"That makes sense," Koyo said. "Anywhere but the monastery and my village is new to me, after all."

"Well, wherever you go, you must be careful," said Jiro.  "This land is full of people who will see you as vulnerable, and that could be very bad for you."

"I know of a minor clan you might want to eventually visit. The Sparrow. A clan where the samurai work the fields with the heimen," Kasumi said.

"Their lands border the Crab lands," Nakanobu said. "We could go by way of there, if it wouldn't be too far out of your way."

"I wouldn't mind," said Jiro.  "I'm fairly certain we aren't supposed to hurry that much."

Otherwise, they'd have horses, not an oxcart.

"We certainly could. I don't have any objections," Kasumi said.

Nakanobu nodded, pulled out and consulted a map, then set the ox moving again. "I don't usually go there, since they don't have much money or goods, but they're usually helpful."

"Well, then," said Jiro.  "Better for you than Ryoko Owari, I think.  Your learning should be less painful."

"And were once Cranes," Kasumi said.

"What do you mean?" Koyo asked.

"It was the daiyamo of a minor Crane family's son who had suggested that maybe the samurai should give all their money to the heimin. That, obviously, caused quite the stir and eventually led to the Sparrow being made into a minor clan," Kasumi said.

"Their land is fairly poor for farming, so they work hard to scrape out a living," Nakanobu added.

"Oh, was that what that was about?" said Jiro.  "I did wonder.  In any case, they're peaceable neighbors.  I have no quarrel with them."

"The Crab aren't immune to family drama. There is the Mantis," Kasumi said.

"Granted," said Jiro.  "We still get along better with them than with some, though."

"Darling, I don't think it's fair to claim that the Crab are the most sensible clan," Kasumi said.

"I think we focus well on what's immediately important," said Jiro.  "...we may lack certain subtleties, however."

"Again, Jiro, my beloved husband, that isn't completely correct," Kasumi said with a smile that wasn't reaching her eyes.

"Spoken like a Hida," Nakanobu said. "We Yasuki have a different set of priorities."

...Oh, dear.  It appeared that he'd been misunderstood.

"I don't want to say that we're above mistakes or can't be foolish or miss things," said Jiro, apologetically.  "Nor do I say that we're more sensible than other clans!  All I intended to say is that if we have a virtue, it is our focus on the threat to the Empire that the Shadowlands pose, and our dedication to dealing with that threat.  Nothing more."

"Really?" Kasumi asked, trying  to not break down crying. "Because-because with...everything..."

Jiro sat by her and put an arm around her gently.

"I'm sorry," he said.  "Please, I don't mean to offend or insult you or yours.  We Hida... hear what others think of us a great deal."

"And do you not think I heard what the Crab think of the Crane? I did hear that. A lot in fact. Then it sounds like my husband is insulting me as well," Kasumi said. "My older sister died for our clan, cut down like a dog by a Lion who cheated in their duel, with me the only one to have noticed. Then my parents shipped me off to repay some deal, since they can't stand that I wasn't as good as her. Leaving me to just be the best Crane bride I can be."

"I'm sorry," said Jiro, softly.  "Truly, I meant no insult to you or yours.  And you are not only the best Crane bride you can be-- you are the best Crane bride that could ever be.  But... your sister.  Is that something that must be avenged?  I'd help you in that, if you like."

"No, I want justice. Against him in a duel," Kasumi said.