The Birth of a Sworn Enemy

Kakita Toru was strolling through the gardens that night, his mind was disturbed by everything that has happened that day and while he was pondering, trying to reach out to his ancestors to guide him, the most unlikely of sounds came to his ears; he heard a woman crying.

He saw her, beautiful as she was, leaning on a nearby tree; she had not seen him, so he came near her just to realize he knew her very well; she was a Clan mate, they had gone to the same dojo and had participated on the tournament, and they both had failed in what they were trained to be the best at: a duel.

He had been victim of the machinations of the scoundrel known as Bayushi Bijomaru, and he knew that the reason why she had fainted and had to forfeit the match had been Bijomaru's work too although he could not prove it, however there was nothing he could do without risking his own honor. Looking at her he came close, moving with the grace only a Crane can move with, and she did not notice him until he was maybe too close... and she turned, her make up ruined because of the tears, but still she was beautiful... He reached out for her, but before he could touch her she spoke still crying: "Toru-San, please stop... You know of the oath I've made before the tournament and you know a Samurai's words and his actions are one and the same."

A Samurai's words and his actions are one and the same. To 'promise' would be redundant. That is what Akodo wrote, that is Makoto, complete sincerity. His heart was grieving that night and the sight of her only made that grief deeper, there was nothing he could do and he knew it... so he left her saying only this: "When we meet again, try to see me as you saw him who did nothing for you"

The next morning a handmaid enter her master's room and what she saw was nothing more than an oath fulfilled... And the The Laughing Carp Inn became know for yet another sad story; a beautiful youth, a promising Samurai and the love of Kakita Toru had committed sepukku in her room while everyone else slept peacefully.