(Day 1, LN) Midnight Tea - Imperial Familes

[Otomo Nobuko]

THIS WAS NOT WHERE SHE WENT TO SLEEP!!!

Nobuko wrapped her arms around herself - and tightened what was basically a light dressing gown - to ensure some sense of decency as she looked around in shock.

"Wyn-san? Have you any clothes I can borrow for the moment?" Start with getting dressed. Then worry about the rest.

[Miya Wyn]

"Of course Otomo-san, I have my traveling clothes, or my spare court kimono, do you have a preference?"

[Otomo Nobuko]

"Traveling clothes are less distinctive," she said after a moment. "It would look strange if I was seen in the robes you are to wear to court later."

Her eyes moved to the teapot. It was obviously still warm. She took a deep breath and moved to pour herself another cup while she considered all the very scandalous implications that would come with her leaving his room at this hour.

[Miya Wyn]

He pulls the sturdy traveling clothes out tossing them on the floor next to her, "I am sure noone will suspect anything, it's not like /we/ would be up to any shenanigan's"

[Otomo Nobuko]

"It is still not something that either of us should be seen having done," she murmured, shifting her position to reach out and start laying the clothing in front of her in a neat pile.

"..if it would not be too much, might I stay here until morning? I would rather not wander the street at night and be caught by my sensei sneaking in after having been out. Instead, I could simply leave as Lady Sun greets us." Nobuko glanced over at Wyn. She was not worried about his honor in regard for what might occur - it was ever the perception of others that was the problem. "Should anyone ask, we can both be truthful in saying I came to have tea with you before the morning began. It will not cause wagging tongues to rise the way my leaving now would."

[Miya Wyn]

"Of course, please stay as long as you need to" He sits down and pours himself a cup of tea as well, "How are things at the Academy"

[Otomo Nobuko]

"Well enough" she said and turned to face him. The more mundane conversation topic a good distraction from her worries about propriety. "I had a private gempukku ceremony some months back. I traveled for a bit before returning here for most of the winter. I was staying with my Great Aunt until a couple weeks ago when I returned to my rooms at the Academy. In that time I've mostly been trying to prepare for the tournament."

And decide on her name. But that was such an important decision that she didn't want to rush into it. She still had the whole of the tournament to finalize a choice.

"Have your travels been well since we last saw each other?"

[Miya Wyn]

"We haven't had Gempukku yet, Sensei feels the Topaz is a Gempukku ceremony and it would be a insult to the Crane to do one separately. I am surprised the Kakita would do so, of all people." He shakes his head, "We did a little traveling, in the spine of the world learning mapping and horseback riding, but I haven't actually visited anywhere yet, just spent months in the wilderness."

[Otomo Nobuko]

"My Sensei felt I had already learned what enough to reach that point and did not think making me stay here until the tournament would be beneficial to my training. The ceremony is not... officially... a gempukku," she admitted. "That must wait until I prove myself in Topaz. But it was enough to get the paperwork sorted so I did not linger where I might start to stagnate."

Nobuko grinned, however, at the description of his training, "I visited Gathering Winds Castle. It is the closest I have ever been to the Spine of the World. I also practiced my riding as well. But mapping is not something I have learned much of. I can read them well enough, but not create them. I expect it takes a very careful eye and very steady hand to do so. And skill at painting, to an extent. That you might render the landmarks as they are so all can recognize them. You must be very skilled."

[Miya Wyn]

"The spine is very long, it runs from the Crane coast to Unicorn lands, and acts as a natural barrier between the Scorpion and the Lion." He smiles, "Drawing maps is a bit of an art, and the primary duty of my school"

[Otomo Nobuko]

"Yes, it does, and I've only sailed near the lower part of it," she sighed, "Well, until I went to visit the Unicorn lands. That was much closer. I will eventually travel it. Or transverse it. After I have married."

Nobuko turned the tea pot to look at it, relaxing a bit more, "Your postings will take you many places outside the mountains, won't it? Eventually?"

[Miya Wyn]

"All throughout Rokugan, and possibly beyond, we are scouts, explorers, and record keepers, entrusted with helping to define the exact bounds of the empire."

[Otomo Nobuko]

"I suppose that's why the Miya and Unicorn work so well together. Exploring the borders and defining the world for the Empire to know."

She sipped at her tea for a bit, then addressed the tiger in the room, "We were visited by the spirit of the Emerald Champion."

[Miya Wyn]

He nods slowly, "It was my second time being so visited today"

[Otomo Nobuko]

She looked up at him, clearly surprised, "The Emerald Champion has visited you twice today? How blessed you must be to be so trusted. Might I know why? If that is not too personal?"

[Miya Wyn]

"There was an incident on the road, we ran into his servant bringing his effects to his family here in Tsuma, an old man with a very large cart he had accident on the road. Luckily Kaiu-san and Yasuki-san were with us and quickly able to repair the cart. While we were helping him the apparition of Doji-domo looked on, when the Phoenix attempted to interact with him he vanished. I took it as a good omen, but not quite a notable one. Not as involved as this."

[Otomo Nobuko]

"Then it is possible he chose the two of us to ask of this task because together, we have both seen him looking over something that concerns his life in this world," meaning Wyn's witness to the incident on the road since it involved the servant and his personal effects, "and met the boy in question." because Nobuko had already met the young not-yet-a-man earlier in the day.

"We should attempt to befriend this boy. And do so in a way that does not arouse his suspicion that Imperials are watching his every move. He has a most... volatile temper. He does not take the perception of being looked down on well."

[Miya Wyn]

"Hai, though we may not even have a chance to do so, depending on exactly how matches line up." He shakes his head, "We can only do our best."

[Otomo Nobuko]

"We can approach him outside the matches. I believe there is room to do so... particularly from yourself, as he has not met you. From me, it might be a little harder. But I do think we can manage to help push him in the right direction."