Onitama

Shiro Ide, 24th Day of Winter Court 1197

The days were busy. Kyuichi was up early to get ready, clean himself and have just enough time for his morning prayers, then had to head to help move the Emerald court documents from one side of the grounds to another, change again and watch the proceedings at one court or another, change again for a meal or some sort of presentation, and one last change before being paraded around as members of the Imperial College, and then returned to the safety of their compound after dinner. The nights were boring. Everyone was under strict curfew and although they had entertained themselves for a few days, there were only so many arrows he could fletch, scrolls he could re-read, and stories he could hear before the young Kitsune wanted to run straight through the walls. Kyuichi was in the process of finishing the careful placement of feathers in the colours of the Phoenix, trying to figure out the best configuration when he looked up and noticed something odd. “That’s not Go,” he blurted out, then immediately tensed at his own words. If any of his sensei had heard it he would go back to the courtier classes with the babies, trying to figure out how low he needed to bow. “I mean…” “It’s alright, Kitsune-sama.” Usagi-san continued to be very polite in his addres, Kyuichi was still unsure if it was sincere or not, but he had mellowed out considerably since they had first met. “It is not Go. I am not sure it has a name.” He said with a smile. “But kids usually call it Onitama.” The Hare clan student moved the section of Go board he was using, five squares to a side, generally used for training exercises closer to him. The pawns were the usual black and white, but a single one on each side had been marked with a dab of ink. “Some minor clans use it as a way of teaching about the Clans in the Empire. But it is a fun game in its own, once you learn the moves.” Go or Shogi had never been Kyuichi’s favourite pastimes, but he was so bored he picked up another arrow to fletch and nodded. “I am open to instruction, sensei.”