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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 12, 2018 8:54:37 GMT -5
Yoshinobu looked at Hinata in silence for a few seconds as she cried. Suddenly, his own insecurities seemed so very insignificant.
What could he even say to her? What could he really do for her? Yoshinobu wasn't particularly a wise man. He didn't possess any skill for the supernatural like monks or shugenja. He had no clue what he could do to exorcise a ghost even as the Prince of the Empire. Was such a thing even possible? Some things were just out of his ability or power.
He stood up, and let go of her hand. If this morning had revealed anything so far, it was that Yoshinobu and Hinata loved each other. They could accept each other at their lowest; right now, that is what that love meant to Yoshinobu. If he could do nothing else for her today, he could at least be there to hold her. To let her know he didn't think any less of her. So he did, sitting beside her and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, embracing her. Letting her cry, and say whatever else she felt she needed to say.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 12, 2018 9:02:21 GMT -5
Hinata sat there for a while, leaning into his shoulder and crying. He accepted her. He had not walked away like she feared he would. That was her greatest fear assuaged. Everybody she cared for knew now. None of them wanted to kill her, they wanted to help her...it gave her hope. Maybe something could be done. Yet still she cried, letting her fears and doubts out as she did. It was a long while before she spoke again.
"...I may be going to my family's lands for a short while. They'll want to perform the exorcism there and...I want you to come. I want you to be there for me. If we get him out, we can celebrate, and if not I..."
She paused, taking a deep breath.
"...I want you to be my second."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 12, 2018 11:22:57 GMT -5
As Hinata made her request, Yoshinobu began to run his hand along the back of Hinata's head. He wanted to go with her and make sure she would be okay. He wanted to protect her, if he could. He couldn't protect her from a ghost of a traitor - that was probably something only her family could do. There was another way he could, though.
"You know I really want to, but I can't. Not when you still have at least one enemy in the city, maybe others." Otomo Katsumi, at the least. "By the end of the day the court will know you are in the running for the Empress. If anyone finds this out, lets the secret loose, and if it gets into the ears of the court you know what that will mean right?"
It would be the end of them. No one would ever accept her. "If I just up and leave all of a sudden, off to Crab lands, people will know something is amiss. They will suspect, ask questions, start digging. The Scorpion and the Dragon namely." He paused. "So we can celebrate when you get back here safe, and while you are gone I will call you every day. And if it gets to that..."
Yoshinobu swallowed, she had showed conviction in asking him to perform such a sacred rite. "... then I'll be your second Hinata."
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 12, 2018 11:40:26 GMT -5
Hinata nodded slowly. She was disappointed, but she understood; he would have to stay here, otherwise they would have no chance of staying together. He knew she had an ancient monster in her head and he still wanted to marry her. Perhaps it was a bit foolish of him, but it was also part of why she loved him. She turned her head to kiss him gingerly on the lips.
"...thank you."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 12, 2018 12:51:04 GMT -5
After they finished the kiss, Yoshinobu hugged Hinata tightly again. He couldn't imagine what all she was going through right now. His mind was racing, but he calmed himself and tried to focus only on the now. Then, something occurs to him.
"Hinata. Who all have you told this to? I'll need to speak with them, maybe we both should."
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 12, 2018 12:58:00 GMT -5
"Just...just my closest friends and my family. None of them would spread it around."
She froze. She had never explicitly told them not to. Someone like Nadeshiko may tell someone, with all the best intentions of trying to find her help, but...
"...I think. ...I should call them. Nadeshiko-chan especially."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 12, 2018 14:14:05 GMT -5
"Then you need to call them all right now, if possible. People could come after them too. Skilled courtiers can get them to talk, and I need to be able to shield them politically."
Then his eyes shook, a thought coming to his mind. "Not just that, but ancestors have been known to haunt more than one person at a time."
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 12, 2018 14:20:26 GMT -5
"No, you don't think...? ...I need to call my family first, if that's the case."
Hinata pulled out her phone and dialed her family once again.
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Post by Dark Fortune of Typos on Mar 13, 2018 6:26:53 GMT -5
The phone hardly got through the first ring before her family picked up. Her mother was the first one on the line. "Hinata, is everything alright?" Genuine concern came with her words.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 13, 2018 6:33:55 GMT -5
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed to call you guys because Yoshinobu just brought up a good point to me: Yori might not only come after me. If one side of the family is descended from him..."
Hinata sighed.
"...well, he could come after you as well."
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