[D3 LM] Clearing my Head

[Asako Hirase]

He didn't know what those terms meant but he could imagine that constant marching would wear out anyone. "Then I shall hope for your sake that you are able to gain a horse soon."

Not wishing to dwell on what might be painful, he asked, "What are the Ide traditions like? The basics of courtly speech are clearly included, given your mastery of them so far, but beyond that?"

[Ide Amaya]

"The Ide are Emissaries. It is our duty to make contact with new people, to forge bonds, to reinforce them, and to cut them when necessary. We are the Clan's voice, and the first face many people see. The Unicorn have had no courts in hundreds of years, but I had an excellent teacher."

"But, by the same measure, I have little understanding of the courtly roles of Rokugan, what they do, how they are important."

[Asako Hirase]

"I haven't been stationed in a prestigious court, myself, having instead been sent to study our northerly neighbors. Still, I can answer a great many things, at least a little." He considered what rites and rituals would be a priority to avoid giving offense.

"Has anyone instructed you about the Game of Refusals yet?"

[Ide Amaya]

"I was told that Shinjo Wakumi-Dono caused offence by not knowing the rules. Are the rules particularly complex?" She hopes that the 'game' wouldn't require many nights of study just to learn.

[Asako Hirase]

"Understanding them is simplicity itself. Being able to follow them on the fly takes longer. There's a whole other art of choosing the right gift, but that's another matter. When giving something, you have to remember only that the person you are offering will refuse it twice, allowing you to demonstrate your Sincerity in wishing them to have it by offering thrice."

He paused, allowing that to set in, before continuing.

"The person who is Refusing will do so by praising the object and saying that they aren't worthy of keeping it, or wouldn't dare deprive you of it, or something along those lines. It doesn't matter how humble the gift...that just makes it harder. Which some people will exploit to try and make a less skilled courtier stumble. The Giver, on the other hand, must be flattering to the person they gift to and their ability to properly take care of an object while explaining, without overmuch bragging, why the object is such a hard thing to give up or has so much meaning."

Again, Hirase paused, this time allowing for any questions thus far.

[Ide Amaya]

"A strange custom indeed. I cannot say that I understand the need for such rituals, it seems... inefficient." She imagined a group of women like Doji Fukawa and Asako Yuki bowing to each other, bobbing up and down like wading birds looking for food, muttering oh, I really couldn't over and over in refined voices. "Surely there are more essential matters needing attention than playing back-and-forth over a gift?"

[Asako Hirase]

"You will find Rokugani courts fraught with such games, I warn you now." Hirase's expression was rueful. "There are 'right ways' to do everything, from serving tea to showing signs of romantic interest to insulting someone. All of them have developed over centuries to become subtle means of one-upmanship, which of course relies upon them being complex. The more prestigious the court, the more ritualized and complicated the interactions tend to be."

[Ide Amaya]

"Romantic interest? But I am to be married from this ma-ai," she really could be quite naive. "I don't think such 'games' suit me, Asako-San. Tell me about you."

[Asako Hirase]

"Ah, yes. That's something to discuss later, because marriage really has nothing to do with it..."

He waved it off.

"I suppose the first thing you should know, from a purely ma-ai perspective, is that my wife gave me a son before she went to Yomi. He's three this year and is with me, though with a servant just now. Much of my free time since she passed has been tied into raising him, leaving not much time for hobbies. I do enjoy the telling of tales, however, and have written a few lesser-known treatises about the yobanjin."

He considered himself for a few moments, unsure just what maidens might want to know about a man.

"My parents are both gone and have been for some years; I was an autumn child to them, which is why I was the only one. I trained at the school at Pale Oak Castle, a singular honor. It was something of a surprise when I requested a posting so far from the courts of the Empire but it was one I wanted and that someone needed to take, so it worked out well. I am endlessly curious about other people and their customs and find observing and interacting with those different from myself to be one of the great challenges, and thus pleasures, in life."

[Ide Amaya]

"Curiosity is a good thing, Asako-Sama. I suspect that a healthy curiosity will help smooth the way as you head into marriage with your Unicorn spouse. And it sounds as though you are a good father. What is it you wish to do when you have a wife to share the responsibilities?" Mother would say something blunt about being a proved sire, she thought a little wistfully, I would be far too embarrassed to broach such a thing.

[Asako Hirase]

"From what I have seen, those of us who marry in will be essential in helping the Unicorn learn all that they have missed. Those who bring spouses home will help those spouses teach the Empire the best of what they brought back, smoothing over any inadvertent missteps. I personally wish to join you, since I think I am better suited to the former than the latter."

He considered his first marriage, what had worked as well as what had been challenging.

"My Clan has a particular interest in spirituality and magic, so I have more knowledge in that area than some. I would enjoy teaching the children of the Clan such things. I do not necessarily need more children, though if my wife was amenable I think Ichiro would benefit from a sibling or two. As for my wife herself and how we would conduct our life?"

Now he smiled, a wry, self-deprecating expression.

"I think the first year at least will go to helping me catch up to the level of skill on horseback that the Clan seems to require. She will need to help me learn how to conduct a mobile household...and, if she is not already able, we will have to work together to find a way to manage the mundanities of supply. If her duties require travel without me, I hope that she and I can exchange letters so that the tie between us can continue to grow."

[Ide Amaya]

She was momentarily startled when when he used 'you' to refer to the Clan, relaxing as his meaning became more apparent. "You have certainly given this a great deal of thought, Asako-Sama," but it seemed her mind was elsewhere while he was speaking. "I do believe that you would bring great value to the Clan." Value? Did I just say that? and she wondered if last night's sake was affecting her in some way that kumis didn't.

[Asako Hirase]

Since 'value' was common enough in traditional Rokugani arrangements, he didn't even notice it as off. Instead he turned the question back around. "What about you? What are your aspirations for your future?"

[Ide Amaya]

She drew her fan and unfolded it, giving her something to do with her hands. "I think, perhaps, I might be best suited to be, well, a wife," she thought back to her conversation with Seppun Hideo the night before, smiling fondly. "I know a little commerce, I could turn that to managing household finances. I would be able to practice my singing and calligraphy, perhaps learn some poetry." She shook her head slightly but kept her smile, vapid little girl with the empty head, and the images of Suteichi and Hideo seemed to clash in her mind.

[Asako Hirase]

"That's a valuable skill to have." Hirase didn't seem to see her as vapid. Indeed, he was looking at her with approval. "And a fine set of aspirations for a young courtier. I've had the good fortune to hear some of the music your Clan brought back with it and I think that it could be a wonderful gift to the Empire and add a fresh flow of new musical forms."

He thought about it, then said, "A shame there are so few Crane here...you would do wonderfully with one. A Scorpion might do nearly as well, though...they have a wonderful tradition in the arts."