The Mitsutsuki Bloodline

The Mitsutsuki Bloodline
Written by Kitsami

Prologue
Shin Tori Forest

The sound of hoofbeats resounded in Lady Mitsutsuki's ears as she raced across the thick undergrowth of the vastly unexplored forest that surrounded the villages of Shin Tori and Tori. She was almost out of time. They were much faster than her and far more powerful. They were samurai, sent by her husband to kill her.

On her back, the baby Kitsami made a small cry, awakening from his sleep. "Shh...its okay. Please trust me." She said soothingly, trying to lull him back to sleep. It didn't seem to work as well as she hoped and he continued to cry, even more than before. "Crap..." She had to take a rest and try to get him calmed. She stopped by a large tree trunk and slid the carrying bag off her back, holding the baby close to her. The baby hiccuped and stopped fussing.

However it was too late. The hoofbeats stopped and she heard the sounds of samurai getting off, drawing katanas from their sheaths. She knew it was over. Kitsami would never know of his siblings. He would be killed with her and then Matusunaga would hunt down the other three. That was unless she fought one last time. She set Kitsami down and drew a knife from her girdle and stood.

"Lady Matuskaze, you are wanted on accounts of adultery and concealing the next of kin from his majesty Lord Matsunaga Mitsutsuki." One of the Samurai called out loud, as if reading from a scroll. "As you already know, this action is only punishable through the deaths of you and the children of which you bore without his majesty's knowledge or approval."

She stepped out from behind the trees and gave a grin, raising her knife to her face. "I am willing to die to protect my children and if that is what it takes then so be it." It was a group of Seven, all fully armored and highly skilled. The first two charged at her but she countered with a low sweep than tripped the first. Her dagger pierced his armor, striking his abdomen. He stumbled over and died. However, she couldn't revel in his death as she had to block the blade of the second samurai. It became a contest of strength in which the samurai won, knocking the dagger out of her hand. It landed down on the ground with a klink and she fell on her back.

The Samurai was just about to finish her when he was kicked from behind. She rolled over as the Samurai fell forward and flashed a smie at the newcomer. It was a young man in his 20s with brown hair cut down to the neck and a brown moustache.

"About time you got here, Kenshi-san." She stood up, grabbing her dagger. He grinned impishly.

"Better late than never. What did I miss?" he turned to face the remaining 5 samurai who seemed surprised he was there. "The other three siblings were safely escorted to their adoptive parents."

"Thats excellent news. Now, you must get Kitsami to safety. You will have to take care of him yourself as nobody seems to want to take him in."

"But, my lady, does this mean..."

"Yes. I will fight these remaining 5 on my own. You get as far away with Kitsami as you must. Train him up in the ways of a ninja and raise him as your son. That is my only wish."

"As you desire, my lady." Kenshi noddded and put his dagger aay. He grabbed the young baby's carrying bag and put him on his back. Lady Mitsutsuki charged at the 5, but the center one immediately slashed her. Red blood splattered from in front of her and she completely collapsed, dropping the dagger and falling facefirst at the samurai's foot.

"Mission completed. Lord Mitsutsuki will be highly pleased." This samurai had a female voice unlike the other four. Kenshi recovered from shock and quickly produced a smoke pellet from his belt.

Kenshi threw the pellet and the cloud of smoke camoflauged the ninja, allowing him to escape with Kitsami. When the smoke cleared, they were gone, leaving the 5 samurai alone with their horses.

"Should we proceed to catch them, General Sutaki?" one of the soldiers asked.

"No...there will be no need. A baby and a rogue ninja is of no threat to Emperor Irobe or Lord Mitsutsuki. We completed our mission and that was exterminating Lady Mitsutsuki. However, I will be keeping an eye on these children, should they ever become a threat." With that, the 5 remaining Samurai got back on their horses and rode offinto thenight, one carrying the corpse of the empress behind them.


Chapter One
Twenty years later...

Morning rose once more in Tori Village, basking the streets with a warm glow of golden yellow. Kitsami awoke to this as a beam of sunlight crept into his wooden shack. He groaned and rolledout of bed, almost hitting the sheath wherein the two Katanas were kept.

"Well, they don't call it Land of the Morning Sun for nothing..." he stated, to nobody in particular. He lived by himself in the village ever since...no he didn't want to think of the incident.