D2EE, Closed Conversations [VERY CLOSED]

[Bokushi]

The old monk sits in the Empress's own sitting room, quietly in seiza, moving very little. The Seppun in the room, Hidden Guard and Miharu alike, notice him--they can hardly not--but their unmoving vigil is not disturbed by him unless it is in the near-imperceptible nod of the officer's head that had accompanied Bokushi's entrance into the room.

He knows for whom he waits.

So do they.

Whether the other knows she is awaited...

[Hantei Retsuhime]

...is hidden in a great bout of coughing that begins as soon as she enters the room. A solid 20 seconds of loud, wracking coughs ends with her throwing her soiled handkerchief aside to be dealt with by somebody who deals with those kind of things.

Rheumy-eyed and pallid of cheek, she looks about, settling at last on the elderly monk.

"Ah." she said. "It's you."

[Bokushi]

"It is," Bokushi replies, bowing from seiza into a full zarei and holding it for a full five breaths before rising back into seiza.

"The cough seems to be getting worse," he says.

[Hantei Retsuhime]

"Yeah."

The Empress begun to shuffle to the right side of the chamber where rested a large, ornately carved Thrane chair, not exactly legal, but certainly easier to stand up from when your legs haven't been terribly stable lately.

She sat.

"Every day a little worse. Won't be too much longer. But listen to this. You'll love it." She started to dig around in her robes. "I've got Cranes giving me fans with cypresses on 'em to try to get me to live longer." She produced the fan and cracked it open with a flourish. "Aha! Some monk made it, I guess. Right up your street."

[Bokushi]

Bokushi leans in just a little bit, squinting just about as much, and one of the younger miharu begins to inch forward until the commander's hand raises ever so slightly.

"Looks like Honsen," the old monk says. "But who can fault them for praying for their Empress to live long? They have been taught from birth to do so, after all, and one cannot fault a fan for blowing air."

He sits back.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," he says. For a moment, he looks like he means to say more, but it is clear that words fail him for the moment.

[Hantei Retsuhime]

She shrugs, a bad habit from her youth.

"I'm not. I've led a good life. I've held this thing together. Rewarded the virtuous; punished the wicked. If Lady Sun is pissed at me, we'll hash it out in a little bit. This mess is as much her will as mine, anyway." She shifted in her chair. "No use being downhearted."

[Bokushi]

There is a slight smile from Bokushi at the gesture. "Some things never do change," he says, somewhat quietly.

Then he sighs heavily. "Yet some things very much do," he adds. "Such as what a person knows, and what that knowledge may do for a decision that has to be made."

[Hantei Retsuhime]

Retsuhime sighed. "Ah, I see, and here I thought you were here to offer comfort, but now you're a monk you've got to throw wisdom in there too. I see how it is. Well, what have you learned?"

[Bokushi]

"If I had had wisdom," Bokushi says, "all this might have been avoided."

He sighs.

"But in other lives--no, that doesn't matter now. What does is that she had a son. "

And there it is.

[Hantei Retsuhime]

Retsuhime frowned, trying to...oh. "Oh." A pause as she tamped down the passions that threatened to spill over. "Anyone I know?" she asked through tight teeth.

[Bokushi]

"Doubtful," Bokushi replies. Such of his cheeks as can be seen about the voluminous beard have the decency to redden slightly. "I don't know him, either, and only learned his name...not long enough ago."

Another heavy sigh.

"Given his parentage--and that parentage is clear--however...some thought must be taken for those upon the waves."

[Hantei Retsuhime]

"The hour is late. And the wave-people are everywhere. Have you got a bead on this...what's his name?, or am I going to have to call that up-jumped thug in here to get a report from her oh-so-secret snitch list?"

[Bokushi]

There is something like a snort of laughter from behind the beard.

"That list is handy," Bokushi says. "But, no. I have a good idea where he--Tatsuya--is. It's not a comfort, but it's not a surprise that he's where he is."

The monk looks at the Empress. "I'll make sure he's gotten here," he says.

[Hantei Retsuhime]

"You've got my" *COUGH* "authority to do so. I'll have Tooru get you some papers." She adjusted in her chair. "Not that I give a shit after what he pulled, but Lord Ikoma is going to be a little miffed at this." She started to giggle, which turned into a coughing fit. "Serves him right."

[Bokushi]

Bokushi pulls a pouch from his belt. From within, he produces a bundle in a small twist of paper. He opens it, showing it to the Miharu as a simple bit of ginger candy.

He then offers it to the Empress with something like a grin.

[Hantei Retsuhime]

The Empress accepted with a nod of thanks, popping it in her mouth. The sound of it rattling against her teeth as she sucked filled the silence.

[Bokushi]

"Like I said, some things never do change," Bokushi says, smiling sadly behind his beard.

"Such as delight in seeing an Otomo presented with adverse paperwork."

[Hantei Retsuhime]

"Serves him right. I heard he pulled the same trick on poor Gorobei this morning. I think they really do mean to keep him locked up in his room all winter." She shook her head in exasperation.

[Bokushi]

"Honestly, after today, it might not be that Family doing it," Bokushi says, nodding at the surrounding Miharu. "With potential heir, there's potential danger, after all, and while some of them might be able to do some good in a fight, the risk is...high."

[Hantei Retsuhime]

She raised an eyebrow. "You sure you want Tatsuya in on that action, then? He'll only have it worse."