(Day 6, LA) Untamed

[Moto Butaj]

After the competition, Butaj has ridden out. He chooses a fallen tree to sit down. His music is the best way to tell her where he is. Huludai is allowed to graze freely, he has deserved it.

Butaj's thoughts are not at peace. The rumors about him leave him deeply troubled. He is ashamed of no thing he did, but the light in which people have started to talk about it is very unpleasant. He is not used to this extent of vicious twisting of facts and wonders who is cruel enough to do so.

Of course, those darn peasants.

He consoles his soul with the signal composition played on his large fiddle.

(Morin Khur)

[Asako Yuki]

If the horse had not been enough, the music was more than enough to guide Yuki to where Butaj had camped out. The woman came to a stop a respectable distance away from Butaj as he played. The Phoenix maiden steeled herself and swallowed hard as Butaj played his song, the warm smile gone from her face.

She said nothing as Butaj played, merely watching him play.

[Moto Butaj]

This is hard to miss, and it isn't. With the melody done, Butaj puts the bow away and rises to bow. He tries to do it right, along with the greetings, and apparently to want is to be able to.

Day 6 - LA - Butaj tries to bow - Awa/Etiquette (Unskilled): 3d10 22

"Good afternoon, Asako Yuki-san. Butaj sees seeing him brings you no joy. He suspects why it is so. It must be what people are saying about Butaj. Butaj would like to talk about today's riding but if Butaj's music was not able to improve your mood, that won't too, so it may be better to talk that rumors first. Or whatever Asako Yuki likes." He smiles a bit, but he can't muster joy if there is none in her.

[Asako Yuki]

As the sun began to dim in the horizon, if he looked, Butaj could see that for as stony as her face may be, her eyes were near bursting with emotion. Regret, rage, broken-heartedness.

She was quiet for a long time, looking at him. "Are they true?" Was all she could say.

[Moto Butaj]

"No. They are not untrue either. It is some twisted way of saying things Butaj is not familiar with. Worded to hurt. Butaj doesn't want Yuki to suffer like this. He will answer truthfully to everything. If Butaj is to be condemned, he wants to be condemned for what he actually did." His eyes are never shifty and they are not so now. "It depends on you what you want to hear."

[Asako Yuki]

"I want the truth." Yuki manages to get out without her voice breaking. "Did you... did you..." She flustered and shook. "Spend the night with those women? Did you have sex with them?"

[Moto Butaj]

"Butaj did comfort Sayyeda Khulun when she needed it. And Butaj did bond with Tonbo Misa. It involved bodies being close. And Butaj had had sex before this miai. If it estranges Asako Yuki that it happened and that Butaj is not without experience with women, Butaj is sorry. If he had known it would, he would have said it to you before. Butaj is no liar, and never will be." He sighs. "Butaj knows what he has pledged to you and he thinks he has not broken faith. But as your feelings are hurt now, it is no excuse. Your heart makes judgement, and Butaj will take it. Even as he wonders why you exactly are so angry."

[Asako Yuki]

"Bonding? What are you even talking about?" The entirely unexperienced Yuki asked with frustration. She threw up her arms, not even sure anymore. She'd expected... not this. "I don't expect you to not have experience I just..." She sighed. "I need to know that if I choose you, and I take you back home, that everyone isn't going to be laughing behind my back as you openly bed women. That you aren't going to bring women home, or children that aren't mine."

She sniffled a little. "I don't... I don't expect that I could... ever really..." she sniffled again. "make you happy that way. I- I just..." She swallowed her tears. "I just don't want to have to hear about it from everyone back home. It's... not like they already." She took a deep breath to keep from breaking. "Already don't think much of me. I don't- don't need you to do it too." Her hand gripped the fan that she had brought with her tightly, a fan she had intended to use as a sign of her favor before this morning.

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj is wide-eyed. He hasn't expected it either. "Then this Butaj can tell you outright. The moment Butaj is yours, he is yours and yours alone. As your husband, Butaj would bring no shame or sadness upon you. He would nor seek attentions of other women. He would seek only yours, but often and long, so as to take away all doubts who he adores and to give us both bliss, happiness and many children. This is what Butaj believes would happen, what is right." He wants to embrace her but he feels it could backfire so he just takes a step in her direction, waving his arms. "Butaj saw you today, how you rode and thrust the spear. Butaj was impressed and enamoured. He thinks you are an exceptional woman and whatever silly things are spoken about you at home, and of all people Butaj knows on his own skin how hurtful such things can be, Butaj doesn't think they are true. If this miai allows us, Butaj will be happy to fall in love with the formidable and beautiful woman that is you." He lets out some air. There is more he needs to tell her, but maybe not at once.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki bites her lower lip as Butaj speaks, blushing as he praises her. When he stops she looks at him, eyes still unsure, and frustrated, and sad, and loving. She slowly reaches out and takes his hand, squeezing it. "I don't know how things were before, but rumors are bad in Rokugan. As is this might make it's way back home and people would talk, regardless. I can't... I can't tell you not to be you, even if I want to. Just... please, be discrete if you have to?"

"I should tell you, I guess. I've never, been with someone." She paused. "And we shouldn't. Not yet." She quickly added. "I don't want there to be more rumors."

[Moto Butaj]

"Butaj has learned a lesson about rumors today. There shouldn't be more of this kind if he can help it." His smile returns slowly but steadily, ready to reassure her. His squeeze of her hand softens at her confession and he chooses to cup it between the two of his for a moment. He lowers his voice. "Butaj will wait until you're ready. He always waits until he is asked to stay for the night. Since Yuki has the ambition to wait with her time for her husband it makes sense to not hurry because another woman can take Butaj before Yuki has the chance to do so." She can already guess that it is not merely hypothetical.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki frowned slightly, though she did enjoy holding hands with Butaj. "I don't... suppose it's that Tonbo, is it?" Yuki's eyes darted a bit, still uncertain.

She turns her hand that is encased in Butaj's and turns one of his over carefully, before placing her fan in it. "Here. I... want you to have this."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj looks at her fondly, then on their hands together. A squeeze conjures warmth, but something calls a frown onto his forehead. "Butaj has to refuse for now, right? It can be Tonbo Misa, it can be Yogo Mizuki. Both have told Butaj things that make it clear they strongly consider him. Butaj does not fully realise what this beautiful gift from you means, but it feels important and heartfelt. Butaj is afraid that if he accepts now he will make a pledge he is not in power to keep. Butaj wants you to have the best of Butaj, not to feel disappointed or cheated if we cannot make it together." He squeezes her hand affectionately. "Please tell Butaj more about the fan." He wonders if this is how gift-giving refusals Fukawa taught him about work.

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki frowned at those names. Both were above her in the lists. Butaj's confusion broke her out of her reverie though. "Oh! It's not a gift it's, umm, a token, really. It means I want to choose you, and... hopefully it will convince the others to pick elsewhere."

[Moto Butaj]

He holds her hand as he looks at her intently, tracing the rims of the fan with his fingers. "Does this fan mean that Yuki loves Butaj?"