The extended Hand of Peace Options

[RobFarina]

The morning mist rolled through the fields as the sun fought to break the cover of night on the horizon. The chill of the morning breeze was felt on his face as this lone figure stood outside the Shrine of the Shadow Dragon. He was there, as he was every morning, performing the art of tai chi in an attempt to bring peace to his soul.

As he finished, he knelt, lit three incense sticks and took in a deep breath of the crisp morning air. The scent of blossom carried far and wide in the wind. He relaxed onto his knees, placed his palms on his lap and closed his eyes. There he meditated, listening to dawn of the day as it broke. But something didn't sound right. The birds sung as they normally did and the wind rattled through the reeds, but something didn't ring true. A sound broke the peace of the lands around the shrine.

Nothing but nature surrounded him. It was a lonely place but that is how he liked it, so this sound disturbed him to his core. It was faint at first but as it became clearer it became rhythmic. His heart sank, he recognised the sound, and it was never normally good news. His eyes darted open, and there in the distance a silhouette of a rider charging at him with great speed, and what seemed like a sword high in the air.

Out of the corner of his eye the morning rays caught the cold steel of his blade. Instinctively he reach down and grabbed his trusted Wakizashi, bestowed upon him by his Daimyo after his first mission on behalf of the Crane Clan. He sprung to his feet, placed one foot back and raised his blade above his head, awaiting whatever fate may come.

As the silhouette became clearer, the shape took a better form, that was no sword in the riders hand, but a short pole, and a flag. It bore a symbol he recognised, the symbol of the Snake. Could it be that the Snake had come to cause him harm???? Surely not, he had just stood side by side with one of them, fighting honourably! But none had ever ventured this far? No one from the Snake had ever come to the Shrine before?

He took a deep breath and lowered his weapon. The Rider slowed in his approached. "Kato Sama!!! Kato Sama!!!" he said, gasping for breath.

"Hai, I am he, may I ask what brings you this far from the wall?"

"I have been riding all night and I bring word from Masayoshi." The rider slowly clambered down from what was clearly an exhausted steed. He reached into his robe and handed Kato a sealed scroll. Kato cautiously took it and ushered the rider to follow him. "May I offer you some tea?"

The messenger nodded as Kato led the rider to a humble house set just behind the shrine. They knelt at the table and the rider drew breath before sipping his tea which had a faint hint of Elderflower in it. He sat in silence as Kato read the message.

The message was one of hope. Whispers had spread throughout the lands of the Snake working side by side with the other clans and Kato's kind words of Masayoshi's honour and bravery to his Daimyo Dansu. Masayoshi, the voice of the Snake Clan, keen to explore the behaviour of the Sorcha followers, had extended the hand of peace and asked if Kato would set sail with him and travel west to the Empire.

Kato wrote a response, dripped wax over the paper and he embossed it with the Crane seal. He gave the messenger a food package for the long ride back to the wall and bid him a safe journey. Kato turned and made his way back into the house and hurriedly packed, he knew he must seek counsel from his Daimyo.

Kato mounted his horse as day broke. Although there was still a chill in the air winter was clearly turning into spring and nothing but clear skies could be seen. With great pace he set of into the fields. Hope had filled his heart, today was going to be a good day.