[Day Eight - Late Afternoon] The Local Brew

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She narrowed her eyes, trying to envision herself in the woman's situation. "If you're in a situation where you're used to travelling with your entire Clan...I could see how that might be customary with you. Now that you're with the Crab, you couldn't possibly be travelling with the same number of people, right?"

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Not so far, no. I was only one of two in my delegation to Toshi no Omoidoso, for instance. But it's not like we were alone; We had ship crew most of the way, and were largely in cities the rest of the time. Just being me and the winderness... I can hardly imagine it. I never learned any survival skills cerainly like how to take care of a wound or build a shelter ir what plants are poisonous... I already jump enough at things like snakes or wasps."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She nodded slowly at the other woman, finding it a bit hard to imagine that sh had travelled so much yet needed that many comforts with her. "I can't say that I have many survival skills either but I think I've managed well enough on the road. It seems that there are enough roads to get to where you need to go, even in the Dragon lands. Some of those roads might be just a dirty path or a place with more grass than shrubs but they are marked ways of travel. It might get more questionable closer to the mountains...sure. There are also patrols and way stations along the road. I think Yasuki-san should be cautious when she travels but not too concerned."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

A couple of nods, "I don't mean to imply I'm worried about traveling. Well, maybe at the moment around here; I wouldn't want to run into an army of spirits. But just traveling around? I'm sure most of the Empire is perfectly safe, and I can certainly get by regardless, whether it's a dirt path or a broad road. And I'd certainly love to see Dragon lands regardless of who I go with."

She was a bit confused; This woman seemed awfully vexed by her travel plans. Had she insulted the Dragon in some way she'd not known of by wanting to bring people with her? Maybe the rumors about them wanting to be isolated meant that they didn't like more than one visitor at a time.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"Oh, of course," she gave her a few nods on the matter. "My apologies for prying too much into your plans. Yasuki-san. I suppose everyone has different customs and methods when it comes to their travel. There are bits and parts I wish to pick up and learn from other people, if I am to do more travelling in the future. That said, cooked meal on the road does sound pretty interesting."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

A warm smile, "Well, if you have the luxury of doing that kind of thing, I don't see why not. It's comforting, and keeps social connections up. At least I like to think I'm closer to the servants I bring with me places. ...not that I had the opportunity here. And not that I even needed any of them here either. With Tomonaga-san off in Crane lands, it's nice to have someone looking after the house too."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She nodded soundly at the other woman regarding luxuries. While she didn't have much herself, she supposed to courtiers were attached to their wealth. "Both of you and your husband must have very busy careers to be sent to different assignments at the same time...Is it typical for a couple to be travelling together?"

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"I mean, for the Unicorn it is. I... am unsure, with the Crab. I suspect it's rather rare, since the Clan has so many needs and only so many merchants and courtiers to spare. Having the luxury of traveling together seems... unlikely. Still! I'm not sure, and maybe there are exceptions. Or time off. ...or at least traveling in the same direction, no?"

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"Stranger things have happened but I wouldn't think that a couple travelling together would be hard. I have only spoken to a few samurai but I don't think many are travelling with their spouse," She said, trying to think back. Then again, many of the samurai she spoke to weren't exactly wed either. "I suppose Agasha-sama is on her own at least and I do think she's very experienced when it comes to being on the road."

She took a slow sip of tea before asking. "You mentioned that you met your husband at a...miai?"

With the way she said the last word, it almost seemed like a foreign concept to her.

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Mmmm... a mass miai, if such is the term. I know normally it's done one at a time, with negotiations and such between parties. But the Unicorn decided to do things much differently than that. It was more like I've heard the Topaz Championship is like; Events and showcases of talent so the capabilities and such of the samurai present could be highlighted. Then,, those who displayed the greatest talent got to choose spouses. Honestly, I've never seen or heard the like before. Apart from some tales of the Moto doing such things in the past."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

She placed a hand on her chin inquisitively. "That sounds pretty interesting...I don't think I've heard a miai done like that before but I don't know much about marriage customs, to begin with. So it's a miai where it's done based on the merits of the person alone? I would have thought there would have thought that status, glory and politics would have played a huge part in that."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"A bit, perhaps. I recall there being some considerations made for such things. Anyways, the matches themselves weren't based on the results, just who got to choose. So, hopefully, most people chose with such considerations in mind. I know I certainly did, choosing someone about my age and station and such. I... almost went with a Hare bushi who was very charming and honorable, but it didn't feel as good of a match politically."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"There are many people who seek marriages the same way, it's very traditional? In such a circumstance, wouldn't that allow people to choose a friend or something they like, regardless of the station and resources?"

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Well, Unicorn had to choose a non-Unicorn spouse and vice versa. So there was that. It was the purpose of the event, after all. But even with that, there was certainly a LOT of drama in the choosing ceremony; People choosing people who had become friends, people choosing someone who refused, people choosing someone who was in love with another..."

She shook her head ruefully.

"Even if it ended all right for me, it was a bit messy."

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Wasako looked upwards and tried to imagine something so traditional being so messy. She gave a shake of her head and perhaps was thankful that she wasn't in the running for arrangements or put into a miai. "I see. That sounds like quite a tricky experience but I'm glad that you've managed to meet your husband through it. Almost the only people who see marriage in our area are the peasants, so it's interesting to hear how other samurai meet their spouses and how they live their life afterwards. When you know those people, you sometimes see subtle changes in both people. Sometimes people don't change at all, too."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"I assure you, that's not how the Unicorn usually do such arrangements either. It had some aspects woven in, but this was worlds different. I take it then you are not married then, Mirumoto-sama?"

She thought it obvious from the conversation, but she didn't remember it being a definite.

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Wasako smiled shyly with a wave of her hand to dismiss the notion. "No, not at all...My parents have arranged the marriages of my older brothers but as the youngest, and one who walks a different path, I suppose mine is more ambiguous. Marriage is nothing I know about but something that obviously happens in the Empire. I guess I would consider it a different world on its own. Ideally, I would like to think marriage are two elements coming together to become one, where both are opposites and halves made whole. Life is far more complicated than that, of course, for things to be divided between Yin and Yang."

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Ah. ...I was always told in the Unicorn and Crab that it was two people coming together to provide future samurai to defend the Empire. Especially in the Crab. But there is more to it than simply duty or a relationship, isn't there?"

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

"Have you personally found that your life has changed drastically after being married?" she asked curiously while she went to take the teapot and refilled their cups.

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

"Hmmmm..."

"Yeah, I think so. It's hard to tell cause and effect when you go from one lifestyle to another, one Clan to another, one environment to another, all at the same time. But I do think getting married was a big part of that feeling. To not just have a colleague but someone I can truly be myself around... not to mention the responsibility of sharing things so intimately in terms of personal space and finances and such... it's vastly different than how I was living before, certainly."

[Day Eight - Late Afternoon] The Local Brew

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