Sapphire Ambassadors

Hatsuki resisted the urge to yawn. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to provide anything but the field rations they offered. Maybe some tea. She sighed. What the hell was this all about, she wondered, oblivious to the magistrates men not far away.

In the mean time, she awaited Nadeshiko.

There's a gentle tap at the door before Nadeshiko calls: "May I join you, Hatsuki-san?" Once it's affirmed she slides open the door carefully -- one hand cradles a little lacquer box -- before stepping inside and just as carefully closing it. "Good morning! Have you eaten, Hatsuki-san? The rations... well... I do hope they're enough..." She murmurs that last bit softly as she finds her place by Hatsuki. "I brought some snacks at least!" And the sweets are placed between them with a smile.

"Of course," comes Hatsuki's voice.

"I have had the rations. I don't know what this is all about," she said, shaking her head. "Thank you, Nadeshiko-san."

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:22 pm

"Of course," comes Hatsuki's voice.

"I have had the rations. I don't know what this is all about," she said, shaking her head. "Thank you, Nadeshiko-san."

"Of course. I don't mind them, but..." Well, Nadeshiko will eat anything if she has to. She'd prefer the sweets. "I thought something different would be nice. I still have a little more if they're still feeding us rations by tomorrow."

She pulls out the sweets from their box, plating them happily for them to share. "Today's a brighter day, isn't it? I'm sure we'll still have more... troubles... soon, but, we both had our hard work recognized." There's a softness as she speaks those last few words -- Hatsuki had her art recognized. Finally. "I hope it brought you some happiness."

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:30 pm

"Of course. I don't mind them, but..." Well, Nadeshiko will eat anything if she has to. She'd prefer the sweets. "I thought something different would be nice. I still have a little more if they're still feeding us rations by tomorrow."

She pulls out the sweets from their box, plating them happily for them to share. "Today's a brighter day, isn't it? I'm sure we'll still have more... troubles... soon, but, we both had our hard work recognized." There's a softness as she speaks those last few words -- Hatsuki had her art recognized. Finally. "I hope it brought you some happiness."

Hatsuki gently takes one of the sweets from the plate once Nadeshiko is finished. Once she's done eating it, she smiled. "These are very good. Thank you, Nadeshiko-san," she said with a smile. She looked toward the window of the room. "I wonder if someone is trying to turn sentiment against Bayushi-san, honestly. There's no reason to deal with the Sunset Leaves, as well, outside of that."

"It is, and we have. It's a nice feeling." Forcing the Crane to finally accept my work. Even if I don't win, this was worth it. "I actually wanted to discuss yesterday's work. What was your inspiration for your poem?"

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 6:59 pm

"I wonder if someone is trying to turn sentiment against Bayushi-san, honestly. There's no reason to deal with the Sunset Leaves, as well, outside of that."

"I actually wanted to discuss yesterday's work. What was your inspiration for your poem?"

There's a stilted formality -- a feeling of being held at arm's length as Hatsuki speaks. Oh. Oh, did she get ... Nadeshiko starts to fidget, worried now she's somehow responsible for even more of Choudai's troubles. "Yes, it's, it's very... thorough," Is the best word she can come up with. It feels more like a punishment.

"Oh! The story? I thought you all might know it already." Her laugh's gentle; she really had hoped they'd recognize it. "I ... hm... I remember the woman's name was Shosuro Temari... and the man was a Bayushi. It's been a few months since I heard it." The woman settles then, leaning back as her cheeks flush at the memory of the telling of the story. "That... man, at the Winter Court... the one I mentioned briefly... he told me. He thought I'd like it, and, well, I did. When I thought of Duty... I thought of those two lovers."

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 7:13 pm

There's a stilted formality -- a feeling of being held at arm's length as Hatsuki speaks. Oh. Oh, did she get ... Nadeshiko starts to fidget, worried now she's somehow responsible for even more of Choudai's troubles. "Yes, it's, it's very... thorough," Is the best word she can come up with. It feels more like a punishment.

"Oh! The story? I thought you all might know it already." Her laugh's gentle; she really had hoped they'd recognize it. "I ... hm... I remember the woman's name was Shosuro Temari... and the man was a Bayushi. It's been a few months since I heard it." The woman settles then, leaning back as her cheeks flush at the memory of the telling of the story. "That... man, at the Winter Court... the one I mentioned briefly... he told me. He thought I'd like it, and, well, I did. When I thought of Duty... I thought of those two lovers."

"Hai... that is how I would put it, as well."

"Ah... Shosuro Temare..." She said, letting out a exhalation of breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Right, of course. It's a fairly universal tale, ne? People rarely marry for love in the Empire, but they still fall in love."

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 7:26 pm

"Right, of course. It's a fairly universal tale, ne? People rarely marry for love in the Empire, but they still fall in love."

Nadeshiko's quiet a moment, thinking.

"Yes, they do," The Crane finally answers. The way she speaks now is... gentle. Cautious, even. Like how one handles something fragile. "But it's only a story. What is pleasurable in fiction is not necessarily..." How do you tell someone, please don't hurt yourself, whatever's going on? How do you ask to share a secret? "I wish their story could have ended differently. I know it is shameful to say, especially given my heritage, but I would want those two lovers to have their happiness." There's a tiny, awkward laugh as Nadeshiko contemplates just how terrible a samurai she is.

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 7:39 pm

Nadeshiko's quiet a moment, thinking.

"Yes, they do," The Crane finally answers. The way she speaks now is... gentle. Cautious, even. Like how one handles something fragile. "But it's only a story. What is pleasurable in fiction is not necessarily..." How do you tell someone, please don't hurt yourself, whatever's going on? How do you ask to share a secret? "I wish their story could have ended differently. I know it is shameful to say, especially given my heritage, but I would want those two lovers to have their happiness." There's a tiny, awkward laugh as Nadeshiko contemplates just how terrible a samurai she is.

"I also wish their story could have ended differently. Scorpion don't remarry, though, so once it's done, it's done," she replied with a small shrug, looking to the side. "Benten does favor the Crane. It's not so strange to want that."

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 8:03 pm

"I also wish their story could have ended differently. Scorpion don't remarry, though, so once it's done, it's done," she replied with a small shrug, looking to the side. "Benten does favor the Crane. It's not so strange to want that."

Nadeshiko nods, eating a little more of the sweets so she doesn't have to talk. Unfortunately snacks can only save her for so long. "Why... is that? My father never told me. I only learned from..." Him.

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 8:17 pm

Nadeshiko nods, eating a little more of the sweets so she doesn't have to talk. Unfortunately snacks can only save her for so long. "Why... is that? My father never told me. I only learned from..." Him.

She shrugged. "I married in, so I have no idea what the reasoning is. Perhaps to discourage disloyalty. Perhaps to ensure clarity of bloodlines. Perhaps someone particularly jealous ensured a certain tradition proliferated. Who knows?"

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 8:35 pm

She shrugged. "I married in, so I have no idea what the reasoning is. Perhaps to discourage disloyalty. Perhaps to ensure clarity of bloodlines. Perhaps someone particularly jealous ensured a certain tradition proliferated. Who knows?"

"Hm..." That gets a nod. Some things may always remain secrets. "...Hatsuki-san?" Nadeshiko feels a knot in her stomach. "Have I caused offense in some way?" Well... more than she already has.

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 8:41 pm

"Hm..." That gets a nod. Some things may always remain secrets. "...Hatsuki-san?" Nadeshiko feels a knot in her stomach. "Have I caused offense in some way?" Well... more than she already has.

Hatsuki immediately shook her head. "No! No, not at all Nadeshiko-san. Actually, your poem was extraordinarily beautiful. I had to control myself a great deal not to become emotional at it."

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:04 pm

Hatsuki immediately shook her head. "No! No, not at all Nadeshiko-san. Actually, your poem was extraordinarily beautiful. I had to control myself a great deal not to become emotional at it."

The tension in her body IMMEDIATELY evaporates. "I -- I'm so glad to hear that -- I was worried -- you seem so tense, Hatsuki-san." She slumps over a bit, genuinely smiling again. "It gladdens me to hear you say that.I put a lot of my heart into that poem."

"I hoped it would touch romantics, and those who've loved and lost," Nadeshiko sighs longingly at that. She also just wanted to write a romantic poem; it IS her forte, after all. "And maybe... I hoped my Scorpion friends would enjoy it, too. I wanted to do the Clan justice."

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:30 pm

The tension in her body IMMEDIATELY evaporates. "I -- I'm so glad to hear that -- I was worried -- you seem so tense, Hatsuki-san." She slumps over a bit, genuinely smiling again. "It gladdens me to hear you say that.I put a lot of my heart into that poem."

"I hoped it would touch romantics, and those who've loved and lost," Nadeshiko sighs longingly at that. She also just wanted to write a romantic poem; it IS her forte, after all. "And maybe... I hoped my Scorpion friends would enjoy it, too. I wanted to do the Clan justice."

"No, no, I'm not offended. That's not why I was tense, it was just..." She paused, debating for a moment how much to say. "You did that. It hit... close to home. That's all. So close I was worried for a moment you had somehow written it about me. I realized you wouldn't have done that, though."

"It really is a tale as old as the Empire."

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:34 pm

"No, no, I'm not offended. That's not why I was tense, it was just..." She paused, debating for a moment how much to say. "You did that. It hit... close to home. That's all. So close I was worried for a moment you had somehow written it about me. I realized you wouldn't have done that, though."

"It really is a tale as old as the Empire."

"I... worried that might be it." There's a little sadness in her voice. Things make a little more sense now. She wouldn't think too hard on it; Hatsuki's secrets are her own, and from how tense she was, they likely weigh on her more heavily than Nadeshiko can ever guess. "Had I known it would trouble you, I wouldn't have shared it at all, Hatsuki. I'm sorry."

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:41 pm

"I... worried that might be it." There's a little sadness in her voice. Things make a little more sense now. She wouldn't think too hard on it; Hatsuki's secrets are her own, and from how tense she was, they likely weigh on her more heavily than Nadeshiko can ever guess. "Had I known it would trouble you, I wouldn't have shared it at all, Hatsuki. I'm sorry."

"No... I'm glad you did," she admitted. "It really was a beautiful poem, and it would have spoken to someone on that level, even if it hadn't me."

"Truthfully, I want to talk about it, but I don't want you to have to bear that burden."

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:51 pm

"Truthfully, I want to talk about it, but I don't want you to have to bear that burden."

Oh, Hatsuki... "I will not ask you to tell me anything that could compromise you, Hatsuki-san, but I will say I am happy to share your burdens if you'll allow me to. I know... loving someone... sometimes the pain of it can weigh just as much as the beauty. Especially... if there is... marriage involved. Especially for Scorpions." She frowns a bit as she thinks about the man she'd had... something with. "The one who told me that story... he's married. So I... cannot know exactly your pain, but..." The woman sighs. "I knew I could never be with him, even if he wanted it. It's painful, wanting something so close yet so far beyond what you could ever have. Some of that pain went into the poem, too."

Doji Nadeshiko wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:59 pm

Oh, Hatsuki... "I will not ask you to tell me anything that could compromise you, Hatsuki-san, but I will say I am happy to share your burdens if you'll allow me to. I know... loving someone... sometimes the pain of it can weigh just as much as the beauty. Especially... if there is... marriage involved. Especially for Scorpions." She frowns a bit as she thinks about the man she'd had... something with. "The one who told me that story... he's married. So I... cannot know exactly your pain, but..." The woman sighs. "I knew I could never be with him, even if he wanted it. It's painful, wanting something so close yet so far beyond what you could ever have. Some of that pain went into the poem, too."

"I'll be a bit vague, then, but you may get the idea," she said with a sigh. "It wasn't that different from your scenario. Though in my case, I was the one betrothed when we met. But... it was like meeting the other half I didn't know was missing. Two artists of art no one takes seriously, so I guess it's natural that it was that way; there's a certain common mindset there." She chuckled a little.

Shosuro Hatsuki wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 22, 2022 10:11 pm

"I'll be a bit vague, then, but you may get the idea," she said with a sigh. "It wasn't that different from your scenario. Though in my case, I was the one betrothed when we met. But... it was like meeting the other half I didn't know was missing. Two artists of art no one takes seriously, so I guess it's natural that it was that way; there's a certain common mindset there." She chuckled a little.

Oh.

OH.

Suddenly every puzzle piece falls into place. The way Choudai and Hatsuki address each other despite their closeness, the pain Hatsuki felt at seeing Mikan's painting, Choudai being in her room the day before... Nadeshiko considers hitting her head on something hard so she'll forget, but, unfortunately, she'd probably just break her neck, knowing her luck.

Let go of the surprise. Calm yourself, and be at peace. That will help Hatsuki more.

"I see." Nadeshiko nods. "Two of a kind. That's..." She rests a hand over her heart. "That's beautiful, Hatsuki. I can see why it's weighed so heavily on you -- because it's so powerful. It would be like pulling the sun from the heavens, tearing you two apart. I can't... I can't even begin to imagine how ... how everything's been. Hiding it, and being away from the one you love."