Grandmother's House - Curry College

THE COMING STORMBy Justin WheelerThe Azuma Monogatari is a novel in progress that tells the story of AzumaKagemaru, a samurai struggling to serve the Ii clan with loyalty and absolutededication. It has been two years since Kagemaru fought in the great battle ofSekigahara. Although he and his lord Naomasa survived that conflict, the injuriesNaomasa sustained led to his demise. Now the Ii clan is divided on the issue of whowill succeed Naomasa. Kagemaru wishes to honor his late lord’s request of having hissecond son, Naotaka, succeed him, while Atsuji Hisahide, a powerful clan elder, wantsthe lord’s eldest son, Naotsugu, to succeed him. Kagemaru must now challenge theforceful Atsuji if he is to stay loyal to the will of his lord.1602 May 1st DayOver the reconstructed castle town of Hikone in Omiprovince, black clouds menaced the sky. The first drops of a summerstorm fell outside while inside the castle walls a storm thatcould rip apart the Ii clan was raging. It had been forty-nine dayssince the passing of their lord Naomasa, and all of the energy thathad been bottled up during the mourning period was nowunleashed. Inside a large audience chamber the retainers of the Iiargued back and forth. Kagemaru watched from the back of theroom with the other younger retainers. He noted that Yasumasa asusual was absent from the meetings.“No, it should be master Naotsugu who succeeds the clanheadship!” one retainer shouted above the others.Another countered, “His lordship desired that Naotaka succeedhim, and we should honor his wishes.” The samurai weredivided on which son would become head of the clan.“Although they are the same age, master Naotsugu’s motheris the lord’s official wife, and the daughter of an influential clan!”one grey haired samurai argued in favor of Naotsugu.The samurai who argued in favor of Naotaka now becamesilent, trying to think of an objection to this argument. Finally54Curry College