The New Winds

Kenji was up early, after his conversation yesterday with Kaidan he wanted to check on the boy Chen before talking to Kokyou.

He stood in front of the magistrate's building and addressed one of the guards: "Greetings guard-sama, I hope the day has brought you good salutations? I wish to see one of the prisoners."

Having told Nobuko he would information on when Erina's brother would be released of his duty, Kokyou keeps his patience in check at the waiting fore-chamber of the Magistrate's Estate, as the yoriki goes check the door while another clerk goes fetch the information.

Noticing it is Kenji, his eyes narrow. He takes a sip of the bland tea they served him and doesn't bother the Crane with his matters, yet.

The Magistrate Estate guards let Kenji in after checking what their destination was, pointing him in the direction of a building used to hold prisoners.

Inside, the building is dark and has a dampness to it, the stench of human bodies and excrement filling the air. It doesn't take long for them to find Chen, sitting in a cell staring at the floor. He looks like he was beaten, but otherwise is fine.

"Oh, hello, samurai-sama"

He says as they approach him

----------

After some time, a Yoriki returns to Kokyou and says:

"The peasant boy should be able to go free tomorrow, his sentence having been carried out."

"Hello,... Chen." It was different to address a peasant by his name, usually this was not the practice in the Crane Lands. "I have come to apologize, The gods have resented my turning you over to the magistrate. I was wrong," Kenji said, bowing.

"No, samurai-sama, I was in the wrong and should not have stolen. It was not my place to take what was not mine.."

"I'm not talking about the theft, Chen, I'm talking about the fact that I didn't do more to spare you the cage. You deserved a punishment, but this..." Kenji made a gesture " Didn't have to."

"It is my place, samurai-sama. The beating and the imprisonment were what the Magistrate felt were the appropriate punishment for my crime."

"..." Kenji was silent. Apparently the magistrate had made sure that Chen had a new world view and the swelling was probably witness to his methods. "Tell me, why did you steal the bread? I can't change the past, but I can at least try to understand how this happened"

Vutall wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:18 am

After some time, a Yoriki returns to Kokyou and says:

"The peasant boy should be able to go free tomorrow, his sentence having been carried out."

"I appreciate the information. Thank you for the tea." Kokyou lifts himself up and then sees that the guards allowed Kenji to go meet the prisioner. Which means, the door to get there was open, and instead of going out of the estate, Kokyou takes a turn and enters the prison area.

Once near them, Kokyou glances Kenji and waits until they're finished talking to tell the boy some news.

"My sister and I hadn't eaten a full meal in many days. I thought that the house I stole from had enough and it wouldn't be missed."

"I can not believe that your Lord does not care for you! " Kenji said shocked. "Who is your lord, Chen? I must have a word with them."

"My parents were in service to Kakita Toshimoko-sama, but after their deaths last month from a disease, he has neither sent for us nor given instructions"

"I understand," Kenji said resolutely.
Most likely, Kakita-dono was simply too busy to deal with two heimin, or rather, the two should have contacted their lord.
But the tea was already spilled.

"I will talk to Kakita-dono and do what I can with my status, the least I can do is to get you back to work and be taken care of again. One more question: Did you get any food here?"

"Yes, I was given soup."

"Well, Chen, I'll see what I can do," he said. He made a light bow and was about to leave when he saw Kokyou.

His heart cramped up a little. He hadn't expected to meet him here. "Kokyou-san, good morning, I didn't expect to see you here," he greeted him and bowed appropriately.

That was no news, even up here in Tsuma. The crane was in very bad sheets after the tsunami, and miraculously mitigated any sign of their lack of food and other resources from the other Clans. The Mantis, though, knows better.

Now that they just gained a port city from the very Crane, pointing fingers wouldn't be the honorable course. Helping out the populace –– and the Crane by doing so –– is the joust course.

No intention to eavesdrop, since he's there in plain sight, Kokyou bows short –– very short –– to Kenji, replying, "Nobody expects me, but I be always thar t' help solve problems. Jolly morning, Kakita-san. I hope Inari-kami has blessed ye the same way she did t' Chen-san."

Kenji ignored the rudeness. "I did not have the favor of Fortune on my side yesterday. However, I had a longer conversation with Kaidan-san and am now trying to understand the bigger picture," he replied.

There was no rudeness in his talk at all. It is retribution, pure and simple, as polite as it can be. Specially for a Mantis. He replies, "Aar! Be that so, tell me more, then. Wha' 'ave ye learned about th'... bigger picture?"

"It seems that Chen and his sister have no lord to look after them. Or maybe Kakita-dono didn't know about them. Both parents died of illness and since no lord cared for them, Chen resorted to criminal methods. I wanted to talk to Kakita-dono about it, the least I can try to do is to give them both the protection of a lord and work again.

"They do 'ave lords. Thar elder's death be no excuse fer them bein' lordless. They were jus'... forgotten. 'twould be mighty generous o' me dojo's crew t' remind Kakita-dono o' thar service. Also, thar be no crime in feedin' one's family 'n strive fer thar security 'n survival. Be it nah?" He mentions, looking seriously to Kenji's eyes.