Kyuden Shika

"No, you can keep the mochi yourself. I've got some daifuku. Which you can also have if you'd like, but I am glad that you like everything." They chuckled some. "Anyway, be sure to write and if you need any help, don't be afraid to ask."

They shrugged some, somber. "I haven't done well, either. Honestly, I'm just hoping that Moshu-san does well, and he is, so he's doing all of the heavy lifting... If both parties are doing poorly, then you've just got to make yourself undesirable to everybody else. That way nobody will pick you and ...

Fortunately, the game of refusals was a game that adults played. Not being an adult, there was little to stop the little Deer from just taking the box and opening it. That was a blessing in of itself. In the box was a small ink painting of a young girl guarding a figure with a spear. It was done we...

"Ahhh, okay. Yes. Fair enough. That works." They nodded. Then nodded again. "Should be good. Hopefully. I'm sure we'll be decent parents. I hope."

"Look, you aren't dying, and I'm sure everything will turn out fine. The Deer aren't going to be dicks about it. There'll be a wedding."

"I believe in you, too. Anyway, so I don't take up more of your time." They chuckled and pulled out a small box and offered it out to her. "For you."

"Don't really need that. If they have the drive, they'll use it. Pushing them doesn't always work out well."

"And I'd be honored to be in yours, too. Can't leave me hanging."

"Hey, much the same for you. Write, and write often. I'll write back and we definitely need to keep in touch. Oh, and of course you're invited to my wedding." They chuckled. "As much as I joke, I'll probably still be at the capital though, so I'll be there."

"I probably will. I want them to know that they're loved and that for most things they do, I will be proud of them." They said softly, completely planning on giving their children what they had wanted from their parents when they were younger. "Unless they marry into the Deer. Then I'll have some wo...