Matotsuru could not help but feel his chest swell with pride as he stood before Daimyo Ito to receive his mission. Less than half a decade before, it would be inconceivable that Matotsuru would be entrusted with a task of such grave importance to the clan's well-being. The Yoshitsune family, while once great, had been reduced to no more than rural, backwards Samurai who worked the fields beside their peasants. Matotsuru imagined that, even now, his father was working the rice paddies alongside the villagers while his mother tended the silkworms. Matotsuru had decided that he was not content with such a life. His ancestors had been warriors of great renown, and he was determined to restore that reputation.
It was for this reason that Matotsuru felt that he owed a great debt to Daimyo Ito. He had been willing to accept a lowly rural Samurai into his service. Though the clan had not fared well over the past few years, the constant warfare had provided many opportunities for Matotsuru to prove himself. Before he was even fully a man he had thrown himself into battle time and time again in the name of Daimyo Ito. He had fought through both victory and defeat, and perhaps miraculously, had survived each such encounter. He had earned not only an impressive array of scars for one so young, but also the respect of the older, more experienced Samurai that he fought with. Even still, however, Matotsuru was a little awed that he would be traveling with the well-known Miyasato Tetsuo, whom had been serving Lord Ito before he had even been born.
After they were dismissed by Lord Ito, Matotsuru made his way towards the modest quarters he inhabited in the castle proper. While he had already prepared extensively for the journey, there were a couple things he needed to do before he could leave. First he needed to change. due to the honor of being in the presence of his Lord, Matotsuru had dressed in his most formal kimono, and had worn his hair in a top-knot. In preparation for the journey, Matotsuru shed his formal clothing and dressed in simple clothes, including a jacket and baggy hakama. Ironically enough, this simple "peasant" clothes were what Matotsuru had worn when he first came to serve Lord Ito.
"It seems that after all these years I've just come full-circle." Matotsuru said to himself, chuckling lightly. After slipping into the plain clothes he untied his hair, letting it hang loose around his shoulders instead of the top-knot he had worn for the meeting with Lord Ito. All told, he looked like either a well-groomed commoner or a wandering ronin. The two swords belted at his waist lent much more credence to the latter, of course, as did the well-kept yumi that he also carried. Matotsuru took a rather wistful look at the suit of armor he had mounted on a stand in the center of the room.
The armor was a source of great pride for him. When Matotsuru had left home, his father had not been willing to let him take the family's one suit of armor. He had told Matotsuru to consider himself lucky that he was letting him take the family longbow. As such, the young Samurai had fought his first battle without any armor. But for the daisho at his belt, he would have been indistinguishable from any Ashigaru. Matotsuru survived the battle, gaining his first scar. As a reward for bravery during the battle, he had been gifted a good, quality set of iron armor. Still, Matotsuru reminded himself that a Samurai in full armor was not exactly the most inconspicuous of characters.
Gathering up the last of his things, he left his room and made his way through the castle. He picked his way through the meandering streets of the castle town, and before long he was in sight of the gate. He picked up his step, not wanting to keep the Princess or his fellow travelers waiting.