The morning opens with some significant progress on all fronts, but also with many things to be accomplished.  Lord Sun is obscured by deep cloud cover promising the first of many Winter Storms and a feeling of oppression and impending doom colors your very souls.

OOC:  this is where you tell me what your plans are so I know where you'll be when combat starts ^_^

Satoru rose from his chambers, intending to have the two 'ill' servants brought to him for questioning. He gives an order to the guards to have them brought to his personal chambers and then makes his way to the nearest garden where he shall meditate for an hour.

  Masashi raises early as is his habit, still chaffing over the restrictions on his actions imposed by those in station above him in concern that an improper action would spread the conflict, he could not truely act unless he was attacked or threatened in some manner.  Yesterday was most frustrating due to the restrictions, he hoped today would be better.  Raising he began his exercises both practicing unarmed and sword styles. Afterwards he meditated for some time and dressed in a fresh clothes he went in search of something to do.

Aki rises before the sun as is his custom. He collects his effects carefully and quietly so as not to disturb the young maiden he had pillowed with the night before. Promotions do have their benefits and the most immediate is of coarse celebration with your comrades in arms. After the seemingly endless meeting that really went nowhere Aki and his officers retired to a sake house to 'formally' accept their new positions in the manner of true soldiers.

Otome was the third daughter of one of the castle guard, she was destined to a life of kneeling in front of shoji waiting to slide them aside for the various occupants of the castle. It was therefore not surprising to find her kneeling outside the entrance to the hall where Aki slept. Perhaps she had been waiting for him, or maybe she just helped a drunk warrior to sleep. Either way Aki didn't ask.

Starring blearily through the sake's revenge Aki heads down to the mustering fields as he does every morning and meets the members of his unit, not currently on duty, for morning drills. The practise is is hard, Aki ensures that, and the men knew it would be. Practice is always harder when the commander is hung over.

After the drills aki heads off for a bath and breakfast

 Wherever Daidoji Sakura has been assigned rooms, there is Kedo lain across the door - outside it of course - in a manner old-fashioned to the point of near-parody perhaps, but one he seems to take seriously. And with a Ronin this strange and full of unexpected surprises, who's going to argue?

 It's barely four hours of sleep that he's been granted (since he and his Daidoji ward were rather involved in plotting and hunting the night before) when the shadowed rising sun drags him to his feet however, which steals the grace and ease from his movements until he's able to move through the first ten or fifteen minutes of wake-up kata that set the blood to pumping and the limbs to loosening as they have done every morning since before he became a man.

 Following this with a little prayer and meditation to settle the limbs and throw off something of the sense of danger clinging to the battlements like old bloodstains and with the intention of soaking away the sweat of his labours as his ward makes herself presentable for the day, he returns to Sakura's door before the day has had the chance to warm (even though it steadfastly refuses to do so).
This message was last edited by the player at 14:03, Sun 10 Aug 2008.

Manami rises to bathe, meditate, and enjoy a light breakfast of fruit before the day gets too far underway.  Poised before her writing table, she writes several missives in her elaborate script to start several courses of action into play.  There is much to be done, and she will have to juggle a bit to manage them all.  At dawn, she will excuse herself to the highest point in the castle that she is permitted to view the sunrise in the chill morning breeze.

Daidoji Sakura was up early, singing to the Kami as was her custom. She had much on her mind, and while she needed the Kami's wisdom it was not the Elemental Kami that she needed to commune with this day.

She spent a couple hours in meditation, communing with the Kami and reviewing her scrolls.

Sakura smiled as she rose. There was an ancient Rokugani curse, 'may you lead an interesting life'. She was definitely leading an interesting life.

"Good morning, Kedo-Kun" Sakura cooed to her Yojimbo. "It seems that the Lion believe that they can outmaneuver us in the courts. They shall learn how deadly that mistake is."

Sakura rearranged herself before looking at her Yojimbo.

"But first I must bathe" she continued. Her look got serious for a moment. She continued, her voice lowered.

"Be extra careful today, Kedo-Kun" she whispered intensely, "my life is in danger -- and I doubt they will fight honorably."

"But, then again, neither do I."

Her voice rose to normal levels again as she replaced the "Conniving Crane" mask on her personality, the one that was more worried about becoming a magistrate than her honor. The one thing that Kedo would learn quite soon -- if he hadn't already -- was that very few people saw the "True Sakura".

"To the baths, Kedo-Kun!"

Sakura's "purr" had returned.

"a Magistrate must be presentable after all ..."

Waking as ever with a start Gyatso groaned at the morning light that woke him and shifted uncomfortably in place. Whilst he was not in an especially uncomfortable room he still found it hard to sleep in these sort of surroundings. Rousing himself fully he stumped over to the corner he had dedicated for worship, bowed his head and began the prayers for the day.

Feeling much more active now that he had performed the days first ritual he rose and almost automatically went to execute the second before recalling that the average groom at this place would not be happy with someone else coming to check over their work. Better for now to leave well alone and get attired instead.

Which meant...well a long list of things. Probably a shave at the very least and maybe even a trim of his hair. If he wandered in looking too unpresentable the Crane would almost certainly take it personally. Very well then. Bath first, then he would go through his other preparations before seeking an audience with the Crane.

This message was deleted by the player at 20:28, Wed 13 Aug 2008.