Even Imperial Officers need to eat, and so it was that Otomo Keihime passed through the hallways, skirted the crowds, and was served her breakfast with a loose cordon of Seppun guards a respectful distance away. Regal in her casual costume, she sat with perfect posture and, presumably, contemplated the intricacies of the courts while she pushed rice about on her plate.

A slim Yasuki was having a late breakfast of congee and spicy nori that morning. He recognized the Imperial Advisor as she swept in with her retinue. Putting down his chopsticks, he respectfully offered her a seated bow, then waited until she began dining before returning to his own food.

Keihime acknowledged the Crab's bow with a slight nod. Then she paused, poised, as it were, over her food. At last, she made a quiet gesture to one of her guards. A moment later, said guard shuffled toward Ryoichi.

"Sir," the guard leaned in and said quietly. "The Imperial Adviser requests the pleasure of your company for this meal. What reply shall I give?"

The Yasuki looked surprised for a moment, then rose and bowed to the guard. "Of course, I would be most honored to join the Imperial Advisor," he said.

Picking up his bowl and chopsticks, the Crab followed the guard over to where Keihime was seated.

"I'm most grateful for this invitation, great lady," he said, bowing again - a more delicate operation this time, as it required some dexterity to avoid spilling his porridge. "I am called Yasuki Ryoichi."

Keihime observed the second bow, returning it with a marginally deeper nod of acknowledgment.

"Polite as well as handsome. Good morning, Yasuki-san. Please, sit a moment. Would you happen to be one of the Shiozaki Yasuki?"

Ryoichi beamed at this. "Indeed, I am," he said, as he took the invited seat. "I'm honored that the Imperial Advisor has heard of my house. Have you visited the Yasuki provinces before?"

Her face fell with exactly the right amount of simulated disappointment. "I have not had the pleasure, I am afraid. I understand that even now they continue to hold their summer colors. It must be heartbreaking to leave them for these fields of beige."

"Yes, the coastal climate keeps the Yasuki lands quite beautiful and pleasant until late in the season," Ryoichi enthused, seemingly taking Keihime's words and expression at face value. "Perhaps you might enjoy visiting someday, if your duties permit."

"Still, it is no hardship to come here," the slim Crab added. "Indeed, it is a great honor for one such as myself to see and participate in the splendor of the Imperial Court."

Keihime nodded as though that were much to be expected. "I am sure it is. As for me, my duties require that I travel at the side of the Empress, so it does seem unlikely that I shall see Earthquake Fish Bay for myself. Perhaps some circumstance will arise in which an Empress may find herself wishing to visit the Black Crane Estates. That would be lovely, I think."

"The view from tall towers of Yasuki Yashiki is most impressive, especially at sunset when Lady Sun dives into the bay," Ryoichi related. "There is a wonderful shrine to Daikoku and the first Yasuki there, and the fresh seafood is the very best."

"If such a circumstance were to arise, I am certain we would welcome a visit from the Daughter of Heaven and her Adviser."

Keihime nods. "You paint a lovely picture, Yasuki-san, I must say. No wonder you have found yourself at the Imperial Winter Court. Lady Yasuki must see some real potential in you."

This praise got a smile from Ryoichi, who looked down modestly.

"Otomo-sama is kind to say so," he said. "The credit for getting me to Winter Court is surely due to my parents and clan superiors. But I'm going to work hard to prove worthy of Lady Yasuki's trust in sending me here."

"Surely you have already begun to do so?" Otomo Keihime's question is phrased innocently enough, but is certainly an invitation to be forthcoming about his achievements in court thus far.

Courtier (Manipulation)/Awareness to get Yasuki Ryoichi to spill some tea about what he's been up to in court. 7 Courtier, 5 Awareness, Otomo Rank 5 applies. | 10k9 ⇒ 59

...A fairly compelling one, too.

Flattered by the Imperial Adviser's interest, the Yasuki was happy to share.

"To be honest, I would've liked to have done better at the presentation of gifts to Lord Ikoma," Ryoichi admitted sheepishly. "But I was able to secure some valuable contacts with the Crane, Phoenix and Boar clans."

"I was hoping to secure a trade agreement with the Crane, but they've been a bit difficult so far. In fact, I am not entirely sure that their proposal is a serious one," the Yasuki mused. "But I was able to work out an understanding with the Phoenix delegate - a big basket of assorted resources for mostly lumber - that I hope to present to Court soon. Assuming my superiors approve. I think they will." His expression looked confident, but with a hint of uncertainty - much like a schoolchild about to turn in a test to be graded on a subject they had studied hard.

"Of course this is all a bit preliminary, so I wouldn't want to spread this around too much," Ryoichi confided. "But seeing as you're such an important Imperial officer, of course you can be trusted with this."

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2LM Resist Keihime's courtier-fu, contested Etiquette/Awareness +mastery | 10k4 ⇒ 30 (TN: 59), loses the contested roll

Keihime smiled. "Fear not, Yasuki-san, I have long since learned where my words are most effective." She paused, considering for a moment. "I think that the Empress, for example, will be most pleased to hear that the Crab are working so closely with the Phoenix so soon."

"I wonder, though, if your instincts about the Crane might be correct? I do not mean that they are an un-serious people, but that they so often lack proportion. Their biases often cloud their judgment. Why, just yesterday morning I was hearing about some Daidoji Merchant-patron wax poetic about the carps that once decorated his kimono and the great pain his grandfather had in replacing them all. People are curious, are they not, in what they choose to fixate upon?"

Ryoichi's face clouded, just for a moment, at the reminder of the ancient rift that had split the Yasuki from the Crane, but it passed quickly.

"Otomo-sama is right; people can fixate on some strange things," he said. "I don't mean to criticize Daidoji-san's ancestors, but I imagine there might've been another way for his grandfather to avoid having to change the symbols on his kimono."

Keihime nodded slowly. "Perspective can change many things, can it not? I wonder if they even stop to think that there is more than one way to look at that issue. Anyway, I am sure that you will find out as you work with them. Perhaps they have grown as people since last winter."

Ryoichi raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? May I ask - what did they do last winter?"

The Yasuki was beginning to understand that the Imperial Adviser was going somewhere with this line of talk, but seemed willing enough to go along.

"Merely what they have done every winter--swanned about the place making art but missing the point." She smiled disarmingly. "But no doubt Yasuki-san will discover it all for himself. It is far too depressing to dwell upon. Not when we are enjoying our breakfast. Now come, tell a jaded old courtier, what are you most looking forward to at Winter Court?"

"Well... of course fulfilling my duties to my Clan comes first," Ryoichi said loyally. "I've promised to do what I can for House Shiozaki, as well. But personally, I am looking forward to meeting more people of other clans and getting to know them." The Yasuki smiled abashedly, worried that this must sound terribly naive to the Otomo.

"Crab Clan court is all very well, of course, but when you spend all your time with people who think like you, dress like you, fight like you, and do all the same pursuits..." He allowed himself a small shrug. "Well, it can be quite a novel experience to encounter someone new, with a different way of thinking. Sometimes this will lead to disagreements, of course; but I'm hopeful that I might be able to make friends, as well."