(D7, EM) Small Offerings and Distant Drums

[Kuni Yasu]

(Expecting, but the space is public)

Yasu could still feel Inari's drums in her head after last night's contest and wondered what far-off shrine the were echoing from. Maybe late planting rites up in the mountains? Still, she smiled to see the early mist, eddying near the ground without the rain to erase it this morning. That was a nice sign for the day to come.

Despite the hour, and the headache, her mask was painted with the same care as always. It was automatic after years of applications, though her smile grew a bit warmer recalling how Tanabe had insisted on helping her wake all the way up the earliest, confused birds started in on their mornings before the sun was really up.

Today was their first chance to impress upon the matchmakers that they worked together well, that they'd be suitable matches to one another. So the Kuni, ever pragmatic, took every chance to improve the odds. She placed a sprinkle of salt as an offering, before placing a small stick of incense into the ground. Tied near the bottom was a scrap of paper with Kisshoten's eight-pointed star, Musubi's knot sketched at the center. The first lines of a longer prayer for fruitful and harmonious marriage were written on the back.

Yasu looks up into the branches of the venerable cherry, beginning the same prayer aloud.

[Kaito Oubaihime]

The Kaito worked on her morning prayers and her duties to the temple. Not that she was here to keep the temple but old habits die hard. She noted the Crab visiting the temple and gave the woman a bow. As the Kuni offered her prayers the Kaito kept reverence next to close but not too close to interrupt the woman's offering.

[Kuni Yasu]

As she finished, Yasu noticed the shrine maiden, and returned her bow with...well the grace of a Crab, but a warm smile. "Kaito-sama, is it?" Be hard to forget the woman's name after yesterday, honestly. There can't be two like that running around. "Morning. I hope it's been a pleasant one so far, specially since it looks like we get to see Lady Sun again."

[Kaito Oubaihime]

"I hope Inari no kami had blessed you this morning." The girl nodded. "It would be nice for lady Amaterasu to bless us even for a devoted servant of water the rain was staring to affect many and that cannot be." She nodded once again. "Is there anything this one can be of service?"

[Kuni Yasu]

"I wanted to congratulate you on yesterday's performance. Not that I'm any kind of archer," which had been glaringly obvious, "but I haven't seen anything like that without calling on the spirits to offer their aid!" She was sincerely impressed. 'Though I also.." Her lips press in a bit of embarrassment. 'My training as to the families of the clans was a bit deficient I guess. I hadn't heard of the Kaito until this miai, and wanted to know how that happened. if it was a big feud or something, I think I'd have been told about a fight with that family we don't talk about or something."

[Kaito Oubaihime]

"Ah... Arigatou Crab sama." She gave Yasu a bow "Our family is one that rarely leaves the Phoenix lands. It is understandable that you haven't heard of us. We have many temples and shrine to tend to and our limited members... well a thousand fortunes a million temples, neh." The Kaito priestess explained. "We are trained in the art of Kyudo and well that may be why people are saying that it was unfair for this one to compete." She sighed. "To be honest Crab sama that first shot was just sheer luck." The Kaito noted something. "Excuse me..." She picked up a dagger near the tree. "Huh..."

[Kuni Yasu]

Oh right, introductions. "Kuni Yasu, apprentice to Kuni Mari, who apparently failed to provide a full accounting of spiritual families of the Phoenix. My apologies. Also, whoever said that was unfair is a bit of an idiot. That's not how competition works." The last is said with a bit of a smile as the Kaito is distracted by the dagger.

"That's a bit of an odd offering." She pauses, thinking a moment. "Not that we learn much about Musubi, but a dagger seems odd for a fortune whose symbol is knots."

[Kaito Oubaihime]

"Ah... This one is Kaito Oubaihime Shrine Maiden from the WaterDragonTemple." The girl bowed. "Dagger is unusual a Spear may be more appropriate offering to pair with the lonesome one." She examined the danger and put it in her obi. "I have a friend that might know more about it." She nodded. "We are rather new to the Phoenix just a few generations back. We barely leave the Phoenix lands."

[Kuni Yasu]

"Hmm, so her information's just a little out of date? Well it gives me something to ask around about next winter solstice."

She watches a bit curiously as the Kaito tucks the dagger away. For all she knew, it was actually some secret message left for a lover. At least that seemed about right in Shika lands. But does that make her the lover picking up the message, or a bystander, throwing off the system? Perhaps something to speculate aimlessly about with Narumi later...


Glancing back to the spear, she asks, "why do you call the spear lonely though? I kind of thought it was just vigilant."

[Kaito Oubaihime]

"It is the romantic notion of waiting for a few things, Kuni sama. The idea of waiting for the time to defend this tree, the warrior's idea of retirement and leaving it here to live a live with a wife..." She explained. "Other may find that it is lonely life of a vigilant that doesn't have a friend."