[D3, EM] The Better Half (Expecting)

[Shiba Haru]

"Mother can play the biwa but rarely does at least when I am around. She would bring out on the rare occasion that she was hosting guests for dinner but that usually came later in the night when we were already supposed to be in bed."

Dancing around a subject is hard, more so with this subject but Haru decided that if he didn't ask now he never would and wanted to give her a chance to vent if she needed to.

"So...how old were you when you came to Phoenix lands?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

Natsuko picks up on the wording and asks, "Supposed to be? Were you doing something else?" It wasn't as if the ishiken students never snuck from their beds when they weren't supposed to, but it seemed like it should be different in a home, somehow.

She answers his question simply. "I am told I was somewhere shy of two years old." If the question itself bothered her, it wasn't apparent in her even tone

[Shiba Haru]

"Usually not, I would sneak out and play swords with a stick in our garden or off to the stables when I was older and learning to ride. Some times we would just sneak out to look at the stars and talk."

He paused.

"Do you resent it? Us?"

He hoped she understood he meant the clan and not his family.

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Did you get in trouble? Surely there were servants or guards who saw you?" There is something of curiosity to her expression as she looks up from within her hood.

That gaze dips down again at his question. "It would have been dangerous to remain there untrained." Sincere, but not exactly and answer as her hands hide within her sleeves.

[Shiba Haru]

"I would say that I got caught about half the time, more when I was younger but I learned a little each time and got better at it. The punishments seemed harsh as a child but wasn't really that bad. One time I had to do all the scrubbing of pots in the kitchen instead of the servants, that wasn't very fun but considering I was found sneaking outside of my partner Akane-san's bedroom window it could have been much worse. What about you, did you ever sneak out of the temple at night and do something you shouldn't?"

Haru decided to let the other subject drop, her interest in his behavior was intriguing him.

[Isawa Natsuko]

She nods, "The walls are stone, but you learn to settle into the void, trust the instinct that senses where stone joins to stone to climb. We would explore the forest, play with things we'd learned in ways we weren't really supposed to."

"The latter was punished harshly. The things we tap into can be dangerous." A slight crease of confusion precedes the question, "partner? What sort of partner does one have as a child?"

[Shiba Haru]

Haru flushed.

"I mean, she is...umm...was my sparring partner and beyond that my closest friend besides Jiro. We got each other into and out of a lot of trouble over the years."

A half truth and one he hoped the piercing blue eyes couldn't see through, he silently recited a prayer asking the ancestors forgiveness for his duplicity.

"I understand that there is danger in playing with the powers you wield but I am sorry the punishments were so harsh. Terrible things have happened when an Isawa has lost control, one of the more serious lessons we yojimbo are taught is how to notice and what to do when a shugenja loses control. I understand if it doesn't but I hope you will take some comfort in knowing that whoever it is that is assigned to protect you will be prepared to act if the worst ever happens."

[Isawa Natsuko]

Natsuko blinks, head tilting questioningly at the flush, but she does not comment on it. "Oh. We do not train so closely with a single other student as to consider them a partner, outside of pairing up for a given practice."

"The punishments seemed harsher at the time, I think. It is hard, when very young to really tell if a punishment is truly awful or merely awful enough to be memorable." She listens to his explanation of the duties of yojimbo and nods. "I accept that there will always be guardians. Do you expect to be assigned to guard someone after the tournament then?"

[Shiba Haru]

"I honestly have no idea at this point. I always assumed I would be a yojimbo but then mother and father sent me to study tactics with the Akodo. Maybe I will be a boarder guard, maybe sent to join the Legions, maybe I am meant to marry into the Lion. The uncertainty is only compounded by my poor showing so far in these tests.

Too many paths.

But what of your duty, what are an Ishiken's responsibilities?"

[Isawa Natsuko]

"In some ways the same as other shugenja, maintaining shrines and temples, seeing to the balance of elements throughout our provinces, and performing rituals year by year." It's a fairly text book answer, offered simply. "Some show skills that might see them attached to a court delegation, others to research, and so on."

"Our connection to void means that we touch upon some things that others do not, however. We are more likely to focus on research and seeking out threats to the elemental balance." She pauses, considering. "There are ways to turn the Void to violence, but...that can be terrible in a way that I think keeps the clan from utilizing us in that way very often."

"Studying with the Akodo does seem like a good path toward understanding if you are to marry into the Lion. The Master of Void's daughter married their Champion. The clan may be building stronger ties to the Lion right now." Shifting, she looks down at her hands, palms up and fingers interlaced. "I think it would be hard to focus on spiritual things when married to someone so political."

[Shiba Haru]

"Thankfully you do not have the burden to deal with. Jiro, while capable of discussing such things, is not a political person and would be wasted in such an arena."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"It will be interesting to see what duties we are assigned then. Do artists just set up someplace to work and the clan asks for things?" There is a quizzical tilt to her voice. "His origami are very well done."

[Shiba Haru]

"I sure he would be thrilled to hear you say that. I cannot say for certain how the clan utilizes artisans, Jiro would have a better idea of what may be asked of him."

Haru paused, uncertain of how to word his next statement.

"It...does not seem as though you and he have spoken much."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Once, over tea, and a bit that first day. We are meeting tonight."

"It has been a few days." She sits back a bit on her heels. "How often to people speak together normally?" Another pause, her eyes half-lidded with a gaze turned inward. "After tonight, I expect I will have spoken to him more than to anyone else here."

[Shiba Haru]

"I don't know, I just...I guess I imagined that when I meet my future wife I would want to spend as much time as possible with her. But his connection with the Void is stronger than mine and I understand that even with your gifts that a strong connection to it can make one seem more distant than they are. At times he is hard for me to read and we chare a soul. I expect that you will do better with him that regard, you may come to understand each other in much deeper ways."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"Barring accident or tragedy, we should have a good deal more time. I suppose I did not know that others might feel some sense of urgency about it."

The piercing blue of her eyes flicks up to him, though her tone remains the same, barely inflected and even. "Hard for you? Even when together before birth and all this time since? I am stepping in rather late, in comparison. We could talk nonstop through this entire tournament, and I may not know him, if his own twin does not after so many seasons."

[Shiba Haru]

"I KNEW him, I am not sure I still do. I feel like he has matured faster than I have. I have been trying to draw out our childhood into something endless, dreading the day when we had to walk separate paths. Now that day is nearly here and I am far from ready for it."

[Isawa Natsuko]

"hmm." It's a bit of a huff, bit of a hum, definitely amused-which is unusual. "Seems we're crossing on that path in opposite directions then."

"Ready or not, our fates continue to meet us though."

[Shiba Haru]

"Yes. They do don't they. I hope you two will take care of each other. While I don't know you well I can tell you are a good person and for that I am extremely grateful to you and the fortunes. Not having to worry about my brother's happiness will be a great relief as I have no doubt you two will live in harmony."

He offered her an exceptionally respectful bow.

[Isawa Natsuko]

She returns the bow from her seat, similarly deeply. "I...thank you, Shiba-san. I hope you are right."

She'll return her attention to the shrine once alone.

/scene? and thank you. ^^