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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 10, 2014 18:24:02 GMT
Kasumi moved a bit faster, to get out of Lion lands as quickly as possible. While she hadn't anything to fear as Emerald magistrate as the Lion would only attack a direct servant of the Emerald champion in the direst of circumstances, she simply didn't like the Lion. It was a Tsuruchi thing, coupled with the founding of the clan. "So, where are you stationed with your legion," she asked in a desperate effort to get a conversation going.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 11, 2014 4:50:09 GMT
"Depends. Was at Kyuden Seppun during the recent war with the Shadowlands. Last saw my Legion down in the Crab lands near the wall, after that whole business during Court."
He shrugged.
"We get around."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 11, 2014 6:41:02 GMT
"At least you get to see a lot of the empire, even if it isn't in the best of circumstances," Kasumi said, looking at the sun who showed itself at the moment, "if we move a bit faster we can make it to the next magistrate post before nightfall."
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 11, 2014 8:53:45 GMT
Most of the Empire I get to see is either on fire, a sea of mud, or covered in corpses. Sometimes all three.
"Then by all means."
Yes, bounce me at a higher rate of speed, you wretched excuse for an animal. You know you delight in it.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 11, 2014 13:28:46 GMT
While Kasumi wasn't really comfortable either, she was starting to get the idea on how to sit for long rides. And she made a mental note to ask for some lessons next time she was in Unicorn lands. And maybe even get a Unicorn steed. They were faster so one didn't have to spend so much time in the saddle. At least in Lion lands the roads were good, as they were made to move large amounts of troops very quickly from one end to the other.
They rode on in silence, arriving at the magistrate post just before nightfall. After dinner and a quick bath, Kasumi went to sleep, as they had to leave at sunrise the following day to make it to Kyuden Seppun the same day.
The following day they left early and rode on at a brisk pace. Kasumi had already spent one day at her estate in Tsuruchi lands and she really had to arrive at the capital. And maybe she would be in time for the cherry blossom festival.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 12, 2014 5:20:37 GMT
Kaigen had given up on coming up with creative ways to destroy his horse and had moved on to devising elaborate tortures for the sadistic madman who had invented the saddle.
He'd just gotten to an extremely horrible use for molten lead when he spotted something, just off of the road, hidden in the weeds. Something small.
And then they both heard it, as the baby, wrapped in a simple cloth, began to cry.
An abandoned child by the roadside? Surely, this is a job for you, Kaigen. Perhaps you can nurture it with the same tender care you show everything else in your life.
"..."
Kaigen dismounted (with no small relief) and approached the baby. He regarded it as he might have done a particularly exotic and unknown sort of bird.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 12, 2014 7:29:40 GMT
Kasumi was a bit surprised when Kaigen stopped, but then she saw what he was looking at and she quickly dismounted as well. "Oh, a baby," she said, stating the obvious, "what's he doing here? Are you hungry, little one." She picked up the baby, which she estimated at about one month old. As the Mantis in general and the Tsuruchi in particular always have been small, every child was precious. Even if a peasant family couldn't take care of the child it was taken in by a monastery or sometimes even another peasant family if they didn't have children. "It looks healthy to me, just hungry I guess," she said to Kaigen, going in mother protector mode, "can you get me some of those rice balls we have as rations, and some water. Let's see if I can get it to eat a bit."
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 12, 2014 8:17:24 GMT
Kaigen took another second to regard the squalling child.
It looks like one of those roots the Sparrow eat. With arms and legs. And screaming.
Then he dug a rice ball out of his obi and handed it over.
"How did it get here? It doesn't seem like it walked."
Can it walk? Is this just bait for some sort of trap? And what is that infernal... oh.
"I believe it has... soiled itself."
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 12, 2014 9:10:54 GMT
"I guess you're right," Kasumi said, "but that's easy to fix. Here." She handed over the child, went to her saddle bags and dug out some linen cloth she had. It wasn't fully clean, but it was the best she could do at the moment. She went back with the cloth and took the child from Kaigen. "Can you check the surroundings to see if you can find traces of the parents," she asked him, as it was clear he didn't have much experience in raising children. While he was gone, she quickly changed the diaper and tried to get him, as she had noticed it was a him, to eat something.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 12, 2014 9:42:55 GMT
Kaigen's search turned up a single set of footprints- barefoot, a slight limp, probably younger than middle age.
"Seems whoever it was left the child... and then went back the way they came."
Were there no temples to accept him?
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 12, 2014 12:14:25 GMT
"There's multiple temples near Kyuden Seppun," Kasumi said, "we'll ask one of them to take in the child." That there were temples near Kyuden Seppun was an understatement, as it had been the center of Rokugani religion since the founding of the empire. The main temples of the Brotherhood of Shinsei were there, so that shouldn't be a problem.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 12, 2014 19:26:32 GMT
"Hrm."
Kaigen walked over and peered owlishly at the small bundle of problems which stared back at him levelly.
Such a frail thing. And it will probably start screaming again any moment now.
The baby didn't meet the latter expectation, instead staring at the two samurai in placid silence.
At least the little taro root stopped screaming.
"I'll see about arranging some sort of space on my saddle."
Maybe I can just walk beside the accursed beast! Victory!"
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 12, 2014 20:09:20 GMT
"Don't worry about it," Kasumi said, "I've ridden with children in my arms before." Only once, but it was probably more than Kaigen had done. "I'll mount and then you can give him to me and we can be on our way," she said, giving the baby back to him before mounting her horse again.
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Post by Shiba Kaigen on Jun 13, 2014 2:48:05 GMT
Kaigen held the child as if it were a sack of rice- important, and not to be dropped, but without much gentleness or consideration.
What a very strange little creature a baby is.
"Good luck on outgrowing it, child."
His tone was exactly the same as it would have been ordering a set of latrines dug.
May your legs become worth having, and may you learn how not to soil yourself.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Jun 13, 2014 9:18:03 GMT
As soon as she was comfortable in the saddle with the baby, she moved off again. After a while the rocking motion of the horse lulled the baby into sleep. They rode on as fast as possible until Kasumi spotted a temple a bit away from the road a couple of hours later. "Let's see if we can leave the child here," she said.
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