Hare 22: 1160 The Righteous Emperor was exhausted. Despite the public period of mourning after he had, as his first act as Emperor, declared his sister posthumously Toturi II, he himself had no time to mourn for her, no time to regret his mother's ascension to the Celestial Heavens. He couldn't even say for certain that she HAD ascended, couldn't declare his mother a Fortune to give the Empire a way to revere her. Every moment since he had "settled" into Kyuden Seppun had been filled with minutiae. Kaneka was being... problematic. Sezaru was coldly polite to his new Emperor. His new yojimbo fawned at every moment...
And speaking of not being able to have a moment to himself, Kiharu- damn him, Kiharu- was deferentially poking his head through the door again. He immediately dropped to his knees and entered the room at a crawl. Naseru couldn't even permit himself the luxury of a scowl. He watched the Seppun Daimyo for a moment, then said in as neutral of a tone as he could summon,
"Speak."
"Glorious Son of Heaven, this humble one apologizes for the interruption, but there is... a matter that must be brought to your attention at once."
Before Naseru could inquire, the door opened again, and a man walked in, his eyes vague and unfocused. He wore the topknot of a samurai, but he had the soft look of a samurai who has not practiced his skills in some time. A hideous scar decorated his throat. He clutched the hilt of a broken katana in his hands and murmured to himself,
"Men forget. History remembers. I think I said that at some point in the past; well, if it wasn't me, it was someone wise. The Empire deserves a true history of the events..."
As Naseru stared between the two, a wrinkle of confusion between his eyebrows, the man's gaze sharpened. "The Hantei has returned? Is it time for a new Empire?"
Naseru started to his feet, his hand going instantly to his side where his own katana used to hang. The man started and jumped back, brandishing the broken katana. "Accursed Scorpion!" The man snarled. Naseru stepped around the desk, murder in his eyes.
"Tenn'ou-domo, please!" Kiharu said, his on slipping in his distress. "The man is insane!"
"I can see that!" Naseru snarled. The man lunged at Naseru, and Kiharu expertly disarmed him, subduing him, though not without difficulty. The Seppun daimyo looked up at his Emperor, shame on his face.
"Forgive me, Son of Heaven. I didn't realize he had followed me. I meant... differently."
"Speak, and quickly." Naseru said, his composure returning, though he remained standing over the two men as the insane man continued to struggle and shout about the duplicitous Scorpion. Two guards dashed into the room and dragged the man from the room. Kiharu kept his white head bowed to the floor, and Naseru was suddenly struck by how old the Seppun daimyo was.
"His name is Shotai. In his youth, he was an Ikoma diplomat. He once saved your father from a Scorpion assassin, taking the poisoned blade to his throat. Fortunately, he survived. Unfortunately, his mind broke. He believed any man who fought against him was a Scorpion assassin sent to kill your father; every man who fought beside him was 'Toturi-sama'. Your father paid a monastery to take the very best care of him." Seppun breathed in deeply. "When he heard your father was declared ronin, it took every monk in the monastery to subdue him and keep him sedated. When he heard that your father had ascended to become the Emperor, he asked joyfully if 'Hantei Toturi-sama' was going to lead the Empire into a glorious future. He escaped the monks and ran to your father's side. Your blessed father took him in and made him a member of the court, though, of course, Shotai could not appear in public. Your father visited him every day that he was in the capital."
Kiharu bowed his head. "He has been asking for the blessed 'Hantei Toturi-sama' every day for two years."
Naseru slowly sat down again behind the desk, his eyes unseeing. Dimly, he heard Kiharu saying, "I visited him and told him that I would ask Toturi-tenn'ou's son what was to become of him. I was coming to ask you what should be done, and he followed me here. I never expected him to leave his rooms. I never expected him to be a threat to you."
"And when I reacted with anger to the name I despise, he saw me as an 'accursed Scorpion' out to murder my father." Naseru said, tasting the irony on his tongue. He had been trained by the Scorpion and was proud of it. His favorite city in the Empire- the one he wished he could make his new capital and obviously never could- was Ryoko Owari Toshi. "Forgiven, Kiharu-san."
Kiharu bowed very low. "Tennou is most generous."
Naseru rose, pulling the green Imperial kimono tightly around his form. "I shall speak with him."
He stepped out into the hall to find the crazy man still gripped between the two Seppun guards. "Release him. He is your elder and must be treated with respect."
The guards bowed low and let go of his arm. Naseru walked over and the man stopped his struggling to look at him warily. "My father was Hantei Toturi-sama." He said. "I did not understand. I am sorry."
The guards blinked, then returned to attention.
The Emperor did not apologize. It simply wasn't done.
"Hantei Toturi-sama?" The man asked.
"Toturi-sama was in battle, honorable battle against the forces of darkness. He was slain."
Shotai sank to his knees, his face blank, his eyes wide.
"Toturi-sama died fighting to protect his Empire." Naseru said gently. "He died with many men fighting beside him."
He decided not to mention those men had all been Scorpion. Scorpion who wanted to save their Emperor's life.
Naseru walked over and knelt beside Shotai. "I am not Toturi-sama. I am Toturi Naseru. He has a family name. He has sons. I am not my father. I can never be my father. But I can try to protect his Empire." He said.
Shotai looked at him and said nothing.
"Shall I visit you? Shall I come to see you as my father did?" Naseru asked. "Or, if you wish, you may return to the monastery or remain here and I will not come, if you do not wish."
"I... I want to see you. You can tell me about Hantei Toturi-sama." Shotai said.
Naseru nodded and rose. He gestured to the guards. "Return him to his rooms. See that he rests." He said. As they began to lead Shotai away, he turned and looked back.
"Hantei Toturi-sama... your Empire will be a new Empire. A glorious Empire." He said. He smiled like a child and allowed himself to be led away.
