The Princess and the Shadow

Chapter 12: Friendly people

"I had the impression that I heard Ryouma's voice last night."

She spoke and Masayasu threw a look to her, a slight wry smile on his lips.

"We were careful not to wake you up, we spoke quietly."

Masayasu spoke and Ina giggled.

"And it worked, I don't know what you guys said, but I heard his voice here with you."

She answered and Masayasu walked to the closet and opened and began to store the items, and returned to pick up the futon and roll up to store.

"I'll tell you what he came here to do, but I'll tell you in your ear."

Masayasu put the futon inside the closet and Ina stopped to mess with her hair and turned her face to his side to check his face, the shinobi looked serious, what they had talked about must have been very serious.

"Alright, just don't kill him before we get home."

Ina tried to break the heavy weather her question brought. Masayasu smiled, he knew she didn't want to see worry on his face, at least not right now.

Masayasu sat next to Ina crossing his legs and letting his feet under his own thighs. He watched her finish her hair in an elegant bun and put a flower hairpins on it to show she was a married woman.

Ina looked at him with a gentle smile seeing that Masayasu was watching her hair.

"In the castle like hime I wear taregami, you haven't seen me with this hairstyle yet, and for battles and training I wear ponytail, but here I need to look like a married woman."

She touched Masayasu's face, seeing a smile appear on his lips. He touched her face and ran his fingers over her warm and smooth skin. Ina watches his gaze, he was more affectionate with her, that was pleasant.

Masayasu brought his face close to Ina's neck and kissed softly, bringing a smile to her lips and a touch on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and let him kiss again. Her body shived with kisses, she gasped with excitement. He slid with kisses softly for her neck then slid with kisses to her shoulder, then heard someone approach the door and looked in that direction.

Ina opened her eyes when she realized he had turned his face away. She looked at Masayasu and took the scarf for him to put on his face. Ina looked toward the door.

"Good morning, Chie-san, Otsu-san. Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you up."

Nadeshiko spoke from behind the door, kneeling with two trays.

"No, it's fine, you can come in, Nadeshiko."

Ina asked, Masayasu had pinned the scarf in his face and looked toward the door as well. Nadeshiko slid the shoji door and got up into the room with a tray and put the tatami while she knelt down.

Then she took the other tray and made the same gesture and finally put her hands on the tatami while kneeling and bent down to touch her forehead on the tatami. She needed to be cordial, she was in front of a samurai, same class as the lords of Ueda.

"I hope the first night here was pleasant. I apologize for not bringing the dinner yesterday. Your cousin told me you were rested and Otsu-san was sick and needed sleep. If you need anything you can ask me."

A cheerful smile appeared on Nadeshiko's lips. Masayasu stared at her, studying her gestures, her sympathy was exaggerated in his eyes looking like she was trying to be sympathetic just to maintain her mask.

"We appreciate it. Otsu-san is hoarse, he can't speak very well, I think it was the cold of the trip that made him sick. Do you have any tea for hoarseness?"