Heavenfall

Shinjo sat by the castle's narrow window, looking out where it overlooked the farmland the the Seidou river, to the sky beyond that darkened imperceptibly even at night. She was dressed in a loose kimono, ready to retire for the night, but her natural restlessness and the upcoming march kept her up.

Koyama walked around topless, as he often would to divergent reactions of his wife, depending on her mood. Five years hadn't been enough to banish his tribal spirit and there was no telling whether the next five would bring about any change in this regard. He looked over her shoulder, to the farmlands, a sight he grew accustomed to seeing but never truly rejoiced at. Ever a hunter-gatherer-raider, cultivation held no appeal for him, he had little appreciation of the life conditions it created. The Protected Lands were feeding them this way or another anyway, altering their face summoned mixed feelings.

Whatever angsty thoughts he might have, however, her very presence was cutting them into scatterable pebbles most of the time, and now was one such moment. Instead to the farmlands, his gaze wandered toward the halo over her silhouette her departing mother was graciously casting over her, painting her hair more auburn. The notion to brush them with his lips was stronger than any restraint for whatever reason he might consider.

"Thoughts in yer bonny heid?" He whispered.

She looked back toward him with a smile as she felt the contact, glancing only briefly back out the window. "Just thinking about my brother... We're so close. I'm anxious to start on our journey. It's been a little bit lonely without him or Ryoshun."

"Wance ye git yer fowk safe 'n' sound, whit comes neist?" He mused, taking a strand of her hair from her forehead, trying to keep capacity for conversation by not drowning in her gaze completely. "Is Fu Leng special twa ye mair than yer ither siblings?"

She leaned toward him and closed her eyes. "Probably... try to help him get a handle on what happened to him. Start building up our Clan and the Empire. Though I'm not sure if we'll stay too long in one place. There's too much of Ningen-do to explore. This is just one little part of it."

At the question about her brother, she nodded. "He was the closest to me out of all of them. We spent most of our time together."

"Ye ken a'm up fur haein a lee o' wandering. As lang as ah kin keep up wi' you." He chuckled wryly, his caring embrace speaking louder than words. "So let's git him oot o' thare sae ah kin check if he 'n' ah kin git along. 'n' ye hae yer peace that he is safe."

She chuckled and turned, kissing him. "I know you are. I'm looking forward to seeing the world with you once we know he's safe."

"Where wid ye lik' tae gang? Further sooth, wast, north, o'er th' muckle sea?" He held her lips sweetly, playing with the lower one. "Ah'm asking sae that ye kin gimme time tae build a boat or something."

"I was thinking west," she said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "So we won't need a boat. We can use the horses Chaihime's been breeding."

His went around her waist. "Ah wull learn tae mount they, though ah think ye lassies ur muckle better riders." He grinned, fully expecting a bop.

She headbutted him lightly. "You'll do fine."

He absorbed the slight impact with a broad smile, then rubbed back, forehead against forehead, adding nose, and eventually lips. Five years into their bond he didn't lose any of his affection for and fascination with her. If anything, it only grew.

""What part dae ye see fur me in a' this?"

"I'd want to know what roll you would like to play before I start," she replied, following his movements with her own.

"Ah hae a'maist na stake in a' this except whin it comes tae ye 'n' oor fowk. " He admitted. "It's a' aboot making sure we kin gang wast efter this." He kept their foreheads close, and was whispering. "If ye ever git th' idea o' self-sacrifice fur th' sake o' a'body, especially Fu Leng, ah mist be thare tae git it oot o` yer heid. Th' freedom tae die tae soon is yin thing ah wull deny ye. Ye'r tae precious tae let ye lea this realm ahead o` yer time."