Chapter 50

"I never liked Shogi." Koutou muttered.

"You're good at it Magojiro-sama."

"Its too stale." He continued. "Too even as well. On the battlefield you are outnumbered, or you outnumber the enemy. No two armies have the exact numbers. No two encounters will be the same."

"Yes Magojiro-sama."

"True innovation lies in the man that can defeat an army that is greater than his. True soldiers can turn the tide with a single act of courage. That never happens here."

"Yes Magojiro-sama."

The Daimyo raised up his eyes in something akin to a glare. "You've let me win seven games. I order you to beat me at this next one."

"I-my lord I have tried but you are-"

"Making stupid moves that would let you win in a dozen different ways...now you will beat me at this next game. That is my order. You wouldn't wish to displease me would you?"

The Samurai looked like he was trying to decide whether or not he could have the earth swallow him whole at the moment.

Koutou leaned back in his chair. The garden they sat in was large, and the dense foliage nearly hid the rear garden walls from view. Possibly all the better for ninja to sneak in or out should it be necessary.

Then he flipped the board around, his pieces now with the servant and the servants now with him.

"Make the first move." He demanded, taking a sip of his tea.

The man swallowed thickly, then he picked up his piece and moved it to a tile.

He played the game and once more made deliberately stupid moves, his gaze boring into the man.

On trembling fingers, the Samurai picked up a piece and set it on the table. "Check...mate mi-lord."

The Daimyo smirked, leaning forward. "Now...that wasn't so bad? Was it?"

The man shook his head in a stiff set of jerks.

They set up the board again and he gave the same order.

Now they played a real game.

The man hesitated often, but with every game his confidence grew as the Daimyo praised him whenever he took a piece on the board.

They were getting into their fourth real game beginning to hit something of a stride when it happened.

Three shuriken raced out of the garden trees.

The Samurai who was currently winning their game dove forward with a startled shout of "Mi-lord!" pushing him to the ground and receiving one of the pointed stars lodged in his leg for his efforts.

The Samurai that were flanking the nearby doorway rushed forward, bellowing out the cry of an intruder and already he could hear the angry shouts and the clanking footsteps of a dozen other armored men charging down the halls towards them.

Koutou pushed himself up, and the armored man off of him, rolling in his robes, topknot disheveled he managed to catch a shadow in the trees now.

His guards whipped out chains with weights at the end. Shinobi were notoriously fast. The Samurai had learned quickly that the best way to catch them was with chains at the weighted end to coil around limbs or even just trip up strides.

This one tried to jump. Dodging the swings as it landed on another tree looking to escape.

Then it lost its footing and fell.

Koutou raised an eyebrow.

Ninja never lost their footing on bloody trees.

Seconds later his men were pouncing on it, and Koutou dusted off his overturned seat, sat himself back down, reached for the still warm tea on the other table and waited.

He looked to the man that had saved him, gripping at his bleeding leg where the star still stuck out of his calf, dripping onto the floor. "We'll get that tended to." He promised.

The man hissed but nodded.

It was a moment later his men dragged forward the assassin.

Though perhaps miscreant would be the more apt term.

"How old are you girl?" He asked.

Gold eyes glared beneath dark lashes, she didn't answer as she hissed and bared her teeth.

Koutou stared at her with a grave neutrality. "Do you know that, attacking the Daimyo of any country is a crime punishable by summary execution."

One of his men drew a sword, brandishing the gleaming blade and the girl seemed to lose some of her bluster.

Koutou's stare stayed on her for a time before he jerked his head to another of his men. "See that my game partner is tended to. And call Ryoutenbin. He should be made aware of his lack of hospitality." He took a sip of his tea. "Disarm her."

Weapons and pockets were stripped bare, ankles and hair checked, fingers pried her lips and teeth open even as she tried to bite down. They didn't disrobe the girl because he stopped them before they could go that far.

"Let go of one of her arms."

They did so, every man staying close and ready.

To everyone's immense surprise, the man turned in his seat, reached around for the board and table and then planted it between himself and the kneeling girl. "Pick up the pieces, set up the board." He ordered and two of his men moved to do so.

He took another sip of his tea. "I never liked the game much. Do you play often?" He asked with simple ease as his servants began to set up the board.

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