scorpion have offered us an excuse to do so, and the Emperor’s new Great Road will allow us to move troops readily enough. The Dragon will not stop us, for the Phoenix are their enemies as well. And if the Lion act to defend their ally, they weaken themselves against the Dragon.” Temujin smiles again, the smile of a predator. “Doubtless the Scorpion imagine this will save them from our attentions, but it will not. Still, as the Battle Maidens say, one should not look a gift horse in the mouth. Time for the Phoenix and Scorpion alike to join the war.”