(D10 LM) A Crane Comes to Call

[Asahina Hoshiko]

She was supposed to be here, there was an invitation and everything. Still, it felt a bit strange after recent conflicts, to come to this Lion-held heart of a Lion court. The invitation is noted, and she's led inside, looking around to see how they've arranged *their* collection of paper dividers, until she can offer a proper bow to her host.

[Akodo Kenji]

She did not have to wait long as Kenji had been waiting nearby. He approached and offered a respectful bow to his guest. Kenji's kimono was illustrated with waving long grass, horses running freely, and lions watching them from a distance.

"Welcome Asahina-san, thank you for accepting my invitation. I am Akodo Kenji, of House Kusama. I took the liberty of having tea prepared, I hope it is to your liking."

He gestured towards the meeting room and led the way into that austere but not uncomfortable place.

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"I'm not precious about my tea. Since I doubt any truly bad tea is even available at this court, I'm sure it will be lovely."

"Asahina Hoshiko, House Yamada, and very pleased to meet you." She smoothes her deep blue robes, the hems and swinging sleeves embroidered in cranes in flight among pine needles. Very winter themed.

"I've spent too little time conversing with my hosts, to be honest. The winter gets so busy, it's easy to get tied up in this project or that, and miss half of the list of things you meant to get to. So I appreciate the invitation, Akodo-san."

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji allowed a small smile at that. "Indeed Asahina-san, the days fly by and there is always more to be done. For my part I have mostly been buried in the Ikoma libraries, or discussing trade. I did manage an occasional game of Go though."

Once his guest was sitting comfortably with a cup of tea he continued.

"I find I have spent little time talking to your people. It is pleasing to fix that oversight. We are living in unusual times, it benefits the Empire to have the Right and Left Hands working in accord."

[Asahina Hoshiko]

Hoshiko nods, warming her hands with the tea after the chilly, if short, walk across the courtyard. "Agreed. I know there have been traditional tensions, but the Empire could see a proper peace with both hands working in harmony." Perhaps a naive hope, but a very Asahina one.

"We've been meaning to reach out to finalize the marriage set up in the agreement from early days in court." When there was still an Empress on the throne. It seemed so long ago, but was barely a week past!

[Akodo Kenji]

"As long as we are prepared for war, peace can have its time." He was not an Asahina, but even a Lion could agree that constant war was a bad idea.

"Ah yes, of course. Do you have any thoughts on marriages Asahina-san? It is not my area of expertise." He frowned thoughtfully. "Perhaps Kitsu Sayomi-san is the one to talk to about such things, but I am happy to try to help."

Kenji had wondered if it would come up and had prepared a scroll with the previous trade deal details. "Here is the existing agreement. Hopefully you have met your trade needs? We are still trying to source a few items."

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"It's only mine by dint of needing to talk about them this winter. We'll be able to let the nakodo hash out the details, see if their stars are perfectly aligned and all. Of our candidates, I was considering Kakita Eiko--a promising courtier here this winter." She pauses a moment, "I was thinking that some conflicts may be too recent for bushi from our clans to be an optimal match. But as I do not pretend to entirely understand the minds of warriors, I'm open to being corrected on such assumptions."

"We've had reasonable luck this winter in meeting projected needs and building some excellent future projects to both foster peace and prepare for, hmm, not war exactly, but protection. Cooperating in the removal of pirates doesn't warrant the word 'war'"

Her head tilts questioningly. "What are the Lion still seeking?" She glances at the existing agreement, "I'm sure that where there's a will for it, accords can be found."

[Akodo Kenji]

"Hmm. I do not think recent conflict need prevent a suitable match being found. I suspect it depends on the individuals and their experiences. A Kakita courtier sounds like a very suitable candidate though."

He smiled. "I am pleased to hear your trading has progressed well. I would expect nothing less from the Crane at Winter Court." A nod to her Clan's ability in that field.

"We found our rice in high demand, but as we approach the end of the Clans' surplus I believe we are still short of," He looked to a scroll. ", ah yes! It seems we still require the following units: 1 iron, 2 lumber, 4 stone, 2 sake. Not terrible. In fact it rather sounds like it could the start of a significant art project."

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"Is that a hint as to Akodo Sanae-sama's next art initiative?" Hoshiko asks with a small smile, reviewing, in her head, the list of goods traded thus far. "We'd be able to meet Lion needs for everything besides iron. We weren't holding back when trading you our surplus earlier, I promise."

"As to the marriage, experience is, indeed key. One of the bushi Iooking for a match is young enough to possibly not have taken part in interclan conflicts, and is possibly a good choice for a wedding to settle this new exchange upon."

"However, most of our material needs are met. Not that this has been any barrier to finding agreeable exchanges, as our agreements with the Crab and Scorpion have shown."

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji allowed a small laugh at that. "Perhaps some sculptures are in order, yes? Some glorious statues wouldn't go amiss. A little outside my own talents unfortunately."

A sip of tea and he continued. "It is good to hear that we may be able to obtain our last few trade goals. And marriages are always welcome. I will make sure to clarify who we can put forward. As for agreeable exchanges, I am very keen to explore these with you Asahina-san. In fact, since you mentioned art, perhaps that is a good place to start? As you noted, Akodo-dono has been very keen to demonstrate the Lion's interests and skills in this area. Perhaps you have some thoughts about suitable joint artistic endeavours?"

[Asahina Hoshiko]

Kenji allowed a small laugh at that. "Perhaps some sculptures are in order, yes? Some glorious statues wouldn't go amiss. A little outside my own talents unfortunately."

A sip of tea and he continued. "It is good to hear that we may be able to obtain our last few trade goals. And marriages are always welcome. I will make sure to clarify who we can put forward. As for agreeable exchanges, I am very keen to explore these with you Asahina-san. In fact, since you mentioned art, perhaps that is a good place to start? As you noted, Akodo-dono has been very keen to demonstrate the Lion's interests and skills in this area. Perhaps you have some thoughts about suitable joint artistic endeavours?"

"A few, though our actual artisans likely have more. No reason to invent entirely anew though, as we can look to our agreement with the Scorpion and note that engaging a Crane performance in some major venue allows them to show their craft and allows for an exchange of ideas and building relationships among those artists." She sips her tea. "Joint art festivals might be a thing as well, perhaps something honoring Sadahako...though with the current situation, such mention might be seen as coded support for her son, so..." She let's that hang, with the implicit hope that by the end of this court things would be decided and it would no longer matter if one merely mentioned something that connected to one of the heirs.

"Our artists have also heard mention of new pottery techniques and wondered beyond the pragmatic, how might the techniques stretch their art?" she picks up her teacup, looking at this small example of such art.

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji nodded, this sounded loke a good set of ideas to pursue. "Akodo-dono is very keen to enhance opportunities for mutual exchange of artistic ideas. Perhaps the Crane would be interested in taking on a tour of Lion lands, with performances at major population centres? We could even aim to reciprocate with a Lion artistic tour of Crane lands."

A smile crept onto his face. "That would be one for the history books, no?" A change from military tours at least. "Hmm, our new pottery could certainly be used in an artistic manner. I am sure there must be at least a few of my cousins exploring just that."

[Asahina Hoshiko]

"Speaking for the Asahina, more poetry battles and fewer bloody ones is very much our desire." She expects the Matsu may feel quite the opposite.

"Also for the Asahina--and if this agreement tilts to one family's favor, well that's what they get for expecting a priestess to negotiate trade--my recent experiences with Kitsu Shintaro-sama and occurrences this winter has me wondering if there's benefit to trying to cooperate on study. The Kitsu have known expertise into the spirit realms of a rather focused sort, we're a bit more generalist in our approach. But it's a topic we haven't shared information on in quite some time."