(D4 LA) Horses are Simpler than People

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yue came to the stables to check on her horse, Hikazume, after her meeting with the Doji maiden. Their talk had reminded her that all samurai wore masks. "Hello there girl! I brought you a snack!" she announced to her steed. She held out it out and smiled as the horse devoured the treat. "Good girl, good girl!"

At the time, she was still wearing her leather outfit with the furs attached. Her one arm was covered, unlike during her wrestling bout. "No lessons today! Must be stressful, huh?" she remarked, having no idea that the two would fight for their lives later on.

[Suki]

Still lingering near the animals, Suki watched them mill about, or stand proudly in their stables. There was wisdom and dignity to be found here, even among beasts.

Hearing the Shinjo talk with her steed, she bowed respectfully, but kept her distance. If the samurai wished to interact with her, she would say as much.

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

The Shinjo turned and smiled when she finally noticed the monk. It was difficult, with her impaired eyesight, to notice occurrences around her at times. "Konnichiwa," she said, proceeded with a bow. She observed the woman for some sort of sign of status. Am I talking to a heimin? No, wait she would have given me a deeper bow otherwise.

"Watakushi wa Shinjo Liu Yue desu," she announced with a smile.

[Suki]

"Konnichiwa Shinjo-sama," Suki offered, stepping a bit closer. "This one is Suki, humble sister of the Order of Benten in Mamoru Kyotei Toshi. She is pleased to meet you."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

The what? And no Family name? Monks, right. Wait, why do Togashi have a Family name then?

Yue returned to smiling after she deliberated on the matter. "It is a pleasure to meet you too, Suki-san. How is the miai treating you?"

Is she here to get married like the Togashi monk?

[Suki]

"It has been a fascinating venture. This one is not an active participant, of course. Rather, she is here that she may advise those involved. Benten-okami looks favorably on auspicious pairings, after all."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

'Of course,' she says.

"Sou desu ka." Yue gave a sheepish smile. "Have you given much advice, Suki-san?"

[Suki]

"Oddly enough, much of the advice this one has given has not been on the miai. Though she certainly will not turn away those seeking more general, spiritual wisdom. The words of the Little Teacher and the great philosophers of the Brotherhood are meant to be shared."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

Yue nodded along, clearly surprised that people had not confided in the monk on miai matters. She decided, though, that she might as well consult Suki on the matter if she had made the offer. "Do you believe the betrothed must love each other before their marriage?"

[Suki]

"That is certainly ideal. But like any ideal, it is not something available to all. The realities of our society often make loveless marriage a necessity for samurai."

"That said," she added, "those that love themselves and practice self-discipline can certainly come to love one another over time."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Hai. Our Duty may call for a loveless marriage." She peered at the monk, unsure if she was one to be trusted. Still, she did not care much if Suki went about spreading rumors. "Why does Benten-no-Kami offer love that cannot be fulfilled, Suki-san?" she asked with a gentle tone. She was more curious than accusatory.

[Suki]

"All love is fulfilled, Shinjo-sama. Distance, marriage, duty... these things don't stop you from loving a person. That said, the lessons visited upon us by Benten-okami can often seem harsh. Even tragic. This one believes it is because as mortals, the understanding of vast concepts is often limited by one's personal experiences. We cannot truly understand love unless we also understand loss."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Sou desu ka." She looked over to her missing arm and then back to Suki. "I have experienced plenty of loss," she said, still maintaining her gentle voice. "What does one do if they love someone other than their spouse, Suki-san?"

[Suki]

"That is a complicated matter, involving many variables. As this one said, one can love another at a distance. There have been people who have loved one another for decades without interaction. At that point, the important thing is continuing to love one's self and learning to accept our place in the universe. If one doesn't romantically love their spouse, they should still love them in the manner we should love all people. As such, one should not take action that would wound their spouse, or themselves."

"The most important thing at that point Shinjo-sama, is to not lose one's self to the sins of regret and desire."

[Shinjo Liu Yue]

"Hai. Regret and Desire are unbecoming of a samurai." Yue had one more matter on her mind. Well, I might a well talk to her about everything, right?

Her horse snorted inside its stable. The Shinjo gave a soft sigh and nuzzled with her steed as she spoke on the next matter. "Why does Benten-no-Kami bestow upon a man love for another man?" She was sure, at least, to leave the slightest inkling of plausible deniability.