"Capitulation and seppuku" By robblu (https://pastebin.com/u/robblu) URL: https://pastebin.com/XRP8yrNS Created on: Sunday 28th of July 2019 12:01:44 AM CDT Retrieved on: Saturday 31 of October 2020 03:07:50 AM UTC « on: July 27, 2019, 06:57:42 pm » Quote Capitulation and seppuku Ominous clouds blanketing the castle, threatening destruction The armor of our warriors reflects the beam of a silver moon. In the midst of autumn, the sound of horns being blown could be heard In the keep, the blush on the faces of our women pales against the dark of night. The banner was half-folded, the moat-water still A heavy dew descends, the drums fall silent. We have done our part, let it be known, We die like warriors, our honor untarnished.” When Oyuri-hime recited this poem by the Tang poet Li Chang-ji, all the six women-warriors present and the two bodyguards of the princess wept. Although the whole garrison had fought bravely against the Takigawa force, the superior number of the foes was too much for the tiny force of defenders to repel. The greater part of the garrison had fallen, including the one hundred young maidens who had put on breast-plates and took up naginatas and long bows to defend the fort. Their young bodies, either still full armored or half naked, were carpeting the ramparts of the Toromon. The commander of the women-warriors, Hirohara Kaori, had also been slain in the last sally. She was shot through one breast by the lead rounds from the enemy teppo, was only able to utter one last regret before she tumbled off her saddle and was pinned to the ground and lay among those enemies she had slain before her own fall. The Takigawa ashigarus, like flies hungry for blood, rushed up and had the torso of the beautiful commander stripped naked. They then cut off both of her breasts and her head and had these impaled on three bamboo lances. Even stained with blood, the head of Kaori, with her long black hair hanging down, was stunningly beautiful, though the skin was a bit pale due to loss of blood. This, however, only further accentuated her poignant clamor. The debreasted torso was left lying spread-eagled on the path between the Toromon and the secondary keep. The public mound covered by the lush hair was exposed, as was her vagina. If the fierce fighting had not continued, I am sure the beautiful young body would be repeatedly raped, leaving milky white cum all over… We would have died with her, all six of us who served as her subordinates if the blare of retreat was not heard. Still, Masayo and Hiromi did not manage to return, their heads being displayed on the tips of lances. “Fall back! Protect the princess!” Namida, my sister shouted at the top of her voice. The others fell back, fighting all the way and slammed the huge wooden door shut and had it buttressed with a heavy wooden-beam. The harquebusiers positioned on the second level of the keep sent deadly fire which repelled the pursuing foes, but everyone inside the keep understood that Koyama-jo was about to fall. There were only limited rounds for the harquebusiers and these would be too few to stop any determined assault. Originally, we had hoped our lord would send a relief force to our aid. But this hope was dashed when our scouts reported that the relief force was routed in an ambush. With what remained of the defending garrison, we could only hope to hold until dawn. There was around a hundred or so fighting men and women inside the keep, many of them wounded. But besides these, there were women and children who had fled into the castle before the fort was encircled. If the keep fell, none of them could be expected to survive the looting, rape and slaughter by the Takigawa soldiers. The six junior women commanders, I included, gathered in the chamber of the princess. There was sadness in every pair of eyes. Although we had all fought with all our might and slain so many of the invaders, we were still to face defeat. The sad end of Kaori was visible to all. None of us was afraid to die. As women-warriors, we had been prepared to meet our fate: our heads would become trophies by the foes, our young and healthy bodies ravished. To be able to die together and our heads displayed alongside each other’s was a blessing in a way. But the realization that we had failed to ensure Oyuri-hime could return to the main castle of the Maebashi clan was painful. Now that the castle was to fall. We were waiting for the order of the princess either to make a desperate last sortie and died fighting or to end our lives by committing seppuku. Of course, one of us would act as kaishakunin for the princess before we met our ends… “I have decided to capitulate and hand over the castle.” “My lady…” We were stunned by her decision. “Please reconsider, my lady. We can still make a stand and the smaller keep had not yet fallen…” It was Kasumi who bowed low to appeal to the princess. She had fought very well during the past two days, slaying one enemy commander and countless foot-soldiers. “No! You have all done your part. We have not brought dishonor to the clan. It is not just to cause the deaths of those peasants and women who had entered the fort for protection just because we wanted to go down fighting. The condition of the castle’s capitulation was to let them live.” “But…” It was Ayumi, who was sitting next to Kasumi, who spoke. “If we offer the fort to the enemy, my lady could be humiliated by the foes.” Princess Oyuri made a sad smile. “I will not become a prisoner. I will commit hara-kiri. My bodyguards, Makodo and Mayumi will surely follow. As for you six, I am already grateful for your service. We have fought with only five hundred men and women against a force eight times our number. The Maebashi clan is so proud of you. Whatever path you might choose, I would let you decide for yourselves. Perhaps the Takigawa clan would also appreciate your valor…” Namida, sitting to the right side of the princess was in such emotions. “My lady, please do not say so. We have followed your ladyship for so many years. I and my sister, Hitomi, will definitely follow you to serve you on the other side. I am sure the others here will do the same.” All the six present bow low at hearing this. “My lady, please allow us to serve you.” The princess nodded. “I knew you would. Very well, I allow it.” We answered in unison in gratitude. “My lady, please allow me to act as your kaishakunin. “Koyuki pleaded. “That would not be necessary. I have decided not to have any kaishakunin. I will choose to die in the most painful manner to atone for my failure to hold the fort.” “But…if there is no kaishakunin, it may take a very long time before my lady expires. In the meantime,” “That depends on whether Namida and Hitomi can accomplish what I ask them to do. I order you two to go to the enemy camp, offering the castle on the condition that I be allowed to complete my hara-kiri. Can you do that?” “Yes, we will not fail you, my lady.” My sister and I bowed when replying. We did it. Namida and I walked out with a banner of truce and were sent under guards to the enemy commander: Fumio Takigawa. “Brave women indeed! But why should you think I will agree?” “If our request is not met with, the garrison in the keep will blow up the entire structure with gun-powder. Our lady only agreed to hand over the castle to save the lives of the innocent.” My sister lied. I knew there was not enough gunpowder to do that. “Is that so? In that case, I agree. My soldiers will enter the keep six hours from now. Commit seppuku bravely during the gap!” I understood immediately what he was thinking. He was eager to obtain the kubi of the princess. If we used gunpowder to blow up the keep, he would get nothing. “We are grateful for your decision.” “Wait! You leave your sister behind. It would be a pity not to enjoy such a lovely body before she becomes a corpse.” My sister’s face darkened, but she was able to keep her calm finally. “We came together. So, we return together. If you so wish, you can use both of our bodies. After that, please keep your promise as a warrior and let us go back to our lady to commit seppuku.” “Ah, is that so?” He mused. It was quite a while before we returned to the keep. Our bodies were soiled but we had accomplished our mission and won valuable time. “Well done, Namida, Hitomi! I am indebted.” “My lady, Fumio Takigawa’s intention was to …” The princess smiled. “He wants my head, right? Then, let him have it. If it can save the lives of all those people, what does it matter. As for you, are you certain you really want to commit hara-kiri with me?” Yuriko, sitting opposite me, was the first to act. “My lady, I will go before you and wait for all of my sisters-in-arms on the other side.” So speaking, she drew the katana out of the sheath and had the blade plunged into her waist on the left side, gliding it towards the right and after waiting for the guts to flow out of the wound, before pulling the blade out again and stabbing it right into her navel! “Ayumi will follow now,” So saying, the buckles holding her armor in place was undone and the armor cast to one side. Ayumi then cut open her flat belly before cupping one of her breasts with the left palm and drove the blade, sticky with part of her guts, into her heart! “So brave!” The princess nodded in approval. Then, she took the tanto handed to her by Mayumi her bodyguard and placed it in front of her. The tanto was a family heritage, named “the dove. She then let the snow-white blouse fall from her shoulders, caressed her breasts for a short while and then cut open her belly in a perfect manner. The two bodyguards, Mayumi and Makodo, immediately followed with a tanto and a tachi respectively. The chamber was filled with the strong smell of blood and greyish guts had started flowing out of the wounds of those who had completed their seppuku. “Ah, so. I cannot allow myself to lag behind.” The half-naked Kasumi quickly cut open her jade-like belly. “Hitomi, let us do it together.” Namida, who still had her upper-arms armor on, turned and spoke to me. “Hai! Hitomi will do it now!” I had already stripped the upper torso naked. I pulled out the tanto and with the index finger of my right hand, found the exact spot on the side. “Ah, it feels so good!” The blade went in, was dragged across my abdomen, halving the navel. I should stop with a horizontal cut as the it would not be proper to overdo what the princess had done. But I recalled that during our stay at the enemy camp, when Namida and I were being raped by the enemy commander, I had uttered a moan when I was unable to hold back my climax. Namida had not spoken a word but gave me a glare. My face had burnt with shame. And to atone that, I revered my blade to the point above the navel, dragged it vertically down to cut open my womb and then again reversed it to slide it upwards. Only through such painful rite could I atone for my improper reaction at the enemy camp… …Ummm…I did it, sister. I really did it… Namida had also completed her seppuku. She had not only cut her belly open, but pulled out her guts with her right hand. “Look, Hitomi! These are the guts of your sister!” “Ane-ue, can you hold my hand?” “You are scared?” I shook my head. “No, I just wish to expire while our hands link together.” So, she placed her blood-soaked hand on my left arm and I felt peace. The left hand moved to the right again and the guts began to flow out, like snakes in mixed red and white colors… How beautiful… Koyuki was the last one to do it. She stripped her armor above the waist first, exposed her breasts, and then sank the tanto in… Completed! How long would it take for us to die? If we were still alive when the Takigawa ashigarus broke down the door, we could witness the heads of the nine women being sliced off our shoulders… …please let my head be displayed alongside my sister’s. I prayed in silence… I fell into coma for a while…how much time had passed… I forced open my eyes and saw everything… Princess Oyuri had expired, her body toppled on one side. The sisters, Mayumi and Makodo, had also expired… Ayumi too, had ceased breathing… Yuriko was still alive, her shoulders shaking… I was not sure if Kasumi was still living though I could not detect any movement… What about my sister? Ah…she still lives… And Koyuki too… I could hear her weak moans… Takigawa ashigarus were trying to break down the heavy door with large wooden hammers… Soon, they would enter to take our heads… Ane-ue, hold me…. let them take our heads when we are still conscious… It would be so painful… But it would also be an ecstasy… They were finally in… The took the head of the princess first… Then, Kasumi’s, Ayumi’s and Yuriko’s… One of them caught the end of my hair which had been styled as a pony-tail… I knew my head was about to part from my neck soon… I turned slightly towards Namida… She was smiling, approving. I was so happy… …Do it! Do it now! (End)