Firestone Hot Springs kutsurogi no jikan

The odor was foul, yet not quite strong enough to drive Shinjou away—he was far too delighted to have finally stumbled upon natural hot springs, so reminiscent of those in his homeland.
The man in the black hood slipped into the first pool of steaming water, letting the grime embedded in his fur dissolve and drift away, before moving on to a second pool, this one still untouched by his filth. There, he let himself sink against the stone wall, eyes closed, a deep sigh of contentment rising from his chest. For a while, he allowed himself to forget his troubles—or at least, his most recent vexations.

kaede trails.

from the meadow are borne berries. from the edge of the forest she has plucked sweet willow.

"shinjou-sama." her bow is respectful. willow added to the pool freshens the steam with a wash of honeyed scent. fruit unfurled in a leaf is placed where the fighter might reach.

the lady retreats, settling not far.

her eyes close in the wreath of wet warmth in the air. "i must ask: does our lord intend to settle once he has found his bounty?" in this way kaede seeks to establish this tableau of helpful woman asking guidance of a wiser man. to flatter him as his own lord too — men oft enjoyed that.

A voice as gentle as the fragrance that accompanied it, nearly masking the acrid scent of sulfur hanging in the air. The samurai had kept his eyes closed, savoring the moment.

Kaede-san, he greeted her. So young, and already accustomed to mixed baths? The man in the black hood let out a soft chuckle, his chin sinking into his chest.

Already tired of drifting with the wind, Kaede-san? A low, stifled laugh.
I don’t know him well, but Masa-sama doesn’t strike me as the settling kind, he remarked.

...Just as I know very little about you. A young woman traveling alone—such things are rare, he said, whether out of genuine curiosity or quiet intrusion.

not the settling kind.

shinjou is jubilant in his informality. he is rough and grins easily, things that kaede has come to appreciate in a life too long for her years.

of course, he also wants to know why she is alone.

kaede drops more willow into the heated water. "masa-sama has offered me a place in his kumi."

the lift of her eyes is very brief, a joining that would not satisfy shinjou, or so she hopes. "i do not travel alone."

He had grumbled with no attempt at discretion. She seemed sharp—educated, at the very least, as many women of her upbringing were. She already bore the grace of a lady, and her command of language far outshone Shinjou’s. But the man in black was no stranger to such displays of refinement. He simply lacked the art of subtlety.

But until now, you were traveling alone. His eyes opened again, his head turning toward the young lady. And now, without the slightest hesitation, you share a bath with a stranger. He chuckled.

You’re quite naive, Kaede-san! This time, there was less suspicion in his voice—she was merely a young woman, too untouched by life to know the vices of certain men who parade under the banner of honor. You're fortunate it was me you encountered. Others might have taken full advantage of such innocence. he declared, before letting his eyes fall shut once more, a smile tugging at his lips, clearly amused by the situation.

Not all men of honor are as honorable as I am! he added with pride, burrowing his head into the thick, greasy folds of his collar.

a last stick of pale green willow.

"i only attend shinjou-sama." kaede remains as she was: nestled in attentive sit upon the ground near the pool's base.

he speaks of himself again. he boasts. the lady bows her head as if to accept his wisdom aimed at the foolish girl he believes her to be.

but this man with his oil on the face of the steaming water is an arm of akashita masa. kaede knows she does well to court his attention. "i am in need of a strong home, one that does not wander always."

a pause comes now, one meant to coax. "then i will marry." there is no mention of the lord, a purposeful choice kaede intends to bear fruit.

A brave young woman, educated despite everything, with noble aspirations. Shinjou nodded.

Hasn't your father arranged all this for you? he asked, curiosity tinged with mystery. She remained an enigma—well-mannered yet walking alone. The war had no doubt taken its toll on her as well; her father had not been shrewd enough to secure a promising engagement for his daughter before life turned against them.

Here you are, walking with samurais. Well, two of them and a clumsy child! grumbled the man in the black hood, referring to the gangly boy. Would someone pay dearly if they had proof that you were being kept safe? The conversation soon shifted to matters of interest and money. Shinjou reopened one eye, searching for the girl with his gaze. Do you have no family left, Kaede-san?

now shinjou is prying again. kaede finds herself unsure of how to shield herself while not refusing the samurai his answers.

she knows that he is intelligent, that he understands her father has arranged no such thing. perhaps shinjou will even come to assume that her father has no ability.

kaede dips to the feminine. a woman does not have to reply. instead she lets a note of shame and another of sorrow wander across the planes of her face.

for all their practiced appearance, the sentiment is genuine.

let shinjou read what he wished.

"masa-sama says after he has gone to moonglow, that he pursues a bounty. this will bring more wealth to your kumi than any other task," is her careful rejoin. there is no one left to pay samurai, but the lady will not name herself destitute.

her smile is tiny and gone again. "who is the boy, shinjou-sama? he does not understand when we speak."

The silence was heavy, and Shinjou made no effort to break it. After all, a lady had every right not to answer the insistent questions of a man if she deemed him too curious — she was entitled to her secrets. The man in black knew he had likely overstepped and chose to say nothing more on the matter.

Then the topic shifted to Lord Masa’s promises. Shinjou was a poor actor, and he had failed to conceal his weariness — the grimace twisting his face gave him away.

Masa-sama… he’s an honorable manBut what, I wonder, does he call wealth? Abstract notions clung to by aging samurai, while Shinjou hungered for pleasures of the flesh — food, comfort, warmth, and other indulgences no man of bushido would ever admit craving. But if Shinjou had honor, he certainly lacked shame.

And the conversation kept veering down a path that reminded him why he had sought the quiet of the baths in the first place.

The kid… I’ve got no idea! Just some poor brat found on the roadside, he muttered, waving a paw as if to swat away the foul mood that clung to him like smoke.
He doesn’t even speak our language… Maybe some secret Masa-sama’s keeping. A contract he conveniently forgot to mention.
At least he hoped so — otherwise, why drag around such a useless burden?

he did not ask again. his assumptions are able to hurt kaede, or help her.

he talks of akashita masa and his disdain for the lord's intention with lorroakan is heavy. she wonders if he speaks to the other samurai himself in such a way.

but she has ascertained something here: masa keeps his own counsel. 

her head bows to indicate she has heard his raised voice, heard his frustration. "the berries are tart, but they will still your hunger," kaede says of the offering which shinjou has not yet recognized. "maybe our lord sees wealth in others."

it explains one reason why he has brought the young man. it does not explain the others.

her touch has been searching in the grass these moments. lemon balm and a scrubland mint are sprinkled into the hot water. 

a rising temper will heat shinjou far too much for the spring to be comfortable. she stokes the hunger of his belly with these herbs instead.

She continued adding what seemed like delicate touches to enrich the broth in which Shinjou was slowly stewing. He had glanced around, searching for the berries she had just mentioned.

Ah, thank you, Kaede-san. A thoughtful gesture. He had consumed them with a complete disregard for delicacy.

As for me, I see wealth in a hearty meal and in the curves of a beautiful woman! he laughed, loud and unrestrained. His tongue tended to loosen quickly—especially in the presence of a lady. Naively, he expected her to keep whatever she heard in the bath to herself. That was how things were meant to go, in principle. But Shinjou was hopeless at politics and couldn’t begin to imagine all the whispers that drifted behind walls and closed doors...

And you, Kaede-san, do you see any worth in the scrawny foreigner? Another hearty laugh, followed by a deep sigh of contentment. These delicate things—reading people, weighing their worth... I leave that to others.

he speaks now of women.

does he believe her a lady? or does he believe her fallen? kaede finds she can no longer tell. it will matter, but later. it can matter another time.

she will keep his boastings, and says at much with a pleasant look aimed in shinjou's direction.

he asks of her mind. she thinks this inquiry a gambit.

the lady bows her head.

"the reading of character i leave to masa-sama. if the boy is loyal, that is what i find most interesting." kaede resolves then to help lorroakan, if only because shinjou has spoken so poorly of him.

her shoulders straighten.

"i will leave you to your thoughts, samurai." she does not ask his leave, for she is not a servant.

Loyalty. Shinjou had let out a quiet scoff—whether from irritation or disdain was hard to tell. Loyalty was, after all, the only merit the boy seemed to possess—for now. And in the eyes of the black-hooded samurai, he had yet to prove himself of any real worth.

Yes, of course… he murmured, sinking further into the water until it brushed against the lines of his jaw. I’m sure you have more important things to do, Kaede-san. Still, thank you for taking a moment to listen to a weary samurai.

He cast a brief glance at his bath. And for... having seasoned my bath. Was he struggling to find more fitting words?

that dumb man... xD
Thanks for this thread ;u; <3

thank YOU <3

another bow.

it is her main form of communication when no words suffice.

she has shinjou, she feels, at least in part. masa believed her a warrior before he came to know her as lady. lorroakan will not be difficult.

"lady kaede" turns from the samurai and melts into the mist.