[D1, LA] Prince and Princesses

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Kitakuhime sips, and then rests the cup. She looks left, to Imane, then right, to Chi-Pu: trying to find words in their eyes. Noticing nothing but smiles, she addresses Takeo once more –– sweeter, this time, "Kitsune-san. The Shiotome approve of you. I will do my best to carry your honorable intentions in my heart, and make sure our Lady sees the benefit of renewing sacred vows."

[Otaku Imane]

Imane had listened quietly, enjoying the Fox's tale and the coffee prepared by her sister. It was a delicate situation that Takeo described and she found herself imagining the possible outcomes.

"Perhaps you would like to meet with us again Kitsune Takeo-sama?" She slowed her speech to pronounce his name with care. "After all, there are 700 years worth of questions we have for you...". She smiled sweetly and looked to her sisters.

"But you have already given us much to discuss, so perhaps something lighter for now? I must admit that am intrigued by this offer of the Fox to explore the Empire with us. What are the lands of the Fox like, and how many are there of you? Do you have great plains that would suit our noble steeds?"

[Kitsune Takeo]

Takeo gave a slight bow on Kitakuhime's words.

"That is all I can ask for Otaku-sama. I hope that each of our families, and ourselves, shall get to know each other better in the coming days."

Turning to Imane, he replied, "I would be happy to meet with each or any of you in the coming days. I will share what knowledge I have and hopefully be able to refer you to others if I find myself lacking. As for the Fox lands..."

He trailed off, a wistful look in his eyes for a moment, before he continued, "The Kitsune Mori is one of the oldest and most enchanting forests in the land. Many an artist has found her inspiration there, amongst the trees. It is deep and it holds secrets, but to us, it is a home. The forest is fertile, but we confine the farming to the outer edges to protect the integrity of the trees. Though the majority of our land consist of the forests, it does give away to plains in the outer reaches of our territory. The forest itself is passable, save for the deepest parts - I don't imagine your horses would have any difficulty among it. The few plains we have would suit them better, but we are not known for our rolling fields," he said pleasantly.

"The plains of the Empire belong to the Lion and, now, to you. As for the Fox - we are large for a Minor Clan, but still dwarfed by the Great ones. In a rough estimate, I would hazard a guess at nearly 300,000," he said.

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu hums a little to herself.

"If we were to reunite, that would increase our numbers by half..."

She speaks softly to no one in particular.

"The forest does sound quite lovely. Can you tell of Fox-sama, what deeds and struggles your clan has gone through over the centuries we have been gone?"

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

I'm getting better at this serving rituals, ne.

She sips, smiling with her eyes at his nod. "Un! Indeed. Tell us about it. Details about the other Clans. Major and minor."

[Otaku Imane]

Imane smiled at the description of the first, although her brow crinkled a little at the impracticality of a cavalry charge through a forest. She looked on expectantly, looking forward to more tales.

[Kitsune Takeo]

Takeo's face grew momentarily grim at the mention of the Fox clan's struggles, his tone darkening accordingly.

"Recently the Fox have had to contend with...dark forces," he said hesitantly, not wanting to dive too deeply into the nature of the Enemy in polite company, "Much like your "shadows" it is a conversation better suited for a different sort of meeting. Suffice to say that the presence of such forces in the forest was a considerable blight on our lands. Thankfully, despite the setback, we were able to drive them out. I cut my teeth against the stragglers and earned my name. Things have been looking up in recent years," he said, brightening somewhat.

"Fall down seven times. Stand up eight," he quoted, "That is the way of the Fox."

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

"Dark forces..."

Chi-Pu looks grim and her face turns sour as if recalling something unpleasant.

"We Unicorn have also had to perservere over evil. But as you say, not for pleasant conversation. Though someday the stories must be told."

"Who are your allies and enemies in the Clans?"

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

"The coffee is dark enough." Kitakuhime nods in approval. Better not to talk about dark times. "Since the Kitsune has been recording story for Shinjo-kami and her children, I am sure your views and assumption of each one of them would be extremely useful advice for us in how to deal with them also."

[Kitsune Takeo]

"Well...I suppose we should begin with the most obvious then - the Lion," he began, "Whom you've already encountered to some degree. They are, without question, the military power of the Empire. Their armies are the best trained and second to none in this respect - save , perhaps - for the Crab. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you see it, the Crab armies are occupied with certain...external threats."

He paused to sip the coffee appreciatively.

"The Lion are a traditional clan - bound by honor and history. They, more than any other, will likely take issue with unfamiliar customs you may have acquired in your time abroad. This may be exacerbated by the fact that you occupy land that was, until recently, land they considered their own," he said honestly.

"In some ways the Lion are not so different from the Crane. The Crane do not have quite the military might that the Lion do, though their armies are nothing to scoff at. Their true power comes in the courts, by manipulating opinion and circumstance to suit their whim. The military might of the Unicorn is apparent already - this was proudly displayed when you made your way north through the Empire. Forging an alliance with someone who could help you navigate the courts would not a misstep. The Lion and the Scorpion - the other court masters - have been united in purpose in recent years and the Crane at your back could help to smooth out the transition into unfamiliar territory."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

Kitakuhime's curiosity had peaked quite a few times, and the coffee in her cup as gone. She lifts herself up and starts to serve again. Finishing to pour, she now sits somewhere closes to Takeo. "Kitsune-san. Would you advise us to befriend the Crane, then, and be aware of both Lion and Scorpion?"

[Kitsune Takeo]

"My best advice would to befriend everyone and watch them at the same time," he said, a light laugh in his voice.

"The alliances of Rokugan shift from season to season, depending on what any one clan wants or needs. The Unicorn have already found friends in the Dragon it seems, and for our part, the Fox consider you family. So you are not off on bad footing. But the Fox and the Dragon, favoured by the Emperor though each might be, are not the masters of court. I think it would serve the Unicorn well to make overtures of open friendship to the Crane," he said.

"The Lion - well...." he held up his hands, "It is impossible to know how they will acclimatize. The Crane could do much to blunt any overt aggression the Lion might advance - at least until you are more fully settled."

[Otaku Chi-Pu]

Chi-Pu takes a sip and considers the information.

"Kitakuhime-sama and I brought a Lion here a day ago. He was quite nice. I did not think him to be aggressive to us. If we befriend the Crane, will we lose the Lion friendship?"

[Kitsune Takeo]

"The friendship of one is not the friendship of all," Takeo replied in a measured manner, "An individual may greet you warmly, as Courtesy demands, but he might also try to cut you down at a word from his lord, as Duty does."

He reclined slightly, before he continued.

"Again, I do not profess to know how the Lion will treat your presence - my best estimate is that they may chafe at losing a large portion of their fields. Beyond that, the Lion and the Crane have traditionally been at odds. I am unsure if stories about Lady Matsu and Lord Kakita are told among the Unicorn, but that rivalry and even enmity in some instances persists to this day - going back to the very dawn of the Empire. It is unlikely that friendship with the Crane would provoke any outward reactions from another clan. But an open an alliance could be very different," he said.

"Not knowing what social-structures are like beyond the Empire, I hazard a guess that you may find that things within are seldom black-and-white."

[Otaku Kitakuhime]

"Which Clan could we potentially have an open alliance with that would not trigger enmities?" She asks him.