Keiko stirred, the hard ground was uncomfortable and the dry grass scratched her soft skin. As she opened her eyes and saw Ryou naked beside her, she was struck by the memory of what had happened. It had been as if she was under a spell, she had disgraced herself, given her virtue to a total stranger. She recoiled away from him, tears in her eyes. Her sniffling awoke Ryou, his immediate instinct to hold and comfort her, but this just made her more upset. She desperately tried to cover her nakedness.
"I'm sorry," Ryou said weakly, feeling guilty.
"I should go home, my father will be worried." Keiko was filled with hundreds of conflicting emotions and wanted to escape back to her normal dull life, where things were much less complicated.
"I will take you, if that is what you want." Ryou was hurt despite himself, he knew why she was acting so afraid, but he hated that she regretted what they had done. He had felt such a strong attraction to her, he wondered if maybe he loved her. Yet she seemed so repulsed by him now. They dressed in silence, Keiko using his shirt to cover herself as best she could, then they mounted his horse and set off, still in silence. It was several hours before either of them broke the heavy silence.
"My father..." Keiko spoke more to herself than to Ryou, "He will be shamed by my actions. He could not find me a husband as it was, now he will never find someone to marry me..."
Ryou slowed the horse and swung them both down so he could face her. Her eyes were red from crying. He brushed her dark hair from her face, holding her gently. She didn't resist him; she seemed lost in her own thoughts.
"Keiko," hearing her name seemed to bring her back to reality. "What we did was not shameful, we were both willing and I will stand by you. I would not take your honour then abandon you."
Keiko looked up at him with sad green eyes; she knew nothing of Ryou and felt bad for assuming the worst of the stranger. Ryou stroked his fingers across her cheeks then cupped her chin gently in his hand. Their eyes were locked and they both felt the strong feelings of desire that had led them to where they were now. However it was not just lust that they felt, there was something more, something they had not known about until then. In that moment Keiko felt safer than she ever had in her life and Ryou knew that he would do anything to protect her, to make her happy and to be with her. Their lips met and they shared a gentle, but meaningful kiss.
Ryou lifted her back up onto his horse, and then pulled himself up behind her.
"I shall talk to your father and tell him of my intentions."
"Your intentions?" Keiko turned as much as she could, trying to read his facial expression, but all she could see in his eyes was determination. He looked down at her curious face and couldn't hold back the smile her beautiful face induced in him.
"To take you as my wife," he spoke softly and with love, her eyes filled with joy. Neither of them questioned the bond they shared despite how little time they had known each other. The prospect of spending the rest of their lives with a stranger did not enter into their thoughts, the love they felt seemed to bring them together as thought they had known each other since the very day of their birth.
It took several more hours to reach Keiko's farm, and the closer they got the more she was filled with apprehension. What if her father was displeased with Ryou and did not think him to be suitable for her? She knew nothing of Ryou's status and her father would not want her to marry below her; though they were not that wealthy, tradition was very important to her father. She said none of this to Ryou, simply leaning against his firm chest for comfort, hoping with all her heart that they could be together.
When they reached the edge of her land, they found one of her brothers, Hibiki, out riding, clearly looking for her. He seemed both relieved and angry when he saw her.
"Where have you been? Why are you dressed so shamefully? I have been out looking around the fields since dawn! Father is furious!"
"I'm sorry Hibiki, I was restless and went for a ride, I was attacked by bandits and then rescued by this man, I hope that father will forgive my actions."
Hibiki seemed to calm slightly after expressing his anger, but cast a suspicious eye over Ryou. He rode back with them to the house, explaining to Keiko how they had returned the night before to find Daisuke wandering the fields and then were unable to search for her due to the fading light. By the time they reached the house Keiko was filled with foreboding, convinced her father would be filled with rage when he saw her.
Her father was waiting outside the house when they arrived, her other brothers Katashi and Taichi were with him, having returned empty-handed from their searches. When they dismounted, they were greeted with the same mixture of joy and rage that they had been when they met Hibiki. Her father began to lecture her about her unladylike behaviour, and raved how she had wasted a whole day of work in the fields with her escapades. Ryou went unnoticed for several minutes. Then suddenly her father turned to him, ready to address him, he was unsure if he would receive thanks or be accused of violating Keiko. However as soon as his eyes took in Ryou for the first time he fell silent and threw himself to the floor. Everyone but Ryou fell silent in shock as the man bowed low to the floor before the stranger.