Wedding at Fire Shrimp Village an L5R PbP

Despite the rain -- though it seems to be tapering off? -- Kakita Masao is outdoors this evening. It's been a stressful day, and finally the call of his flute can't be ignored. Sitting mostly dry under a tree that he recalls fondly from his first day here, Masao trills a few notes. Then a few more.

With a philosophical look toward the Blue Bird House, he adjusts his grip on the carved wooden flute. He starts to play a slow, haunting melody. It's more somber perhaps than anything he's played since arriving. If flute music could make one see ghosts, this might be that song. But even then, in the final, drifting goodbyes of the song, even the ghosts are cleared away.

Nice try, grandson, but it doesn't work that way. Why would I be wishing you away, grandmother, when you're always so cheery and helpful?

Having borrowed an umbrella from the inn Hanatsuko was walking to the Castle. She heard the somber music coming from a tree. The Toritaka was followed by her falcon but not the dog. Kuma sat on the tree watching down on the Kakita. The Toritaka wanted to walk toward the music knowing that who it was but should she come closer. The prim a proper looking falcon took a step toward the music. It was like a summoning spell that called her. She took another step forward. She was still out of range of the Kakita's sight. She will take her time.

It is Kakita san...Seems that the news of the dead Empress has hit him hard.

Now she was closer.

She knew it. "The Heavens mourn as their child has passed." He had summoned the ghost of a Hana no onna in her flowery furisode with her hair down carrying an umbrella.

Coming out of the reverie of his music, Masao is slightly surprised to find the ethereal maiden there with him. The shock quickly shifts to happiness, and he rises to speak to her. "Toritaka-san," he says with seeming relief. "It is lovely to see you. You, and your lovely attire," he compliments, bowing his head.

She gave the Kakita a gracious bow. "This one has preen her feathers and has taken a liberty to flaunt them." As she rose her hair moved and she took a stray hair and placed it behind her ear. "Good evening, Kakita san... you don't mind right?"

Masao feels like his heart must be beating so loud that Hanatsuko can hear it. Yes, grandson, she's pretty. You knew that before, remember?

"I don't mind at all." He smiles at the confidence that he's seeing. "I, uh, I'm pleased to see such a display." He walks toward her, partially covered by the tree and partially oblivious to any rain at this point.

"Would you like to share an umbrella and escort me inside?" She asked politely. "I would like to enjoy your company in a bit dryer place." She gave a polite bow.

"Oh, without delay, and happily so." He steps close to share the umbrella, sleeve brushing sleeve as it must if they're to share the shelter, but it is also the first time they've been so close away from the beach. He smiles at her as they walk to the door and go inside.

The sitting room of the house is deserted, despite the weather, in perhaps a sign that the other Cranes are away to accomplish things before the late evening play. Masao, admiring Hanatsuko's attire, makes it part-way through the room before he stops. That's riiiiight. Can't just go walking upstairs with her. What would people say? I have nothing but honorable intentions, grandmother, you know that. Do I? Let's see your honor, then.

Masao closes his eyes for a moment, sighs, then looks at Hanatsuko warmly. "Ah, please, have a seat. Let me make... some preparations." He takes a steadying breath before he goes anywhere.

She nodded and took a seat in the waiting room. It is the third time the Toritaka visit the Blue Bird in this day. She looked a Kuma all wet and laughed. "Getting cleaned up to meet lady Kakita, Kuma san?"
One must be clean and proper when making a new acquaintance.

"Right..."

When Masao returns, it's with a servant bearing tea and cups close behind. He looks less than perfectly pleased, but when he's with Hanatsuko and Kuma again, the happy smile returns.

"I apologise for my absence, I was--" Careful grandson...

"I was thinking about something. Important. To me." From the look he gives Hanatsuko, she knows he's holding something back, even though the servant has already disappeared.

"Oh really..." She just smiled. "More important than being a good host to a guess. hmmm." She just teased.

The Crane laughs weakly. "I, well..." He shakes his head, smiling foolishly. Hardly being one for deception, especially in Hanatsuko's eyes, he opts not to drag out the mystery.

"I think I have become so used to meeting on the beach," he admits in a quiet voice, "that even with almost no one here, it does not seem private." He smiles in apology. "I... I do not wish to share your company."

"You may have a problem there." She chuckled. "Kuma and Sari are very attached to this one."
If he want to be alone with you I can try to stay away.
She took a sip of her tea. "You do that for me?" She whispered behind her cup, in hopes that Masao didn't hear it.

The Crane smiles, having expected the comment about Kuma and Sari. "I think you would agree that their presence is much preferred over other people. I don't feel any..." He pauses to consider the heavy word, but he has no secrets from Hanatsuko. "I am not jealous of them." He sips at his tea.

"And I find their company pleasant as well. They are... part of the family."

"They are part of my family." She smiled. "You must understand I am still a woman of virtue. I respect you." She tilted her head. "You must understand that the duty of a samurai is also to keep the peace. To keep peace one must have friends."

"Hai, Toritaka-san's virtue has never been in doubt for me. Nor would I allow it to be questioned by anyone," he says very seriously. He looks anxious for a moment, then a look of understanding crosses his face. He exhales, now realizing how anxious he'd actually been.

"Friends. Indeed. I am..." he shakes his head in mild frustration. "I have allowed the uncertainty of the future to intrude on things that are not uncertain, like our hearts." He looks at her apologetically. "I am sorry. I have never... I have never felt like I do with you. I don't know what I'm supposed to do," he says honestly, but with a loving smile on his face.

"Start by breathing and relaxing." The woman suggested. "Things will flow like water once you are. We cannot worry about the future just the now. Who knows days may repeat and we be stuck in a loop." She chuckled.

He laughs at that, probably louder than he should in the quiet house, but it rings so true.

"There are parts of those days that I wish to repeat forever," he says, matter of factly. "But there can still be even better ahead of us, hm?" He doesn't sound entirely convinced, but at least he doesn't seem as sad as usual about the future.

"I know Kakita san and sometimes one wonder if instead of a loop time stood still." She blushed slightly. "One can just stay in one moment and forget the world around."

He smiles at her blush, like always, and maybe even blushes a bit himself as he says, "I find it easy to believe that time is standing still when I'm with you." And he starts to reach out his hand, and then remembers the table, and where they are, and pulls it back, smiling apologetically.

"Perhaps a song? It is hard for one song to conjure enough joy for our time together."

She frowned at his withdrawal then she gave smile. She moved her cup closer to him. "Will you refill my cup Kakita san?" Her fingers lingered on the cup as she waited. "Music has united us why not try a tune ourselves."

The Crane is quite quick to understand her request, reaching for the teapot with one hand as his other hand "accidentally" finds hers still on the cup. He is in no hurry to move his hand, but makes sure she can withdraw hers when she wishes to. After a savored moment, he does indeed fill the tea cup, slowly, and he remains very slow about moving his hand back when the task is complete.

"Perhaps you could hum the song you shared on the beach? I have tried to practice, but I do not remember all of it." He draws out his flute, prepared to play what he could, or something else should she prefer.

The moments touch made Hana smile. It reassured her that the man was real. She interlaced her finger with his briefly letting it go with some hesitation. They were samurai. She took a sip of her tea. "You mean Hana... the title of the song." She started humming as her fingers automatically went into the position of an imaginary flute.

Masao begins to play along with her humming, making sure to keep the volume controlled inside the house. The acoustics end up making for a very cozy feeling. As they reach the end of the song, he is smiling warmly. He had remembered more of the song than he thought -- aided by the confidence of having her there -- but he says lightly, "I shall keep practicing."

"If Kakita kun want to summit the song to memory the best way is to practice along." She covered her mouth as she had changed the honorific. Eventhough their familiarity is quite obvious but still they were in a public place. "I... did not mean offense."

The Crane shows no offense, and doesn't even check the room before saying, though quietly, "No offense can be taken from one so close to my heart. I had hoped... I was going to say, that you should call me Masao... when you feel comfortable to do so." He tries to gauge her reaction. "I will not be offended if you don't, just... It feels the right thing to do, after what we've shared in these days."