On the picture: The picture was given to me by a friend who wishes to be anonymous. This is a composite picture from both Miroku (whom someone pointed out Sohin was extremely like) and the lead character in Divine Melody (which you can read in Shoujomagic.org!) Miroku was wiggling his eyebrows I think which lent to the unproportional eyes but this makes him look a little skeptical in this.

This is certainly not a sword, but well, Sohin meaning 'gift' sells gifts in this story and has shown skill to carve, in the fic he presents someone with chopstiks, he has carved out, and he made the softly polished marital comb he carries around. The flute I think would not be a far cry from something that he could whittle out of wood and he could sell for a living.

-----

The man nodded and turned to Sohin, Nabiki watched as the man ambled over to her pseudo-fiancé and present him the family heirloom. She watched in morbid curiosity over what Sohin would do with it.
It was rare that swords a few generations old be given away because the most coveted ones are those that had tasted blood so often. These swords were heirlooms passed from generation to generation and since they were so rare, many young samurai were forced to accept newly forged blades. And here was a three-generation katana wasted on a peasant.

She had wanted to tell him to take the sword back, or at least, wait for someone worth its blade, but she dared not insult her 'fiancé' nor the man that stood proudly in front of her. In some way, she had sent him to Sohin as a test, a test to see how her fiancé would react to such a precious gift. That and because she did not know how to refuse such a gift.

At least no one asked why Sohin did not have a sword. It was widely believed that for a samurai to part with his sword is to lose his honor. But these men were in Saotome territory, and in the whole of Happosai's lands, men were taught that the Saotome fist could do so much more than a single blade. Nabiki rarely carried hers when she expected no fight from samurai outside the Saotome sect. It was a dishonor to have it stolen... but they found nothing wrong with it being left alone. At least, not for long periods of time, and the blade was well taken care off.

Her curiosity was even more piqued when they started walking towards the stables where the horses were kept. Sohin turned to look at her and motioned her to follow them. Outraged that he summoned her as he did, yet interested in what they were going to do, she grudgingly followed. She sighed as she picked up the sack and lifted it with a grunt. "Come here, he says..." She muttered all the way to the stables where exactly one horse was kept. She stayed at the door, where she could watch all of them idly. No one was going to use the horse because Happosai had not given any permission. The solitary horse they kept in each city was used for emergency purposes. Even though there was a scarcity of the animal in Sagami, the stables were always packed with straw... it was an essential part of living.

Currently, a couple of women were sitting on the haystack matting the rice straw together. When this was done, another group of women covered this with a smooth surface of their woven reeds and bound the edges together with cloth tape. They were making the tatami, the final touches to their houses.

Nabiki just raised her eyebrows when Sohin and Michael started to gather straw, binding it together with ropes until it became twice as big as she was. Then, Michael stepped back and gave Sohin the sword.

Sohin smiled as he gently unwrapped it. Nabiki noted that he looked exactly like Hanae or Sei when they were opening presents on special occasions. He took the sheath and the sword and fixed it on his belt, his hand resting lightly on the sword hilt. All of a sudden, it dawned on Nabiki what they were doing.
They were testing the sword.

"Oh... damn." Nabiki muttered, as she raised her hand to stop Sohin from striking the haystack, berating herself for not realizing their intent sooner. Just because Sohin was a peasant it did not mean that he did not know he was supposed to test the sword. She just hadn't drawn that conclusion, and she didn't think Sohin would do it in front of an audience.

Usually swords were tested on criminals except murderers, priests, tattooed individuals and eta. When there was a lack of subjects to test the sword upon, what were left were haystacks. Just as what Sohin was trying to do right now.

Between the ten women, most of whom were samurai, and Michael who was a few meters away from Sohin, one of them was bound to realize Sohin had never handled a sword before. 'A sword meant for a samurai, goddamnit!' Nabiki thought. A peasant did not usually engage in *testing* swords. If that didn't put and end to their game, nothing would. "Sohin!"

But it was too late, for he had already gone through the motions swiftly... And she watched as the haystack stood there in a single piece, 'He missed. It was right in front of him and he missed. I'm doomed.' Nabiki thought as she ran towards them, in a moment she was beside Sohin... "What do you think--"

Sohin sheathed the sword and smiled as he looked at Nabiki then turned to Michael. "Thanks. It's a great sword." And in that instant the straw pile disintegrated.

HTML

txt