(D0, MM) Prayers to The Ancestors (Open)

[Seppun Yuzu]

He blinks a bit more at the thought of being popular and looks to the big tree as Aimi mentions the Fortune. "My purpose."

Then, the young Seppun replies to her, "Are you a retained of the Deer, Aimi, the ronin?"

[Aimi]

He blinks a bit more at the thought of being popular and looks to the big tree as Aimi mentions the Fortune. "My purpose."

Then, the young Seppun replies to her, "Are you a retained of the Deer, Aimi, the ronin?"

"On the contrary, young lord, I am here as a candidate," the ronin says with an bemused smile, "Assuming one can find a samurai willing to embrace a landless wanderer in exchange for the promise of children born with the shugenja's gift."

She shakes her head. "The Deer are honourable hosts, and so I shall endeavour to participate in their ceremonies and contests with an honest heart, but there are few parents that would be pleased to see a son return from the miai with such a humble prize as I."

[Seppun Yuzu]

Yuzu nods to the reality she describes and provides a nod of reassurance, "Aimi-san being here is already a show that the Fortunes are smiling to her. Keep up with faithful service to the Emperor and honorable attitudes. They may smile even more."

[Aimi]

"Ah, you are too kind, Seppun-sama," Aimi says, bowing to hide a sudden blush, "One can but hope that your words reach the kami's ears."

She hesitates for a moment, but... ah, what is life without embracing a little risk? So the ronin adopts a sly smile and adds, "And what of you, young lord? Should the Fortunes smile upon you, as well they might, have any beautiful flowers caught your admiring eye? One hears that the blossoms grown in Kyuden Doji are particularly striking."

[Seppun Yuzu]

He tilts his head and replies absentmindedly, "I am not keen into gardening, and I've never visited Kyuden Doji, so I wouldn't know."

After a moment he looks back at Aimi, and the message comes through with an, "Oh!"

Another moment of silence where they hear the wind touching the leaves of the tree. Yuzu holds the blush up like a true Seppun, and completes, "I imagine I would have to learn about that, too."

[Aimi]

She doesn't laugh. Laughing at a Seppun could be dangerous to one's health, and laughing at a nervous young man would be downright cruel. Instead, Aimi merely smiles, a twinkle in her eye.

"Well, if it is matters of marriage you seek to learn of, then surely the attendants here would be only too pleased to assist," she says, gesturing for a moment to the shrine and the blessed tree at its heart, "If it is matters of romance, however, then perhaps you would be better suited turning your attention to other teachers."

One hand brushes briefly against the amulet hanging from her obi, marked with a score of beautifully engraved prayers to Benten.

"Though I suppose it might be hard to find a teacher whose lessons did not draw accusations of impropriety," she muses a moment later.

[Seppun Yuzu]

Yuzu’s eyes follow her hand over the amulet. He has seen it before and recognized. He has one just like that, but covert for, well, reasons.

He puts a hand over his mouth and clears his throat to say, “I would be looking forward to learn about marriage, specifically, but I think it is my duty to do so since I am already here.”

Another dry cough, “Ro-romance.” There’s a shake of his head and he says, “Definitely not my goal. U-un.”

The impropriety talk, he keeps unmentioned.

[Aimi]

"Ah, I am making you uncomfortable," Aimi blinks, and bows in apology, "Please, Seppun-sama, pay this humble one no mind. It speaks well of you, that you cleave so truly to your duty."

[Seppun Yuzu]

"Me, uncomfortable?" He cocks his head back, showing such things don't reach him, and scoffs even when they actually do. "Thppt!"

He reinforces it, even if unneeded. "Nonsense. As lord, it is my duty to hear everyone that wants me well."

[Aimi]

"Ah, wisdom in one's lord is a reassuring thing to see indeed," Aimi says, trying not to smile too widely at the young man trying to live up to his own standards. "Even so, Seppun-sama, with your forgiveness I shall retire, else I shall shame us both by remaining in this blessed place with all the accumulated dirt of the roads."

She wrinkles her nose. "In truth I should have bathed before coming here, but... well, I wished to pay homage to the Kami as soon as I could."

(OoC - I don't have anything else to particularly cover, unless Yuzu wants to bring something up?)