Almost an hour before the attack, Senhime was walking back to her quarters with a renewed purpose. Her mind was still conflicted, but she knew action must be taken if she was to save<i>anyone</i>. And so it was that she entered her husband's and her's shared room, and slid the door closed behind her. Yukinojo looked up, but Senhime had already drawn multiple paper tags, placing them on the door, each wall, the ceiling, and the floor. They were meant to muffle and silence almost any sound from within the room. Yukinojo's hand was already at his sword, but she paid him no mind, summoning three small shikigami, which scurried away into the ceiling, under the floorboards, and through a gap in the wall. Her husband had sensed something was off, and notably that her eyes held remorse.<br/><br/>"You will be killed. Akechi and one of the onymoji are meant to be your assassins." Senhime spoke up before he could. Yukinojo's eyes widened for a brief moment, before turning back to being unsurprised. He had anticipated such an event, it would seem. "I will remain here to keep an eye on the skin walker."<br/><br/>"I anticipated such a turn." Yukinojo crossed his arms. There was a bit of urgency in his voice, however, when he spoke next. "They are proceeding with the ceremony for the skin walker, then? Senhime, listen to me. We can't allow it to happen. Kazue - the one you know as Sho - is crucial, if this ceremony occurs, then our world will be thrown far out of balance. Surely, as the court's onmyoji, you realize-"<br/><br/>"I realize this and more." Senhime cut in. She dropped her facade entirely, her tone becoming flat. She could feel her own emotions boiling, but as Sen, she had enough training to keep it in check. "The daimyo's blade<i>Onikiri</i>, the recent tearing of the veil, the strange incidents befalling our enemies..they are all connected, are they not? Lord Takehara, you would not attempt a coup without proper cause. The daimyo is under the thrall of a demon. Is this correct?" Her tone left no room for any deflection. The change was chilling, as Senhime's more pleasant and persuasive demeanor was replaced by something cold and unassuming.<br/><br/>"You may be right. Our liege's methods are extreme, and yet it his recent victories begin to give me pause. As his marshal, I am more than aware of how much success we should be having, and yet I cannot see how our own troops and stratagems would have lead us to such victories." He paused, obviously taking the time to absorb everything that was occurring. He was clearly surprised by Senhime's change in demeanor. Yet, something in the way he spoke implied he had always suspected that his wife and the woman he loved was a mask. "However, we<i>must</i>entertain the idea that he is not the thrall, but a clear-minded collaborator. But what I wish to understand is..who are you? You are not the woman I loved, nor the woman I saw as traitorous. You are...kamaitachi."<br/><br/>"Yes. Senhime is but a mask. I am known as Sen, the thousand." Sen knew her actions were enough to brand her as a traitor, but it was still the only way to protect the man she owed loyalty. "I am the blade of my liege. And to fulfill my duty, I must work against him. I cannot allow Him nor His Kingdom to fall to a demon."<br/><br/>"So I never really loved anyone." He seemed almost relieved. "Hmph. I should kill you, and yet you may the the only one I can rely on. You wish to protect your liege? Then ensure Kazue lives. From there....even if your position as court onmyoji was a falsehood, your skills are true, are they not? I cannot tell you the path forward. Certainly not when...not when the path we both took was a lie as well."<br/><br/>Sen returned to the mask of Senhime, and found herself tearing up. Yukinojo seemed to be caught off guard, but didn't come any closer, still distrustful. She herself had no clue how to judge herself, not anymore. When Senhime spoke, however her voice was clear. "Yes. A lie. It was a matter of convenience, for both of us, and for my liege."<br/><br/>"And so it is." Yukinojo spoke as if he were exhausted.<br/><br/>And then the ground began to shake. The two immediately went to their feet, alert, Senhime wiping the tears from her eyes and drawing a paper tag. The door slid open with a bang, and the old crone was standing there in front of them, one of the priestesses. "We are under attack! Lady Senhime, we require your assistance immediately!" Senhime and Yukinojo exchanged glances, and she rushed out of the room, the old priestess pointing the way she should go.<br/><br/>Senhime ran into the temple just in time to see the massive worm burrow out from the ground and swallow Kazue whole, and the the whole structure crumbled under her feet. Even wearing an ornate kimono as she was, falling properly and landing without injury was child's play, even if it had caught her off guard. She could sense the energies of the skin walker receding away, underground. Yukinojo's advice was still in the back of her mind. And of course, they'd be asking her to track down the skin walker - he had been her responsibility after all.<br/><br/>In a few minutes, she was presenting herself before the Daimyo. General Akechi was present as well, and he began the briefing. "My liege, the skin walker has escaped. I suspect it the work of Tsukitsuji, the same assassins that we repelled at Lord and Lady Takehara's wedding."<br/><br/>Senhime simply bowed her head further. "I apologize that I allowed such a thing to happen. It was my responsibility, and I have failed you."<br/><br/>"Fix your mistakes. Pursue the skin walker. Return him, alive. And kill every member of Tsukitsuji. You will accomplish this alone." The Daimyo didn't sound angry, but there was an undercurrent of impatience in his voice, something that only those who had served him for years would catch. He held out his katana. "You will use<i>Onikiri</i>once again. It served well previously. See that it does so once again."<br/><br/>Senhime graciously accepted the sword, trying not to show any surprise on her face. She was being granted it once again? Why? Unless the blade could somehow communicate with whatever demon held her master in thrall....Sen tried to push the other idea out of her head - that her master was not under the control of any demon, and was collaborating with them willingly. Would she stand with her liege then? She took the sword, and bowed her head once more.<br/><br/>"Your will be done." She replied, her voice firm.