[D4 LA] RP Thread: Discourses on Tea and Wine

[Hantei Genji]

"Uh, of course, Hantei-sama. I'm happy to learn what you'd like to teach." Another small flush of embarrassment at her word choice, forced down by another drink from her cup. And the realization it's empty. And Kawauso's eyes getting wide at both the possibility of continuing without more sake, and the possibility of trying to continue with more sake. Somewhat frantically, she searches for a respectable escape.

"Ah, Hantei-sama? I believe I'm, um... ready to take a little walk. But, um, I look forward to our, um... sharing of skills, er, no... I'm, um, well... I look forward to meeting with you again." And with a fair amount of haste, she rises and starts to depart, cheeks slightly reddened. Because of the wine, of course.

"Same here Akodo-san." Genji replied with an easy smile. He eyed her cup, and was a bit surprised at her sudden leave, but well, he knew how to behave properly. "Have a nice walk Akodo-san. Let's talk tomorrow, or the day after, if that works."

[Bayushi Sasori]

"Sounds like a fair bargain to me. If Akodo-san is interested, I can show her the basics of what I call poetry, and my sister calls mockery of poetry?" He finished his cup, and put it aside. It seemed like he was glowing. Maybe he actually was.

Mysteriously his cup was filled again.

"Uh, of course, Hantei-sama. I'm happy to learn what you'd like to teach." Another small flush of embarrassment at her word choice, forced down by another drink from her cup. And the realization it's empty. And Kawauso's eyes getting wide at both the possibility of continuing without more sake, and the possibility of trying to continue with more sake. Somewhat frantically, she searches for a respectable escape.

"Ah, Hantei-sama? I believe I'm, um... ready to take a little walk. But, um, I look forward to our, um... sharing of skills, er, no... I'm, um, well... I look forward to meeting with you again." And with a fair amount of haste, she rises and starts to depart, cheeks slightly reddened. Because of the wine, of course.

Her cup mysteriously was filled.

[Akodo Kawauso]

"Same here Akodo-san." Genji replied with an easy smile. He eyed her cup, and was a bit surprised at her sudden leave, but well, he knew how to behave properly. "Have a nice walk Akodo-san. Let's talk tomorrow, or the day after, if that works."

"Yes, absolutely," she says, pausing anxiously. "In the later morning hours, perhaps? Ok, thank you," she says, with a smiling look in his eyes before the Lion is away...

/exit

[Doji Hikaru]

“Do so,” when he mentioned inquiring further. “I will expect an update by the morrow.”

“As for my honored uncle, he is still dead, even the Bat recognizes that, more importantly he is not one of the living dead as he is decidedly beyond the veil of life. They may see it differently but the two are not comparable,” she said dismissively with a sigh.

She ignored the latter bit for now and focused on something else she had just remembered, as she tapped her lips with the fan and then said, “Kakita disparaged my honored mother by insinuating she was ill, I am not sure where these rumors are coming from but they must be squashed quickly. If this is some ploy by the Bat then they will regret slighting my family.”

Finally Dojihime added, “My sister is newlywed, she has other duties and that is why I am here to attend to matters of court. If any ask of her she is simply busy and direct them to me.”

Hikaru nodded slowly. "Perhaps some of these issues are best discussed later, Doji-sama?" He glanced casually about.

He looked back to Dojihime, pale eyes softening. "Please give my best to your sister, then, if you would. Along with my congratulations."

[Doji Dojihime]

Hikaru nodded slowly. "Perhaps some of these issues are best discussed later, Doji-sama?" He glanced casually about.

He looked back to Dojihime, pale eyes softening. "Please give my best to your sister, then, if you would. Along with my congratulations."

"Indeed, I expect answers to them all the same, on the morrow," the heiress demanded calmly.

She considered the latter bit and said, "Of course, I think I have had enough of wine and tea for the evening. Fare well."

Dojihime departed with her retinue of servants in tow.

/exit

[Makime Ayano]

"Well, yes, but..." Kogi shrugs, slipping her drink out from beneath her veil after taking another sip, "the reverse of that is, many things that can hurt can also help, with the right use. So it isn't all unfortunate." She wraps both narrow hands comfortably around the cup. "A clever physician doesn't make grand claims, but yes, I do have some experience. And I've spent enough time listening to the talk of elders who have much more of it," she adds, with a shake of her head and a soft chuckle that barely escapes the veil hiding her lips.

"True, true," Ayano nods in agreement, "To all points. Though in the case of the first it takes a trained eye to know the nuances that change hurt to help and help to hurt." She smiles cheerfully and continues, "I like to think most any clever at their duty do not make grand claims, depending on the position that can be dangerous."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Togashi-san, the thing you need to know about the Spider is that we are all weirdos." Susumu returns with mock seriousness, though is eyes glint with mischief.

"I jest, for the most part, but there is a shade of truth to it. The Spider were not overwhelmingly populated by a single tribe, but rather with splinters of others who did not quite fit in. My father was a Kakita for whom joining the Crane seemed a bother rather than a help. My mother could charitably be called a scout, and she has hinted that her past was darker. More than one bushi began as a bandit before coming under our banner."

"If you are looking for a single trait that groups us, it is...well, that we have embraced such variety, so long that we all sincerely look out for each other. The quickest way to get a Spider to fight would be to offer insult to their sibling"

Susumu does a double take back at the pair of Crane. "Forgive me as well, I used you as a bit of cover. Your cousin seems to be a lovely person, but seems to hold the idea of a rigid hierarchy of castes. I do not believe that she had intended to give offense, and I do not seek to make an issue of it, but I am cognizant that my origins are nowhere near as...stellar" Susumu smiles at his own pun "and yours and hers. Now would not be the time or place to push such an issue."

Satsuki chuckled. "I think there's plenty of weird folks in all the clans, Hisomu-san. Yours and mine being no exception or exclusive. Just the flavor of weirdos seem to vary depending on the clan and the Kami that leads it."

At the admission of using her as a cover, the princess waved it away. Dojihime was leaving with her throng of sycophants anyway. Or were they servants? "Ah, don't worry about it. She's a... uh.... weirdo too, to be blunt about it. The Crane seem to believe strongly that circumstances of birth should exclusively judge a person's character, which I simply don't agree with. We're only one generation into this Empire, with me and my cousins being those of noble birth finally reaching adulthood," she used the term with some amount of sass, "I think it's way too soon to start talking about one's lineage being far superior to others. Sure, my father is Lord Togashi, but my mother was also a goat-herder and storyteller before they wed, I think that more than shows anyone has the potential to rise to greatness, no matter one's birth or station."

[Ryoshun Rei]

She provides a bow back to the young girl. "I pray Lady Sun has provided warmth to you today."

Taking another sip, she says with a sweet tone of voice, "I am all ears."

"I was told, this morning, that you were involved in an incident regarding a bear." she said. "I was also told that there might be something spiritual behind the incident. Do you think that was the case?"

[Hantei Kinsen]

-snippetysnap-

Kinsen blinks a couple of times and then decides to scoot herself closer to Rei. In a distance they would potential feel each other's perfume –– Kinsen with a cinnamon aroma –– if the sake didn't ruin their senses, she says, opening a fan to cover her mouth, "Yes. Fortunately, that young Akodo girl there was brave enough to come with me and face the creature to calm it down. I did mention that to a certain Saru Yatsufusa-san, and also Yuzuru-hidenka. But I was informed that the Nature Wardens are already in the area to avoid major issues."

[Ryoshun Rei]

Kinsen blinks a couple of times and then decides to scoot herself closer to Rei. In a distance they would potential feel each other's perfume –– Kinsen with a cinnamon aroma –– if the sake didn't ruin their senses, she says, opening a fan to cover her mouth, "Yes. Fortunately, that young Akodo girl there was brave enough to come with me and face the creature to calm it down. I did mention that to a certain Saru Yatsufusa-san, and also Yuzuru-hidenka. But I was informed that the Nature Wardens are already in the area to avoid major issues."

She didn't mind her drawing closer or the fragrance of her perfume. Rei carried the faint scent of lilacs.

"Thst's good." she nodded. "I just wanted to make sure there weren't any spiritual threats. I am glad you were able to resolve the issue peacefully."

[Hantei Kinsen]

"Thst's good." she nodded. "I just wanted to make sure there weren't any spiritual threats. I am glad you were able to resolve the issue peacefully."

"I am glad, too. Poor mamma bear had a few cubs with her. It is in her nature to defend them from other creatures and to feed in this winter." Kinsen says again as she instinctively passes her eyes over Genji and then come back to Rei.

She flutters the fan as a refreshment, then leans closer once again, "So my niece is gifted in the tongue of the kami and spirits as her mother. That is good to know. How has these days been treating you?"

[Ryoshun Rei]

".... How has these days been treating you?"

"I've enjoyed them." she smiled. "It's a good opportunity to meet others from across the Empire. And, to learn more about my aunts, uncles and cousins. I had tea with your son yesterday."

[Hantei Kinsen]

She straightens her back again and takes another look to Genji before once again focus her eyes on Rei. "He's such a gentleman, indeed. I am happy you two talked. Any interesting topics your auntie should know of?"

[Bayushi Kogi]

"Well, yes, but..." Kogi shrugs, slipping her drink out from beneath her veil after taking another sip, "the reverse of that is, many things that can hurt can also help, with the right use. So it isn't all unfortunate." She wraps both narrow hands comfortably around the cup. "A clever physician doesn't make grand claims, but yes, I do have some experience. And I've spent enough time listening to the talk of elders who have much more of it," she adds, with a shake of her head and a soft chuckle that barely escapes the veil hiding her lips.

"True, true," Ayano nods in agreement, "To all points. Though in the case of the first it takes a trained eye to know the nuances that change hurt to help and help to hurt." She smiles cheerfully and continues, "I like to think most any clever at their duty do not make grand claims, depending on the position that can be dangerous."

"You are probably right about that, Akodo-sama," Kogi agrees with a shrug. "I suppose there are some kinds of work in which it could be an advantage, at least sometimes. But I never heard of a fever or a broken bone that was scared away by a doctor's grand reputation. Unfortunately." She shifts her cup back into her right hand, preparing to pass it neatly under her mask again. "Only patients and their kin disappointed from too-high expectations."

[Ryoshun Rei]

She took another long sip of wine. "Our mothers and what they want for us. We also discussed a few exchanges between the clans, but we talked about how nice it is to gather like this and what opportunities might allow for this again."

[Hantei Kinsen]

She took another long sip of wine. "Our mothers and what they want for us. We also discussed a few exchanges between the clans, but we talked about how nice it is to gather like this and what opportunities might allow for this again."

She nods, "It is indeed a shared feeling. Take delight in being together and possible opportunities in the future."

She closes her golden fan and tucks into her obi. After a sip, she mentions, "I am content you both have your mothers in your thoughts. We do, after all, love you so very much."

[Ryoshun Rei]

"And, we love our mother's almost as much." she smiled warmly. "We hope to be a fair measure of what our parents are. And, we hope we can continue to expand and improve what they have started."

[Hantei Kinsen]

"That does warm my heart."

She says, and then takes a deep breath, "Yet. In the position we currently are, it is paramount that duty comes even before love. I would have wished to raise Genji-kun at my side all these years. That is though, a selfish thought I learned to let go years in the past. We all serve an Empire that will grow enormously. What we do here will echo through time. I am keen that he understands the importance of what I need from him, since, in fact, is not my necessity, but his Family, Clan and Emperor's."

Batting her eyelashes as she admires the subtle, quiet beauty Rei possesses, she sighs, "I wonder if I can be of help not only to my beloved son, but to my dear niece as well."

[Ryoshun Rei]

"He mentioned that." she confessed. Her pale cheeks flushed somewhat. "I am looking. But, I'm not sure yet what I am looking for."

[Hantei Kinsen]

-snip-

Kinsen smiles sympathetically and closes her eyes, "We are never sure. Until we are. Completely."

There's a moment of joy and the pops her fan open once more to approach closely. "Although one's preference has to be considered, let's begin with your duty. What would be best for the Bat in this potential match?"