A little too warm for comfort (open)

[Harada Orochi]

It was quiet in the hallway as Orochi made his way out to the courtyard. A small caravan of wagons and some of his troops would be there waiting for him. Their wagons full of belongings and supplies for the journey to the boarder, and returning to his home in the boarderlands. It wasn't Orochi who was going home however, it was Akane. 

His presence filled the hallway like it always did. Large, intimidating, instilling fear into the servants who scampered by, bowing their heads in respect as they ran off to do their chores. Orochi reveled in the fear. He found a slow grin appearing on his face as he watched a maid squeek and nearly fall over as she tried to get out of his way. 

Akane was an air of beauty and calmness. She had her dark brown hair up in a high pony tail, and she had a stoic look on her face. She always had that look on her face when she was out in public, and not in her rooms. Otherwise, she turned into the fourteen yearold girl she always was. Begging for her father's attention. You can imagine the despair and disappointment she had on her face when Orochi told her he was sending her away. To keep morale up with the troops, knowing they had a piece of their dear general near them, he'd told her. He took sick satisfaction in watching her bottom lip quiver, and knowing she didn't dare talk back to him. He'd almost dared her too, just to see her cry. But he restrained himself. Akane had been behaving very well as of late, and her reward was to not have him remind her of her place. 

The two walked in silence, Orochi looming over her, and Akane barely reaching his shoulder. She stumbled on her kimono, slightly, a pretty purple thing with white silk flowers. Like a viper, Orochi's hand shout out to grab her by her upper arm. Steadying her. "You should have that hemmed Akane-chan." He said softly. Almost pleasantly as he righted her. Even dusting her off. "Thank you Otou-san." She said softly and he smiled as he patted her on top of her head, and then continued to walk down the hallway, this time, however, he made her put her arm on his. "Can't have my Akane-chan falling." He said. She didn't say anything. Once they were out into the courtyard, he led her down to the wagons and some of the men. 

[Kim Tatsuo]

Tatsuo had visited the palace to see the Oracles that morning, dropping off some gifts from his extended family for the girls' upcoming birthday. The twins were jumpy, turning to look at every sound and flinching at knocks on the door, which he had chalked up to birthday jitters until he saw the train of wagons in the courtyard and the devil standing at the head of them.

Perhaps he shouldn't call the High General a devil, but that was how he had always seen the older man--a cruel demon who's only pleasure was in others' pain. He was always polite in person, but he had seen the man telling battle stories before, and heard even more of them from his soldier friends. The man was as ruthless as he was powerful, if not more. They shared a trait in that the Goddess had gifted them with fire magic, but he had never tried to claim kinship or common ground with the general on that front. Perhaps it might have earned him a bit more respect, but chances were his mediocre powers would only earn him more disdain. Either way, he wasn't planning to find out.

Now that he'd entered the courtyard and seen the High General, however, he'd have to say hello, to be polite. Ignoring him at this point would be a snub that neither he nor his family could afford to make against such a dangerous man. And besides, his daughter was there with him, which was a strain he understood, at least a little--having a demanding parent was even more stressful than it sounded. So, with a deep breath, Tatsuo put on his best politician smile and approached the man and his daughter.

"Harada-san, Maeng-san, I hadn't expected to see you here. Are the two of you headed out to your estate?" Estate might be a generous word for the home, he had never seen it before and didn't know the details, but better to exaggerate its importance than insult the man by assuming it was smaller than it was...

[Harada Orochi]

Orochi was listening to the captain give him the details of what they were carrying and how much longer it would be before they were off. He wasn't the one traveling, so he really didn't care how long it took them, as long as they didn't take too long. He didn't want to wait out here with Akane all day. Not when he had three concubines waiting for him back in his chambers. 

He caught one of the soldiers, a new recruit by the looks of him, staring. Or trying not to stare, and Orochi grinned. showing straight white teeth, and he held Akane's hand just a little bit tighter. When the captain was finished, he nodded his head at him, and then was surprised to see one of the brown nosers approaching. Kimi-something-san or another if he remembered correctly. He didn't really care for the noble families. They were just a bunch of fussy irritants, like little nats, that could do with some squishing. 

Non the less, his manners called. He gave the younger man a small smile in greeting. Squeezing Akane's hand, allowing her to answer the man. "Kim-san." She said in greeting. Her voice was soft, and she gave him a small smile. Bowing her head in respect. Ah yes! Kim! The little fire novice! He remembered now. He loosened his grip on Akane's hand, indicating he was pleased with her. "Akane-chan is actually the one heading home. My troops need a piece of their general close to home, to strengthen their moral and to continue to protect our borders." Orochi explained to the man. Hadn't he mentioned at the last meeting she was heading home? Maybe he hadn't....darn. 

He looked down at Akane and smiled. Taking a hand to stroke her hair. "It pains this Otou-san's heart to send his beautiful daughter away." He said fondly, however, there was something in his eyes that meant the complete opposite. He glanced at Kim again, letting his hand fall to his side. "I had not expected you here as well Kim-san, birthday preparations all going according to plan?" That was what he was in charge of right? Planning the stupid party? 

Orochi figured he'd try for some pleasant conversation if you could consider any conversation with him pleasant, while he waited for the caravan to finally be ready.   

[Kim Tatsuo]

Reading the faces of Harada and his daughter was a difficult task. He couldn't tell what was genuine and what was false; where it was easy for him to understand the motivations and inner workings of the others on the council, the High General was an unknown quantity, and his silent daughter was just as illegible. Warily he decided to take the smile and genial replies at face value, at least for now. He bowed a bit more deeply than he needed to in response to their greetings before he spoke again, hoping to make himself more tolerable to the taller man in any way possible.

"I'm sure that our loss is their gain, although we council members will certainly feel your absence, Maeng-san," he answered, speaking to Akane although he was replying to her father's explanation. In the back of his mind he wondered how many people she was actually allowed to speak to. He was willing to bet it was less than five. But back to the task at hand. The man had asked him a question.

"Yes, they're going well. I simply stopped by to deliver some early gifts for the birthday girls," he laughed at his own tiny joke, referring to the Oracles as if they were just ordinary teenage girls rather than the force that would soon determine the direction of their government, "The celebration is going to be massive, so there are quite a few moving pieces. Luckily the noble families are managing to cooperate to ensure it's a fantastic time, rather than an argument. We're using our competitive natures for good, you could say." Tatsuo illustrated with his hands as he explained, his enthusiastic smile never fading. He could almost believe that he was interested in what he was saying, and that the General was too. Almost.

He considered turning the conversation back to Akane, but decided that might be a delicate topic, and walking on eggshells with a man like this wasn't likely to end in his favor. Better to ask about the man himself if he wanted to fan the flames of his ego...

"And you, Harada-san? Are things going well for you also? We're hoping to see you at the celebrations, but I know a man of your importance certainly has much more to deal with than just parties."

[Harada Orochi]

Akane gave Tatsuo another small smile. Orochi saw it and then let his eyes flicker back to the nobleman. He forced himself to smile at his little joke, just to please the man. Orochi watched the man elaborate with his hands. Akane seemed interested in what he was saying. In fact, she had made it known to Orochi she had actually wanted to attend the event, but he'd forbade it. Thus why she was so disappointed to be being sent to their other estate.

"That is good to hear Kim-san." He said nodding. He didn't care for the noble families, nor what they were up too. Honestly, he found the conversation boring. As the conversation switched to him his smile widened just a bit more. "Things a are a little more hectic here in the capital then I am used to, but I expect it will be a quick adjustment." His smile widened even further at the mention of the celebrations. Normally, Orochi wouldn't have attended if his life depended on it, but he was in charge of security. The more he thought about it the more he was growing fond of the idea of all those people frantically trying to get out of his way and to appease him. "Ah, but this is a special party. I think there is no one more suited them myself to make sure our lovely girls are protected from any possible harm." He informed him.

Just then the captain came back over, a hesitant look on his face. Something Orochi picked up on that he was about to receive some unpleasant news. He narrowed his eyes at the man, before arching an expectant eyebrow. "I'm sorry to interrupt Harada-San, but there seems to have been a problem...." He said slowly. Orochi gritted his teeth. Releasing Akane's hand. "If you'll excuse me a moment Kim-san." He said nodding his head before he followed the captain fairways off to discuss this 'problem.' Leaving Akane to keep Tatsuo company.

[Kim Tatsuo]

Tatsuo's smile didn't even flicker as he listened to Harada's reply about the party, despite the slight turn of his stomach at the words
'special party.' He couldn't even imagine what was going on behind the sharklike smile of the older man, and something told him he didn't even want to know. What ever it was, it was likely to be either violent or lecherous--or both. His smile did change when the man walked away, however, and he turned a far more subdued, genuine smile to his daughter, Akane.

Her face didn't give away anything when her father was nearby either, but perhaps he'd be able to understand her a bit better by speaking with her individually. After all, she was such a young girl, and from what he knew of young teenage girls, they were generally good-natured and enjoyed parties and pretty dresses. Something told him that this particular girl might not be as capricious as his younger cousins, but she was still a child, not yet a woman. She ought to be allowed to be silly and have fun, not simply to be a porcelain doll for her father to dress up and parade around.

"I truly am sorry to see you go, Maeng-chan. Would you like me to send you some souvenirs from the celebrations? Even if you can't attend in person, it's only fair that you get to enjoy some of the spoils."