MOONSTRUCK, otsutsuki indra

19 - The Meeting II

             After some of the villagers had sheltered their horses and provided them with fodder and water, Mantus and Persipnei met with Hagoromo in the village's main building. He sat cross-legged on an elevated platform with his two sons standing supportively on each side of him.

"Welcome to the Village of Ninshu." The Sage greeted them.

"Lord Hagoromo – my wife and I are honored to meet you." Mantus said as he and Persipnei bowed a little in respect. "We're grateful you granted us permission to enter."

"As long as you don't mean harm, I don't see why not." Hagoromo replied as he moved a hand to gesture they may sit down.

Persipnei frowned as she watched her husband kneel down on the ground before Hagoromo and his sons. "Really Mantus, the floor?" she questioned. "Since when do we kn – "

Before she was able to complain even more, Mantus pulled her by the arm to make her sit down next to him. "My wife isn't used to your traditions. Please don't mind her complains." He apologized while casting her a warning glance which she returned fiercely.

Much to his astonishment Hagoromo chuckled lightly. "No need for apologies. Traditions are different everywhere."

"Yes, that's quite true." Mantus said with a smile on his face as he nudged Persipnei who was figuring out how to sit down on the hard wooden floor without wrinkling her light blue voile dress. "Isn't it, love?"

"Yeah, of course it is." She said, smiling up at the Sage while covering one exposed slender leg with the fabric of her dress. "It's just like my husband said; I'm used to something more delicate and comfortable to sit on like a divan or throne."

Indra had a hard time to suppress his annoyance because those people – especially that golden-haired woman – got on his nerves. In a way, she reminded him of Mania because she moved with the same feline grace but then again, Mania had never complained about banal things like how to sit the fuck down.

"Excuse me, father but maybe we should come straight to the point why the Lady and Lord came here." Indra suggested.

"Yes, of course Indra: you're right." Hagoromo admitted. "Please go ahead – I'm listening."

"With pleasure, Lord Hagoromo." Mantus said with a nod of the head. "Initially I have to say that I'm very sorry about what my general did to your people. I know this is no excuse for the pain and loss you must have been through but I want you to know he didn't act upon my instructions but upon himself, deciding to slaughter innocent human beings who did not deserve to die. But you see, I sent Aita to look for my twin sister Mania, just to confirm she is still alive and well off."

"Is it common that your subordinates murder with such vile intent?" Indra questioned as he met Mantus's cold blue eyes.

"No, Indra-san. This particular individual has his own ways of dealing with potential enemies. We don't really practice genocide or any other kind of murder."

"This particular individual? I beg you pardon my love but you're talking about my cousin." Persipnei said in a bewildered tone. "He's done wrong, I admit that but he's still part of the family. So please refer to him as such when you mention him to a foreign clan." Her amber eyes met Indra's hostile stare and held.

"So you admit he's done wrong, my lady? Are you aware that the last corpse we found had its eyes and tongue missing? I guess that is what you call a gruesome murder."