Late evening found Yasuki Ryoichi returning to Crab House at last. After setting his armor on the stand by his pallet, he made his way towards Kaiu Masahiko's office to report in.

Kaiu Masahiko was having late-night tea. He looked up at Ryoichi's entrance with some surprise. "Back, then, are we? Come in, and be welcome!"

"I am so sorry, Kaiu-dono, for disturbing you at this hour," Ryoichi said, bowing apologetically before entering the office. "But I thought this news couldn't wait."

"I've just returned from Ryoko Owari. A group of us were sent there by Lady Seppun on a mission to recover two lesser-known relatives of the Daughter of Heaven. We were successful."

"Yeah, a little Seppun told me all about it." He smiled. "Some kind of Fortune's son, hm?"

Ryoichi blinked in surprise, that the news had somehow outrun him.

"Lord Kaiu is well-informed," he said, sounding impressed. "Yes, it seems Tatsuya was the son of Hantei Muhaki and the Fortune of Geisha. Tatsuya himself has a son as well, Ryunosuke; I'm unsure who the mother was."

"I imagine this changes the calculus of the succession," Ryoichi said. "Would Kaiu-dono have any instructions for how we should handle this, ahh, change of winds?"

"Lord Hida sent along some contingency plans. Among those, getting at least one Wind to stay in Kyuden Hida for the year is a goal. Seppun Sadako did not bite at my suggestion that the Imperial Winds be separated, so you'll need to work on the Winds themselves. This Tatsuya is, I assume, frightened enough as a ronin at Winter Court. That's exactly the emotion we want all the Winds to be feeling, so that they will turn to Lord Hida for protection."

Ryoichi nodded. "Tatsuya-san actually has shown considerable courage in coming with us, but is naturally cautious in unfamiliar terrain," he said. "His son does seem more concerned; he is convinced that the Court will have them all killed."

"I wish I could say that fear is unfounded, but..." Ryoichi's face had a wry expression. "It's dangerous ground."

"Hai, certainly. A son can be a powerful motivation for a father, too. I suppose that I should ask: does he feel like the son of a Fortune?"

Ryoichi thought about this. "I've never met a son of a Fortune," he said slowly. "He's not tall as a mountain, nor does he shoot fire from his eyes. But he's calm in a crisis and shows good judgment. If he were a foot soldier, I think he could be officer material."

"As a courtier ... a possible Emperor? ... I don't know."

"A fair answer to an unfair question." The big man shook his head. "I suppose if he survives the next few days, we'll know whether he can make it well enough to be someone's puppet. If he thrives, though, well, then we might have a different kind of kemari game."