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Buntokapi was the youngest son of Lord Tecuma of the Anasati. He was crude, a drunkard and indifferent to all matters, perhaps because his father took more time educating his elder sons. As third son he was expected to become a career warrior or marry the daughter of some rich merchant.

He was lacking in sensitivity, liked only ribald poetry, low minstrels and folk tunes, and only erotic art.

When Mara of the Acoma, a family rival, came to ask a husband of their house, to the surprise of all, she asked for Bunto and everyone thought that she chose a husband that she can control. During the betrothal celebration, Bunto claimed often how better he was from his older and now irritated brother Jiro, who should now bow to him.

Ruling Lord of the Acoma[]

Bunto became an Acoma with his marriage to Mara. On their first night he abused her and ordered her that she would be a servant to him to anything he asks, not calling to her slaves.

During their marriage Mara ordered to water his wine.

Before autumn, she conceived and retreated to her mother's quarters. In the meantime Bunto dragged any one of their servant girls off to his bedchamber such as Misa, one of the prettiest servants of the household. He also went hunting, or into Sulan-Qu to bet on bouts of wrestling, visit the gambling houses or the women of the Reed Life.

Despite his bad qualities, Bunto displayed great courage in hunting, training with soldiers and formidable skill with a bow, since he even managed to shoot a sarcat which he mounted over his desk, replacing an ancient banner, battle relic of an Acoma lord.

He liked to train and battle with his soldiers even by grabbing them at random to Sulan-Qu disregarding any assignments they had. He recklessly reduced the garrison to shambles on a regular basis and this habit confused much Keyoke who ran to compensate. Eventually he won all his wrestling matches at the soldiers' bath at the city.

Bunto was not interested in tallies, merchantising, household budgets and accounts and forbid Jican to bother him with them. Mara once intended to bore him with them in order to assign them to her and have some control to her finances, but instead Bunto decided to see to them. He tried to make sure seeing that his wife did not gain control on his new household.

Confrontation with the Minwanabi[]

One day, Bunto was notified by Jigai that bandits camped in the lower dell, beyond the crest where Strike Leader Lujan waited: 6 companies of 50 men came over three different routes and supposed they were about to enter their estates before dawn. With 400 soldiers he moved to confront them.

Bunto ordered Papewaio to go with Lujan to the other end of the vale, with all but 50 of the best archers while Keyoke would take 20 of them at the high ridge pass. He would have his men make noise so that they appear more than they were. Bunto with 30 archers would wait over the dell.

At dawn, when the raiders entered the dell with the spring to rest, Bunto's men started shooting arrows, but an officer ordered them to continue to Acoma borders. They managed to regroup and reached the shadow of the second ridge, only to be stopped by Keyoke.

Bunto's team was short of arrows and following Bunto's example, they threw rocks on the enemies while Keyoke charged. The more panic-stricken raiders broke to the west only to be stopped by Pape and Lujan.

Then with his sword drawn Buntokapi hurried along and killed an enemy shouting "Acoma!" After all 300 raiders were dead, wounded or captured, Bunto realized that the raiders were Minwanabi with their vassals, Kehotara.

Bunto returned home with only almost 6 losses and 5 seriously wounded. A soldier, Sheng, confirmed that one of the "bandits" was his relative and served the Minwanabi. Bunto ordered the prisoners who did not admit they belonged to Minwanabi or Kehotara, to be hanged as bandits, on the side of the Imperial Highway with a sign to make their shame public, therefore gravely insulting their houses.

Later that week, Mara gave birth to their son, Ayaki.

Retreat to Sulan-Qu[]

The following days Mara returned to their bed but she was cold to him and abused her on the 4th day. Then by 2 months after the birth of Ayaki he retired to larger quarters in Sulan-Qu with his mistress, Teani.

When there, Buntokapi lived a strict schedule: arose at mid-morning, but never later than the third hour to visit a public training arena where soldiers practised at arms. There Bunto mastered the sword after wrestling and archery. On midday he returned to the house to work for two hours until mid-afternoon when Teani woke and they fell to bed until dinner time when they would go to the theatre or listen to minstrels or gamble.

Mara had made out his schedule and harassed him by sending servants such as Jican to give him work in deliberately appropriate hours. Gradually he neglected his obligations and also forbade his servants or runners to visit him. The worst case was when Mara sent Lord Chipaka to him, who stayed with his family for 2 days. Enraged, Bunto forbade anyone sent to him, even his father or even the Warlord. Unknown to him, both had already arranged a visit to the estates in order to meet Ayaki.

Soon after, the Acoma estate was visited. Mara hosted them but his son was nowhere to be found, staying instead in his quarters in Sulan-Qu. Since tradition required that the baby should be presented by its father, both the Warlord and Tecuma were unnerved of the wait and required someone to bring him.

Mara during dinnertime, supported by Nacoya as a witness, narrated the insulting words Bunto had said about any visitor who should disturb him, even if he would be his father or the Warlord himself.

Enraged, the Warlord threatened the Acoma family and left, followed by Tecuma and Chumaka. They took their soldiers and went to Sulan-Qu where they confronted Bunto, who was presumably drunk.

Death[]

Bunto returned to Mara as she contemplated in the sacred grove for hours. He chose to take his life honorably by suicide the next day, in a ceremony. His ashes were buried near the family natami.

On his death, the house Acoma was debted 7000 centuries of metal, 27 dimis, and 65.04 cintis.

Preceded By Position Succeeded By
Mara Ruling Lord of House Acoma Mara
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