Otomo Keihime -Otomo Keihime is to be respected for her ambition, you know, like a venomous snake. -Otomo Keihime is ruthless. -Otomo Keihime miscalculated and made too many enemies -Otomo Keihime might still cripple the runs of other heirs. -Otomo Keihime is not a legitimate candidate, and it is un...

Otomo Keihime rises. "There comes a time in a samurai's life when he must recognize that his service has come to an end. As this is impossible for Kitsune Fumihito, it would fall upon his lord to make that determination and give him leave to retire. Kitsune Fumihito's lord is the throne, and as the ...

"That would be best. You may run along, Kitsu-san." She takes a sip of her tea.

"Oh? Well, I am sure you will. I can't fault him for wishing to put the best gloss on his plans. More politic than I expected, but not outside the norm for a man with ambitions. Anyway, I am sure that his intentions are all to the good."

"But then, so were Doji Raigu's."

"Indeed. It is hard to fault you, Seppun Tomaru being such a charming old man, however destructive his ideas would ultimately prove. It is perfectly understandable that the compassionate would fall under his spell." She slid the letter across the table. "Take this to him, please. He should be aware ...

It wasn't thick, and one could almost catch some writing under the topmost fold, if only... "The way one executes one's duty is often cause for comment, particularly when one is held up as an example to others. Kitsu-san, your service to your lord is widely held as exemplary. Surely you must be awar...

"Oh, yes, but less than there was yesterday." Her hand casually rests on the letter still folded on the tabletop. "And one cannot measure their personal struggles against those of the Empire. The clouds of political fragmentation have been looming, but one fears that even now they begin to break--du...

"Indeed. The loss of my friend has tilted the world on its axis, and much that was true now finds itself changing. The inviolate Winter Court has been attacked, natural children are claiming inheritance rights, why, one would not be surprised if nature found itself turned on its head."

Keihime poured for each of them. "And how has court been treating you, Kitsu-san? This is your first Imperial Winter Court, I believe?"

"Ah, yes. How could I forget? The young lady so close to Lord Ikoma, were you not?" She smiled, not unkindly. "Are you dashing off to find him again, or do you have time to join me for tea?"

Keihime inclined her head to acknowledge the Kitsu.

"Kitsu Sayomi, isn't it?" she said quietly. Quietly enough that a person might have the opportunity to pretend that they had not heard, if they meant to.

The Lady Adviser sat at tea in an alcove near the court room this evening, a small smile on her lips. A letter, open but folded, sat on her table.

Winding Water Banquet: Earth! | 3k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 5) +1 Winding Water Banquet: Artisan Poetry, 4 raises | 8k5 ⇒ 31 (TN: 25) +5 Winding Water Banquet: Earth | 3k3 ⇒ 16 (TN: 7) +1 Winding Water Banquet: Artisan Poetry, Void, 4 raises | 9k6 ⇒ 35 (TN: 27) +5 Winding Water Banquet: Earth | 3k3 ⇒ 18 (TN: 9) ...

Keihime acknowledged his bow with a nod, careful not to jostle Ko-ko-san.

"Mummy's going to be the Empress, Ko-ko-san," she said quietly, running her finger down his back. "Yes, she is. Yes, she is."

"People do rush to compromise when they are looking at opportunities lost," Keihime said. "And a little ambition never hurt anyone. A great deal, certainly, but a little bit is positively necessary." She gathered Ko-ko-san close and rose. "Inform Anzai that we accept her offer and finalize the adopt...

Keihime kept one hand on her squirrel-buddy and began to leaf through pages with the other.

"Hm...My, Tooru-san, but you have..." her eyes widened almost as large as Ko-ko-san's. "A masterstroke. I think that you can be quite proud of this. But how did you manage?"

"He has been a great support to me, Tooru-san. He understands and withholds judgment."

"We have had rather a bad run of it, Ko-ko-san," Keihime said, stroking the tiny creature who had become her friend over the past year. "But things are turning. The junior courtiers may despise us, but those who understand power are coming our way. We will be Empress yet, won't we, dearest? Yes we w...

Otomo Keihime was forced to extricate herself from the conversation by pretending to need to retrieve a document from her quarters. She /exited the chamber.

Keihime leaned down and looked Kenichi dead in the eye. "I told you what you need to do for me to name an heir. Get one of them to drop their claim, and I will name one of their children. But there is no one else with the correct blood. Do it or do not. You are dismissed." And her coterie moves in a...