[D1, EM] Breakfast at Tiffany's

[Viveki Doshi]

After arriving late the evening before, the wedding guest who had traveled the furthest had found herself a quiet place to sit in the dining hall. A breakfast of rice and fish was laid out in front of her, but her attention was upon a small hand mirror, which she was using to touch up the makeup around her eyes. If she showed any sign of being bothered by the frequent stares and furtive looks of the servants, she gave no sign.

[Hantei Kinsen]

“What a lovely shade you have applied.” Says the amazon-like blonde while she come closer to the foreigner. “I am called Hantei Kinsen. Wife to the Champion of the Stag Clan. I hope you don’t mind me sharing some rice nearby.”

With a bow, she lowers herself down, puts her hands on her lap and smiles brightly waiting for the reply.

[Viveki Doshi]

Viveki looks up at the woman, then smiles and tucks her makeup kit away. "Thank you," she says, her accent quite noticeable but not enough to overly distort the words. "You are more than welcome to join me. I am Viveki Doshi, emissary of the Doshi family, of the Ivory Kingdoms."

She mirrors Kinsen by folding her hands in her lap. "The Champion of the Stag... that would be the brother of the Emperor, correct? Making you his sister-in-law?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Correct!" Kinsen confirms with a smiling nod, and gently reaches out for a bowl to fill it up with rice. Trying not to be so direct when stealing some curious glances towards the foreigner, she handles a bowl over. After that, she serves one to herself, saying, "Hantei-kami-dono, my dear husband, is indeed our Holy Emperor's youngest brother. Even so, he managed to save all of his siblings from their terrible fate. All but one. The tenth Kami, unfortunately."

[Viveki Doshi]

Viveki nods as she accepts the rice, listening intently. "Are such large families also common among your people? I have eleven siblings that survived to adulthood myself, but even with that many, the thought of losing one is very upsetting." Her brow furrows briefly. "Still, it is impressive to have saved nine others from certain death, is it not?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen eyes widen a bit at the number, and bites her lower lip for a second to think before replying. She shakes her head, and says, "Unfortunately, I have not been so diligent with my duty. Bringing eleven lives to this world is indeed a new goal I should strive to accomplish."

The woman laughs a bit, and hides her lips with a raised hand to contain the joy before saying, "I am mother of two lovely children. Well... one is a man, already..."

"And yes, dear husband is impressive. Very impressive." Kinsen takes a deep breath while her On hides any potential blushing.

[Viveki Doshi]

Viveki laughs softly, then shakes her head. "Please, allow me to clarify. While I have eleven siblings, they are not all from the same mother. My father has had three different wives over the course of his life."

She inclines her head toward Kinsen. "I am pleased to hear about your children. For a mother of one so old, you look very young to my eyes. There are many back home who pay a great deal to learn your secret." She smiles warmly, then takes a small bite of the rice.

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Three wives. Is that so?" Kinsen replies rhetorically, unsure if her negative reaction upon hearing about her father having different wives managed to get completely hidden.

That feeling, though, gets completely overridden with the accurate and very well observed compliment. The young mother does blush a bit, and says, "Doshi-san flatters me too much. Yet, I confess I take pride in keeping myself fit and pleasantly looking to my dear husband, as well as to his brother's Imperial Court many attendees."

After taking a ball of rice, the Stag Queen inclines herself in the same fashion as the Gaijin did, to ask with a smirk, "Tell me more about this interest of many back in your homeland. Perhaps we could exchange some of these secrets."

[Viveki Doshi]

Viveki laughs softly. "My family earns a great deal of copper each month by selling various tonics and potions to aging women who wish to retain their youthful looks. If there is a secret to lingering youth within your lands, there would be no end to people wanting to acquire it for themselves." She takes another bite of rice, chewing it slowly before continuing. "I believe that it is a wife's duty to look appealing to her husband, and to know how to please him in their marriage bed, so anything my family can do to help her fulfill her duty is certainly a desirable thing."

She takes a moment to look Kinsen over. "Do your men not take multiple lovers?" From her tone, she was somewhat surprised by the idea.

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen floats around the comment of earning copper with a bland expression in her face. That made no sense to her post-tribal moneyless way of life, after all. A couple of blinks pass by, and she replies back, "Ara. Who wouldn't want to retain their youthful looks throughout the years?"

Setting bowl on the tray and hashi laid horizontally on top, the Stag puts her hands back on her laps to answer. "There are those that indulge in multiple lovers, but, the old tribal ways should have been abandoned by many in the Empire, now. The Kami haven shown us their way, and that of our most sacred Lady Sun. When we marry with her blessings, such as the wedding that will be taken today, we vow to honor our companion, and to protect them from peril, shame and misfortune, under the guidance of our lords."

With a chuckle, Kinsen adds, "Doshi-san caught my attention even more, now that I know her family is composed of famous potion-makers. I was interested in your shades and colors at first, but this is rather more interesting."

[Viveki Doshi]

Viveki's eyes briefly widen in surprise though she catches herself quickly. "Oh, you also worship Shilah? And Kaleel as well, then?" After a moment, her smile returns. "My apologies, I was merely surprised to learn of this. I had thought that those gods were unique to the Senpet. Your husband, then, he is a Jinn?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen eyebrows burrow in doubt, and she taps her chin a couple of times to reply with a shake of her head. "Eto. Those are not names I know. We worship many, many kami. Over a thousand. Each one for a specific thing. Then we have the Fortunes, such as Bishamon, for strength and bravery; Benten, for beauty and love. The Great Kami, children of the Heavens are the sons... and daughters of Lady Sun and Lord Moon, we serve dutifully."

The Stag, despite her fierce appearance, delicately pours some tea to the Gaijin, and says, "I wouldn't be able to tell you if he's a Jinn. I do not know what that. Neither I know of the Sen..pet. I know of the Komainu and the Nezumi, if that aids." The last phrase comes out with another giggly chuckle.

"Tea?" She offers with both hands.

[Viveki Doshi]

"Tea would be appreciated, thank you."

Viveki accepts the tea and sips at it, before speaking again.

"I wish that I could provide more clarity on the Senpet and their faith, but they are not my gods. Perhaps I shall have to take some religious texts home with me when I depart your Empire. I am certain that our priests would be interested in them. Or perhaps the Senpet."

Realizing that her mind was wandering, she shook her head and smiled. "My apologies. These Fortunes you mentioned, they are... also gods? And you say there are over a thousand kami, but I was told that your husband only had nine siblings, yes?

[Hantei Kinsen]

She sips and smiles watching Viveki doing so. After appreciating the taste, Kinsen answers, "No need for an apology. Understanding the way of the Kami is no offense."

The Stag embraces the cup to say, "Indeed. Nine siblings. They are the Greater Kami. They came from the Heavens to guide our people here in this land and, as I understand, even beyond, to the realm of the departed. The Seppun Family, that first served my dear husband, would be able to provide you with more information about the way of the kami. The people of the Bat, though, could bring you insights about the departed. I confess that is not something we, of the Stag, focus too much on."

Taking another sip, she mentions, "Perhaps I could help with the Seppun."

[Viveki Doshi]

"Thank you, that would be most helpful." She nods in thanks, but her brow furrows. "You said that the people of the Bat could speak with the departed? As in summoning their ghost from the beyond?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

Kinsen tilts her head a bit, since it wasn't exactly what she said. She smiles and corrects, "Pardon me. My words might have caused confusion. I am aware that Ryoshun-kami, that leads them, does not do so from this world –– that was what I was told. I'm unaware that they can make such summons."

[Viveki Doshi]

Kinsen tilts her head a bit, since it wasn't exactly what she said. She smiles and corrects, "Pardon me. My words might have caused confusion. I am aware that Ryoshun-kami, that leads them, does not do so from this world –– that was what I was told. I'm unaware that they can make such summons."

Viveki just stares at her for a moment. "My apologies, I think I may be confused. Rhyoshun is... in a different world?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Ryoshun-kami." Kinsen politely correct the Gaijin, and nods, saying again, "Ryoshun-kami is the tenth brother that my dear husband couldn't save when they fell from the Heavens."

[Viveki Doshi]

"Ryoshun-kami?" Viveki considers this. "Why do you state that he is a kami after his name? Should everyone not already know who he is?" A pause. "Or is this because he was not saved?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

"It is an honorific we have to address in respect to his divine being." Kinsen mentions, smiling to the fact that she was once the one asking these same questions to Doji... Doji-kami, that is. "All the kami, in fact, are praised as such. Doshi-san, too, has an honorific all we Rokugani have to pay respect to."