Taka Of The Fuma Clan

Chapter 1 Taka Of The Fuma Clan

The Fuma clan was one of the seven great clans of the WhistleThorn Continent, each clan backed by a major family under the command of the shogunate. For a hundred years, the Fuma clan had slowly been deteriorating, growing weaker and losing their standing. It was only a matter of time before they were wiped out. Their destruction would bring about a series of events that would shake the entire continent to its core.

The Fuma clan was in an uproar; Today marked the birth of the Alton's tenth son. The loud sounds of the music and festivities made it seem a happy occasion, but a discerning eye would reveal the torrents rampant under the surface. One would only have to look at the higher-standing members of the family to realize the truth. Many of them had frowns on their faces; only the old matriarch seemed happy.

The father had a slight scowl on his face. The old patriarch's gaze was impassive and the mother was terrified. The reason was simply that the mother of the tenth young master was a maid, a servant in name, a slave in actuality, this was because of the clan's strict hierarchy. A new son being born to the clan head upset the delicate balance of power between the feuding factions. "Waah!" the babies cries brought silence to the hall. It seemed to entrance everyone bringing a change to several faces in the room. Finally, a stony voice called out."bring him up"

The midwife hurried to give the child to the patriarch, almost dropping it in the process; after that she scurried away, letting out a sigh of relief. The old patriarch glanced at the child before speaking.

" Today I have another grandchild and the clan another arm."

The old patriarch stared at the child and inwardly sighed before speaking once more.

"This child has sharp eyes, and his gaze is still, which is rare in a newborn. Since his birth a few minutes ago his crying has already ceased . His eyes resemble those of a hawk and so hence his name shall be Taka." After he said these words, the hall became silent; it was as if someone had dropped a bomb.

This was because everyone knew what it meant for the old patriarch to personally name the child; it meant that he had accepted the newly dubbed Taka as a potential heir to the Fuma lineage. These words were like a thunderstorm ringing in the ears of the various figures in the hall. However some saw this as an opportunity, each beginning to hatch their plots and schemes.

Madam Ito marched into her courtyard fuming. Veins writhing on her arm as she clenched her fist, her nails biting deep into her palm.

Naki, that bastard. I knew he had been sowing oats so I kept a close eye on that cousin of his, was it not enough that I allowed him three wives and a concubine? She placed her thumb in her mouth in frustration and bit hard tearing a chunk of skin off. She entered her room and sat in the center with her legs folded behind her and bowed her head on the tatami floor.

Incoherent sounds came from her lips and after fifteen minutes she lifted her head up. Her eyes were bloodshot and a wisp of madness flickered in and out. "Keiko, Hitomi enter " Madam Ito called out to her two maidservants standing outside her room. The two maidservants quivered and stared at each other uneasily.

They had seen when madam Ito had bit into her thumb, and that was never a good sign. Whenever madam Ito mutilated herself, she transformed into a madwoman who lashed out at everything. They entered the room timidly and Keiko intentionally lagged behind Hitomi.

This soon proved to be a wise decision.

As soon as Hitomi entered madam Ito's room, she was ordered to prepare tea. As Hitomi prepared tea using her master's favorite tea set, Keiko stood off to the side.

A few minutes later Hitomi made the table and arranged it according to madam Ito's preferences. Just as she was pouring the water into her master's favorite china cup, she stumbled, and a drop of boiling water fell on madam Ito's skin.

Pah!

Hitomi was sent crashing to the floor. A red palm print marred her face. The boiling water fell on her in the process, severely burning her hand. Pieces of china shards cut into her skin.

Madam Ito's shallow breathing sounded in her ears from above. She raised her head and saw Madam Ito's contorted face leering at her.

" Filthy slave, how dare you, are you also trying to shame me? "

"No mistress I...I.I w.. would never" Hitomi cried, repeatedly shaking her head. "Little bitch I'm sure you became my maid so that you could also climb into my husbands' bed just like that imp" Madam Ito delivered a fierce kick to Hitomi's stomach causing saliva to drip from her mouth.

"No, never! That was never my intention, please believe me!"

"Filthy tramp you dare to suggest I'm lying? Keiko call the disciplinary maids here and tell them to flog her thirty times!"

"Yes, madam" Keiko bowed low, then hurried out to carry out her task.

"Nooo! Madam, please forgive me!" Tears streamed down Hitomi's face, soon her face was botched with snot distorting her once pretty countenance. She dragged herself through the shards of china on the floor. cutting herself in the process, as she held on to madam Ito's heel desperately begging and pleading for mercy.

Madam Ito's countenance turned dark and she viciously struck Hitomi with her heel.

Blood began dripping from her nose and her lip but Hitomi refused to budge and clung to madam Ito as one would cling to a lifeline. About three minutes later, Keiko entered the room with some disciplinary maids in tow.

She bowed low to madam Ito, and sent Hitomi a pitying look.

She walked to the corner of the room and didn't let out a single sound, melding completely into the background.

Hitomi was dragged out of the room and into the courtyard, still begging and pleading.

Klack, Klack, Clack a' Lack, hours later, the sound of wooden sandals echoed through the air.

A twelve-year-old child entered the courtyard and headed towards Madam Ito's room pausing momentarily to stare at the bloodstains at the center of the yard. However he quickly lost interest, passing by without a change in his expression. He entered madam Ito's room and called out to her. "Mother what happened here?"

Madam Ito rose from her curtained bed and rushed toward the child. "Akira-Chan a little maid reached above her station and tried to harm me so I taught her a lesson that's all"

"Reaaaaaally? ...hmm how unfortunate. However this is the sixth one this month alone. I may believe you, Father, however….."

The child let his words trail off. A small smile was planted on his face; however anyone would be able to tell what the child was hinting at.

"No! Akira-chan, Akira-chan your father will punish me, tell me what I should do."

"Oho! So even you know how to be afraid? Alright, I'll help you since this incident could affect my position as heir, but you have to do as I tell you to do."

Madam Ito gripped her son's flowing robes as the wind blew in from the open shoji doors. The darkening sky started to release raindrops providing an eerie feel to the picture of a kneeling mother and an upright son.

"Yes I'll do as you say" An ominous smile spread across the child's face.

"Good!"