Meeting at Permission City

[The Blue Ronin]

A lone rider appears at the gates of Permission City. He wears the colours of the Mantis Clan, a Clan technically at war even if their forces are far from Permission City, but nonetheless he excites only caution among the Phoenix and Imperial bushi guarding the main gates. But courtesy still dictates to honourable Samurai, and he approaches with almost excessive humility.

After he has spoken to the guards, a message makes its way to Daidoji Fitsu, Daimyo of the Daidoji and Regent of the Crane Clan, stating that a young Mantis Samurai wishes to speak with him on Daidoji Family business.

[Daidoji Fitsu]

The message finds Fitsu kneeling at a small shrine. Having spent the last several hours discussing the merits of various courses of action he had taken a moment to collect himself and ask his ancestors for guidance.

Thinking that perhaps this visitor was their way of showing him something new he sent the messenger back with an invitation for this Mantis to meet with him immediately.

[The Blue Ronin]

Ryumon entered Fitsu's presence still rough from the road. His main concession to decorum was to remove his heavy kabuto, revealing a surprisingly boyish face. The Mantis was tall and broad-shouldered, as hefty as a Crab, although there was something slightly heimin-ish about his muscle, as if it had come from pulling up rice plants or nets full of fish rather than drilling with katana. He bowed very, very deeply to Fitsu. Fitsu might have guessed that the Crane Regent was the highest ranking Samurai that this young Mantis had ever met, and he would be correct.

"Fitsu-sama. Thank you for taking your time to see me. I am sorry but I am not skilled in courtly ways and I know your time is valuable so I will come straight to the point. My lord, Yoritomo Kage, has decided that even though our Clans find ourselves on opposite sides of the conflict between Naseru-sama and Kaneka-sama, in the long term we must maintain our friendship. As such he has chosen me to act as a bridge. I am commanded to seek the hand of one of your samurai, Daidoji Yuuka. Since she is of higher status than me, this would mean that I would become part of your Clan as a samurai of the Daidoji"

"Yuuka and I have corresponded a little, although we have never met. Our marriage has my Lord's approval, but obviously it also needs your own - and I presume that you would ask Yuuka to also approve of the marriage. I am hoping to meet her when her duties take her back to Kyuden Otomo, but hearing that you were present in Permission City, I decided it best to come here and take the opportunity to seek you out, even if I did not expect to see you so hurriedly"

Ryumon pauses, still on his knee, making almost child-like gaze at Fitsu. He suddenly remembers something and digs in his satchel, producing a scroll bearing the seal of the Yoritomo Daimyo. "This is a letter from Kage-sama explaining my task"

[Daidoji Fitsu]

The Crane Tairo listened to the young Mantis, took the letter from his hands and glanced over it quickly. I appreciate your forthright approach, but it is well that you don't seek the Doji as your new family. Fitsu allowed himself a smile. He felt the timing of this young bushi's arrival was surely an omen sent by his ancestors, so he pressed to see what wisdom they had gifted him with. You say that you are meant to be a bridge, asking to be a Daidoji, and a husband to one of our samurai-ko. I would like to hear what those mean to you and how one man will manage to be three things.

[The Blue Ronin]

Ryumon opened his mouth to express surprise. For some reason he hadn't been expecting to be asked such questions. He snapped it shut again, hoping he hadn't looked like too much of a fool. And then he spoke. Later, he would wonder why he hadn't taken more time to think. Perhaps he was just frightened to appear weak before Fitsu, and hesitation was weakness.

"To be a Daidoji would be no different than being a Yoritomo. I know your Clan and family are very different, and I don't know your traditions or philosophies. But I am a young bushi, sama, only recently promoted to a position of Chui which, to be honest, I don't yet feel comfortable in. I don't know all of my own traditions yet. I think this is why my Daimyo chose me, although I don't presume to know his mind. I'm still young, ready to be molded. To be a Daidoji I would listen and learn to you, to my wife who would also be my lord, to practice what can be practiced and contemplate what has to be contemplated"

"Being a bridge, well, although I realise that the Mantis will no longer be my Clan, and that I must obey the orders of the Crane's Regent even if you were to command me to attack my former family, I think I could. You see, the Islands of Silk and Spice and Broken Wave City, would be my home, and that familiarity, that knowledge would be at the service of the Crane. I know people, know places. I would continute to speak to my Mantis relatives and friends, unless my Regent commanded me not to. I'd bring that knowledge and those contacts. I'd be like a tamed steed - I would no longer be of the wild plains, but I'd still carry an echo of them inside me"

Ryumon had lifted that expression from a poem that the Yoritomo courtier who'd assisted him in his letter writing insisted he read, to become more "cultured". Hopefully it'd pay off!

"As for being a husband... Fitsu-sama, that is the role I know least about. I only have my own father's example, and he was not of lower status than my mother. Part of being a good husband, for me, would simply be to obey my wife as she gave her commands. Beyond that... being attentive. Letting her show weakness around me, because that is a husband's special role... being a good father and a good example to any children... I'll be honest though Fitsu-sama, becoming a Daidoji and a Crane doesn't scare me. But being a husband does" He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. WHy is it he'd rather face a hundred angry Shadowlands madmen right now than Fitsu's smile?

[Daidoji Fitsu]

Fitsu nodded his approval at the young samurai's response, in his words he recognized the wisdom of ages past that all men must find.In becoming something new, we don't always cease to be what we were. I will not ask you to sever your ties with old friends and family, I trust that you would do so yourself if they sought to compromise you.

Fitsu retrieved a sumi-e set from his belongings and commenced writing. He drafted two letters before tieing each tight with a ribbon bearing his personal mon. This is for your Lord. It thanks him for his foresight and consideration, and for bestowing upon us your service. The other is for Daidoji Yuuka should she desire my testimonial, I hope that she agrees to your union. If I do not manage to attend due to this damnable rebellion then I hope that your ceremony brings peace amongst all this conflict. If all goes according to this plan, we will see to getting you units befitting your rank and ability.

EDIT: Realizing he should probably say more, You will forgive me if I do not possess a courtier's tongue. I was not brought up in court, nor groomed to be Champion of a Clan. I am a military man, and my days in embassy work were with the Crab. They did little to prepare me for social discourse. We all do what we must in times of need, and I am thankful you have come here this day, you've already been more helpful than you know.

[The Blue Ronin]

Ryumon blinked several times, wishing he had some excuse to keep his helm on - the snarling Oni's features, while not appropriate, might well have been less embarassing than his own. He didn't know what to say, so he bowed deeply.

"Domo arigato gosaimasu, Fitsu-sama. I don't pretend to understand how I have been of service to you today but I hope that I can continue to be so. I will take your letter gratefully and present it to Yuuka-sama, along with my Daimyo's letter, once I locate her. I hope when we meet again, you will be my Lord. I won't detain you any longer. I hope Bishamon favours you in the battles to come"

With one final low bow, Ryumon was gone from Fitsu's presence - turning down any offers of hospitality, he was soon back on his steed and riding back towards Kyuden Otomo, hoping to reach it before night fell.