Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Dragmire's War - Wounds

-Royal Palace, Kanyou-

-Chancellor Ryo-

Ryo glanced to both sides and saw only the Mitagi escort. Walking up to them, they nodded, but said, "Lord Ousen Mitagi is resting."

"I'm sure he will be willing to take five minutes of his time for me," Chancellor Ryo Fui responded. "He is, after all, our guest on official business, what with the war and all. I have a matter of great... opportunity I wish to discuss with him."

The guards glanced to each other and, after a brief whisper, one stood before the door while the other quietly entered in. Ryo saw through the gap that the room was pitch black.

Another moment passed and the door opened for him to return, "Lord Mitagi said to provide him a moment to wake fully, and he will accommodate you."

Ryo nodded, "Thank you, for your cooperation. You have been most helpful."

Before long, a man from within said he could enter. The guards opened the door, and Ryo entered in.

Ousen Mitagi was a great, powerful, and large man. He always wore a black samurai mask on his face. It wouldn't surprise Ryo if he slept with it on, fathered his children with it on, and even made love (if he was capable of love) to his many wives with it on. Through it, Ryo could see dark, piercing eyes that never blinked. They were always observant, always thinking, and never revealing.

Ousen sat on a pillow by his futon and motioned to a pillow across from him, "My apologies, Chancellor, for providing you with no refreshments at this late hour... but you did awake me without allowance for preparation." Ousen's tone was biting and accusatory. He clearly did not like being disturbed.

"No apologies necessary, Lord Mitagi," Ryo sat opposite from him and put his hands together and bowed briefly in a gesture of apology. "I know the hour is late, but there is a matter I find I must discuss with you."

"Yes, my servant said you had a proposal. Now. I assume it could not wait till morning?"

"It could, but I am an impatient man when I truly know what I want. I see little point in waiting."

"I know," Ousen tapped his fingers on his lap.

A simple statement, two words, but in Ousen's tone, loaded with possibilities. Ryo hesitated. Ousen Mitagi was always amongst the most difficult to read and not quite the nicest. He had a tone of ambition to him that reminded Ryo of his own and a lethality and power just as potent.

Ousen continued impatiently, "So, tell me, before you waste more of my time. What is it you want."

"You, Lord Ousen Mitagi, head of the Mitagi family, head of the main branch, great general of Qin, general without a single failure or plot or tarnish in your long career... I want you."

Ousen tapped his fingers, "I'm listening. That is all I can offer at this moment."

"That's all I need," Ryo grinned.

-Link, Ouki's camp-

Ouki's return was met with a loud affair. Men cheered his return while officers rushed out to gather the doctors. Link left his tent and watched from a distance. With the medical tents in the center of camp, directly next to his command tents, it was easy to overhear what happened. Ouki Mitagi had fought the demon of Harken Dragmire and defeated it in one and on combat.

A part of this Link knew from rumors. The defeat of the demon coincided with Link's awakening right before Tou died in an almost ironic coincidence of timing. No one awake could have missed the great, fiery beast rise into the clouds and come crashing back down. Nor could they miss how the earth shook, trees fell, and fire spontaneously erupted. The demon's rage and fire consumed nearly half of the forest, and the spreading fire threatened to consume the other half. The Qin and Zhao camps both had to race north to escape the flames. Beyond the survivors who had been picked up thus far, there was little hope of anyone still missing to be alive. Those who were wounded and lost were now dead to the fire.