Sanjuro had invited Akodo Kenji for tea at Dragon House following Court, to discuss our common interests and bolster our relationship.

The tea was started in time to steep to a full flavor - a green tea, dark in color with a full bodied taste and aroma for his esteemed guest(s). The Dragonware tea set was sparkling with painted green dragons gilded with gold.

From the kitchens, he had secured some fruit and onigiri in the shape of triangles.

The seating area was freshly cleaned just before court and felt peaceful. The interior walls of Dragon House were decorated with calligraphy - quotes from the Tao, and a wall hanging with the calligraphy for 'Dragon' and 'Mountain' shaped into the form of a dragon. A small bonsai sat beside the low table. One Sanjuro had been caring for these past three years.

Yuna was there. Glad to be enjoying the scent of the tea.

She was still dressed in her bright green court finery.

She had some papers to reference, records of their trades made and marriage candidates.

Their guest arrived as expected, having taken time to prepare after the earlier court session. He had a scroll case and a fresh kimono in the colours of the Akodo. There was a pause as he admired the calligraphy and the bonsai.

"Greetings honoured Dragon delegates, thank you for the invitation. I trust that court has been proceeding well for you?"

Yuna gave a deep bow.

"It is an honor to be here at winter court. One of the greatest joys has been the chance to get know the other delegates better."

"As a great fan of the game Go, I must say your play was spectacular at the tournament. I am still re-playing it in my mind. Brilliantly done."

Kenji bowed deeply in return.

"Oh, thank you Agasha-san! It was a great pleasure to take part and play such interesting games. My sensei will be very pleased." He was going yo enjoy that conversation very much.

"And I must agree with your assessment. I have been based in the Imperial City for over a year, but there are not many places where one can meet luminaries from across the Empire." No one had tried to pull a piece of paper out of his ear yet so this was already a very different meeting.

Yes, welcome, Akodo-san. Your play was inspiring.

I have visited the capital, but never resided there. What is the bet part of residing int he capital to you?

Sanjuro pours out a cup of tea to each person there and invites them to be seated at the low table.

She takes a seat at the table, with a smile for each of them.

"I've never been to the capital. What has your role been there?"

"Thank you Agasha-san, I am honoured by your praise." He took the offered seat and cup gratefully.

"Ah, you should certainly visit if the opportunity arises. The architecture is quite spectacular, perhaps you would find the Temples of particular interest." He smiled and sipped the tea.

"A lovely blend, thank you. My time is the Imperial City has mostly been spent learning the skills of an Imperial Scribe. I have since been working for the Lion Embassy transcribing records and official documents. I am often called to take notes in court so it is unusual to be one of the people bring taken note of, as it were."

"I would love to see the temples," she agreed. "And, one day, the new Imperial Library."

"Imperial Scribe is an important role. Congratulations on that post! Have you met our Mirumoto Kichinitonda-san? He is also a scribe. An extraordinary calligrapher. The Tao quotes on the walls are my simple work. The calligraphic wall hanging with the kanji for 'dragon' and 'mountain' forming the shape of a dragon with all the ink flourishes ... that's his work. If you look closely there are very very tiny inked images of our various House and Clan mons hidden. He does beautiful work in miniature."

"Are you planning to do calligraphy for the art event tonight?"

Sanjuro nods to Kenji's response. His fondness of Kichinitonda and his work makes him appreciate Kenji's work, sight unseen.

He waits to hear Kenji's answer.

"Aha, I am indeed! I did not realise you had a calligraphy expert here, I hope to meet him soon." He seemed genuinely interested and took a closer look at the works on the walls. "These are lovely." Good use of the Dragon shape.

"And yes, I plan to demonstrate my skills with the brush tonight!" The sword was last night. "Are you both participating as well? What are your own artistic preferences?"

"Calligraphy is my art also, though I am very much an amateur compared to Mirumoto-san and yourself. But I am planning to present a calligraphic wall hanging that I hope those attending find meaningful, if not flawlessly executed."

"Ah, it is good to see how much we have in common. The love of Go. The pleasure and artistry of calligraphy."

"It is a good foundation to build upon."

"I am also participating. My specialty is in creating artistic bowls, cups, jewelry and other art in the medium of metals. I hope your efforts go well and you have much success."

After waiting an appropriate amount of time, Sanjuro thanks his guest for coming and states his intentions. "Akodo-san, it will be our pleasure to enter a peace treaty with the Lion clan over the next year. In order to support our efforts we would like to offer in exchange a spiritual gift from the Dragon to the Lion. What are your thoughts on the matter? "

"There is also inter-marriage to potentially seal a peace treaty. Perhaps a particularly symbolic match? Like giving you a powerful military leader in confidence he will not lead soldiers against us."

"The Lion can use the spiritual service in the way of their choosing. Possible examples would be:
Extending the Dragon Clan discount for the Enlightenment advantage to one member of the Lion clan; or
Providing a counsel toward successful resolution to a problem the clan may be experiencing; or
Performing a ritual to remove a consumed or cast out disadvantage of a clan member, and discretely, if desired."

"What are your thoughts?"

He bowed deeply once more. "I will look forward to seeing your artistic displays minna-sama, very much. Regarding the other matters before us I am afraid that we must temper our enthusiasm somewhat."

Kenji paused and sipped at his tea. "Our Clans have been great allies in the recent past. It is my hope that we will be great allies again in the future. Before we can return to such close ties there is a matter that needs to be addressed. The matter of Matsu Hitomi."

Kenji drew himself up a little. "Due to those events there are some in my clan who would be happy with no formal agreement between our clans. However, I do not believe the Dragon wish to let that incident sit unresolved between us any more than I do."

A long breath. "I would like to propose the following minna-sama. The Dragon and Lion come together to build a Shrine to Matsu Hitomi. This will help to heal wounds and rebuild understanding between our people. Once it is complete we can revisit the matter of the alliance. We can show our peaceful intentions through marriage and this act of mutual cooperation. I hope you will agree this is a suitable opportunity for renewal."

(OOC: Sorry about the delay, RL plus needing to establish a consensus took it out of me!)

Yuna nodded. This was a time when her librarian's memory and recent research could help them.

"I am familiar with Matsu Hitomi's story. And I believe there is an important opportunity at this court to make amends for past harms. We see increasing signs of spiritual ill omen - earthquake, warning of disease and pestilence. In the past, such signs could be prevented or restored by apology and the building of a shrine. That is what Hantei Ningi did after his mistreatment of Tenjin, who brought disease after his wrongful execution. He apologized, elevated Tenjin to a Fortune, and built a shrine in his honor - the Ikoma libraries."

"The path to spiritual health for Rokugan requires that past wrongs be addressed, and the route you describe - a shrine to her - follows what has done great good in the past."

"We would need to secure Togashi-ue's approval, but I think this is a wise proposal to bring to him. Then Mirumoto Daimyo Mirumoto Turan behaved dishonorably when he ordered Matsu Hitomi to attack a Lion fortress. I believe the Dragon could offer both apology and the shrine building, but that is something we could confirm."

"My own experience comes from a joint Dragon-Phoenix library. A jointly managed shrine is a similar concept and would stand as an enduring testament."

"Do you foresee the shrine being in Lion lands or in Dragon lands? I think we could be open to either possibility."

"That might guide the marriage to seal it, for it should likely be a marriage into the clan on whose lands the shrine will be built. For example, I have a shugenja of prominence (influence 4) Agasha Seizaburo, a male priest who has the training and skill to be assigned to the shrine itself, wherever it is built, in a shrine keeping role, perhaps in a co-role with a Kitsu shugenja? Alternatively, if the Lion wished a marriage of bushi to honor that Matsu Hitomi was a bushi, we have several bushi delegates of varying status. Or, as a last thought, we have a relatively young (status 1) artisan prodigy very skilled with ceramics and kintsugi. She could play a key role in decorating such a shrine, and kintsugi is a poignant medium to honor the restored relationship from the healing fissure. If you had a younger Lion eager to make a match, she is quite talented, with remarkable potential."

Kenji was clearly pleased that the Dragon were so positive about his initiative. "Your response is a most welcome one minna-sama. In the absence of access to Shiro no Omoidasu, perhaps we might build the Shrine on the border between our Clan's? Or else in Lion lands near her birthplace? In any case I imagine it as a place for pilgrimage and introspection."

He considered the potential matches, all sounded good options.

"Perhaps your artisan would be an appropriate choice? She could take charge of decorating the Shrine, and we have an important Kitsu sensei who is in need of a spouse. I will discuss with Akodo-dono if you are happy to leave that decision for the moment?"

"That all sounds very good. The main thing is we will assume the shrine is somewhere in Lion lands and that our artisan will marry into the Lion."

"And, yes, we will need to confirm Togashi-ue's approval, and you will need to confirm with Akodo-dono. Please know that we understand there could be changes as a result."

"I'm confident that we can reach a mutually pleasing treaty."