Genji sent a missive ahead to his uncle, if he had time to talk today. He hadn't seen him in a while, which was a fair bit of an understatement, and it felt appropriate that after a demon infested day, it would do good to talk things over. About important topics.

Like Kogi maybe.

Bayushi invited him inside, rising to bow, then looking him over. "It has been a long time, nephew. You've grown. To what do I owe the pleasure? Not the business back in the court room, I hope."

Genji arrived. "Quite a while, uncle." He gave him a deep bow of respect. "Well...that will forever be a point of discussion, but I feel that there is something else to discuss. Or at least, something like it." He settled down, but there was something awkward in his posture.

"Jigoku has a way of making itself the life of any party. Or the death, anyway," he replied with a shake of his head. "What did you want to discuss?" He poured tea, handing Genji a cup and taking a sip from his own afterward.

"Yeah. When I heard the stories, I thought Jigoku was a thing of the past, a part of history that my father's generation has handled, just yet another heroic tale."

He frowned. "Now...it doesn't seem like it, ah well."

He fell silent for a moment, then gathered his courage. "I...wanted to talk about Kogi..I mean, Bayushi Kogi-san."

"Jigoku never backs away for long. It is hungry, and seeks to spread it's evil nature always," he said, meeting Genji's eyes pointedly. "A valuable lesson. Hisomu's paranoia is well-learned."

He sat back into a more relaxed position. "Quite an important follower to me. What did you wish to speak of?" There's no hint of a smirk on his lips, hidden by the mask, but there is in his mind. He caught the name slip.

Genji nodded. "Now I know. Yet another thing I must be ready to contend with in the future." There was a certain fatigue to his smile. "A leader's jobs is never done, eh?"

He blushed slightly. "I wanted to ask your opinion on her. She is skilled, and honorable, and after all, she is part of your retinue. I just wished to get to know a bit about her. She and I....I am fond of her." He finally confessed.

"Never."

"Genji-san, are you looking to poach my emissary?" He leaned forward, raising his eyebrows. "She has been extremely loyal and skilled, I will say that. Nigh-indispensable, really. What did you wish to know in specific?"

Genji let out a nervous laugh. "Maybe?"

He seeme to slightly shrink away. "She..is lovely and skilled." He rushed the words out. "But well...I feel I have to think more then just for myself when it comes to matters of the heart. You and father had it easy." He let out a small laugh. "My people depend on me, and so does the Empire, to some small extent. I wish to become a pillar here, one that connects the disparate parts of my Uncle's Empire to his reign and rule."

He glanced away. "Which is really just a long winded way of saying that though I am fond of her, if we were to...become closer, it moves from hearts to minds, from playfulness to politics. And you are her lord."

"I take it you are under some pressure to make a certain sort of political match?"

Genji fiddled with his hands. "Pressure? No? Yes? Maybe?" He shrugged. "I want to be responsible when making a decision, and although you and my father don't always see eye to eye, he does respect you. So, I turn to you for your wisdom. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

"I will tell you the secret of political marriage, Genji-san: there are very few truly bad matches. It's just a matter of whether the effects of the match line up with your vision for the Clan and the future you want to see."

"For instance, as far as Kogi-san goes, she is a good choice for building bridges. Her ties to me are close enough that it is a close political connection to the Scorpion. Depending on how the Scorpions' political ties form up going forward, she could serve as a bridge between the northern and southern Clans. Being fond of her now also implies you will work together well as a team. If that matches up with what you see for the Stag, then she is a good match."

"So, what you are saying is that is she is a good match, but ultimately, the decision is mine, and so is the responsibility."

He let out a sigh. "That is wise. Annoyingly, does not take the burden off of my shoulders, but wise." He smiled.

"It doesn't, but it's one you'll get used to in time. Better that the burden weigh heavy on you than you being too enthusiastic about your future power," he replied with a shrug. Genji could detect the smirk again. "More informally... Don't overthink it too much. If you have several good options, marry the one you want to marry the most."

"Ha, enthusiasm, that is me." He snarked slightly. "How do you do it, uncle? I know my father takes everything seriously, but his heart helps him carry the burden, and so does my mother." He let out a sigh. "I worry I won't be able to match him. Yes, he is a god, but he is also a Champion, and one day I will be too. Unless I'm killed or something."

"Well, try not to get killed, first off," he replied lightly. "Second, my wife and my daughter both help considerably. Third, I know I have competent people I can trust to handle themselves and their affairs. Fourth, and most importantly, I recognize that worrying is not going to help me make better decisions. I can only make the best decision I can with the information I have at hand, and that will have to be good enough. Sometimes it results in a mistake, and that is part of life."

"Mhm. All sound advice, uncle." He smiled, his golden eyes looking closely at his uncle's mask. "And I guess...there might be another matter to discuss. Were we to wed, my grandmother and Kogi-san willing...what would you want in return? There is no bad political match, as you say, but politics is politics."

"Politics is politics, and you are trying to take my best emissary from me," he replied. "Let's see... We share a major river route, so I think a mutually beneficial trade agreement would be reasonable, and perhaps an exchange of students between our Clans' schools."

Bayushi wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:02 am

"Politics is politics, and you are trying to take my best emissary from me," he replied. "Let's see... We share a major river route, so I think a mutually beneficial trade agreement would be reasonable, and perhaps an exchange of students between our Clans' schools."

"Well, something for something." He smiled. "River trade would be useful, certainly, and I think an exchange of education as well."

"Excellent. If you decide to offer your hand to Kogi-san and she accepts, it will be done."