Reborn in a Daimyo's court in Naruto

Part 30

Chapter 30

KATSUGAWA TATSUYA-The Third Prince

The Third Prince of the realm couldn't believe his ears as he sat infront of his mother in a tent outside the capital walls. His men had been barred from entering the city by the Fire Temple and the Guardian Twelve, thwarting their plan of taking over the capital.

The two groups' actions were clear interference in the war of succession, yet they had a twisted justification for their actions. Their interference had been a massive hit for his campaign until he found her mother riding out to meet him deep into the night, pale as a sheet, her gaze filled with fear, in a state of panic and fear, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

"What happened, Mother?" he questioned, for while the actions of the Temple and Guardian Twelve were troublesome. The war was far from over; they still held more men and alliances than the up jumped peasant.

She was still in a daze as her lips quivered. She looked up and put forward a scroll, and he didn't miss how her hands shook as he took it from her and began to read its contents.

"What is i...." but he stopped as he read over the contents of the missive. And it all began to make sense.

As he read over it again and again, trying to make sense of it, he failed and uttered out.

"What Does this mean?" he questioned, his own voice sounding cold and troubled, for while he could make little sense of why it all happened, he was able to make sense of what had happened.

Lord Hayama Mahiro, his grandfather, and all his retainers had been put under arrest by the Fire Temple on charges of treason, his lands now stood sealed, the man, nothing but a prisoner until his fate was decided in by a new daimyo.

"It means your grandfather has been found guilty of treason, of colluding with rogue elements to interfere in matters of the country, and that all his lands and resources are now under the control of the Fire Temple until a new daimyo emerges and decided on his fate," she answered her lips thinning as she looked up at him.

"But ho..." and he halted as it clicked together, the man from the Hidden Village, her grandfather associate, Shimura Danzo. Somehow, the Temple had caught wind of their connection and had stepped in.

"This is a disaster," he reasoned out as all the implications behind this declaration began to dawn on him. Tatsuya drove much of his power from his connection to his grandfather, and the resources of his land. Without his backing the war effort would become troublesome.

"Indeed, it is, and it couldn't have come at a worse time, when the world of it spreads many a lord will pull back their support from us. They may not lend it to that accursed Akihito Shirahoshi, but their desertion will only hurt us," she reasoned, and he nodded.

"With his recent victories, he has gained a certain clout as well, we need to do something," he added and she nodded as she wiped her eyes, as her expression hardened.

"That we do, for all intents and purposes we must consider all of the resources of my father lost to us till the end of the war. We must now plan ahead with that in mind," his mother added, and it was a big blow to them.

The weapons, the money, and the connections would not be easy to replace, and if her words were true, they would continue to lose support with every passing day. They sat in silence, their minds racing as they thought of the way forward.

"Half of the Guardian Twelve stand in our way while the other half protect the castle," he began as he looked towards his mother.

"I have thirteen Master Samurai under my command here. If we plan it right, we could try and overpowe..." she said quickly, cutting him off.