Shiba’s Wife
Many stories are told of Shiba’s wife, but the one most considered accurate by Ikoma Histories is as follows.
Shiba traveled the lands of Rokugan for many years before the coming of Shinsei. He walked with Shinjo when she said goodbye to the Empire, and he followed his brother Akodo as he searched for loyal followers. At last, he came to the palaces of Otosan Uchi, where he met with his sister Doji and his brother Hida. Between them, they convinced Shiba of the practicality of taking a wife. Doji spoke of the usefulness of someone who was as lovely as the stars and could sing sweet songs, while Hida insisted that the purpose of a wife was to make a family, to help defend the house against threats, and stand on the front line of war at her husband’s side.
At last, Shiba gave up. “Find me a woman with all of these qualities,” he said, “and I will marry her.”
At that, both Doji and Hida despaired of ever finding the perfect woman to be their brother’s partner.
One day, a woman came to the gates of Otosan Uchi. She was as fair as summer, and in her eyes was a quiet bravery which spoke of her true heart.
She came begging the help of the Kami to save her homeland from a dark evil which had begun to invade, and the minute Shiba saw her, his heart was stolen away. “What is your name, maiden?” He asked.
“My name is Tsamaru,” she replied, and he followed her to her homeland.
Unknown to the Kami, however, this woman is said to have lived deep beneath the ocean’s waves, in a city built of coral and shale. Here, the legends of the beast which Shiba faced to win her hand vary wildly, but all relate that the two fought side by side with honor, and brought the beast’s teeth back to the Emperor’s Palace to mark their victory.
Soon after, Shiba asked the quiet young maiden for her hand in marriage, and she consented. Although it meant that she would never return to her undersea palace, she was willing to remain forever with the Kami of the Phoenix.
Tsamaru’s body is said to have been placed among the heavens when she died, many years, later, and the brightest star in the northern sky is named for Shiba’s love.
Shiba traveled the lands of Rokugan for many years before the coming of Shinsei. He walked with Shinjo when she said goodbye to the Empire, and he followed his brother Akodo as he searched for loyal followers. At last, he came to the palaces of Otosan Uchi, where he met with his sister Doji and his brother Hida. Between them, they convinced Shiba of the practicality of taking a wife. Doji spoke of the usefulness of someone who was as lovely as the stars and could sing sweet songs, while Hida insisted that the purpose of a wife was to make a family, to help defend the house against threats, and stand on the front line of war at her husband’s side.
At last, Shiba gave up. “Find me a woman with all of these qualities,” he said, “and I will marry her.”
At that, both Doji and Hida despaired of ever finding the perfect woman to be their brother’s partner.
One day, a woman came to the gates of Otosan Uchi. She was as fair as summer, and in her eyes was a quiet bravery which spoke of her true heart.
She came begging the help of the Kami to save her homeland from a dark evil which had begun to invade, and the minute Shiba saw her, his heart was stolen away. “What is your name, maiden?” He asked.
“My name is Tsamaru,” she replied, and he followed her to her homeland.
Unknown to the Kami, however, this woman is said to have lived deep beneath the ocean’s waves, in a city built of coral and shale. Here, the legends of the beast which Shiba faced to win her hand vary wildly, but all relate that the two fought side by side with honor, and brought the beast’s teeth back to the Emperor’s Palace to mark their victory.
Soon after, Shiba asked the quiet young maiden for her hand in marriage, and she consented. Although it meant that she would never return to her undersea palace, she was willing to remain forever with the Kami of the Phoenix.
Tsamaru’s body is said to have been placed among the heavens when she died, many years, later, and the brightest star in the northern sky is named for Shiba’s love.