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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 19, 2018 11:38:41 GMT -5
Hinata woke up early this morning as she always did, and was happy that the first thing she felt was Yoshinobu's arms around her. She turned her head around slightly to wish him a good morning, but found that he was still asleep. Rather than wake him, she slowly slipped out of his arms, being careful not to wake him, and threw some underwear and a shirt on. It was the weekend, there was no hurry in getting ready to go out; besides, it was not as if she minded her boyfriend seeing her in a state of undress. Her stomach growled, and she realized she was starving. No doubt last night had been at least partially responsible.
She wasted little time in heading downstairs and starting on breakfast, cooking eggs and bacon in the manner Yoshinobu had taught her. She remembered that he liked his chewy, so she took his bacon off first. As she cooked, she wore a gentle smile on her face, blissfully unaware that his parents were home already and possibly headed to check up on him after being gone all weekend.
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 19, 2018 14:28:23 GMT -5
For a time, the sound of the rain against the roof was the Kuni's only company.
However, just as Hinata happily finished making breakfast, the front door to Yoshinobu's abode slid open and made a heavy clack as it slid into the frame. Standing there shoe-less but wet from the rain (what type of former Hida carried an umbrella?), was Iweko Ayameko, Empress of Rokugan. Her long, black hair was tied back in a ponytail, bangs framing her stern face that betrayed her sleepiness - she'd been traveling all morning after all. She was dressed almost as if for the dojo in set of crab blue gi and hakama, with only a white overcoat to help keep warm in the rain. One brown eye peered in the doorway, the other likely ruined and hidden behind an eyepatch.
For a moment, she stood in silence, that one brown eye peering at Hinata, as if studying a battlefield. Then she called out to the girl with the voice of a seasoned bushi-ko, stern but even. "Kuni Hinata, I presume?"
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 19, 2018 14:33:56 GMT -5
Hinata jumped a little when the door slid open, then stared in horror when she saw who it was. It was the Empress. The Empress was staring at her. And Hinata was half naked. She had no face paint to hide the blush that crept up her face, and it took her a few moments to get over her initial shock and bow deeply.
"Ah...yes, Iweko-heika. This one is Kuni Hinata."
She cleared her throat.
"I...deeply apologize for my state of dress."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 20, 2018 7:19:46 GMT -5
Another few moments of silence, the air heavy. Being found in the Imperial Palace half naked by the Empress no less is something that could get many a samurai killed, made ronin. The honor of seppuku would likely be denied any who did something so stupid.
Ayameko was far from a normal Empress though. She was the first one who was formerly a Crab, and this scene suggested that perhaps she would not be the last. "Don't," Ayameko replies like a stone, unphased by the girl's embarrassment. "You're a Crab and you're a guest of the Crown Prince. Make yourself at home."
The smell of the food indicated that Hinata already had - that much wasn't lost on the former Hida.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 20, 2018 8:57:16 GMT -5
She was not mad? That was more shocking to Hinata than being caught half naked. Then again, the Empress was a former clan mate, so it made a certain degree of sense. She rose from the bow, still embarrassed. The empress may not be mad, but she clearly was not pleased either.
"Uh...thank you, Iweko-heika."
She took a deep breath, steeling herself. It would not do to appear embarrassed in front of the Empress, she had to put on the best On she could muster.
"I presume you came here to see Yoshinobu?"
She looked towards the stairs.
"He is still asleep, but I was just going to bring him breakfast. Would you like me to bring him down here?"
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 20, 2018 10:12:45 GMT -5
Ayameko walked into her son's abode, removing her shoes before doing so. She looked left, right, then back to Hinata.
"I did, yes. To see if he wanted to join me in the dojo. However, now, I find my mind elsewhere." She walked to his table and took a seat, looking to Hinata. "Leave him be for now. I'd sooner talk with you first, as you are courting my son and the future Emperor."
The Empress waited for a response, resting her right arm on the table.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 20, 2018 11:23:51 GMT -5
"Ah, very well."
Hinata kept her On, but her heart was pounding in her ears. A one-on-one conversation with the Empress. This could only end very well or very badly.
She looked at the stove.
"Do you want anything to eat? I have the stuff out already."
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 20, 2018 13:41:26 GMT -5
"No, thank you. I have had breakfast already. Some sake, however, would be nice," she said gruffly, a small smile appearing on her face.
Hinata wouldn't have to look especially hard to find a few bottles in Yoshinobu's reserves - a bottle known for its light and airy flavor, a bottle of the standard fare, something harder and equivalent to shochu, and sake flavored with plum sweetner. The kind Hinata chose could reveal much potentially.
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Post by Kuni Hinata on Mar 20, 2018 13:54:55 GMT -5
The Empress was a former Crab; a former Hida, at that. Given her gruff and straightforward demeanor so far, Hinata wagered she had not strayed too far from her roots. With that in mind, Hinata chose the harder option, and hoped she was correct. She also grabbed the plum sake because it sounded interesting and she wanted to try it herself, and...well, as she noted before, the Empress used to be a Hida. She was sure she would not be insulted by Hinata having different tastes. Besides, her guess may have been wrong.
She grabbed two sake glasses and set them down on the table, then set the two bottles down as well.
"I was not sure what you would like, so I took the best guesses I could make. Which would you like?"
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Post by Iweko Yoshinobu on Mar 20, 2018 14:21:02 GMT -5
Ayameko sighed, shaking her head and taking the hard sake before Hinata could pour. The Empress wasted little time fixing herself a glass and downing it before pouring herself another.
"One you've seen the things I've seen, any Hida has seen, there is only type of sake you can really enjoy," she remarks, not insulted but terse nonetheless. As far as Ayameko knew, Hinata had been spared the horrors of Jigoku based on her own choice. It was so like a Hida to assume a choice of sake could reveal as much. She then poured Hinata a drink from the plum sake, nodding for her to sit.
"So tell me about yourself; how you managed to charm my errant young son."
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