Ryuzen and Joam have been riding since early this morning and now have finally arrived at Tsutsujigasaki castle just after sundown. They had been riding most of the day and Joam had asked Ryuzen what his intentions were for his daughter. Joam explained he already been aware of seeing Isabell and Ryuzen getting close in these last few months and he told Ryuzen of Jinsai approaching him of arranging a marriage between Ryuzen and his daughter. He had agreed that if the marriage proposal was accepted, he would have to wait until he was fifteen and at that point in Sengoku era Japanese society, he would be considered a man old enough to marry. Ryuzen explained to Joam of his love for his daughter and he would protect her with his life no matter what. Joam seemed pleased by this answer and went on to explain that it would be a relief to see her provided and protected for by someone who actually cherished and loved her also. Joam then stated that he was aware of his daughter's gift and her mother also had the same ability and in fact it was his wife who was the one who had encouraged him to come to Japan and make his way to eastern Japan. She had foreseen of fragment of fate that Joam would prosper here in Japan. However, Joam did not anticipate his wife would die on their way to Hojo lands and it had exposed another weakness in his inability to protect his daughter from the bandits and it was one of the reasons he was going to accept the marriage proposal to ensure her safety before he would continue on with his trading mission if allowed to leave by Shingen Takeda. Ryuzen nodded and stated he would make sure she was protected from Melanios no matter what. With the discussion over and they were approaching the main gate to Shingen home castle, and they see a guard standing in front of the gate holding a spear he gestures them to stop and they oblige. Then he asks them who are they and Ryuzen explains he is Ryuzen Kuroda son of Jinsai Kuroda of the Kuroda clan escorting Joam de Barros to see Shingen Takeda and was bringing him as ordered by their lord. The guard understood and yelled back at the castle gate to let them pass and someone behind the castle gate opened the gate from inside the castle compound. As Ryuzen passed through the gate he observes the Takeda stronghold and sees that it was not really a castle in the normal sense. It was actually a very large samurai mansion on top of a hill and at the base of the hill was several buildings surrounding the hill and past that there was a large wooden wall surrounding entire compound at the base of the hill with only one main gate Ryuzen party had just passed through now. There was a well-guarded and well-lit path of torches to the mansion at the top of the hill he noticed also. They finally reached some large stables, and a servant comes out and grabs the horse's reins of his party and Ryuzen and everyone else dismounts and his servants unload the gifts for Shingen from the horses, and a court attendant meets them at the entrance of the stables and states to them that they will follow him to some guest quarters for his party and will meet Shingen Takeda in the morning. Ryuzen and his party follow him inside to the guest quarters near the stables and have food and drink brought before them and they rest for the rest of the evening.

  The next morning the same court attendant came to escort them to the great hall in the mansion at the top of the hill and began to explain the court etiquette, "My lord Ryuzen as you are samurai you are permitted to wear your weapons at court, but you are not allowed to unsheathe your weapons at any moment or you will be executed where you stand, the barbarian may not carry any weapons and will be searched thoroughly again before you enter the great hall. Your words carry weight and speak with caution as any misspoken or careless word could be used against you and bring disaster to your house. Upon entering the great hall and immediately bow face down to the floor and wait for our lord to bid you to come closer, upon approaching our lord sit on the mats provided which are exactly 12 feet away from the daimyo. Do not approach any closer as this will be consider an attempt on the daimyo life and you will be killed instantly by his guards. Finally, when permitted to begin speaking to our lord you will address his as lord and when your business is concluded and allowed to leave you will bow once face down to the floor and rise to your feet and not turn your back to his lordship but will back away facing him and will only turn around once you have exited the great hall" Ryuzen and Joam nodded in understanding, Ryuzen began to think of the stories told to him by Jinsai of how Shingen had overthrown his father and took his seat of power and immediately after was attacked by every surrounding clan and he managed to not only fight them off and defend Kai province but managed to gain another province called Shinano province in a masterful stroke of cunning and strategy. He was given the nickname the Tiger of Kai and earned that reputation well, he had fought the great daimyo Kenshin Uesugi of the Uesugi clan in several battles to a standstill. He was a force to be reckoned with and never to be underestimated.

  They reached the entrance to the great hall, and two guards were waiting and were then told to stop in front of them and Joam was searched thoroughly and Ryuzen noticed he was perspiring sweat a lot and looked visibly nervous, Ryuzen winked at him in reassurance that all would be well and Joam smiled lightly but was still very nervous. Ryuzen himself did not feel fear but rather he was cautious, the meditation and training had taught him to always stay calm and think clearly. After the guards were satisfied Joam was not armed they then stepped aside and the doors to great hall were opened. Upon entering it has golden walls that were decorated with the scenes of samurai battles which were probably of Shingens past victories, the floor was dark wood with a very smooth finish, and you could see your reflection of yourself in the floor. After immediately entering the hall and taking a few steps in both Joam and Ryuzen immediately bowed face down to the floor. Then a heavy baritone voice speaks, "Rise and approach". As Ryuzen approached he could see Shingen Takeda sitting cross-legged on a large pillow dressed as a dark robed Buddhist monk with a shaved head and a thick prominent beard and mustache, his face had a strong jawline, and a serious commanding look and he appeared to be of stocky build with muscles lines of arms shape protruding from his robes. To Ryuzen it seemed like a predator sitting on a perch looking down at his prey. He has two guards with katanas sheathed standing on either side of him. A court attendant is seated further away on his right side. As they got closer, he noticed in Shingen left hand he was holding jade Buddhist prayer beads and he was constantly touching them with his fingers and moving them about in his hand. Everything it seemed to Ryuzen about this man was raw power and Ryuzen was impressed. Finally, they reached the designated spots to sit and both half bowed again and took their places on the sitting mats and both sat silent waiting for Shingen to speak. He looked them both up and down as if studying them intently with his eyes and sizing up his guests. Shingen finally spoke, "So boy you are the famed dragon of the fields who fiercely protects my southern border, and you were once the child of farmers who was orphaned and raised by my servant Jinsai and now has the two hearts. The heart of a farmer and a samurai. Interesting, I see by your scars on your face you are no stranger to battle. Good, even though you are so young I am pleased to see we have such young promising warriors rising up in my lands and the next generation rising who will one day help protect this land. My son speaks highly of you and your father. Although I am saddened to hear your father days may be numbered. For that you have my sympathies and gratitude for his service. I have a question for you boy, depending on your answer it will determine to me the kind of man you will be and how useful you will be to me" Ryuzen ready his mind on whatever question his lord was going to ask. "A village is within my domain has enough rice to survive the winter. If I take half, my army will live and protect ten villages. If I take none, that village lives, but my army weakens and war follows. Tell me samurai, which village do you choose to starve?" Shingen then waits for Ryuzen answer. Ryuzen thinks to himself and remembers what his life as a farmer's son in winter was like and how brutal those times were with little food if the rice was taken by bandits or samurai and yet he knows as a samurai that if the army does not eat, they will be weak and open to invasion, and all villages will starve from the looting that follows. Ryuzen thinks if I don't take the rice Shingen will see weakness and see him as a man who avoids responsibility rather than bearing it. If I take the rice. One village for ten is acceptable. Shingen will hear cruelty. Useful but dangerous. If I say I would find another way. Shingen hears evasion. A man who answers around the blade. Finally, Ryuzen after a couple minutes of thinking answers, "I would take the rice" Everyone in the hall stiffens and Ryuzen continues, "But I would take it last, and I would eat none of it until spring. I would quarter my soldiers in that village, work their fields, repair their roofs, and bleed first if war comes. If the people curse me, let them. If they survive, I have done my duty" Ryuzen then looks up and stares directly into Shingens eyes and says, "A lord who starves his people from a distance is a tyrant. A lord who starves with them may still be forgiven" Shingen then laughs loudly and unnerves everyone accept Ryuzen and finally he composes himself and begins to speak, "Excellent answer boy, you understand war is not a clean business, but honor still has weight that will carry on even after the conflict has ended and one village that was starved for the sake of winning one war will be remembered by all the other villages and they may rebel if you try to take rice by force again in the future. Furthermore, you bind leadership to a shared suffering that will bond them even closer despite the hardships in the future" "Most impressive, I will be watching you with great expectations from now on and to see how much you grow as a leader of men boy. Truly you are the dragon of the fields and not just in battle but in ruling as well" Ryuzen bowed low and thanked him for his praise and would endeavor to try to meet his lord's expectations.

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  Then as everyone was relaxing after the tense questioning by Shingen a servant came into the great hall and bowed low, and Shingen gestured him to come forward and approach him next to his seat. This was highly unusual as a meeting was already taking place and to be interrupted was extremely unprecedented, the servant then spoke into the ear of Shingen and his expression changed and it seemed his demeanor looked angry and the atmosphere became intense again. The servant finished speaking to his lord and backed away bowing to his lord and then left the great hall and a tense silence came over everyone in the great hall. Then Shingen spoke to break the silence,"Ryuzen your father is dead, he was killed protecting Joam's daughter. It appears a shinobi entered your mansion and killed some guards and attempted to kidnap Joam daughter but was prevented from completing his task by Jinsai and he was killed in the process. I am sorry for your loss Ryuzen. You are permitted to leave and return home. Joam will stay as I have much to discuss with him and will be escorted home at a later date" Ryuzen felt as if someone had just kicked him in the stomach and he felt numb to the news, he does not even remember bowing and leaving Shingen great hall and making his way down to the stables to get his horse. When he was in the stable by himself waiting for the servant to get his men and servants to accompany him back, he immediately fell to his knees and cried harder than when he had lost his parents. It was dry crying unable to scream out in pain. Ryuzen world just collapsed again and yet he felt all the more guilty knowing he could not change his father fate because of Isabell and it was heavy weight on his heart he would carry with him for the rest of his days. He now understood how a dead man could save Isabell based on her fragment of the dream she told him. Ryuzen wiped away his tears and stood up, and his men and the servant arrived at the barn, and everyone mounted his horse and they raced back to the estate with all haste. Ryuzen riding all the way thinking of Isabell and his father and swearing revenge on Melanios if the opportunity ever presented itself and trying to figure how do you kill a god who can control fate also, he then vowed he would find a way and if the three fates visited him in his dreams again he would ask that very question.