Bringing her personal tea-set and the nicer tea from her home-province, Sayomi stepped up at the Crab house to look for one of the Crab to talk about some agreements over tea.

Everyone else was doing a good job with all the politicking so she had to step it up too!

There was at least one there this evening, fresh returned from trade talks of his own. Spotting the approaching lion he stepped outside an umbrella in hand to greet her.

"Good Evening Kitsu-san." He greeted her warmly. "Care to come in and get out of this weather?"

"Good evening, Hiruma-sama," she bowed respectfully in greeting, her own tone warm and friendly. "Thank you, that would be much appreciated."

Cats were known to dislike the rain after all. Well, most cats anyway. Sayomi didn't seem too terribly bothered by it. "I hope I'm not intruding upon your time?"

"Not at all" He replied as he helped usher Sayomi out of the rain and into the Crab common area. It was rather utilitarian in design, comfortable cushions a table near the center, and a few wall hangings to make it stand out as belonging to the crab. It wasn't completely undecorated though. As several pieces of art had been added to the room. Some of which looked recently made.

"I had no pressing plans at the hour, other than perhaps write a few notes. That can certainly wait though." He motioned to the room. "Please make yourself at home."

"Thank you, for the hospitality," she nodded her head once more in a mini-bow of sorts and glanced around to see how the Crab had decided to make themselves at home here. She didn't expect them to decorate like the Crane did, after all.

"I decided to come by to offer some tea from my home province, and if it's not a bother we could perhaps talk some court business?"

It had been a long day of meetings, but one more wouldn't hurt. It was what he was here for after all. "It wouldn't be a bother at all Kitsu-sama."

"Tea would be wonderful too. I admit to having never tasted any from the Kitsu lands." He paused, maybe he should have played the game of gifts there? "I can have some snacks brought to go along with it if you like."

"Snacks with tea is always great, if it's no trouble," she nodded with a warm smile. "My family is not a great producer of tea like the Crab are known to be, but it's nice tea for the evening - relaxing and warming."

The tea set she brought was a simple earthenware set, glazed with soft dusty colors reminiscent of the Lion plains.

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OOC: Rolled this long before dayflip, we were just slow to get started. xD

Day 3. Mid-Evening. Tea Ceremony/Void untrained to regain VP. | 3k3 ⇒ 27 (TN: 15)

He nodded and called a servant over to ask they bring an assortment of snacks by, both savory and sweet. Best to cover one's bases as it were. "That sounds quite nice, Kitsu-sama." The rain had brought a chill with it, and something warm would do quite nicely.

"With this persistent drizzle, something to warm the core is more than welcome." As she prepared the tea the servants arrived with snacks, there was senbei, and yatsuhashi, as well as some yokan.

"Ah please, Hiruma-sama, I'm not worthy of such lofty titles. I know the announcer at the opening banquet probably tried to make me sound more important than I am, but plain old Kitsu Sayomi is just a hohei," she clarified politely, not wanting to commit the flaw of being vain.

"But please, tell me if you have been able to enjoy your visit to Lion lands so far."

Other than the banging and shaking it had been quite pleasant but bringing up that would probably do little good, so he didn't. "It's been quite nice Kitsu-san." Daichi replied, changing how he addressed her as requested.

"The food is plentiful and tasty; the city offers an interesting place to explore, and the accommodations are comfortable. A bushi couldn't ask for anymore." He picked up his cup and took a sip. "Though I don't think I've met a member of your clan from here. Unless you are one?"

The tea was light, more suited for the summer, with some sweeter undertones. Refreshing and calming for the late evening.

"Yes and no," she explained, "my family reside further northwest, by Water Dragon Lake. But I have been stationed here for the past three years, so I am more or less a local to Kyuden Ikoma, if I may say so. I know the area and the people well. Even if it's much more populated and metropolitan than my homelands, which is... well, one could say it's a tad quaint." Sayomi's more rural dialect slipped through a bit at the end there. No doubt she had refined her speech to be more suitable for the court of the Ikoma.

"I imagine it is very different from your homeland?"

"My home is also quite quaint, so it seems we have some similarities there. It's in the mountains centered around an Iron mine, and most everyone in the territory lives in or around the mine and castle." Daichi explained with a wry smile. "Not much up there aside from trees, rocks and a mountain stream but it is home."

"Not that I spend much time there, most of my days are spent patrolling the border." Picking up his cup he took a sip, pausing to savor the taste it was quite good. "It's been weird having to remember to shave every day."

She blinked, trying to imagine what the smooth-faced Hiruma Daichi looked like with a scruffy beard. It was... weird. Very weird.

"That sounds like quite the change to get accustomed to!" Thank the Fortunes she didn't have to worry about that! "But your home sounds lovely. The more remote places of the Empire are very nice, and we often forget it in these more refined surroundings."

"Oh, but I wished to talk to you about trade and strengthening the bonds between our clans, if you don't mind?"

It was weird, but shaving was a luxury when out in the wilderness. Luckily none here had to worry about Daichi's terrible beard growing skills. "They are." He agreed with a smile. "I got to see several of them on my way here too."

"You are right though, on to business." He agreed, shifting a little to get into a more comfortable position. "There are many things the Crab have to offer this season, and a few things that we are looking for. Are there any things in particular that the Lion wish to acquire this year?"

She sipped her tea and also adjusted to for more comfort in her position. "The Lion wish to replenish some of our stocks from the summer campaign; mainly arms and armaments, though there is also interest in tea and of course the always-sought after Crab steel. In return, we wish to offer rice to the Crab and your continued duties, and copper for your artisans and smiths to work with."

Simple and to the point. While Sayomi often behaved like a courtier, she was at heart a warrior.

"A rumbling belly is never a soldiers friend. So rice would be most welcome. The copper would be something of a boon as well." Daichi admitted easily, avoiding all the courtly nonsense could be a boon here.

"As for what you asked for, we could aid you in all those things. Our mines have had a good year, which allowed our smith's to craft without end. Not to mention the fair weather the fortunes gifted us for our growing of tea."

He smirked. "I think that's the long way of saying. How much do you need?"

"Tea would be about [4 units] to cover our demands, though our need for iron and weapons are greater, with [6 units] for iron, and [13 units] of equipment." Sayomi sipped her tea once more, enjoying the familiar taste of home it brought her.

"What are the needs for rice, and how much copper would be useful to you?" she knew copper wasn't a highly sought after-material, even if it was quite handy for many things.

"We could meet your needs on tea and provide almost all the Iron you need [5]. The arms we have quite the quantity of, though we may not be able to get you all that you wish for. We've had several people approach us trying to bargain for them after all."

"As for us, our need for Rice is quite high [16 units] and the Copper relatively low at [5 Units], Depending on what your clan has to offer there I'm sure we can reach an agreement though."

Sayomi nodded thoughtfully. "We could fully cover your need for copper," which seemed fair, equal amount of ore for ore, "and meet almost all your needs for rice [15]. Considering the value of both rice and arms for all, with the tea included, we could see both of our needs almost fully fulfilled."

A calloused finger idly tapped against her teacup. "Not including iron and copper now. Our needs for tea covered, and [9 units] of equipment, in exchange for [15 units] of rice? It should set you up nicely to fulfill your needs."

"That certainly does get us very close." He agreed with a nod. "I think that's a deal my Clan would readily agree to Kitsu-san."

It would leave they some leeway for other dealings which should allow they to make up for the rest of what they were lacking.