“Ulroke, will she be okay?” Taka asked firmly. He stood there, his blade still held loosely in his hand. It was obvious he was not threatening the man. It was also obvious what he was asking.

Taka sheathed Rengoku, looking down at his gauntlet before he saw a way to force the man to talk to him. He bellowed out, echoing through the courtyard, “ULROKE!” Carefully he raised his gauntlet clad hand and revealed the anklet, still there, “I believe you forgot something of yours.”


The assassin stopped in the doorway of his longhouse. He turned to face Taka, eying the trinket in his fingers. The Ronin didn’t know what stirred in the man’s head in those brief moments of silence. Instead, he replied with a gesture of his head as if to follow.

“Come,” Lye beckoned. Taka nodded and followed after Lye, knowing his gamble had paid off. The fact he kept the anklet meant it had some meaning to him, offering it back was a silent statement that Taka knew this, and also refused to take something he hadn't earned from the Assassin. It was a modicum of respect. He quickly grabbed the wet patch from the ground of the courtyard and moved after the man, feeling all eyes on him.

Taka has learned long ago that showing respect for an opponent was never a weakness. He had disrespected Lye in his demands, but he had also earned Lye’s respect in refusing to be childish about the loss. He catalogued the fight, storing that information for the inevitable rematch. He wanted those trinkets and trophies. The Knights deserved the right to lay Kyla fully to rest.

He slowed as he reached Lye, knowing that he was watched by archers. It would be quite some time before he would feel comfortable in that courtyard again. The point had been made brutally clear, that Taka was outgunned, and outclassed. Following him indoors he could hear a soft whisper almost warning against it.

For Amari’s sake he refused to listen to that nagging doubt.

He held onto the anklet and carefully observed his surroundings, waiting for the next words that would erupt from the room.