[Day 6 Late Morning] Lion Breakfast Time

[Matsu Nintoku]

He nodded as he weighted her words. "I understand," he finally replied as he took another sip from his tea. "So about this Donugo was it?" he clearly couldn't pronounce the name correctly "How is he?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Dong-Ha?" Sure, her own pronounciation wasn't perfect either, but she's had time to practice it.

"He's one of their priests... clever, considerate and kind," she had a fond smile as she spoke of him. "He let me ride on his horse, on my own too even, and even said I seemed to take to it easily."

"He has many admirable qualities I would look for in a husband."

[Matsu Nintoku]

"They have shugenja among them? I though the kami did not extend beyond the Empire," he stated recalling a book he had glanced over once regarding the subject. "In fact... what are their priests?"

[Usagi Tomoe]

"They do not have shugenja who call upon the kami, no, but they still have people who serve in a similar capacity as our shugenja do. From what I understand, it is true that the kami did not extend beyond the Empire, but Lord Iuchi found words of power that he shaped into magic for his Family, so that they could still serve as priests and keepers of magic for Lady Shinjo and the Ki-Rin."

She gave a small shrug. "I don't fully understand it, but from what I can tell, it is not the kind of magic my clan would keep a look-out for." Which was the nice way of saying it was not the kind that required spilling of blood and calling on kansen.

[Matsu Nintoku]

"I was scared at first you know," he commented. "Or better yet, cautious."

"When the Unicorn were still the Ki-Rin and they had not left magic was much more different," he remarked. "Would have troubling, to say the least, that they had kept such practice alive."

"Though going back to the main topic," he said. "Usagi-san didn't strike me as being attracted to priests."

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe chuckled. "I'm not attracted to a person's profession, Matsu-sama. The person is what is interesting in the end, not if they are bushi or shugenja. While it's true that a warrior to join the ranks of the Hare would have been valuable, a priest is a good match too... but it is more likely that I would join the Unicorn, as things stand." Her smile was a bit rueful at that, as she had preferred to remain with the Hare.

"But since the Iuchi are scholars and guides, I believe I could find a place among them, if I were so honored to be matched with Iuchi-san. I've worked hard in my days here to help the Unicorn in learning what has happened during their Exodus, so I could continue such work if I were to marry in."

[Matsu Nintoku]

"From what stories I've heard from them you best become an Ikoma," he japed, his face still as serious as usual. "Their tales seem two parts exaggeration, one part flair and a teacup of fact."

[Usagi Tomoe]

The Hare grinned. "Nah... as flattered as I am by your words, Matsu-sama, the Asako taught me to be dedicated to facts. I've tried my hand at storytelling like your Ikoma cousins would have done, but I don't think I have the talent for it... I get too bogged down in historical accuracy."

She poked a little at the tortoise, which was slowly walking across the table.

"I haven't had a reason to doubt their tales so far... I mean, we have some rather outlandish tales here in the Empire too, if one were to consider them from a different point of view."

[Matsu Nintoku]

"Then you haven't heard the tales shared by the Moto," he shook his head. "Moro Khulun kept telling me when she met me about a Moto that rode a Lion. That is clearly impossible."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Oho?" she grinned, raising her sleeve to conceal it a few seconds after. "Is that so? I'd love to hear that story at some point..."

Or maybe she meant riding the proverbial Lion, eh? Hee~ Tomoe had to choke down a giggle as she dismissed that train of thought. Too many pillowbooks lately.

"I wish you look in wooing the Moto princess, Matsu-sama. She's quite the woman... to be honest, I admire many of her qualities. Makes me wish sometimes that fate had been different and allowed me to become a warrior too."

[Matsu Nintoku]

"Oh its not that long Usagi-san," he replied completely unaware of any hidden meaning. "Drunk Moto decided to ride a Lion to battle. Died shortly after but he rode the Lion to battle."

"It is known," he mimicked the Moto accent in order to properly convey the tale.

His eyes softened at her revelation. "You can still be a warrior Usagi-san," he reassured her. "Your heart is in the right place and you seem to have the will to do so."

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe shook her head a little. "It's... not as easy as that, Matsu-sama. As I said when we first met, a warrior's heart beats in my chest, but that path is not for me. And as you've seen yourself, it's not because I'm a coward."

"I..." she lowered her voice a little. Even if there were no one else there, she didn't want to speak of it too loudly. "I have a condition I suffer from, which makes me ill-suited for the dangers of battle... as it could be dangerous for my comrades. I sometimes have... seizures. My joints lock up and I have no ability to control my body, I lose consciousness and my body suffers spasms. It's not something that happens often, but it makes me unreliable in battle."

[Matsu Nintoku]

"I understand," he pondered. "Though not all battle happens in the front lines."

"Have you ever considered being a tactician? I am sorry to insist it is only I feel bad about seeing such talent..." don't say wasted. "Misused, in the courtly environment."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Hm," she pondered it for a moment. "I will take that as a compliment, coming from a Lion... I admit, I never really thought about it. The need for tacticians and military commanders isn't that great for a Minor Clan, but... yes, if I were to join the Unicorn, there might be something there."

"Thank you," Tomoe smiled brightly, as if she was suddenly considering a new possibility in her life.

[Matsu Nintoku]

"Tell that to the Dragonfly," he stated nonchalantly as he took a sip from his tea.

"The minor clans would be the ones to benefit the most from good military leadership," he continued. "Your resources are meek and your numbers are small. You depend as much in alliances as you do from knowing how to fight a greater force."