The Day of Thunder

[Matsu]

When the hand was drawn away, Matsu cursed inwardly. She had muddled things, but then the conversation continued, though the pause made the silence seem like an eternity.

"I have no true partner. My children have their fathers, who are good warriors and excellent men, and now have wives of their own. But it was always understood what things are." She looked out for a moment, then up at the sky, pondering for a moment.

"And I asked because... I was enchanted by you, Shang..." Her eyes met the Dragon once again, a deep breath taken, she could feel her heart racing. "And I ask because, I know it would... be difficult given the distance between our lands but... I would like to formally... court you, Shang."

[Saru Shang]

Shang nodded slowly as she followed Matsu's every word, trying to drag each into her mind as she tried to decipher the meaning behind them. Unfortunately, she might have lost herself in the sauce already when she mentioned her children already. She never imagined that Matsu already had children of her own! Matsu was older but still seemed young-ish. Or maybe Shang was getting older now!

Okay, so children...and Matsu perhaps thought she could be a potential bride to her children then? No! They had wives now. Wait, where does she come into this? A performance at their wedding perhaps! A story? A dance, event? Wait...

"Huh, what?" She said as she found herself a bit dumbfounded when she returned to reality and gave Matsu a big blink before red-tinged her pale cheeks. It wasn't the alcohol either.

"Oh, I see," she murmured as she ducked her head to her lap to hide her embarrassment on the matter. "I didn't know I had that affect on you. If anything, I thought I was pestering you with ramblings when we first met...Oh my, I must have sounded like such a scattered fool at the time. Despite that, you were enchanted?"

[Matsu]

"I could have listened to you all day..." Matsu replied, her own face still flush as well. Her fingers fidgeting on the flute in her lap, not quite sure what to do with them. "You were excited in what you were saying, and the passion in your words about art, it's wonderful." Her lips curled into a smile.

"I was nervous that I was coming across as someone who was just focused on being a warrior, or couldn't appreciate the beauty that you bring to life so easily." Another pause.

"I didn't want to go to the End of the World without asking you first."

[Saru Shang]

Shang smiled earnestly at Matsu's first point, nodding enthusiastically.

"I'm glad that you see my passion for art. Well, perhaps not my art in general but the idea that something great could be created when inspiration and cooperation could be thrown into the mix. I know little of architecture but the principles are the same. That is unless there is something to tell me otherwise," she chuckled. "That might have more to do with philosophy than strictly art, now that I think about it..."

"You've certainly made yourself obvious that you're so much more than just a warrior, Matsu," she said with a sure nod at the matter. "This nervousness seems unlike you but again, just another facet of you that you're sharing with me."

"Is it the End of the World?" She found herself looking around the camp and the village that wasn't too far from it. "It seemed so much happened in the last few days that has distracted us from the true reason that we've found ourselves here. So many things are likely lost in the shuffle on what could be done here, without a doubt. But I digress, we are at the End of the World, aren't we?"

"Our time together here could be short, we don't know." She looked up for a moment and let out a slow sigh after a moment's thought, looking at Matsu with a small smile on her lips. "But I'd like to think that this tale won't end so easily."

[Matsu]

The smile that crossed Matsu's features lit up her face as the moon does the night sky. "I very much hope the tale will be a long one, Shang." The boldness returned, and the Amazon reached for one of the Dragon's hands, taking it tenderly in hers. Her eyes focused on the Saru's own.

"Whatever may come, for however much time we have left, I'm grateful, to have that time with you."

[Saru Shang]

Shang gently would give Matsu's hand a small squeeze when it was taken into the Spider grip. "We have to make the best of it but we shall have to see, won't we? Of course, the tale is still being written as we speak! Literally! No, well, figuratively right now. I don't think that I am so great that I myself will be written about literally. I digress with the meaning of it all...We'll just have to write together, won't we? Which would mean we'll just have to do more than just occasionally run into each other, don't you think?"

[Matsu]

"I would think so. That it would involve seeing each other quite often. I'm often traveling when at home with the Spider armies as needed... but it does mean traveling. And you like traveling." She grinned, letting her thumb run along Shang's held hand.

"Traveling together could be very fun, yeah?"

[Saru Shang]

"Oh," Shang said at first with a blink of her eyes, just remembering that Matsu was a daimyo with responsibilities and a whole army at her command. It seemed so strange that she approached her so casually on their first meeting and then now that she was approaching her, not a daimyo of any family, to court her. "You're right to say that I do like travelling and I've been meaning to see more of the Empire myself. I haven't been to the Spider lands, however. I would be honoured by that chance, of course! Oh my, I've never been on the road with an army before. What should I expect?"

[Matsu]

"Oh," Shang said at first with a blink of her eyes, just remembering that Matsu was a daimyo with responsibilities and a whole army at her command. It seemed so strange that she approached her so casually on their first meeting and then now that she was approaching her, not a daimyo of any family, to court her. "You're right to say that I do like travelling and I've been meaning to see more of the Empire myself. I haven't been to the Spider lands, however. I would be honoured by that chance, of course! Oh my, I've never been on the road with an army before. What should I expect?"

"Long marches. Lots of stopping to reorganize and get the reports of scouts." She mused, looking at Shang. "Singing from the other warriors when stealth isn't needed. A lot of time spent around campfires at night. Shared meals with all sorts." There was a small laugh.

"And then longer marches that lead to clashes with bandits who threaten the subjects of the Empire, or monsters. Or monsters and bandits. Or someone who is trying to be a would-be king. It changes depending on what is happening."

Then a long look away. "All to protect the peace and lives of others you may never meet."

[Saru Shang]

"Long marches. Lots of stopping to reorganize and get the reports of scouts." She mused, looking at Shang. "Singing from the other warriors when stealth isn't needed. A lot of time spent around campfires at night. Shared meals with all sorts." There was a small laugh.

"And then longer marches that lead to clashes with bandits who threaten the subjects of the Empire, or monsters. Or monsters and bandits. Or someone who is trying to be a would-be king. It changes depending on what is happening."

Then a long look away. "All to protect the peace and lives of others you may never meet."

Shang would take a small sip from her neglected cup and was sure to subtly offer it to Matsu if she wished to partake in whatever she had left. She quietly listened to her words and nodded a few times, taking note of each task. None of them seemed particularly easy, admittedly.

"And you do this as our duty?" Her eyes widened at a small bit of realization on her eyes. "Oh my, I think I'm sort of seeing it now. It's much like a caravan of sorts, is it not? Much like something that is said to be done prior to the arrival of the Kami where many tribes and small communes sort of roam about the line when borders weren't even conceptualized in their thoughts! Often, to hunt, forage or simply find places of warmer weather? I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that it's still practiced today, even when we have growing settlements, roads and the land divided out. Is this in the Spider lands? Or the Empire at large?"

[Matsu]

"I can't speak for the Empire at large," she shook her head, taking a small sip from the offered cup, "But we take the protection of the Spider lands very seriously. And given this village, with all the potential threats of corruption, the army stands every vigilant in the defense. I imagine the Lion and the Crab do similar with their armies. I'll see the Crab along our northernmost border, from time to time."

She listened to Shang's comparison, reminding her of the Imperiap caravans that her father had joined before he passed. Her half-siblings doing their duties there.

"It is my Duty, from Lord Hisomu himself, that my family and the army protect our lands."

[Saru Shang]

"Roaming the land must be a really difficult undertaking, is it not? Especially, when you need to cover so much territory while moving with a good number of people? I'm not too sure, I don't have my imagination. This might sound a bit silly compared to your experience! I only imagine that in the past it was more done as a necessity because tribes sought resources or a home. It would be curious to see it's done by an army or a group of warriors." She mused curiously. Although, she supposed it was not too different from raiding...

"Also! You must have a lot of stories, I'm sure. Story to tell and story to chronicle, perhaps I can be of use there!" She offered.

[Matsu]

"It can. I'd like it to get more organized, to make the warriors more formidable. Knowing how they will get fed, how they will travel. I should speak more with Lady Makime on that..." She pondered, almost lost in the thought, but was immediately drawn back to Shang by her words.

"I think you could. Records of campaigns are very, dry..." She smiled brightly, "no, I know you would be great at that!"

[Saru Shang]

"Considering what she had been able to accomplish on short notice without an army but only a group of willing volunteers coming together and having the intention of the greater Kami Empire, I'd say she would know at least a thing or ten about when it comes to managing things when it comes to having warriors travel about. I'm sure that maybe having horses would help with much of that too, even with the added mouths to feed and careful," she nodded at that idea. Or maybe she just wanted a horse.

"Well, I suggested the idea but we shall see what I make of it first," she said with a hearty chuckle. "I'll try to keep my need to embellish to a minimum where possible. You can't deny that changing things here and there would make for a much more interesting story. Just mostly cosmetic changes, of course! Suppose if a bandit weren't just charging at you but they were also raining down arrows at you at the same time? Too much? That said, it does make things seem more dangerous! Not that taking them own isn't dangerous, of course!"

[Matsu]

"I think that a little embellishment may be a good thing. Ensures that the truth of things, the who and the where, are always remembered." Matsu would reply, quite enjoying the was Shang's thoughts bubbled forth as a refreshing spring.

"I... could use your help in writing my letters to Makime. I'm awful in my writing."

[Saru Shang]

Shang narrowed her eyes on Matsu momentarily, looking a bit skeptical at something she said. "I would be more than willing to help but you're saying that awful in your writing? I find that a bit hard to believe! Warriors do wield harder tools than a brush! Hm! I suppose it is less fine and more heavier but I doubt that you write your letters in that fashion, especially when you can wield a flute with ease. Besides, what sorts of letters does daimyo Makime need? I imagine her to be a practical sort of woman. I'm not so sure if she would have patience with my sort of writing."