[D5, EA] Conjugal Visit (closed)

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

Ananzihime sat, bent slightly over her table as she wrote with careful, elegant strokes, practicing her poetry. It needed to look as beautiful as it sounded. Her success was... middling in her own opinion, but then, she had a high bar to cross.

Straightening up, she reached above her head for a long stretch before taking a sip of tea.

[Hadananzi]

Hadananzi, almost fresh from his artistic endeavors this morning, made his way to his shared room with his new wife, hoping to find her there. Luck was with him, as he observed her busy at work over some poetry, and he took a moment to pause in the doorway to observe her for a few moments, not wanting to disturb her concentration.

After some time had passed, he scratched at the door to announce his presence. "Ananzihime, dearest, have you some time to spare?"

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

"Hmm?" His voice broke her out of her concentration and she offered him a small smile. "Of course. Shall I get more tea started?"

[Hadananzi]

"That sounds lovely." He stepped inside with a smile of his own, and quickly seated himself across from his wife. "How has your day been so far?"

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

She rose and began making another pot, working with the practiced motions of a tea master despite it being a normal pot. "I have been keeping busy. Practicing, considering Mother's... situation, considering how best to support Father and the family in light of the goings-on at court."

She poured a cup and set it in front of him.

[Hadananzi]

He nodded softly, accepting the tea in silence. He seemed contemplative as he took his first sip. "It's a terrible thing what's happening to her, I do hope she recovers soon." He frowned a bit. "I painted her today and the result was... disturbing."

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

She poured her own cup and took a sip. "Disturbing? How so?"

[Hadananzi]

"I started off simply wishing to paint the Lady Doji standing in her rooms, but I got into my hyper focused state, and when I was finished..." He produced the picture from his things. "This was the result."

At first nothing seems off about the portrait, simply depicting Doji looking at the viewer from a nondescript room. However, on closer inspection, Doji herself looks unkempt and haggard, lines appearing under her eyes, and her face seems tight and drawn. Each little detail shows a Doji that is in poor health, and Hadananzi's concern is evident in his features.

"I've not seen the Lady Doji like this, and do not know what this picture could mean."

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

She leaned over the picture, eyes narrowing as she took in the elements with the eye of an expert. "Have you not seen her recently, then?"

[Hadananzi]

Hadananzi shook his head. "I have not. I've only heard whispers that she is afflicted. I do not know why I would paint something like this with my limited knowledge, or even at all. It seems disrespectful to her to do so."

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

"I don't think it's disrespectful as long as you don't go around showing it off," she said, rubbing a hand over her mouth. "It's not like you intended to show her this way. It's just... an uncanny likeness."

She leaned back. "Of course, you also know her features well. It wouldn't be too hard to extrapolate what she would look like under the circumstances. Perhaps your concern was simply reflected in the piece."

[Hadananzi]

"Perhaps so, and thus far only you have gotten a close enough look at the picture to see these details. Makime Ayano-san saw me paint it, but did not look closely at it." He sighed and sipped some tea. "I've spent far too much time away from you these past few days my dear. For that I am sorry."

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

"That's fine, then." She sighed and ran a thumb lightly over the painted face of her mother. "I hope it passes soon. I've seen people affected by Yume-do itself that don't have their presence demanded by it so often."

She shook her head and smiled at the comment. "As long as we can see each other more often going forward, that's fine. I know you've been busy. I hope Dojihime didn't come on too strong. She mentioned she spoke to you."

[Hadananzi]

"Dojihime was...Dojihime. no more or less than I would expect of her. But she did make a fine point about my priorities, and those should include you as often as they include the clan as a whole, if not more." Another sip of tea. "I see you were working on your poetry before I interrupted."

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

"Mm... Hai. I need to be a representative of our Clan's artistic pursuits, especially under the circumstances," she explained. "So I'm trying to improve. Did you want to see it?"

[Hadananzi]

"Of course. You know how I love the pursuit of the arts, and your art in particular stands to move me more than anyone else's." He smiled genuinely, eager to see what his wife had accomplished so far.

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

"If you wish. I'm at a bit of a block, though," she said, sliding the page over to him. And just as she says, it's skillful and beautiful, as one would expect of a woman who specializes in such pursuits. But Doji's daughters were ever encouraged to pursue perfection, and this wasn't that.

Poetry/Awareness: 8d10o10k4 30

[Bakuriel]

"Hmm..." Hadananzi inspected the poetry with a critical eye, not just looking for the flaws, but trying to discern a reason for them. "The brushwork seems a little stiff, not relaxed like it should be. Tell me, dearest, are you tense right now?"

[Hadananzi]

"Hmm..." Hadananzi inspected the poetry with a critical eye, not just looking for the flaws, but trying to discern a reason for them. "The brushwork seems a little stiff, not relaxed like it should be. Tell me, dearest, are you tense right now?"

[Nanzi Ananzihime]

She let out a long breath. "Admitted so. There is a great deal on my mind at the moment."