As the young Lion arrived at the house for the Minor Clan delegations, she introduced herself to those on duty there. "Kitsu Sayomi of House Tatsukawa would request a meeting with the august Lady Kitsune Aiko."

With her she carried a small box, intending for its contents as a gift.

It is not long until a servant leads her in.

Kitsune Aiko rises with a shallow bow.

"Kitsu-san!" she says in a tone that suggests nothing so much as needing a stalk of grass between her teeth. "Do come in an' sit a spell!"

She gestures to cushions.

"Y'ant some tea or somesuch?"

Sayomi had heard that the Kitsune were a bit more rural than other clans, but she was a bit surprised. It kind of reminded her a bit more of home!

"Kitsune-sama," she greeted in return with a smile and a bow. "Thanks for the offer of sitting. And tea would be nice, if it ain't a bother." Herself, she returned to her bit more local dialect that wasn't as refined as the manner of speech she had adapted for the court of the Ikoma.

"Oh, but I brought you a present. It is tea from my homelands, near Water Dragon Lake. It would be a downright pleasure if you'd accept." With that, she held up the small box she had brought.

"Now that's just sweet of you, hon," Aiko replies, unfazed by the code switching. "But I can't rightly rob you of a taste of home. It just wouldn't do."

"Ah, but it would be more like sharing a common home, I think," she tread a bit carefully here. "History notes that the followers of Lady Shinjo also rode across the plains near the Lake, and as the Kitsune are descendants of the Ki-Rin, it would be like a taste of your ancestors' home."

Sayomi did her best to show that she was being sincere and respectful, and not spiteful in bringing up the old history of the Fox.



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D8 LA. Etiquette/Awareness to be sincere and nice, not mean by bringing up old stuff! | 7k4 ⇒ 33

"Can't argue a Kitsu f'r ancestors, it's true," Aiko allows. "But even so, th' Lion've been s' good already, I can't rightly expect any more'n that."

"Then consider this a personal offering, between you and me, as I hope we'll be able to be good friends and enjoy the tea together another time," she offered a third time.

"Can't say no t' that, now, can I?" Aiko responds. "'preciate it."

She takes the tea and sets it to the side.

"Now, what all brings you my way?" she asks. "This gonna be 'nother session o' Auntie Aiko 'xplains weddin' nights?"

At that she laughed. "Oh Fortunes, no," she managed to reduce the laugh to a chuckle, "nah, it's something much more simpler than that, or so I think. I'm here to speak with you on behalf of my clan about trade between our clans. We can offer the Fox copper from our mines to be used by your artisans and smiths, or the talents of our Ikoma Bards and Artisans."

"Well, weddin' night's simpler'n the weddin' day," Aiko replies, "but we c'n have that talk 'nother time ifn we need it.

"'bout th' copper, though," she continues, "could use [2 units]. Could give [2 lumber] f'r it. Don't rightly know 'bout any bard-work, though."

"Lumber would be good. Wouldn't happen to have any dyes or paper though? We could increase the amount of copper."

She shrugs a bit. "As for the bards, it's a service that can exalt the deeds of a samurai of your clan, or bring to light the misdeeds of an enemy."

"Dyes're already spoken for, sad to say," Aiko says. "Most o' the paper, too. Should still have [1 unit] free. Don't need more'n [2 units of] copper, though."

She sips at tea a servant has provided them both. "You said somethin' 'bout artisans, though?"

"Ah, that's a shame, ain't it. Seems like everyone's looking to make themselves all fancy for the next year with some rare dyes. They've been hard to scrounge up. Maybe I'll ask the Centipede next," she mused out loud with good humor. Winter was a first-come first-serve environment it seemed.

She picked up her teacup. "So [1 unit] of paper, [2 units] of lumber, for [4 units] of copper, it's sounding like? The artisans would be providing the service of proclaiming the deeds or misdeeds, as you so choose, if that is something of interest to you. Or is there anything else on your mind?"

"That ain't it, no," Aiko replies. "Got no use for more'n [2 units] copper. Happy t' do the timber for 'em. Got that paper, though, could see about gettin' that bard-work after all. Be nice t' have m' name all talked up nice, make f'r makin' some things easier on down the way."

(Fox give 2 lumber, 1 paper, for 2 copper and Bard Service?)

Sayomi sipped the tea, thinking.

"May I make a slightly unorthodox suggestion?" shock! This was coming from a Kitsu, a family that breathed orthodoxy and tradition! "It occurred to me that the Fox don't have an official dojo of prestige to train their bushi, which I imagine must put some strain on your warriors. What if the Lion were to offer Kitsune samurai who are more inclined to the part of the warrior to train in the renowned Akodo Dojo?"


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OOC: What we are offering is that the Fox could potentially gain access to the Akodo Bushi school in the future. Like maybe a discount for Different School?

Aiko's brow furrows.

"That seems it'd be a longer-term commitment," she says, somewhat cautiously. "I ain't opposed t' ongoin' arrangements, mind; there's comfort in stability. But I'd be remiss if'n I didn't ask what all the Lion'd want f'r such an extravagant gift, an' I'd be more remiss not t' say that it might could be more'n we can offer up."

Best not to poke the big cat, after all.

Sayomi made sure to keep her tone friendly, that it wasn't some trap from the big kitten. Cat.

"It's something we could offer instead of copper, for your lumber. And maybe just my opinion, but I think it could foster good relations between the Lion and the Fox, hm?"

"I'd have t' give it some thought," Aiko says. "Like I said, seems it'd be a runnin' commitment."

"Of course, I understand. We could start small, with a handful of students to enter the dojo in the spring, and we can see where it goes from there?"

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OOC: A number of students from the Fox will train in the Akodo Bushi school, instead of a running project from the get-go.

"Like I said," Aiko repeats, "I'll have to think on it."

She sets her empty teacup down.

"You sure you don't need Auntie Aiko t' talk t' you 'bout hitchin' an' such?"