[Day 11, Early Morning] We Have to Stop Meeting Like This (Phoenix Only)

[Shiba Ryusei]

Having exchanged letters and brief asides with Yasuki Ryoichi, Ryusei had a new agreement in hand... and so he sought out his Champion to see what she made of it.

[Shiba Higashime]

The daily treaty with tea had become a ritual of its own, and Lady Shiba was ready with two cups as always.

"What have you got for me this morning, Shiba-san?"

[Shiba Ryusei]

"A second agreement with the Crab- lighter on the material goods than last time, but it secures us that last bit of copper for the Shrine of the Ki-Rin."

He paused, and allowed himself a smile.

"It also involves the Crab Clan helping restore the facilities at Shiro Shigi, in exchange for Crab access to the naval base. The agreement is explicit in that patrols to protect merchant shipping would be permitted, but no major combat operations unless jointly against a common foe. This would be part of a larger naval agreement for mutual aid and coordination against gaijin and pirates, and mutual aid for distressed sailors."

He paused. Naval matters were near and dear to his heart, of course, and he wasn't going to sugarcoat the direct benefits to his own floundering House- Shiba-ue was certainly smart enough to see through it if he had thought to try, and lying to her even to that extent would have felt... blasphemous.

"I admit, that last part hardly seems to need writing down, but if we can get the Crab to agree to aid distressed Phoenix shipping in their waters as a matter of course, so much the better. It also, due top their other agreements, gives us an angle on their naval pacts with the Mantis and the Crane, even if we aren't signatories to those agreements- because our mutual cooperation will complicate any attempt to interfere with our shipping."

Sip.

"In addition to Crab access to the port at Shiro Shiggi, we would bless the farmlands in the province of House Shiozaki. We would seal the agreement by marrying Gashuin-sama to Hida-ke no kashin Hara Setsuko, with him joining the Crab"




--
The Treaty Full Skinny:

• Shiba-ke no kashin Gashuin Tatsuya (Male, Status 3, Age 27) marries Hida-ke no kashin Hara Setsuko (Female, Status 4, Age 19), joining the Crab.
• Crab provide 1 Copper
• Phoenix and Crab jointly construct and operate a naval base in the Shigi prefecture in Phoenix lands, with ships of both clans able to dock, trade and resupply here. Merchant protection patrols from his base would be OK, but no major war fighting from this base unless a joint operation against a common enemy.
• Phoenix will perform the spiritual blessing on the farmlands of Shiozaki prefecture in Crab lands
• Mutual naval cooperation against pirates and gaijin, and to rescue distressed sailors

[Shiba Higashime]

"And you are comfortable with Crab troops at Shiro Shigi?" Higashime asked.

[Shiba Ryusei]

"Crab crews on naval vessels? Invested in the port's safety? There might be a brawl or two, but at the end of the day..."

He shrugged.

"Better them than a Clan with holdings close enough to make seizing the Shiro feasible. If relations should ever sour, keeping any occupying force supplied would be more trouble than it was worth from the opposite end of the Empire. At the end of the day, the port is still ours. And I can hardly say that having a couple of shiploads of seasoned Crab mariners on hand with a pact devoted to hunting down pirates is at all unappealing."

[Shiba Higashime]

"If Shigi-san trusts the Crab, then I will trust Shigi-san."

[Shiba Ryusei]

Ryusei bowed as low as the circumstances permitted, deeply moved by this gesture from his Champion.

"You honor me, Shiba-ue. May I prove worthy of it."