D6, EA: Seeking. (expecting but open)

[Utaku Nesrin]

"I don't entirely know. I rather expect that, and I'll be happy to serve beside my sisters. I'm good at it and the feeling of fighting beside such skilled comrades is heady." Her deep breath carries the weight of the unspoken 'but...'

"I'd like to travel too, though, and...there's someone other than my sisters I'd like to serve near. But I know I don't have a lot of say in the matter." Her smile shows no resentment at the fact.

"Where would you serve if you had the choice then?

[Mirai]

Mirai gave a thoughtful frown at that. "...Truth told, I've never really thought about it. I never had cause to believe I'd ever live any other life than the way of the waves. As long as I served somewhere the people are actually treated well, that's all I could ask for."

[Utaku Nesrin]

Nesrin grins. "Just because you've never, doesn't mean you can't think on it now. Like, now that I think of it, while I might like to see the mountains sometime, I don't think I want to stay someplace that isn't pretty wide open for running and riding." She sobers a bit as she says, "but, where people are treated well...I guess I hope it's not that hard to find those places, but I've not spent so much time beyond our corner of the plains to say."

[Mirai]

That brought out a soft sigh, followed by a slightly shy smile. "Well truth told, that was in part what the poems were about Utaku-sama. I have met a few samurai in the south I can respect and even look up to, but many that I can not. There is one scroll I kept going back to in my travels; a book by a Phoenix scholar that visited the Unicorn only a few years after your clan's return. It was all a bit fascinating, reading about the compassion the Unicorn seemed to show to the common people, something the Scorpion, Crane, and Crab have a hard time of from what I've seen."

"The most fascinating part was her stories of the Shiotome though. Certain the all the clans I've visited had warriors that were women, and even honorable ones from time to time, especially in the Crane... but the writer's descriptions of the martial prowess they possessed, and the honor and compassion they showed while doing so... it wasn't something I was used to in my travels." Mirai sighed again, this one a bit dreamy, though her tone took on a melancholy air. "Perhaps if I were in Utaku lands instead, my parents would have still been alive... I know they would have..."

[Utaku Nesrin]

"Ahh." The Battle Maiden's own sigh is apologetic. "They may have, though even in our lands many view ronin with wariness and suspicion. There are bandits lairing in the Shinomen and ranging out who wear a samurai's swords. Though it's true that's far less of an issue in Utaku lands and I've seen some working along caravans and sometimes in the villages we passed through." She offers a sympathy that seems sincere, "I'm sorry they found a different fate." Death was always a close for a samurai, but how hard would it be when you didn't have a family and clan that you knew would care for the children and other loved ones you left behind?

"I haven't travelled enough to know if we're so different in how we treat the heimin and hinin of our lands, though..." she drops her voice a bit, "it was kind of obvious that peasants in Lion lands were...rather skittish as we rode through. I wonder how different things are from that scholar's tale, now that we've settled here for hundreds of years."

[Mirai]

Mirai seemed to internalize a bit after her memory, but had enough presence of mind to both offer a faint smile of thanks at the compassion, but also to not gossip about the Lion. "I cannot say, obviously, but if it still holds true, I could hardly find a better place to serve."

[Utaku Nesrin]

"No reason you couldn't. Though..." her expression is a bit more grim. "Harvests weren't what they should be and food isn't as plentiful in our lands this year. The herds are fine, since the grass still grows. But everyone else is watching their stores and shrinking their plates." It's not really the sort of weakness you want to spread widely, but it wasn't exactly a secret, and it wouldn't be fair to leave Mirai with a false idea of what working in Unicorn lands would be like right now.

"If your fine showing here nets you an offer, I'd suggest taking it and looking for work in our lands in more plentiful years. There might be work now, but you'd be spending more of your coin to eat than maybe makes sense." She offers an apologetic smile. "Later? Maybe I'd even be in a spot to offer something, or point you toward someone like Moto-san who's in that kind of position."

[Mirai]

She gave a soft chuckle and shook her head. "Rationing myself would hardly be something new for me you know. If my performance allows me travel, no where is exactly plentiful for a Ronin."

[Utaku Nesrin]

Nesrin nods, not about to assume she knew the ronin's business better than she did. "Then it might be worth coming out there." She considers. "Moto-san has the position already to possibly have or know of work, and barring instant assignment someplace else, I expect many of us will be heading back afterward if you want a group to travel with."

[Mirai]

Mirai gave a small nod, though she looked a bit thoughtful. "I would be honored to take up such an offer, assuming I'm still a ronin of course."

[Utaku Nesrin]

"Certainly not an assumption I'll make. A lot can happen for a samurai's future at the Topaz Championship, I'm told" Nesrin offers a small smile, and a glance at the slant of the sun on the floor.

"I need to take some time at Benten's shrine before it grows too late." An easy spot to end a conversation, or offer to wait if there was more need, or desire, to discuss.

[Mirai]

If there was, Mirai seemed to take it as the Utaku hinting she wished to wrap up for now. She smiled a bit and gave a deep bow. "Of course, and I have things to prepare for later as well. It was an honor to speak to you Utaku-sama."