Hana
Hana is a young woman who masquerades as a miko at Yoshida Shrine. She is the heir to the Nakatomi Clan and is the wife of Furuyama no Shigenori.
Smart, but inexperienced in her youth, she later learns the importance of politics and how to stand on her own two feet. Although she does still feel a bit out of her depth at times due to her unique conflicting positions within two powerful clans.
Physical Description
Identifying Characteristics
Hana bears a long burn scar on her left forearm caused by the fire at Nakatomi Castle. Though it has healed well over the years, it is still painful at times, and is a source of embarrassment and shame for her in society where a young woman's physical appearance is paramount.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Born into an illegitimate line of the Nakatomi clan in the year 554 of the Golden Calender, Hana is the illegitimate daughter of Nakatomi Tomoe's first cousin who was the daughter of the former clan head's son born out of wedlock (though many within the family denied he was a blood relation). Hana's father was a gardener with whom her mother had a brief affair with before running away from Sakuchi with a wealthy merchant.
Despite being abandoned by both her parents, Tomoe took her in as a part of her household, ensuring she recieved a good education as there was a stong chance she would have no other heir. During this time she developed a keen interest in medicines.
At the age of nine, she met a young Kinoshita no Akihide for the first time when he came to Sakuchi. The following year, she began training to be a miko at the Grand Shrine of Sakuchi, a shrine dedicated to the sea kami, Unagami.
In the year 567, when Hana was aged thirteen, Takeda Kagemasa and Ryujiro come to stay with Tomoe following the murders of Ryujiro's father and eldest brother. Two months later, a devastating fire breaks out on the Nakatomi estate during peace talks. Fearing it may have been a deliberate assassination attempt, Kagemasa flees the city with both Ryujiro and Hana. He forces the girl to cut her hair short and wear masculine clothing to disguise her as a boy, believing it would be easier and safer for them to travel as such. Aware of Hana's heritage, and unsure of who may have been the aronist's target, Kagemasa deduces it would be unwise to return to Sakuchi for some time, and so takes her with them to Okashima to petition Kamuy to support Ryujiro as the legitimate leader of the Furuyama clan.
Hana spent close to six months on the island with the Jōmon where she was treated with contempt for being an outsider for much of that time. It is here that she becomes closer to Ryujiro, soon falling in love with him.
The group returned to Sakuchi almost two years later. Weary and tired from the long journeys, Hana was overjoyed to be home and reunited with Tomoe. Upon hearing of Ryujiro's alliance with the Jōmon, his uncle Nakayori declared war on any who should ally with the exiled boy. With no support from the other provinces, Ryujiro leaves Sakuchi, breaking Hana's heart.
Tomoe then had her train as a miko at the grand shrine in Sakuchi hoping the duties of a shrine maiden would distract her from her longing for Ryujiro.
Following the The Battle of the Kaede River in 572, Hana nursed Ryujiro back to health after he was taken prisoner and then pardoned. Reconcilling, she travelled with him to his childhood home, Ittoyama after he was able to reclaim it from his uncle, Furuyama no Nakayori and half-brother, Ryusaburo. The following year, they married in secret. Few knew of the union - of which Tomoe recluctantly gave her blessing - as they feared it would escalate not only the ongoing conflict between Ryujiro and his relatives, but the greater battle to reunify the Jū-kinai. Tomoe also insisted they keep it a secret as she feared it would make Hana a target for their enemies, confiding in them that she had always intended for Hana to be her heir, much to the young woman's shock. With Kagemasa as one of the few witnesses, they came to an agreement that once Hana came into her inheritance, then the provinces of Washū and Izumo should be united, with the couple being firm and loyal supporters of Totaro and the restoration of the monarchy.
The couple's time in Ittoyama was cut short when Ryujiro was deployed in skirmishes along the east/west borders. Fearing Nakayori might retake Izumo, Tomoe convinced Hana to leave the town and sent her to the small lakeside village of Okukami in Washū. There she was to pretend to be a miko in the service of Yoshida Shrine on the outskirts of the village, where her identity would be unknown. Devastated to leave her husband, Hana came under the protection of the drunken and indolent kamunushi, Okikage.
Relationships
Ethnicity
Age
21
Birthplace
Family
Spouses
Furuyama no Shigenori
(Husband)
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Yoshida Shrine
Sex
Female
Eyes
Brown
Hair
Brown, long
Height
158 cm
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments