Dark Edge Village

Hideo had returned to his yurt towards the end of the evening, setting up for the favourite part of his day; Amaya. He moved a few things around to make space, set up the bed for them, and started heating water for tea. He hummed a tune as he prepared the tea, waiting for her to arrive.

She had returned from the Emerald Shrine, there had been some talk of a party going on that night, but she wasn't sure yet how she felt about that. The busy activities, the ones that drew a lot of people like this party promised to, were not at the top of her list for ways to spend her time. But that was later and, for the moment, she had only one thing in mind.

She scratched at the yurt, "Hideo-sama? it's Amaya."

There she was. His smile grew as he went to open the tent flap. "Good evening Amaya-san, please come in."

She does, neatly slipping out of her sandals as she entered, Satsujin was still perched on her shoulder, and she was smiling warmly. "Good evening to you, also."

Tent flap was closed and wordlessly he slips his arms round her waist and pulls her into a kiss full of love for the woman.

She melts against him, blissful, her breath trembles with the weight of emotion and she returns his kiss, sweet and lingering.

When the kiss ended, he looked deep into her eyes. "I was so thankful to see you at the event, you left so early this morning I did not get to kiss you as we woke. Why did you leave so early?"

She smiles apologetically, "the Spirit Walk last night left me feeling so poorly that I decided to seek out a doctor's assistance. I didn't want to disturb you."

"I would have wished to know" Hideo said with a small frown "I knew you were unwell last night, I had not known it still lingered in the morning. Are you well now?"

"I am much better. The doctor's remedies were most efficient." Her smile turns wry, "you looked so peaceful asleep, and I felt so wretched. It didn't seem right to wake you."

"Good" Hideo said with a sigh of relief "I think I would have preferred to have been with you instead of going to see Moshi-san though."

She raised an eyebrow, "oh? and why is that?"

He sighed.

"Youthful folly has success. It is not I who seek the young fool; The young fool seeks me. At the first oracle I inform him. If he asks two or three times, it is importunity. If he importunes, I give him no information. Perseverance furthers."

He looked at Amaya to see what she thought, adding "also the pink orchid? No relevance to your reading, she just wanted more people to go to her booth, and she was under the effects of the Iuchis potion still."

She drops her eyes, "I am sorry. She spoke to me of a king, approaching his temple, watashi no ouji, and said that I should give offering for good fortune."

"Fortune Tellers never tell me a fortune worth noting. Maybe my Fortune is just difficult to read?" He shrugged "your divinations certainly seem much better."