|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:57 pm
Staring intently at the map before them on the table, Tomofumi considered carefully before saying, "Their movements seem so reckless. A southern kingdom attempting to march on a northern kingdom? Their soldiers won't be used to the snow and cold we have lived our entire lives with." Glancing over at his new wife, he added, "Well, most of us have.
"In any case, I can't see what they hope to gain, beginning a war at this time of year. Their timing is certainly to our advantage, but it bothers me that they would chose a time so inopportune for their own goals."
It was midwinter, and though the weather was not particularly rough for their part of the continent, it was a far harsher climate than their enemies could have know. Yet, the Jinshuhou Kingdom from the southern half of the continent had very publicly declared war against their kingdom just days ago. Since the declaration, Tomofumi had been busy helping his parents in rallying the armies and organizing their defenses.
At the same time, however, he had been preoccupied by his recent marriage to the princess of their longtime neighboring country and occasional enemies. Their marriage had cemented an alliance between the countries that had been a long time in the making, and they needed that unity now more than ever to face this threat from the south. Yet, Tomofumi was not content to simply leave his wife behind safely. Rather, he preferred to have her present during the strategy meetings. After all, she was a princess, and would one day have to rule beside him as his queen. She would need to know how to command their armies as well as he did if they were to serve their people properly.
"What do you think of all this?" he asked, casting her a glance. "Any thoughts on why they would move now of all times?"
((Just realized, I have no idea what your boy's fake name will be. XD))
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:05 pm
Things had happened too quickly, at least from his standpoint. It seemed like only yesterday he and his family had been planning the ruse that would allow him to infiltrate his new husband's family, and now he was in the middle of a war council. It was strange how quickly plans could change, but he would have to adapt to them quickly if he had any chance of making this ruse work.
Sighing, Eiri let his gaze settle on the map again as he tried to keep his gaze from wandering. Normally he was much more attentive during meetings like this, but he had quite a bit on his mind right now, playing the demure wife not the least of these. He was still trying to adjust and figure out exactly what his 'dearest husband' expected of him. It was a potentially deadly game of trial and error if he should slip up, but at least his appearance was covered. His facial features were feminine enough as was his build, and a lovely kimono accented by padding in the right places did the rest. He had been more quiet than usual as he tried to decide just who Matsumara Katsue was supposed to be.
The fact that he'd been asked his opinion on the enemy's intentions caught him off guard and he blinked in momentary confusion before answering. "Well... Could it be the wedding?" He asked, voice soft as to make it sound more feminine. "We would all be distracted, of course, and our full attentions wouldn't be on our enemies. Rather, they would be on our friends." 'And new spouses,' He thought wryly, glancing over at Tomofume to gauge his reaction. The man wasn't terrible, but he certainly wasn't Eiri's choice in a husband. He'd had a few in mind before the situation with their neighbors had arisen and a marriage proposal had to be made. He wouldn't allow for Kinue, his little sister, to be forced into this, so he'd offered to be married off instead. He was older, more experienced, and, as much as he loved her, Kinue had the grace and charisma of a rabid boar. But while she hadn't been a choice for the spy, she had been very helpful in aiding in his disguise. He wouldn't have made it this far without her.
"Perhaps the enemy has a new weapon, or something to give them an advantage?" He suggested after a moment, though it was reluctant. He didn't want to sound too knowledgeable in the arts of war, but he had to put something forward that wasn't completely ridiculous. He needed to sound inexperienced, not stupid. "Though I could be off the mark entirely..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:34 pm
Surprised at first by his new wife's response, Tomofumi considered her suggestion for a moment before responding. Although the enemy had lagged a few days after the wedding to announce their intentions, they certainly had uprooted plenty of plans the new couple had been making. There had been parties and a brief honeymoon that they'd had to cancel in order to participate in this campaign. Had the enemy been hoping they would have stubbornly stayed behind in favour of taking to the battlefield?
Smiling in approval, Tomofumi said, "No no, you could be quite right. In any case, it's something we ought to keep in mind, in case you are correct." Turning back to the table and their generals, Tomofumi continued on with the meeting as usual after that. He made sure to continue to throw occasional questions to Katsue, wanting her to be involved in the discussion. It was not only a good chance to gauge her ability for strategy, but also to better understand how she would react under pressure. Not many noble women he'd met would have been comfortable on a battlefield, let alone giving him honest answers to such questions. Rather, he was used to them differing to his opinion, which was less than helpful in such times of crisis.
---
Once their deliberating and planning had ended, the group parted way, except for the newlywed couple, who returned to their tent as a pair.
Setting down several maps and a few papers he'd been carrying, Tomofumi stretched and pondered silently for a moment before asking, "Are you hungry, dear? I certainly am after skipping dinner for that meeting. Should I go ask the chefs in the mess tent to bring us something?"
It was unusual for men as important as the prince and his wife to be staying out in the field, but they'd had little choice in the matter. They needed to move from the main palace to one of their strongholds strategically placed along one of their borders towards which the enemy was likely to strike. They would lead the assault from there, delegating and handing down orders to the generals from the safety of the fortress's walls. For now, however, they had to get there, and they had precious little time to spend making lengthy trips to nearby villages simply for the pleasure of sleeping under real roofs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:56 pm
(Third time's the charm? x.x OTL)
Smiling slightly, Eiri ducked his head shyly as though he hadn't expected the praise. He hadn't, but it was reassuring. Even if Tomofumi had praised him simply to make himself look better, it was just a little more he had to go on as far as learning about his new husband went. It would be even better if the sentiment was genuine as it meant his opinion would mean more both to his husband and to their advisers. The more intel he got, the better it was for his own family. He'd be able to send a very detailed letter home in only a few days time that would undoubtedly aid them in devising their own strategy against Tomofumi.
He continued to participate in the discussion as the meeting wore on, making sure to display just enough guts to impress his husband, but not enough to give him away. Most noble women weren't taught battle strategy or even trained in combat (Kinue being one of the few exceptions.), so he had to remain ignorant to some degree. By the end of the meeting, he felt sufficiently pleased with his performance to the point where he had no qualms about holding Tomofumi's hand as they returned to their tent.
Once inside, he gracefully settled down on a pile of cushions he'd specifically requested to be brought to him. Once down, he realized just how tired he was and how badly he wanted to be out of this heavy kimono and restrictive padding. The latter was impossible, though, not until his husband fell asleep. He would have to wear this getup for a long while yet, a though he didn't relish one bit.
"I am a bit hungry..." He admitted, trying to keep his eyes open. "The meeting was tiring." He added as though attempting to explain his sudden fatigue. This entire week had been tiring and he hadn't slept much, though now it seemed as though it was coming back to bite him. What he wouldn't give for a few days to laze around...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 8:17 am
Nodding understandingly, Tomofumi offered, "This must all be a lot for you to handle. You've got a quick wit, but I'm sure you're unused to the strains of directing an army, let alone traveling and living with them. Do not worry, though, we'll be at the fortress soon enough. It may not be the palaces we are used to, but it should be comfortable enough to suit our needs as long as we need stay.
"I shall grab something small and easily eaten from the cook. Then we may sleep," he assured his new wife before leaving the tent.
On his way to the mess tent, Tomofumi could not help but mull over his marriage. When an agreement had first been reached between their countries that the wars would be ended with a marriage, he had wondered what sort of princess he would be receiving. Though she had traditional beauty and grace befitting a noblewoman, she was not exactly what Tomofumi had imagined. In his mind, she would have been younger, not quite so mature, and with not so fast a wit. Not that he was terribly displeased to have his expectations proven wrong, but it took some effort on his part to learn to live with such a woman as she.
Arriving at the mess tent, Tomofumi ignored the numerous bows of the staff and requested two simple dishes that would be filling, yet quickly eaten, and sat back to wait as the cooks got working.
In little to no time at all, he was heading back to his own tent, two bowls of black rice, sliced bamboo shoots, and shitake mushrooms being brought along by one of the younger kitchen servants. Holding the flap of their tent open while the servant set down their bowls and chopsticks, he said to Katsue, "I hope this is to your liking. It is a simple dish, but one of my personal favourites, and after all, you cannot expect too extravagant a meal to be prepared on the field."
Taking his seat on a cushion across from her, Tomofumi watched her unchanging expression carefully as they began to eat. Though she was polite enough to him, she always seemed to be hiding herself behind her own calm disposition, never letting him close enough to really judge her on a fundamental level. He silently hoped she would come to be more comfortable around him the longer they were together.
Once they had finished eating, in almost complete silence, Tomofumi motioned for the servant to remove their bowls and leave them in peace. As they prepared for bed, Tomofumi kept his eyes on Katsue's back. With the chaos caused by the sudden announcement of war, they had not yet had the chance to consummate their marriage, and although Tomofumi was eager to see his new wife without the obstruction of her kimono, he was well aware there was no privacy in a tent in the middle of an army's camp. Opting instead to simply lean against her gently, arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders as they slept.
((Go ahead and take us to the morning, if you could. :3 They're already a pretty cute couple, even if they have a long road ahead.))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:12 pm
While he managed to maintain a cool outward demeanor, Eiri couldn't help but mentally scoff. He'd lived with his father's army enough to know that it was unpleasant at best, even on the few occasions he was allowed to take command. He wasn't so inexperienced as Tomofumi believed, but as Katsue's dealings with the army were minimal, that was how it would have to appear. This deception was quickly wearing on him, but if his luck held, it would be many months before anyone would know otherwise. would know otherwise.
He was sorely tempted to let down his guard when his husband left the tent, but the risk was too great. For all he knew, Tomofumi could return in only a minute's time and then his entire cover would be blown. Instead, he opted to doze while waiting for his dinner. It turned out to be the wise course of action as it wasn't long before Tomofumi returned with their meal. It was a simple dish, but he'd never been picky about his food and ate it gladly. He hated the silence, but he honestly couldn't think of anything to say. What exactly should they talk about? The weather? Too mundane. Their families? Until recently, they'd been at war, so probably not. Silence it was.
Once they had finished eating, it was time to prepare for bed. This was one of the most precarious parts of the day as there were the most chances for his cover to be blown while he was changing. He had gotten very good at changing with the least amount of skin to be seen under the guise of extreme shyness and modesty, but that would only hold up for so long. He could only hope that his mission would be over by then. Once settled, he couldn't help but snuggle against Tomofumi and into the arm wrapped around him. If only he were a woman...
He woke before dawn as was his habit, even if it wasn't expected of him. His husband and most of the camp were still asleep, it seemed, so this was the perfect opportunity to bathe freely. Carefully slipping out of the warm embrace, Eiri got up and donned a more proper robe before sneaking quietly out of the tent. He'd noticed a spring not too far from the camp that was secluded enough that he'd have the privacy he needed and wanted.
"Finally..." He murmured in relief as he shed his robe to reveal a body that, while slender, was undoubtedly male. It felt good to get out of those heavy robes and he cherished the moment by jumping into the spring. It wasn't deep, but there was enough water for him to immerse himself completely for a moment. He flipped his hair back as he came up, then spent a few minutes idling in the water. He couldn't dally long, much to his disappointment, so he quickly dried off in order to return to the camp.
The jaunt had been refreshing enough that he felt up to composing a letter home to Kinue, a real letter as to how he was doing. He'd disguised past intelligence exchanges as letters to her, but this would be the first real letter in a long while.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:33 am
When he finally awoke, Tomofumi eyed the interior of the tent carefully before his eyes finally settled upon the sleek back of his new wife. After watching her write for a few minutes, he finally said, "Good morning, Honey."
Sitting up and stretching, he asked, "Are you writing home?" Getting up and slowly prepairing for the day, Tomofumi knew that Katsue was writing to her sister, specifically.
Tomofumi had only met her briefly at their wedding, but it would have been obvious to anyone how close they were. Perhaps because of this closeness, however, Tomofumi had begun to feel as though Katsue was refusing to open up to him consciously. He granted her that they had not yet been married long, but despite all of his gentle attempts, they hadn't really made much progress since their union. Still, Tomofumi was nothing if not patient.
Once the camp had woken, packed, and were on the road, Tomofumi sat close to Katsue inside their carriage, hoping to keep a conversation going between them for more than a minute.
"Why don't you tell me more about you kingdom's culture? I know you haven't been here long, but have you noticed any big differences? Is there anything that we could do to make you more comfortable or to help bring our kingdoms as a whole closer together?"
Carefully keeping his gaze fixed on Katsue's face, Tomofumi found her relative coolness a bit unsettling. Women had always smiled at him whenever he was present, and their emotions were easy to read. Perhaps women were simply raised differently in the kingdom of their new-found allies, but Tomofumi did not like, especially in a wife.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:38 pm
Eiri let out a startled yelp as he was suddenly addressed by his husband and jumped, nearly knocking over the ink in the process. He managed to catch it before it spilled on anything, however, though the undignified display left him red faced and embarrassed. "Good morning, husband." He squeaked, flustered as he hurried to finish up his letter. He'd never been more embarrassed in his life, though the only consolation in this case was the fact that they were alone. Perhaps Tomofumi was in a forgiving mood. "I-I was, but I'm almost finished." He added, scribbling out the last few characters before blowing on the ink to dry it, then sealed it to be sent home to Kinue. Hopefully it would keep her from worrying for the time being.
It wasn't long before the camp was up and packing, whereas he was expected to stand around and do nothing. It wasn't something he was used to and he didn't like it at all. He had no choice in the matter, so he was forced to wait with Tomofumi while their carriage was being prepared. It seemed like eons before they were on the road again and he was seated next to his husband. Eiri was sitting rather stiffly, almost as though he didn't want to be touched. He really didn't, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that this was not the way to pass oneself off as a loving wife. He was being too tentative, too formal. Even if it was expected of him, it was also expected that he was to be a comfort to his husband, both physical and emotional. Shifting closer, he laid his head gently on Tomofumi's shoulder as to appear tentative, but loving, while he considered an answer to his question.
"Well, it is much colder..." He began with the obvious, trying to get a light start to the conversation. "I'm still getting used to all of these heavy robes, but I suppose it will come with time." He smiled softly and looked up at his husband. "I'm also not used to being so idle. At home I was expected to do much of the running of my father's household, especially since I am the eldest." It was implied that it was also because his father had no sons, but for some strange reason he couldn't bring himself to deny his own existence. It was strange, but he couldn't see the harm in leaving it out. "I will do my best to adjust, however..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:50 pm
Smiling fondly at Katsue's back and ignoring the nearly-spilt ink spilt, Tomofumi walked over and peeked out the entrance of the tent, checking the weather.
"You're normally so composed, my dear. Is there anything that's bothering you? Or perhaps you were merely deep in thought..." he mused not necessarily expecting an answer.
~~~
Glancing down at the top of Katsue's head as she leaned against him, Tomofumi momentarily brushed his lips against her hair.
"Ah yes, I seem to remember it being rather warm during our visit to your country. I must admit, our climates are very different. I hope it is not too big an inconvenience for you to have to wear such heavy clothing. Unfortunately, you might catch cold if you wore any less. I'm sure you'll get used to it in time, but if there is anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to tell me."
Nodding in understanding, Tomofumi suggested, "I could most certainly make arrangements for you to help. After all, you will become Empress when I become Emperor. Of course, it might become confusing if both of us are giving orders. It will ultimately be your job to maintain the household, as we will be staying in a different location than my parents. As a result, you will indeed have much more to attend to once we arrive. However, if you still do not feel it is enough, you may join me whenever I am having talks or negotiations. I would be glad to have your support and opinions."
As the carriage made its way thought the snowy plains, Tomofumi was glad to have Katsue's warmth beside him. There had been rumors of bandits and rebels in the area, and the last thing they needed was to be attacked before reaching the fort. Not wanting to worry the women of the camp, however, he had forbid the men to discuss such gossip, even in private.
As the fort finally came into view over the horizon, Tomofumi laid a hand on his wife's delicate wrist. "We're almost there. I'm sure we all eager to settle in. Even soldiers, despite their training, prefer the comforts of a permanent living structure to the cold ground."
As they stepped out of the carriage and were escorted into the fortress, Tomofumi warned preemptively, "Please excuse the lack of decoration and certain comforts within. It is, after all, a military installation, and certain comforts must be sacrificed for safety. Of course, anything you need, simply mention and I'll have it arranged for. Just because we are at war does not mean we need to live like commoners."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:05 am
Eiri felt a shudder run down his spine at the touch on his hair, though he couldn't say why. He didn't feel much anything for Tomofumi and was making a point not to. They were enemies, after all, and he was supposed to be spying on his husband, not getting close to him. He was so kind, though... Sighing internally, he shifted to lean more on Tomofumi
(WIP)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
