[D5 EE] Final Rites (OPEN)

[Miya Mei]

Her cup was raised in a salute as she looked at the pyre. "Fe sahatek." "To the memory of Otaku Chi-Pu."

Imane knocked back the drink and returned her gaze to the Miya. "Thank you Miya-san. Did you have a chance to meet her? I had not realised until now that there were any Miya present at the miai."

"I did not, and from what it sounds, I misses a chance to see a legend. I am remiss for arriving late, as it robbed me of that opprotunity. Your clan has painted quite the picture of her in my mind though. I believe her tales will be spread throughout the Empire when people speak of the Unicorn."

[Matsu Yurio]

"We were told to do that if we didn't want to risk her... body coming alive. The monks told us as much." Dong-Ha shrugged, not realizing that he was discussing potentially blasphemous things. "Each group had their traditions, some buried their dead, some burnt them. Others... had more esoteric ways."

"Well, i just had to send one of my kinsmen to her last journey, and only and only because a great dragon fell from the skies and decided to start eating people. An ill omen, I am told." he dead panned, looking at Yurio. "Besides that I am peachy."

Oh this was stupid. Time for blunt Matsu to be blunt Matsu.

"It is an ill omen indeed and the new Imperial. Miya Mao-sama, . . " He waved in her general direction. " . . wants me to impress on you how eligible she is for marriage while she does the same for me to one of the honourable Otaku sisters. My apologies for the idiocy of this 'game' but when the Imperial Families speak one can only obey."

He bowed again.

"Would this be better with sake?"

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Oh this was stupid. Time for blunt Matsu to be blunt Matsu.

"It is an ill omen indeed and the new Imperial. Miya Mao-sama, . . " He waved in her general direction. " . . wants me to impress on you how eligible she is for marriage while she does the same for me to one of the honourable Otaku sisters. My apologies for the idiocy of this 'game' but when the Imperial Families speak one can only obey."

He bowed again.

"Would this be better with sake?"

"So how eligible Miya Mao-sama is if she cannot bother to show up on time, Matsu-san?" Dong-Ha asked with some irritation in his voice. Games and jokes had their place and time, funerals tended to line up poorly with them. "This is their way, usually?"

"Probably yes, if you have some." sake did sound good after all.

[Matsu Yurio]

Yurio took the brief time required to acquire more sake from that provided.

"The Imperial Families play by a different tune to the rest of us. The Miya are usually the Emperor's messengers, heralds making his proclamations known to the Empire. This Miya is not though, she is Crane trained . . " His eyebrow twitched again ". . so probably prone to even more of the courtly acts they like."

He downed his own sake in one gulp.

"Is that enough, Iuchi-san? I wouldn't want Miya-sama to think I'd cheated on her silly little game."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Dong-Ha accepted the sake with a brief nod. While he couldn't entirely understand why the Matsu thought he had to serve as Miya's lackey. at least he had the decency to offer him something to drink.

"So... courteous of her." he nodded. "One would have expected her to come herself. Especially if is as prestigious as Matsu-san tells me she is." Then again, didn't the nobles always make others run their errands?

"Well, I's wager Matsu-san did what Miya-san asked of him." he paused for a moment. "If someone steals your horses, don't tell the man who saw it happen, blame the thieves, as the Moto say."

[Matsu Yurio]

The Unicorn had not lived through The Purge, so they probably did not understand the Imperial stranglehold on politics at present. The Lion had lost Toshi Ranbo, although this particular Kitteh did not understand why or how that had happened at all.

"The Imperials make orders, the Clans obey. They can make life very difficult if you cross them. At least she is a Miya. Nothing worse than having an Otomo out to wreck your life."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"I see." Also apparently some of the deemed it prudent to use their power for personal gains. "I admit there is much for us to learn, still. I had been under the impression that it's the man's... or woman's deeds and character that lend weight to their words, and not their name. I see now that things are very different in the Empire." The idea that Heavens in their wisdom had granted power to some due to their lineage felt more ridiculous every passing day.

Strange spirits or gods, lying in ponds or heavens, distributing swords or power, seemed to be a poor basis for a government.

"But I'll take Matsu-san's words to my heart." he pressed his hands against he chest.
And stay away from the Imperials... Shame that the Seppun he had had seemed... almost pleasant.

[Matsu Yurio]

"Many of the Imperials have Hantei blood in their line. It has been the custom that the siblings of an Emperor's heir abdicate their claim and join the Otomo, Seppun or Miya families so there is not even a semblance of a challenge to the succession."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Thanks to my friends in the Crab -- safety," he nods toward Hiroji, "and sake." He looks to Tomonaga.

"Tomorrow will be a bett..." Udo remembers that tomorrow is the Unicorn meeting with the Champion and chokes on his words. He quickly finishes his sake. "May tomorrow be blessed by the Fortunes."

Hiroji returns the toast. "Yes, I am sure it will only get better from here!"

Tomonaga didn't have a cup, but that didn't stop him from joining in at least in spirit. "To tomorrow." He said, smiling. He topped up first Udo's cup, then Hiroji's. "I have some hopes for tomorrow, myself." He said, modestly. "What about the two of you?"

[Togashi Udo]

"I can't say anything in particular, other than good weather and company. But that would be sufficient."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Many of the Imperials have Hantei blood in their line. It has been the custom that the siblings of an Emperor's heir abdicate their claim and join the Otomo, Seppun or Miya families so there is not even a semblance of a challenge to the succession."

"Ah, though... the Hantei-kami of our legends was a wise and great leader of men. Perhaps your legends paint a touch different image?" Dong-Ha asked, curious why being related to Hantei implied that one was a prick.

[Matsu Yurio]

"No our histories are the same on that. Just the succession must be uncontested. No doubt over who the Emperor is."

Detecting that they may not be quite on the same wavelength, he changed tack slightly.

"Until a few years ago the clans held all the political power in the Empire, but the Crane overstepped the mark. There was an assassination attempt on the Son of Heaven and the Imperial Families suddenly came back to the forefront after decades of really not being that important. They took a stranglehold on power in the Empire back from the clans."

[Kaiu Hiroji]

Hiroji nods at Udo's comment. "Yes, good weather and company. Although I wouldn't mind a bit of success in the Unicorn's events for once."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Hiroji nods at Udo's comment. "Yes, good weather and company. Although I wouldn't mind a bit of success in the Unicorn's events for once."

Tomonaga chuckled, not unkindly. "Yeah, they're certainly not for everyone. I expect that the ones I've got the best chance at have already passed. Although perhaps the Iuchi events..." He shrugged.

"Still, I do plan to take part in each one, and do my best. Seems like the best way to honor our hosts."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"No our histories are the same on that. Just the succession must be uncontested. No doubt over who the Emperor is."

Detecting that they may not be quite on the same wavelength, he changed tack slightly.

"Until a few years ago the clans held all the political power in the Empire, but the Crane overstepped the mark. There was an assassination attempt on the Son of Heaven and the Imperial Families suddenly came back to the forefront after decades of really not being that important. They took a stranglehold on power in the Empire back from the clans."

"Well, that would be Hantei-kami's children right? Has there ever been doubt?" He wasn't quite sure how the succession was related to Miya behaving like she did. "

"An assassination attempt? That's... sacrilegious." Dong-Ha muttered. "I could see them... being careful after that. But that doesn't still explain why Miya-sama thinks that she can play games with Matsu-san. Not like this matter is related to Emperor, or his family in any way..."