The New Winds

Nobuko returned to the Academy after the funeral for the souls of those frogs they were able to keep from being made into a delicious, delicious meal. She was tired and she knew that there was still much to be done. But there was also only so much she could do in the grand scheme of things.

To that end, she returned to practicing the song she'd picked out. This time, she played it slow, going through it at half-speed and picking out the fingerings she needed to work on for when she played it for the intended audience.

Anyone in the Academy might find themselves being serenaded from afar, or being provided a lullaby before the night brought an end to the music.


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OOC
D5; LE; Perform: Koto/Awareness; 2 Raises: 7d10o10k5-10 25
D5; LE; Perform: Koto/Awareness; 2 Raises: 7d10o10k5-10 31
D5; LE; Perform: Koto/Awareness; 2 Raises: 7d10o10k5-10 28
84

Ichiro made his way through the dojo when he heard a song coming from the area. He approached quietly not wanting to disturb the player. He was no scorpion shadow but for such a large Moto he was much quieter than people would likely suspect.

As he drew near and saw the source of the music was none other than a certain Otomo he was quite taken with. He stood by and smiled just listening to her play for a bit.

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D5 LE fluff stealth/agi: 6d10o10k5 22

Nobuko was a little too engrossed in her playing to notice the shadow that came to hover nearby.

The music played in long spurts before stopping and one section being replayed repeatedly in a slow and languid manner until she felt she'd gotten it right. And then she moved on to the next part, doing it again and again until the song was over. Then she played it once through before repeating herself.

Each time she got a little more sure of the fingerings. Not once was a sour note heard.

After she ended one of her loops she would hear the not-quite-yet gruff voice from behind her "I never had too much appreciation for music but you play it beautifully Nobu-chan."

"There are poets that say music is the sound of the soul and when a song resonates with you, it is because it so closely matches the notes your own calls out," she answered softly without lifting her head or her hands. Her fingers continued to pluck away slowly as she began another round.

"When you are on the battlefield, the noise of battle is much like a song. I suspect yours is closer to the sound of hoofbeats pounding across the plains. Fast, wild, and only one you can find in the freedom of such vast open spaces."

"Perhaps it is, I have not given much thought to such things. You make me think of them though, you make me a more well rounded person at least my caring for you does. I would not strive to better understand arts if I did not wish to impress you, or to at least connect with you in some way on subjects you are passionate about. The way you try so hard to immerse yourself in my culture." His hand comes to rest on her shoulder as his dark eyes try to catch hers "I want to be every bit as good a husband as you plan to be a wife."

Her hands finally stilled at his touch, tough they did not lift from the strings. She continued to refrain from looking at him directly, knowing that doing so would break the focus she needed to ensure she knew this song. So she closed her eyes and turned her head so that her cheek might rest against his hand. And since they were alone, and anyone who might glimpse them would surely not be able to catch it - she pursed her lips and pressed a light kiss to his skin. Ever so gently marking the back of his hand with what remained of the paint on her lips.

"You are already a wonderful husband and we are not yet wed. I feel unworthy of the gifts you give me in simply being yourself," she murmured, letting her cheek rest against his hand. "But do not kiss me here. There are too many eyes, even when alone. Pretend you are ensuring my shoulders do not get too sore from the playing if any come along. It will be frowned on, but not shameful. But do not risk a kiss."

Ichiro chuckled a little "I see my stolen kisses have made you wary Nobu-chan, fear not I am done with them. The next time we kiss will be when you take one from me." His voice dropped a little "though the memory of your lips on mine plays through my head most nights when I am alone and wish you were by my side." He softly gave voice to his desires before he began to firmly but gently massage her shoulders.

"Why pretend when I can ensure your shoulders do not get sore." His large strong hands were actually quite good for this kind of thing as he squeezed and pressed her shoulders, this was not the first massage he had given, he knew how to pressed stress and soreness from the muscles without hurting the recipient. "So is this learning for fun or for purpose?" He asked he worked.

She sighed and gave a soft 'mmmm' as his hands did indeed find soreness to work away.

"For purpose," she answered, bringing her hands to her lap so the plecra did not disturb the strings. "After the art event, and some troubles that stirred my mind, I decided that I should change my gift to Toshimoko-dono. Last moment gifts are rarely good, for they do not convey a sense of having given though to them. So I must ensure my ability to perform this piece is flawless. I have a day and a half to do so."

Nobuko rolled her head forward as Ichiro hit a particularly sore point, "I am not unfamiliar with this song, as it is one we were made to practice during our years. But it has been some time since then."

"Ah yes a gift I must spend some time with the forge I am not overly concerned with it but I intend to give him a steel crane. He will like it or he won't, it makes small difference to me." he said as he continued working seeking and finding all the muscles that like to clump up together.

His brow furrows when she mentions things troubling her and a little concern bleeds into his voice "What troubles stir your mind sweet one? Tell me of them so i may share your burdens."

"A steel crane is very appropriate. You'll be an artisan yet," she joked - about the artisan, not the gift - and laughed softly as she leaned into his touch. This was nice. She could get used to it very easily.

"It is more than a few matters," she sighed after a few moments of silence. "Until yesterday, I had though ill of Kakita-Dono's intentions toward a fellow competitor and now that I have seen the error of my thoughts, I am uncertain what direction to turn myself. That same uncertainty took hold of me in some of the events and questioned myself and my approach. I did well enough, but I stumbled in some of the questions they asked of us about theology. And more than that, this entire tournament I have been doing so well..."

There was distress in those last words. As if it pained her to be an obvious contender for the Topaz title, rather than excited her for how good she had proven to be.

"Why should you not do well Nobu-chan? You are smart with a quick mind and nimble tongue." he smirked at his dual meaning but continued "You are also stronger of body than most expect of you with your weapons test proof of that, you bested a skilled bushi that day no small feat for a courtier." he stopped briefly with his massage his hands moved down to her slender arms and squeezed them reassuringly a replacement for the hug he wanted to give her but had promised to behave "Do not fear your own greatness my heart but embrace it, with me you will always be free to carve your own path."

"The only path I want to carve is the one that leads me to being exactly the wife you need," she said, pulling away from him so she could turn and face him. The urge to throw herself into his arms was strong. "I have never wanted to be anything else. To do anything else. I have only ever wanted to be the best wife I can possibly be to whomever was to be my spouse and then I met you."

It's not said accusingly, it's said with the kind of desperation that comes with being utterly confused, "And then I found what I was wanting changing. I wanted not to be the best wife possible, but to be the best wife possible for you. Had father or your family decided otherwise in these arrangements, I would be married to another and I would be... I would probably be fine. Decently happy in doing what I have always worked toward. But I would also know the yearning for the freedom you spoke of. The freedom to choose another way, another path of service. And with you..."

And now she was worked up, fire in her eyes, as she pointed at him, "Because of you, I want to see the world and I want to have new experiences and I want to be more than I am, more than I should be, and I want to do all of it at your side! You should be completely ashamed at having stirred such feelings in me and if it were even possible for you to be so ashamed, I would be saddened a the thought!"

Nobuko threw her hands up, "I'm not supposed to do better than you or even come as close to your performance as I have. I'm supposed to be your shadow and support and now I am doing so well that I might be given an assignment! A position somewhere. That..."

She shut her eyes and finally did lean forward into his chest, exhausted at her own outburst, "All I ever wanted was to be the perfect bride. And you come along and now all I want is to be your perfect bride. And here you go, letting me have the freedom to decide what that means. Terrible man. Just terrible."

So, so terrible, that she had to wrap her arms around his waist and snuggle deeper into his chest.

Ichiro chuckled a deep chesty sound that would vibrate her a little as she was currently snuggled in his chest, his large arms would engulf her as she was there "Well Nobu-chan your first mistake was thinking you could hide in the shadows. Your beauty shines with the blessings of Lady sun driving shadows away from you and eyes toward you. When you are around I scarcely believe anyone will be interested in me at all." He looked down at her as he spoke, his voice soft meant only for her, his expression equally so a gentle side of him only she saw "To think you could hide behind me was foolish to begin with."

one of his large hands would make slow circles on her back as the spoke a soothing motion "I wish I could feel regret for awakening these things in you but I don't want you to be decently happy, I want you to be thrilled, to be excited to wake up each morning. I want your life to be joyous. As I have said before I wish to be as perfect for you as you wish to be for me, if you get an assignment then I will celebrate with you and make every moment together we have a party worthy of remembering to keep us warm on nights we are apart when our duties keep us apart."

his other hand moved up to gently run his fingers through her hair "Making your own path is scary and confusing, I understand that Nobuko but trust me when I say I will be with you every step of the way."

"Regret is a sin, so I shall not regret these feelings," she replied, voice still sad. She was on the literal cusp of adulthood and had to start feeling all these new things when only a year ago she'd been completely content in what she considered to be her fate and place in the world. "Or that you have been the cause of them. But this is all very new to me, Ichiro-kun. I thought I knew what life was going to be for me. It was all assured. All set in place. And when you asked me what I wanted and... I knew then. I did. But now every day I want something new. Something different than the day before."

Nobuko shifted so that she could turn her head into his chest and run the fingers of one hand across his heart and then said in a small voice, "I do not think you are terrible."

He smiled down at her as he stroked her hair "I am glad to hear you say so. It would be a tragedy for you to marry a man you thought was terrible." he said softly to her "I believe what you want changing is just part of growing up Nobu-chan, as you grow what you want will also grow and change too.""