The South Wind Burns
From the Journals of Mirumoto Kissaki
Doji 30th, 1140:
Aziz has found a secret room in the basement of the estate here in Medinat al-Salaam.
It was inside the ‘outer’ safe room (the one with the busted lock, that had likely been looted by the Sultan’s forces when they arrested the previous tenant). According to him, the door appeared right at dawn, showing up on a wall that was previously bare stone. We don’t have the key for it, but he was somehow able to open it anyway (he says he apprenticed for a while at a locksmith. I will not press the matter). There is a door-release on the inside, so one cannot be trapped in there (thankfully) but it will take some time to recreate a proper (likely magical) key. Aisha is going to speak to Mara about it later. Anyway...
The path leading down from there was tight and winding, smoothly carved into the living stone below (likely carved with magic), but thankfully clean and clear of obstruction, leading to what could only be described as a personal sanctuary. There were chairs and a table, a large bookcase with reading materials, a fancy rug, and, well, more treasure. Aziz definitely has a talent for finding this sort of thing- the Kitsuki would envy his sharp eyes.
What the owner kept in the outer room was likely a distraction, because this room has been untouched, as far as we can tell. I’m guessing most of his money was there, and probably a few token books and artifacts. This is clearly the good stuff, but we knew better than to just barge in.
Aziz and Aisha called in some of their Ra-Shari friends to help: security consultants, they said. Again, I did not press, but their leader (Della) was certainly friendly enough, once I showed them the Wahli’s bird pendant. Though they are giving me ‘the family discount’, I still paid them most generously.
It took us all a few hours to get through the room, though, because there were a copious amount of traps. Notably, there were a lot of vicious magical traps (the incineration floor tiles were interesting). Whomever owned this place must have been supremely paranoid, but Della and her crew are good at what they do. I am not sure if they are most comparable to the Scorpion or the Mantis, but I’m guessing more of the latter.
As suspected, the bookshelves were full of all sorts of important books- ones I likely do not care about or need. To be honest, I don’t really need any of the things here, so I let Aisha and Aziz have first pick, and then Della and Co, once they figure out what everything is. Yes this is ‘all mine now’, but through broken Mekhem I stressed the importance of gifts to them, and this time it was I that would not back down. Della and Co argued less than Aziz and Aisha, but all were very happy with it (not unexpected for gaijin). I am sure most of the things here are invaluable, but frankly, they found a secret chamber in my house. That alone is a wonderful gift and I must repay them as Honor demands.
--
Oh!
I almost forgot. A rough-carved passage leads down from the sanctuary to a hot spring. I don’t know what it was used for previously (there are wax remnants and other detritus), but the water is perfect for a bath. I shall clean and sanctify it (and thank aziz later). Aisha can help with the purification rituals.
There are some air and drain vents, but they are barred. One looks just big enough for a small man to squeeze through, which must have been an escape route. One of Della’s boys, smaller than even Aziz, checked it out, but it ended in a landslide about 20 yards in. Aisha says she can tighten the passageway further with her magic, which will help secure it without blocking the water flow out so that no one can sneak in, just in case.
Shiba 12th, 1140:
Aisha, Della, and the other Ra-Shari have determined most of the other items. As suspected, many of the books were blasphemies. My thoughts were to burn them or turn them over to the sultan, but Aisha summoned Mara (who is no longer blue, thankfully); she confirmed that they cursed and need to be ritually destroyed. That discouraged the Ra-Shari enough (they were likely to sell the books, I would guess), and thankfully Mara said she could help us with the rituals. We will take them out of the city and burn them tonight. She was much more excited about a bracelet, a golden one set with a red opal, which apparently is a portable summoning circle, allowing her to move around freely (she must stay close to Aisha, but still). She practically demanded it, really; Aisha and I agree on this, and will take her out to explore the city after the ceremony.
The rest of the more interesting things were given to Della and her men, and thus inconsequential to me.
There are other ‘normal’ valuables- a small stack of gold bars, ivory, some crystal, a variety of jewels and jewelry, some ornate weapons, fancy robes, and so on. Wazaki asked for a few things, including two of the bars. I have no feelings one way or the other on this matter.
--
We went out into the desert and burned the books, one of which exploded spectacularly. I took Aisha and a now-mobile Mara out for dinner and drinks to celebrate her quasi-freedom- Mara was ecstatic about it, even if it was a longer leash. Interestingly, the bracelet makes her mostly mortal (from what we can tell), because she expressed that she was hungry, among other things. She will be in a shock when she goes to fall asleep! That was a adventure (we spent most of our time at a Scorpion-run geisha house, or as close to a geisha house as one can get here, called The Willowed Breeze, performing draw-lot plays and singing), and we staggered home very late that night. The neighborhood was a tumult though; the Yodotai's daughter was kidnapped. I opened my doors to the guard when they came to search, of course (they were searching every residence), and they said they would keep me informed if our help was needed.
Aisha-chan suggested making the hot spring in the basement a shrine to Benten.
(paragraph illegible)
--
I was right. About the sleeping thing. Mara has decided that she will take off the bracelet and go to wherever jinn go, instead of just falling asleep. The emptiness of sleep terrifies her, but I guess that makes sense if you’ve never done it. I will have to talk to her about dreams, if she has them.
--
I do not remember sleeping in Yomi. Should I have?
Shiba 18th, 1140:
Moto Jafar and Iyana are setting up trade negotiations. Apparently the gaijin here have a grain they call “winter wheat”, because it does well in the winter and is drought resistant (I am shocked that it gets cold here, because it is absurdly hot right now. I’m told next month is even worse). I think it may grow well in Rokugan, especially the high plains of Dragon lands (specifically, the Dragon Heart Plains). While the gold and jewels would be good to bring home, a stable food source would be so much more helpful for the clan.
There are other things they insist I should get for the clan, but these are on a smaller scale. Iyana insisted I get some tiny spy-glasses for our jewelers (something called a loup, which lets the jewel-cutter see better detail), compasses (a brass disc with a needle which always points north), some spy-glasses, and something called an astrolabe (for determining your position by the stars). I don't know what we might do with some of these things; I think she has a cousin in the curiosities business, but i shall humor her.
I am much more interested in the wheat. If it grows well at home, we will have to get a lot more of it. I'm told it can be brewed, too.
Shiba 21st, 1140:
Tonight was... interesting. I shall start from the beginning. Once again, I took Aisha-chan and Mara out for dinner, but in the middle of the night I awoke to screams. When I made it to Aisha's room though, she was gone. The window was open, and as I looked out I could make out two shapes; there was no time to go around to a door or find Aziz, so I jumped out the window and followed, yelling for help. Three of the yodotai neighbor’s guards came running after me and we pursued the kidnappers through the busy streets of the city (it is busy at all hours here, especially in the cool evening). The guards had armor and I had a twisted ankle, however, so it was not an equal chase. I was able to get some local Moto to chase with us (“Stop them in the name of the Khan!” works wonders), but they were still getting away- we were just not fast enough. Aisha-chan would have been lost if not for a young boy who threw himself at one of the kidnappers (a man significantly larger than he); the kid got a lucky shot in and broke the villain’s knee, sending him and Aisha sprawling to the ground. I dispatched him effortlessly while the yodotai pursued the other. Thankfully Aisha was ok, but she was unconscious, so two of the Moto stayed with her while I led the rest (and the boy, Kobe, the son of a local Scorpion) after the other. We quickly got lost in the maze of back-alleys, but a explosion in a distant building showed us where to go. It was a warehouse, typical of any other, except that the door was kicked in and there were sounds of fighting from within.
Inside, down the rough stairs to the basement, was a mess of a battle. The room was lit by torches, and there were women and girls, disrobed and chained to the walls. In the center was a bloody altar, and before it a hole into the floor. Whatever type of maho the gaijin have access to, this was clearly it. The three yodotai soldiers were in a losing fight against an enormous brass jinn, who was beating on their metal shields with a heavy mallet and laughing. There was a sahir, too; I know this because as soon as we came in, he hit us with a great gout of fire.
Kobe and I were quick enough to dive out of the way (as we were first down the stairs, we saw it coming), but though we shouted, our Moto allies were not so lucky. Kobe went after the sahir because he was nimbler and I went after the jinn. Why? I could see that the yodotai soldiers were barely scratching it with their short swords, even with obviously strong stabs, but Daikiku would not have such an issue. The jinn had knocked them down and was about to hammer one to death, but looked up when I shouted at it (combat challenges are universal, it seems). I centered myself as it charged forward, laughing and reckless, undoubtedly fearless because of its invulnerable brass skin. Its swing was easily telegraphed and simple to sidestep; the jinn stopped laughing when Daikiku sliced clean through its side and spilt its molten blood on the stone floor. A second strike cleaved its right arm clear off. Sensing my opening, I threw myself into my attacks, dispatching it quickly (though not without injury; I will carry burn scars from the blood forever).
I looked up to see everyone staring at me. Using the distraction to his advantage, Kobe skewered the sahir with his knife as one of the chained girls slammed into the back of his leg, sending the gaijin-tsukai into the hole, his fall ending in a sickening crunch. I found later that killing a jinn is very, very rare; they are functionally immortal and nemuranai are exceptionally rare, so this simply does not happen often... but the thing about samurai is that we kill gods. Men, oni, jinn, kami, fortunes, it does not matter; all die at the point of the katana.
This is not hubris. This is what it means to be samurai.
I made prayers to the jinn’s spirit anyway, and hopefully it can find rest. The dead, regardless of who they were in life, deserve our respect. That is what it means to be samurai, too.
I do not know what the proper funeral ritual for a jinn is. I will leave it to the Sultan’s men.
--
We all were able to get healed easily enough once the magistrates came, and many of the women and girls have gone back to their homes and families. The neighbor's daughter, Lucia, was one of the girls that had been captured, and the yodotai soldiers escorted her home. Many of the girls were homeless, or went home to find their families dead. I opened my doors to them, of course; at least until other arrangements could be made, if possible.
Sadly, when we got home, we found Aziz dead; the kidnappers let a viper in his window, which was curled up in his bed. On a hunch, I checked my bed too, and sure enough there was a viper waiting there, curled up where my feet would have been. Thank the kami I did not sleep in that tall gaijin bed. but on a proper futon mattress instead (a gift from Moto Jafar), far away from the window.
Della and Co. did a thorough security sweep of the estate, finding the small ledge which the assassins used to access the windows and get into the room- it was only a finger or so wide, but apparently that was enough. We fixed that, and they made sure the house was secure. This will not happen again.
Aziz's funeral was that night. We gave him a proper funeral, unlike the others from the caravan. The wake lasted until dawn. I shall miss him.
--
Apparently the gaijin-tsukai had been abusing them greatly, sacrificing the girls to the brass jinn’s desires, and throwing them into the hole to die when they were spent. It is good that the fiends were purged from the city, and I will speak no more of that place.
Shiba 23rd, 1140:
I have once again been invited to the Sultan’s Palace, this time to discuss the dead jinn. The magistrates had a hard time moving its corpse (because of the weight), so the Sultan’s sahir flew it out. This brought a lot of attention to me throughout the city, and the Sultan capitalized on this by hosting a great celebration in my honor, again. If it helps him enforce Law and Order, I do not mind, but my Mekhem is still embarrassingly rough- thank goodness for Aisha-chan and Mara (who snuck in as our attendant, and was not noticed by the guard sahir. Interesting).
I learned that the Yodotai-gaijin have invaded the Senpet-gaijin’s homeland, and that they have a significant reputation as conquerors (which caused a great deal of unspoken tension at the court). I have added more information on this in the “Observations on the Yodotai” journal, but suffice to say, many wonder how long that war will take, and when (not if) they will once again set their sights on conquering the Jewel. When I am home, I will make copies of these observations for the Unicorn and the Scorpion (since they have presence here), and for the Empress, once she is old enough to consider such things. If the Jewel falls, the Yodotai will be knocking on our door soon after.
Also, I have included observations from Doji-Tsuro-sama, my brother-in-law’s restless spirit, regarding the Yodotai too. Apparently their great strength is that their ancestors fight beside them. Which ancestor? All of them. For the three soldiers in the fight with the jinn, Doji-sama said there were about 20 Yodotai ancestors protecting them from the evil sahir’s magic.
My neighbor, Aurellius-san, was not amused when I told him that if they bring their Conqueror God to Rokugan, we will kill him too. To his credit, I think he believes me (I did not even have to give him examples). His daughter is doing well, which is good, and I have invited them (and the guards who went with me to fight the gaijin-tsukai) over for dinner and tea next week.
Shiba 30th, 1140:
Dinner with the neighbors was… enlightening. I have learned much of them without giving too much up on my end (as much as I find them annoying, thank goodness for Dragon riddles!); they were mostly curious about how Daikiku cut the jinn when their blades could not. That was not a conversation I could avoid, so I showed them a rough guideline on reverence for one’s ancestral swords. Apparently they only have a handful of nemuranai among their whole nation (mostly weapons once wielded by their first Emperor). As they do not believe in kami, I do not think their swords will awaken any time soon; they see them as tools. Effective, dangerous, tools, but tools none the less.
As thanks for saving Lucia’s life, Aurellius-san gifted me with some Yodotai arms and armor (swords, shields, armor, the works) as a “Friend of the Yodotai People” (I did not tell him this was an insult). I had nothing to give him in return (beyond the woodcarvings of the Fortunes I gave to them as hosts’ gifts), but he insisted that “his daughter” was gift enough. He asked around and determined that personal gifts are better than bland ones, and this was his younger brother’s equipment (who died in combat and had no heir). That gesture I can appreciate, even if I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. I think our peoples could be friends, if we weren’t so diametrically opposed. Such is karma. My descendants will face them on the field of battle one day, and will do so with Honor.
Bayushi 21st, 1140:
It has been a month since Aziz' death.
The weather has been unbearably hot, to the point that the city has been at a standstill during the day. I see now why they insisted not to travel.
I have spent my time with the kidnapping victims who are staying with Aisha and I, helping them deal with the significant trauma they endured. One of the younger orphan girls, Harumi (who is about 5, I think), was the daughter of a local Scorpion couple of no particular rank or noteworthiness; they were killed by a gaijin-tsukai cult (called “the Jackals”). I will not allow a samurai child to be homeless, so I have spoken to the Scorpion lord here and officially adopted her as my own so that she does not have to grow up a ronin in a foreign land. Her Rokugani is good and she is young enough to grow past her setbacks, I hope. She warms my heart, and her antics remind me of the children I once had so long ago. She is brave and noble, and I am sure she will do well, once she loses the accent and the tan.
I know what it is like to lose your parents so young, and I have spoken to her of this. She will not be alone.
The others, though, are gaijin (six of them, from various merchant, peasant, and noble houses). Some are older, like Alimah, whose husband disowned her after they learned she had been abused (I do not understand why, but I will not question the foolishness of gaijin culture. She is welcome here, though, and has proven an excellent nanny and cook). The rest are young, though not as young as Harumi, and they have taken on the role of maidservants around the house with a quickness and zest.
I can see the sadness in their eyes, though, and I can feel it hang on them when they think they are alone. I do not speak of it, as that would be improper, but the girls have brought Aisha-chan’s maternal instincts to the fore and are usually not far from her. I am doing my best to teach them things like meditation, of Honor and Compassion and Courage, so that they can all grow up to the the strong, beautiful women I know they can be, but they are still gaijin. They may never be samurai, but they can at least be safe inside. I know how hard that can be.
Could the Unicorn take them in? I know that sometimes peasants are called by the Moon to Climb the Mountain; maybe their karma is to be tattooed monks? I know occasionally a peasant is born who can speak to the kami… and then there’s the Moto… I shall speak to Wazaki-san and Jafar-san about this. I do not know the right answer here, and I am conflicted. Can I take them home?
A great sadness weighs on my heart. I must meditate.
--
The only other man the girls like can tolerate is Kobe (though we are working on this with Jafar-san and the other guests who come to visit; they cannot avoid men forever, and I have told them this, but I do not push). His father, Bayushi Satoro, has not been able to get the favors necessary to send him home to take a proper gempukku, so I have offered to take him back to Rokugan with me. Therefore, Kobe has been staying with Aisha and I, too. He is an interesting young man, blessed with an obscene amount of luck (seriously, he’s banned from the local gambling houses after taking some of my money and returning with a much larger pile. I made him donate it to the local temples; there will be no ill-gotten funds in this house). I cannot teach him the Bayushi techniques (and his father is a courtier), but I have taken him as a temporary student until he can go to Kyuden Bayushi, and am giving him basic iai and ken instruction. He picks it up well enough, but his skill is sloppy and he is reckless. I have been stern with him, though, insisting that he not rely on it., because luck fails, and hopefully he got the message (after numerous bumps on his head to prove the point; the kid is very stubborn). He’s good in a fight, though, and having been on the receiving end of his special luck in the dojo, he will make a fine, if unpredictable, bushi one day.
When we get home, I will send him to Kyuden Bayushi with a letter of introduction for Bayushi Tengen-san. If anyone can help Kobe handle his unique talent, its him.
Bayushi 27th, 1140:
Alimah is a dancer, and whatever the equivalent of a geisha is here. She is teaching some of the girls to dance, but it is gaijin dancing. Harumi is upset that I will not let her learn it (it is not for Rokugani samurai!). My impressions of Rokugani geisha dancing are embarrassingly hilarious, but it puts the girls in good spirits and eases their fears. If pretending to be a geisha makes them laugh and smile, I am more than willing to do it.
Harumi, Fadwa, and Hala (the youngest three, ages 5, 7, and 8) sleep in either my room or with Aisha-chan now. It started because of nightmares, and I do not mind it (they take comfort knowing I, and my swords, are near). I think the other two are handling it well enough, but I still go check on them at night. I am told that Sabriya (12) and Yasmin (14) occasionally sleep with Alimah or Aisha-chan (being older, they got more of the Jinn’s attentions. Yasmin was close to going into the hole, but held out). I am glad those slaver gaijin-tsukai are dead now. Perhaps I will talk to Aurellius and have his spirit legions go hunt the bastards down in Hell...
I do not know what the girls will do when I must return to Rokugan. I pray to the Fortunes nightly to show me the way.
--
Harumi-chan is picking up niten quite adeptly; not just the two-blade style, but the heart of the style, the furious calm. On the surface she is a happy, patient young girl, but in the dojo, when she can really let loose, she becomes a real monster. I foresee her being a great bushi one day, and that is not just fatherly pride, or the pride of a sensei. She really is picking things up very eagerly and will surely represent the Mirumoto with Honor.
As a father though, her… stillness… is slightly worrying.
That is not true. It is terrifying. I pray every night that she, and the other girls, will be ok. I pray to every fortune I can think of that they will be ok. I know Tsuro-sama watches me do this, and has been very quiet of late. If he criticized me over praying for gaijin, I swear I will find a way to kill him again. I pray to him for guidance anyway.
--
Harumi-chan called me Pappa earlier! She flushed and turned away afterward, given that it’s all still fresh for her, but… ! She has thrown herself into her studies and is currently beating the crap out of Kobe (he needs it; perhaps this will cure his pride).
--
There was an incident with Doji Tsuro-sama at the Yodotai house this evening. I have included that in the Yodotai report.
Bayushi 29th, 1140:
Jafar-san says I will leave for home in a week or so, and he is arranging the caravan.
The girls are all sobbing; they do not want me to leave. To say that it is heart-wrenching would be to put it mildly; there is a millstone hanging on my soul. I went to the riverside with Wazaki afterward, to clear my head and pray.
The old monk showed up, the one I met months ago whom no one remembers, the one with no name. I didn’t have anything to say to him, I just sat next to him on the steps leading down to the water, running my fingers through my prayer beads (the old oak set I brought over from Yomi; the ones Obaa-sama gave me when I was a little boy, before the raiders came and killed my family). There were not a lot of people out because of the heat, but it was late and the shade of a nearby tree shielded us from the sun. I maintained my On, but I could not stop the tears.
For everything thing that I had done since I returned through Oblivion’s Gate, this was what made me feel old. I don’t know what I was praying for, who I was even praying to, or how long I was there. The desert heat does strange things to people. I felt that should make some kind of offering, so I kissed the beads one last time and threw them in the river.
“You wait here, young man.” The old monk said in a wavering accent, as he got up and walked away. I was surprised, but I was in no condition to move anyway, so there I sat.
The sun went down, the stars came out, and with them, the people. They all knew who I was, after the things I have done here (that, and a glowing man stands out). Many came to thank me- people who were saved from the sandstorm, fathers whose daughters were rescued from the cultists, those who just wanted to say hello. I smiled and nodded, but I wasn’t really all there. Many sat and prayed with me at the little shrine that the had old foreign monk left. Some brought food and water. Some left money offerings at the shrine, while others took money.
Hell, they could have took off with me; I wouldn’t have noticed.
At some point, the tears stopped, and I focused on my breathing. I sat through the night, meditating quietly as people, stars and the world came and went.
A merchant elbowed me awake, pointing toward the city. As the first light of dawn began to peek over the endless sands, I saw Aisha and Alimah leading the girls into the plaza, a long train of them, all hand in hand. I could not withhold my smile when the girls all shouted “Pappa!” and tackled me to the ground. All I heard was laughter and joy. Aisha joined us, strangers brought us food and water, and we all had a little banquet there on the steps of the river. Someone started playing music. Strangers were dancing and singing. The girls all ran down to play in the water in the shallow steps, and I let them. Looking into Aisha’s eyes, watching the girls’ run and play… my joy turned to absolute sorrow.
“Pappa Pappa!” Harumi-chan shouted as she ran back, grabbing our hands and pulling us up with all the strength a five-year-old girl can muster. “Come look! The water is dancing!”
My sorrow forgotten, we ran to the edge of the stairs and down towards the river. True enough, Fadwa, Hala, Sabriya and Yasmin were all sculpting a tower of water into the shape of a dancer, as if it were nothing more than snow. It was a crude shape, but they were clearly whispering to the water, talking sweetly to it, and after a moment, the water maiden they made began to slowly twirl about, just as Alimah had taught them.
“Girls” I said, calmly and clearly. “Can you tell me what’s going on?”
As their attention turned away, the water maiden fell into the river, dissipating. They all looked like they’d done something wrong. Sabriya was the first to speak. “When we came down to the river, we… we could hear the water singing, so we sang back.”
I looked at Aisha-chan- her eyes were wide, and she looked at me with knowing recognition. I could hear the crowd behind us murmuring, so I went to take care of them with Harumi while she told the girls that they were talking to the kami of the river… and that only Rokugani shugenja could do that.
The crowd accepted the answer easily enough: a type of sahir, new to their gifts. They accepted that surprisingly easily and went back to the impromptu feast.
I could hear happy squeaks behind me.
“Pappa…”
“Yes, Harumi-chan?”
“I…” She wasn’t sure quite what to ask. “Does that mean they can be my real sisters now and come home with us?”
“Yes, sweetie.” I said, kneeling down to look her in the eyes. “They were speaking to the water kami in the river, and the kami listened to them. Only very special samurai priests can do this. Therefore, if they can do it, that means they are samurai like you and I, and must come home with us.”
She was still confused. “But…”
“The Fortunes work in strange and mysterious ways. We will never know why their souls were sent way out here to gaijin lands, but clearly we were meant to find them, rescue them, and bring them home. It is the Will of the Fortunes and the Kami, and that is not for us to question.”
She smiled, hugged me, and ran down the steps to embrace her sisters.
Shinjo 6th, 1140:
We have begun the caravan home, and it is a long one. I have left the estate for Moto Jafar. "I am too generous!" he says. I do not worry about this; I do not expect to return, but he says he will keep a room for me, or for any Dragon who come this way. I shall maintain contact with him though, as he has been an exceptional business partner and friend. All of the Rokugani here have been very helpful, and I though I know I have not been exposed to the inevitably dark sides of the city that much, there are people of great integrity and Honor here.
--
As I said, the caravan home is a long one. I have with me Moto Aisha, Iuchi Wazaki, Kobe, Harumi and the girls (including Alimah, who has requested to be Aisha-chan’s servant), as well as Mara, who now appears and acts like a perfect Rokugani maiden. I have with me personal treasures (notably the iron, the gifts, horses, and some of the other treasures obtained), and Jafar-san made sure to get the trade goods I had requested (notably the winter wheat). Jafar-san also made sure to exchange the copper coins, treasure and jewels for more functional koku, as much as he could, and provided a letter for Maduhl-sama to help exchange the rest. At last count, there is over nine thousand koku here, and that is after the wheat purchases. I am sure most of this will go toward taxes, both Imperial and Unicorn, and that is unavoidable; Jafar-san assured me there would be a substantial amount left for the Dragon. I am no merchant, though, but Shichirou-dono has a better head for commerce than I. I will speak to him of it.
My true treasures smile back at me.
Shinjo 24, 1140
We have been pushing hard for the girls to learn proper Rokugani, and proper etiquette. To their credit, they learn quickly. Wazaki-san has been speaking to them about the kami, but the desert has made him sullen again.
Aside from the training (language, culture/etiquette/bushido, theology, ken/iai), the trip has been slow but uneventful. Thankfully. The Moto guards traveling with us are very friendly, and have all become very protective of the girls. For as wild and unfettered as they act, they are all absolutely respectful and watchful. If anyone can tell them what to expect when they get to their new home, it’s the Unicorn. I am glad for that.
Hida 1, 1140
We are getting close to home, but Wazaki-san has disappeared in the night. A party of riders went to track him, but they returned two days later with no news. I do not know what has become of him, perhaps the madness finally took it’s toll.
Hida 12, 1140
We are home! Well, we have passed through the northern wall. It is good to see grass and trees again. The girls are amazed, it is clear they are hearing the kami everywhere now. I find it odd that as lively as Medinat al-Salaam was, the kami were so silent. I guess no one was there to talk to them, but here… Hala-chan says the world is singing to her, and the look in her eyes tells me it is all worth it.
Hida 15, 1140
Maduhl-sama has brought us to the court of the Khan, and I presented my tale to them over drinks. I presented my daughters to him, and he agrees that I am indeed greatly blessed by the Kami. I did not mention the iron, and as I suspected the Unicorn took a fair portion of the koku. I do not worry about this, they trusted me, and I am Honored to repay that trust. I have spoken highly of Jafar-san and Aisha-chan-san to them, and Maduhl-sama agrees that this can be used to build stronger commercial ties between our clans. If the wheat works well in the high plains, we will need to access it. Perhaps we will send Jafar-san some lumber… I do not know yet.
With the blessings of the Khan, Aisha-san is going to take Sabriyah and Yasmin to study with the Horiuchi in a month. They are concerned of course, but Harumi, Fadwa, Hala, and I have promised to write to them often, and that they will write back. I cannot teach them the way of the shugenja, and we all agree that this school, or possibly the Iuchi, would be best for them, as they are close to the age of gempukku. It is likely that the other two will join them later, but we shall see.
--
Apparently there is no record of Wazaki-san in Maduhl or the Khan’s records. This is very confusing.
--
I sent Kobe to Kyuden Bayushi with a letter of introduction for Tangen-sama. He thanked me, and I told him he’s going to need all his luck and willpower to succeed. I suggested he work on meditating and cultivating his mushin, the Void in everyone, and to listen to the silence of the world to know the way.
Hida 24, 1140
I am home. I have introduced my daughters to the house staff and to my Lords, and they are acting like proper samurai children. One of the Mirumoto looked on in disbelief, but I was able to reassure him that yes, they are blessed by the kami (without challenging him. I do not wish to, but I absolutely will if I have to). I’ve turned over the koku and wheat to Shichirou-dono, and as I expected, he has provided me with an increased stipend. Hara-dono is absolutely fawning over the girls and doing everything she can to make them feel welcome. My heart bursts with joy.
A tattooed monk, one Togashi Shojuko, asked about the iron on behalf of Togashi Hoshi-dono (in that cryptic manner that the ise zumi so love, of course). I should not have been surprised that he knew about it in advance, and sent it with her. I returned the books I had borrowed, with my notes and homework, to the Kitsuki library and my sensei, too.
It’s good to be back.
Hida 25, 1140
Mara has come with us, as I promised to bring her many months ago. Aisha and I took her to the top of the nearest mountain, and once she felt that cool mountain air and the light snow on her face… she took off the gaijin bracelet, but did not vanish as we have come to expect.
“Thank you, Aisha-san, Kissaki-san.” She smiled politely and bowed. “I remember now.”
We looked at her curiously for only a moment, until the wind picked up furiously, coalescing into a column. I quickly prostrated myself, pulling a surprised Aisha-chan down with me.
“Thank you for returning my lost daughter to me, Kissaki-san.” Kaze-no-Kami said before they disappeared, after what I assume was a deep bow. “Enjoy your rewards.”
It took a second, but then it hit me: Mara was indeed a Snow Maiden, a Daughter of the Wind, who somehow ended up in the desert of all places, and he was the one who made sure my daughters could return with me. Was he the old monk, or did he just watch from above? I do not know. It does not matter.
We prayed for a long time before heading back. I will make a shrine here.
--
Upon returning to my room, I found the fan I had sent to Kakita Rei, and a letter. The marriage negotiations have been cancelled. I am sad but not surprised.
Hida 26, 1140
Upon advice from Hara-dono, I have proposed to Moto Aisha. She has to take the older girls to Horiuchi lands to study (and to study herself), but promises to return shortly. I have written a letter to the Khan, and will speak to him personally about this as soon as possible. The other two are younger and will be joining the Agasha school soon.
excerpt from another journal: Shiba 7, 1141
To summarize, the wedding was glorious. Moto Aisha, a Horiuchi-trained shugenja, is now my wife: Mirumoto Aisha. The Great Khan outdid himself with the ceremonies, as expected. A great number of wonderful gifts were sent from my many, many friends and allies, and my daimyo (the letters from Togashi Hoshi-dono and Mirumoto Uso-dono were deeply touching), but I truly have no idea what I’m going to do with this yurt.
My daughters, our daughters, were all present, and it was good to see Sabriya and Jasmin again.
It was a good day.
