Viveki sighed softly. "It is a difficult question. It is said that a weapon of ivory will cut their flesh, but in the stories, it took a god - the Avatar of Vishnu - to recognize a nd defeat them." She makes. a helpless gesture. "Perhaps the warrior houses know of other ways, but if so, it is not something of which they speak openly."

Kinsen nods, even if not satisfied with the reply, and remarks, "I wonder if they have been all defeated. We dod have nine gods, if protection is needed, after all."

"I hope that there are no more of them in existence. Of all our monsters, they are the worst." She exhales, then gives Kinsen an apologetic look. "It is not good to speak of such things upon a first meeting. My apologies for allowing the conversation to move into such dark places."

Kinsen shakes her head negatively, "On the contrary, I was the one to bring the topic up, and apologize."

The Stag provides a stead bow with an offer, "To remedy this inconvenience, I would like to invite you for a Tea Ceremony at your behest, Viveki-san."

"A tea ceremony?" Her eyebrows raise. "That sounds very interesting. What does the ceremony celebrate?"

"Purity, tranquillity, respect and harmony in the form of hospitality." She says, smiling.

"I would be honored to accept your invitation, thank you." She inclines her head in thanks.

"I would be honored to be the first to introduce you to it, of course." She grins, finding it odd that Viveki knows about their language but not of the Tea Ceremony.

"How long has Viveki-san been in our Emperor's lands?"

"I only just arrived last night." She pauses. "Though, I have been traveling within your lands for a few weeks. My Nezumi escorts did not wish to stop moving, for fear of being caught in heavy snows. Judging from the weather, we arrived just in time."

"Escorted by the Nezumi, and yet, Viveki-san makes analogies to rats being prey to cats." Kinsen mentions, smirking, "That is bold, indeed."

"In my experience, the Nezumi would be more offended by the comparison to rats than a metaphor involving rats." She makes a vague gesture to the distance. "The Nezumi are intelligent enough to know the difference."

"Fair enough. The same would go to compare humans to primates. Unless of course, one comes from the Saru family." Kinsen gigles a bit, "I merely jested, in any fashion. The Nezumi are our neighbors in the south. How long a travel is your Kingdom from their capital?"

"I believe it took us three weeks?" She ponders this for a moment, then nods. "Yes. It would have been faster by boat, but the Nezumi do not care for sea travel, and I felt that an introduction was worth the delay."

"We might make this connection faster. Otomo Gusai-san is an exceptional seafarer. He's a skipper to the Stag ships currently being used for trade. It would be perhaps fortunate that you two meet." Kinsen considers, adding with a giggle, "After all, I wouldn't want to miss on a shipment of beauty items from the Doshi.

"I would be most grateful for the introduction," she says, incliningnher head in thanks. "This has been a fortuitous meeting. I hope that we can speak at great length after the wedding."

"If Fortunes permit, we will." Says the Queen of the Stag.

/scene?

/sceeeeene