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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 27, 2018 11:42:48 GMT -5
"And itadakimasu. This salad looks good," he commented after the brief prayer in thanks to Inari, before picking one of the cherry tomatoes into his mouth.
"Don't worry, I'll mind both of our livers. I imagine your parents let you drink often at home."
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 27, 2018 11:48:53 GMT -5
An amused smirk developed on Hinata's face.
"Of course. We're Crab, alcohol and fried food are our specialties."
She popped a mushroom into her mouth, blowing on it first to cool it down.
"Though my parents always try to keep me and themselves from drinking too much at any one time. They say a whole household of shugenja getting drunk is a bad idea, and that they know from experience. They never tell the story as to why, though."
She made an amused 'hm'.
"I can imagine a thousand different ways that could end badly, however."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 27, 2018 11:55:39 GMT -5
"Heh, I see. Well, I suppose that makes sense. What family was your mother from before she married your Father? Or was she a Kuni? Or... maybe the other way around?"
After all, it could have been Hinata's father who had married into the family instead.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 27, 2018 12:23:44 GMT -5
"Well...shugenja families are a bit different. Marrying within the family is most common. Obviously nobody too closely related, and occasionally members from other families will be brought in to keep relations diluted enough that things don't get weird. The blood of shugenja is something that needs to be maintained, though, otherwise the talent can be slowly bred out over generations."
She clucked her tongue.
"I know a few people over the years have tried to figure out if there's a genetic basis for it, but the results have always said it's not. It's...something else. A lot of people say it's something spiritual that cannot be replicated or controlled beyond breeding. Maybe that's true, but I think it should be looked into further. Despite our best efforts, the number of shugenja is only dropping, so...something needs to be done."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 27, 2018 14:58:30 GMT -5
Yoshinobu chewed silently while he listened to Hinata's explanation
"And here I am, hoping to steal a Kuni shugenja from her family. A family that needs her. I;m not a Prince; I'm a rogue," the young man smiles again, playful with the subject matter. "Any potential dowry would be enormous for your family as a result."
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 27, 2018 15:09:52 GMT -5
Hinata chuckled.
"Believe me, I've talked with them about it; to say they have no issue with it would be putting it mildly. They practically pushed me onto you."
She paused as she realized how that could be taken the wrong way.
"Not that I needed the shove, mind. They managed to get married out of love themselves, so they were all for it. That you're the prince just helped matters."
She took another sip of sake, thinking.
"...actually I wonder if I should ask them for advice. They managed to do it, maybe they could give us a few pointers?"
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 27, 2018 15:16:44 GMT -5
There had not been a shugenja Empress since Toturi Kaede-shiryo. Yoshinobu was well aware of the implications that could have down the line, were he and Hinata to get married and have children. He knew the tales about the Sezaru the Wolf as well. If they had a child who could speak to the kami, would the same thing happen? The Prince shook his head slightly in an attempt to clear his mind and enjoyed another sip of sake to gather his now empty thoughts - and still sweating a little.
"Yeah, they should be able to. We could ask my Aunt and Uncle as well, should things all go smoothly. They'll be at my sister's gempukku ceremony in a few months." He smiled, having emptied his first small cup. "I'd love to show you Kyuden Doji as well, Hinata-chan."
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 27, 2018 15:33:41 GMT -5
Hinata noted Yoshinobu looked worried, and a look of concern crossed her face. Should she ask? If something was bothering him she wanted to know. Still, he seemed to not want to talk about it, so she would not pry. It was something she could ask about later.
"Kyuden Doji? Well, that does sound interesting. I've never seen Crane lands, though I hear they're beautiful. ...honestly I'd never even seen a Crane until I came here. I'd be happy to see it, though. The short time I've been here has made me rather curious as to what the rest of the country is like."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Feb 27, 2018 15:41:40 GMT -5
"Right. We did promise to travel Rokugan together, right? I haven't forgotten."
He smiles at her again warmly. "That, and Kazuko-hime wants to meet you. I wrote about you in one of my previous letters the other day. Mother is curious about you as well. She showed me the tabloid before she left town..."
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Feb 27, 2018 15:55:40 GMT -5
"I'd love to meet your family. I'd love for ya to meet mine, as well, even if they can be...well...a bit embarrassing."
She smiled, and noted how odd it was to be talking about meeting the royal family so casually. A week ago she would have never dreamed of meeting a member of the royal family face to face, and yet here she was now dating one of them, planning a marriage, and chatting about visiting his family as if they were planning a picnic.
"Y'know, ya make it hard to remember you're royalty. That's part of why I love you."
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