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[Lady Annawen]

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Anna snuggled against her husband abit more,she shivered as she tried to warm herself against his frame then sighed as their newborn son began to cry.

"I am coming my son..,"she said as she gently pushed her husband's arm from around her waist and sat up then looked to Ashi as he grumbled abit then fell silent. Laughing softly to herself she stood up and slipped on her robe then waved her hand over a candle,"In Lor...,"she whispered softly then picked up the now lite candle and moved to Akira's bassinet,"come little one..lets go elsewhere so as not to wake your poppa..,"she said as she began to prepare herself for nursing him.

As she stepped off the teleporter and walked towards the kitchen,she could hear her nightmare Quirinus and her white wrym Chronepsis snorting loudly,"i will go quieten them when I am done with you..,"she said as she smiled and looken to Akira who was already nursing hungrily.

Sitting down in the rocking chair outside of Orin's workshop she began to hum softly,hoping it would help ease her tiny son back into a deep sleep. As she herself began to drift off her white wrym's loud angry growl caused her to sit up and look towards the darkened stables.

Standing up she moved back onto the teleporter and ran into the nanny,"take the children into the dojo and lock yourselves in...,"she said as the nanny nodded and took Akira while Anna grabbed her shield and moved back downstairs.

Stepping off the teleporter she pulled out her spellbook and whispered softly,"Wis Quas,"her hand sliding out infront of her as she casted the spell that would reveal anyone hidden within the house.

As soon as the words were spoken she heard angry growls then felt a hand around her throat,"hush woman....for your words maybe your last...,"the ronin said as he dragged her outside unaware that Chronepsis had escaped his confines to aid his mistress.

"What do you want?,"she asked as she looked to the four ninjas,"where is your husband...Lord Ashigaru...,"he growled as his hand tightened up on her throat.

"Not at home...,"she said as she watched her white wrym step behind them quietly then growled causing the one holding her throat to let go,"Ashi!!!!,"she screamed then turned and moved back inside hoping her husband heard her calls.
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"They say women talk too much. If you have worked in Congress you know that the filibuster was invented by men."
Clare Booth Luce

[-=Ashigaru=-]

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Lord Ashigaru's eyes flared open at the call of distress and sat bolt upright in his bed. Reaching for his swords on the floor by his side, he dashed towards the teleporter. As he was transported to the ground level he saw his wife running inside the house, immediately he narrowed his eyes at the shadows in the doorway. "Ninja..." he growled as he grabbed Lady Annawen and placed himself between her and them. He watched as two ninja slowly step into the house, and saw additional movement outside. Turning to his wife, he looked her over to make sure she was not wounded. "The children..." he started to say. "They are in the Dojo..." she said hurriedly. Nodding, he turned back to the ninja who slowly closed on them, cornering them at the end of the hallway. "Go to the Dojo and seal the teleporters and the windows...", he said to his wife without turning around. "Now!" he urged when she began to protest. She stepped off of the teleporter paused of a second in the dojo staring at the rune on the floor. If I seal the teleporters, he will have nowhere to retreat, she thought. She immediatley shook the thouhgt free of her mind and whispered words of magic that would seal them shut.

As they approached they drew thier straight blades from thier sheaths. Ashi's hand went to his Katana, he paused for a second as his fingertips brushed against the hilt. They will be coming in close, he thought, there will not be enough room. His hand slid down to the shorter blade, and drew the Wakazashi free from its scabbard. Buying himself a few more seconds to formulate a plan, he questioned them, "Who sent you!". They paused for a second looking at each other, then advanced foward silent and menacing. Ashigaru closed his eyes for a single moment and concentrated his focus. He became acutely aware of his surroundings, the sound of thier breathing, the light padded footfalls of thier ninja tabi, the closing distance between them.

His training in Otaki Tsurugi ("Cascading Blade Style") leapt into effect, his hand eased on the hilt of the short sword and his body realxed into the opening stance. He evened his breathing and felt the tension leave his body, he sensed the ninja to his right was about to strike. Ashigaru's eyes shot open as the ninja leapt foward, the ninja slashed at his throat, Ashi immediatley saw the flaw in this approach. With an upward swing the ninja's strike was easily deflected, a look of suprise appeared behind the ninja mask. Ashigaru grinned, that first parry was all he needed to begin his technique. With lightning speed Ashi used the momentum of the parry to reverse his blade swing, the responding slash severed the ninja's sword hand at the wrist. Once more he twirled the blade and caught the ninja across his throat, a spray of blood exploded from the ninja. The ninja slumped aginst the wall leaving a trail of blood as he slid down to the floor dead. The other ninja took one step back as Ashi eased into another stance and looked at him. Taking no chances, the ninja reached into his belt and withdrew some poisioned shuriken. He threw three shuriken in close succession, they screamed through the air towards the Samurai. Ashigaru initiated what is called the Tate-hana technique ("blossoming shield"), and with a series of whirling swings deflected each of the shuriken. The ninja threw down a smoke bomb and ran towards the door. The bombs flash caused lights to dance before his eyes, and Ashi winced. Not wanting to let them get away he ran straight through the swirling smoke.

As soon as he reached the doorway he realized that he had been baited. He heard the whirling chain in the courtyard, and it whistled somwhere to his right from the darkness. Ashigaru could not see clearly, his eyed not yet accustomed to the dark, and lights still dancing in his vision. He heard the chain speeding toward him and raised the short sword to parry, another mistake, the chain wrapped around his swordarm. From the shadows emerged a third ninja, carrying a long no-dachi. He walked slowly towards the Samurai, his eyes alomst laughing from behind the ninja hood. "We will take your head Samurai..." he shouted, "...and then we will take your wife". The other ninja with the chain laughed tugging at Ashi's swordarm. Ashigaru's eyes flared for a second and tugged back at the chain. Seconds seemed like an eterneity, his blood pulsed sounding like Taiko drums, his head throbbed. Then he took a breath, and slowly exhaled, the sound of wardrums eased in his head, he had a plan, it was risky but he had no other choice. Ashi tugged hard at the chain with his right arm bringing the shortsword over his head, suprising the ninja. As the ninja tugged back, Ashi timed a throw with the tugging chain and hurled the wakazashi at the ninja. The blade buried itself in the ninja's chest, and he fell over dead. The other ninja with the no-dachi charged at him snarling. Ashi unwrapped the chain from his arm and drew his katana. The ninja swung the long sword in a wide arc forcing Ashi to leap aside. The ninja swung and Ashi again had to leap back, I must get closer to him, he thought. Then Ashi paused dropping his guard, he stood relaxed and closed his eyes. The ninja took an overhead swing meant to cleave him in half, Ashigaru smiled, he has fallen for my feint. Whirling around he sidestepped the huge blade and in one stroke decapitated the ninja. the body slumped over, a geyser of blood poured from the stump. Ashigaru swung in a wide arc, all the blood that covered his blade flew into the grass. Wiping the blade clean with a cloth and returned it to rest in its scabbard. He surveyed the carnage, the bloodied corner in the hallway, the ninja with a sword in his chest, the headless one in the street. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and he spun around to a grove of trees nearby. There is one more left, he thought and took one sep towards the grove, but it was too late. He heard the blowgun and saw the feathered dart bury itself in his chest. He fell to one knee and saw the shadow disappear into the night. Poision, he coughed, he could feel its warmth spread through his veins, he could feel the hallucanagenic properties taking effect. He winced through tearstained eyes and tried to make it back into the house, he collapsed on the front steps. His breathing uneven and ragged he tried to whisper the prayer that would burn the poisions from his blood, but he could not concentrate. He closed his eyes and began to meditate, and the world went dark.

[Lady Annawen]

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Anna could hear the battle going on downstairs,her mind was racing with thoughts of her husband and his life,"no i mustn't think that way...he will return to me as he always has...,"she said then looked over to where the four children sat,Sashi as always protecting his sisters and newborn brother. Biting her lip she looked to the nanny then motioned her over,whispering softly so as not to spook the children,"keep them up here with you...no matter what you hear..,"she said as the nanny nodded her head and moved to stand with the children.Grabbing her shield she opened her Tome and whispered softly,"Kal Vas Xen Corp...,"she said then looked up to the daemon,"guard them...,"she said as it growled and moved to stand near the children.

Removing the spell she stepped onto the teleporter and looked around,"Ashi...love please answer me...,"she said then felt a surge of panic race through her mind causing her to call out to Ashi's best friend,"Tenaka...find Ryu and Aragon and get to the nest NOW!!!,"she said then moved past Orin's workshop,"Ashi...please my love answer me..,"she said then froze as a soft groan caused her to look towards the stairs,"Ashi!!!"

Hearing a loud snort she looked over and saw her mare standing over a dead ninja,"watch him Quirinus...,"she said as the mare snorted and stepped closer,taking a deep breathe she kneeled down next to her husband and placed his head upon her lap,"Ashi...please love...you promised me...,"she said then caught site of the dart,"poison...,"she said as she pulled the dart free then closed her eyes,her hand resting over the wound,"An Nox..,"she whispered softly then opened her eyes,"In Vas Mani...,"she said then looked down to her husband as an aura appeared around them both.

Laying his head back down she stood up and moved to look over the body of the ninja her mare was standing over,"interesting...they never usually leave Isamu...,"she said then felt a sting on her back,turning her head she looked down to see a dart piercing her kimono,"poison...,"she thought then collasped into a heap as the sleeping dart took effect.
When she awoke she looked around the room with blurred vision,her tome and shield laying on a table nearby,"Where am i...,"she whispered softly then tried to stand up only to find herself shackled to the wall,"oh my look who is awake....,"a voice said causing her to look around,"whose there...?,"she asked then winced in pain as the chains tightened upon her wrist.

"No one important...,"the voice said,"at least not yet..but I will say I am a poweful ninja..who seeks to destroy all of the samarui's...,"he said but remained within the shadows.

"My husband will have your head for this...,"she said as the man laughed,"and if you are so powerful why not show yourself to me so I may look into the eyes of the man whose head will be mounted upon the horns of my white wrym...,"she said then growled as he backhanded her and caused her to spit out blood.

"Careful my lady...your words may be your last and your husband and children will find nothing but your head on their doorstep...,"he said then hit her again this time knocking her out cold.

"Send word to Lord Ashigaru...tell him his wife is safe...for now...,"the man said as he ninja nodded then bowed,slipping into the shadows and disappearing with the message and some of Anna's blood. As the ninja reappeared outside the nest Quirinus instantly sprung into action but not before the ninja posted the message onto the column with a dagger.
_________________
"They say women talk too much. If you have worked in Congress you know that the filibuster was invented by men."
Clare Booth Luce