Day 7 [LE] Lady Of My Life (Suteichi's Yurt)

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

With a delighted smirk she saw to her meal for a while. Half way to finished she spoke up again, teasing by her smile, "So, you are going to be marrying me here? In this village."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi sighed a bit and then smiled.

"I would marry you anywhere you would like to." He was indeed happy but there was a bit of concern on his face.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Fei thought to question him about it but, well, she was almost afraid delving into that might dredge up her own thoughts she had done well to bury deep. Instead, she turned to something else. "I believe you were going to also help me learn more about the etiquette that has changed since we had left the Empire."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"I am. And you're doing well so far. The lessons continue." Suteichi took a sip of plum wine and set it down. He looked at Fei lovingly and with his loving smile on his face began the exam.

"Etiquette is all about saving face. Keeping your feelings under control even in the most uncomfortable circumstances. It is the deference you give to yourself and others. You can acccomplish a great many things with having the right poise and class. If you are nervous, concerned, fretful...you lose...and people will take advantage of you. Suddenly in you're in a duel that was unnecessary, or a war that was unnecessary. Some antagonize to get that outcome and you have to be ready to control the situation. Let's take this miai for example. There is no denying our feelings for each other. There is no need to say the words. Samurai have a duty to fulfil. Feelings are irrelevant. What happens then if our duties pull us apart from one another?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Something about the question had her thinking that there could be more to this than just the simple answer she had, but she wasn't sure enough to commit to putting the idea forward. After a moment of thought she just said, or perhaps asked, "Then we are merely to separate?"

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi's face did not break but he did find her answer somewhat disturbing.

"You are answering with a question. You never struck me as one who is uncertain. Merely separate?... Is that something you would be content with?"

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

"No.." she admitted, "No, at this point it would not be."

Fei paused, his words spoke truer than she wanted to realize. As best as she knew herself she wasn't someone who was uncertain. Ever. So.. why now?

"I-.. I want there to be another way. Is there another way Suteichi-san? If we cannot be married."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

That's my girl... Use that thinking...

Suteichi took a sip of wine and smiled.

"There is always another option. Options that some may find less than acceptable by the mainstream. You see, marriage is a duty. A task. Something to keep the bloodlines going. Some argue that love is the death of duty. It can be, if you're just plain fucking stupid."

Another sip of wine. He was not buzzed or tipsy but getting a bit warm.

"Samurai love their lord and they perform their duties for their lord. Look at that, love and duty working together. A married couple gets together for their lord and for their family line. There's children. The parents could love the children. They could not. They could learn to love each other or they could not. There is nothing that has ever been written that deems otherwise. At the end of the day, it is a duty."

Suteichi reached for her hand and held and met her eyes.

"You are not a task, you are not just a means to provide a line and namesake for someone. You are my love first and foremost. Not a task or a mission. As my wife, you are the neck to the head. The head does not bow or turn or lift up lest the neck supports it. You would not be my obligation. You would simply be all mine. If by some cruel twist of fate that you are not..well, as my lover you would be all that as well. I gave my word to you that I am loyal and devoted to you. I am not going to be made a liar to you."

He took her hand and kissed it.

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

When he kissed her hand a part of her yearned for so much more, but she behaved herself for the moment. Just letting the warmth of her cheeks speak for a moment. Fei prided herself on being a woman in control of herself but she wanted to hear these words of devotion from him. They made her feel warm, nice.

"My mother never truly loved my father," she said, meeting his eyes. "I do not think my sister, or maybe even my father, ever really knew that. It was a secret she would have taken to her next life if she had not told me early in my years."

Fei took a drink of the wine, a long one as she wasn't about all this sipping stuff when it got down to it. "I do not believe in the possibility of love." Or, at least she didn't. "It seems like some fantasy that people share with one another. Some hopeless dream. However, I enjoy myself when I am around you. I believe that together we could accomplish things I would otherwise not be able to." And she can't seem to keep herself away from him for long.

"I will do my duty, and you will do yours."

"But... right now.."

At that moment there was a look in her eye. She didn't seem to care for a second that some of the food might go to waste.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi still held her hand as he stood up and walked to the side of the table. In his other hand was his cup of wine and he leaned down forward and shared the wine with her with a kiss. With a break between them, lips just brushing up against one another.

"Right now, what? Duty? Love? or Passion? Make your choice. I've made mine."

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

With their lips just brushing against one another, the wetness from the wine staining her own. Fei blindly searched her side to find his fan. Carefully, though she didn't turn away from him to look, she set the fan aside. Indicating the direction for him to look to see her do so as her answer.

After that, she waited for him. Feeling like her chest was floating in those few moments. However, a thought came to her.

"Quietly," she whispered. "I do not wish to disturb the neighbors."

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi stood her up, still holding her hand, walked her over to the cushions. As they walked, he blew out some candles along the way. The yurt was just lit enough for just the two of them to see one another. He playfully pushed her down onto the cushions. He got down on one knee and proceeded to crawl to her on the cushions. As he crawled to her he softly sang the chorus of the song he made for her earlier in the day.

"You are my lady
You're ev'rything I need and more
You are my lady
You're all I'm living for..."

When he would arrive to her face, her kissed her passionately.

/ftb?!

[Shinjo Liu Fei]

Led where he wanted to lead her she opened herself up to the experience. Hitting the cushions she looked up to him, a little of that encouraging fire in her eyes. Holding herself up, leaning back on her hands to have him crawl just that much more. Smiling lightly, blushing the same, as he sang the song and closed that last little distance.

When he enveloped her in a kiss she let go, bringing one hand to his side and another to his jawline resting along it. Keeping herself raised as if doing half a sit up for a few moment as she slowly was brought to the ground by the weight of gravity and he followed with the attraction of her lips.

The future could take anything it wanted from her, but tonight... tonight she had this.

/ftb (to hopefully less attention attracting fun times)