Kyuden Shika

Mitsuki entered the forge, already dressed as if she was going to jump on her horse and depart the minute she will be out again.

"Guess you will be able to ask the Unicorn smiths all your questions directly in the end."

Soyokaze turned around and offered his best Crane bow to his betrothed. "Good morning Mitsuki-sama, I am sorry I have not attended to you yet, I wanted to make you something but have struggled to come up with something fitting for the occasion. I hope this day finds you well and I look forward to living and growing with you." His words were at his courtly best and he leaned upon his On like his life depended on it. He was nervous.

"Be as formal or informal as what makes you comfortable. Neither me or the other Unicorn will hold it against you one way or the other.

Physical gifts aren't required either. Though I'll gladly accept something you've put your feelings into, I'm first and foremost a woman who catches the moment, not one who treasure items.

Also, you're marrying in, so it's now the Unicorn's duty to provide you with what you need to live, to work... and a proper horse."

"I'm sorry about this, about me, we haven't had the time to really get to know each other and now the Shika have matched us. I'm sorry if I disappoint you. I am interested to learn what you expect of me."

He was already trying to be a Crane bride to the Moto.

"Damn. It was a miai Soyokaze. That we've got more than two one-hour long discussions with each other before the engagement was decided easily put us in the 10% couples who had the most time to know each other beforehand in all of Rokugan nobility.

Don't excuse yourself for mistakes you haven't done or you think you might do in the future. You've done fine until now. Except maybe for that incident with Yuzu, but, as you yourself told me before, this miai was the occasion for us to experiment new things and learn from them in a controlled environment, and that extends to mistakes.

I simply expect you to come back with me, and to resume your duties as a smith, just with a different mon. The first weeks will probably be a bit hard on your ass, literary, due to all the horse riding, but otherwise it's business as usual. You'll find your new colleagues to be sympathetic people that will be more happy to share their knowledge with you, and to listen to your own tricks.

You'll also meet my family, I'll meet yours, usual diplomacy.

The only real unknown is if we should start working for a kid right now, so they might be born before the war, or if the war is too close to risk it and it's better we wait until I'm back from the front."

He was shocked and couldn't hide it. "You... aren't disappointed with being with me? " He moved to sit down across from her. "Based on our last conversation i did not get the impression you liked me very much."

"Uh?

Well, your sudden outburst the other day did make me gnash my teeth, that's for sure. But since you didn't actually do anything stupid in the end and seem to have come back to your senses soon after, I see no reason to hold it against you in the long run. Especially as I would say that this miai, by exposing you to a downpour of raw emotions, has taught you to control them better and it's not a problem that will keep on repeating itself.

Plus, you have a lot of qualities that offset that one-time mistake. You're a curious, passionate person, with indubitable crafting skills, and more important than anything else for a Unicorn, you're willing to learn and change."

What the...


"I am eager to learn more, about the Unicorn and especially about you. W-Where will we live? You've talked a lot about travelling the Sands and nomadic lifestyles, is that how you normally live? I am a decent smith but forging from horseback could prove difficult."

Mitsuki laughed:

"Don't worry, even Unicorn-born smiths don't actually smith from horseback.

We won't be seeing the Sands soon I fear. In the short terms, we will be stationed in Hyōzenshō, an actual city, and a Unicorn training ground favored by the Battle Maidens. It has all the facilities required to host, supply and train an army... And happens to be very close from the Lion's north border."

Soyokaze put his hands on his face and let out an exasperated sigh. "So it's decided then, the Unicorn will join the fight it would seem. I had really hoped that the threat of that alone would make the Lion back down. I don't want to have to worry about you but if we're being honest I will be every time you deploy." He reached out behind and pulled a bottle off a shelf and filled a pair of cups. "I guess I should also tell you, I'm... damaged, though you probably already figured that out. I can't handle the sight of blood, my back is covered in scars left there by my abusive father and I lack in confidence. I also have no experience with a woman, I will likely disappoint you. Shochu?" He offered her the cup and waited for a reaction to all the bad news.