Tuketu

This samurai's humble beginnings began in the isolated village of Yahasaki, where the clan of Izumi has always been situated. The village is located among the mountains of Jinju, mountains known for their harsh coldness and numerous deadly cliffs. The samurai from this village are cunning and built to take these conditions, and Tuketu was no different. As a boy, he was tasked with hauling wood from the forests and dragging home the day's hunt with the other boys. It was hard work, but it made the young men of the clan strong enough for their samurai training. Unfortunately, though, the clan has seen a trend in dwindling numbers, so Tuketu was one of the few boys around to do the work. But he did, and he ultimately went into his samurai training at the age of thirteen, as most children did, and he trained until he was twenty. Every day, he would go out into the snow and practice for hours, his blade and his master his only companions in those years. When his training was done, he was supposed to marry a young woman within his clan... but he realized within the time of his training that he did not love her, and so broke it off. It was only after that did his clan find him a disgrace, and they ultimately disowned and abandoned him to the harsh and cold wilderness around their mountain village. Tuketu left with only the clothes on his back and, while he did look back, accepted his punishment with honor and respect, as many samurai would.

He traveled through the near endless evergreen woods that dusted the mountains and ultimately found himself with the Autumn Wood, where the trees always held with them the colors of the flame. It was there that he found a smaller village, the village of Rangata. They had no qualms when it came to a samurai's presence. In fact, they welcomed him eagerly, and he soon made himself a home within the small village. While part of him still missed, and would miss, the place of his birth, the village of Rangata soon became his home. He knew each person with the small town, and he loved them much like they loved him. He could see that they found a comfort in his presence, and he was often at anyone's call. For there were bandits that roamed the great span of the Autumn Wood. With his presence, bandits were rarely seen. He earned himself this reputation, and it seemed that such a reputation, though small, was enough to capture the attention of the royal family. Eventually the day came where a banner man from the royal family's army came to him to deliver an invitation to the castle and he was highly encouraged to accept. He did go, but it was only after he got there did he realize what he was there for. While he didn't mind being a body guard, he felt he had other obligations... but, unfortunately, he had been picked from the bunch, and soon found himself being known as princess Wei's body guard. Things were awkward at first, and, of course, she didn't like the idea just as much as he hadn't, but time passed and they grew to like each other. Tuketu did ultimately learn of her sister and her desire to set her free and back to her rightful place, a desire he found to be quite honorable, despite the emperor's opinion.

That dreadful day came when Wei found out her sister was missing. It surprised him as much as it had her. The moment she had mentioned that she wanted to go and find her sister, going against the emperor's word, Tuketu had a decision to make. He had been hired by the emperor, so to go against the emperor was like a child going against his parents. It was unhonorable... but when it came to the decisions the emperor had been making about his own family, Tuketu found himself questioning the ruler of Chikara, and so he decided it would be best to go with Wei and try and find her sister. For what if bandits had taken her? Or, perhaps, something worse than bandits? It is a samurai's duty to keep the people safe, and Wei's sister was a person, too, no matter what her disability deemed her as. They have been traveling since, looking for Wei's sister. Hopefully they will find her... Tuketu prays that they will.