(Day 6, EN) In a Mirror, Darkly (Expecting)

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Kitakuhime nods to his apology, "I accept your apology. I'm looking forward to get one form Amaya-an and Khu--" She stops, blinking at the site of 'others' nearby.

"Announce yourself!"

[Moto Khulun]

“Moto Khulun, and forgive my intrusion I can give you two a moment if you need it,” she says looking at them both.

“I did not mean to interrupt such intimacy.”

Well maybe she did a little.

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj smiles broadly as she approaches. Even if she has eavesdropped for whatever reason, Butaj has not said things he would like to hide from Khulun anyway. He allows the senior Otaku to address Khulun first.

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

"I'm glad you're here." She says at a higher tone, "It will save me the trip."

Intimacy... you...

Kitakuhime's eyes sparkle up for a moment, "Butaj-san was honorably apologizing to me, and then to the rest of the Unicorn participants, how deeply sorry he feels to have caused us all a loss with the judge's appreciation in this miai."

An eyebrow raises waiting for their reaction.

[Moto Khulun]

“I would rather spend time punching the one to spread such stupid whispers than apologizing for doing what comes natural,” she says calmly.

[Moto Butaj]

It is not word to word what what he has said. Why would Kitaku stick it to Khulun this way? Butaj looks between both ladies bemused, wondering where the tension is coming from. "Butaj has apologised for his lack of caution and forethought, not for being with Khulun. This is not something Butaj is remorseful about, let this be known to Sayyeda Khulun if she ever doubts that Butaj has been genuine. But yes, he would like to punch the rumormongers too." Butaj is not a man to have one truth for one woman and another truth for another, even if he risks displeasures he would like to avoid.

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

"Punching rumormongers may sound interesting, but that is not an honorable argument." She denies, and touches the choker at her neck, raising an eyebrow to Khulun. "Nevertheless, you own the Clan apologies, Khulun-san."

You drew blood of your kin.

Kitakuhime rests her hand down, looking back to Butaj with some sort of a smile. "We could try to find out who they are. Become aware, and then understand how we can protect ourselves. Would you ask the other's help to aid on this?"

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj is perplexed with the stares exchanged, and his attention is drawn to the choker which now looks like more than just a fashionable addition to Kitaku's wardrobe. Is she hurt there? Of course Lady Shinjo forbade drawing the blood of kin and embraced bariqu for the purpose of resolving disputes, so it doesn't occur to Butaj that either of the ladies he admires could have crossed that line. He nods.

"Butaj will turn to the Ide. He has no idea if such rumors can be traced back or not, but maybe it is worth trying. Maybe just for knowing." He looks at Khulun and smiles a bit. Or more, for how Butaj's kin, Misa and Yuki have suffered.

[Moto Khulun]

“If you feel that will help, I did nothing to insult the clan but if my actions have hurt other then so be it. I speak with Ide-dono on the morrow, hopefully. I still think we find whisperer and beat them,” she says gruffly.

“You have my apologies, sister, it was not my place to hurt you or our cousins and friends.”

Khulun turns her gaze to Butaj and says, “Whisperer is coward, they wield words like knives from shadows and slink away when damage done. Best to cut the throat, bleed them; leave for example of others.”

“Though that would be the path of not honor, so perhaps we simply find them if possible.”

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Kitakuhime nods, finally satisfied that even if Khulun's murderous thoughts led the charge, in the end, honor prevailed to stop her bloodlust. "Good. I would like to be present when you talk with Ide-sama."

[Moto Khulun]

Khulun nods at the request. She says, “Is that what brought you two out here, apologies about cowardly whisperers?”

“That is not what I thought, perhaps intrigue or nightly tryst away from the camp to avoid the whisperers. Not the best spot, but it has a certain charm.”

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj decides to not cower behind Kitakuhime's authority on this. She has charged him with protecting her tender feelings for him and as it looks like they are still there, there is still something for Butaj to protect.

"Yes, it is mostly apologies. Butaj talked with Sayyeda Kitakuhime about the consequences of rumors earlier tonight but we parted estranged. Butaj cares deeply for his ties with Sayyeda Kitakuhime to be as harmonious as possible because he admires and cherishes her and so when he accidentally spotted her here he tried to talk again. Butaj feels we have got over this now, and we know that we should not let malicious talk to divide us ever again." He smiles. "Butaj is not too capable of intrigue, nor willing to commit to it, and Sayyeda Kitakuhime even less so. And Butaj thinks there is an unspoken agreement between him and Kitaku Princess that with how things are now the trysts are out of question."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Her eyes narrow even further with Khulun's words. "Apologies, acknowledgement of an enemy and preparedness to combat them. A good example to follow."

The words intrigue and tryst don't even dare touch her lips.

"Why are you out here, Khulun-san?" She raises an eyebrow.

[Moto Khulun]

"Restless, waiting for a sign," she says honestly.

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

"Sign?"

Oh!

She crosses her arms, looking away form Khulun with a displeased gaze.

Heavens forbid me to bitchslap your stubborn, arrogant face back to proper sense.