[center][h1][sub][color=darkred][b][u]G O R O U[/u][/b][/color][/sub][/h1]
[h3][i][b]On the Road...or In the Skies[/b][/i][/h3][hr][/center]
[@Ambra]"Believe me, Dame Rhea, it's no problem to understand." Gorou said. Now that she had turned her gaze towards him, he bowed his head slightly. "That is why I accepted your offer to ride, and made mention of Captain Aiden's recommendation. I have been as honest as possible, at least insofar as I can be without actually removing the mask." He touched the object in question, tracing the tribal patterns upon it with one long finger--the underside of which bore the callous of long hours practicing the blade. "Your duty to your liege, your level head, and your scrutiny of those under your command are worthy of the highest admiration."

"There are...a few reasons, that I hide my face." Gorou began. "As I mentioned before, I have dueled many schools of the blade. Nobles who practice the art of dueling, to defend themselves in the back alleys and taverns. Knights who practice the way of war. For those sorts, their skill and their honor is their life." He looked up at Rhea, though of course his eyes were hidden. "Even with this mask, they speak of me--"Beware the Masked Man's Challenge." But that's all I am right now--a rumor, a bit of gossip." He pantomimed a haughty voice like one of the upper class might use at a dinner party. "Did you hear? Lord Eric was bested in swordplay by some masked ragamuffin! But, so long as I wear the mask...that is all I am. A masked man could be anyone. A masked man could even be a liar, a falsehood, made to besmirch a man's honor. Can you imagine then, what would happen to those men's reputation if the one who defeated them could be recognized? A face, a family name, a personage who could be traced back to a home and a village?" He raised one hand off the saddle horn now, making a gesture of interjection.

"But don't misunderstand, it's not that I'm trying to hide from them--it's that I don't want fame or glory for myself, and I don't want to make other people look bad even if I have to defeat them in battle. I don't study the blade because I want to go down in the history books as the best swordsman in the world...though I suppose that might be nice...But, I walk this path because I want to know what's at the end of it." Although, as he said that...what little was visible of his face grimaced, just a little, and his voice seemed a little sad. But it was no more than a mere instant, and the expression was as neutral as before.

"That is one reason. Another is that my eyes--" He stopped. It was clear he had to think for a moment before he continued, and this time his face [i]certainly[/i] changed, becoming a bit redder in the cheeks. "Well, I-I've been told that my eyes are...unpleasant to look at." His free hand scratched at his cheek, and he looked away as if he were taking the scenery in around them again.

"But I assure you, Dame Rhea, I can be trusted." [i]What can I tell her, though, to really make that clear? That I'll lay down my life for the Prince? But that's already expected of everyone here. Everyone cares about Prince Eli...ah, perhaps that's it.[/i]

He looked back at her again, and smiled--a real smile, showing off white teeth and everything. The light of the sky behind them even seemed to make him [url=http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BishieSparkle]sparkle.[/url]

"I shall fulfill my duty to the Prince...and I'll do everything I can to protect [i]you[/i], too."