Toturi's Army Letter - #6
Your Akiyoshi waits for my response. I write with a hesitant hand. I have no reason to trust you. Only because of my talk with Yokuni am I responding.
If you are correct, Yoritomo's army will cut off Yogo Junzo's reinforcements from the south. If you are correct, I will make certain we are north of the castle when the time is right. Yokuni assures me the others will be ready for our arrival.
As to the other matter.
Your previous correspondence has shown me you are capable of keeping your word. You told me you would exchange information for favor, and I honored your request, but I cannot believe what you tell me. I have known Kage for all of my life. Since my earliest days, he has been my most trusted advisor, sensei and sempai.
And now you tell me it was his actions that caused Tsuko's death. I must pause between every sentence to keep my emotions in check. I cannot believe what you say, and yet, I must believe what you say. You tell me not to trust him. Akiyoshi tells me not to trust him. Tsurani's last words to me were not to trust Kage. In this house when all my faculties must be clear of doubt and hesitation, I find myself devoid of clarity. All about me is confusion.
At the palace, the Lion armies await certain doom. I must do something.
Yokuni tells me I know what to do, but I don't. I don't! How can I unite them? How can I convince them that we must stand together or we will all fall? I seek an answer, and all I can remember are the lessons of my sensei, the one man I am not to trust. My eyes and hands fumble through the lessons of Shinsei, and they might as well be speaking to a man without sight or hearing.
I don't know what to do!
As I stood next to the Emperor 1 his most trusted military advisor 1 I always saw you with contempt. He always kept you close, befuddled by your beauty. You were his eyes and ears in the court, always with your fingers in everyone's secrets. I look back at those days now and realize why I despised you.
He needed you as much as he needed me. I was loyal. You used your position for your own gain. How the times have changed, eh? Or perhaps they have not. What have you to gain from all this, Kachiko? What do you hope to gain?
I have the answer. I know what I must do. I will give the Lions what they want. I will give them a mien. There will be a united Lion army at the gate, Lady Scorpion, even if it costs me my life. Be ready.
Toturi