quick glossary!
kabura-ya: "whistling arrows." during the Heian period, these were used for ritual archery exchanges pre-battle, but in SOTW they're used for communication in battle.
hata-jirushi: war banners commonly used to identify regiments in an army.
nobori: used on the battlefield to denote different units within a regiment (so like poleman, archers, etc.)
sashimono: small banners worn on the armor of soldiers for identification during battle.
sonae: basically a regiment/ "tactical unit" within an army. each was led by a general (taishō).
jinmaku: military encampment curtains, also known as gunmaku.
karamon: a type of gate in Japanese architecture
karabitsu: a wooden chest.
SONG OF THE WEST
an Inuyasha fanfic
xxviii.
Hundreds of armored men swarmed the rolling green hills outside Kyō no Miyako, moving back and forth in their tight geometric formations like blades of grass bowing with the wind. Kabura-ya whistled through the air, and the earth seemed to rumble with each sudden surge of men and clash of steel against steel. Hata-jirushi and nobori billowed, allowing each regiment and sub-regiment to be identified on the field by characters Rin could not understand.
The logistics unit of Lord Sesshōmaru's sonae, with its extra weapons and armor and other provisions, rested a safe distance away from the battle occurring below. Rin had been stationed in this unit, momentarily out of the reach of any potential danger.
Rin was thankful she didn't have to be in the fray. She was no glutton for bloodshed. But from that distance, she couldn't decipher Sesshōmaru's position in the vanguard, nor Lord Tōga's placement in the supposed center. She could feel a knot forming in the pit of her stomach at the uncertainty.
But the battle was going well. Even after six hours, Lord Tōga's forces, composed of his honjin regiment, the sonae provided by the Naozane and Takeda clans, maintained perfect formation, leaving no holes for the opposing forces to burrow through and exploit. The arrival of Sesshōmaru's sonae an hour and a half into the battle and the Imperial forces another hour later only strengthened the army.
Imperial Lord Raikuji's forces had begun the battle organized. But as time went on and the reinforcements appeared, they had started to falter.
One of the logistics men behind her had said as much.
"The traitors are growing sloppy," he said. "This battle will soon be won."
"Yes; then it will be time to retrieve the dead and injured," another man said. He had black hair pulled into a short ponytail, and cool gray eyes. Rin believed he was the medic. In the week since the army had departed Shiraoi, she had seen him patching up wounds and checking in on those injured during the Northern city's retaking.
The logistics man laughed. "Few on our side, which is what matters. Look; they're retreating now."
Rin glanced back at the battlefield. Sure enough, she could see flashes of light dotting the swarm—metal gunbai raising and reflecting the sunlight. The Eastern forces were retreating, their formation disrupted. The unluckier soldiers did not move at all.
"What happens to the others?" Rin asked.
"What?"
"The injured and dead on the other side. What happens to them?"
"Our soldiers end the misery of the injured," the logistics man explained. "As for the dead, they will either be retrieved by their home forces or left for carrion."
Rin frowned. The medic grimaced.
"No need to be upset, boy," the logistics man said to her. "That is the way of war."
The battle ended around two hours later, when the forces that had chased some of the retreating soldiers in the woods were all called back to help pick up the dead and dying from the battle.
With the capital safe—at least, for now—the logistics unit was free to set up their encampment for the night. Sesshōmaru's unit was to be stationed a kilometer east of the city, as per Lord Tōga's orders delivered via courier.
Rin had little to do aside from waiting for Lord Sesshōmaru to return. She gladly volunteered to help with camp set-up.
As it turned out, even if she had not offered her services, the logistics leader would have forced her to do so.
"Do you know how to set up the General's tent?" he asked, placing the poles in her hand before she could voice her desire to help.
"A little," Rin said.
This was true. During their journey, Sesshōmaru had roughly described what his tent would look like: a large fabric structure with sloping roofs, supported by wooden poles and further surrounded on three sides by jinmaku bearing the Tokudaiji family crest. Rin felt she could manage on that description alone.
The logistics leader sighed but didn't press too much.
"Take these poles over there to this space," he said, gesturing to the center of the under-construction encampment. "I'll go track down the other couriers to assist you, though they are still a bit green behind the ears, too."
Rin frowned as he walked away, leaving her alone with wood stanchions. They were heavy. She had to drag them one by one over to the space; by the third, she had broken out in a light sweat, despite the straw sandogasa that protected her face and eyes from the summer sun.
"So, that's the other courier!" a voice said from behind her.
Rin looked up. Four adolescent boys were standing near the wagon that held the tent materials. The easy way they stood together informed Rin they had already formed a decent bond, despite having known each other only two weeks.
"I am," Rin said, preparing to drag another wooden beam out of the wagon. The largest boy with black hair and brown eyes, noticing how she struggled, took up the beam's opposite end. Rin gave him a grateful smile.
With eight additional hands, the tent setup quickened. Soon all the stanchions were erected and prepared for the tent fabric to be put up.
Rin grabbed the striped fabric—blue and white, Tokudaiji colors again—and unfolded the massive, billowing thing. When she glanced back at the posts, one boy, a slender fellow with light brown hair, was squinting at her.
Her heart stopped. "What is it?"
"You know," the light-haired boy started, "you look somewhat like a girl."
Rin didn't know how to respond to this.
"Rin, you can't say things like that out loud," the shortest boy said. "That's embarrassing."
Rin blinked. "Rin?"
"Yes, that's my name," the light-haired boy who bore her name said. "You never told us yours."
"My name is Rin," she replied.
The boys gasped at this monumental discovery.
The other Rin scoffed. "That's a girlish name."
"Then you have a girlish name, too," Rin responded.
"You guys both can't be Rin," the tallest one muttered. "That will get confusing."
"What is your clan name?" the short one asked her.
"I'm a servant from Inugawa," Rin lied. Then, she uttered the truth, "I don't have one."
"Well, the taller Rin's clan name is Ise, so that's what we'll call him," the short one declared.
"Why do I have to go by my clan name?" Ise muttered. "I was here first."
"Quit acting like a child," the tallest one said. "I'm Seiryo."
The other boys introduced themselves, too. The short, nice boy's name was Kenji; the stock boy that had helped her with the stanchion was named Maki.
The tent's exterior was all set now. It was a sizable tent, and the blue-and-white striped fabric seemed thick enough to shield from any harsh elements. Rin had never imagined that a piece of cloth would seem so sturdy.
The quintet moved to the next wagon to retrieve the furniture. When Rin dropped her futon on the side of the tent opposite Sesshōmaru's, the boys stared at her again.
"What?" Rin asked, somewhat disconcerted by the constant staring.
"You are truly going to sleep in here?" Kenji asked.
Rin blinked. "Yes?"
The boys glanced at each other. Rin's brows knit together.
Sesshōmaru had informed her of a few more expectations of a courier—namely that they were supposed to be by their general's side when they were not delivering messages, even in the night, to ensure their constant accessibility. Rin had fulfilled this requirement with ease, seeing as how she had nothing else to do and no one else to distract her during the eight-day journey.
Kenji, Seiryo, Ise, and Maki, meanwhile, were absent the entire time, to the point where Rin well-nigh forgot that there were other couriers in the unit.
"I didn't see you all during the journey," Rin brought up.
"We were enjoying our last few days of bliss," Ise said, hauling a wooden chest inside of the tent. "Plus, it didn't seem like we were needed or wanted."
Sesshōmaru did not mind their truancy, given that he wasn't penning any messages and that he was anti-social. Despite this, Rin had expected to see them at least once or twice before that day.
"Honestly," Seiryo started, "the General is frightening, too."
Rin almost laughed but stifled it when she realized he was serious.
"He isn't that scary," Rin said.
"When I tried to introduce myself to him the first day, he nearly killed me with his eyes," Seiryo said.
Rin knew what he was talking about. She had been on the receiving end of one of those stares more than once when they had first met. But that had seemed so long ago, and their relationship had altered so much since then that it felt odd to think about.
"You all just have to get used to him," Rin said, smiling. "He isn't horrible. He's just intense."
Ise scoffed. "We'll take your word for it."
Human viscera and animal viscera smelled similar: sweet, metallic, and vile.
Sesshōmaru had first made this observation many years ago when he had first taken human lives. He had been fourteen; they had been a few petty bandits, as tiresome as gnats, roaming the woods in search of dumb prey such as simple merchants or minor nobility. He remembered being offended that they believed him to be an ideal target.
The act of killing was simple: standard footwork, relaxed stance, a quick stroke of the sword. It was as natural as loosing an arrow into a deer, or watching a blade pierce the neck of a wild boar in the yard of the castle kitchens.
The entire field smelled sweet, like the woods or the kitchen yard. Dead bodies from both armies were scattered here and there, with the bodies of the injured hidden among them. Soldiers from the Inu no Taisho's forces combed the field, placing these dead and dying in carts for identification or medical care.
Lord Sesshōmaru, to his misfortunate, was still there as well, leading the identification and recovery process. A small group of soldiers walked with him to assist, with one recording the names of the dead upon identification. Generals did not do this in most cases, but his father's lofty populist ideals had made the generals under his command do so.
It was a simple enough task for anyone. They left dead bodies for the carts. The injured who could be treated either had to wait for a medic cart or be carried to one by other soldiers. If they happened upon foot soldiers under his father's command who could not be helped, or the injured abandoned by Ryūkotsusei's forces, Sesshōmaru or another soldier would put them out of their misery: a simple cut to the neck, a quick out-pour of blood, and then nothing. He shook the blood from his blade and wiped the rest with a handkerchief after each kill.
Sometimes they would come across someone who wasn't a conscripted civilian or farmer. For instance, about an hour into their task, Sesshōmaru and his group of soldiers happened upon a corpse in rather expensive armor—not as fine as a ō-yoroi, but better than that of a common soldier. He was lying face down, allowing Sesshōmaru to decipher the sashimono on his back.
The fancy corpse was from a salt merchant family based in the Eastern lands. Perhaps they had sent a few men to fight with Lord Ryūkotsusei to secure a noble title. They had failed.
"Should I have someone take his head, General?" the scribe-soldier asked.
Sesshōmaru scoffed. "No."
Collecting the head of every corpse on the battlefield that belonged to a minor clan would take hours, and be a misuse of time, considering they could just note their name from the sashimono. Truthfully, Sesshōmaru did not feel like lingering on that death ground any longer.
Plus, his father found headhunting distasteful. Sesshōmaru was not in the mood for a row regarding a mistake his soldiers made.
"Record this," Sesshōmaru instructed. "Kanesane Miura, of the Miura merchant family, from Heijō in the East."
The scribe-soldier wrote his words. Then the group continued.
This went on for some time. When the sky transitioned from blue to gold, a courier on horseback found him. Judging by his elaborately patterned suikan and kukuri-bakama, the courier was from the palace, not the field.
Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed as he saw the courier riding towards him.
"Fetch my horse," he said to one soldier. The soldier heeded his command and rushed to find the beast.
The courier dismounted. Heeding the bloodied grass and bodies around him with a bit of trepidation, he paid his obeisance to Sesshōmaru before speaking.
"General Tokudaiji," the courier spoke, still bowing. "His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, requests the presence of Your Lordship at once!"
The sky was dark by the time Sesshōmaru made his way through the streets of Kyō no Miyako and to the Imperial Palace. It looked the same as it did when he had last visited as a child: a clear, unbothered moat; high white defensive walls and towers atop gray ishigaki; cherry blossom and Amur maples. The castle guards were rather vigilant, a welcome and suitable change from their usual lackadaisical demeanors.
Upon dismounting near the large wooden karamon gate, Sesshōmaru was led through the palace grounds and to the plaza in its heart before the building that served as the Emperor's study. The structure was overblown, much like everything else in the castle. On its front was the Imperial mon, a simple chrysanthemum, plated in gold.
Sesshōmaru bristled some. He had never felt much fondness for the Emperor, not as a leader or as kin. He could only hope that whatever the man had to say, it would not take too long.
"Helmet off, Sesshōmaru," a deep voice behind him instructed.
It was his father. The Western Lord looked much the same as he did when Sesshōmaru last saw him over a week ago. But there was a slight nick in the older man's armor, most likely from a stray arrow on the battlefield. Sesshōmaru frowned at the sight of it as he removed his helmet.
"Be careful to avoid any mocking comments," his father reminded him. "His Majesty has only called us here to praise the battle outcome."
That could have been done in a letter, Sesshōmaru thought.
"Now entering Imperial Lord Tokudaiji and young Lord Tokudaiji of the Western lands!" a palace guard announced. His voice was ceremonial and grating.
Servants opened the shōji, and a great golden room greeted the two Western lords. The fusuma bore various painted scenes—the variegated flowers of the palace gardens, a man sailing in a boat down river, a deer drinking from a pool, two noblemen playing shogi—against a gold leaf background. The ceiling was similar, too, with wood carved panels of chrysanthemums plated in gold. Candles burned on tall bronze candlestick holders placed around the room, reflecting well on all the gold and casting a dreamy glow about the furniture and the room's inhabitants.
The Emperor sat at his low desk in his fine red fabrics. There was no screen hiding him from their view, indicating that the meeting was informal. Though the Emperor was his mother's brother, the two looked nothing alike, with the current Emperor taking after his own mother rather than the late Emperor. As such, the current Emperor had long black hair and dark green eyes.
Lord Tokudaiji and Sesshōmaru paid their obeisance.
"Don't stand on ceremony," the Emperor dismissed.
The Crown Prince was present as well, standing near his father in the red armor he wore to battle. Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed. His cousin had been late to the actual fray, but was quick to receive praise.
"I have only summoned you two here to commend you on your triumph in the field today," the Emperor said. "Not that I expected anything different."
"Of course, your Imperial Majesty," Lord Tokudaiji said, bowing his head.
The Emperor turned to look at his son, who still stood uselessly next to the desk.
"I hope Crown Prince was of some assistance to you," the Emperor said.
Lord Tokudaiji glanced at the Crown Prince. The royal son was a younger version of his father: same jet-black hair, same dark green eyes. He seemed to want to say something as well, but did not, almost as if his father had forbidden him to speak.
The Western Lord went with a neutral statement. "Crown Prince was of great help."
Sesshōmaru, who could not think of something that wasn't sardonic to say, opted to say nothing at all.
The two older men continued to speak as their sons stood in silence.
"Imperial Lord Raikuji," the Emperor said, frowning at the sound of his younger brother's title. "Where do you think he has gone?"
"Reconnaissance shows that he has retreated further north, towards the city of Taka in his territory," Lord Tokudaiji explained. "He is no doubt awaiting fresh troops; however, reinforcements from the West should be here by the time he receives them."
The Emperor nodded, satisfied. Then he sighed. "Such a shame things had to come to this."
The Emperor reached into his desk. He brought forth a scroll of parchment and stood.
"Here," the Emperor said, holding out the scroll for Lord Tokudaiji to take. "A warrant for pursuit and capture. A bit late, I know, but I could not find an opportune chance to have it delivered."
The Emperor's golden seal shone brightly on the outside. Like Lady Tōran's letter in Shiraoi, the warrant for pursuit and capture would allow Lord Tokudaiji to wage war against Lord Raikuji, who was now formally labeled a renegade, and any courtiers, city lords or merchants who assisted him.
"I am giving you full command of the Imperial army as well. The Crown Prince can serve as one of your generals," the Emperor said. "This is not the first time you have put down a rebellion for me, so I will trust your judgment."
The Crown Prince's lips pressed into a thin line. Sesshōmaru huffed, only to be met with a sharp glance from his father.
Lord Tokudaiji bowed his head again. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"One more thing," the Emperor said. "I wanted to plan a banquet for you both, to take place tomorrow or overmorrow. When do you think you will return?"
"Apologies, your majesty, but we cannot partake," Lord Tokudaiji said, cool and serious, but not disrespectful.
The Emperor's brow rose. "Oh?"
Lord Tokudaiji smiled. "My men hunt for their own sustenance, except rice and basic vegetables. The young Lord and I will do the same."
More of his father's lofty ideals. It was these ideals that led the generals in Lord Tokudaiji's army to sleep in tents with their army, as opposed to in nearby shrines, as in most cases.
The Emperor hummed. "I should have known. I will send meat to each of the sonae, then, as largess to the troops."
"That would be perfect, Your Grace," Lord Tokudaiji replied, bowing his head.
After a few more perfunctory displays of obeisance, the Western lords were dismissed from the golden study.
Once the shōji closed behind them, Sesshōmaru glanced at his father. The older man had a warm smile on his face.
"You did well," Lord Tokudaiji started, "in Shiraoi and on the battlefield today."
Lord Tokudaiji rolled his eyes but maintained his amicable, sentimental expression. "How do you feel?"
"Fine," Sesshōmaru said.
His father turned his glance towards the stone steps and well-light, broad paved plaza before them. Despite the many courtier families and other noblemen in the capital who had sought refuge behind the palace's gates and moats, the grounds were rather quiet, save the line of imperial guards who were preparing to change shifts.
It would be noisier as the night continued, given the occasion. The capital's final summer festival had been canceled on account of Imperial Lord Ryūkotsusei's rude rebellion. They needed something to celebrate.
"How did Rin seem when you left Shiraoi?" Lord Tokudaiji asked.
Sesshōmaru gave him a half-truth. "She was escorted safely to Yokowara shrine, as discussed."
Lord Tokudaiji glanced again at the long, thick braid his son now sported. "And I suppose she braided your hair before you departed, too?"
Sesshōmaru had almost forgotten about the braid. Rin had styled it so that it wouldn't get tangled beneath his helmet.
"She did," Sesshōmaru said.
Lord Tokudaiji's brow rose in amusement. Sesshōmaru never allowed other people to touch his hair. That he had allowed Rin to do so was a serious step forward.
"Lady Tōran has gone to the northern front with Lord Tsukuyomaru's troops," Sesshōmaru announced, changing the subject. "She intends to lead from the field."
His father hummed. "I'm not surprised. She has already proven herself to be more interested in direct involvement than her father ever was. When the front settles some, I'll arrange for Rin to be escorted to Inugawa, hopefully before winter sets in, since Lady Katsushika is no longer there."
That would have been a fine proposition, had Rin not already vacated Shiraoi castle for Sesshōmaru's camp.
Sesshōmaru's brows furrowed. "Rin's friend remains at Shiraoi. Rin's friend remains at Shiraoi. She should stay with someone familiar, rather than be uprooted again."
The suggestion warranted another brow raise from Lord Tokudaiji. Sesshōmaru continued to regard his father with a cool expression on his face.
"I'll consider it," Lord Tokudaiji finally replied.
Horse hooves clopped against the paved expanse. Soon enough, two stableboys were standing before the stone steps with their horses. The men mounted their respective steeds.
"I'll send a courier once I return to the camp," his father called out.
Sesshōmaru nodded. "I'll leave first."
"Aren't you in a hurry!" Lord Tokudaiji exclaimed.
Sesshōmaru rolled his eyes.
"You are dismissed, then," Lord Tokudaiji bid. "I plan on taking a scenic route back."
000
There was a person waiting in Sesshōmaru's tent when he entered. They wore the garb of a traditional courier: dark brown shitagi and kobakama, arm guards and shin guards for some protection while riding; and tabi and waraji for the feet. An additional item, a straw sandogasa to shield one's eyes from the sunlight, was already off their head and lying to the side on a futon, allowing him to see their lustrous dark hair, shorn to the ears. But the person was so petite in frame and slight in form that they looked more like a child playing dress up than a tried-and-true soldier.
Anyone else would dismiss the courier as some young boy, eager to prove himself by committing the only role available to him. But Sesshōmaru knew better.
"Rin," he called out.
Rin turned to face him, the golden whistle around her neck glinting in the candlelight. Despite the trials of the day, she still bore a sunny smile on her face.
"Lord Sesshō—" Rin stopped to correct herself. "General!"
"No need for formalities," Sesshōmaru said, setting his helmet to the side.
Rin crossed the space between them, arms outstretched. Sesshōmaru took a step back. She might've been offended by this sudden rejection if the blood that bespeckled his armor hadn't caught her eye.
"Oh," Rin said, her smile falling.
Sesshōmaru removed his cloak next, setting it to the side along with his helmet. Rin moved to assist him.
"I spoke with the other couriers!" Rin said, filling the silence as she removed Sesshōmaru's spaulders. "You didn't say there was another Rin."
"Another Rin?" Sesshōmaru's brow rose as he untied his yellow and purple waist sash and opened his cuirass.
This was perhaps another reason she hadn't seen the others around during the journey, then. Sesshōmaru had not even remembered their names.
"We call him Ise, now, so we don't get confused," Rin said. "And the others are Kenji, Seiryo, and Maki."
Sesshōmaru's cuirass, spaulders, armored sleeves and tasset were set aside in the yoroi hitsu, along with his helmet. He did not bother with the other softer pieces, like the gauntlets or greaves. He had only needed the weightier pieces removed.
Meanwhile, Rin cleaned the blood from his armor with a towel. She was impressed that he had managed not to get any blood stains on his white shitagi or hakama.
"Are you well?" Sesshōmaru asked.
"Hm?" Rin blinked. "I'm fine, my Lord. Only a little tired."
Sesshōmaru was pleased to hear that. And he was thankful he had ordered the couriers to remain with the logistics unit after the battle. There was no sense in her seeing so many bodies so soon.
Now that all the blood was gone, Rin moved away from the armor and stared at the pretty golden armor with an accomplished gleam in her eye.
"Have you eaten?" Sesshōmaru inquired.
Before Sesshōmaru had arrived, as the sun had set, Rin and the other courtiers had received their allotment of the uncooked rice for the day. While Ise, Seiryo, Kenji, and Maki had cooked and consumed theirs, Rin had not been hungry enough to eat at that moment.
"Not yet," Rin said. "I was waiting for you."
Sesshōmaru frowned. "Don't wait in the future."
Rin's physique had improved by leaps and bounds since they had first met. It would be a shame for her to lose all that progress while following him.
"Where did you go?" Rin asked. After the battle, he had seemed to all but disappear.
"I was summoned by the Emperor," Sesshōmaru said.
"The Emperor!" Rin's eyes widened. "What is he like?"
Sesshōmaru scoffed. "Boring."
Rin giggled at that. The sound was clear and lovely.
"We also collected the dead," Sesshōmaru admitted.
Rin went silent for a moment. Then, "Where will they go?"
"Logistics will bury them in a mass grave," Sesshōmaru said. "Memorial tablets will be sent to their families."
Rin's mood fell some at that. She couldn't imagine bidding farewell to a loved one, only to receive a wooden tablet with their name on it in return. And the mass graves… Rin could only hope that, wherever her brother might be, he hadn't been conscripted into any army.
Sesshōmaru moved to sit at the writing desk in the center of the tent. His map of the area had been unfurled and spread out on the tabletop, with the little colored chips representing the different sonae lying alongside it. He arranged the chips into their proper places.
Two lithe, warm arms wrapped around his torso, making up for the missed hug from earlier. He could feel Rin peering over his shoulder at the map.
"Is that where everyone is stationed?" Rin asked softly.
"Yes," Sesshōmaru answered.
Rin gave an interested hum as she continued to glance over at the large piece of parchment. The capital was not just a city—it was an entire region. Besides the metropolis with the Imperial palace in the center, there were also small villages and farms dotted about the artistically rendered forest. There was also a large lake nearby, with various rivers and streams leading into it. Perfect for bathing, washing clothes, or fish.
They were all spread out around the northern half of the capital, since the south faced Lord Tokudaiji's territory, and thus was not an area in dire need of protection. The sonae of Naozane and Takeda, represented by orange and green chips respectively, sat east and northeast of the capital, prepared to counter any attacks by sea. Crown Prince—red—was directly north, between the city's border and the mountain range. To Sesshōmaru, this seemed like an intentional placement: Imperial Lord Raikuji's army was enormous and would have a tough time making their way through the rocky terrain. The area would see the least strife, giving the Crown Prince very little chances to fail. Last, Lord Tokudaiji and Sesshōmaru's sonae, represented by grayish blue and white respectively, were stationed to the northeast and east of the city, which would see the most fighting. Additional troops from the west would further fortify this area upon arrival…
"Courier with a message from the Commander-in-Chief!" a voice cried outside the tent.
Rin broke her embrace, allowing Sesshōmaru to stand and walk to the tent's entrance. Upon seeing him, the courier gave an obeisant bow and presented a folded piece of parchment. His father's handwriting was scrawled on the inside.
Inspectors coming from the West and from the palace in a few weeks. Stay on your toes. Inform Takeda.
"Take your leave," Sesshōmaru said to the courier, folding the piece of paper. The courier bowed and rushed to his horse again.
When he turned, Rin was looking at him with curiosity. "What did it say?"
"The metsuke will arrive within a month," Sesshōmaru said, opening the karabitsu to the side of the tent.
"The metsuke?" Rin repeated.
"They inspect the sonae to ensure the commander's rules are followed," Sesshōmaru explained. With a piece of parchment and an ink brush now in his hand, he sat back at his desk and wrote.
"Oh!" That didn't seem so bad. War was turning out to be more organized than Rin had ever imagined.
"Tell someone to deliver this to Takeda's camp," Sesshōmaru instructed, holding up a folded piece of paper.
Rin grabbed her sandogasa from where it sat on her futon and fastened it under her chin. "I can deliver it, my Lord!"
Sesshōmaru's brows furrowed. Rin sighed.
"Lord Sesshōmaru," Rin said. "You brought me here to be a courier. Let me be a courier!"
He pursed his lips. She was right.
Sesshōmaru gestured to the green chip that sat west of the capital on the map. "Takeda's sonae is stationed here. We are—"
"Right there!" Rin completed his sentence, pointing to the white chip that rested to the east. When Sesshōmaru glanced at her again, Rin had an accomplished smile on her face.
"You are certain you know how to get there?" Sesshōmaru asked.
Rin dismissed the question with a blithe wave of her small hand. "Of course!"
Sesshōmaru placed the folded piece of parchment into her hand. With a smile still on her face, Rin exited the tent to retrieve Hikari.
a/n: Thanks for reading! As always, you can find me on twitter as INUN0TAISHO. Until next time!