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Post by Sze Kamlong on Sept 28, 2006 20:42:14 GMT -5
Kamlong didn't reply, but he was obviously considering the important point, gaze unfocused and mouth set firmly into a little downwards turn. "An escort, perhaps?" he mused, though the words were a little irresponsible - he was only throwing out ideas for the time being. Up until this point everything else seemed to have worked out.
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Post by Koyada Akihito on Sept 28, 2006 20:50:14 GMT -5
Akihito thought about it for a moment, knowing that he could just turn around and do the opposite of what he promised. Yet he would refuse to do that, anyways - they had spared his life and he could use them in return to over throw the Shogun. "Escort?" he echoed, suddenly chewing on his bottom lip while his brows knitted together. "Ah, of course!" Akihito perked up and nodded his head, "You can take as many men as you want to Japan and make sure it is followed through - just not too many, you know, since we're at war." His voice trailed away; would that be a good idea or did it sound irresponsible as well?
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Sept 30, 2006 22:59:55 GMT -5
"We can't really spare enough men to send an entire entourage, but one or two should be no problem. The issue is finding someone who is willing to leave their country right now. All our men, I would suppose, have no interest in doing such a mission; whether out of desire to protect their homes or yearning to fight for glory." Kamlong frowned, realizing the lack of plausibility in the suggest now that he had thought about it. "It would probably be wise to send someone who also already knows about your presence, since letting others in on this secret would probably cause more complications."
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Kwok Yulin
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Manlier Than You [China]
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Post by Kwok Yulin on Sept 30, 2006 23:05:43 GMT -5
"What are you suggesting, exactly?" Yulin asked, turning to Kamlong with a confused yet suspicious gaze. "The only ones who know about this are us generals and Shen."
Sending a general would be difficult. Though it would not be impossible to spare one, considering they had three, the additional workload for the two remaining commanders would be substancial. Even then, treading into the midst of enemy territory was dangerous, and the chances of survival over there, watching over Akihito, with the Shogun not adverse to the prince's death, was slimmer than on the battlefront in China.
Rie Chou, Kamlong, and Shen Rui were all her friends. She didn't want to send any of them to their coffins in a foreign country, but she wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to kick the bucket herself. If it came down to it, though, she would rather fill the job than condemn one of them. "...Boya," she began, laying a hand on his forearm.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Sept 30, 2006 23:11:11 GMT -5
Kamlong looked up at her, and could read her thoughts almost immediately. It wasn't often that he could; Yulin was a woman carefully guarded even to her closest companions, but he knew her well enough to know what she would think, and that it didn't stray too far from his own line of thought. "I will go," he announced, before she could offer. He stared down her look of surprise, and looked at both the other generals in turn. "I will go, if you do not mind."
In the end, it was probably better. He could freely use his title once he was away from the army, without fear of his friends treating him differently or handling him like delicate glass. It would probably get them passage through cities and towns much more quickly as well. He trusted Rie Chou and Yulin with the army, there were no better. So, he smiled at his friends and nodded. "I will accompany you to Japan, prince."
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Rie Chou
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General [China]
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Post by Rie Chou on Oct 1, 2006 2:19:55 GMT -5
Rie was impressed with Kamlong's characteristic decisiveness, even with what was at stake. Among the three - no, four - of them, Kamlong was probably the best choice anyway, and he knew how to handle the prince. But while Rie knew he and Yulin could cope by themselves, he also knew that Kamlong was a key figure in China, and if anything happened to him, they had the emperor to answer to.
"General Sze," he addressed him formally, "I do appreciate what you're doing, but the risks may be higher than they seem at the moment." He wasn't presuming that Akihito would turn against them, but was referring to Akiyama. "And frankly, the loss would be smaller if Yulin and I went instead of you."
And yet he knew Sze had his heart set on it, and nothing he could say would change his mind.
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Post by Koyada Akihito on Oct 1, 2006 11:37:10 GMT -5
Akihito smiled lightly, nodding his head. Perhaps he wasn't the one to guarantee anyone's safety considering he couldn't guarantee his own. But he was very grateful and decided that if what Naia said was true about the General; he would probably treat him more fairly. "I'm very grateful," he voiced while his eyes surveyed everyone in the tent. Sure, he couldn't help the General's friends from being worried about him and Akihito could really give no good word of advice.
"However, if it's the case, I'll make sure the loss of my life comes before Sze's. Since this is my fault, after all," Akihito finally voiced his guilt and the burden he became to the Chinese military. But whom else could he blame? Akiyama?
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Post by Shizukiri Naia on Oct 1, 2006 17:32:39 GMT -5
All this talking was one reason why Naia had always preferred to work from the shadows. Group decision-making was not exactly hs favorite pastime, nor was he in any position to input anything, so he sat quietly, looking down at the ground, listening with half his mind and letting the other half ponder logistics, timing...
He looked up when Sze offered to accompany them and Rie objected. The look in the younger general's eyes was not one of a man whose decision had been made lightly, though Naia had to agree with Rie that there was much more at stake if the emperor's brother was with them. If something should happen to him on Japanese land after all that had been done thus far, relations between the two countries would approach irreparable.
Echoing Akihito's sentiment, Naia spoke for the first time in quite a while. "I will guard both of you with my life," he said, looking between Sze and the prince. "In exchange for your mercy, General, I won't let you come to harm."
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Oct 2, 2006 13:41:32 GMT -5
"The army cannot afford losing you two," Sze said, smiling at Rie. They needed the elder general's experience, and his iron hand. On the opposite spectrum, they needed Yulin's thoughtfulness and humour. He and Yulin ascended to the position at the same time, but when it came down to it, he would rather go into Japan himself than send one of his best friends.
It wasn't exactly a matter of selflessness either - he wanted to see, for himself, what really was happening - what really occured betweens the lines of written letters and official declarations. He doubted even Kamlong could see that clearly, cooped up in a palace with high, high walls. Ever since the prince had appeared, his own ideas had been thrown into disarray, and he strongly desired to see exactly what he was fighting for, and against.
"Please allow me to go," he said, less as a last plea than a restating of a firm decision. Ignoring Yulin's worried face, he bowed his head at Akihito and Naia with a smile. "Then I will be depending on you two. Thank you."
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Kwok Yulin
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Manlier Than You [China]
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Post by Kwok Yulin on Oct 2, 2006 13:46:17 GMT -5
Her fingers only tightened on Sze's arm, and he made no effort to brush her off, even as the grip became almost painful. A part of her was refusing him, but she was only human, and entitled to a bit of human selfishness. She wanted to stay, but if she found even the slightest glimmer of doubt in his eyes, she would volunteer instead.
He gave her a very brief smile before facing the foreigners, and didn't sway at her troubled face. She found not even a hint of what she was searching for, and let go, suddenly, as if struck. "...Ve-...very well. I'll agree to this." And, unsaid, Thank you.
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Rie Chou
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Post by Rie Chou on Oct 3, 2006 4:30:31 GMT -5
Rie looked to Akihito and Naia. The generals had no way of knowing how well the two Japanese could protect Sze when it came to more dangerous circumstances, and Rie hoped he wasn't signing Kamlong's death warrant by approving. And yet he knew Sze had his heart set on it, and that he knew what he was doing. Finally, he nodded.
"I trust your judgement," he said decisively. "If that is what you think is best, I have no objections." Other than protecting Yulin and himself, Kamlong seemed to have his own reasons for going, which Rie did not question. Despite his age, Kamlong was experienced and capable.
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Post by Koyada Akihito on Oct 3, 2006 23:17:56 GMT -5
Akihito didn't want to interfere with their decisiveness, but was quick to nod his head when Rie and Yulin gave the ok to go. "Pardon me," he spoke up, "but may I start on that letter now?" The more time they wasted the more complex things would be come.
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Kwok Yulin
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Post by Kwok Yulin on Oct 5, 2006 12:53:41 GMT -5
Yulin laughed, the corner of her mouth lifting. "We've already sent a messenger! Keep your pants on, Prince!" As if on cue, the soldier sent to carry out this trivial task called out from beyond the entrance, announcing his presence and asking permission to enter. He handed the generals a few sheets of paper and a brush with its ink mortar, which they passed on to Akihito.
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Post by Sze Kamlong on Oct 5, 2006 12:55:36 GMT -5
"I will leave you to this for now. Please give it to either General Kwok or General Rie when you are finished. I have another matter to attend to. We will discuss the details of the trip tonight." He nodded, taking his leave and exitting. Yulin watched him go knowingly.
Now was the time to cut tie loose ends, she knew, but she had a feeling that some people would not be taking the news as well as they did.
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