Dark Edge Village

Mizuki stares at he reflection taking the mask off and putting it back on. She wondered what the future held.

Butaj, who had to clear his head and survey the steppe after the meeting with his wife-to-be, rides past the lake. He almost doesn't stop, but at some point he decides he won't be running away from the Scorpion, so he pulls the reins sharply and takes a turn to ride to Mizuki's side. "We haven't finished the conversation." He says bluntly, in a slightly unhinged voice. "What thought has made you approach me at that moment?"

Mizuki was surprised by the sudden visitor, but brushes it off. "I thought it may have been my last chance to speak to you. I didn't know Bayushi-san was going to pick as she did. I just thought, if I couldn't have the grand romance that I was hoping for, I wanted someone else to. And felt ashamed for our previous meeting. I was being childish." Mizuki sighs. "I had forgotten that Benten is a bitch. For what it is worth, I had spoken truly."

"It doesn't make much difference if I believe you or not; you haven't lied to me before though." He chooses not to dismount. "Betrayal you spoke of so much came from elsewhere, and killed my own dreams of that kind. But what she did will make us clanmates soon enough, so we may well start talking as ones." His drop of third-person self-reference was noticeable. His voice was eerily cool, but it was not a sign of restraint but of emotional desolation.

Mizuki noticed but was unsure what the change of shift in perspective meant. So, she ignored it. "If there is anything I can do to help make the transition easier, please let me know." Bayushi-san, I have a feeling you made a mistake that you didn't realize here.

"And what would that transition entail? Getting a mask? Learning to tolerate own lies and cruelty enough to live another day?" He pauses. "You may as well tell me something about what it means to be a Scorpion. It doesn't have to be comprehensive." Mizuki may have it right. The world might just not be ready for Bayushi Butaj.

"Loyalty. Yes. I know. All the other Clans will tell you we are schemers and deceivers and they are right. But we are loyal to our own. We will discard our honor, our lives, and even our souls for our duty. No one will praise us for it like the Lion or Crane. No one will grudgingly respect us like the Clan. They will hate us for it. But we do it anyways. So, in the end. We only have each other. It's comforting really."

Mizuki has an inspired idea. Make her own lemonade out of these lemons would be the saying if she knew what lemons were. She smiles. "Butaj-san, I may have need for someone in the Phoenix lands. Swear to me your loyalty and work for me, and I promise you will spend more time there than the Bayushi lands."

"Loyalty." Butaj pauses, looking at the surface, remembering Chi-Pu. "You'd be surprised how easy for the Unicorn is to grasp the concept. The Scorpion in the East are a bit like the Unicorn in the West were, surrounded by enemies, having to rely on their strengths to survive and prevail, but above all - to preserve community. I know what loyalty is, Mizuki-san, how it binds and commits. And how dangerous it is to misplace it." He looks at her. "Soshi Khulun will have my loyalty. Shosuro Kitakuhime will have my loyalty. My new lord by virtue of my oath will have my loyalty. My wife won't have it, not to the extent she would like. All else must earn it if they want it. This includes you. You are on a better track than most, but not yet there." He leans forth to ruffle Huludai's mane. "I have offered you friendship and if you want my help in your matters, take it. It's maybe less than you want but probably enough to see done whatever you want done. Taking advantage of my misery would turn against you. Your offer may still be quite convenient, I could listen to the details. But Yuki and I will find a way regardless. With her fate at stake, I cannot be stopped. I cannot be deterred."

"I do not mean to be cruel in taking advantage of the situation. I did not engineer it nor did I desire it. But I see how we can make the most of it and benefit each other. I cannot go into details, only my lords and those who can work for me can know those. But I will need someone to watch over my... investments in the Phoenix lands. Maybe break a few legs when some.... less than honorable people decide they want to change agreement. And of course, see that the cargo gets back and forth between places. I will admit, you may have to do some less than honorable things."

Mizuki continues. "I see this as beneficial to both of us. I get a man capable of the work. You will stay mostly in Phoenix lands free to visit where you want. So, long as your duty is done, I could care less where you spend your time there. Even when you return home, you would have excuse to come to Ryoko Owari and spend as little time with Bayushi-san as possible. I do want to be your friend, Butaj-san. And I do want to help. That's why I am making this offer to you instead of requesting another agent from my lord. The best sort of deal is where both sides benefit."

Butaj ponders it for a moment. "I see. It's a good offer. What is the route? Hashish? Poppies? Either way, I will not give you the answer right now. I don't know if the Phoenix lands is where I will want to be." He pauses. "Do the Scorpion lands have big open plains?"

Mizuki cocks her head. "I'm not sure what those are. Though I suspect you are on the right track." Partially, he'll learn his real purpose when he agrees.

"Of course, I don't need an answer now. I won't be leaving as soon as the miai ends." He's not interested? Maybe he plans on pulling what the Ide and the Imperial did. It already doesn't look good that one couple ran off. Imagine the scandal if it happens twice.

"Hai. Our land is pretty varied, but we have plenty of open plains."

"I'll seek you out when I'll be ready." He pulls Huludai a bit away from the bank. "Good there is a space for riding in your homeland. All that we marry into the Scorpion, we'll need it. Speaking of, are you satisfied with Taichi?"

Mizuki smiles. "Hai. I am very happy with him. I think we will make a fine pair."

Butaj can't even remember if he has precipitated that pairing or not. It was only a few days ago, but it already feels much longer. "I am glad. You were not as positive when we spoke about it. How fortune turns."

"Hai. It seems strange." Mizuki wasn't sure what to say, considering how their fortunes have turned out. "Of course, they can always shift again, just as suddenly." She's trying to help. Comforting people was never Mizuki's strong point.