(D4 LM) Imaginary Flowers (expecting)

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

As promised, Sriyani arrives at the appointed place and time, bearing a small, rolled blanket and smaller furoshiki tied around something square and substantial, judging by the way it hangs. Humming gently to herself, she settles to the small task of spreading out the blanket...obviously borrowed from the inn...brightly embroidered sleeves shifting as she works.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

As promised, Sriyani arrives at the appointed place and time, bearing a small, rolled blanket and smaller furoshiki tied around something square and substantial, judging by the way it hangs. Humming gently to herself, she settles to the small task of spreading out the blanket...obviously borrowed from the inn...brightly embroidered sleeves shifting as she works.

Nadeshiko's a little later than she'd like, having gotten distracted multiple times on her journey to the gardens. She carries two small wrapped parcels in hand.

When she hears Sriyani's soft humming the Crane stops a moment, eyes opening to see her and just... bask in the moment. She's beautiful, most especially among the flowers, and the slight blurry glow haloing her where the sunlight touches the Unicorn gives her an ethereal vibrancy Nadeshiko thinks suits her. Then she closes her eyes and calls out, "Good morning, Sriyani-san!"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

The Unicorn pauses, looks up, then straightens and waves with smile. "Nadeshiko-san! Lady Sun favors you today." Or it was just that happy young women tended to look radiant in spring sunshine. "Come sit. You've seemed busy!"

The boxes set out are opened as she goes, the kitchen having packed up a substantial late breakfast or perhaps early lunch. There really should be a word for that. Pickled vegetables; chestnut rice making the most of nuts stored since the autumn by sprinkling them through the seasoned rice; a bit of grilled fish; and tiny sakura mochi using wee, young leaves as their wrap.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

The Unicorn pauses, looks up, then straightens and waves with smile. "Nadeshiko-san! Lady Sun favors you today." Or it was just that happy young women tended to look radiant in spring sunshine. "Come sit. You've seemed busy!"

Happily she takes her place by Sriyani, looking very, very glad for the sweet words from an even sweeter friend. "It's a joy to finally see you again, Sriyani-san, it feels like it's been so long yet hardly anything's happened!" She leans over a bit to peer at the lunchbox -- and maybe drool a little bit over it -- Nadeshiko finds herself thinking she's quite spoiled. (Probably because she is. It's hard not to smile at times like these.) "I don't know if I'd call it busy... I imagine I could do more to enjoy our time here. But I'm trying! I'll be out all day today!" She finishes triumphantly. "What of you? And yesterday -- I missed everything -- did anything happen?"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

"Hardly anything? Your home must normally be much more exciting than mine, Nadeshiko-san!" she laughs, setting out small plates, obviously granted by the Jinbaori kitchen since they saw the same simple-but-elegant pottery every day of their stay. "It feels like...so much. And you've had those paintings to deal with! I'd expect to find those on the back bottom racks of the woodblock printer's wares! Not out in public at a prestigious competition!" There's genuine anger to the young Unicorn's words, with a worried frown for her friend. "I'm so glad you're able to enjoy the time and ignore them, but really...the judges should have taken her aside by now."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"Hardly anything? Your home must normally be much more exciting than mine, Nadeshiko-san!" she laughs, setting out small plates, obviously granted by the Jinbaori kitchen since they saw the same simple-but-elegant pottery every day of their stay. "It feels like...so much. And you've had those paintings to deal with! I'd expect to find those on the back bottom racks of the woodblock printer's wares! Not out in public at a prestigious competition!" There's genuine anger to the young Unicorn's words, with a worried frown for her friend. "I'm so glad you're able to enjoy the time and ignore them, but really...the judges should have taken her aside by now."

At the mention of the paintings Nadeshiko's face scrunches up. "What's going on there is a mystery, even to me. Ah," She fishes a wrinkled piece of folded pink paper out of her obi before leaning over to whisper, "I actually tried arranging a meeting with Kakita-san... the... the response she sent... it just left me with more questions." It's offered to Sriyani so she might scrutinize it as well.

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

Sriyani reads it, frowning. "I feel like I'm not courtly enough to understand the game she's playing. How strange." She passes the letter back. "Nice calligraphy though, for an insane woman."

She pours the tea, the scent alone identifying it as a roasty osmanthus oolong. The variety of tea available here was definitely a testament to either the trade skills of the local teahouses or the dedication of those doing the planning for the competition. "Well, at least she'll be pleased if you're the Champion at the end of it all. You'd deserve to be. If ever I find myself talking to Doji-sama, maybe I'll have the courage to ask what in the world is going on there." She pauses, handing over one of the teacups. "How...how bad did the whole thing with the pony end up looking? Honestly? I was far too focused on not simply running from the debacle screaming to notice reactions."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

Sriyani reads it, frowning. "I feel like I'm not courtly enough to understand the game she's playing. How strange." She passes the letter back. "Nice calligraphy though, for an insane woman."

"Well, at least she'll be pleased if you're the Champion at the end of it all. You'd deserve to be. If ever I find myself talking to Doji-sama, maybe I'll have the courage to ask what in the world is going on there." She pauses, handing over one of the teacups. "How...how bad did the whole thing with the pony end up looking? Honestly? I was far too focused on not simply running from the debacle screaming to notice reactions."

"Isn't it? She makes it sound like we've met, but I've never spoken to the woman in my life!" The letter's folded back up and hidden back in her obi. The scent of the tea helps relax the tense Crane, and she scoots a little closer to enjoy it.

At mention of being the Champion Nadeshiko starts to blush... hard, though she diligently takes the cup and holds it up to enjoy the tea's scent even more before sipping. Then Sriyani mentions the pony, and she nearly spits out her tea -- "What? What pony? You brought in a pony?" Nadeshiko squeaks. "I -- I honestly only -- was there for a moment, to present my poem... what happened? Tell me everything, Sriyani-chan -- are you alright?"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

"I...brought in a pony," she says quietly, hunching a bit in embarrassment. "Only I couldn't even get the old nag to come quietly, I'm sure she could tell I was terrified. But...courage and all. We got it all to work out...more or less."

"But you were only there a moment? But the judges chose your presentation as one of their favorites. Were you ok?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"I...brought in a pony," she says quietly, hunching a bit in embarrassment. "Only I couldn't even get the old nag to come quietly, I'm sure she could tell I was terrified. But...courage and all. We got it all to work out...more or less."

"But you were only there a moment? But the judges chose your presentation as one of their favorites. Were you ok?"

The woman keeps close, obviously concerned, until -- "They what?" Now Nadeshiko looks even more confused. It takes her a moment to compose herself before she speaks again. "I felt unwell, though -- it sounds you had more troubles than I --" Her hand gently touches Sriyani's back, the Crane woman turning her face to hide her blush as she tries to keep herself from leaning into a full-blown hug. "I wish I had seen it. I wish I had been there. From the sound of it, you could have used a friend."

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

She leans into the small touch, turning toward the Crane, and reaching to pat-clasp her shoulder. The Unicorn are more accustomed to touch, but she's aware of the rest of the Empire's feelings on it, and the very public space. "I was...focused on just getting it done. But a friend who's really good with horses would have been helpful."

"But you left! And yes, they did! I need to get to the gallery of dusk and read it. Pretty sure you could've used a friend too." Another shoulder squeeze. "Courage was a rough day...how surprising, hmm?" She grins a bit at that.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"I was...focused on just getting it done. But a friend who's really good with horses would have been helpful."

"But you left! And yes, they did! I need to get to the gallery of dusk and read it. Pretty sure you could've used a friend too." Another shoulder squeeze. "Courage was a rough day...how surprising, hmm?" She grins a bit at that.

"Oh, that friend should not have been me, then," Nadeshiko laughs, visibly relaxing. Her touch lingers. It's comforting, being so close; if only she had been born a Unicorn! "I could read it to you here and now if you wish. With you here I won't need courage." After all, she has a friend by her side now.

"I still want to hear more about your presentation, too! You put so much work into each one, I imagine the record couldn't have included every detail. Besides a misbehaving pony, what else did you have?"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

"Please do read it. It's always so much better hearing poetry in the author's voice instead of reading it! I'll offer whatever you need, if it's rough. I do wish I'd been less preoccupied last night." She finishes making sure everyone has things to eat and drink as she fills in the gaps about her own presentation. "That pony! It's fine, I've told you they frighten me, the sound and smell and..." she huffs a self-deprecating snort. "Anyway, this nag was so old, and well-studied in stubborn. Finally had to have servants help! It's just that everything felt hollow...talking of courage while hiding my own fear..so..."

"The piece itself was a comb with little bits that could catch and hold if one was still, so it...would invoke Bishamon once one stopped shivering about." She shrugs with a smile. "I wanted something that showed that way that courage becomes more apparent and more inspiring when one gets themselves in order to really show it themselves. I'm not sure it was as effective as I'd like." She sips at her tea to clear her throat after all that.

"Now yours, and then...well there have been *developments* in inspiration for that pillowbook." She ducks her head with a smile equal parts excited and embarrassed as she samples a bit of the picnic while listening to Nadeshiko.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

-snip-

Nadeshiko happily listens to Sriyani explain her own presentation, nodding as she nibbles on some of the food. "Preoccupied?" She mumbles between bites. "Oh, no, you ... oh you picked just the meanest little old lady to help..." Just hearing about it makes her stressed. Oh, Sriyani... She waits, though, nodding and listening, eyes growing wide at the description of the comb.

"I like it," The woman answers firmly as her friend pauses for tea, fist hitting the palm of her hand as the image of it in her mind sparkling. "You -- Sriyani-chan --" Her whole being almost vibrates with it: "You were so courageous! With a scary ornery monster of a horse and that comb -- which, to speak truth, sounds like an incredible work of craftsmanship -- I --" It takes her a moment before she settles down, blushing a bit. "...courage is not always the absence of fear, but also the will to face what fears you have." She takes a sip of tea to further compose herself. "That's not even to mention the thought you've put into your presentation of your work. You'd put some Doji to shame."

She fidgits a bit -- realizing now she has to share her own little act of courage. Her poem, spoken now, is tinged with more of her own loss than she'd ever allow a crowd of strangers to hear.

"I brought Akihito's nagamaki... for... for context," Nadeshiko adds softly. "It felt right. It... I finally..." She blinks back tears, breathing in deep, again her heart battered by it. "I finally... wrote a real poem about ... what happened." Don't forget -- her heart pulls her back. Sriyani's suffered it too. "I think... coming here was good for me. I hope it... doesn't trouble you. Please, tell me, what news do you have? It -- it sounds good." Nadeshiko asks as she dabs the corner of her eyes with her sleeves.

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

Sriyani laughs at the description of the pony, but nods along. "Yes, exactly! It wasn't *real* without the horse! And acting isn't something I'm skilled at. It's so good to hear someone gets it." Her hands move, almost as if working the thin metal strips of the comb. "And the comb was tough, but now I've done it and can do it again...I'll make something similar for you before winter, if you like. Something new for the court season."

She *wants* to hug the poor Doji, hard. But settles for stroking her sleeve in sympathy. She shakes her head with an empathy-choked laugh. "In all of that, don't worry for me. It's not the same. I just had to watch him married, and he won't even need to watch as I do the same." There's a sorrow there, firmly held in a reserved place behind her eyes, as it's needed to be over and over for the past season and change. "Akihito... that's different."

"And I do hope it was good for you, coming here. It's been.." she shakes her head with a soft jingle. "very good for me. I keep hearing that the heartache will fade. And I have to imagine it will. Other grief has done that. But it doesn't go away." She stirs at some pickles with her chopsticks, thinking about something other than which one to pluck up. "But it's good finding there's room for new passion, for fondness, to flower alongside the ache." She looks up to Nadeshiko and grins... "It's tempting to leave you guessing, but there aren't *that* many likely men here, are there? Have you noticed the impossible eyes on the tattoo artist the Dragon sent?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"In all of that, don't worry for me. It's not the same. I just had to watch him married, and he won't even need to watch as I do the same. Akihito... that's different."

...

"Have you noticed the impossible eyes on the tattoo artist the Dragon sent?"

It's Nadeshiko, instead, who hugs her fiercely, voice soft -- "Don't... don't... say your pain is less... our suffering needs no compare..."

When she pulls away, her smile's apologetic. Flushed cheeks suddenly grow brighter as the Crane maiden soon realizes exactly what her friend means.

"Oh -- OH -- that one?" Suddenly she's sitting up straight in rapt attention. "Yes! He's -- oooooh --" Biting her lip, Nadeshiko leans in again, this time a different kind of conspirator. "Is he the type where still waters run deep, Sriyani? What's he like? What's happened?"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

She returns the hug as fiercely. "A heart so big... but ok, ok...I won't add any pain that makes you chide me so." Smiling a bit as they pull apart, she offers a last squeeze of Nadeshiko's forearms before pulling away. "Unless, you're going to chide me in poem form. Then maybe I'll add a little!"

"He mentioned you, you know...so I figured you'd recognize who I meant" Her eyes sparkle with the edge of previous tears and current merriment. "Nothing's *really* happened yet. He's definitely a bit subtle, isn't he?" Because it's still the morning of Day 4 and not Day 5. "But we're talking about tattoos...a bit more privately next time." She stops to grin. "And he's...I mean, tell me you don't wish you could paint, just to have an excuse to sit him still and stare at him for an hour."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

She returns the hug as fiercely. "A heart so big... but ok, ok...I won't add any pain that makes you chide me so. Unless, you're going to chide me in poem form. Then maybe I'll add a little!"

"He mentioned you, you know...so I figured you'd recognize who I meant" Her eyes sparkle with the edge of previous tears and current merriment. "Nothing's *really* happened yet. He's definitely a bit subtle, isn't he? But we're talking about tattoos...a bit more privately next time. And he's...I mean, tell me you don't wish you could paint, just to have an excuse to sit him still and stare at him for an hour."

Playfully the Crane puffs out her cheeks like a child at mention of doing so for a bit of poetry. "Hey-!!" Unfortunately she can't keep it up for long: she laughs hard. "Thank you. I just... don't ever want you feeling like your pain doesn't matter, or is less important." Nadeshiko might be oblivious to some things, but she's trying not to be, not when it comes to this.

"Yes! We met the day before the contest started!" She starts to wiggle a little where she sits in her own excitement. "Ooooh... I actually was going to..." Nadeshiko covers her mouth and giggles. "Where do you want to get yours?" Again she scoots closer for the super-secret-romancey-talk. It takes everything in her power to not say the first thing that comes across her mind, and instead her giggling worsens. "Oh, he's definitely very, very pretty, Sriyani... but is he kind to you?" He better treat you well, the white tiger in her mind rumbles: Yoshiaki's close enough Nadeshiko can sink her claws in him. "Is he sweet? Has he given you any gifts..? Tell! Me! Everything!"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

She scoots closer, leaning in. "He teases with barely a smile, but got real serious when I talked about my betrothal." With a grin, she adds, "don't worry, we're all in agreement that Hachi's rude." Her expression sobers, thinking a moment. "He's...thoughtful, and I think kind."

Her eyes take on a distant look. "We met at the teahouse with the grasses, and the moon was full. I don't know if he understands how beautiful all that silver hair is in the moonlight. Like some sort of graceful statue come to life." The flush across her cheeks has little to do with the mild heat of the day. "We're meeting in the hedge maze tonight to talk more." Biting her lip slightly she asks, "is that too private? Too public to talk freely? How to people manage all this at a court full of people everywhere!?"

"Gifts...oh!" she claps her hands, "that reminds me. I'm going to get the kitchen to give me some dango to take with. He said he likes those."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

snip <3

"Ooooh..." She nods slowly, hanging onto every word. Still waters run deep indeed. "Yes, I got that impression as well."

Her head tilts, and, gently, Nadeshiko rests her temple on Sriyani's shoulder as she imagines it. The pale reflection -- like the way the light limned Sriyani before -- on silver hair. "That sounds so... otherworldly..." She murmurs.

At the mention of the hedge-maze the Crane sits up straight. "What? What? Oh! That's -- no, that seems like a beautiful middle-ground, Sriyani-san --" There's a little laugh, "Everyone's doing it at court, so they're all too busy with their own little rendezvous!"

With a happy sigh Nadeshiko settles back. "Oh, yes, I bet he'll love a treat. He better get you something though. Or -- or -- I'll kick him!" She holds up a fist playfully.

"...I won't actually kick him. Promise."

"So, you said something about a tattoo..?"