Terms
 
by Loren Dean

"Attention, Hare Clan miscreants!" shouted the herald. "Through treachery you have struck down Soshi Yukio. Not content with murder, you soiled yourselves and his corpse by pillaging the body! Now, like the cowardly animal whose name you bear, you have fled home to your warren."

"The Scorpion will not rest while Yukio's slayer remains unpunished. You have two choices; you can surrender the villain, along with the scroll that was taken from Yukio's body. Or, you can be completely destroyed. Choose wisely."

From his vantage on the high tower next to Usagi Oda, Kakita Jinjiro regarded the herald. The man looked very small from so far up, and for a moment Jinjiro considered the idea that the herald was a bug, ready for crushing.

Hida Naoki, on the other hand, was looking elsewhere. In particular, he was watching as the Scorpion army, nearly three times the size of the Hare defending force, fanned out across the wide plains before Usagi castle. The dust their march had stirred into the air had not yet settled, and Naoki considered the idea that it would be some time before such settling was allowed.

Usagi Oda, who was silent for some time after the herald's announcement, finally spoke:

"Scorpion Clan Invaders! We have stolen nothing from you, nor have we killed any of yours outside of honorable combat! Your filthy and scurrilous accusations do nothing to hide the greed with which you so obviously regard the Hare lands! As we have taken nothing, we will return nothing! We have killed no Scorpions, but will be happy to oblige you this day!"

Jinjiro was stunned. For a man of such honor as Oda, such a lie must carry near-physical pain. His daughter Tomoe had already confessed to the theft, and had offered to surrender herself to the Scorpions when they arrived. Is this love, wondered Jinjiro, to keep such a secret and risk everything — honor, glory, property — for the protection of another? Is this the love of a father for his child?

The herald sneered and spurred his horse back toward the Scorpion line.

"Well," said Takeshi, Oda's gruff karo. "That went well. My lord?"

"Yes," responded Oda without turning. Jinjiro saw the white in the knuckles with which the daimyo clutched the window frame.

"Given that battle is now likely inevitable, shall we consider an early sally while these maggots are tired from the road?"

Oda was silent. Takeshi pressed his request.

"Sire, an early victory, even a minor one, would boost morale considerably."

"But," sighed Oda, "an early defeat, even a minor one, would be a disaster for morale, yes?"

On the wall below the tower, Tomoe was deathly pale.

"What is it?" asked Ishi, standing beside her.

"My father will dishonor himself for me," she whispered, "but I don't matter. He and Ozaki are the important ones, not me. I would have gone."

"Maybe he... cares for you too much," ventured Ishi, struggling not to use the word that first came to mind.

"I would have gone," said Tomoe numbly, staring out across the plain.

The herald was back in half an hour. A tall, regal Scorpion rode with him. They reined in at the base of the tower and the herald stepped his horse ahead a pace or two.

"So be it!" the herald shouted. "If you insist on clutching a thief and killer to your bosom, who am I to dissuade you! After all, the Hare clan has little else to offer!"

With that, the herald circled behind the other samurai, who spoke in a general's carrying voice.

"I am Shosuro Takiro! When Doji Hiroko insulted my honor, she paid with her life, on the grounds of her own dojo! When Otaku Isan lied about me, only flight saved him — and he runs to this day, has run beyond the borders of Rokugan! Soon your name too shall be spoken of with horror, as the living contemplate your lingering death!"

"I am Usagi Oda!" came the reply. "When Bayushi Yoshi fell, it was I who was wiping blood from my blade! When Asako Manzoya thought to outpace the Hare, I ran him into his grave, by running him through! You may rage outside my 'warren,' but you will gain no entry!"

Takiro turned before Oda had even finished, and returned to his lines at a leisurely pace. Takeshi was furious.

"My Lord, this slight cannot go unanswered. Let me lead a sally, I beg you. We will wipe that smirk off Takiro's face."

Oda was silent for another few moments, then turned to the heretofore silent Otaku Marako, who had been standing to the rear of the group in the tower.

"What say you, battle maiden? Would you charge?"

"In a heartbeat."

Oda pursed his lips, pondering, then turned to Takeshi.

"Give the command. We go to meet the Scorpion."