[D10 EE] Gathering of Magi

[Isawa Nonin]

"I have been well, thank you, my standing has improved somewhat after the recent contests," he says.

[Moshi Asakiko]

"I am not really keeping track. I am just glad to participate and see the customs of our host." She smiled at both Iuchi. "I am having fun in those. I hope you enjoyed the display of the Taryu jiai." She tilted her head. "I wonder how would you be able to duel if you don't channel the Kami like we do?"

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Well, with swords most likely." Dong-Ha shrugged. "With meishodo it would be only matter of who can grab their stones the fastest, really. It only takes one word to call the magic forth and well, there is no way to control how harshly or gently the elements strike the target." he tried to explain how the Iuchi amulets differed from Rokugani magics. "I'm glad you've enjoyed this occasion, Moshi-san." Dong-Ha offered the littlest girl a shy, disarming smile.

Turning to Isawa, the young Iuchi added. "Yes, congratulations." Nonin had done rather well after all. "You've done you family proud, Isawa-san."

[Isawa Nonin]

"Which I hope will make them happy, they did not have high hopes for me," he smiled wryly.

[Moshi Asakiko]

"I hope you get to pick your wife." Asakiko nodded. "I will probably be overlooked." She intended a pun.

[Isawa Nonin]

"You may be small in stature, Moshi-san, but you are great in spirit," said Nonin. "Anyone would be a fool to overlook you."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

After a sip of tasty kumis, Saksaha nods agreement. "It is a pity there are not more men of our Family here, Moshi-san. But if you do not prefer to make other arrangements with one of the other Unicorn, I have a cousin I might write to who is about your age..."

"Your taryu-jiai really was very exciting, but maybe it would not be suitable for Iuchi anyway," she adds a little uncertainly. "Shinjo's laws forbid Unicorn from drawing the blood of other Unicorn. Depending on the circumstances, this might be difficult, right? Among ourselves, our warriors duel only with blunt weapons."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"You may be small in stature, Moshi-san, but you are great in spirit," said Nonin. "Anyone would be a fool to overlook you."

Dong-Ha nodded in agreement with Nonin. "Moshi-san did well with her duel. I am sure they will find someone for you." He knew his word had to sound hollow, yet could not remain quiet.

"Moto cousin?" the young Iuchi asked Saksaha in Menkhem, his tone rather weary. "I hope not."

[Iuchi Saksaha]

"Iuchi!" Saksaha giggles at Dong-Ha's look of worry. "From my grandfather's side."

[Isawa Nonin]

"I did not know that," says Nonin. "How did such rules come about?"

[Moshi Asakiko]

"I am flattered Iuchi mina sama, Isawa sama. I wouldn't worry about it that much." She waved her hand dismissively. "It might be my path to continue searching for a husband in other lands."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Iuchi!" Saksaha giggles at Dong-Ha's look of worry. "From my grandfather's side."

"Good..." Dong-Ha muttered, chuckling as he did so. "No sure she could..." he didn't finish the sentence, leaving Saksaha to figure it out.

"I did not know that," says Nonin. "How did such rules come about?"

"That would be during the early year of our journeys. The food was scarce and Iuchi-shiryo suggested that we'd slaughter some of the horses for food. However, hungry and... distraught, Otaku Shiko dono, daughter of Otaku-shiryo and Ide-shiryou drew her steel to defend the horses. Shinjo-kami saw this and stopped them, forbidding us from forever spilling Ki-Rin... well, now Unicorn, blood." he explained calmly, taking a sip from his cup.

[Iuchi Saksaha]

Saksaha snorts faintly with laughter, while thinking privately that Dong-Ha might be underestimating the little Mosh's resilience.

"Yes, Dong-Ha-san tells it well." She nods after he finishes his account, the beads in her hair clinking. "Our Lady knew there were always too few of us, and too many strangers all around, to waste our own lifeblood in this way. And even if we are back here now, the law she made is still the law for us."

[Isawa Nonin]

"We must all obey the strictures of our founding ancestors," agrees Nonin. "We must be true to our traditions and our beliefs."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Aye." Dong-Ha nodded, moving the leaves rice balls and the honey cakes in a space between four samurai. "Please help yourselves." he waved a hand above the food as if to note that anyone was free to pick anything. "Oh and Saksaha-san brought these..:" the young mystic turned to grab a dish containing friend dumplings. "It's lamb." he explained to the two Rokugani. "Really good." to prove his point, he grabbed one of the aforementioned dumplings for himself.