Sapphire Ambassadors

Morning found Bayushi Choudai in a foul humor.

He hadn't slept restfully- memories of Naishou had plagued his dreams.

Not the bad things- not the memories of bloodshed, the fear, the shadowy things that had lurked in the province, the undead horrors in the forests. He dreamed of those sometimes, and they were always good for waking up in a cold sweat, his flesh breaking out in goosebumps.

He also hadn't dreamed of his mission during the war, the constant lies, the deception, the paranoia, the way they'd sown so much corruption into the province that it made Ryoko Owari Toshi look like Seppun Hill. Those only troubled him at times.

No, his sleep had been disturbed by a few stolen days during the height of the conflict. The lie they'd let themselves believe as they lived it.

It was therefore a remarkably irritable Scorpion who made his way down to see what was cooking.

Another patron of the in sat at a table, facing away from him, dressed in a simple red kimono adorned only with the Shosuro mon, though the black obi accompanying it and expertly tied was of a contrasting vibrant pattern. The obi's layers... appeared to be holding their occupant up to some degree. Her hair, kept just below chin length, hung in front of her face.

She was slightly leaned forward over a piece of paper, writing kit out and pen dipped in ink.the hand he could see holding it from behind was slack, though, resting on its back with the brush held loosely in well-manicured, delicate fingers.

She was breathing steadily. Had this woman fallen asleep? A Shosuro? Here, of all places?

He would have known her anywhere, and the sensation of seeing her again was curiously akin to being stabbed in the gut while simultaneously experiencing total bliss.

An astute observer would note that Choudai froze up for a second, and that while his mask did its best, a few emotions warred for control.

Then the second was over, and, adopting a carefully schooled pleasant expression, he made his way toward the table, circling in front of her, but not presuming to have a seat yet.

His heart sang and his mind screamed in baffled rage.

Her eyes were closed under her mask, long, dark lashes resting gently against her cheeks beneath.

She suddenly sucked in a breath and her eyes snapped open, hand coming up to her face as a uncomfortable expression passed under her mask. It takes her a moment to focus before she even registers that there's someone in front of her.

Once she does, she has a moment of freezing herself, her eyes wide as they reach her face.

"... C-" She stopped herself before she spoke out loud, focusing enough to rise, somewhat unsteadily to her feet as she school her own expression and bowed. Now that she was standing, there was something a little different about her. "Ah... My apologies for my... inattention, Bayushi-san. It's been a while since we've seen one another. The Painted City, ne? Will you join me for breakfast?"

"It has indeed been some time since we met in the Painted City, Shosuro-san. So long, in fact, that I am gratified to be remembered."

He returned the bow, relieved that he had a moment to stare at the floor to seek more composure. Then he was back up again, and his composure was under immediate stress.

"And you have nothing to apologize for- on so fine a morning, a bit of abstraction is only natural. I would be delighted to accept your gracious invitation."

He waited for her to be seated again before he followed suit.

"You look well."

You always look amazing, except when my own clumsiness has gotten you injured.

She'd gotten even better at her art, at least. There was a bit of a glow to her, despite the sudden and intense internal war she was waging, hidden by a thin, stretched fabric of propriety. One that might be a bit aging and moth-eaten, perhaps.

She seated herself delicately. "It is quite beautiful out, isn't it? There are few things comparable." Except for you.

At the compliment that she looked well, she chuckled behind a fan softly as she cleared her writing utensils from between them. "Well, truth be told, I'm coming out of a bit of illness, but I appreciate you saying so. You're looking well, as well." Very well.

God, how am I going to manage an entire competition of being in the same city? Oh no, the same inn. Kami.

"As always, Shosuro-san is too kind."

As always, Hatsuki-chan is perfect.

He took his own seat before continuing.

"An illness?"

He couldn't quite keep the worry in his voice to "just a clanmate" levels, as his mind raced to things that had absolutely not happened in the Painted City.

She was so light, when I carried her back into Naishou, although terror probably lent me some strength there, and-

"Nothing too serious, I hope? Regardless, you seem to be recovering nicely. Have you tried the food here yet?"

"Not a compliment I commonly hear," she replied, a smile just a little playful crossing her perfectly painted lips briefly. "Thank you, Bayushi-san."

She found something interesting in a nearby alcove to look at. "Ah... not yet. I hear there's a cook here who is quite good. I seem to recall you having an interest in such matters back then?" She asked, as if clarifying if she remembered right. As if she needed to ask. Anyone else's cooking would pale in comparison.

"Ah, well, we thought it was, at first. It, ah-" She couldn't quite help the slightest of hesitations. "It's actually good news for my husband and I in the end. Morning sickness. I'm doing quite a bit better these last few weeks, now that it's fading." Did he know around what time that sort of thing tended to drop off?

"I've been known to dabble in the culinary arts."

He let himself offer a genuine smile, since it was a safe memory. Nothing improper about cooking for someone joining the clan, after all.

And then the rest of her information landed on him, and the smile froze.

Morning sickness? Oba-chan said something about how long it took, she-

The wheels turned in Choudai's mind. The war had been over and she'd gone home, she'd been with her husband, but it hadn't been that long, which meant it was almost certainly-

Oh

A strange cocktail of emotions washed over him. Absolute terror was in the mix, of course, and a certain degree of self-loathing for having put her in an awkward position, regret for all of things he couldn't say or do for her or the child... but also a kind of ferocious joy mixed in with all of the other baggage.

"Congratulations, Shosuro-san! That's lovely news!"

She looked back at him and smiled with genuine warmth. this was safe. It was very normal for a mother to be to feel joy at the prospect of her upcoming child. "Thank you, Bayushi-san. It's a lot, but I truly couldn't be happier about everything." They were putting on a bit of a pantomime here, but she was sure part of him was happy. She wanted to reassure him about the rest in what oblique way she could afford.

Truthfully, she was glad it had happened, even if it created awkward questions later. The typical courtier song and dance could handle those.

She placed a hand gently on her stomach. that, of course, had been what was different. She was showing, just a little bit, just enough that the kimono's cylindrical shape couldn't fully hide it.

She slid back to their original topic briefly, though. It wouldn't be proper etiquette to leave it hanging. "I'd love the opportunity to compare the two different styles, between what's here and your own, if you'd be willing to allow it."

She seems to be okay, that's good, that's good...

"How could I object?"

To anything you propose

"If anything, you flatter me by the comparison."

He smiled and looked about the room.

"I hope the judges here are as... kind in their comparisons."

"Did you ever end up meeting my brother? He was there with me when I visited the Painted City." She asked, seemingly curiously and apropos of nothing in particular. A totally innocent question that was leading nowhere in particular, certainly.

"That's most kind of you to indulge me, Bayushi-san. Are you competing with your skills in that arena, then?" Despite the weirder question a moment before, she could feel herself starting to relax, asking slightly more genuine questions than the weird dance they had to do to talk about things.

"I did indeed have the pleasure of meeting your brother."

And what was done to his hair still makes my blood boil.

"How is he these days?"

At the second question, he nodded.

"I doubt anyone would consider my kenjutsu particularly artful, and since Oba-chan saw fit to bequeath me her cookware, it seems... apt. And you? I trust you'll dazzling us all with your creations?"

Art was safe for them to talk about. It was also part of how they'd ended up mutually smitten, of course, but it was still safe.

"Oh, he's doing quite well these days," she replied with a smile. "Starting to truly come into his own in the courts. I suspect he may even get an invitation to the Imperial Winter Court this year." She smiled with pride. She was ridiculously proud of him. that was a little distracting from the point at hand, though.

"I just found myself thinking... This might actually be better for the Clan right now than I thought. Twins tend to run in families, from my understanding." It... felt fair to give him a warning about that possibility...

"I'm so glad to hear that. I'm sure your creations will truly be exceptional," she said with a nod. "And of course. I finally have the opportunity for people to truly understand the power of makeup as an art. I couldn't pass it up."

Twins?! Twice the work, all at once, and...

The fact that he wouldn't even be able to help openly- at least nothing beyond a few recipes and a suitable present here and there- was already gnawing at him.

Oba-chan had several recipes for young mothers, I'll have to make sure they're delivered... carefully.

"Bayushi-Kami was a twin... so you know that it would be a good omen for the Clan. I'm glad to hear your brother is prospering. Please give him my regards, the next time you write him."

Her brother had known, of course. Maybe not everything, but he'd been there in the Painted City, and...

Moving on!

"I look forward to seeing your art given its proper stage- will you be modeling all of it yourself, or will you need assistants?"

"We won't know for a while, of course, but I've been praying to the Fortunes and Bayushi-kami that it runs true. It really would be a very good omen." Besides, two is enough for the Clan... I wouldn't have to carry any children but yours, then. She briefly found a spot on the table to study as the thought ran through her head before she looked up at him with a smile.

"A mix of both, I think. I love practicing. There might be people here who appreciate it. At the very least, I have a cousin coming who I think would look quite good with a bit of sparkle to her look."

"Since you worked absolute magic on me in the Painted City, your cousin is sure to benefit."

He grinned.

"After all, the raw material is almost certainly superior. Do you know of anyone else who'll be attending? I confess, I've been a bit preoccupied, and I haven't exactly had my ear to the ground."

She scoffed a little at the raw material comment. "Don't be ridiculous." A short breath sucked in through her nose. Too comfortable. She forgot herself for a moment.

Continuing into damage control, she said, "All material is good material. The uniqueness of the piece and how it brings out the the person wearing it is the important thing."

"As to who else, I haven't heard much. I've been quite focused on working with the actors of my family that I haven't gotten as much news as I would like. Though, speaking of news, you have the most important of my updates since the Painted City" you were there for some of them, after all "is there anything new going on with you, Bayushi-san?"

"Since Uncle Koga retired, I've come I to a bit more responsibility... and, well..."

No way around it.

"... the Clan has been negotiating a marriage."

He kept his tone as light as possible, but there was little hiding a measured lack of enthusiasm.

Silly, of course. Hatsuki had been betrothed to another when they had met, but...

But it still feels like I'm betraying her.

Which was ludicrous, totally absurd. But it was the truth.

"I-I see," she said, keeping her tone one of cheerful interest, despite the slight stutter. And the slight twitch she could feel in her right eye.

Stop that. You don't have any kind of right to feel like this about it. We both have a Duty.

It shouldn't feel like someone had shoved a knife into her heart. Somehow, what happened back in Naishou felt more tolerable than this. She could feel something like burning below her solar plexus. She pretended to herself that it was just nausea.

"That's lovely, Bayushi-san," she said with forced cheerfulness. "Do you know anything about who they might be considering for your lovely bride yet?"

That wasn't sarcasm. It wasn't, dammit.

Maybe the Fortunes would really hate her, and she would have the honor of doing both of their makeup for the wedding as a gift.