Akutoku: Wrath, Deceit, and Blood - Prologue

The paper panels of the surrounding room shuttered as four woman sat around a long wooden table on plush red-pillows stuffed with feathers and decorated with talons. All of them, despite their youth and physical attractiveness wore decent amounts of make up. The air was brisk and cold, not because of the outside snowstorm, but because of what the woman at the far end of the table had just said.

One of the women, wearing a red and pink kimono with beauteous long black locks sets down her tea cup with closed eyes.

「Do you know what you’re suggesting, Mori-san? 」

Enatama looks at the woman with curled lips while putting both her hands in the sleeve of her black kimono painted with white polka dots. She stood from her floor pillow and walked over the tatami mat, finally stopping at the opened sliding doors of her backyard.

The once green plush ground was now covered in white, her eyes, despite their blue pupils, radiated the falling snow as she took a deep breath and releasing a exhale with her chilled breath visible.

「Despite our normal conversions, I wanted to discuss something a bit less casual. There’s no beating around the bush that our husbands will soon run this land, if not all of Japan, to ruin, if they keep up their current actions.」

The woman wearing the red-kimono bites her lip, smearing the bottom of her red lipstick as she turns to face Enatama with piercing eyes.

「And what do you expect us to do? Our job as women of the household is to respect our husbands and their wishes, I see no need to interfere with their aptitude for greed and petty pride.」

Another woman, this one wearing a blue kimono with matching shimmering earrings with cerulean dragons takes a sip of tea and looks over to her friend with listless eyes.

「Enatama-san, does hold a valid point, Abieyuwa-san. Despite my undying love for my significant other, I do to, believe that there needs to be change in order for the next generation to prosper in things other than their vengeful vices.」

Abieyuwa smacks her teeth and looks to her front, where a woman with a yellow kimono with a red-sun shining from the left sleeve looks at her reflection in her tea cup. Her emeralds pupils matched the swirling tea leaves dancing around the bobbing pin her drink.

「Shiba-san… What do you have to say about this?! This is madness right? They’ve gone completely insane!」

Osevbhoriri eyes look up into the red-enraged eyes of her friend and lets out a subtle sigh.

「Remember… When we were all children? We were orphans being transported through a sex-trafficking ring in Obenawa. Despite the dread of being separated and gloomful atmosphere we all promised eachother one thing after Run-san was killed in front of us.」

Abieyuwa slams her hand on the table and leans forward with a glare.

「Don’t bring up the past! We musn’t—」

Osevbhoriri swivels her feminine slender index finger around the white bamboo teacup with a smile. Abieyuwa adjusts her composure and sits back down onto the floor, taking a sip of he teacup.

「If one of us has a dream we wish to fulfill, we’ll do anything to help our loved one prosper.」

Osevbhoriri looks past her and gazes at the falling snow covering the outside in magnificent flutter. She then turns her attention to Enatama’s matching hair, wrapped in a bun at the back of her hair.

「I do share, some of Abieyuwa’s concern. What your asking could be dangerous for not only us, but for the clan itself. Even if we do follow through, the Gozu Act is still in effect, causing a fuss won’t cause much stir except for the lower branches fighting for superiority in the northern farmlands.」

Enatama turns to face the three women, she steps down from the hallway and enters the room with her white socks making next to no noise as she sits on her pillow with elegance.

「True, but those are just pebbles at the end of the river; What we’re looking for are branches to stop the flow at the waterfall. And besides, according to my informant, Gozu-dono plans to step down and let his daughter take over the Gozu Clan in his stead.」

The three women, upon hearing the news, widen their eyes with surprise. After a few moments, Abieyuwa breaks the silence with a snicker.

「The Gozu Clan has had a long lineage of male heads… Why in the world would Gozu-dono be foolish enough to appoint his daughter? Wakizawa-san… Have you no news of this? Out of all of the sub-branches your branch is perhaps the most closest linked with the main.」

Utomwen, sitting at the other end of the table facing Enatama, nods her head. Her jet-black hair resting at the sides of her shoulders shimmers as she takes a sip from her teacup.

「With Yanami… I mean Gozu-dono unable to foster any more children with his wife’s sudden passing he was only left with his daughter. He plans to hold an official meeting two days from now.」

Abieyuwa chuckles and rests her hands in her lap.

「Why doesn’t he just mingle with another women until he gets lucky with a male?」

Osevbhoriri eyebrows draw together as she looks to the side.

「… Well, not every man has the need to obtain multiple wives like ornaments on a bracelet...」

Abieyuwa slams her hand on the table and leans forward with a glare.

「What was that?」

Enatama raises her hand, causing the bickering to cease. She then looks at each of them with an ambiguous expression as she reaches into her kimono sleeve and takes out a set of four slender gold boxes. She slides each box in front of the surrounding women and places a hand in her lap with closed eyes.

「Open them.」

The three women did as she asked and took a peak inside of the case. The cases shimmered from the fire displayed in lit lanterns around the room as Abieyuwa set the case on the table with a wide smile.

「… You were always a one for spontaneity Tama-san… But this has to be the most farcical idea you’ve ever head.」

. . .

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