Ronin (An Interactive Story Event) Part 1

The main gate of the hirajiro groaned open to admit the lone rider.  The decaying afternoon sun began to lay itself down against the ice peaked mountains to the east.  Fleeting rays glinted off of the lone rider’s vermillion armour.  He shifted slightly, his brown mare snorting before he spurred it forward through the square gateway.  The soldiers’, their own armour a deep azure, watched him warily from beneath brows furrowed as thickly as the forests which surrounded the fortress.  A single word was whispered by one to the other and it quickly passed down the line.

                “Ronin.”

                The lone rider stiffened momentarily, catching the title as if it were adrift on the breeze itself.  But he did not stop as he proceeded into the courtyard and made his way towards the daimyo’s central keep.  Samurai watched him pass but he did not make eye contact with any of them.

                He reached the keep and dismounted from his steed.  A servant quickly rushed forward to take the reins from him.  He paid the servant no more mind that the samurai he had passed before.  The servant gazed in awe at the extravagant golden katana sheathed at the Ronin’s hip and the elegant bamboo yumi slung over his shoulder – the craftsmanship seemed too great to be worn by a disgraced warrior.  A watching samurai snapped at the servant, quickly returning him to work.

                The Ronin pushed his way through the doors.  A servant was already waiting for him and led him quickly to the Daimyo’s personal chamber.  The Daimyo, robed in the same azure as his samurai outside, sat upon the floor in meditation.  The servant bowed quickly and departed, leaving the Ronin standing behind the silent Daimyo.  The Daimyo gave no sign at first that he had even noticed the disturbance to his meditation.

                “Will you be keeping me waiting all day?” the Ronin asked, breaking the silence.

                The seated Daimyo chuckled lightly and rose to his feet.  He turned to the Ronin, his chin tipped with a sharp point of black beard beneath his gleaming smile.

                “I was merely napping, old friend.  A man needs to be well rested before dealing with the likes of you.”  After a pause, the Daimyo continued more gravelly, “I heard-“

                “About my disgrace?  Yes.  You and everyone here seem to have heard about it,” the Ronin stepped around the Daimyo and fingered the smoke drifting up from some burning sage on a side table.

                “How did he die?” the Daimyo asked.

And we’ll stop there for now!  All right readers, first question for you.  How did the Ronin’s master die? 
A) Killed by a rival master
B) Killed by the Ronin himself
C) Killed in a natural disaster
D) Killed by a fatal illness

Cast your vote in the comments below and see how the story continues next Wednesday!

image retrieved from (http://www.2-clicks-swords.com/images/image/Japanese-samurai-and-his-swords.jpg)