Despair and Wisdom: Imperial March

Otomo Hana was a samurai. A samurai in relatively good health. As a courtier, she was able to make the miles of Crane farmland fly by with discussions of pratically anything, from the history of the lands they were on to artistic discussions of the clouds overhead to speculation about what awaited the army ahead.

But the march was still tiring and there was no cozy little tea houses to sit in and recover at. By the end of the day she was quite fatigued, sprawled out in her tent, though the tent remained open for any who wished to speak with her.

Daidoji Nobu was walking by Hana's tent when he observed the Imperial apparently collapsed in her tent.

The big Crane stepped cautiously to her tent flap and said tentatively, "Ah... excuse me for intruding, Otomo-sama... but are you quite all right?" He wore a concerned expression on his face.

Daidoji Nobu wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 17, 2024 3:48 am

Daidoji Nobu was walking by Hana's tent when he observed the Imperial apparently collapsed in her tent.

The big Crane stepped cautiously to her tent flap and said tentatively, "Ah... excuse me for intruding, Otomo-sama... but are you quite all right?" He wore a concerned expression on his face.

Hana could almost feel the steely glare of her etiquette sensei drilling into her. It was far more painful than her feet screaming out her for the graceful rise and bow she would offer to Nobu.

"Of course, thank you for asking Daidoji-san." she said. "I was merely inspecting my tatami mat to make sure it would pass inspection should one happen."

The big Crane didn't even look like days of marching was wearing on him at all. He might look like a giant ball of pork, but there had to be a ton of muscle underneath his soft exterior.

"I don't have any tea prepared, but perhaps something could be arranged? I would enjoying taking this respite to speak with a fellow soldier." she offered. Courtesy demanded the offer be made, and so Hana made it, though at least the desire to talk was genuine.

Adoka was preparing for the nights swimming but failing to notice the Imperial that had everyone talking for refusing to accept the reward for her efforts in the first couple of days, would be a faux-pas, even for him. Apparently she was socialising with a powder blue boy. He could tell the vibes, but didn't wish to comment on them.

He rose his hand and Metsuki landed for his snack. He was within hearing distance, but didn't eardrop. He would respond if prompted but otherwise continue goofying around with his albino raven.

Otomo Hana wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 17, 2024 5:53 am

"I don't have any tea prepared, but perhaps something could be arranged? I would enjoying taking this respite to speak with a fellow soldier." she offered. Courtesy demanded the offer be made, and so Hana made it, though at least the desire to talk was genuine.

"Ahh, if you are certain it would not be an intrusion...?" Nobu said, offering her a polite way out. "I would not wish to impose."

The Cranes demanor did bring a slight smile to Otomo Hana's face. He was, after all, a pretty imposing figure, so he had to try extra hard not to impose.

"What if we were to impose on each other, Daidoji-san? If you were to procure hot water while I dig through my supplies for the tea, through our joint efforts we could enjoy tea and company." she suggested.

She did notice the Yogo nearby as well. I mean, he was rather hard not to notice in both appearance and action. But if he was content to play with his bird, she was content to let him.

Apparently the one that mattered noticed him. He continued playing with his bird.

Otomo Hana wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 17, 2024 4:26 pm

"What if we were to impose on each other, Daidoji-san? If you were to procure hot water while I dig through my supplies for the tea, through our joint efforts we could enjoy tea and company." she suggested.

A smile cracked the big Daidoji's face at this arrangement. "I would be glad to assist in this matter," Nobu said, bowing quickly before hurrying off to secure a source of hot water.

Several minutes later, the big Crane returned bearing an iron kettle, recently liberated from the cook fires. A trickle of steam emitted from its spout. Water sloshed within the kettle as Nobu proudly raised it for display, as though it were a prize taken from the hunt. "Here we are!" he proclaimed.

"Airgato, Daidoji-san. I have been productive in your absence." Hana offered.

She had laid out a rather elegant looking tea set, perhaps a bit too elegant for the surroundings, but it was still in one piece.

"As fortune would have it, I still have a good supply of Golden Needle Tea from my time in Pale Oak Castle. If that is to your liking, I can begin the preparations."

Adoka spoke something to Metsuki in bird talk and the raven flew away. He looked into one of his pouches and once he found a reddish herb, approached the Imperial.

At the proper distance he bowed and awaited to be acknowledged.

Otomo Hana wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 17, 2024 6:13 pm

"As fortune would have it, I still have a good supply of Golden Needle Tea from my time in Pale Oak Castle. If that is to your liking, I can begin the preparations."

"Golden Needle will suit me very well," Nobu said agreeably, finding a place to sit his large frame within the tent.

Yogo Adoka wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 17, 2024 6:54 pm

At the proper distance he bowed and awaited to be acknowledged.

"It does seem we have an extra cup..." the Crane suggested, looking to Hana to make the decision of whether to notice Adoka.

That was the thing about etiquette. Hana COULD have refused to acknowledge the Yogo. But doing so would have likely upset the kind-hearted Daidoji if she was anything less than fully polite. And that would set her own plans back. This was how Yogos got into Imperial tea parties rather than being hurled onto a remote moutain to betray a pine tree.

She offered a reasonable bow to the Yogo.

"Yogo-san, the day's march has left us feeling rather parched. Perhaps you would care to join Otomo Hana and Daidoji Nobu-san for tea and polite conversation?" she said covering the duos introductions while they became a trio.

He was confident that the Imperial already loved him, but it wasn't like he wanted to take her to his cave, apologies tent. So he gave her his best theatrical bow.

"Otomo -sama, your invitation comes as a shock to me, as I find myself completely unworthy of your attention." He replied and cursed for not being drunk enough to totally hate his words.

"I merely wished to offer you this herb. It is Soshi red tea and in my experience it helps with sleep after long marches." He explained, before giving a way lower bow to the wrong family of the Crane, in recognition of their introduction.

"Oh how very thoughtful of you, Yogo-san. I myself find the marches quite tiring, I believe that I shall fly to Yume-do tonight as if spirited away on a Unicorn steed. So I could not possibly deprieve you of such a thing that you may need yourself." she declined.

Oh yes, the admittance to this tea party absolutely was going to be a full game of gift refusal. You could take the Otomo out of the court, but you couldn't take the court out of the Otomo.

Being happy with himself for sidelining the Daidoji, and impressed with the Imperial, he decided to outcourtier the courtier.

"Deprive me? Poor child, do you think that some tea could silence my grandfather?" He allowed a small laughter to be heard beneath the mask.

"No, no, Otomo-sama, I insist. It would torment me all night that you hadn't slept and it would force my hand into dispatching either my raven or some origami to check on you. You wouldn't want one to invade your privacy, would you?"

Why are you fooling around with her?
She could be your ticket out of my head, so please let me focus. You need me alive to get your head, don't you?

The big Daidoji's brow furrowed slightly with puzzlement as he tried to understand the meaning of the Yogo's peculiar and vaguely threatening words. But as a third party, etiquette dictated that Nobu had no part in the gift-giving exchange, so he looked to Hana to see how she would respond.

As a courtier, Hana had played the game of gifts many, many times. For some it was a chore, for some it was a delight, but certain no one had both patronized and threatened her in the same breath.

To that, there could be but one response.

"Yogo-san is quite bold. Truly my hand is forced. I simply must..."

She paused a moment to check on the tea.

"...see what he could possibly say next should I refuse this gift again, which I mostly certainly do. For the sheer anticipation of hearing your third offer and the delight at what I will get to say after that."

The words were spoken casually, the look in her eyes was fearsome.

Adoka savoured the moment. That look... oh, he was falling in love.

Stop thinking about collars and roped, you perv
You literary read my thought and I am a perv?!

"We are heading to the Shadowlands. You will need more protection than you think, you need. When you realize that, you will thank the heavens that you accepted my gift and remember that tonight after drinking it, you had the best sleep of your life since leaving your bed back home."

Let's hope that she is into stress.

[OOC: Rolled a Courtesy Void roll, which failed, but I still got the opportunity I needed to check her for any conditions and since she had none, learned how to make her like me.

Rouse the Soul. Courtesy | TN: 1 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1
]

Given his earlier words, trying to spin things into a 'No, I'm just THAT concerend about you' rather than doubling down on being condescending and creepy was pretty wise, all things considered. The effort at least spared the Yogo the insult of having his gift refused a third time.

"It would be rude of me to turn down a heartfelt offering made by someone simply looking out for the well-being of his fellow soldiers. In the spirit of the bonds between fellow soldiers, I shall accept it, thank you Yogo-san." she replied.

She accepted the gift of tea, setting it aside for the moment to serve the current tea.

"I hope this blend is to your liking. Have you had it before?" she offered to both. Being a shared cup of tea rather than a formal tea ceremony at least afforded them the chance to chat rather than sitting in rigid silence while performing the ceremony.

Adoka smiled beneath his mask and bowed.

"Otomo-sama I hope you will understand that since sleeping on the cart during all that march, actually made my back hurt, I intend to go take a dive, if you will excuse." He said and bowed.

"I don't feel at all comfortable with basking in your presence." He added.