LOVE'S HONOR

From: diannasilver@hotmail.com (Dianna Silver)

Chapter Four

The dance ended as spontaneously as it had started, the two of them
letting go of one another, mutually taking a step back.  Where Touga
felt a growing sense of profound peace, Utena continued to feel
unsure.  No longer did he have the feeling that something precious
was slipping away; once more she wondered if she was somehow being
foolish, letting her guard down around the around the mysterious and
elegant Red Tyger.

"Lady Utena?"

"Aye?" she softly responded, aquamarine gaze steady upon his visage.

"Please . . . Once again, I beg you to forgive me.  I've been utterly
uncouth and overly forward both, making you uncomfortable even though
that certainly wasn't my intent.  You must certainly think me a
typical highland boor."  He made no move to get closer; he stood
there, unmoving, staring back at her.  Giving her a somewhat abashed
smile, he ran the fingers of a hand through his wind-caressed scarlet
hair.

"I'm not overly used to such attentions," Utena replied, turning
slightly and glancing once again up at the twinkling stars.  "All
I've truly thought upon is my quest."  (And I swore an oath that I
would never be so helpless again,) she mentally added, the echoes of
her parents' deaths sounding once more in the back of her mind.

"I promise to comport myself in a seemly manner from this point on,"
the Kiryuu chieftain said, low voice holding a solemn note of
conviction.  "I swear I won't knowingly make you uncomfortable again."

High above in the eastern sky, a bright streak flew across the
velvety darkness.  Though she tracked the path of the falling star
with her gaze, he words were directed at her companion there.  "I
forgive you, Lord Touga."
________________

It was about time they came back.  Her lips turned down in a pouting
frown, Nanami watched as her darling brother and that abnormal pink-
haired woman returned to the Great Hall.  The blonde girl's scowl
deepened, not liking the rather dreamy expression on her older
sibling's face.  Though they had left the celebration arm in arm,
Nanami was quick to notice that they didn't return in that same
manner.  Lady Utena had walked in first, the tall form of the
highland chieftain trailing along behind her.  (Perhaps there's
nothing to fear after all?) the violet-eyed Kiryuu thought, a
satisfied smile replacing her scowl.  (I just knew my dear brother
wouldn't like a maiden of that sort.)

Touga halted there before the hearth, the firelight dancing over him
and casting his face into shadow.  Nanami continued to observe the
rose-haired lady's progress as she continued on into the heart of the
hall, gracefully making her way through the Kiryuu clanmembers
drinking, dancing and otherwise enjoying themselves.  Noting that the
stranger's goal was to speak with her handmaidens -- Utena had
stopped near the longer haired servant and had gestured for the
shorter-haired brunette to join them -- the blonde girl swiftly
decided to take the opportunity to perhaps get that dance after all.
Picking up her orange and yellow skirts, Nanami quickly made her way
over to where her brother stood with his back to the cheerful blaze.

"My lord?" she began, giving the chieftain a big grin and grasping
him around the arm once more, hugging it to her.  "That dance?"

Turning his gaze from the angelic form of his chosen princess, Touga
looked down at the blonde clutching his arm.  She gazed adoringly up
at him, a hopeful light in her violet eyes.  (How she's grown, even
in just the last couple of years,) he suddenly noticed.  (I truly
should give some serious thought on what marriage to arrange for
her.)  Nodding slightly, he gently took his sister's hand.  "I think
I can spare you a dance, Nanami."

Leading her out to an open place on the rush-covered floor, the sweet
scents of the crushed herbs hanging in the air, the Kiryuu prince
moved through the steps of a stately dance, cobalt-blue gaze fastened
upon his sibling.  A spirited child, she had matured into a willful
maiden, able to keep even the laziest of the household staff at
staying on track with their chores.  However, he had noticed a
growing sullenness within her, dampening her inner fire.  Inwardly
frowning, he mulled over what could be the cause.

"Thank you so much for the dance," Nanami said, smiling up at her
wonderful sibling.  He always knew what it would take to brighten her
spirits.

He echoed her smile, though he silently continued to pick apart the
puzzle of what she'd become.  Looking her over -- for once
objectively, through the eyes of the clan's lord and not her older
brother -- he could see the adult she would soon become there in the
image of her.  That awareness brought with it an uneasy feeling as he
thought on her actions of late.  Ever since their foster brother had
been sent away, Nanami had become increasingly clingy while becoming
more sure of her place as lady of the manor.  (And the worst bouts of
temper seem to be when I entertain thoughts on a future bride . . .)

Fingers of a hand entwined, the two Kiryuu siblings continued the
stately movements, their steps precise from long years of dancing
with one another.  The music swirled around them, and it was easy to
consider them the most elegant and regal pair of those performing the
dance.  It didn't matter that earlier his attention was on another
nor that they had left together; Touga was all hers in that moment,
and Nanami loved every minute of it.

"Nanami."

"Aye, my lord?" she replied, still staring at him with a look of
adoration on her beautiful face.

"This should be the last dance I share with you," Touga softly
answered, watching the reaction on her visage.

Startlement, then disbelief, followed by a poignant hurt -- they
played across the younger Kiryuu's face as she faltered in the steps
and then came to a complete stop.  For the span of a couple of
heartbeats, she could only gape up at him, violet eyes wide.  "B --
but why, my lord?" Nanami finally stammered out.

"We're not children anymore," he began to explain, slipping a hand
around her waist to gently guide her from the center of the hall's
floor and toward the side where they could continue the discussion
with fewer around to perhaps overhear.  "I'm an adult now, the
chieftain of the Kiryuu.  For the good of the clan, I need to begin
seriously the search for a wife -- "

"No wife will ever know our people and our staff as well as I,"
Nanami said, her voice sharp as she interrupted her older
sibling.  "I'm the one who can make sure that the supplies aren't
wasted, that the work's being done -- "

"Nanami . . ." Touga growled.  It wasn't seemly at all for her to cut
his words off like that in public.

"Take a wife if you must, but let me still run the household," the
blonde noblewoman pleaded.

"And what should my spouse do then?  Sit around as a pretty
decoration?"  The young lord shook his head, discarding the
idea.  "No, dear sister.  It's isn't right.  It will be my lady
wife's place to watch over my household."

"Then what about *me*?" she asked, violet eyes reflecting her fear
and continued hurt. What would happen to her once she had no place
here?  For as long as she could remember, she had done her best to be
indispensable to her beloved brother, to carve out a little piece of
security in an uncertain world.  She had dreaded this possible talk
for months, ever since she had turned thirteen.

"Why you'll make some lucky nobleman a perfect spouse," Touga
answered, giving his younger sibling a smile.  After all, she had all
the skills and talents -- bolstered by experience -- to be able to
step into a manor and take control for the good of all.  "Whoever
marries you will gain a knowledgeable chatelaine who will see to it
that his servants aren't cheating him and that all are comfortable
and well cared for.  Do for your husband as you have done for me and
you will be eternally appreciated."

"I don't *want* to be married.  I don't *want* to run someone else's
house.  They won't know me and they'll hate me as an interloper come
to take over command," the younger Kiryuu protested, shaking her head
violently in a negative manner, the loose locks of her golden hair
swirling about her distressed appearing face.

"Nanami," the scarlet-maned lord said in mild exasperation.  A swift
glance around assured him that those perhaps close enough to hear the
family discussion were too busy reveling to take note of his sister's
increasingly agitated state.  "You can't change the way the world
works.  Children grow up and get married, eventually having children
of their own.  It's not your place to act as my spouse; you're my
sister."

"You've found someone, haven't you?"  the blonde noblewoman queried,
her voice rising in pitch and volume alike with her growing
distress.  "And now you're just going to toss me aside like some
useless piece of property."

"Of course I'm not going to treat you in such a shabby fashion,
Nanami," Touga replied, his voice low in a murmur meant to be
reassuring.  "You're my sibling after all, a Kiryuu of the royal
blood.  However . . ."  His tone shifted, becoming at once hard and
frosty.  "It is none of your affair whether I've discovered someone
worthy or not.  What *is* your concern is the fact that you are of an
age where negotiations for a suitable marriage should begin."

Nanami only stared up at him, gawking, hurt and anger both reflected
in her large violet eyes.  She was going to be replaced, shoved away
from what control she had and her familiar, comfortable
surroundings.  After all her hard work to maintain a place for
herself in her brother's keep, she was still going to end up the
property of some stranger, given in exchange for some trinket of
power to adorn the Kiryuu coronet.

Watching his sister turn pale and appear on the edge of swooning,
Touga's irritation with the turn of the conversation increased.
(Does she think me a monster for planning to do what is only right
and natural?)  Reaching out, he put a steadying hand on her
shoulder.  "Come now, Nanami.  Surely the thought's not *that*
terrible."

"No, I won't do it," the slim blonde hissed, pulling roughly away
from his touch.  "I won't submit to some stranger, the privilege of
disporting himself between my legs bought by some land or a pile of
goods and gold, all for the glory of Clan Kiryuu.  I refuse to be an
object that can be beaten at will and seen as only a pretty bed toy."

Touga stood there, staring at her in stunned silence, confused more
by her assumptions about the situation than he was by her uncouth
bluntness.  This is what she had been dwelling upon, the thoughts
that had been robbing her of her natural fire?  "You wound me," he
finally managed to choke out.  "Do you *truly* see me as so callous
by nature?"

"You are the Kiryuu.  I know you pretty well, dear brother," Nanami
shot back, arms coming up to cross over her bosom.  "If it means the
well being and prosperity of the clan at large, you would sacrifice
anything to achieve it."

"But you are also a Kiryuu, and you are my little sister.  Do you
really think that means nothing to me?"

"You're already determined to cast me out, no matter what."

The scarlet-haired prince groaned, burying the elegant fingers of a
hand in his long mane as he pressed a palm to his forehead in
frustration.  "And you are determined to have us speak in circles.
Think with your mind and not with your heart for once.  I understand
your uneasiness at change, but I have your best interests at heart."

"I know how you treat me," Nanami replied, her voice still full of
barely suppressed fury.  "You are kind and reasonable, honorable and
chivalrous, but many a lord in this world are *not* that.  But you
are certainly one not above selling me off to the highest bidder if
it means a greater good to the clan as a whole."

Touga stared down at her, deep in thought.  "Would you feel more at
ease were you given to a man with which you were familiar?"

"Well, of *course* I'd be more at ease with someone I already knew,"
she answered, her tone scathing.  It seemed such a lackwitted
question in the first place.  "But there's none I know that I would
be interested in marrying.  I'm not *interested* in marrying at all."

An image passed before his mind, the echoes of a number of memories
hanging there.  Lowering his hand from his forehead, Touga seized
upon the idea, turning it over in his thoughts.  What were its
strengths?  Where were its flaws?  Would it be worth it to work on
achieving it?  Cobalt blue gaze focusing once more on his sister's
elegantly gowned form, he gaze her a bit of a smile.  "Enough talk of
the future for now.  The winter is over and we should celebrate.
Tomorrow shall come soon enough."

She just stood there, looking flushed in ire and uncannily fragile.

The smile grew just a bit as he held his arms out to either side in a
welcoming gesture.

Recognizing it for the signal that it was, the blonde Kiryuu abruptly
choked back a sob and rushed him, throwing her arms around her
brother's magnificent form in a tight hug.  She felt him hug her
back, a hand gently stroking the loose golden locks of her
hair.  "Shh . . . It'll be all right, Nanami.  I'll make sure it all
works out.  I promise."

Despite it all, despite their conversation, she believed him.
Everything would be all right.
________________

The only sounds that broke the peacefulness of the Great Hall were
the popping of the hot coals burning in the fireplace, the snoring of
some of the drunken partygoers who had passed out on the rush-covered
floor or against the tapestry-covered walls and the occasional
laughter or soft conversation between those still awake.  The
celebration had since wound down, with most of the ladies retiring
for the night, including the youthful hostess once she had made one
last round of the hall and kitchen to see that all was well.

Azure eyes lifted up from where they had been gazing deep into the
dark liquid of his golden chalice.  Though far from being inebriated
himself -- Touga had paced himself well when it came to sipping at
his wine throughout the impromptu party -- he was certainly feeling
warm and relaxed as he sat there in his ornate chair behind the high
table.  To his surprise, he noted that Utena and her two men at arms
were among those still there in the large chamber.

In all honesty, he had been concentrating on the idea that had sprung
itself upon him at the end of his somewhat tense conversation with
his adoring little sister -- so much so that he hadn't noticed the
rose-haired lady's continued presence as she had spoken with the
others there.  The more he had looked it over, the more he thought
about how good it would be for those involved.  And that thought,
coupled with the rediscovery of how beautiful Utena looked, brought a
slight grin to Touga's lips.

Glancing over at the table bolted to the wooden dais, Utena's breath
caught in her throat at the discovery of the highland chieftain's
gaze upon her once more.  She had lingered in the large chamber in
order to observe him and his people more, watching their
interactions.  Aside from what appeared to be a tense conversation
with a golden haired girl who just had to be the lord's sister from
the affectionate way she clung to him, Touga appeared to be what his
clanmembers claimed: fair, intelligent, just, and a good ruler for
them.

Curiosity got the better of her; raising up her skirts enough to walk
comfortably, she made her way over to the high table.

"Lady Utena," Touga said by way of greeting, flashing her a
smile.  "I must confess to being slightly surprised to see you still
here.  Have your ladies retired for the night?"

"Aye, they have," the rose-haired maiden replied.  "However, I had
wished to tarry a bit longer than they."

The scarlet-maned lord merely gave his guest a slight nod of
acknowledgement.

Utena continued to stand there, glancing at him every so often then
looking away again before she could be accused of staring.  Into the
silence, she finally asked, "So what are your plans for the morrow,
my lord, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all.  I don't mind you satisfying your curiosity," he said
with a bit of a grin.  "As for my plans, I believe I shall pay my
brother a visit."

"Your brother?" she echoed, perplexed.   From what information she'd
managed to gather from the people of Clan Kiryuu there, Lord Touga
and Lady Nanami were the only offspring of the former chieftain.

"Well, Lord Kyouichi Saionji's not truly a blood relative," he
started to explain, taking another sip of what remained of his
wine.  "The heir of the neighboring clan, he was raised here at
Kiryuu Keep.  Father had demanded the Saionji's only son as a
guarantee that the peace for which he'd sued would remain in effect."

"He was a hostage, then?" Utena asked, lifting a thin eyebrow in
surprise.

"Aye.  He was, but I always treated him like the brother I never
had.  He deserved better than being just a prisoner, an unwitting
pawn because of an accident of birth.  The feud between our clans did
far more damage to the Saionji than it did us; noting what sort of
man Kyouichi would be, I did what I could to see to it that he got
whatever advantage he could living among us."

"Advantages such as?"

"A more comfortable life for one," Touga responded, setting his
nearly empty chalice down.  "The Saionji land isn't nearly as
productive as ours, and the war between us only made things worse.
He never went hungry or cold while he was here, and he learned the
skills of a warrior from my own trainers.  Together we watched Father
administer the demesne, and I like to think that he picked up a
better understanding of what it takes to be a good ruler in doing
so.  Kyouichi's father nearly ruined his clan."

"And you did all this out of the generosity of your heart?" the pink-
haired maiden asked.

"More or less. Saionji -- " Touga softly chuckled, thinking back on
the series of events leading up to his foster brother's choice of
familiar address.  "The other Kiryuu originally called him
merely 'Saionji' as an insult, but he adopted it as a badge of honor,
hence my calling him as such," he explained, then continued, "Saionji
has always been a dreamer, an idealist.  I consider him a friend as
well as a brother, hence I used what leverage I could with Father to
see to it that Saionji's potential was cultivated instead of left to
wither.  That he would one day be the lord of the lands next door to
the west was only a fortunate bonus."

"Meaning?" Utena urged.  She was beginning to become somewhat
fascinated by the Red Tyger's apparent intelligence.

"Were he the meanest of peasants yet the same in personality, I would
have done the same."  It was a simple statement, but it showed an
intriguing depth of character.  "I always do my best to treat my
friends well."

"So what sparked your plans to visit him?  When I first thought of
traveling here, it was said that you would probably remain at Kiryuu
Keep until well into springtime."

"I realized just how much I miss having him around," Touga replied,
elegantly shrugging.  "Besides, I've heard lately that the winter
wasn't kind to Clan Saionji and that the chieftain's ill.  I'm their
overlord, so it behooves me to see how they're faring."

"I see," Utena softly murmured.  She paused a moment, her azure gaze
steady upon the gorgeous scarlet-haired noble, then queried, "Would
you allow me to travel with you?  After all, I must have more time to
get to know you if I'm to discover if you are worthy of being the
champion I seek."

"Have you decided upon any tasks for me yet?"

"No, I have not."  She shook her head, the soft strands of her wavy,
rose-colored hair glimmering faintly in the torchlight that
illuminated the stone-walled Great Hall.  "I know not enough about
you to set challenges that would test your mettle."

"If that's your wish, far be it for me to naysay you.  I would be
delighted to have your company while I visit Pinehaven," the young
chieftain replied.

"Pinehaven?"

"That's the name of the fortress from which the Saionji rules his
lands.  It's a relatively short ride from here, but I would like to
leave with the sun still in the eastern sky.  Be ready to go when I
call, if you please."

The rose-haired maiden nodded.  "I give you my word that I shall be
ready to travel on the morrow."  Giving him a bit of a smile, she
held out the skirts of her attire and executed a little curtsy.  "If
you'll excuse me, I believe I shall retire for the night."

"Good night then, Lady Utena.  Sleep well and I shall see you come
the morning," Touga said, lifting up his golden cup once more and
lifting it in her direction in a little salute.

"And you as well, my lord."  Gracefully turning, Utena strode across
the rush-covered wooden floor, making her way out of the Great Hall
to return to the guestroom down below.

The redheaded noble remained there, still as a statue, cobalt-blue
gaze watching her until she disappeared from his sight.  With that,
he smiled and lifted the golden chalice to his lips, finishing off
what remained of the deep red liquid within.
________________

Sunlight streamed through the canopy of evergreens, dappling the
brush-covered ground below the crowns of the stately trees.  A few
lingering spots of mist hovered in the places where the shadows
clung, not yet chased away by the golden rays of the sun and the mild
temperature of the springtime morning.  In mid-stride, a horse
snorted and shook its head, making the tack jingle.

The party that made its way along a dirt trail leading up over one of
the ridges that defined the forested glen in which Clan Kiryuu lived
was a small one.  At the head, on a magnificent black charger, rode
Touga, his lean form relaxed and obviously at ease perched atop the
prime specimen of horseflesh.  Behind him trailed along a quintet of
clansmen, each one riding a sturdy rouncy, their lord's guest's
people in the center of their formation.  Tatsuya, Ryu, Wakaba and
Shiori were astride their respective mounts, each one a hardy horse
used to hours of casual traveling.

Sitting atop her own white palfrey, Utena glanced over at the
redheaded lord to her right.  Although she and her people had been
ready to ride at first light, Touga had insisted that they all broke
their fast before mounting up and traveling to the other clanhold.
She had to admit that sitting down at table and eating was much nicer
than trying to eat on the move, and the morning meal served up had
been a simple but very satisfying one.

He certainly made for an enchanting sight, looking competent and
dashing alike as he rode along the trail on an animal as gorgeous as
he, his long hair shimmering in the daylight.  The rose-haired maiden
found herself growing a tad warm as she looked him over; that mane of
scarlet-hued silk was perhaps his best feature -- save for his cobalt-
blue eyes -- and practically begged to be touched by its appearance
alone.  In that moment, he looked every inch the prince she knew him
to be.

Feeling someone's gaze upon him, Touga flicked his own from the
trail, searching for the source of the sensation.  Noting the steady
stare from aquamarine eyes, he smiled and gave his gentle companion a
nod of acknowledgement.  Utena once again was dressed in her rather
masculine-seeming clothing, her long hair bundled up and hidden
beneath her soft hat of rose-pink cloth.  The dirk was once again
sheathed at her side, and Touga found himself wondering just how
knowledgeable she was in handling it.  It could be intriguing to
discover what skill in swordsmanship she possessed.

A glance back to the way before him told him that they were nearing
the top of the ridge.  Once over the crest, they would be on the
outskirts of the other clan's land.  Holding up a gloved hand, he
gave the silent order for the party of travelers to stop.

"What is it?" Utena asked, looking around.  Did the chieftain somehow
sense some trouble?

"There's nothing to fear," Touga quickly reassured her, catching the
faint quaver of nervousness in her voice.

"I'm not afraid," the maiden replied, frowning.  Was her unease that
obvious?

The highland noble merely smiled, then continued on to explain, "As
you well know, whenever a lord comes to visit a vassal, it is the
responsibility of the vassal's household to support his lord and his
lord's followers."

Utena nodded.  "Aye.  There are some great lords who are misers,
traveling from vassal to vassal to live off the households that must
take them in, staying until the stores are nearly depleted and then
moving on," she replied, a frown crossing her beautiful face.  Such
nobles truly disgusted her, to be honest; to endanger so many lives
from such selfish greed was a horrid thing to do.

"Indeed.  And if the stories I've heard are true, then Saionji will
be hard pressed to comfortably feed us as well as those already there
at Pinehaven."  Twisting in the saddle, Touga gestured to his escort
of five warriors.  "Fan out and go hunting.  Bring what you capture
on to the Saionji stronghold.  Try to down enough meat for a
fortnight if you can.  Regardless of your success, report to
Pinehaven when the sun is just above the western horizon."

"Aye, m'lord," the quintet of Kiryuu clansmen responded.  At the
chieftain's signal to go, they scattered, riding off into the woods
in different directions.

When the last of them had disappeared into the shadows of the
evergreen forest, Touga turned his attention back to his
companion.  "Once we cross over the summit, we shall be descending
into Saionji territory.  I truly don't anticipate any trouble; they
are my vassals after all, and they honor their lord's agreement for
peace despite any lingering hatred that may exist.  Your two men at
arms should be enough of an escort for us, and the meat will be
appreciated."

She stared at him, somewhat impressed.  That he thought of others
above himself was made more obvious; he truly cared about what was
happening to the other clan.

"Of course, I need to figure out a way to make my gesture not seem to
be an insult," the scarlet-haired man added.  Tapping his heels to
his charger's ebony-hued flanks, he started riding along the trail
once more.

Urging her buff-colored palfrey into a matching pace, Utena continued
riding at the chieftain's left.  Behind them, Wakaba and Shiori
softly talked amongst themselves, Ryu and Tatsuya flanking them and
on the alert for any possible trouble.

"How could being generous be seen as an insult, my lord?" the pink-
attired maiden asked, startled by his words.

"It could be seen as a gesture that I feel as if the Saionji couldn't
properly support their overlord," Touga explained.  "They do have
their pride after all."

Put that way, Utena could suddenly see what her companion meant.  He
did have a point.  "So what are you going to do?"  She couldn't help
but be intrigued as to how he would handle the matter.

"I'm going to offer it as a gift from one foster brother to another,
as both a token of my wishes for his father's safe recovery from
illness and as a celebration of the ending of winter.  That should
soften any thought Saionji may have that I must assume he cannot care
for his own."

It seemed a reasonable enough plan.  Falling silent, Utena took to
looking about herself as the small party continued on their journey.
Reaching the crest, she tugged on the reins a moment to look down on
the valley below.  The forest continued there, though it seemed to
her as if the canopy wasn't as dense.  At the bottom of the glen, she
could see the faintly shining silver ribbon of a small river, while
here and there she could see fields of farmland carved out of the
ancient woods.  "You said that their lands aren't nearly as
productive as yours?"

Stopping as well, Touga let his azure gaze sweep over the land
below.  "Aye.  They are a bit more sheltered from the weather; the
mountains that rise above the other side of the dale seem to keep
them from getting the same amount of rainfall that we get.  Their
soil is stonier as well, yielding fewer crops despite their care in
managing the tillage.  As a result, they have fewer animals to hunt
and less grain to reap.  The winter was hard on us, though we
managed.  I fear it took more of a toll on them."  That said, he
urged his mount into a walk once more, beginning the descent.

She followed along after him, catching up once more to ride at his
side.  The trail continued along, weaving its way between the trunks
of the trees rooted into the relatively steep slope, continuing at
times to run along the side of the ridge and then switching back on
itself at a slightly lower elevation.  Despite its somewhat tricky
nature, the path seemed to be one well traveled.

However, Utena found herself staring at the Red Tyger time and time
again despite her need to pay attention to the trail they followed.
She had to admit that the more she saw of him, the more she liked,
and he had stepped back to give her room to breathe.  She'd seen
enough to have her interest piqued; now she felt like she needed to
find out more about what sort of man he truly was.  The champion she
sought had to have a soul worthy of wielding Love's Honor, a soul she
could truly respect.  "My lord, may I ask you a question or two?"

"Of course, my lady.  Ask away," Touga answered, glancing over at
her.  He'd noted her continual looks at him, recognized them for what
they were, an awakening realization of an interest in him as a
person.  Knowing that it would be far better for her to develop an
affection on her own, he did what he could to patiently prove himself
to her.

"I'd like to know what you think about some situations," the rose-
maned maiden began, aquamarine gaze scanning along the track they
were following.  "Say that once upon a time you did something not so
honorable, something that you now regret, and a good friend of yours
knows about it.  And then say that this friend of yours gets angry
with you over something, insulting you in front of everyone at court
by bringing up this lapse in your honor.  Your friend realizes that
his own action was wrong but all he'll do is offer only a token
private apology because, after all, he only spoke the truth.  Would
you accept what recompense he offers, or would you demand more from
him?"

His eyes focused on the way ahead, the redheaded lord frowned
thoughtfully as he analyzed the question.  "Well, my immediate
reaction is to say that I would accept whatever my friend offered and
leave it at that."

"What about the slight to your honor?  After all, everyone would know
about what you did?"

"True, but then again, it was something I regretted, therefore I knew
it was wrong and would wish that I could undo it somehow.  Anyone of
a charitable nature would forgive me that, seeing that I was
remorseful.  Only those not honorable would hold a mistake like that
against me," Touga replied.  "We are all human; none of us are
infallable."

"And you don't think your friend owes you more for making a mistake
as well?" Utena softly asked.

"As I said, we all make mistakes.  What kind of friend would I be
were I to not forgive someone with whom I had that sort of bond?"

"I see," the pink-haired girl replied, taking a moment to once again
look over at the noble figure sitting astride the black charger.
Inwardly, she was quite pleased to hear his answer; he seemed to put
forgiveness before personal pride.  "Well, then . . . What about this
situation, my lord?  Pretend for once that you are a vassal and not a
prince."

Glancing over at her in sudden curiosity, Touga raised his eyebrows.
(I do believe she's testing me in some fashion,) he silently
remarked.  Wondering what she would propose next, he encouraged her
to go on.  "Very well, Lady Utena.  So I have a lord over me now."

"Aye," she responded, nodding.  "And say that some dastard has killed
members of your lord's family.  Your lord has taken into custody the
one he utterly believes is responsible, however, you know beyond all
doubt that the man in question is innocent.  Furthermore, there's no
hard evidence of the man's innocence, only your testimony.  Your
impassioned lord, blind to the virtue of your word because of his
emotion, is crying for vengeance and demanding you to slay the man.
What would you do?"

"Well, I certainly would not kill a man innocent of the crime, no
matter how loud my lord called out for his blood.  Justice should
come above all else, for it is a virtue beyond any loyalty to a
fallible, human lord.  Should my lord go for the man himself, I would
intervene, since it's quite obvious his grief is getting the better
of him.  All he truly would need would be enough time to calm down
and approach the situation in a rational manner.  Once he was calm, I
could then tell him again how I know the man to be innocent."

"You would have sworn an oath of fealty to him, and part of that oath
is to obey one's lord," Utena pointed out.

"The oath of fealty also includes support and advice unto one's
lord.  I can think of no better advice or support than to keep my
lord from making a fool of himself by murdering an innocent man.  Any
killing not sanctioned by justice is a murder; my lord is better off
not becoming such a man.  And no ruler worth his coronet should allow
himself to be so blindly ruled by his passions," Touga replied.

"So it's your belief that justice comes before loyalty?" the
masculinely-attired girl asked, her aquamarine gaze settling yet
again on the man astride the ebony charger.

"Justice is something toward which all good men should strive, and
any good ruler must have that virtue among others.  To be otherwise
is a disservice to those men to whom he's pledged protection and
sustenance."

"What of the common folk and the peasantry?"  Do they deserve to be
treated with the same justice we nobles receive?"

"Aye.  They are men and women as well.  Without them, the lord would
be nothing; it's in his best interests to treat them accordingly: in
their proper station, but with justice," the scarlet-haired chieftain
answered, his black stallion continuing to make its way along the
path through the evergreens.

"I am most impressed, my lord," Utena finally admitted, an expression
of slight wonder on her beautiful face.  "There are many who would
say that the meanest villein would not deserve the same right to
equal justice."

"I'm not a man that condones taking any other man's property -- or
womenfolk -- by force, be they the highest of nobles or the lowest of
peasants," the Kiryuu prince said, shaking his head slightly, long
hair glimmering in the sunlight.  "In my observations, we all bleed
red, we all are hurt by much the same things, and we all are mortals
who eventually die."

The pink-clad maiden smiled, pleased yet again at his response.  (He
sounds so sincere.  I do believe he truly means every word he's
uttered,) she thought, a warm sense of happiness filling her.  Others
had piqued her interest before, but nearly all had answered the
questions posed to them in some way or another that had left her
feeling as if they had lacked some essential quality.  Those that had
passed her interrogation usually failed at some task she set for them
as proof of their true worthiness.  Men both of high estate and low
had seemed at first glance to be possibly the one in the few years
she had actively sought a wielder for Love's Honor, only to be found
wanting, unworthy.

(But this one . . . He could be the one, I feel.)

The ground around them began to level out, the trail straightening,
no longer switching back on itself.  Behind her, over the creak and
jingle of the leather and metal tack, the muted sounds of the
woodland creatures, and the soft thudding of the horses' hooves
against the packed dirt of the pathway, Utena could hear the murmurs
of conversation.  Though she couldn't make out the actual words, the
impression she got was that Tatsuya and Wakaba were talking amongst
themselves, Shiori occasionally throwing in her own opinion on
whatever it was they were discussing, and Ryu remaining as stoically
silent as usual.  Just knowing that her servants were engaging in
such an expected and normal action made her feel quite at ease as she
rode along at the side of the dashingly handsome chieftain through
unfamiliar territory.

"It won't be much longer," Touga announced, glancing to his left to
give his fair companion a smile.  We should be coming to the edge of
the fields cultivated by the villagers that live around the fortress
itself in a short while."

"That's good to hear," Utena acknowledged, nodding slightly.  "So
what is Pinehaven like?"

"It's a keep surrounded by a wooden palisade, the whole on a small
island in the center of the River Whitewater that flows along the
floor of the glen.  A gatehouse with a moveable bridge allows access
from the bailey within the palisade to the mainland.  The village
that makes up the rest of the clanhold has its buildings strung out
alongside the river, with a few of the villeins' cots located along
the opposite bank.  Surrounding that on both sides of the Whitewater
are the fields the people tend and pastures for the clan's herds.
For what they have, it serves well and is quite defensible."

It sounded very much like many other strongholds that existed within
both the highlands and lowlands.  Smiling, the rose-haired maiden
thought the place seemed charming indeed from the description given
it by the Kiryuu chieftain.  "I look forward to seeing it, my lord,"
she began, then added, "I have one more scenario upon which I should
like to question you . . ."

"Ask away, my dear lady.  I continue to be eager and willing to show
you proof of my worth," Touga replied, flashing her a charming grin.
She was turning out to be an intelligent maiden, a trait that he
admired along with her beauty and spirit.  The more time he spent in
her company, the more certain he became that she would be the perfect
one to have as his princess.  Her earlier words that she would marry
none other than the champion of love she discovered kept him
determined to win that title for himself.

"A priest of your faith and a man have come before you and you are to
judge the man.  According to the priest, the defendant is a heathen
who utterly desecrated a site sacred to your faith, destroying the
sanctity of the place, and the cleric demands that you do what is
right and kill the defiler.  The man, however, when asked to present
his side of the story, tells you that his actions came about in a
blinding rage, brought on by his brother's death.  You further
determine that the man's brother died because the cleric refused to
offer any aid at all to siblings who were not of the same faith since
they worship gods the priest believes are evil.  How would you decide
the case?"

"It's obvious that the man is guilty of the defilement," the scarlet-
maned nobleman began.  "However, I personally don't think that a
punishment as harsh as death should be given to one who acted in
outrage at the death of a brother."

"Even if the now-ruined site is one you yourself worshipped within
but now cannot for the hand of the Divine is no longer there?"

"It would be of little consequence, Lady Utena, for such a situation
would only be temporary.  The power of the Divine is absolute; there
is nothing in this world that a single man can do to a sacred site
that would keep it from being resanctified should the Divine wish it
to be," Touga replied.  "The Divine is greater than the hand of any
man.  No, the man is guilty of a crime and would be punished -- I
would levy a fine in goods against his property and then have him
spend time in prison to think over the rashness of his actions -- but
I would not execute a man for such a deed."

"So you would choose mercy over piety?" Utena questioned.

"I would choose mercy because it is warranted in this case.  The man
acted out of passion, his grief getting the better of him.  However,
I would not say that the choice was between that and piety."

"Why's that?" she asked, intrigued by his denial of the term.

"Because piety is the devotion and reverence of the Divine, no matter
how you believe it manifests, and doing as the clerics always say
isn't necessarily demonstrative of pious behavior," the highland lord
answered.

"But if the clerics are the tools of the manifestation of the Divine,
you need be obedient to them to be pious," the maiden said, her
aquamarine gaze focused steadily upon her companion.

"Not true.  Remember, they are humans just as we are and they are not
infallible no matter what they may claim.  And they are not the only
tools through which the Divine works," he countered.  "The clergy are
to see to only the spiritual protection and sustenance of the people;
it is the role of us in the noble estate to see to the physical
protection and sustenance of those same people, and in doing so, we
too are tools of the Divine.  Who's to say that perhaps the Divine
chose to take away the blessing of sanctity to that place by using
the man's distraught grief as the instrument of that choice?  Neither
you nor I can guess what the Divine Will may truly have in mind, and
despite all their claims, the clergy are just as blind.  No, I can be
very pious indeed even as I spare that poor wretch's life from the
howls of the priest to have his blood."

Utena fell silent then, thinking over his words.  It hadn't occurred
to her that maybe the angered man in her scenario was just a tool to
carry out the will of the Divine.  That he had thought of it
impressed her.  Lord Touga of the Kiryuu Clan was quite the man she
was quickly discovering.

They emerged from the edge of the woods, the path now crossing over
what was obviously tilled soil.  Off in the near distance, the
thatched roofs of the clansmembers could be seen just above the
horizon, the silhouette of a tower of some sort somewhat behind
them.  It still being the very start of spring, Utena wasn't
surprised to see the arable fields with their earth still unbroken by
the plow; she knew from her own experiences that the villagers would
be using these first couple of weeks to check over their plowing
equipment and repairing it before putting it to use in earnest.

Soon -- very soon -- they would be riding through the gatehouse into
the keep at Pinehaven.  The rose-haired maiden smiled at that,
curious now to see just how Touga would interact with his foster
brother.  She had a feeling that it would reveal even more about his
character to see this meeting between Saionji and the son of the lord
that had taken him hostage.  "'Twill be nice to cross over the bridge
and enter the fortress," she said.

"Indeed."

Dianna Silver

http://www.diasilv.com/garden/garden.html
Her entries for the afu ULE

http://www.diasilv.com/assr/story.html
Fanfic based very loosely on Utena and the romances
of King Arthur