"Kaiu-san, we would like your input into our battle plans."
Maiya pointed at herself and the Lion Officer nodded.
"Ano, me? Are-"
"We
NEED your input Kaiu-san. Speak!"
"HAI! WE SHOULD STAB THEM!"
"..."
"Until they die from it."
Maiya was a gifted General. Her words left the assembled Officers in stunned silence. They were clearly awed with her greatness.Nailed it. You're going to be so proud of me mum! We've got this!The meeting quickly returned to discussing the available options. There was little talk of stabbing things, but all the plans ended in a big fight. The stabbing would come. Her words had most assuredly struck a cord and influenced the battle to come.
______
"We don't have enough messengers so you need to take these."
Maiya, after being escorted outside the Command tent, was approached by another officer who had given her a very cursory look before approaching her. Once again Maiya pointed to herself.
"Are you sure? Ano, me? Because, actu-"
"YES! We need you to ride to the other Imperial Legion tent to relay these orders. It is very important! You are our only hope."
"Ano... hai. Okay then?"
_____
"Good horsie. GOOOOOOD HOOORSIIIIIE. You're okay!"
Maiya petted the frenzied animal as it kicked with its back legs and resisted the two heimin holding the animal in place with ropes.
"It has some spirit, ne?"
With a big grin she moved to the horse's side.
"So... what next?"
The Officer approached. "Is there a problem?"
"Hai. I don't know how to get on the pony."
The officer stared for a few moments before asking for the papers back. He quickly had an extra copy made. The copy was handed to Maiya and she was helped up onto the horse by a few heimin.
"Okay. Go. That way. The other tent. On that ridge." He instructed very simply.
"Hai, Akodo-sama!"
She gave the horse a little kick with her heels as she'd seen others do and it bolted. The heimin wisely let go.
"Oh! It's fast!"
She held on as the horse surged into a canter and then a gallop. It quickly spun out left and away from the ridge. "Nani? Na-?"
And then it was galloping around in a wide circle and trying to buck her off.
She was managing to stay on, but any steering of the animal was out of the question."This is my first time on a horse! IT'S GOING IN CIRCLES! THIS IS FUN! WAAAAII!"
Her yelling became quieter and quieter as the horse gradually spiralled further and further away from the camp.
The Akodo watched solemnly before signalling the heimin to bring
him a horse. "I should have asked her if she could ride. We really need to stop assuming all samurai can ride horses or understand our plans without being informed of them, especially non-Lion." He considered petitioning for such a revision to Leadership to his Lord. In the end he decided against it. The Lion's mastery of strategy was legendary. Such small, minor and insignificant faults could be overlooked.
______
By the time Maiya joined the Imperial Legions in their battle lines arrayed against the returned spirits she was a little tired. She'd been marched into a command tent for reasons she couldn't fathom, and then she'd spent three hours atop a horse until it finally stopped. Her butt still ached. All that bouncing in full heavy armour hurt. Then again, the horse had seemed quite miserable too after enduring Kaiu armour landing on it repeatedly. The last she'd heard after walking it back to the Imperial camp it needed to be put down. She felt bad.
I'll avenge you pony.Her mind raced to all the samurai that had died too. And holy people. And peasants. Kayou and Mogami.
I'll avenge everyone.The returned spirits had caused needless suffering. She would send them all back to their graves!
______
"HIIIDAAAAAA!" Maiya yelled disturbingly loud as she cut down another of the returned spirits like some flimsy bamboo target. Her and her cousin were rapidly
creating a semi-circle of death as they waded into the enemy lines alongside Imperial Legionnaires and other volunteers.
The enemy samurai kept coming and gradually she tired. However, her rage lasted
long enough for her to hack apart a great number of the enemy and to help break their lines. Even the Matsu spirits were hesitant to counter-attack the part of the battle lines where the Kaiu cousins were laying waste to many times their number.
______
Elsewhere a Lion Officer wondered if the Imperial Legions should have just assigned any Crab volunteers to the frontlines unless they volunteered they were scouts. Probably. It had all caused some confusion and disorganisation to have Crab, and other samurai, all running and riding about doing any tasks they were assigned. A good number of Imperial Legionnaires had gotten the wrong orders and wrong scouting information had reached commanders. Someone would have to atone for this.
He looked down at his daisho only to hear his ancestor whisper mockingly right into his ear.
'Stab them... until... they die... from it...'The ancestor spirit that haunted him was laughing now. The Lion shuddered in shame.
________
+3 SC points, +9 Imperial Legion Points
(+6 Imperial Legion Points overall)
_________________
Crab Clan • Bushi • Armoured Beauty • Lucky • Berserker • Rumourmonger • GreedyHonor: Untrustworthy | Glory: 3.0 | Status: 1.0
Carries: Daisho, heavy armour (where appropriate), tetsubo, sake, sake cup, traveling pack, jade, metal lanternProfile