Kyuden Shika

"Oh, I have many desires. To keep exploring the world. To complete my apprenticeship as a Ujik seer. To find and ride the mythical horse wind."

Avel gave out a displeased grunt. Mitsuki petted his head.

"Come on, don't be jealous. As if you wouldn't let a Sarangerel rides you if her avatar was to visit us."

She focused back on the Asahina:

"But I'm a samurai first and foremost. My desires are second to what the clan requires of me."

"Hai, a proper samurai mindset, but the longer I am here the more I think of this as a vacation, perhaps the only one any of us will experience. This is our chance to do what we want be that in the arms of another, at the bottom of a sake bottle or just time alone. This Miai may have a lasting impact on our futures but the now is as close to freedom as I think we may ever see. I regret not seeing that sooner but I'm determined to enjoy what time I have left."

"...

You're likely right. I'm not sure vacation is the most appropriate term to describe it, but it's definitely an experience conceived to break the mold of our routines.

On my side, I've indeed noticed an increase in... privacy? I don't know if the word is the most adequate here either, but the nature of the desert is that about anything must be done as part of a group if you wish to live. A lone rider cannot cross the sands, but a caravan can. We travel together, eat around the same campfire, sleep under the same yurt.

Here, we have individual rooms, and can close the door. Sure, the door is literary paper thin, but it's there."

"Well you have had great success at the Shika's challenges, if you have also managed to enjoy your time here you have done far better than most. Have you set your eye on anyone here? I dare not pry nor expect you to name names, just curious because as I have found not everyone here wants to be here."

"There are a few people that have caught my attention in the broadest sense of the term. As for who I'm going to marry though, I'm still waiting for the matchmakers to step in. They're the ones who supposedly know the ins and outs of everyone in town, and should help me go further than a first good impression.

Did you already settle on someone yourself? Good smiths are always in high demand, you shouldn't have a hard time getting a good match."

"I have a preference but I have little faith in the Shika to grant me that wish. Beyond that I have spent so much time with that one person or in my forge that I have failed to make many connections here unfortunately. It seems a cruel joke to spend two weeks selling us on the virtues of love and then marry us all off for political reasons. Not my favorite part of our society right now but there is nothing I can do about it I suppose."

"Why exactly do you feel the Shika won't agree to your wish? Because they're already planning to marry them to someone else, maybe someone of higher status or glory?

Anyway, the Shika have a temple to the Fortune of Marriage, not Love. Though I guess the Crane does have several temples for Benten and yet marriages aren't really about love here either. To marry who's best for the clan and the family, yet another of the samurai's duties."

"I understand my duty, the best thing for my clan would see me swap my blue for purple, that is another reason why I wanted to meet with you." He stammered a moment and blushed, realizing the implication of his words. "I-I mean, learning more about the Unicorn will only help me if I get matched with someone in your clan and you are an excellent teacher."

He offered a bow from the back of his horse and had to stop himself from sliding off the saddle. "I already found the idea of joining the Unicorn agreeable and my conversations with you have only made that idea sound better. Though I will need to work on my horsemanship I think. I don't know what criteria the Shika are using but going simply off the tests they have given us I am not doing well and simply have to pray for something favorable to happen.

Several have suggested that I am a commodity, that one of the clans will want my skills but I'm not sure that will be enough to see me land somewhere that personally interests me like Phoenix or Unicorn lands. I suppose as long as i don't end up a Lion I won't be too disappointed and even then I will do my duty but I would prefer a happy marriage. We all have our preferences, surely you do as well, I can't imagine there is much room to ride and roam in the Dragon mountains for example."

"The Dragon breeds a specific race of small, sure-footed horses than they can ride in their mountains actually. But yes, Avel wouldn't be happy there."

She smiled:

"I'm not uncouth to the point of failing to catch subtext bordering on actual text, but please excuse me if I reserve my judgment on your proposal for now. Though I do intend to support the Crane-Unicorn alliance against the Lion as much as I can, the miai is far from over, and I would rather keep all my options open for now and not utter promise I won't be able to keep. We'll talk again about this in a few days if that's fine with you."

Soyokaze grew flustered, embarrassed. "I did not mean to come off as crass or forward Mitsuki-sama forgive me. I would be very open to another conversation with you though and I will await your summons."