D7 - EE - Tea & Sake - (Expecting)

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Two months before I left." He said, pouring more for Junza out of etiquette.

[Hiruma Roger]

"Kakita-san do you have any additional details about this wound, maybe how he got it, what battle it occurred in, or the nature of his attacker? Do you know where the wound is on the body?"

[Kakita Masao]

Kakita Masao, who had endeavored to remain silent, knew it was only a matter of time before he'd have to speak, and at length, so he had taken a few drinks stronger than the tea to fortify himself. This could help Kitora, grandson. Why do you hesitate? I was there, grandmother. Right there.

He doesn't mean for it to sound like he's storytelling, but as he recounts the details, it's hard to sound any other way.

"Yes, more than a couple of months ago now. It seems recent and forever ago at the same time, but I know that it was one of the last -- maybe the last battle of the border war. We hadn't heard about the peace, about Otomo-sama and the marriage arrangement. Didn't hear until... days later. Kitora and I were already headed home by then."

He pauses briefly, letting those around the table absorb what they were about to grapple with, who the Iron Warriors had been fighting just a few months ago.

"My brother Kitora was in my squad. Fought alongside me since my gempukku." Masao's voice sounds distant, and his eyes seem fixed on the sake cup that he's holding, occasionally switching it between hands.

"We had been back and forth with a Crab legion for a long time. Fighting over some foothills and these two dirt-poor villages on opposite ends of the range of hills..." He sighs, knowing he's taking too long. "Anyway, we'd faced them before, though I don't think we'd faced the same unit from that day that Kitora was wounded?" He waves the thought away, getting to what this group needed to hear.

"Kitora..." He gets stuck a moment, has to try again. "So Kitora, got hit in the thigh. The left thigh." Most can't see because of the table, but he unconsciously places a fist on the outside of his left thigh.

"Tetsubo, like we'd seen a thousand times. Special one, maybe, painted black as night. Teeth on it that hooked a little toward the grip. The warrior who held it... I thought I'd knocked him down. But then Kitora came up on my left, and when I looked I saw that black tetsubo come in, hit that leg, and Kitora... He crashed to the ground. Didn't move at all at first, probably the shock of it. But he had to lay there, body... It was almost like a letter c. But he had to lay there. I kept them... back. We held that stupid hill. And when the Crab backed off, I picked him up. Carried him, on my back," he waves without thought behind him, like he could almost feel the weight of his brother right now. "But he had to lay there. Couldn't even sit up." He throws back what's left in his cup, but he's clearly losing his on. He takes a ragged breath.

"Seemed like a pretty normal wound, at least at the beginning. Magical healing to stabilize, then on a cart to, uh, Mura Sabishii Toshi, then a quick ship to Cold Wind City. He, uh, he had a lot of pain. He said it was getting better, but... Well, maybe some of it did. He didn't like people tending him, so I didn't always get to see. Seemed very bruised that whole way home. No, uh, no pus, I don't think."

Masao tries to remember the other questions. Finally he gives up, instead concluding with, "I don't think anything has made it worse, but I would imagine mother and father have brought in people to try just about everything. They didn't make this trip, obviously, to stay home with him."

Masao looks at the empty cup that's still in his hand, sets it down, then clasps his hands in front of his face.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He listens the story with attention, slowly fanning himself at first but then stopping to do so as the story grew painful. When the warrior grew pain behind his words, he could notice. When he hid his face between his hands, he knew what it signified.

"I believe Masao-ue is passing a little bad from drinking," he says. Indeed the nikutai had drank a little to get courage to tell the story. "Come, Masao-ue, you need some air outside." He said on a kind voice.

"Here is my fan." He touches the back of the nikutai's hand with the closed fan two times to indicate where it was. Easier to cover your face with.

[Kakita Masao]

The Kakita takes the fan and proceeds to use it, including to signal 'no' to Sanaharu with respect to leaving the table.

After a time, Masao is composed, closes his fan, and offers, "I am sure there are more questions. Please, ask away."

[Hiruma Roger]

Roger glances at the two experts, to see what more information they might need.

[Aji]

"So there is just bruising in and around the injury?" she asked.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

He sits back, letting Masao stay with it.

[Dapper Dog]

"Is he fit for travel, or would we have to send people if that is what is determined?" she added.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"I don't believe he is fit for travel, Kuni-sama. He has been on bedrest for much."

[Dapper Dog]

"I don't believe he is fit for travel, Kuni-sama. He has been on bedrest for much."

"Is he lucid? Does he have bouts where he does not know where he is?" she asked.

"Or nightmares?"

[Kakita Masao]

"It... I don't believe he should be moved, Kuni-sama. I am no expert, but I don't believe the travel to get him home was good."

The Crane considers. "And I believe he has been lucid, been himself at all times... But... I'm sure Kuni-sama will understand that a soldier, who believes he may never serve again, has... it is a certain kind of nightmare that is happening every moment of everyday." He seems to want to say more, but he finds nothing to add.

[Dapper Dog]

"Hrrm, without observation this seems fairly difficult to determine any real analysis," she replied.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Masao-ue knows about his brother's condition much better than me." He serves the empty cups of those who were still drinking shochu.

[Kakita Masao]

"If Kuni-sama or another trusted expert could be spared from their regular duties, I am confident my father would welcome such a visitor. As goes without saying, the health of his son and heir weighs heavily upon him, as it does our entire family."

Masao is behind the fan, still not as composed as Sanaharu would approve, but the invitation needs to be extended. There's an approving silence in his thoughts as he hopes that a better trained healer -- any path not already explored -- might see his brother as close to normal health as possible.

[Dapper Dog]

"Fuboshi-dono will have to make that decision but I will do my best to impress upon her that we should aid the Crane in this matter," she responded.

[Asahina Sanaharu]

"Thank you so very much, Kuni-sama. Your aid, your compassion, will not be forgotten." He bows seatedly, as he could.