"Teru, brother, there is already too much for you to attend to. I know Nobunaga's messengers keep wanting an answer either way."

"To say 'no' would only bring our clan to ruin," Teru said as he paced behind his desk. "And to ally would mean losing much of the home guard."

"But think of the spoils...," the younger Nagano started.

A solid fist slammed on the desk and silenced the speaker. "If we go to war alongside Nobunaga, then all three of you must stay here. I cannot risk the clan to be governed by any of a different bloodline," Teru said as he sat back down. He looked over each of his brothers in turn before he allowed his eyes to travel to the parchment in front of him. Rereading the porposal, Teru said, "Tell the messengers that I will need more time to answer, but I will need time to prepare if I decide on going to war. Leave me, for I have much to ponder."

The three brothers filed out, each with minds stirring about ways they could take over with their eldest brother absent from the clan's throne.