Dark Edge Village

Butaj comes to the dueling fields perplexed, but not entirely clueless. He waits for the one who has made the call to appear.

Kitakuhime arrives riding Gekko. The horse neighs and kicks as if not willing to go further. She pulls the rein rather violently, and uses the stirrups to take control. The beast rears, but finally obeys. She comes closer to hug the animal at his neck in compensation, and dismounts, focusing her attention on Butaj.

She crosses her arms over her chest. Her usual smile is not gracing her beauty this evening. The Otaku heir stays silent for a very long time, nearly enough to get the sun pierced by the mountain behind her, flaring a discomfortable light on whomever faces her.

"Shame."

Battered by one talk of this kind, Butaj jast looks straight at her form. "If Sayyeda says so. Butaj does not feel this way though."

She controls the rage within, allowing herself to limit the sermon to something honorable, searching for compassion. "It is not how -you- feel. That is selfish and unbefitting of a samurai. It is how your impulsiveness affects those around you. I've asked you one thing. One thing!"

The girl shakes her head in disappointment, "To marvel them with our greatness. Instead, your actions brought us shame. Which kind of samurai does that to his superior. No, worse! Which kind of samurai does that to his family and Clan?"

Mei and Ti-Lu rise onto the Dueling Fields, Mei's eyes set on the Shrine to Kakita. Hearing the sounds of chastizement however, the woman tugs the reins.

"Oh, this should be interesting."

She begins to listen to the conversation from a small distance away

"So Sayyeda is quick to believe what some people say. Butaj has marvelled many, and has endeared women of influence one of whom could be his future wife. He has proven himself as a warrior of the Unicorn today." He doesn't rub it in her face that she didn't. "But Butaj is not impeccable, and never will be. He is not an Otaku like Sayyeda. There are things that can be raised against Butaj, and they have been in a malicious way." He pauses, looking at her "Butaj does not play eastern games like a puppet. Neither does Khulun. We will claim spouses and have alliances, and those rumors are spit on the wind." Then bows his head. "But Butaj is sorry. Deeply. It's not a place to explain how and why though."

"If one goes to the Administrative Center and looks at the tallies, one will see that I am, indeed, quick to believe what -our- Clan says."

Gekko snorts, looking to the people approaching them, but Kitakuhime continues with her arguments, as honor permits –– and even demands –– her to do so. "While eloquent words are filled with good intent, actions show otherwise. One may bring shame to himself: a problem one has to deal with, alone. But when these actions stain several others member of our Clan, the pious cannot simply stand by and pretend nothing happened. Retribution to amend such mistakes is necessary."

Butaj does not argue any more. He looks and waits. "Whatever Sayyeda deems fit. If it is all on Butaj, then it shall be so." He sounds resigned.

"It is not all on Butaj-san. This is for certain."

She squints her eyes, releasing her crossed arms. "I am not the brave Moto daimyo, neither our esteemed Champion: It is not up to me to decide what is fit. I am merely warning Butaj-san that he must satisfy what honor demands. Through action, not words or intentions."

"Butaj will do what he has been sent here to do. Beyond that it is beyond Butaj." He looks at her with wounded gaze but says nothing more.

Fortunes damn me! He won't do anything, eh! Not even promote an act of good will to the miai participants that were harmed?

"Do what you must." She bows and turns around, stopping midway to deliver a final message, "Compassion is not leniency. Honor limits that boundary."

The girl rapidly mounts on Gekko, holding much of what she still have to tell him, but won't.