Chapter 3

Leo and Usagi walked through the village taking in the lively streets as they walked. Vendors and creatures, mostly terapinians, of every shape and size bustled about. The road had faded from dirt to a rough cobble stone, smoothing out the further into town they got. The buildings improved this way as well. Starting out as thatched huts to stone homes stacked on top of each other, and eventually coming to houses of stone and clay. They were beautifully crafted, resembled something of a blend between Middle Eastern and Asian architecture. Doorways were colorfully painted or set in with mosaics or colored glass. Roofs sloped in the classic Japanese style. Bells, and wind chimes swung gently, their sounds tripping down and through the road ways mixing with the sounds of city's inhabitance.

The town was a bright and uplifting place leaving Leonardo in a mixed state of peace and joyous excitement. It was hard not to lose himself in it. He had to remind himself that as a ninja he should always be alert and ready.

The keep was similar to the ones of Europe, only with the same sloping roofs as those in the town. A large stone and stucco wall surrounded it. Great colorful murals scrolled their way along the tall wall. The legendary heroes followed the wall to one of four great gates. After showing a guard the invitation letter, they were led through beautiful lush gardens, grand courtyards, and bright covered walkways till they were brought to "The grand hall" at the center of the keep. A tall, solid, but ageing Turtle stood in the center of the room greeting Usagi and Leonardo with a smile and a bow.

"You must be Hamato Leonardo and Miyamoto Usagi Yogimbo. I am Nakame Maru. It is an honor to welcome you into my home. I trust your journey went well?"

"The honor is ours." Leo answered as he and Usagi bowed respectfully. "The journey was long, but it went smoothly."

"You must be tired. Come and replenish your selves before we get to the business at hand." Maru led the way to a low table surrounded by full, plush pillows on which to sit. The Table was quickly covered in various fruits, cookie like pastries, sweet dumplings, and for the more savory, tempura vegetables. Hot tea and a fruit wine were offered once the three had taken their seats.

Leo declined the wine graciously. He didn't think having his mind fogged with wine would be wise while discussing marriage with a girl's father. But he gladly partook in the tea and generous spread of food.

"You have a beautiful home." Usagi complimented Lord Maru. "The gardens are quite lavish."

"Mmm, thank you." Lord Maru smiled. "They are the work of my daughter, Emry. She is a skilled botanist, and is quite knowledgeable in herbolagy both medicinal and not. I have known few to be her equal in it."

"It takes a lot of work." Leo acknowledged, sipped his tea and continued. "I keep a small vegetable garden myself. But nothing as elaborate as what is here. She is very skilled to manage so much. Do your other daughters help her?"

The older man smiled. "That isn't what you actually wish to ask." He turned to Leo. "You want to know if she is one of the three of my daughters you are to meet."

Leo gave a small smile. He could not deny the Lord's accusation. It might be nice to have someone who shared this small interest of his. Not to mention the fact that the elaborate gardens showed diligence and a willingness to work hard. And being that she was knowledgeable in the uses of the plants meant she could be a useful member of his clan. Ninja's have a vast need for poisons and medicinal plants.

"Unfortunately, no. She is too old to be wed now." Lord Maru's face showed a flash of disappointment before returning to the welcoming smile he had held previously. "However, in answer to your actual question, yes. Her sisters do on occasion help her. Especially Shawna, whom you will meet shortly. I am not sure if it is the chance to get her hands dirty or if it is the blooming garden's themselves. But either way the result is wondrous. And I am sure Emery is grateful for the help."

"And the other two. What do they like to do?" Leo asked before taking a bite of one of the sweet dumplings that had been calling too him. It was filled with a creamed fruit that Leo couldn't quite place. But it was delicious. He was reaching for another one even before he was done chewing the first one.

"Good? The recipe for those is my daughter, Lia's. She too you will be meeting shortly."

Leo nodded as he placed one on his friend's plate. Silently insisting Usagi try one.

Usagi smiled to himself as he took an exploratory nibble of the dumpling. He then stated his agreement on the flavor by pushing the rest of the one in his mouth before placing two more on his plate.

"She is an exceptional cook." Leo stated after chasing the dumpling with some tea. "Better than my brother, Mikey's, cooking."

Usagi raised an eye brow. He personally would not compare the little slice of heaven he had just eaten to anything Michelangelo had cooked. Though Mikey got points for creativity and perhaps could make a great pizza. But that was where his expertise peaked. And most everything else was interesting to say the least. But he kept his opinion on the matter to himself.

"Espin is an artist" Lord Maru continued, "and is responsible for a great deal of the murals on the walls of the keep. Though less…useful. Her talent brings a great deal of beauty to the place."

"Creativity takes courage." Leo stated as he recalled the elaborate murals they had passed during their escort through the keep. "Courage is very important."

"A man that appreciates a courageous woman? That is a rare find." A feminine voice caught the attention of the three men.

A Lovely terapinian woman stood in the door way. She had bright green eyes that crinkled at the corners when she smiled, betraying her otherwise youthful features.

"Ah. This is my wife, Ming Ming." Lord Maru grinned. Out stretching his hand to invite her to his side, "Are you ready my dear?"

Ming ming practically floated across the floor to her husband's side. Her silky lavender and soft green dress flowed in her wake. Giving her the appearance of some colorful Spector.

Leonardo and Usagi bowed deeply to beautiful woman. "Lady Ming Ming."

She returned the bow. "Your reputation precedes you both." She stated before making a motion to one of the servants, that waited nearby for instruction.

"It does?" Leo guffawed, genuinely surprised. "I did not know I had a reputation to follow."

Usagi chuckled. "He obviously has not read of his own exploits."

"Have you?" Ming Ming asked.

"A few." Usagi admitted. "Though I limit my reading of them. Everything sounds more…Rhapsodic when put to paper by a poet. And easily goes to one's head."

Lord Maru laughed. "The great heroisms of A wondering Ronin and the leader of great clan. How does that not go to one's head."

"Great? As in number or ability?" Leonardo was suddenly concerned that some assumptions may have been made about his clan and his status in it. He was chunin, next in line after his father passes. But he was not leader yet. The exception was in battle. He was head turtle there. And his clan consisted of no more than five mutants…unless you considered their closest allies. A human family, Casey and Aril Jones and their daughter, shadow.

His question was never answered.

The door to the room was opened.

"I present to you, my daughters." Lord Maru grinned with pride. "Or at least the three you came to see."

A servant entered the room followed by three young ladies. Young being the operative word.

The first to enter the room was the oldest. She looked to be in her late teen years and the sisters that followed her were even younger.

Leonardo was somewhere between astonished and disappointed. He leaned in close to his friend and whispered, "They are practically children."

Usagi leaned into his friend. "This is not unusual. Women are often married young."

Leo raised an eye ridge at his friend as if to say, "This is nuts."

When Maru waved for Leo to follow him, to meet the girls that stood in a line near the door, He stuffed down his shock and forced a smile. He did not wish offend Lord Maru. For, by the man's obvious pride and excitement, these three were a perfectly acceptable offer.

Maru motioned to the eldest of the three first. "This is Espin, then we have Lia, and the youngest of the three is Shawna."

Leo stood in front of the three girls, glancing between them, struggling to find a way to let the Lord and his family down easily. He had no intention of marrying a woman under the age of eighteen. He had hoped for mid-twenties at least.

"Beautiful girls, no?" Their father beamed.

"Yes, they are lovely." Leo said softly.

As stoic as the eldest seamed, the youngest seamed…terrified. The middle daughter seemed… well, more apt to the idea of the whole thing. Her full cheeked smile making Leo even more apprehensive. This was simply because it accentuated her immaturity and her lack of a full understanding of the situation. At least in Leo's mind. Aside from this she seemed genuinely sweet.

Leo took a slow calming breath. His attention fell on the youngest as she was visibly shaking and biting her lip in an attempt to keep it from quivering. His heart ached for her and what she must be feeling.

He stepped in front of her to gain her attention, then gently asked, "Shawna is it?"

She nodded.

"How old are you?"

She fidgeted with her fingers squeezing the tips one by one trying desperately to stem her anxiety. "thirteen." Her answer was barely above a whisper. Then, as if simply trying to be polite, added, "and you?"

"Twenty eight." Leo answered simply, before turning to the middle girl. "And you?"

"Lia. And I'm fifteen." Lia answered enthusiastically then motioned to her older sister. "Espin is seventeen."

"seventeen." Leo repeated the eldest girl's age.

Espin nodded to confirm her this.

Leo let out a slow sigh. How to proceed? He gave Shawna a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."

"Lord Maru." Leonardo turned to face the Lord. "These three are in fact lovely and talented girls. But they are quite young. In my culture we typically wait till a girl is at least eighteen before considering her for marriage. "

The Lord frowned deeply, his disappointment in the situation evident.

Leo didn't want to give him enough time to get overly upset. "You did say you had an older daughter, didn't you?"

Shaking his head Lord Maru answered, "Yes, I have four. However they are all too old to be wed. you wouldn't possibly…"

"How old is too old?" Leo interrupted.

"Min is 22, the twins are 24 and Lyra is 26."

A smile spread across Leo's face at the prospect of a wife much closer to his own age. "I would like to meet them. If you wouldn't mind."

"But these three are much better behaved. My older girls have a tendency to be…difficult for men to get along with."

Leo nodded. "I can understand your concern. But I believe I am up for the challenge and would still like to meet them. If I may."

Lord Maru blinked at Leonardo and his unusual request then looked to his wife.

"Well I can't think of a reason why not." Ming Ming stated. "It is up to you, my husband, but if the man prefers an older woman…"

"But they have already begun to make lives for themselves."

"Lives for themselves?" Leo asked.

"So not be a burden they saw to finding work." Ming Ming explained.

"They even went about that in an unprecedented manner." The Lord blubbered. Then with a heavy sigh he waved for Leo to follow him again, "Well came on then. We will see if we can find them."

Leo bowed quickly before following Lord Maru. He was halfway down the walk before he realized Usagi had stayed behind to talk to Ming Ming and her teen daughters while eating sweet dumplings. In truth he was grateful. His friend would play the diplomat and make sure no feelings were hurt.