D2 LM - The Sun's blessing and the spirits

[Yasuki Masaki]

It was just a small walk through the Courtyard to get from the Crab House to the Minor Clan's, and yet as theirs was the only House not readily visible from most of the others, this was the first time Masaki was properly setting eyes on it. Not that it was very different from the others, of course.

A koi fish pattern adorned her kimono today as well, in blue and red - both neither too light or dark. The background of the kimono this time was white, however, bright as a clear day - although the pattern and other coloured, joyful details made sure that it that was not prone to be mistaken for the kind of white garment appropriate for more somber occasions.

Reaching the threshold of the House, she made her presence known, bowing as appropriate, and politely asked to speak with a representative of the Centipede - she was not sure it would be Akane meeting her again, after all.

[Fukurokujin]

It takes a couple of minutes after the servant runs off for her to return.

"If Yasuki-sama would please to come this way?" she says, and gestures. "The Lady Moshi has been expecting you.

"Will Yasuki-sama have a light tea or a dark?"

[Yasuki Masaki]

It takes a couple of minutes after the servant runs off for her to return.

"If Yasuki-sama would please to come this way?" she says, and gestures. "The Lady Moshi has been expecting you.

"Will Yasuki-sama have a light tea or a dark?"

The Yasuki bows a bit, as appropriate, and follows the servant. She looks outside for a moment before answering.

"Light tea would be lovely for such a day. Thank you", she says with a nod and a small smile.

[Fukurokujin]

The sound of another pair of feet scurrying off at speed is heard as the one servant guides Masaki within.

Soon enough, she is brought to a door, which the servant scratched at and, hearing an approving sound from behind it, slides it open.

"The Lady Moshi," she says, bowing.

Masaki will see within a servant bringing a pot of tea to the table, at the other side of which is...

[Moshi Akane]

...Moshi Akane, who says "Yasuki-san, please, come in and be seated."

She gestures. A light meal of rice, miso, and egg is on offer.

[Yasuki Masaki]

The sound of another pair of feet scurrying off at speed is heard as the one servant guides Masaki within.

Soon enough, she is brought to a door, which the servant scratched at and, hearing an approving sound from behind it, slides it open.

"The Lady Moshi," she says, bowing.

Masaki will see within a servant bringing a pot of tea to the table, at the other side of which is...

Masaki will promptly follow the servant, nodding in thanks to her as she presents her. Then...

...Moshi Akane, who says "Yasuki-san, please, come in and be seated."

She gestures. A light meal of rice, miso, and egg is on offer.

... she bows deeply to Akane before moving inside - with small, gentle steps.

"Moshi-dono, a great pleasure to meet you again", she says bowing again before taking the seat offered. "And many thanks to you and Inari-no-kami for the graceful blessing", she says with a contained smile as she eyes the food.

"May I pour you some tea, Moshi-dono?"

[Moshi Akane]

snip

"You are a guest, Yasuki-san," Akane replies, and the servant who had brought the tea pours it for both women before bowing and scuttling back to sit silently in seiza, waiting for commands.

"I receive it humbly and with thanks," she says as she claps her hands and bows her head in prayer for an otherwise silent moment over the food.

That done, and assuming Masaki does something similar, she will lift her cup. "I trust Yasuki-san slept well," she says before taking a careful sip.

[Yasuki Masaki]

"You are a guest, Yasuki-san," Akane replies, and the servant who had brought the tea pours it for both women before bowing and scuttling back to sit silently in seiza, waiting for commands.

"I receive it humbly and with thanks," she says as she claps her hands and bows her head in prayer for an otherwise silent moment over the food.

That done, and assuming Masaki does something similar, she will lift her cup. "I trust Yasuki-san slept well," she says before taking a careful sip.

The words are taken with a polite nod, and she'll wait as the servant pours for them. She closes her eyes and lowers her head for a quiet prayer as well, similar except for the expected cultural differences - a clasping at the end, for instance, although not loud as that wouldn't do as a guest. The answer comes after lifts her cup as well, letting the tea's smell fill her nostrils before ever taking a sip.

"Hai, it has been a pleasant night, thankfully. Perhaps unexpectedly so - first nights in a new environment are not always conducive to sleep in my experience. I hope the same is true for Moshi-dono?"

She takes an interested look at the rice, eggs and miso for a quick moment - maybe just interest, maybe examining the food more in depth? - before her eyes go back to the tea.

[Moshi Akane]

snip

The food looks much the same as in the Crab House, being part of what the Lion are providing for their guests. The tea, to all evidence, is simply tea--a light blend, as requested.

Akane replies "It used to be so for me, travel. But I have had to do more and more of it, so it becomes its own familiar thing. And nowhere Lady Sun touches can be quite that far removed, in any event.

"But Yasuki-san's family is well, as are her compatriots here at Court?" she asks before taking up her chopsticks and bringing a bite of rice to her mouth, chewing so as to allow the Crab time to answer.

[Yasuki Masaki]

The food looks much the same as in the Crab House, being part of what the Lion are providing for their guests. The tea, to all evidence, is simply tea--a light blend, as requested.

Akane replies "It used to be so for me, travel. But I have had to do more and more of it, so it becomes its own familiar thing. And nowhere Lady Sun touches can be quite that far removed, in any event.

"But Yasuki-san's family is well, as are her compatriots here at Court?" she asks before taking up her chopsticks and bringing a bite of rice to her mouth, chewing so as to allow the Crab time to answer.

The tea's scent is appreciated nonetheless, and a small smile adorns the corner of her lips at the prospect of the food - she had in fact not eaten yet that day.

"Moshi-dono is certainly right - far and wide as we travel north, the Lady Sun's blessing is always there to receive us. This one has slowly become more accustomed to travel as well, too, but most often still in the south - and only a couple times north of the Spine of the World before this."

A sip of the tea before she continues.

"The family back home has thankfully been well - since some most unfortunate incidents some years ago, that is." She looks down, some lines forming on her face, but only for a moment. "But it has been a good, if busy year so far. Our delegation here has been a most pleasant one to work with as well - I have good hopes for the Winter." Another small sip. "I hope the year has bestowed many blesings on Moshi-dono's family as well, back home and here?"

[Moshi Akane]

[snip

Akane clears her mouth of rice and sips at her tea before replying.

"The family here does well," she says, "as must be expected in such circumstances as this. Back home, my children thrive. Sakura-chan will soon take her new name--at the solstice, if all goes well. Ichiro-kun's tutor tells me he progresses well, particularly with the spear. When I left Sugi-chan with her nurse, she cried as any four-year-old will. My husband is managing things in my absence, I have every expectation."

She nods.

"As should be the case."

She picks up her soup. "The miso is quite good here," she says. And she eats of it.

[Yasuki Masaki]

Akane clears her mouth of rice and sips at her tea before replying.

"The family here does well," she says, "as must be expected in such circumstances as this. Back home, my children thrive. Sakura-chan will soon take her new name--at the solstice, if all goes well. Ichiro-kun's tutor tells me he progresses well, particularly with the spear. When I left Sugi-chan with her nurse, she cried as any four-year-old will. My husband is managing things in my absence, I have every expectation."

She nods.

"As should be the case."

She picks up her soup. "The miso is quite good here," she says. And she eats of it.

The comments on Akane's children bring a less contained smile to Masaki's face as she serves herself, first of rice and eggs. "The young ones always bring their own kind of light to a house, don't they?" Suddenly, the smile freezss for a moment, her head shaking, just slightly, as a shadow of a memory seems to pass through her eyes. But only for a moment, the smile comes back soon. "My younger cousins are progressing fast as well, some nearing their name change as well".

The takes a mouthful of the rice and eggs, then takes the miso, moves it in her hands, and takes a deep breath, as with the tea. As if trying to read its 'notes' or something.

[Moshi Akane]

snip

"Mmph," escapes Akane, and she visibly swallows.

"Is there something wrong with your miso?" she asks.

At the side of the room, the servant sitting in seiza shrinks down on herself slightly.

[Yasuki Masaki]

"Mmph," escapes Akane, and she visibly swallows.

"Is there something wrong with your miso?" she asks.

At the side of the room, the servant sitting in seiza shrinks down on herself slightly.

"Oh? No, Moshi-sama, not at all!" She takes a small sip of the miso soup. "It's just... a developed habit, you might say". A rueful smile. "...When a child finds that foods most pleasant to everyone play mischief with her own body, that child ends up developing some hard-to-avoid mannerisms."

"A small price among many blessings this humble one received - and not one I'd want to impose on Moshi-sama's warm hospitality." A small, but warm smile. "My apologies for causing you worry, Moshi-sama."

"The miso is in fact very good, as Moshi-dono said", she added with a nod, the same warm smile on her lips.

The taste of the mischievous ingredient was hopefully *not* there. If it was... well, she'd have to deal with it.

[Moshi Akane]

snip

"Ah," Akane says. "I see."

She sets her bowl aside.

"But if further eating is a concern, we can turn to other matters."

(Nope. No crab being eaten by the Crab at the table this meal.)

[Yasuki Masaki]

"Ah," Akane says. "I see."

She sets her bowl aside.

"But if further eating is a concern, we can turn to other matters."

(Nope. No crab being eaten by the Crab at the table this meal.)

She takes another sip of the miso, and a slightly apologetic smile takes to her lips for a moment. "This one is not opposed to talking about those matters while eating, if Moshi-dono would prefer. The food is quite good."

A nod-bow. "But as Moshi-dono would like, of course."

[Moshi Akane]

snip

Akane takes her bowl back up and eats more of the soup.

After she swallows again, she says "We had made some mention yesterday of an exchange between your people and mine. This is a better place for it than we were in, wouldn't you agree?"

Then more rice, as well as egg.

[Yasuki Masaki]

Akane takes her bowl back up and eats more of the soup.

After she swallows again, she says "We had made some mention yesterday of an exchange between your people and mine. This is a better place for it than we were in, wouldn't you agree?"

Then more rice, as well as egg.

"It certainly is", she says before reaching to put some more rice and egg on her own bowl as well. "If we could go over the Valley's needs and offers again - Moshi-dono mentioned spirits and metal?"

[Moshi Akane]

snip

Akane nods.

Once her mouth is clear, she adds, "Yes. And, to speak plainly, sake, as well as copper, gold, and iron. There are other needs, of course, but it seemed to me that sake and refined metals speak more to the Crab's strengths than other needs we have."

[Yasuki Masaki]

Akane nods.

Once her mouth is clear, she adds, "Yes. And, to speak plainly, sake, as well as copper, gold, and iron. There are other needs, of course, but it seemed to me that sake and refined metals speak more to the Crab's strengths than other needs we have."

Masaki nods in agreement. "Moshi-dono's assessment is a keen one. We would have at least a reasonable amount of both to offer. But if other strengths do happen to find their way south, I'll be sure to keep the Valley in mind."

A small sip of tea.

"And as we're making our words plain. The valley's offer of rice is one we take dearly - and Moshi-dono mentioned something else that I believe would greatly benefit our sacred duty to protect the Empire's soul?"