Look like a Butterfly, Sting like a Bee
With her long brown hair flowing, a weathered woman in a somber kimono looked to be doing a graceful dance. Her shukusen fan was open, and the eight women before her were watching it out of the corners of wary eyes. She spun, and her bare feet scuffed up a small dust cloud from the dirt. Her right hand was above her head, twirling the fan. As she finished the spin, her hand brought the fan down in a derisive snap, to rest at the base of one of the women's throats. That woman, Lady Hirachi, suppressed the urge to swallow heavily.
"Did you forget your position?" the lady with the open fan, Lady Sarinko, snarled. "You let a boy," she continued, "of twelve years tell you that you are not capable of guarding him, because you are a woman?"
Timidly, Lady Hirachi ventured, "He is the Emperor…"
"That is of no matter!" Lady Sarinko replied as she snapped her shukusen closed and removed it from before Hirachi's throat.
Each of the ladies who were Guards of the Emperor not only knew of Lady Sarinko's famed temper, they had experienced it. As the commander of the Guards of the Emperor, she was tough and unforgiving. She had lived through snowstorms, pirate attacks, and many other things. Her skills as a fighter were legendary, and she expected no less then perfection from those she taught. To be taught be her was a privilege, though most did not enjoy it. She was an exacting taskmaster.
Eyes flashing dangerously, Lady Sarinko snarled to the ladies, "There are no excuses for the mistakes you made today. You should have never consented to leave the Emperor's presence. It is your sacred duty to protect him. Even if death was the punishment for disobeying his command, it is what you should have done. After you did leave, as your Commander, it was I that you should have come to straight away. Lady Sinkomiki was not the one to be called to help cover up your mistake. You excused from my presence until I find a fitting punishment."
To Lady Sinkomiki, Sarinko added, "You are to stay here. I have not yet finished talking to you."
Sinkomiki stood stiffly, letting no emotion show on her face as the other ladies turned, and left.
A few moments later, Lady Sarinko turned to the one remaining Guard of the Emperor. With a raised eyebrow, and distain evident in her voice, she said, "Most would commend you for your actions today. I will not. You have stepped out of line, and you will have to pay the consequences."
She paused for a moment to step closer to Sinkomiki. Venomously, Lady Sarinko hissed, "Sinkomiki, you showed promise. When you joined the Guards of the Emperor, you were destined to be one of the greatest. But you rebelled. You threw that all away with your unorthodox actions. You learned other methods of fighting from other sources. You have been trained to use a glaive, as is worthy of one of noble birth. It is not fitting to fight with your hands and feet as a commoner would. You have a glaive for a good reason. You are to use it, and only it.
"Toady, you did not inform anyone of the fact that the Emperor dismissed his guards. Instead, you took action into your own hands. This is inexcusable. You are dismissed." Bowing her head, Sinkomiki turned to leave. "You will be expected to have your room cleaned out by the end of this day."
Sinkomiki whirled, shock clouding the Yamimi's usually calm face. "Gone? But my lady…"
"You are dismissed." Sinkomiki turned and left the room, her feet dragging on the heavy carpet.
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