by Otomo Tenzo on Sat Apr 08, 2017 9:20 pm
"So I am beginning to learn, Moto-san... slowly but surely, with more study required..." the Otomo responded as Khulun started her hip-swaying dance. He tried to keep his eyes toward the fire and to the others assembled around it but still stole more than the occasional glance at the Moto woman, at least for a few moments until a story that he could share dawned upon him.
"Poetic like Shinjo-san I am not - calligraphy is more my art of practice and interest - but a story I can still share. Ah, you may have heard about my dear cousins, the Seppun, and in particular the Miharu, those small number of Seppun charged with the highest Duty of the Son of Heaven and their immediate family's well-being. One of the great heroes among this small and honorable guards was Seppun Fijimira. Many, many, many moons ago - perhaps three hundred years or so at this point - Fijimira was charged with watching over one of the Hantei heirs on a day when, unbeknownst to all, a conspiracy was afoot to assassinate the young heir with an arrow drenched from tip to tail with the strongest of poisons known for the time. As the young one was passing through the gardens, a hidden figure with han-kyu in hand crouched on a nearby roof let loose the fated arrow. While there were others that stood watch over the gardens, none were close to the heir except Fijimira, and even Fijimira was not in position to put himself between him and the arrow nor to tackle the young Hantei out of the way." He paused for a moment, a crackle coming from the fire while he put his hands out to warm them.
"So what did Fijimira do? With all of his might and power in his feet, he dove as hard as he could forward, arms outstretched as far as he could, and THWACK!" the Otomo shouts and, with one of his arms, swings it across him and holds it still in the center of his chest, hand clenched as hard as he could. "He snatched the arrow right in the mid of the shaft and hit the ground. The would-be assassin fled, the guards summoned, the heir whisked to safety, and there on the ground, arrow in hand, did Fijimira see the poison dripped upon the arrow. His fellow Seppun picked him up to bring him to his room but still he clutched on the arrow, refusing all attempts to have it pried from him to ensure that none other would touch it." He put his clenched fist down by his side as he continued.
"From contact with the poison, Fijimira struggled and clung to life for three days in his chambers before passing into the Heavens on the fourth. There is much speculation regarding Fijimira: one rumor being that he had inkling of this ultimate destiny and practiced snatching objects out of the air quite often in his training knowing that one day he would be called to pull upon it, but not knowing how or when or even why; another rumor going that Fijimira kept himself alive by sheer will, only allowing himself to pass peacefully from this world only when his cousin, another among the Miharu, came to his bedside to let him know that they had hunted down all responsible for the attempt and that all was truly well with the Hantei."
"Regardless, when Fijimira passed to the Heavens on the fourth day and word of the the passing made it to the Son of Heaven's ears, the Hantei went to the chambers of the man that saved the life of his dear child. It is said that, when the Hantei laid eyes upon Fijimira in his bed, the arrow was even then still clutched in his hand. And seeing Fijimira's swords sitting in place upon the daisho stand in the room, the Hantei removed the sword from the stand, lifted it up into the air, and is said to have declared: 'This - this is the sword of the Seppun.' And it was thus that not only the story of Seppun Fijimira was born but that the ancestral katana of the Seppun Family, Fijimira's Glory, came into being." Again another pause before he continued.
"Why do I mention sword and man together? It is because, since Fijimira's great act, every single Seppun that has picked up Fijimira's Glory has fallen protecting the Hantei in some similarly extraordinary manner, almost all of them within three years after first draw. And whenever the wielder of Fijimira's Glory falls in the ultimate discharge of the Miharu's Duty, without thought, without care, without a spoken word to be had, with great Honor and Courage does one among the Seppun gathered before the fallen step forward, pick it up, and draw it. Though all know that the fate is one day to come, there is no special ceremony, no honors given, no special treatment among the Miharu for the wielder while they perform their guard duty besides the witnessing of this first draw: among this smallest and most honorable group of the Seppun family, it simply is," Tenzo finished as he clasped his hands together and gave a low nod of the head toward the roaring fire.
Imperial | Seiyaku | Archivist | Wealthy | Blessed | Fortunate... or not so much?
Honor: What is expected | Glory: 1.0 | Status: 2.5 | Courtship Points: 8
Carries: personal chop, chopsticks, kiseru, sake cup, fan, and pleeeenty of paperDescription!
