Azuma Kyo

Azuma Kyo (東杏) is the daughter of Chief Azuma Kai and Ryuuzouji Yoko. She is the last living person bearing the name Azuma, thus leaving the leadership of the clan to her.

## Relationships

**Azuma Kai**

Kyo's relationship with her father was close when she was a child, as he was her only child. He often treated her kindly and groomed her to follow him as leader of Clan Azuma, making sure she was well-educated and teaching her to use a sword. He apparently died when she was young of a sudden onset illness caused by an infection. Within her clan, he was remembered as a brave man and a good leader.

As she has recently learned, however, he was not quite the man she believed him to be. Not only did he have an affair on her mother with another married woman, resulting in other children, but he also faked his own death in order to shirk his responsibilities towards his wife and family. It's unclear what happened to him after his plan failed him, due to Oei's death, but he never returned to help Seiyo despite its desperate position. Kyo's option of him has, reasonably, soured since discovering this.

**Ryuuzouji Ota**

Ota was the brother of her mother, making him Kyo's maternal uncle. He was originally a samurai in her father's service and, upon Kai's supposed death, he turned his service over to his niece. He was her guardian, mentor, and teacher for most of her childhood. Their relationship was considerably close and he served as something of a father figure to Kyo, with a very protective and defensive attitude towards her. He also was very respectful and recognized her skills, allowing her to make her own decisions and exercise her own authority.

Upon his deathbed, he finally admitted the truth to Kyo in full disclosure. He confirmed her father's affair and subsequent son, which she had figured out on her own. He also told her a secret he had been sworn to keep on his life, as he was already dying: that her father was still alive. He suggested she seek out Matsuda Oda, the daughter of her father's lover, for more answers.

**Bushi Sei**

Kyo was initially quite wary of Sei, especially due to his violent and disruptive introduction, in which he mercilessly killed the servants in attendance to her and kidnapped her from the royal palace. However, after he swore his fealty to her, she began to trust him a bit more. She has come to understand his way of communicating using gestures, as he is not capable of speaking.

After Sei brought her to his old home, she learned of his true identity: Azuma Kei, her half-brother. Little more has come from this, however, as he cannot speak. He remains in Kyo's service, intent to follow her to the ends of the earth if need be.

**Gou Tatsume**

Kyo and Gou first met in Shihon where, Kyo, new the the city, was easily conned into buying Gou a meal before she disappeared. Having no other options, Kyo later called upon Gou to represent her during her trial, rewarded for her success with a full course meal. The two became traveling companions on the way to Daisan Village. After which, they parted ways.

**Matsuda Oda**

Kyo has not yet met the daughter of her father's lover and is currently searching for her.

## Early Life

Kyo never knew her mother, who died while giving birth to her. She heard a great many stories about her from her uncle Ota, however, and seems to have a very headstrong, determined personality much like her mother. Her relationship with her father, as a child, was close and he often made sure she was taught in the ways of both the scholar and the warrior.

## Adult Life

Once she came of age, Kyo slowly took over the duties of rulership for her clan. She was a good and skilled leader, capable of solving many problems by only a means of conversation and persuasion. She left her village to seek help for the frequent bandit raids, but was too late to save her people. Now a lone wanderer, she is seeking out the daughter of Matsuda Oei.