She watched him bow his head with a curious expression. A very different approach compared to the previous ones, but in the spirit of courtesy, she would not question his sincerity.

"Your sincerity gives me reason not to doubt you now, your actions will confirm your words," she offered in a gentle tone.

"But... perhaps it is too much seriousness for one night? You wished to improve your poetry, no? I would be happy to assist, seeing as it was the art in which I was trained in by the Kakita at the Academy."

He chuckled, before giving a genuine smile. "I would agree. Too much seriousness is a burden for the soul. I very much would like to learn how to improve my poetry from you."

Keeping his posture relaxed, but his tone sincere. "And if you are still interested, I would be more than happy to exchange my learnings of Mekhem with you."

"It sounds like an agreeable exchange," Utsusemi smiled, seemingly relaxing too as the tension seemed to have gone away for now.

"Now, let me at least hear the level you are at with your poetry, to give me an impression as your teacher."

Poetry? I'm okay at it, right? (Awareness 4, Perform: Poetry 0): 4d10k4 29

Anzai nodded, thinking for a moment. Looking to the Dragon, then out to the turtle pond of the Floral Estates. The moonlight showing in it's reflection over the rippling water. Wetting his lips without thinking, he then looked back to Utsusemi.

"Moonlight cascading. Turtles swimming into the night. Dreams of Foreign Thought. Samurai finding their path. Forging new futures for all."

He paused as he finished the poem. Great work? Probably not, but for something when put on the spot, he felt pretty good about it. Though he was sure the Doji Dragon would have critiques. He welcomed them.

Well it was certainly no masterful poem, but to herself she had to admit that she had expected better of the Shosuro. Then again, he probably didn't seduce women with poetry.

"Correct lines, and you remembered to invoke imagery of nature. But there is no emotion to it, and your reference to samurai make it obvious who you might have tried to impress." While the critique was honest, it was not given with malice.

"Poetry is an accepted form of expressing emotions. Its words should stir the hearts... to capture the essence of feelings in a given moment. Mono no aware."

Anzai took the critique in stride, taking in the information, nodding as the lesson takes hold. While he knew other courtiers took in their schooling the fine arts, outside of his penmanship, the lessons at Kyuden Bayushi offered... other curriculum. But he kept that to himself. "Yes, of course. I often forget that. Thank you, Agasha-sama." He paused, pursing his lips for a moment in deep thought.

"Would it be so bold, for me to ask you for a poem? I've heard rumor, and your reputation precedes you, but perhaps a chance to see from my sensei would give me greater understanding as to where I need to improve? Other than your honored critiques, of course." His smile was genuine, his attention rapt.

Utsusemi had hoped he wouldn't ask. After all, she was here in the middle of the night to get away from the fact that she had been struggling to just form passable poetry, let alone something that was enough to uphold her reputation and that of her sensei at the Academy.

She silently looked out at the pond with the turtles, but all she could think of was either to intimate, or mediocre. A part of her imagined she saw the exact spot where Yajinden was talking about her husband, and that he had inquired about her and Kenzo.

After some moments, she shook her head.

"No... not tonight," she spoke wearily, though guarded. Something had made her wary.

Anzai watched the Dragon closely, his eyes softening. He coukd feel for her, he could see something weighed on her. She was guarded. A fair thing to be around the young Scorpion. He smiled, his features warming as he looked to the woman.

"You know, you take the burden of being there to council and console us. To make sure we are well representing our oaths ans bonds through Miya-sama's wisdom. But, you too, need someone you can speak to. One who you can trust."

He leanes closer to her, trying to break down those guarded thoughts.

"I can be that one, who you can turn to. I'm here, to listen, Agasha-sama." It was second nature, to a student of Bayushi.

D8 EN Secrets are Birthmarks (Awareness 4, Courtier 7, Courtier Mastery 5 +1k0, Benten's Blessing +0k1 , 2FR Utsu disads): 10d10o10k6+20 95 actually it's only +10 not 20. Phone auto input the equatiom from Hinami. Total is 85

Utsusemi breathed in deeply, already mentally raising her guard against the Scorpion's words, but he had already sunk his hooks into her before and she was weary.

A pause, and she looked away from the mismatched gaze of his eyes.

"... There is not all one can speak of, Shosuro-san. As kind as your offer is, I cannot."

He had put her on her guard though it was a weak one against him who had already overcome those defenses, but in return he could see that she was a woman who played her cards very close to her chest, based on the cautiousness of her body language and words. There was certainly a secret there that she did not want anyone to know about. Though for a Scorpion, it might have just made her even more alluring

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D8 EN Resisting Secrets Are Birthmarks. Etiquette (Courtesy)/Awa. +5 FR Doji Courtier. TN 85 lol: 7d10ro1o10k4+5 36
Anzai learns Utsu has a Dark Secret!

He knew what it was like to live with a secret. One that, if revealed, could only mean one thing. He didn't let that recognition show as he listened to her. Instead, he bowed, then looked to her.

"Of course. I understand, Agasha-sama. But the offer is there, should you ever need it. After all, Scorpions are best with those kinds of things. My loyalty to you, as a friend, is unshakeable."

Didn't mean he didn't want to delve deeper, however.

"... Thank you," she said, a little wary at first, but seemingly relaxing at his assurances. "I will keep it in mind, but I will not relent on this now, Shosuro-san."

It was best to change the subject, she figured, before he would attempt to draw it out of her again.

"Could you tell me more about your homelands? My visit to them for my sister's wedding was so brief, and so long ago already... but I recall them being very beautiful."

"Of course. I wouldn't be one to press on that front." He nodded, then turned inwards for a moment.

"The Gardens at Shiro no Shosuro are exquisite. In my father's holdfast, my mother also kept an exquisite garden, while she was with us." He seemed to be saddened by the thought, but only for a moment. "Throughout the lands, the flowers and blossoms are awr inspiring. A reminder for us all."

After all, every rose has its thorns.

"During military campaigns, the landscape can change so much, since we are a crossroads. But the beauty of the gardens always remain. I spent many nights contemplating the petals within Kyuden Bayushi." A slight smile. What could he mean by that...

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Contemplating the petals...?" Utsusemi was curious as to what he meant.

"Yes, the petals. The beauty within all the gardens is very well known." He matched her eyebrow with one of his own. While he would speak in innuendo, it would be foolish to believe that Anzai would ever speak so crassly. "It often helped to keep my thoughts in order while I was a student there."

"Ah, and here I thought for a moment it was more theological in nature," Utsusemi chuckled softly. "“Study what the pine and cherry blossom can teach. Man is not the only keeper of enlightenment.” But, I suppose the Tao was never much part of your studies?"

"No, not too much time spent on the tao, I must say." He laughed a little with the Dragon woman. However, his studies included things such as moving to be unseen, and other more... unseemly acts. "But one always has time to consider that on their own. To keep oneself properly in mind."

"Of course. Honestly, the Tao was never that much part of my childhood or training either, apart from the occassional passage here and there... some of our sensei would always suggest to refer to it in debates to sound clever. After all, if Shinsei himself said it, it must truly be wise." Utsusemi gave a small shrug at that. "Not completely wrong, of course, but I prefer wit to come from the person themselves, rather than just repeating what better men and women have said."

"You and I share that viewpoint then, Agasha-sama. If one simply lives by quoting the giants that stood before them, it also makes them easy to stop in their tracks. Keeping one's own thoughts much more adaptable and fluid allows for greater appearances at court." He would nod along as he spoke with the Dragon, watching her closely for any reaction, wanting to read her, as he was wont to do with most people.

"What are the Dragon lands like?"

"Hmmm..." her head tilted back in a slow motion as she looked up at the night sky. The posture made her neck seem longer.

"Very different from here, very different from the lands of the Crane, and what I remember of the Shosuro. The terrain is mountainous and rocky. Only the lowlands have lush forests and plains, most used for agriculture... whereas in Crane lands, so much of the land is bountiful that one can always spare a hill or a plain to be left in its natural state." Her lips pursed slightly. "Most of the important holdings of the Dragon are up in the mountains. The view can be quite breathtaking, if one is willing to walk the narrow mountain-paths to see them."

"The weather is often chilly, and the winters are longer."

Anzai listened with vested interest. He had never visited the Dragon lands, and somehow, Utsusemi made the landscape come alive in his mind's eye. It sounded so different from his honeland, that part of him found it hard to believe it was the same country.

"I think I would like to visit them, sometime. If only to brave the mountain pass. I imagine you have contributed quite a bit to the artistic landscape of the Dragon, as well."