"Once, long ago, Janarn was engulfed in endless war. The great clans fought against each other in order to earn the Emperor's favor and to help quench their greed. There was no order. No family bonds. It was just a brutal age. Then, one day, the Oda Clan managed to conquer most of Janarn and overthrow the Emperor. However, the head of the Oda Clan, Hijiri, knew that the problems were far from over. Food is scarce and the Samurai needed conflict in order to avoid the tragedy that caused this entire mess in the first place. That's not even mentioning the dwindling mana, one step away from being run dry, not being able to sustain itself without the good deal of bloodshed that had happened in the past. In order to solve the many problems, Hijiri turned to the Zhenshi, their neighbors across the great river.
"After many battles, Janarn emerged victorious...until a much more powerful force came down and, upon seeing the state Zhenshi and the Janarn forces were in, attacked, separating the bulk of the Janarn from the mainland, where they were never heard from again.
"With the majority of the population of Janarn in unknown lands with no sign of ever coming back, Hijiri managed to bring the clans back before he passed away. His pupils then made their own council and elected their own Emperor and it seems things were going to go back to how they were before. But, miraculously, they didn't. The clans fought with honor and grace and the mana came back. Their land recovered with their honorable fights. And so, that is how the current state of Janarn came to be."
........
O Bāchan closed the old red book that has not to this day failed to make Kazuya Roanna sleepy. She stiffened a yawn and gave the old book of evil an annoyed look. The book did nothing in response. O bāchan, also known as Bubby, a nickname Roanna gave to her after reading the name in a story, saw the little interaction between her granddaughter and the history book and let out a little chuckle.
Kazuya Roanna Vant is a name that many, upon hearing it, would bow in respect. She is the youngest and only daughter of the great Prime Minister*. Not only is her family name powerful, but she herself has also already accomplished a great feat by improving the way taxes are raised and collected, helping improve the common folk's happiness, and stopping the rate at which revolts happen. And that was at the young age of twelve. Many can't wait to see what kind of feats she will accomplish in the future.
That isn't all. Roanna is very pretty and in public, she has a cold yet mature look. Long straight black hair and a mix between purple and gold-colored eyes, sharp curves, and skin that looks like it is glowing. Roanna is also at the marriageable age of eighteen and has yet to be engaged to anyone. Most important of all, however, is that her purity is intact. Many for this reason wants to become her fiance, but that is easier wanted than done. Roanna seems to be indifferent to many people she has met and her family is very protective of her. When her uncle is the Emperor, no one can try and force their son into marrying her either.
Of course, not everyone likes Roanna. The fact that she is a looker, comes from an important family, and is very smart, has caused many to envy her and some to see her as a serious threat. There have been fourteen total assassination attempts on her life, six times she has been attacked and nearly killed. To many, Roanna seemed unaffected by these attempts on her life. However, the public image of Roanna is far different than her actual personality.
Roanna is childish, naive, clumsy, and a goofball. Her "expressionless" face and "cold" demeanor she shows to the public is her bored expression and the face she was told to keep on by her father in order to avoid "problems". Bubby just thinks he wants to keep Roanna's true personality and her many facial expressions to himself.
Roanna's "split personality" has actually managed to save her from an assassin who, upon walking up to her door and spying through the keyhole, thought he got the wrong kid.
"Bubby, why are you reading me a history book that is outdated," Roanna asked in a pouty voice, "The great river is actually the ocean."
Bubby sighed and ran her fingers over the cover of the outdated history book.
"Well, they just don't make history books like they used to," Bubby told Roanna, rubbing her granddaughter on the top of her head, causing Roanna to pout some more and puff out her cheeks.
"Geez! Don't treat me like a child anymore," Roanna told Bubby, taking Bubby's hand off her head.
"But if I don't treat you like a child then you won't get all those treats you like," Bubby told Roanna in a teasing voice.
Roanna crossed her arms and turned her head, not meeting Bubby's eyes. Her arrogance did not last long. The next moment, Roanna puffed her cheeks and looked down at Bubby's lap, a small blush on her face.
"I...I want you to still treat me as a child," Roanna admitted in a small and weak voice.
Bubby shook her head, finding joy in the fact that Roanna hasn't changed since she last saw her two months ago.
"Alright, Boku no Yorokobi," Bubby said, rubbing Roanna's chin causing Roanna to look up and meet her eyes.
"Kazuya! Can you come here?" A booming voice asked her from outside the room.
"I think your father wants to see you now," Bubby told Roanna with a slight chuckle.
"But I want to stay with you," Roanna told Bubby, grabbing Bubby's knee.
"I've hogged enough of your time. I'll see you later, Boku no Yorokobi," Bubby told Roanna, rubbing her head again.
Realizing that her grandma was kicking her out, Roanna let out a sigh but got up and kissed Bubby on the cheek before walking out of the room. She made her way down the bright golden-colored hallways until she arrived at two large wooden doors with jade and blue coloring, the pattern on the doors representing the sea. Roanna had always liked that pattern and still does even after seeing it for all her life.
She knocked on the two large wooden doors and waited. While Roanna had been trained in some martial arts and swordsmanship, she isn't strong enough to open those two massive wooden doors by herself yet. That is why she knocked. To get help.
At least two seconds have passed since Roanna knocked before the door creaked open, two gold and red armored samurai opening the door. Roanna did a slight bow and thanked them before walking past them and into the room. The room was a large throne room with two massive metal doors with the same pattern as the wooden doors Roanna walked through open, opposite of the throne and allowing guests to walk in. In the middle of the room was a bunch of men wearing fancy dark red robes with spiral patterns, scrolls in their hands, and sokutai hats on their heads. Sitting in a large black throne was a man wearing gold and red armor similar to the samurai except he had no helmet on and fewer spikes on the armor. He had black hair, a long stubble, and his hair was tied back into a large ponytail. His eyes were a brown and green color and his left hand was rested on the hilt of his Tachi* which was lying next to him on the throne, the blade sticking through the empty space under the left armrest, while his right hand was resting on the right armrest of the chair.
Another thing to note was that the man looked utterly bored out of his mind.
The moment he noticed Roanna, his expression instantly lit up.
"My daughter! You came much faster than I expected you to," The man exclaimed while Roanna ran up to him.
Roanna jumped up and her father caught her by her waist and plopped her down on his lap, despite what she had said earlier, a joyful smile on her face.
"Papa!" Roanna said and snuggled into her father's chest, despite it being covered in armor. Papa is another name she has gotten from a storybook she read since she was little.
Many of the officials down below looked up in surprise. They had never seen this side of Roanna after all. Normally she stays away from the people her father works with. But that isn't all. In noble society, you're taught to be courteous and respectful. Yet here, the daughter didn't bow and greet her father in a respectful manner despite being eighteen. No, she just straight up greeted him in a name the officials haven't heard before and ran up to sit on his lap.
And the Prime Minister, her father, allowed it.
The Prime Minister glanced at the men on the floor before looking back at his daughter.
"Can you save me? I think the boredom these men bring is killing me," He whispered to his daughter.
Hearing his words, Roanna turned to look at the men on the floor. The moment she laid eyes on them, her expression became blank and her eyes became cold. This was the Roanna many knew. A cold beauty who treats almost everything with indifference. Some of the officials even shivered under her gaze, feeling like mere insects.
Of course, the reality is far from the truth. Roanna just looked at the men and, remembering her father's words, became bored herself. Well, that and she was told to use her bored face when in public or when with people she hasn't known for long.
"Ah. I can see that," Roanna whispered to her father, stiff facing the officials.
The Prime Minister let out a sigh and shook his head.
"If only your mother was here. She would deal with this much quicker and not be as bored as I am."
Roanna turned around and hugged her father and patted him on the back.
"Well, she'll be back soon enough," Roanna told her father, whose warm smile grew at her words.
"And so will your second eldest brother. What was your nickname for him again?"
"Ao. Ao-Ao," Roanna said.
"Ah, that's right. Ao-Ao will be home soon," Roanna's father said, patting Roanna on the head.
Roanna wasn't as excited as her father would have hoped she would be. She hasn't had much interaction with her four brothers and, as such, hasn't developed much of a connection with them. Well, she was closest to Ao-Ao than the other three. Roanna wouldn't admit it but she was hoping that she'll get closer to her brother when he visits. They weren't bad people...well, except the youngest who Roanna just can't help but dislike him. She just barely had any conversations with them and, to her, they seemed too uptight.
"So, are you almost finished with your meeting?" Roanna asked, having a feeling that her father didn't just call her over for emotional support, though he has done that multiple times in the past.
"Yes. Unfortunately, we have an outing," Roanna's father began before seeing Roanna's expression and quickly adding, "but we will go out to someplace fun afterwards. I promise you, Kuzuya."
Roanna stared at her father for a bit longer before letting out a little giggle and nodding.
"Alright!"
"Now, you go tell grandma our plans. I'll finished up here," Roanna's father told her, lifting Roanna off her lap and setting her down gently on the ground.
Roanna nodded once, did a slight bow, and skipped towards the doors she came from. The two samurai opened the door and, once Roanna went through, they closed it behind her. Silence set in, the Prime Minister's eyes staring at the doors his daughter went through for three minutes without looking away, before he let out a sigh.
"Alright, back to what we were doing," The Prime Minister said, turning to look at the officials in front of him.
He stood up and made his way towards them until he was in the center of them.
"You can quit with the long way around. We are needed in a war, aren't we?"
The silence that followed his question all but confirmed his question.
"So, who are we at war with?"
One of the people on the ground had a white marking on his hat, standing him out from the others. He stood up and bowed again before answering.
"The Ryū Clan, the Sinzutsu Clan, and it seems the reinimets of the Oda Clan are pushing them and plan to attack your territory in the near future," The official informed the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister frowned.
"The Oda Clan? I thought they were okay with how we were running things? Actually, they put us and our system up here in the first place!"
"It seems they have changed their mind," The official said, shaking his head, "They are finding every little way to call us dishonorable."
The Prime Minister gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
"Those cowards! And they call us dishonorable? Hah!
The Prime Minister walked back to his throne and took a seat.
"Tell me where you need me to send my troops."
The official shook his head.
"The Emperor said you should worry about defending yourself first. He and the Clans that have sworn oath to defend him should be enough to crush those backstabbers, if not than at least hold them off for a very long time, more than enough time for your army to repel the Oda Clan and offer us help or for the other Clans to act."
The Prime Minister nodded before turning to look at the doors his daughter went through.
'I should solve this problem quickly. Kazuya doesn't have to know a thing.'
________
Roanna hated how long it took to apply makeup, even though for her it only took six minutes. Her servants by now knew that she did not like sitting still in one place for any longer than a minute, two if she is feeling sleepy. Because of this, some of the servants joked in private that, if they ever tried to apply makeup to Roanna even while she is sleeping, she would shift and move around before they could finish. Roanna herself doesn't know of this joke but the rest of her family does. They don't really mind as the servants do love Roanna. A lot of them had died protecting Roanna in the past before the Prime Minister could establish the Roanna Castle* and hire a team of shinobi.
Roanna looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was a tone lighter than before, making her look like a cloud. Luckily, the servants did put on the makeup that makes her cheeks pink. That fell out of style years ago but, as a high-ranking family, the Vant family does sometimes go back to that old style, much to Roanna's horror. She could never understand how that style could ever be considered beautiful. That as well as other things made Roanna believe that people back in the day were weird.
"Young Master, we are done," One of Roanna's servants told her.
Roanna nodded and got up and stretched before examining the kamino she wore. It was a mixture of black and dark grey and while it did suit her, Roanna didn't know if it was her style. Still, it was better than the last kamino she wore which was bright pink and white. She didn't know what the outfit was suppose to represent or if it was just a pattern made with no relation to anything but she hated it.
Roanna bowed her head a little to her servants, thanking them. They bowed as well, which always made Roanna uncomfortable.
'Why does everyone bow so much? Doesn't that hurt your back?'
When she asked her mother why, she had told her it was tradition and respect. Bowing was a polite thing to do and everyone was taught how to bow at an early age. That still didn't answer Roanna's second question. Roanna knows that, when she bows too much in one day, her back starts to ache.
Roanna walked out of the dressing room, a room that used to be shared by her and her mother but is now used by her and her grandmother when she visits. Once outside, she made her way to the throne room. She didn't have to knock this time as two samurai were waiting in front of the doors, waiting for her. Once they saw her, they opened the doors enough for Roanna to walk through before closing the doors. Waiting in the throne room was...
"...Is this a nightmare?" Roanna asked, staring at the weirdly dressed people surrounding a big wooden platform with three chairs on it.
"No, Kazuya. This is for the Yunionfesutibaru*," Roanna's father said, putting a hand on Roanna's shoulder from behind and promptly scaring her.
"The Yunionfesutibaru? That's today?" Roanna asked even though the parade set-up and her father's words gave her the answer.
"Yes it is. I thought we should get this done early so we can spend most of the day at the Down-Eastern Plaza."
Roanna's eyes widened at that. She loves the Down-Eastern Plaza and her father knew that. She even snuck out of the house a few times just to go there, though she had a very strong feeling her family knew she left since the way she leaves is always unguarded and unlocked.
"Once your brother comes, will probably go back down there so, if you see something you want to see, we can always look at it in the near future."
Despite knowing that Roanna heard his words, the Prime Minister had a feeling that his words didn't get through to her. Still, if Roanna starts complaining that she has seen everything at the plaza when her brother comes over, that'll be her fault and hers alone.
"Well, up we go," Roanna's father said, picking Roanna up and carrying her onto the platform. Once on, he set Roanna down on a chair. The three chairs, now that Roanna was closer, were different from the usual platform they use. This time, the chairs were boxed in with dark purple curtains covering the windows and a fence as the door. The "box" seemed to be made of wood but, when Roanna ran her hand on it, she realized it was made of steel.
"What's with the new setup?" Roanna asked but her father didn't answer. Instead, he waited until his mother walked through the doors and rushed down to meet her.
He kissed her on her cheek and the two had a hushed conversation, Roanna definitely knew they were talking about something involving her but she didn't know what nor why they were. When her father helped his mother up on the platform and into the chair to Roanna's right before taking his seat in the middle of them, Roanna desperately wanted to ask them what they were talking about. However, she was in public and she had enough common sense not to ask. So, she put on her bored expression and waited for the platform to be picked up. When it did, Roanna felt her stomach lurch but quickly calmed down. She had only thrown up twice on the platform, and she did not want to do it a third time.
'Maybe they will tell me what they talked about later? Yeah, they'll probably tell me later...and it isn't something I should worry about anyway. Nothing big and exciting happens in my life anyway.'
....
....
....
...Roanna would soon regret thinking that.
Yunionfesutibaru: A local festival that is celebrated. It is about how the Clans formed a Union and solved their problems.
Roanna Castle: A castle made for the daughter of the Prime Minister, Taro Vinulate Vant. The castle takes the middle name of the daughter, named Kazuya Roanna Vant.
Prime Minister: A title given to those who are the Emperor's right hand man. The person with this title will be made the next Emperor if something were to happen to the current Emperor. This doesn't apply if there is heirs available, in which the Prime Minister will become charge until the situation with the heirs is settled.
Yachi: A long sword that is especially good at attacking people from horseback. It is a common weapon of Samurai Lords as it is a great weapon against infantry, especially if they are armored.
this look very good. Samurais feudal japan and Gl Love <3
Thanks!