Post by Elloria on Jun 8, 2011 1:59:25 GMT -5
My name is
Raiden Hiroisora.
(written Hiroisora Raiden on Itasus)
I was born
in the year one thousand five hundred and seventeen of Yawata no Kami on the tenth day of the third month.
(35 years old, March 10th, 819 BBRW)
I am
a human of the noble Itasan nation.
I serve as
the bodyguard to the Count of Teirm, as I have done since the age of 4. I am also his personal assassin.
My allegiance lies with
my liege lord Genji Kazan (Lantieri) and with the land of my birth, Itasus.
Physically,
I am not one of the most intimidating individuals you’ll meet. Although I stand at six feet even - which is average for the men of Itasus - there is little else about me to indicate that I am a deadly individual. My muscles are not sharply defined, but they are toned and powerful. Mine is the body of an assassin specialized in the martial arts as opposed to a weapon wielder. But again, this would not be readily apparent firstly because I wear the loose-fitting attire typical of Itasus. I tend to wear muted, even drab colors while guarding Kazan-sama - the better to blend in with the shadows. Unlike the three women I work with, I wear two layers of clothing. The layer closest to my body is more form-fitting than the loose-flowing outer layer, but loose enough to allow ease of movement. It is my assassin attire and more closely akin to the Itasan uniform. Between the first and second layer is where I store all my various daggers and other implements of my trade. The second layer is always longer and looser than the first, which is typical only in my clan. The arms of my shirt reach down to my wrists and often will slip over my hands slightly. Like many in my clan, I choose to wear trousers over my assassin’s garb. The reason for this odd style is simple - my clan lives predominantly in the mountainous areas of the islands and we are known for our low body temperatures. When we go about our daily lives, we wear the longer clothes to keep warm. When we don our assassin personae we become cold-blooded, just as our bodies intended. But as I said, this side of me is not obvious to outside observers. I am told that, despite my height, I look gentle and kind. My jaw is narrow and delicate-seeming, ending in a rounded chin. My soft, dark brown hair ends just below my ears and falls in straight, gentle curtains before my eyes. My eyes, too, are deceiving. They are large and warm, the same dark rich color of honeyed tea that my father possesses. It can sometimes be difficult to ascertain this because my gaze is usually downcast. I rely on my auditory senses more than my visual because visibility is greatly decreased in the dark of night. Hearing, however, is less impaired. My neck is long and slender while my shoulders are broad. My hands are delicate like my mother’s, unmarred and uncalloused due to daily ministrations to prevent this. I am not lacking in scars - no true warrior of Itasus can lay claim to a flawless body - but they are usually covered up by my clothing.
Concerning my demeanor,
I was raised to be aloof and unattached to any particular clan - including my own. As a member of the Hiroisora clan, I was taught to maintain this attitude so that no matter who holds power in Itasus, they never have cause to turn against my clan. We claim no ties of alliance with the others, preferring to lend our services to each of the other four clans as we see fit. This detachment from the surrounding world allows me to be the heartless assassin I am often required to be. The only exception to this is Kazan-sama. My services as a bodyguard were sold to the Kazan clan around the time I entered the Academy of Itasus and so I was taught to place Genji’s life above all else. I live to protect and serve this man. To that end, I have become an efficient and ruthless warrior prepared to sacrifice myself for whatever cause Kazan-sama sees fit to give me and to keep him safe. Although I pursue this goal with an almost single-minded determination, I know when it is time for business and when it is time for pleasure. Though I’m not fanciful and playful by any means, I have a sense of humor that allows me to tolerate my fellow guards and even engage in their occasional bursts of foolishness. I prefer to watch them make fools of themselves - it is far more entertaining - but if I have enough wine in me or feel relaxed enough, I will join in their merriment. Of course, I am not known solely for my aloof manner nor my skills. I believe I am best known for my...appetite. I frequented various houses of ill-repute on Itasus and my taste for more worldly delights has not left me as I have grown older. I have never been particularly picky about whom I satisfy my desires with. Male or female, human or merely humanoid, it matters little to me so long as I find the individual appealing.
My beginnings
aren’t particularly impressive, in my opinion. I am the youngest child of the seventy-second zokuchou of the Hiroisora clan and his only son. As the youngest, very little was expected of me initially. I did not have to worry about learning the intricacies of clan rulership nor did I need be concerned about the politics of my nation. From the time of my birth to the age of four, I lived a fairly typical life on Itasus. I played with my four older sisters and numerous older cousins when they had spare time. I was taken around the islands by my father as he traveled with my grandfather. To be honest, I don’t remember much about either of them. My grandfather died the year I entered the Academy of Itasus and from then on my father was thoroughly wrapped up in the business of leading our clan. That year, though...that was the year that everything about my life changed. Of course, any graduate of the Academy says that their first year was the first major turning point in their lives. But this was particularly true for me. You see, that was the year I met the four people who now comprise my entire world: Fukakawa Mami, Kiyokaze Hiroshi, Ishinomori Rikuto, and Kazan Genji. All children of their respective clan heads with the exception of Kazan-sama.
I remember that first day very clearly. It was a cool fall morning when we arrived on the central island Itas. It is said that all the clans originated there and it is where our nation takes its name. Itas is actually the smallest of the seven islands, but it’s large enough to comprise the entirety of the Academy grounds. The terrain of the other six islands can be found here, whether it be the mountains of my home island Amateas or the beaches of the largest island Namontas. As I said, it was a cool fall morning when we stepped off the ship. I remember the weathered old sailors calling across the docks. I remember meeting the head of the Academy, an old woman by the name of Kiyokaze Chiemi. There were many older students moving about the island as we traveled to the main compound, training or meditating or just walking. A great deal of noise and bustle greeted us as we entered the compound because it was the first day for all incoming students. But mostly, I remember the fact that my father was present.
It was the last day I ever really spoke with him. He never had much time for anyone besides my eldest sister Kiyoko, unless it was to oversee our training. But that day...that day he had plenty of time for me. He and my mother accompanied my sisters and me to the island. For Father, this was rather unusual. He had only visited Itas when Kiyoko had enrolled in the Academy. She was his heir, so he was intensely interested in her upbringing. But that day was about me. Because that was the day he informed me of my fate. We walked side by side as he explained what my duties were and how important this was to our clan, to our nation, and to Yawata no Kami. I remember exactly how he phrased it. He said, “Raiden, you have been blessed with a most unique opportunity. You know that our clan is responsible for keeping the peace in this nation. Without us, Itasus would fall into chaos. And now...now it has fallen to you to continue our noble work. Today, you will be meeting the single most important child born under the watchful benevolence of Yawata no Kami. And in the years to come, it will be your duty to ensure this boy’s well-being. You are to be his friend, his advisor, his guard - the tool that makes his existence easier.” He stopped walking and turned to look at me. “He is the key to this nation’s aspirations. Failure to protect him will bring such shame upon our clan that we will never be able to regain our honor.” I was then introduced to Kazan Genji outside the gates of the Academy. I remember the other clan heads being there with their children, practically surrounding him. We’d all been given the same task - befriend Kazan-sama and look after him. Not necessarily in that order, either. Kazan-sama was a quiet boy, I recall. He’s always been very withdrawn. I suspect it was at least in part because he knew we were instructed to get close to him. It was advantageous for our clans after all.
Still, I believe we did develop something of a bond during those first three years. We were all placed in the same classes. I remember always tailing after Kazan-sama as he moved from classroom to classroom. The other three, all girls, would often chatter around him and I. Well...it was mostly Mami and Rikuto. They could be grating, but looking back I realize they were the obnoxious glue that kept the five of us close. If Kazan-sama were anyone else in his clan, Mami and Rikuto would have antagonized him and hated him. Instead, they spent their time trying to pry Kazan-sama open - to earn his trust and confidence. Then again, we all were. Mami was simply more overt about it. I believe that bothered Kazan-sama a great deal. One of the reasons Hiroshi and I are closer to Kazan-sama is because we were more similar to his disposition. We were quiet, subtle. We knew patience, even at that young age. Moreover, Kiyokaze is a close ally of the Kazans. As for myself, I had been bought to be his keeper. I spent more time around him than the rest. But even so, we all grew close to one another and cared for each other after our own fashion. Our lives were easy. We were all like the blessed child-gods of Yawata no Kami. It was during this time that my father paid particular attention to my tutelage. As a child selected to one day guard Kazan Genji, it was imperative I learn the arts of our clan. The clan masters taught me in minute detail the intricacies of every type of unarmed combat. I learned how to wield a dozen different dagger types, the many different ways each type could be used, which moves would be the most effective in a given situation. I was taught how to conceal no less than a dozen daggers on or near my person at all times. My masters were merciless. I could not make a mistake. I could not fail. By the time I was eight, I could fight the older Academy students as an equal. What I learned at the Academy was taken by my clan’s masters and slowly perfected.
Those first three years were grand. In many ways, I was far more important than Kiyoko. Though she would one day lead our clan, I was destined to ensure the safety of Itasus by ensuring the well-being of Kazan-sama. That all changed when Kazan-sama left for Teirm. I was taken with - my services had already been paid for and handsomely. It was natural that I go to watch out for my ward and tend to his needs. That journey, though...I don’t believe anyone could have anticipated how disastrously it would end. Though I was not present for the meeting between Kazan-sama and his father, I did witness the fallout firsthand. Kazan-sama spent much of the return trip in our quarters. He would not be pleased if he were to find out I have said this, but his tears were many. He had spoken with great disdain for his father upon returning to the ship, but I believe the rejection wounded him in an unspeakable fashion. I recall thinking of how I wished to comfort him somehow. I just was not sure how to do so without offending him. It was a month or so into the trip before I finally tried to. It wasn’t an excessive gesture or anything. I climbed into Kazan-sama’s hammock one night as he quietly wept. At first, he was startled and perhaps angry that I had intruded upon the moment. Perhaps he believed he had been too quiet for any to notice. Our conversation was short, hushed, and heated. But eventually, he seemed to understand that I was not going to leave until I was certain he was in a better mood. He groused a bit after that, but allowed me to remain. I remember him slowly drifting to sleep beside me. I remember feeling...content, pleased that he trusted me so greatly as that. I believe that was the moment I developed a true affection for Kazan-sama. We shared a hammock for the rest of the voyage - either I would slip into his when I heard his weeping or he would sneak to mine and cry himself to sleep beside me.
I wish I could say that Felix Lantieri’s rejection was the worst of his troubles - of our troubles. But the moment our nation learned of it, they turned on Kazan-sama. From being the most princely of us, he became the most reviled. Even members of my clan expressed displeasure towards him. That was when life became difficult for us all. Students at the Academy frequently lashed out against Kazan-sama. In fact, the fights we often got into were usually instigated by Kazan-sama’s elder brother Kishi-san. I have never understood the hatred which Kishi-san directed at my lord. To me, it was as if he acted that way simply because he could and for no other reason. He had been harsh before Kazan-sama’s fall from grace. Afterwards...it was like the fury of Yawata no Kami was unleashed. I fully expected Mami and Rikuto to pull out of our little group and quickly. They had no reason to remain near Kazan-sama now. Or so I had assumed. But they stayed at our sides. They fought with Hiroshi and I to defend Kazan-sama, with as much fire and determination. I could hardly believe it. But Yawata no Kami sets up our paths and alliances with purpose. It was also during this time that my private training began to taper off. The focus turned to Kiyoko once more. The years until Kazan-sama’s Tong-gwa Uilye were depressing and monotonous. If I and my fellows were not fighting Kazan-sama’s opponents, we were watching him get beaten or training or being beaten by our families for continuing to associate with him. I have a scar or two of my own from my father’s displeasure at my activities. “Kazan has brought shame upon us all. You would continue to shame Yawata no Kami by aiding the false son?” That was how each punishment began. But what could I say? I had grown dangerously fond of Kazan-sama. We all had. He was respectful to us, treated us decently though he knew we had only wanted his confidence for our own purposes. I doubt we could have called each other friends - even now we are not really friends, though Kazan-sama calls us such. But we were and are nakama - like family.
So our lives continued on in this fashion until we reached the age of seventeen. We had watched each other train and grow into formidable warriors, the best in our specialized fields - and knew in our hearts that we would undoubtedly face each other one day on the battlefields. We knew what the Academy was training us for, knew what we were meant to do. It wasn’t a terrible thought, simply a fact of our lives. We were nakama, but that made it somehow easier to bear because it would surely be one of us who did another in. There were few in the Academy who could stand up to us by then. But no one had become more skilled than Kazan-sama. The four of us had watched as he took the abuse heaped upon him by most of Itasus, held on to the belittlement cast at him by students and teachers alike and turned it into an iron will. There were none in our year who could match him with a blade, few who could stand beside him as an archer or with ranged weapons, even fewer who could take him on in the martial arts. He relentlessly pursued perfection and many were the times I would carry him to the dorms when he had exhausted himself training. I would tend to his wounds and ensure that he was in bed as soon as I was finished, whether I simply led him to bed or carried him. Sometimes I slept with him. Sometimes I awoke to find him in bed with me. I never thought it odd. It was almost a tradition of sorts, especially after that voyage. Looking back, I never fail to notice that those were the times when he and I were closest...when he was feeling the most vulnerable.
When I was about fourteen, those close moments became...more. As I have said before, I am a creature of worldly desires. I delight in pleasures of the flesh and this began when my body started to mature. I was eleven when my interest started. I began noticing the older students, how attractive certain students were. I didn’t differentiate between the boys and the girls. They were all beautiful to me. My sort of thinking isn’t taboo on Itasus per se, but it is frowned upon. You receive odd looks from people and they tend to treat you politely but keep you at a distance. Almost as if you are diseased and it might be contagious. But I was used to such treatment anyway because of my clan and my association with Kazan-sama, so it never bothered me. I believe my first...how shall I say it? My first “awkward” dream involved myself and one of the older boys I often practiced dagger-throwing with. I believe his name was Mamoru, a distant cousin of Rikuto’s. I lost my virginity to that same boy around the time of my fourteenth birthday, if not that very day. It was an interesting experience, but I have never placed myself in such a graceless position since then.
The rumor of that little tryst was what led to that first moment with Kazan-sama. It was after a particularly intense training session with his dual swords. He was cut in numerous places and quite exhausted by the time I managed to drag him off the field. I carried him to the dorms that night and tended to his wounds as usual. But as I was applying bandages, he placed a restraining hand on my arm. I lifted my gaze to meet his odd eyes - the color of the sea and just as unfathomable. He asked about what had happened between Mamoru and me. I have always believed in being honest with Kazan-sama, so I told him...in rather graphic detail, truth be told. His expression never changed, but the grip on my arm tightened as I continued. And then he asked what I still feel was an odd question. “If I were not me, would you have chosen me instead?” I think I stared at him for quite some time because he then told me to forget he had asked and refused to meet my gaze. It was rather like during that return voyage from Teirm. I simply did not know how to respond. When I did not resume my ministrations, he gave me a glare and asked what was wrong. I said something to the effect of “You caught me off-guard.” It was quite awkward. I finished bandaging him and helped him to bed. I returned to my own bed and remember lying there staring at the ceiling, mulling over his question. Would I have chosen to give that to him were he not Kazan-sama? If he were simply Genji and there was nothing important or unsavory about him? I do not know. But I do not believe I would have noticed him if he were not Kazan-sama. He was too quiet, too aloof. So when he climbed into my bed several hours later, I showed him why his being Kazan-sama did and did not matter to me.
This became something of a regular occurrence for us. And afterwards, he would want to talk. Normally, it is difficult to make him say more than what is necessary for daily interactions. But he was always willing to talk then. He would speak of the teachers and students, of how much he despised training, why he felt he had to push so hard. He often spoke of Kishi. I believe that, more than anything, he wanted Kishi to respect him. If he could achieve that, he could achieve anything. And in our seventeenth year, he achieved it. He bested Kishi in a battle of blades during their Tong-gwa Uilye. I don’t believe anyone honestly expected Kazan-sama to win. Even I had my doubts, for Kishi was also known for his skill with blades. But looking back, I am surprised at how easy it was for me to forget about Kazan-sama’s determination. He did not lose to Kishi, just as he had never lost to any opponent in a fair fight. After that surprise conclusion, life once again became easy for our group. No one could deny that he was powerful, deserving of some respect despite the fact he was no longer useful for the advancement of Itasus in the world. And we, who had remained at his side through it all, were respected for having “wisdom beyond our years.”
My own Tong-gwa Uilye, which occurred a year later, was not quite as interesting. I didn’t even make it to the final round of duels. I lost to Hiroshi in the early rounds, but I was still acknowledged as a true Itasan warrior. Even Hiroshi didn’t make it to the end duel. She lost to some cousin of hers. If I recall correctly, it came down to a battle between Rikuto and Mami. Mami, being the competitive individual she is, refused to lose to Rikuto. Rikuto never really stood a chance, but she certainly tried. The welts and cuts Mami gave her were quite impressive. The fact that she could still stand and walk when all was said and done was even more incredible. But we all acquitted ourselves and became adult members of our clans before we hit our nineteenth year. Life was simpler after that. We parted ways - the women returned to their respective islands and I returned with Kazan-sama to the Kazan-controlled island of Sariatus. Sometimes we met on the large “communal” island Namontas. More often we saw one another on the battlefield, during the constant skirmishes between the clans. Six months passed in this fashion, with Kazan-sama dominating any battle he participated in. I was rarely on the frontlines. Not that I was particularly disappointed by that. I was trained for assassination and stealth missions, not fights to the death. But a year and a half after Kazan-sama gained his dragon tattoo, our lives took another drastic turn.
The Itasan fleet returned from Teirm with incredible news. The aging count wished to claim Kazan-sama as his heir. To say that our nation rejoiced would be an understatement. A damn festival was prepared to celebrate the news. Indeed, the only person not delighted by this turn of events was Kazan-sama himself. He was not fond of his sire and understandably so. He frankly refused to even consider accepting the offer. The clan heads argued mightily with him, but he would not be swayed. Not by them at least. I don’t believe even I or Hiroshi could have convinced him to do it. But his mother did. It had been her sacrifice that had given Kazan-sama life. Much as he despised his sire, his mother meant the world to him. Of course, she also knew better than anyone how to appeal to her son’s thirst for power and respect. So after a few words with her, he agreed to return to Teirm. As for Rikuto, Mami, Hiroshi and I? We were certain that our nakama was about to disintegrate completely. I would naturally go to Teirm as Kazan-sama’s guard, never to return. But what reason was there for the three women to come along? But Kazan-sama created a reason. We would all accompany him as guards and also act as advisors to him. All of the major clans would be represented in Teirm, as near equals to the Kazan clan. This decision won over all of Itasus in his favor. As for the four of us, we readily agreed though we would never set eyes upon Itasus again once we left.
Six months later, we found ourselves in Teirm. It was certainly a cultural shock to us all. Everyone was pale and wore unreasonably constrictive clothing. Their homes were made of stone and straw or else entirely out of wood. It was chill and damp and smelled of filth and decay. They sat in these...things called chairs that were not comfortable and an utter waste of good wood. The food? It was hardly palatable. The language? Nearly incomprehensible. We all understood Broddring Common on the most basic level. But none of us was fluent in it. So Kazan-sama was swept up into Teirm’s political life, which served to improve his Common quickly and help distract him from how undesirable Teirm truly was. The rest of us? We spent our time either near him or wandering the city when we were not allowed to participate in his education. At first, we were simply an oddity for the people to stare at curiously. It wasn’t until the Itasan fleet left that people realized we were there for good. Public sentiment quickly turned against us. Riots became a frequent occurrence after Lantieri announced that Kazan-sama was his heir. And really, we could not blame them. Who would want some foreign entity controlling their lives? Our people would have done the same. I have no doubt about that. This continued for months until the Itasan fleet returned to Teirm. We saw the rioting move towards the fleet, apparently prepared to spill any Itasan blood if it meant that Kazan-sama would be ousted as Lantieri’s heir. But really, Alagaesians know nothing of warfare and fighting. The crews of our fleet lived for battle. They were all from the major clans and therefore were graduates of the Academy - the elite of the elite chosen to be the strong link between Itasus and Teirm, capable of handling any situation that may arise. Those drunken, filthy rioters posed little threat to our massive fleet and our people rose to the occasion. We later learned that Shinobu, Kazan-sama’s cousin and ambassador to Teirm, had threatened to not only pull Itasan trade from Teirm but would also fight every citizen of the city in defense of Kazan-sama. In effect, Itasus would go to war with Teirm over this and all our nation’s past grievances.
Teirm quickly capitulated and Kazan-sama continued learning how to rule the fools that had started the whole mess. For four years, we lived on edge waiting for that damned Lantieri to finally die. Only the annual presence of the fleet kept Teirm’s people - more specifically the nobles - at bay. Not that the nobles didn’t attempt to kill him. But their assassins were remarkably inept. The women and I settled into the task of tending to Kazan-sama’s needs. They guarded Kazan-sama and fended off all attempts made to take his life. They took to this duty with great glee and I could not blame them. My task was essentially to be his personal attendant, as I have always been. Even when given an assistant slave by his sire, I was the one who made sure Kazan-sama received proper food and drink. I helped him choose what attire to wear, helped him learn the intricacies of Teirm’s politics. And most interestingly, I would help him dress for formal events in traditional Itasan kimono. It was one of the few ways that Kazan-sama liked to display his “foreign-ness,” rubbing it in the faces of the nobles who would see him gone. The older nobles, at least, despised these blatant displays. The younger ones seemed enthralled by the grace and noble bearing he carried himself with in his “outlandish” clothes.
But after four years, Kazan-sama was done with waiting. The official story is that Felix Lantieri finally succumbed to his illness. The truth is that I killed him at Kazan-sama’s behest. No one in the courts was intelligent enough to discover this. And so Kazan-sama assumed the title of Count of Teirm and there was nothing the nobles could do about it. The assassination attempts have lessened over the past ten years and not because Kazan-sama has become the Count. He is remarkably skilled at manipulating the nobles and turning them against one another. They fight amongst themselves and he simply sits back and laughs at their idiocy. Between that and Kazan-sama’s occasional orders to kill the old nobles, the numbers of his opposition have greatly and rapidly decreased. Thus he solidifies his hold over Teirm by disposing of the old fools and placing their children - who adore him as a god - into power. I know not where Yawata no Kami will take us from here. But I do not doubt that we will become legends in Itasus.
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