[D2 EA] A Picnic

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Seeing that Amaya was fully occupied with Suteichi, Dong-Ha turned his attention to Hotaru, granting her a shy smile. He was more interested in the Soshi than the dango and while the spontaneous performance had been excellent it had interrupted the Scorpion priestess.

Those two might need a yurt...

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Oooh, right! About the Soshi...They were delightful hosts and I'm very thankful that I've been allowed to train with them in the remote Soshi lands." Far better than the dour Yogo lands, that's for sure.

She gave a small shrug, still smiling. "It would probably be better to gather your opinion of them from the Soshi themselves, as there are a few present here." Typically dour, serious, snide and cynical. "Soshi Taira, Soshi Bantu, and Soshi Yuuru. Shugenja aren't exactly commonplace, even in the Soshi. As a result, many of them focus on administrative and academic matters. Actually, some have managed to find great fame in it. Have you heard of the great Soshi Saibankan? He was around after the departure of your Clan, but responsible for a fair bit of history. He founded the Emerald Magistrate and was partially responsible for creating the law that we practice today. Some of his non-shugenja descendants follow in his footsteps in the same way. I think you'll find them to be insightful people all the same, regardless of their talents or vocations."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"So... a little bit like our Ide?" Dong-Ha offered carefully. Ide were there clan's administrators after all. "Maybe I'll bump into one of them during the miai." he added, not entirely sure if the people listed were all men or not. Rokugani naming habits did not help the matter.

"No, I cannot say I'd have heard of Soshi Saibankan. Our laws come directly from Shinjo-kami herself." There was a hint or pride in his tone. Had the other kami been slacking when they had left the matter of laws to a mortal?

"Oh I am sure I will." Dong-Ha was all too optimistic when it came to new people and places. Also, figuring what to say or ask felt somewhat awkward with the other two present. They seemed to be rather engrossed with each other, and while he could somewhat understand the excitement of meeting new people, the whole situation felt a little bit off. "So, what kind of food you do where you come from?" Food at least made an inoffensive topic.

[Ide Amaya]

"I confess, I could listen to you go on and on. So I wish to know more about you and I am sure you wish to know more about me. Please feel at liberty to ask me anything. Ide-sama. Tell me, how is it you have such wonderful training in song?"

Entirely oblivious to how rude she was being to her cousin and the sweet Bayushi woman, "there have been times when the Fortunes have had grace to smile upon this one," times like right now, a small voice in her head observed. "The Unicorn had not been able to write down much of their history, songs and poetry that stayed in the memory better than a dull recitation became a powerful part of our culture. I have sung to the rythym of pounding hoofbeats when the spirits of the riders was low, and to the deluge of rain against a yurt's walls when caught in the rare desert rains. I have sung to the beat of my heart when I was lonely, and joined up a hundred voices in celebration."

"I have no training, just the blessing of kind Fortunes."

[Bayushi Hotaru]

None of the Soshi here were women, but Hotaru didn't bother telling him that. "Well, I suppose like the Ide," she said with a few nods, going along with what he said. The Ide didn't seem like they were traditionally a shugenja family but she only met one so far, who was hosting this picnic.

Hotaru took a quick moment to nibble on another dumpling, no use letting good food go to waste, even if it was that wretched red meat. She set down her morsel before speaking once more. "Ohhh...so I see. It would be interesting to see the differences between our laws! I wish I knew more of law to debate it but that's probably best discussed with one of my more learned kin, perhaps a Soshi!" She imagined there was going to be many issues with that, considering Saibankan's law was a standard in the Empire and not only valid in certain places. Were the Unicorn going to be excluded from that?

Sadly enough, Scorpion food wasn't as interesting as Unicorn food. Hotaru was stumbled to offer anything unique that wasn't available elsewhere in the Empire. "Uhm...I suppose one of our local speciality is our pheasant rice dish. Whole pheasants are poached first then steamed. The stock from the process is used to make the rice and sometimes even broth. The pheasants are served alongside the prepared rice and an assortment of spices, including garlic and chilli." Even that, was probably a Lion dish.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"I confess, I could listen to you go on and on. So I wish to know more about you and I am sure you wish to know more about me. Please feel at liberty to ask me anything. Ide-sama. Tell me, how is it you have such wonderful training in song?"

Entirely oblivious to how rude she was being to her cousin and the sweet Bayushi woman, "there have been times when the Fortunes have had grace to smile upon this one," times like right now, a small voice in her head observed. "The Unicorn had not been able to write down much of their history, songs and poetry that stayed in the memory better than a dull recitation became a powerful part of our culture. I have sung to the rythym of pounding hoofbeats when the spirits of the riders was low, and to the deluge of rain against a yurt's walls when caught in the rare desert rains. I have sung to the beat of my heart when I was lonely, and joined up a hundred voices in celebration."

"I have no training, just the blessing of kind Fortunes."

Once again, the Bayushi Courtier nodded in approval.

"I am certainly impressed. And do you have a horse that you ride?"

[Ide Amaya]

She shook her head, "a horse of my own? Sadly, no. I truly hope to have a steed to call mine one day but, by the time the Unicorn reached Rokugan, so many horses had been lost or left wind-broke. My family had been forced to borrow horses from a Moto just to make the final push."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

None of the Soshi here were women, but Hotaru didn't bother telling him that. "Well, I suppose like the Ide," she said with a few nods, going along with what he said. The Ide didn't seem like they were traditionally a shugenja family but she only met one so far, who was hosting this picnic.

Hotaru took a quick moment to nibble on another dumpling, no use letting good food go to waste, even if it was that wretched red meat. She set down her morsel before speaking once more. "Ohhh...so I see. It would be interesting to see the differences between our laws! I wish I knew more of law to debate it but that's probably best discussed with one of my more learned kin, perhaps a Soshi!" She imagined there was going to be many issues with that, considering Saibankan's law was a standard in the Empire and not only valid in certain places. Were the Unicorn going to be excluded from that?

Sadly enough, Scorpion food wasn't as interesting as Unicorn food. Hotaru was stumbled to offer anything unique that wasn't available elsewhere in the Empire. "Uhm...I suppose one of our local speciality is our pheasant rice dish. Whole pheasants are poached first then steamed. The stock from the process is used to make the rice and sometimes even broth. The pheasants are served alongside the prepared rice and an assortment of spices, including garlic and chilli." Even that, was probably a Lion dish.

"Alas, I only know them so well. It's the Shinjo among as that usually resolve disputes and make sure the Shinjo-kami's laws are upheld." Dong-Ha explained, taking another bite of the dumpling his was holding in his fingers. "Mhmm.. so good, these." Having finished with his piece, Dong-Ha licked his fingers clean. "But yes, perhaps such a topic is better left for an another time." There were better things to do, and the laws set by others were not that interesting, as far as Dong-Ha was concerned.

"That doesn't sound half bad, I like spiced meats." Dong-Ha replied with a nod. "We eat bird meat whenever someone manages to catch some." His hands made an expression of a hunter drawing a bow. "But it isn't as easily available as horses and goats are... or really as tasty, if you ask me." A slight grin crept on his lips as he sought out the next dumpling. "You use a lot of spices then? Or is this just an exception?"

[Bayushi Suteichi]

She shook her head, "a horse of my own? Sadly, no. I truly hope to have a steed to call mine one day but, by the time the Unicorn reached Rokugan, so many horses had been lost or left wind-broke. My family had been forced to borrow horses from a Moto just to make the final push."

"Ah... So in addition to having the blessed talent you possess, what else can you tell me about you? Or is there something else you wish to know about me?"

[Ide Amaya]

Be interested, be interesting; and don't bore your guests, her sensei's voice chanted in her head. "what is it in which you have trained? Do you hope to serve as a magistrate like your father? or study law like your mother? or perhaps something else entirely?"

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Be interested, be interesting; and don't bore your guests, her sensei's voice chanted in her head. "what is it in which you have trained? Do you hope to serve as a magistrate like your father? or study law like your mother? or perhaps something else entirely?"

Suteichi thought on the question for a moment then answered. "I'd much rather be involved with the courts. I enjoy it far too much. I have seen the work my father does. I respect it greatly. Being a magistrate has it's...unique duties. I remember a year ago, there was quite a bit of nastiness in Ryoko Owari Toshi. My father had to deal with much of that. The gang violence, the fires... he even told me of having to guard a Crane who was held for cutting down an unarmed magistrate. She committed seppuku and my father was her second. No one could be found for her."

He let that little story linger for a few seconds.

"I prefer the courts. Policy and legislation. The arts, The game of intrigue... I rather enjoy it."

[Ide Amaya]

Amaya suppresses a grimace as Suteichi described his father's experience, but her eyes darken slightly. "Intrigue?" she seems genuinely confused.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

"There is a certain kind of enjoyment in politics and politicking. Perhaps intrigue may not have been the best of words." Suteichi sipped some tea then directed the conversation again elsewhere.

"Ide-sama, we are here at this miai. You mentioned kindness and patience in your ideal suitor. Was there anything else?"

[Ide Amaya]

She nodded that she understood, completely accepting his explanation without a hint of doubt. Amaya remembered his silence before, she needed to come up with something better. "If he was half as handsome as you, then I could count myself lucky beyond words." True, but vapid, you sound like a fool, she scolded herself. "Perhaps a man who enjoys scholarly pursuits, and does not object to the same in a spouse; a good conversationalist; someone who enjoys art and music and song and would willingly give some of his time to sharing these with me."

She fixed her smile, for it had faltered at the Scorpion's earlier words, and waited to see his reaction, anxiety twisting her stomach.

[Bayushi Suteichi]

Suteichi gave a faint, wry smile.

"So basically you are looking for me. Well, here I am. In the flesh." he joked. Suteichi always had more of a dark humor.

"Seriously, I do want a spouse to share in those interests but I also want her to be an individual. I want her to be my compliment, not my copy. If that makes sense."