This was a peculiar concept for me, I was surrounded by those who had been born and bred with all these values soaked into their DNA.
Their concept of Honour was a heightened sense of self worth, personal dignity, and some other indefinable energy that was essential to the character of the Samurai.
They were constantly in fear of disgrace, yes, there was an ebbing and flowing of stress and intrigue at any given time.
Taking offence at only a slight provocation was ridiculed.
"True patience means being able to bear the unbearable."
Not being able to handle acid banter was seen as 'short tempered', all the Clan Lords had a malicious delight in intellectual wordplay, but there were definite lines, limits, which were invisible to me.
Having a high official rank was an honour, but it counted for nothing without real power to back it up. Honour, formal honour, was more to do with the court nobles, for any Samurai their sense of honour was real and eternal.
What I found confusing was this sense of honour could be used to over ride other 'protocols', giving a Lord the right to persue something personal. In relationships especially, this so called 'Virtue', Honour, was regularly employed in master-subordinate affairs, some of which became lasting.
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Sengoku Bushido
FanfictionA Companion to Book III I am unable to publish the next book's Synopsis because it would compromise the ending of Book II. The Character List would likewise reveal too much. The Samurai Bushido is of relevance to Book III, so apart from perhaps b...