Absolutely undignified (Day 1, Late Evening)

[Asako Yuki]

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."

Yuki was wide-eyed as she listened to the story, smiling as it was told, but knowing enough to hold off on any questions she had until the storyteller was done. She resisted the urge to clap in excitement when the Moto was done. "Incredible. So Lady Shinjo accepted you as Rokugani, but it was Iuchi who initiated your Family? How did he do that? Why didn't Shinjo do it?"

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj rubs the stubble on his cheek.

"Butaj doesn't know for certain. He thinks Lord Iuchi developed the ritual but Lady Shinjo was instrumental in performing it, because only the power of the Kami could join the bloodlines of the Moto and the rest of the Ki-Rin? Asako Yuki would have to ask a Iuchi about the details. Butaj was naturally born as a Unicorn so he didn't have to perform it, nor witness it. But Butaj imagines those who will join the Unicorn because of this pairing kurultai will have to go through it."

[Asako Yuki]

Yuki continued to listen intently, seated beside the Moto. "How interesting. When most of the early people of Rokugan joined the Kami, an oath of fealty was all that was needed. That your people needed a ceremony on top of that is quite extraordinary." She beamed at the man. "I may have to speak to an Iuchi then, if I'll have to go through with it. I suspect we will both see what it is at the same time then, neh?" She paused then.

"Oh! But I'm sure you have questions about what things are like in Rokugan. The Unicorn have been away for so long, and the Moto have never been here before. I'm no historian like many of my cousins, but I can try to answer anything you might ask."

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj listens to her intently and a disarming smile creeps onto his lips as she beams at him. He smoothes his moustaches with two quick strokes as his eyes sparkle. With the amount of alcohol in his system he is surprisingly quick to take cue. Emotional intelligence is not weak in Butaj.

"Oh, will we? Oh. Butaj wants to know great many things, but now he thinks he wants to know more of the courtship customs of Asako Yuki's clan."

[Shinjo Akil]

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."

"It seems so," he nodded, looking down to his flute. "I have been playing my flute since I was young. I used to just do it for personal enjoyment, but recently it has proven rather useful to be able to perform publicly."

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki cocks her head. "Oh. I think I would be interested in hearing more of your Clan's music." For a moment, Mizuki forgets how horrible her stomach feels. Then, she remembers. Kami, she remembers. Luckily her mask prevents any misunderstanding her pained face may show.

[Shinjo Akil]

He looked at his flute... and then his head started spinning (figuratively!). There was a long moment of blinking, then he shook his head. "Perhaps I... should wait until my stomach has settled to try playing my flute. We could plan for another gathering like this in a pair of days, maybe?"

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki was disappointed, but she understood. What did the Ide feed us? Is this an endurance challenge?

"Of course. I will look forward to it."

Mizuki becomes silent. Deciding if she wants to risk it. Uncomfortable silence follows.

[Shinjo Akil]

"Excellent, I shall look forward to it as well," he smiled and nodded, trying his best not to look as sick as he felt.

[Yogo Mizuki]

If did look sick, Mizuki ignored it. Pretty easy when she was just as sick.

"I was wondering if you would like to have tea together tomorrow?"

Part of Mizuki hoped he said no. But it doesn't matter. She can't hide her face the entire miai. And she'll have to do so with others suitors. Mizuki suddenly manages to feel sicker.

[Shinjo Akil]

"Sure!" He nodded, containing his excitement only somewhat. I'm making a friend! "Perhaps as the Lady Sun makes her way over the horizon?"

[Yogo Mizuki]

Mizuki smiles. Steeling herself for the conversation tomorrow which will likely be more uncomfortable than explaining the Yogo Curse, she moves on.

"We can have tea in my room. If you would like, I can see if one of my Clansman can chaperone."

[Shinjo Akil]

"That would be pleasant indeed," he nodded calmly. "Thank you for the invitation."

[Asako Yuki]

Butaj listens to her intently and a disarming smile creeps onto his lips as she beams at him. He smoothes his moustaches with two quick strokes as his eyes sparkle. With the amount of alcohol in his system he is surprisingly quick to take cue. Emotional intelligence is not weak in Butaj.

"Oh, will we? Oh. Butaj wants to know great many things, but now he thinks he wants to know more of the courtship customs of Asako Yuki's clan."

Yuki blinked once, and brought her fan back up to cover her face. "Well. I suppose we mostly do what other clans do. It's a very formal process. Usually involving nakodo and many letters between families. Though miai's avoid most of that. So, well. I guess much of it is having chaperoned meetings to impress ones potential husband, or, well, in your case, wife." She explained, looking at the fire as it burned. She glanced at Akil and Mizuki, thinking their conversation proved a suitable example.

[Moto Butaj]

Butaj looks into the fire too, thoughtfully so.

"Then it is important to know what impresses Asako Yuki. Butaj has a hunch it is less important what impresses Phoenix maidens in general and more what impresses particularly you. You understand the songs of my people, you must be special among your own."