BLOOD AND FLOWERS
BY HOTSUMA09
I HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT WORKING ON AND THAT IS GAME OF HEARTS, BUT I DECIDED TO VEER OFF AND BECAME INFLUENCED IN MAKING ANOTHER TENCHI FANFICTION THAT CIRCLES AROUND MY 'GO-TO' CHARACTERS AND PLACE THEM IN A MORE IMPERIAL SOCIETY.
A/N: YES HOTSUMA WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS STORY, HENCE MY SCREEN NAME LOL, PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT.
"I am sorry." Uttered Hotsuma as he stared at the Cyan haired woman before him.
"Why was I chosen?" Ryoko fought back tears hugging herself. Hotsuma walked into the room peering about the quarters. Nagi sat up from her resting area and peered up at the blonde chief. "Nagi, can you give us a minute?" Hotsuma bowed to the cyan haired sister. Nagi gave a questionable looked to her younger sibling. Ryoko nodded, "It's important." Nagi sauntered out the room and closed the doors behind her.
"Please help me understand this." Ryoko approached Hotsuma, she grabbed hold of his blue robe with anguish in her eyes.
"Lady Ayeka is unable to conceive. She has appointed you to be her surrogate. The decision not only was her idea but by Emperor Asuza and her half-brother Lord Katsushito." Hotsuma tightened his jaw, he walked over to the table knelt down removing his headgear. He ran his fingers through his mane as he fought to deliver more news to Ryoko. Ryoko knelt before the teapot and poured some Sencha in the white tea cup and walked over to the table placing the tea cup in front of him, "Here, drink." Ryoko observed him closely she could see that Hotsuma was taking this pretty seriously. As much as she disliked the idea of being used as a pawn with the regal Jurai family, she still needed answers as to why she was chosen.
"How did you learn of this, Hotsuma?" Hotsuma peered up from the rim of the cup. He sighed, "There was a meeting with the envoy's they demanded an account of the heir issue with in the family. What was said was not substantial enough for them, they brought out a list of the females in the kingdom and your name was significant out of the few potential royal concubines."
"I am just the court maid, I was pardoned for what I did many years ago. I am already serving the princess and now I must produce a child for her." Ryoko let out a shaky breath, unconsciously placing her fingers on her beaded head band that occupied the space under her bangs. Her hair was set in a half updo flowing down her back. Hotsuma hair was also in the similar fashion with a blue bandana planted across his forehead, with the symbol of chief in Kanji inscribed on it.
Nagi entered the room with Lord Katsuhito and Tenchi in towed startling the two. Ryoko grimaced at Hotsuma before rising and approaching the royal pair at the doorway.
"My Lords." Ryoko bowed along with Hotsuma and Nagi. Lord Katsuhito acknowledge the respect and began to talk. Tenchi looked to Hotsuma giving him a questionable look wondering why he was at the Hakubi residence. "Is Lady Washu occupied at the moment?" Lord Katsuhito questioned walking further into the room. Nagi looked to Ryoko who shook her head in response. She then immediately left the area to look for their mother.
"Excuse me my Lord." Nagi bowed as she exited the area. Ryoko felt uneasy, here she was standing in the presence of three men of such nobility. All she could've done was offered tea, in which the Lords respectfully declined.
"Chief. Keigo Hotsuma." Tenchi called out breaking Hotsuma's attention.
"Yes, My Lord." Hotsuma approached the dark haired man, who was clearly a few years younger than him.
"Why are you here? We have just seen your Lieutenant loitering and philandering with some females as we made our way here. You need to tighten up your men, Hotsuma." Tenchi mentioned with such concern. Tenchi and Hotsuma were good friends, more like brothers. At a young age, Emperor Asuza and Lord Yosho took in Hotsuma after his mother was killed by Kagato. Hotsuma looked to Lord Katsuhito as a father figure but did not get to become well acquainted with him due to his immediate departure to earth chasing after his half-brother Kagato. Tenchi was also taken in by the family after his mother Kiyone passed on and his father Nobuyuki found it difficult to raise the young lad and disappeared. Due to Hotsuma's nobility to the family he was put in the position to protect them, thus, putting him in the position of chief.
Hotsuma gave a quick glanced over at Ryoko, "Lady Ryoko was so kind enough to offer me tea, as I had walk by their home during my patrols. But excuse me my lord while I tend to my lieutenant and mend the situation." Hotsuma bowed and quickened his pace to exit the room only to have been stopped by Lord Katsuhito. "That will not be necessary, Chief. We will be needing you to sit in on this meeting as well." Ryoko poured another round of the herbal tea in Lord Katsuhito cup. Ryoko looked up to Hotsuma.
It was not long before Nagi came back to the house with her mother in towed. "My regards my Lords, I was in the market." Washu bowed as she joined the three males and her daughter at the table. Washu glanced around, she noticed Hotsuma's stressed look as well as her daughter's uncomfortable expression. Nagi sat a few feet away from the group, as much as she wanted to be a part of the meeting, she rather kept a distance.
"Lady Washu due to Princess Ayeka's inability to conceive. Her wishes is of Ryoko to be a surrogate." Lord Katsuhito began with no regards to the feelings of the Hakubi women. Ryoko kept her eyes on the white teapot that sat in the middle of the table. Her hands clinched her kimono, her chest felt tight. She quickly peered up at her mother, who blinked a few times before her pink eyebrows furrowed. "I…I understand my Lord. But why my Ryoko? She is just a court maid to Lady Ayeka, how much more should she serve for what she done when Kagato had control of her?" Lord Katsuhito smiled and looked to Ryoko. "She is pardoned of her crimes, and yes she has a debt to the Jurai family. However, Lady Ayeka sees her as someone she can trust and to be honest, your daughter is pretty stunning. Ryoko is pretty embedded into the functions of our nobility, which made her a significant candidate." Washu glanced to Ryoko, "I appreciate the offer my Lord but we will have to have a discussion about this first. This organization cannot just be out of convenience."
"This is a demand from Emperor Azusa in effort to stabilize his union and family. Azusa has taken in many nations under his reign and he has his demands especially for his eldest daughter, Lady Ayeka. Tenchi is appointed Crowned Prince, the alliance is etched in stone in his matrimony to Lady Ayeka but the Jurai court needs stabilization. Going against his demands will put this nation at risk. There is a need for an heir." Lord Katsuhito explained sternly looking at each of the individuals that occupy the table. Ryoko felt all the oxygen left her body, she gripped her kimono tighter, "My Lord, My thoughts please?" Her voice raised almost in a shout. She shot up from the table almost tipping over the kettle. Nagi quickly ran over to her sister and attempted to sit her back down. "How can I carry a child and not be a descendent to the throne?!" Tears sprang from her eyes. Tenchi tighten his lip, he looked to Lord Katsuhito for a response but there was none. "Is it because of him? I am highly positive Lady Ayeka can conceive. Why can't he just give up the throne if he cannot take a woman?! Aren't you humiliated? I do not believe this, I am being dragged in his humiliation." Nagi held Ryoko tighter as tears sprang down her face.
Lord Katsuhito arose from the table, Ryoko did not break eye contact from him. Hotsuma wished he could say his piece but it will lay heavily on his head. "A demand is a demand. You have to adhere to the laws of the nation…or it will be your head." Hotsuma said sternly trying not to make eye contact with anyone, with that he exited the quarters. Ryoko eyes burned with anger as she watched Hotsuma's retreating back.
"10 o'clock pm, Nagi will escort you to the Lord Tenchi's quarters. That will be all, come now Tenchi." The two men bowed and left the women to ponder on what just took place.
Washu looked to her daughters, she quietly departed her children and head to her sleeping quarters. Nagi rocked Ryoko until her sobs were more controlled. "I have to find Lady Ayeka." Nagi looked on as her younger sister head for the door. "Ryoko stop it, you heard what was said. They will kill you if you do not abide to the king." She pleaded with Ryoko, grabbing her arm which made her kimono slid down her left shoulder. Ryoko fought endlessly with her sister until she reluctantly stop and slid to the ground. Ryoko watched the palace in the distance. She accepted her defeat.
"Let us just go back inside, we do not need anyone intercepting in our lives. We already gave enough to talk about. And you need your rest." Nagi raised Ryoko up and head inside.
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A/N: Well this was a bit beyond my comfort zone. I normally deal with the modern times but to go a few centuries back I was a bit nervous but hey, a challenge is a challenge for a reason.
