Absolutely undignified (Day 1, Late Evening)

[Shinjo Akil]

He nodded. "So it is most often an inconvenience with occasionally dramatic results." He nodded, then offered a smile. "Well, certainly I would only be letting the Dark One win if I let his vileness discount you, Yogo-san. Your honesty is greatly appreciated, thank you."

[Yogo Mizuki]

That... That went pretty good. Mizuki smiled behind her mask.

"Of course. Some things should be known. Is there anything else you would like to know? About the Empire? About my Clan? About my Family? About me?"

Mizuki figured this was a miai after all. And if one of the first things she says to a potential suitor was 'by the way I'm cursed to betray the one I love most' she might as well tell him anything else. Well, except that. That can be ignored until well, hopefully forever. Probably not.

[Seppun Hideo]

Apparently, all her learning had fled. "I was trained with the Ide Emissary School, with great emphasis on the skills of diplomacy and mediation." Eyes cast downwards, "I fear I have not been the best student." Bringing her fan up again to cover all but her eyes, she peered shyly up through her eyelashes, "would it be flattery--" and an insult "--to say that this one has been told that the Imperial families were the greatest in the Empire?" Hopefully, "perhaps you would be willing to aid this one's desire to learn?"

There was a flicker of surprise in the mans eyes. How...interesting.

"You are very kind with your words Ide-san, and none would deny your words to be true" Hideo said after a moment, giving the girl a warm smile "the Imperial families have no clan. Our ancestors have been the closest followers of, and have directly served, the Throne since our formation. My kin would usually serve the Emperor, may the Heavens smile upon him, as his personal guard for both magical and mundane protections. We also maintain the Imperial libraries."

He paused a moment.

"The Otomo family are our courtiers and ambassadors. They operate in the courts all around the empire as our diplomats, and surveyors of negotiations between the clans. Those who serve among the courts will have likely spoke with at least one Otomo."

Another pause as he allowed the girl to think that over, before moving onto the next family.

"The Miya are our heralds. Our couriers. They deliver missives around the Empire on behalf of the Emperor, may the Fortunes smile upon him. The sight of a Miya on horseback moving to a province is a sign of news coming of the highest importance."

He smiled at the girl again.

"I would hope I do not need to speak of the Hantei, and that this information is of use to you."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj smiles and nods back at acknowledgements, but it does look like no-one wants kumis? They must be bloated after the feast.

Yuki kept her bottom of her face carefully hidden behind her fan as she cautiously approached the raucous Moto. "Moto-san. I am Asako Yuki. I... ummm, do I have the pleasure of addressing Moto Butahj?" Agh! Stupid, of course this is Butaj, he just said he was Butaj.

"I mean, one of your clanmates mentioned you were a great historian."

"Ha, this is Butaj indeed! Asako Yuki is very nice to have spoken with my brethren about Butaj. Butaj tells stories, but not histories like easterners know them. The Unicorn don't keep many things in writing, but we have rich oral traditions, and Butaj is keen on spreading them!"

Butaj unseals the skin and extends it toward Yuki. His smile crosses over the awkwardness like a galloping steed through spring grass.

"Asako Yuki is very pretty, kind and in the know! Butaj is almost sure you have understood his song. If Butaj's company is pleasing to you, you can have it this evening for music and stories and anything you like."

[Ide Amaya]

She smiled warmly, clearly interested and trying to absorb every word the Imperial imparted on her. "Libraries..." she murmured in wonder.

Her large eyes were wide and, in the low light of the fire, they formed deep, glittering pools, the stormy blue-grey irises making dark rings around the dilated pupils. From his height, he would be able to see past her fan, and that her lips parted slightly in fascination as he spoke.

"But, Seppun-Sama, you have not yet mentioned your own family, and your instruction thus far has been so very illuminating." Thinking the fan concealed her, she bit her lip with hopeful nervousness.

[Seppun Hideo]

"Ah, forgive me for lack of clarity. When I spoke of my kin I had referred to the Seppun family rather than the whole Imperial families" Hideo bowed in apology "The Seppun serve as guards of the Emperor, and the keeper of knowledge via the Imperial Libraries. But what of the Ide? I know little of the families of the Unicorn, beyond the few texts I discovered in the Imperial libraries regarding the Ki-Rin before your ancestors left the Empire."

[Shinjo Akil]

That... That went pretty good. Mizuki smiled behind her mask.

"Of course. Some things should be known. Is there anything else you would like to know? About the Empire? About my Clan? About my Family? About me?"

Mizuki figured this was a miai after all. And if one of the first things she says to a potential suitor was 'by the way I'm cursed to betray the one I love most' she might as well tell him anything else. Well, except that. That can be ignored until well, hopefully forever. Probably not.

He laughed, "if I went through all the things I may wish to know, you will never have time to meet any other candidate!" A smile, too genuine to be anything but a small break in a samurai's on, and yet it was there easily in his face. "Do you have an art you like to practice?"

[Ide Amaya]

Dismayed by her misunderstanding, "oh no, forgive me, Seppun-Sama, though I am deeply interested in learning, I have never been an accomplished student, much to the despair of my sensei and family." Her eyes pleaded forgiveness.

"The Ide," she began tentatively, "have served as the face and the voice of the Unicorn Clan. It is the Ide Emissaries such as myself who are responsible for initiating first contact with people we are meeting for the first time. The Ide are diplomats and mediators, who place words over weapons. It can put us at something of odds with our cousins at times."

"My family is closest to the Moto family, such as Butaj here," with her fan she indicated to the brash bushi who was currently plying his skills to Asako Yuki. "They are great warriors, with courage beyond reproach, but perhaps a little too quick to draw weapons. But they have faithfully and honourably defended the Unicorn, and were it not for their blades, the Ide would not have survived to this day."

She paused to gather her thoughts, trying to assess Hideo's reaction, before continuing.

[Seppun Hideo]

"It's ok Ide-san, there is nothing to forgive I assure you" Hideo said with a reassuring smile before going silent as the lovely Ide explained about her family and the Moto.

"So the Ide are the diplomats of the Unicorn? I had suspected as much. You are certainly a more welcome sight to these visitors eyes" Hideo nodded at the girl "you and your kin must have met many unique individuals, all with a different and more unique way of acting."

He paused the Moto man.

"I have had the honour of conversing with Moto-san. The Moto very much appear to be strong, courageous warriors. I hope to have a chance to see them in action."

[Ide Amaya]

"I do look forward to the demonstrations of skill beyond those of," she looked balefully about them, for some of the samurai close at hand seemed worse for wear after their encounter with each other's strange foods, "how efficiently we can upset each other's digestion." Not the best of first impressions, sighed to herself.

"In fact, I heard that there may be wrestling tomorrow," a rumour others may have also heard. "But mostly I am looking forward to seeing the Okatu maidens demonstrate their cavalry skills." A dreamy look comes over her, "Otaku steeds are like nothing else on the land or in the sky or sea. The Moto are accomplished riders as well, but they say that the Otaku learn to ride before they can walk. They bond with a new-born foal, who serves the maiden faithfully for its entire life," is she exaggerating? or perhaps this ingénue really believes those childrens' tales?

[Asako Yuki]

Butaj smiles and nods back at acknowledgements, but it does look like no-one wants kumis? They must be bloated after the feast.

Yuki kept her bottom of her face carefully hidden behind her fan as she cautiously approached the raucous Moto. "Moto-san. I am Asako Yuki. I... ummm, do I have the pleasure of addressing Moto Butahj?" Agh! Stupid, of course this is Butaj, he just said he was Butaj.

"I mean, one of your clanmates mentioned you were a great historian."

"Ha, this is Butaj indeed! Asako Yuki is very nice to have spoken with my brethren about Butaj. Butaj tells stories, but not histories like easterners know them. The Unicorn don't keep many things in writing, but we have rich oral traditions, and Butaj is keen on spreading them!"

Butaj unseals the skin and extends it toward Yuki. His smile crosses over the awkwardness like a galloping steed through spring grass.

"Asako Yuki is very pretty, kind and in the know! Butaj is almost sure you have understood his song. If Butaj's company is pleasing to you, you can have it this evening for music and stories and anything you like."

"I'm not unfamiliar with oral traditions. The Yobanjin also tend to keep stories spoken, rather than write them down." Yuki explained. She glanced at the skin and reached out hesitantly for it. Her had paused and almost pulled back as her eyes scanned the dead animal skin. Finally the maiden steeled herself and grasped it. Lifting it up to her face she gave it a careful sniff and managed to not blanch.

"I didn't have any of the kumis at the dinner." She admitted before taking a deep breath in and out before taking a swig of the skin. She lowered it quickly, coughing a bit at the taste before handing it back to Butaj.

"Hai, I would love to hear a story. There's so much we don't know about what you must have seen out there." She paused. "Tell me of your own family, perhaps? The Moto, I mean. How did you come to join the Unicorn?"

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj nods appreciatively at her trying kumis then takes a gulp himself and seals it for later. He makes space by himself on a log-seat near the fire. Butaj changes then before her eyes, becomes more solemn and thoughtful, his gaze moving to the fire and the darkness beyond. His voice turns deeper and quieter.

"There are many among us who can tell about old times better than Butaj, but even Butaj can give you the gist of it. When the world was young the Ujik-hai were the fiercest tribes across the Burning Sands, raiding the Yobanjin you know of, their settlements along the Zhenzhong He and even further north and east. Our tarkhans bowed to none, and while the idea of khan of all khans was on the lips of many it was mostly a myth and a dream of men of ambition who wanted to test their ferocity against each other. We had our gods and our customs, and the wide desert and its oases was our own. But then, the Ki-Rin came."

Butaj moves his attention to Yuki for a moment.

"And the Ujik-hai took them for Yobanjin, just richer. So a daring tribe attacked them in an ambush. But the Ki-Rin fought fiercer than anyone of the Ujik-hai had seen before, and Lady Shinjo fell hundred men alone! Butaj's ancestors had to fall back and regroup, and what remained of that tribe was rallied under a warrior called Moto. Moto rode out to meet Lady Shinjo and her followers and wanted to pledge fealty to her if she would have him and his tribe. And she agreed, like she had agreed before for the tribes in Rokugan to join her. Lord Iuchi initiated the Ujik-hai into the Ki-Rin, and when Moto died, Lady Shinjo named all the Ujik-hai under her with his name. And yet by that time there had been many more, because as her legend grew and her Ujik-hai showed her oases of other tribes, many more joined, many tarkhans swore fealty. The Ujik-hai forsook the old gods and started to worship their Kami, but Lady Shinjo learned from us how to live in the desert, and the Ki-Rin adopted many our customs. Call of kurultai, the kurichitai... many more. Ever since the Moto have been fiercely loyal to Lady Shinjo and followed her orders and those of her descendants to the farthest reaches of the world."

[Seppun Hideo]

"I do look forward to the demonstrations of skill beyond those of," she looked balefully about them, for some of the samurai close at hand seemed worse for wear after their encounter with each other's strange foods, "how efficiently we can upset each other's digestion." Not the best of first impressions, sighed to herself.

"In fact, I heard that there may be wrestling tomorrow," a rumour others may have also heard. "But mostly I am looking forward to seeing the Okatu maidens demonstrate their cavalry skills." A dreamy look comes over her, "Otaku steeds are like nothing else on the land or in the sky or sea. The Moto are accomplished riders as well, but they say that the Otaku learn to ride before they can walk. They bond with a new-born foal, who serves the maiden faithfully for its entire life," is she exaggerating? or perhaps this ingénue really believes those childrens' tales?

"It does seem that many samurai in the Empire were unprepared for such a...dairy focused meal. It's not surprising, but not an ideal start. I do hope the Rokugani foods haven't caused you the same issues?" Hideo asked with a touch of concern in his voice.

"Wrestling? Truly?" Why am I not surprised.. "that will certainly be a good display of strength. I must agree though that seeing the legendary Otaku maidens in action will be something I would wish to see with my own eyes. The Miya heralds have perhaps the best horsemanship in the Empire before you and your kin returned, so I'll certainly wish to see how different you and they are."

He paused then, studying the girl for a few moments before smiling. She's so young and naive. Perhaps she would be easily persuaded towards a different path...

"I would also assume that Ide-san is a talented horserider in her own right?"

[Ide Amaya]

Smiling, she looked up into the Imperial's eyes, "I have been most fortunate and my only complaint, if I had one, would be that of over-indulgence. And yourself, Seppun-Sama? I do hope that our cuisine has awoken no dragons in your belly to squirm or belch fire."

At his other question she shook her head slowly, "no." She pressed her lips together and then continued, "at least, no more proficient than one who has spent their entire lifetime on horseback can be. Battle was not the path laid for me, and I do believe my sensei who says that a single wise word can stay a thousand hasty blades."

"Have you ever ridden? It is such an experience." That dreamy look was returning...

[Yogo Mizuki]

That... That went pretty good. Mizuki smiled behind her mask.

"Of course. Some things should be known. Is there anything else you would like to know? About the Empire? About my Clan? About my Family? About me?"

Mizuki figured this was a miai after all. And if one of the first things she says to a potential suitor was 'by the way I'm cursed to betray the one I love most' she might as well tell him anything else. Well, except that. That can be ignored until well, hopefully forever. Probably not.

He laughed, "if I went through all the things I may wish to know, you will never have time to meet any other candidate!" A smile, too genuine to be anything but a small break in a samurai's on, and yet it was there easily in his face. "Do you have an art you like to practice?"

Mizuki laughs in response. He has wit. I think father would like him. "I suppose that's fair. I do enjoy acting some. But I do not perform the more traditional arts like painting or ikeba. I suppose my prefer the performance art."

She leaves out that she's writing her experiences here and hopes to make a book of it. To be fair, she has no talent for writing, and she'll probably just hide it like the shameful secret it is.

She looks towards the flute. "I take it is something we have common."