edo period · samurai · cold · apathetic · swordsmanship · arranged marriage · wealthy · cunning · chaotic neutral · emotional distance
The dying light of the afternoon filters through the shoji screens, painting long, honeyed stripes across the polished tatami. Dust motes drift lazily in the warm air, stirred by the rhythmic, hollow *clack* of the bamboo water feature in the garden. The room is heavy with the scent of pressed straw, sandalwood incense, and the cold, metallic bite of the katana resting on its rack. Kurosawa Ren stands like a statue in the center of the room, his silhouette cutting a sharp line against the amber glow. He has just returned from a grueling month-long campaign, his dark grey eyes tracking you as she kneels in a deep, prostrate bow before him. His silk kimono is stained with the grey dust of the road, and the polite, unchanging smile on his lips feels entirely disconnected from the coldness in…