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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 15, 2018 21:08:59 GMT -5
It was late in the night to be praying, that much was sure. Despite this, Hinata knelt in front of the shrine to Benten, her offerings laying in her lap. They consisted of a box of chocolates and a few scrolls containing some haiku she had written. She had thought about bringing flowers, but she had already offered those in her morning prayers. It was silly, but she did not want to risk offending Benten, not when this occasion was so important. She and Iweko Yoshinobu had agreed to meet here and pray together, so that the work of the Imperial Nakodo might prove favorable. A soft smile sat upon her face as she set up the incense. No doubt it would look lovely, burning in the dark of the night; a little spot of light in the shadow. She refrained from starting prayers yet; she was waiting for her prince to arrive. |
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 15, 2018 21:29:55 GMT -5
It takes some time, but Iweko Yoshinobu ultimately arrives at the temple to the Seven Fortunes on campus. Rather than the normal hair ornaments he wears, the Prince is sporting a pair of sunglasses that sit atop his dark haired head - he'd probably been wearing them earlier in the day. He has his school bag with him, not heavy as it had mostly been emptied out. Only the offerings are with him inside.
The smell of the incense and the light that burned from it served as a beacon to guide him to Hinata, whom he approached with soft footsteps. "Good evening," he greets, the right corner of his mouth curling upwards in a roguish grin the way it always did. "You weren't waiting long, were you?"
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 15, 2018 21:52:07 GMT -5
Hinata smiled back at him as he arrived.
"It was a bit of a wait, but it was worth it."
She looked at the sunglasses on his head and smirked playfully.
"Sunglasses at night, Yoshinobu-kun?" she teased.
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 15, 2018 22:02:58 GMT -5
"So I can see the light that's right before my eyes," the Prince jests back with a look at her, kneeling down beside Hinata at the statue to Benten. As if on cue, the pair of shades fell down off of the top of his head and over his eyes. He removed the pair of aviators and set them to the side, and then followed with his bag.
"You know how slow the moped is. So, you're the shugenja. Would you like to start the prayer?" he asks as he unzips his book bag.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 16, 2018 11:35:55 GMT -5
Hinata chuckled softly.
"Flatterer. Keep saying things like that and we won't even have to pray" she jested back before nodding and setting her own offerings down.
She then went through the ritual of starting the prayer like she had been trained to since she was little. This was no casual prayer, she wanted this to mean something, and she called on her full knowledge as a priestess to do so.
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 16, 2018 11:41:40 GMT -5
"I try. And hey, you were the one who just tossed u p that opening."
The Prince produces two items to offer to Benten. He was unsure that they were appropriate, and Hinata would stop him if so, but they were the most important things he could think to offer. The first was the paintbrush he had used to compose Hinata Kensaku - dried paint that had been attempted to be washed off ad had settled into the bristles still visible. The other was the pouch of tea he had pulled from to conduct the tea ceremony on their first date. These two things made the most sense to him - they didn't have any pictures together or anything. Yoshinobu does his best to follow Hinata's example as she leads them through the rituals.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 16, 2018 11:51:36 GMT -5
Hinata found the offerings perfectly acceptable. Indeed, she felt a little bad for not thinking of something like that herself. Oh well, the haiku she had written had been about Yoshinobu, hopefully that would suffice. Once she finished, she held out a hand to Yoshinobu, that serene smile still on her face.
"And now, we begin our prayers."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 16, 2018 13:30:35 GMT -5
Yoshinobu eagerly accepted it, lacing his fingers together with Hinata's.
"Of course..." he said with a happy smile, before closing his eyes and lowering his head to the statue to Benten. It has been my heart's desire to marry for love, and lead the Empire beside the woman who owns that heart. I ask that you allow that to come true - that Hinata's fortune, destiny, and soul be linked with mine so that we might lead the Empire and its future to a better place. Through our companionship, our ruling, and our potential children - I want to bring Rokugan to great new heights.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 16, 2018 13:53:09 GMT -5
Hinata lowered her head and began to pray as well. Benten, I humbly ask you hear my prayer and link my soul and destiny to Yoshinobu's. I will not lie, especially to a fortune; my initial motives may have been selfish. However, I have come to truly love this man, regardless of whether he becomes Emperor or not. I wish to be by his side in companionship and marriage, even if that is not rulership. If I do become Empress, I will do my best to extend that love to the people of this nation, both large and small. If I do not, I will still be happy just to be with the man that I love.
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 16, 2018 16:38:08 GMT -5
Yoshinobu opens his eyes, blushing a little at the Kuni to his side.
"Well, hopefully our wishes come true Hinata-chan."
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