Dark Edge Village

Hiroji sat in his yurt. His expression was grim, as he waited for the woman who broke his heart. He had dug up the unfinished sake bottle from yesterday to lessen the pain of waiting for her. On the table before him were two sake cups. One, his, was full yet the other remained empty. The yurt's door was open.

Despite the open yurt, Yue still saw it best to follow etiquette. She scratched at the post with Gon at her side. "Shinjo Liu Yue desu," she announced and then waited.

Hiroji sighed. Picked up his sake cup and downed it in one gulp. His voice cracked as he invited her in. "Come in Yue-San."

Yue complied and walked in alongside Gon. Gon, for his part, ran up to Hiroji and wagged his tail. "Konbanwa, Hiroji-dono," she said, proceeded with a bow. When she got up close, she saw the sake bottle and pulled out her own cup. "I heard it was proper etiquette to bring your own around."

Hiroji nodded, his expression softening but still remaining serious. "I would not know." He eyed Yue as he filled both her and his cups. The dog was ignored for the time being.

"Hiroji-dono," she started. She shifted her eyes away to her dog whom had begun to sniff around the yurt. "I never thanked you for your song. Arigatou gozaimasu." Her voice was obviously stilted and awkward, much to her own displeasure. "What did you think of mine?"

Hiroji took a deep sip. Noting the tone of her voice he raised his cup and said gruffly. "Drink. It helps."
He was silent for a moment after Yue's question. "I was not there to hear it. I and Kogo-San arrived late because of... Well." He gestures to the sake bottle. "But what I heard from the others... I cannot say it surprises me. As you said you cannot love any man. And... Well as I said I was not surprised. I am sure it was a beautiful song though." He is silent again.

Yue gave a soft smile. "I know it helps. Arigatou, Hiroji-dono." She took a sip along with him.

"Sou desu ka." She shifted in her seat. Like a Moto cavalry charge, she was brutal in her approach. "What do you think? Do you think I will need to have an affair with a woman if we were to wed? Are you able to deal with the potential shame from marrying a woman who has proclaimed that she will not love her husband in the way that a wife should?"

She took a breath. "Do you believe that I would wound you repeatedly as I try and try to love you?"

Hiroji let's the silence stretch for a long while. His expression immaculate. Then he again drinks what's remaining in his cup with one gulp before refilling it and taking a deep sip. And then he speaks. His voice dripping with sadness. "I have wrestled with this issue for days Yue-San. And I have come to accept that you will never love me even if you try. But I will always love you in some way. No matter if we marry or not. If we marry I will love you and stand by you. I will accept any heartaches and problems. I will be your wall. And I will stand as long as I live. But if we do not marry...." He sips his sake and sighs. "Well I will take the advice of a very wise samurai I met at this miai. And I will find someone who cherishes me as much as I cherish them. But I will always love you, Yue-San. Even if that love may fade." He sips what remains in his cup.

His speech was surely enough to make her turn pink. She drank from her cup as she listened to him with her eyes still turned away. Where does this come from? Oh, sis was right. Men possess strange hearts.

"Hiroji-dono, it was brought up as a concern." She scratched the back of her head. "What would you think if I took on another woman as a lover in our marriage?" Though she did not intend on such an action, she wanted to gauge his reaction to the mere thought of it.

Hiroji's eyes fill with a strange fervor as he looks at Yue in the eyes. "Look at me Yue-San. Look at me." He pauses. " I will be your wall. And I will stand as long as I live. This I promise."

Liu Yue let out a small laugh and looked at him directly. "Hai. You are enduring." She leaned back, her cheeks still pink. "I spoke with another that my situation may be problematic for the Crab. I do not wish to bear many children." She thought on it and then shrugged. "However, I believe it is more likely that you marry into my Clan."

Hiroji sighs and refills his cup. "Yes. That is a problem. But one for which I will take the blame for, not you." He sighs and gives a small chuckle as he drinks his sake. "Leaving the crab that... That will be a sad event. Although I am sure my sister will be over the moon about it."

"'Over the moon?'" she asked. She was not quite sure what he meant by the statement. "It does not matter." Yue straightened her back. "I was told to think on this, Hiroji-dono. I want you to be sure of your," she trailed off for a moment, "conviction." Her lips turned to a smirk. "However, I suppose you must have been thinking much."

Hiroji smiled at her. "It was just a joke Yue-san."
His expression turned serious when she mentioned conviction. "Yes. I am sure about this. I promise you Yue-san."
Hie eyes flicker. "But what of Soshi Taira? Have you made your decision about him?"