((Borrowing some characters, don't mind me ))
The Emperor looked out the window of his palace. He saw a beautiful garden in the courtyard of his castle. It was a beautiful garden with cherry blossoms and small trees. The sand was careful raked by Buddhist monks. On the edge of the courtyard, a small Shinto shrine stood. Meiji wondered if the spirit of his father rested in the temple. He never really thought much of his father, Emperor Komei. From what people told him, his father was not the same as he was. Meiji thought it was because he was the son of him and his concubine. Yet becoming the Emperor at such a young age did not bother Meiji. For the last thirty years, he had done his best to try and modernize his nation and make it great. Yet, the 46 year old Emperor stood and looked out over the garden.
"Your majesty" said a voice in the background. Meiji turned around and saw Prince Date Munenari bowing behind him.
"Rise my friend" said the Emperor. Date had been at his side since he was nothing more then a boy. It was his wisdom that guided Meiji through his youth. Meiji looked to Date as a teacher, a guardian, but only in teachings of politics and the court. He was taught war, military strategy, and combat from Sakamoto Naotari while he was still a Samurai. Both these men were like father figures to Meiji, but he hated that they were now bitter rivals. Both these men were as loyal as can be in servitude, and Meiji knew that both men would lay down their lives if he just said the word.
"Your majesty, the rebels have been defeated, Japan is at peace." said Munenari.
"Good... Good..." said Meiji, continuing to look out over the garden. He was in deep thought, and Munenari knew that.
"Your majesty, you looked troubled" said Munenari.
"My friend, you have been with me since I was a child. You have taught me all I need to know to run this country. Yet, for some odd reason I still have doubts over all... THIS" said Meiji.
"What are you refering to my lord?" asked Munenari.
"The nation as a whole. Can we truly be modern? Has fate doomed us to be always behind the west?" asked Meiji.
"We must not dwell on that. The future is ripe for your taking!" said Munenari.
"True... but..."
"My lord! A visitor!" shouted a servant from the entrance of the room. Meiji beckoned, and a man slowly walked in. He was about fifty years old, but looked as if old age had not struck him at all. He looked as if youth was still with him. The man had a wrapped object in his belt. Emperor Meiji knew right away who it was. It was Sakamoto Ryoma, the son of Sakamoto Naotari. Ryoma went over to Meiji, bowed down, and unraveled the cloth. It was Naotari's sword! At that instance, Meiji knew what this meant. He kneeled down to pick up the sword.
"Is it true? Has your father passed away?" asked Meiji. Ryoma could only look at him with sadness in his eyes. "Were you there with him at the end?" Ryoma shook his head in a yes motion. Meiji held the sword in his hand. Legend had it Naotari slew twenty Shogunate troops on the field of Edo that day.
Meiji looked up. "I have dreamed of a unified Japan. Of a country strong and independent and modern. We have railroads and cannon, Western clothing." Meiji looked at the sword. "But we cannot forget who we are. Or where we come from."
"My liege, Naotari was once my loyal retainer. He was an honorable warrior, and a good friend. I will order him buried on Shikoku, his home..."
"Naotari shall be buried here in the Imperial Cemetery." said Meiji.
"My liege, that land is for Imperial Family only! You cannot expect someone even of the statue of Naotari to have it as his final resting ground!" Munenari protested.
"Naotari was family, he was the man who led our nation to victory, your greatest general! He is a legend, and legends deserve a burial befitting them. My word is final!" shouted Meiji. Munenari bowed, and walked out of the room. Meiji looked at Ryoma.
"If you feel that your father should be buried elsewhere, please tell me. I wish for Naotari to rest in the place he wants to rest in." said Meiji.
"But tell me... how did he die?" the Emperor asked.
Ryoma looked up at the Emperor. "I will tell you how he lived..."
The Emperor looked out the window of his palace. He saw a beautiful garden in the courtyard of his castle. It was a beautiful garden with cherry blossoms and small trees. The sand was careful raked by Buddhist monks. On the edge of the courtyard, a small Shinto shrine stood. Meiji wondered if the spirit of his father rested in the temple. He never really thought much of his father, Emperor Komei. From what people told him, his father was not the same as he was. Meiji thought it was because he was the son of him and his concubine. Yet becoming the Emperor at such a young age did not bother Meiji. For the last thirty years, he had done his best to try and modernize his nation and make it great. Yet, the 46 year old Emperor stood and looked out over the garden.
"Your majesty" said a voice in the background. Meiji turned around and saw Prince Date Munenari bowing behind him.
"Rise my friend" said the Emperor. Date had been at his side since he was nothing more then a boy. It was his wisdom that guided Meiji through his youth. Meiji looked to Date as a teacher, a guardian, but only in teachings of politics and the court. He was taught war, military strategy, and combat from Sakamoto Naotari while he was still a Samurai. Both these men were like father figures to Meiji, but he hated that they were now bitter rivals. Both these men were as loyal as can be in servitude, and Meiji knew that both men would lay down their lives if he just said the word.
"Your majesty, the rebels have been defeated, Japan is at peace." said Munenari.
"Good... Good..." said Meiji, continuing to look out over the garden. He was in deep thought, and Munenari knew that.
"Your majesty, you looked troubled" said Munenari.
"My friend, you have been with me since I was a child. You have taught me all I need to know to run this country. Yet, for some odd reason I still have doubts over all... THIS" said Meiji.
"What are you refering to my lord?" asked Munenari.
"The nation as a whole. Can we truly be modern? Has fate doomed us to be always behind the west?" asked Meiji.
"We must not dwell on that. The future is ripe for your taking!" said Munenari.
"True... but..."
"My lord! A visitor!" shouted a servant from the entrance of the room. Meiji beckoned, and a man slowly walked in. He was about fifty years old, but looked as if old age had not struck him at all. He looked as if youth was still with him. The man had a wrapped object in his belt. Emperor Meiji knew right away who it was. It was Sakamoto Ryoma, the son of Sakamoto Naotari. Ryoma went over to Meiji, bowed down, and unraveled the cloth. It was Naotari's sword! At that instance, Meiji knew what this meant. He kneeled down to pick up the sword.
"Is it true? Has your father passed away?" asked Meiji. Ryoma could only look at him with sadness in his eyes. "Were you there with him at the end?" Ryoma shook his head in a yes motion. Meiji held the sword in his hand. Legend had it Naotari slew twenty Shogunate troops on the field of Edo that day.
Meiji looked up. "I have dreamed of a unified Japan. Of a country strong and independent and modern. We have railroads and cannon, Western clothing." Meiji looked at the sword. "But we cannot forget who we are. Or where we come from."
"My liege, Naotari was once my loyal retainer. He was an honorable warrior, and a good friend. I will order him buried on Shikoku, his home..."
"Naotari shall be buried here in the Imperial Cemetery." said Meiji.
"My liege, that land is for Imperial Family only! You cannot expect someone even of the statue of Naotari to have it as his final resting ground!" Munenari protested.
"Naotari was family, he was the man who led our nation to victory, your greatest general! He is a legend, and legends deserve a burial befitting them. My word is final!" shouted Meiji. Munenari bowed, and walked out of the room. Meiji looked at Ryoma.
"If you feel that your father should be buried elsewhere, please tell me. I wish for Naotari to rest in the place he wants to rest in." said Meiji.
"But tell me... how did he die?" the Emperor asked.
Ryoma looked up at the Emperor. "I will tell you how he lived..."
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