The great hall of Kyuden Hida had coldness about it. It was not just the temperature, which did give indications of the winter outside, but also it was the lack of comforts that would welcome a visitor. The walls and floor were rough stone and bare of adornments. That was not to say that the room felt empty – not with Hida Kuon there. The Crab Champion was a large man with a larger presence. Even in the vast hall, he filled the space.

Kuon sat on the large, rough throne that dominated one end of the hall. He crumpled a parchment in disgust and threw it to the floor. Kuon’s wife Hida Reiha and Hiruma Oda stood nearby. They knew the missive came from Toritaka Tatsune, but they were not privy to its contents. Reiha looked at the paper on the floor and then back at Kuon. “What word from Winter Court?”

Kuon scowled. “They continue to play their petty political games. It is a time for leaders, not for sycophants! Apparently the Empress,” there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he said the word, “has appointed Bayushi Norachai the ‘Protector of Toshi Ranbo’. She has essentially handed the Empire over to the Scorpion, what with Kaukatsu already on one side and now Norachai on the other.”

Oda tapped his chin as he said, “Odd that she would lean on the Scorpion rather than the Lion, since that was her clan before she was Empress. We can only assume that the Scorpion are manipulating her somehow.”

Kuon’s voice lowered to a menacing tone. “When do they not? They believe that they have their hooks in every facet of Rokugan. They are wrong.”

Reiha’s voice remained even as she said, “What else did Tatsune say?”

“Norachai is abusing his position already. He has demanded that each clan send two thousand men to Toshi Ranbo to serve under him.” He gestured roughly toward the door that eventually led to the harsh winter conditions outside. “Does the man have no inkling of the logistics involved in moving so many men? He is mad if he thinks such a thing is possible. And two thousand? Per clan? The Shogun himself maintains a force only slightly smaller than that in the capital.”

Oda shook his head. “I’m sure the Empress understands military requirements. As a former Lion she must realize that we cannot spare troops. We are the line of defense against the Shadowlands. Sending two thousand away would be madness!”

Reiha nodded. “Our extra troops are already accounted for. Lord Kuon’s grandfather is fighting the Shadowlands directly and we need the remaining men for our excursions against the Scorpion.”

“Which they are also talking about in court,” Kuon snarled. “The Scorpion are talking about ‘unprovoked’ attacks against them. No formal accusations have been made, and I doubt they will be. If this were to become an open discussion, then the details of their cowardly assassination attempts against Kisada would also be revealed. The Scorpion do not like to stand in the light of Lord Sun.”

“What are we going to do in light of this new information from the court, Lord Kuon?” Reiha asked.

“We are not yielding to an obvious Scorpion ploy. It is clear that the Empress lacks the strength of will that Naseru possessed in abundance. I cannot believe that the Emperor thought her worthy of the throne.”

Oda shrugged. “We do not know that he did. He left no word that she was to take the Steel Throne after he died. It could be that he wanted the throne to pass to another.”

“He never liked the Shogun,” Reiha said. “It seems unlikely that he would want him to be his successor.”

Kuon shook his head. “The Emperor was a practical man. He would not let personal feelings interfere with what the Empire needs. It is clear we need someone strong to sit on the Steel Throne – someone who cannot be manipulated by the Scorpion. The Empire sits on a precipice and all of the talk in the world will not save us from tumbling into the abyss.” He stood and grabbed the parchment from the floor where he had thrown it. “No, Norachai and Kurako will not commandeer the Crab legions, but if a worthy man with the strength to hold the Empire together were to sit on the Steel Throne, I would pledge our legions to follow him to the ends of the earth.”