[Day 7, Late Morning, Library] Books n' stuff!

[Shinjo Qulan]

Qulan was in the library, a not-so-odd sight. She didn't mind a few books every now and then... But she had never seen books like these before. Some were even leather-bound! Which, unlike her other Rokugani companions, she did not mind. A Unicorn should be used to the use of leather, after all.

I wonder if they had these back in the Burning Sands?

[Jayant Utpal]

Qulan was not the only person with an apparent interest in books today. Sitting in one of the comfortable seats which were placed about the room was a gaijin who was studying one of the books intently, his head bowed over it as he read, mouthing the words carefully under his breath as he went.

[Shinjo Qulan]

Maybe he understands Rokugani?

"Good morning." She offered him a small smile.

[Jayant Utpal]

The gaijin did not look surprised when Qulan spoke. He looked up at her calmly and smiled. "Good morning, samurai. Errr." He looks back down at the book, flipping a few pages back and carefully reads a section. "Have you had your... rice? today?"

[Shinjo Qulan]

"Ah, yes, I have. And you?" She asked, still smiling.

[Jayant Utpal]

Jayant smiles as he seemed to get the phrase right. "Well, it was bread. But I suppose the specifics aren't so important to that phrase." He sets the book down on a nearby table, and Qulan can see that the cover is written in the language of the Ivory Kingdoms. "I am Jayant Utpal, a Ward of House Pandavah. I hope my home lands have not been too rough on you."

[Shinjo Qulan]

"I am Shinjo Qulan, of the Unicorn Clan." She took note of the odd language before her. "And, it's been quite a fine stay. Very fascinating. Different from my homeland."

[Jayant Utpal]

"The Unicorn. I do not think I have met any of your...err, Clan, yet." Jayant seemed to be speaking rather good Rokugani, slightly accented, but it was as though he'd spoken the language for years. "I am glad for that. I understand that some have experienced quite severe culture shock."

[Shinjo Qulan]

"Ah, no... I am actually quite happy to see other lands. My Clan had even left Rokugan in our earliest years to explore The Burning Sands. We came back hundreds of years later." She was rather impressed by this man's Rokugani speaking skills.

[Jayant Utpal]

"I've heard a little about the exploits of your clan. But not much. I do not think you ever visited the Ivory Kingdoms during your travels though. At least, I have not heard of any tales of meeting the Unicorn clan." He paused. "What was it like, if I may ask, being outsiders in a strange land?"

[Shinjo Qulan]

"Scary, exciting, hard... All of them at once. It was adapt or die." She replied, smile no longer on her face. "We survived because we impressed a group of nomads known as the Ujik-hai. A large number of them became the family now known as the Moto."

[Jayant Utpal]

Jayant nodded carefully, taking in the information with careful thought. "That is good to know. Thank you, uhh, Shinjo-san." He ends the sentence a little uncertainly as he tries out the new style of ending.

[Shinjo Qulan]

"It was my pleasure, Jayant-san. It's nice to have one interested in our history." The smile returned.

[Jayant Utpal]

"I do not think I am the only Rhuumali who will find an interest in Rokugan's history and culture. It may be necessary for many of my people to learn of new cultures." Jayant frowned slightly.

[Shinjo Qulan]

"The Unicorn have felt the same way for Centuries. Just now are our other Clans, besides the Mantis and Tortoise, getting to experience new lands." She, too, frowned.

[Jayant Utpal]

"They do not seem to be taking to new cultures all that well at all." Jayant says, rather bluntly. "But if Rokugan does not have many dealings with the rest of the world, I suppose I could understand why that is." The brief frown on his face displayed that he might understand the why, but he wasn't happy about it.

[Shinjo Qulan]

"It has to do with something that happened before the return of the Unicorn." She frowned some more. "A foreigner killed a past Empress."

[Jayant Utpal]

Jayant raised an eyebrow. "One foreigner? And that was enough to doom all foreigners in your lands?"

[Shinjo Qulan]

"Well, a group of foreigners." She tried to explain. "You see, our Emperors and Empresses are... The most important aspects of our lives as samurai."

[Jayant Utpal]

Jayant thought for a moment. "Perhaps if you started at the beginning. Then I might understand more."