34. Akodo Yumako

Month of the Rooster 13th, 1127

Flowers

Because we don't trust the current plan we discuss the other options. It seems most don't like my ideas. I guess they are too direct. So the adjusted plan is to tell the villagers that they should stay inside, because we will tell the Lion delegation that they are sick. This way contact will be minimized and there will be less chance of a fight and more delay.

Hiruma Tichuki is going to look for flowers to hang above the doors of the houses. They would be the sign of the illness. Bayushi Kyo will scout back to see how far away the Lion delegation is. Doji Ren, Togashi Yoshi and Sutanpā Kiji head back to the village to tell about the changed plan.

I just wait more. I'm not going to pick flowers and i'm certainly not going to that village. When Hiruma Tichuki is back I help him with the flowers which he wants to dry.

Month of the Rooster 14th, 1127

Another boring day

This day I spend mostly polishing my armor and practicing my Naginata. The others go to the village to hang the flowers, and Bayushi Kyo finally returns at the end of that day. It seems the Lion's delegation is still pretty far away, but it would be best if we would start travelling towards them tomorrow morning.

Month of the Rooster 15th, 1127

The Lion Delegation!

Finally some action! In the morning we start travelling south. It takes us half the day to get to the lookout spot which Bayushi Kyo found. From there we indeed see something that could be the Lion delegation. When they are close enough a few of them come towards us to ask who we are. I look at the rest of the delegation from a distance. One ugly face quickly gets my attention. Akodo Kiruhage! Why do our paths always cross! I take a deep breath and calm myself. Maybe this will be my chance to prove i'm so much better and honorable than my brother.

The others of our group explain about the sick village to the samurai that came to us and soon those samurai walk back to the delegation to inform Akodo about the sick village and how to continue. I really hope there are more Akodo's in that delegation and they are not talking about my brother as their leader...