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Post by KD on Jul 3, 2012 1:54:52 GMT -5
Considering the trouble Thrad had a tendency to find herself in, the emperor's thoughts were far from unfounded. She sent Cezir off with a stern reminder to leave the koi alone and returned inside. She'd been pondering the news some of her friends still over the sea had told her of a couple of the light and dark courts of the fae joining together under one court. An intriguing thought that, but it wasn't the court that she was involved with now. She bit back a smirk at the sight of some of the servants loitering about with forced casualness, trying not to show they were attempting to eavesdrop and see Lei and the emperor.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 3, 2012 1:59:11 GMT -5
Having come to an agreement, Lei and the emperor stood at once. As if with a silent notice, Harumi swept in to clear off the table, which delicious leftovers would be passed among the servants, as the two men wandered outside, talking about small business now that the serious subject had been breached.
The soldiers were summoned and gathered for orders, the horses brought out so that they may be mounted. The emperor paused to say goodbye to Thrade and wish her well as the soldiers waited passively.
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Post by KD on Jul 3, 2012 2:04:27 GMT -5
Thrade smiled warmly as she bid him goodbye, standing at Lei's side. The warmth was genuine, for she was very fond of the emperor. She waited until the royal entourage was out of sight before looking up at Lei, her sharp green eyes knowing. "He needs your help with the trouble down in the south, doesn't he?"
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Post by Jenny on Jul 3, 2012 2:07:49 GMT -5
Lei put an arm around her and smiled at her cleverness. "Yes, that is what he came to discuss. I can't say no to him, and not because he's an emperor. The man is suffering inside and needs our help." Then he frowned lightly. "This is not going to be an easy matter..." He took the time to tell Thrade what had been discussed in detail.
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Post by KD on Jul 3, 2012 2:11:01 GMT -5
Thrade listened silently, absorbing the information, far from surprised. "Shade told me she hasn't seen any sign of someone driving this on...but someone could have provoked the brothers into a fight and simply let it go from there," she said finally. "Although neither of us could figure out what purpose that would serve. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, though. Maybe it's just the greed and anger of two brothers, it's not the first time something like that has caused great strife."
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Post by Jenny on Jul 3, 2012 2:15:55 GMT -5
"There are those that would profit greatly from this situation, so it isn't clear who the guilty party is. The only thing we can do is investigate the matter for ourselves. I would like to bring a force with us, but more of a diversion than anything. They will keep at bay while you and I use more covert methods initially to see what can be done. If the wrath of the emperor is what is needed, then we must be prepared to make that decision, if this matter is out of the hands of pure diplomacy alone."
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Post by KD on Jul 3, 2012 2:23:00 GMT -5
"Which is what you and the emperor both fear," she said knowingly, nodding. She slid an arm around him, squeezing him gently. "We will find a way, my love. If anyone can figure out a way to resolve things with diplomacy, it's you." And he would have all the force of nature at his fingertips as well. One thing about Thrade was enemies often didn't quite know how to deal with her. Lei shared a powerful bond with nature himself but Thrade's sheer, primal abilities including her shifting often baffled them.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 3, 2012 2:29:17 GMT -5
Lei kissed her softly, finding peace in her presence. "And that is why Haru is the right man to be on the throne. I would not have a tyrant emperor." He shook his head a little. "I was brought up in a world of peace, but in my journeys my eyes were unclouded. To think that times of strife may a blessing may be mad, but I am grateful to have them. It makes a man a better man for it, all the stronger when things may be settled without a violent hand. We will need to tread carefully, my love."
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Post by KD on Jul 3, 2012 2:33:21 GMT -5
"Times of strife are always inevitable, so one might as well treat them as a learning experience when they do happen," Thrade said thoughtfully, leaning into his hold. It was a surprising observation from her, for Thrade wasn't anywhere near a thinker as her husband was, though she was highly observant. She nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing. "We won't help anyone by rushing into danger..."
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Post by Jenny on Jul 3, 2012 2:39:56 GMT -5
"Things cannot be rushed," he agreed wholeheartedly. "And we will sit upon it for the night. But I will send for our old friend Huo Ting Zao, now a captain if you remember, to take care of choosing the right men from Haru's batallion for the job after I fill him in on the situation. I would not rather go to the capital directly, for we do not know who will be watching and waiting for such a move as this. There could be agents within the capital, we cannot overlook your observation about a third party."
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Post by KD on Jul 3, 2012 2:45:31 GMT -5
"I'll see if I can find Shade as well," Thrade said thoughtfully. "She'd help just for the fun of it." Despite the shadowdancer's lack of anything close to morals and rather chaotic nature, she'd proven to be a good and loyal ally to those she considered friends, a list that Lei and Thrade were included on. It was everyone else that was in trouble.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 3, 2012 2:49:20 GMT -5
"Good girl," he smiled willingly at her. "That is a brillant idea. If anyone knows how to be covert, it's Shade. Now, let's enjoy the day and put aside this business for tomorrow. I think I smell Harumi's cooking..."
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Post by KD on Jul 3, 2012 17:46:53 GMT -5
Harumi had been invaluable in teaching Thrade how to run a household properly. She was surprisingly good at it and none of the servants had any complaints. Despite her odd quirks, she was a good, kind mistress, Thrade, and both she and Lei were generous to a fault. In preparing for a trip like this, however, Thrade needed no help, even showing excitement as she did it, for it had been years since they'd had a good adventure. Not that she didn't enjoy her life but the fact was, just because Lei was accepted and admired by the courtiers and nobles didn't mean Thrade was. This was balanced out by the fact she was extraordinarily popular among the farmers and merchantfolk for her gentle help with the land. There was also the fact Lei didn't particularly care about socializing and status, so they couldn't shun her outright, but many of them didn't accept her, which wasn't helped by the fact Thrade had never gotten the hang of socializing. She was more comfortable talking about breeding horses with the stablemen than talking about embroidery or inking or whatever it was so many of the women seemed obsessed with.
Thrade was an easy mistress normally, but she was a proper little tyrant in preparing for the trip, determined that everything would be in order so Lei could focus on his task and not have to worry about anything else. Watching Thrade, who was barely five feet tall, bossing people much bigger than her around was the cause for much mirth...privately, of course.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 3, 2012 23:19:35 GMT -5
And Lei was thankful for it, not having to worry about the domestics for he had his own business to attend to that day. Towards the evening, Huo Ting rode into the Shen residence having received the message about important business with Lei. He was received warmly and Lei got down to business quickly, discussing the matter with Huo Ting in person rather than by letter. The captain was all too willing to do the job, joking that he was getting soft in Kyoto, no longer the rough and ready soldier he once was. After joining Thrade and Lei for dinner graciously, he set off to prepare for the morning when the troops would be called for formation and inspection.
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Post by KD on Jul 4, 2012 0:19:39 GMT -5
When Lei told her, Thrade snorted at the thought of the captain going soft in any way. "Shade contacted me and said she was heading down there." She frowned. "She mentioned something about another 'old friend'. Probably that assassin that was working with her during the rebellion that turned on the warlord when she did."
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