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 Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:58 pm
  This is a private roleplay between Youhei [Izayin] and Enlei [danse-hexe].
Setting
The Araki matriarch has approached the Zhengs with an interesting proposition to improve diplomatic relations...
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Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 10:59 pm
Youhei paced.
In the main atrium, his quick, furious steps made the candles flicker. It was just past dawn and through the intricate curlicues of the timber windows, he could see his mother's back, once for every circle he made of the room, unable to stop for fear that he'd blow out like a storm and attempt to take her by the throat. Why was it that he could not escape her? No matter how adept he got at her games, she was the reigning king, and he could only challenge.
As if attracted by the dark swirl of his thoughts, she turned suddenly. He froze where he stood, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of seeing him moved by her scheme and uneasy. They were too far away for their eyes to meet, her face suspended in the dark like a blurry white moon, but still, Youhei was certain she was smiling. He squinted, and sure enough, her mouth grinned back, wobbly and sinister.
Beyond the hallway that stretched between her and him, his father slept the sleep of the Just. Perhaps he was unconcerned because he trusted Youhei to handle himself. Perhaps he was just unconcerned. Something ugly and leaden welled in Youhei at the thought, but he brushed the feeling away impatiently, pushing it into the far recess of his psyche and freezing it out.
After all, if he was good at anything, it was prioritising. First, he had to get through the morning. There would be time later for unadulterated revenge.
An omiai. Alone, it wasn't anything he couldn't dissect and swallow. Being raised in a traditional family implied certain expectations. The eldest son was the warrior, the second son the priest, and the third son... The order was somewhat confused in their household – certainly the Araki name had always dealt more with blood that was spilt than blood in the veins, but it remained that Youhei was the adopted son. Second in age, he was relegated to third place, and that was fine. In many ways, he was the interloper. But since Youhei was not naturally predisposed to being an affable layabout, he'd decided at an early age to be useful. A political match was obvious and expected.
He just hadn't expected it so soon, and at his mother's hand. She'd sprung the trap in his father's presence and he had said nothing; there was no more room for maneuvering or rebellion. Fine.
Youhei would meet Zheng Enlei in a half-hour's time in the guest chamber. He would even be courteous. Beyond that, he made no promises.
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Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 12:38 am
Enlei was seething. She sat in front of the mirror, trembling with rage as her mother skilfully pinned her hair up into some.. some... something.
"Just bear with it, En," her mother coaxed, adding another pin. "And turn around so I can braid your hair."
Grumbling, the young girl did as she was told, smoothing her kimono as she stood up. Stupid kimono- how many layers were there? Putting it on had been difficult enough; she didn't even want to think about walking in it, and she had never appreciated shorts as much as she did right now. But her mother had insisted on the kimono, just because.
And Enlei wanted to kick something.
"There," Lixin smiled. "You look beautiful. My little baby's grown up so much, it's almost frightening."
"Don't say it like I'm getting married already, mother. I don't- I don't even want to meet this.. this--"
"Araki Youhei. Remember his name at least, and- remember your manners, En. And stop scowling, it's not ladylike. Now.. just.. keep an open mind, and do try to be civil, or our family's reputation...."
"Yes, mother." It was all she could say; no amount of retaliation could get her out of this. At least, she supposed, she would hold her head high and try not to embarrass anyone, especially not herself. And hope that this wouldn't take up too much time.
Minutes later, Zheng Enlei found herself staring out the window of the sedan that the Arakis had sent to their house. Her mother sat opposite her, fussing about posture and creases in her kimono and whatnot, but the words went in one ear and came out the other.
Please, the girl thought, just let this be over soon.
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Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:48 pm
The southern wing that housed the greeting hall was the more ostentatious portion of the estate, designed to intimidate and instil humility in visitors. Youhei had no doubt that Akahana had directed the footmen escorting the Zhengs to take the long tour of the Araki residence, complete with the indoor koi-viewing pond and Dragon Walkway. The guest chamber was one in a series of rooms beyond the winding path that served as a reception area. It was there that Youhei rested on his knees, trying to recover his equanimity.
It was not an easy thing to do. The chamber had been redecorated; he could see his mother's touch in the low table and new seating mats that had been procured for the tatami, but especially in the sticks of lightly smoking incense. He took shallow breaths through the mouth. He found the scent of amber migraine-inducing, and Akahana knew that perfectly well.
It remained to be seen what she meant to accomplish. He couldn't guess if the Zhengs were complicit in her intentions, whatever they were, or merely oblivious. Either way, they were unlucky. They just didn't know it yet.
He shifted, distinctly on edge. Without the scarf, his neck felt naked, a concession to the need for proper attire. His kamishimo was stiff from lack of wear, crisp lines forming where he'd buried his fingers in his thighs. He straightened them slowly, then straightened his back.
He wanted to leave, but that would solve nothing, and even as a boy he'd been intimately familiar with the distance between what you want, and what you get.
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:36 pm
They arrived at what she supposed was the front... yard, and then proceeded to walk through a whole maze of whatevers. Enlei had enough trouble keeping her posture ramrod-straight; as impressive as the Araki estate might be, with its gardens and whatnot and... indoor koi pond?! she couldn't appreciate it fully.
Maybe, in a different situation, at a different time... The girl sighed- probably far too audibly, for the Araki matriarch (what was her name) glanced at her disapprovingly before going back to introducing the rest of the house.
Face red, Enlei bit her lip and followed. She hoped there'd be someone to guide them back out when all this was over and done with; she was pretty sure she could spend months just trying to find her way out of this awful place. She was only barely aware that she was dragging her own feet along- her mom was nudging her gently.
After what seemed like forever, they reached a room somewhere along one of the corridors, and the older lady pulled the shoji open. In that instant Enlei was stunned by the strange smell; what was this, wha----
And before she knew it, she was sitting opposite a young man at the table, still slightly dizzy from the.. was it incense?
At least, she thought, it wasn't an old man sitting across from her. She'd absolutely DIE if it were.
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:45 pm
Youhei steeled himself as the doors slid open. The trouble with having an analytical mind was being unable to turn it off, and several possible scenarios had presented themselves for consideration, none of which he found remotely appetising.
The reality was… He'd partly unfolded in preparation to stand for the traditional greeting when the girl (Enlei, he reminded himself firmly - she was here; there was no sense in thinking circles around it) wobbled and sunk to the floor. Youhei discreetly settled himself back onto the seating cushion. At least she’d collapsed into an approximated seiza. He wondered if her tabi socks had slipped on her shoes. Perhaps she was overwhelmed.
An act, calculated to cause sympathy? He studied her; the performance was a good one if it had been staged. Her frame was slight, eyes very green, hair pale. Coupled with the adult hair arrangement and clothes, she looked all of twelve and somewhat dazed. A dress-up doll. Youhei felt the odd compulsion to shake her and send her away. Didn't she know how dangerous it was to let the world examine your feelings?
He decided to pretend he hadn’t seen anything, cutting his eyes towards his mother. She looked pinched for a moment, her thunder stolen, but recovered quickly enough.
"This is Youhei, second son of the Araki name. Youhei, may I announce the Zhengs, Lady Lixin and her daughter, Enlei."
"Please look kindly upon us," Youhei said, lowering his head with humility he didn't feel.
Now they would sit and exchange pleasantries, and sometime thereafter, the two women would find reason to quietly excuse themselves.
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 8:35 am
".. the Zhengs, Lady Lixin and her daughter, Enlei."
It felt like there was no running away anymore, they knew her name and could track her down no matter where she went. The stiff, awkward dialogue, consisting mostly of introductions, flew over her head. She'd memorised his name, Araraki Youhei; wasn't that enough?
At least, she was beginning to recover from the heady scent of incense, regaining enough composure to discreetly fix her sitting position. Just a while more, she hoped, just a while more.
As the two women spoke, Enlei made a point of keeping her head slightly lowered. Firstly, it posed as an act of deference towards the family she was to be married into; secondly, it made her seem more demure and ladylike; thirdly, it kept everyone else from seeing the 'I thought of this in advance, all on my own- aren't I smart?' smirk on her face. If she'd had any less self-restraint, she'd probably have burst out into giggles.
Then he spoke to her. A flat, polite voice- was he one of those boring mummy's-boy types? Her temper flared momentarily; who did he think he was, sounding so.. disinterested, when she was wasting her afternoon at this stupid omiai his own mother had arranged?
But it was in her best interests to be polite to him, she reasoned to herself, and besides, she could take out all this pent-up frustration on something else later. Something.. or someone.
"And you us," Enlei answered evenly, suppressing that little bubble of glee as she lifted her head (yes, she'd also thought to memorise the appropriate response) to meet his eyes.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:57 am
Though Youhei kept his eyes on the other side of the table, his attention was consumed by Akahana. Enlei had dropped her chin, eyes shrouded by the shadow of her bangs, staring fixedly as if fascinated with the woodgrain. Gestures like hers were the medium of bad liars, he knew. It seemed she hadn't learned that not making eye contact only worked if your opponent wasn't cruel. But whether or not her timidity was real, he couldn't afford to focus on her just yet. She and her mother were unknown, but they were harmless compared to his mother.
'The second son of the Araki name.' No one would find fault in the statement, thinking Akahana had only phrased it in the rigid way favoured by tradition. But Youhei, who had heard her speak it before, heard what she hadn't said. My second son. The second Araki son. He would, in her purview, forever be an Araki by name only.
She sat at his side with the occasional rustle of silk, handling the earthen teaware with confident delicacy, but the idea of her being on his side was laughable. In public, they navigated around each other in an unspoken truce with all the detachment and iciness associated with the highborn. In private, it was war.
Behind the sequestered walls of the family home, alone yet in the company of the Zhengs, Youhei did not know what rules applied.
He held Enlei's gaze as it came up, absorbing the standard response but mind elsewhere. It seemed Akahana was wrapping up their small talk. "Perhaps you could show Enlei around the gardens, Youhei. Lixin tells me she's such an active girl." There was the slightest stress on 'active,' enough for Youhei to know that Akahana thought her uncouth.
"If she permits me," he returned, inclining his head. "I'd be delighted if you would join me for a walk, Lady Enlei."
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:17 am
As she sat listening, Enlei's respect for her mother grew about tenfold. How Lixin could keep up that serene smile while managing to return every one of Madam Araki's ripostes was completely beyond her. The young girl grimaced; evidently, she still had much to learn in the way of small talk, not to mention formal small talk.
She hoped, for the sake of everything, that this was a one-off. Marrying into this family would probably mean the end of her warrior career. Maybe she'd even be forced to quit the Academy, when she'd just started lessons. Maybe she'd be forced to live forever in this ridiculous maze of a house, and never allowed to see her family again..
She could feel tears begin to well up in her eyes, at those thoughts, though after a few seconds of furious blinking, the situation was back under control. Her mother would never allow it, would she? Enlei only barely managed to resist sneaking a glimpse at her mother; she was already rather acutely aware that she was embarrassing herself enough. Nervously she clenched her fists, before realising that that would cause creases in her kimono.... could she do nothing right, today?
His empty gaze did not make things any better; she could sense that his heart was somewhere else. Did he have a lover somewhere else, perhaps some sweet, shy peasant girl like in romance novels? She would assure him that she had no interest in him, either, thank you very much, once she had a chance- and then he was inviting her out for a walk.
Just the two of them? It seemed she'd finally struck it lucky. Managing what she hoped was an accurate enough replica of her mother's smile, Enlei stood up carefully, gracefully.. and tried not to walk too fast out of the room.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:55 pm
Youhei watched as Enlei rose from her seat and departed the room. Her steps were off-rhythm, as though she was struggling not to flee. As he moved to follow, bowing first to Lady Lixin and then to his mother, he couldn't say he blamed her.
The fresh air did something to ease the tightness percolating deep in his lungs. He breathed it in, swallowed against the clench in his throat and wondered if he had the beginnings of a cold. It would be the appropriate season for it.
"The gardens can be chilly this time of year," he segued solicitously, aware that their conversation could be heard clearly through the thin, screened doors. "Are you sufficiently warm?" He maintained a careful perimeter, leaving a space between them that was only just less than the width of the table had been. It was as much for his benefit as hers. Gossip had a way of travelling with insidious speed in the Noble Estates. If a servant saw them standing closely, they would be wed before dawn.
She had only spoken two words so far, and was even smaller than his initial impression now that they were both upright. Perhaps her mother had taught her to be seen and not heard. She was older than he'd thought, though. In the revealing, post-dawn light, her eyes looked red-rimmed and impatient. This was a ploy, maybe, one that relied on appearing harmless, but Youhei did not think she was well-equipped for artifice. Not minutes into the mutual probing between Akahana and Lixin, her face had pulled into a scowl.
"The winter plants are less colourful than their summer counterparts," he began, leading her towards the bamboo forest and out of earshot, "But no less beautiful."
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Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:27 am
It was much, much easier to breathe now that they'd left the room, though she knew it was unlikely that they could converse freely.. after all, the shoji were made of paper. Walls might have ears, but they were no match for these. Enlei doubted there was anywhere a person could be truly at ease, within the Araki estate.
She was making an effort, herself, to keep up her posture; if she walked slowly, at least she was walking gracefully- and as a bonus, it kept a respectable distance between them. Granted, even if she had been able to walk faster, she had a feeling he would insist on keeping his distance anyway.
All the better for her.
"Yes, I am.... thank you." She would try to keep her responses short- the less said, the less likely she was to kick herself in the face. Now she was glad for the many-layered kimono; it kept her warm even in this weather- save for when the wind blew straight at them and she couldn't help but shiver slightly. Still, Enlei appreciated being outdoors more than in that awful room. The occasional gusts of wind were a small price to pay.
He spoke again, then, and she supposed he was making polite conversation. What should she say? Should she speak formally? They were after all on their own now, and if he was making an effort to speak to her...
"Yes... and I find that they are, in fact, more elegant."
A slight pause.
"Do you.. have a favourite plant?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:28 am
True to his word, as they left the verandahed walkways for the stone steps of the zen garden, damp air seeped against his skin. The sky was still dark, only the barest hint of sun peeking over the tiled rooftops. Yes, she was warm. Yes, she preferred winter plants. Youhei watched Enlei shiver, proving at least half the words a lie, but said and did nothing. He supposed that, should the worst come to pass and they were to be betrothed, it could only be advantageous for her to be diffident and agreeable.
They drew further away from the main complex and into the grove. A sea of white and black pebbles in lieu of grass, carved wooden benches and the soft sounds of running water created an atmosphere of quite reverence, and the numerous stalks of bamboo gave the illusion of privacy. A clever illusion, because privacy didn't exist in a household like his. Shortly, one of his mother's favourites would be along to offer refreshments, and Jirou would long have blundered in on them to get a closer look at his 'sister-in-law' if Youhei hadn't coerced Seiki into keeping him on a short leash.
Stopping near a bench, Youhei considered Enlei's question, not because he didn't have an answer, but because he was weighing the merit of answering her at all. If he wanted to drive her away, he needed to do it now with no witnesses before she started entertaining notions of being happily married with two and a half children.
"You shouldn't be here," he said into the silence, making no attempt to temper his tone. "I don't know what you've been told but your presence is unwanted."
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Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 4:32 am
Was he stupid, or thoughtful, or just plain rude? She waited for an answer, following his lead into the bamboo forest, but one never came. Clenching her teeth, she said nothing more- at least, not until he spoke again. Had she heard right? Her presence... was unwanted?
She stepped towards him- a shaky step, since geta weren't made for walking on pebbles. "You've got some nerve telling me that," she snarled, keeping her voice low. "When your family was the one who invited us here."
Crossing her arms, she looked at him appraisingly- well, probably more disapprovingly. "I don't know what you've been told, but I'm not here by choice. As if it's not bad enough that I'm wasting a Sunday afternoon sitting around in some awful-smelling room..." she scowled at the memory, her green eyes flashing in anger. "Now I find that I'm supposed to marry... you? Don't think you're the only one being forced into this, Araki."
She turned away from him, letting her arms fall back to her sides. For whatever it was worth she would see this through, properly. Who did the Araki family think they were, playing around with her like that? If their estate did not impress her, their attitudes certainly did not, as well.
"If that is all you have to say, " she spoke again, not bothering to even look at him, "We should probably head back, so that I do not waste more of my time. Marry whatever peasant girl suits your fancy, and tell your mother to leave my family out of this business."
I have a war to fight, Enlei thought, her hand moving unconsciously to where her sword usually was. I have no time for stupid matchmakings, nor will I again be shamed in this way. Whether she was trembling in rage, now, or shivering in cold... she could not tell, herself.
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Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:31 am
Wasn't it just typical for a nightingale to transform into a harpy?
The sedate Noble of before was gone, and Youhei stared down at the diminutive, rage-filled girl as she moved to close the gap between them. He would have stepped back to allow himself more room, but she sought to intimidate him, and he would not have it. After years of living under the same roof as Akahana and her sons, who were his brothers only when it suited them, did she expect him to look upon her fury and tremble like a rabbit?
If anything, she appeared more real now than she had in the tearoom, painted and solemn in her finery. Hissing at him, her face had coloured, and more than once her lips pulled back to reveal her teeth.
Good. The idea of being cautiously cordial towards her for the duration of their time together was distinctly onerous - and it seemed this time might be longer than he'd anticipated. She was easily provoked, evidenced by her quick leap to righteous indignation, and that made her predictable. She was just as quick rein in her anger, hand starting reflexively towards an absent weapon, and that meant she was not a fool.
A plan formed, one that might put an end to their troubles - provided he could acquire Enlei's co-operation, a not inconsiderable feat judging from her tirade.
"You were invited by my mother. Esteemed as she is, she does not speak for me, though I have not convinced her of it. It sounds to me that you have similar problems with Lady Lixin, and I am as ill-suited to marriage as you are." He forced himself into her line of sight, eyes dark with intent, "If ever I were to wed a peasant girl, it would not be by choice. By the same principle, you should know there is little guarantee you won't be married to the first man of some repute who can afford your dowry." He paused to let the words sink in.
"If you want to avoid it, I can help. Tell your mother that you wouldn't be averse to seeing me again. That's all you have to do. If they believe we are amenable to each other, they will not ask this of us again."
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Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 8:17 pm
"You're not getting it." To her, at least, their situations were different. He was meeting girls at his mother's insistence (she must be really worried for his future, and Enlei could see why) while her own mother had as good as told her this would be a one-off. The Zhengs would not marry their daughter off that easily... would they? Enlei frowned as a thought occurred to her: It was more than likely that the Araki lady had somehow forced her mother into this meeting. Was she really that desperate to get rid of this son? If she were, it would mean there was something wrong with him, and probably not only with regards to his personality.
Enlei did not want to be stuck with something useless.
"I will not be married off as easily as you will," she replied. "Do not forget it was your mother who requested this, and not mine. We were merely forced to agree with it.. for reasons I am not sure of myself."
If this could happen once, however.. it might happen again. Some other rich family they could not afford to offend might happen to be looking for a bride. She supposed she'd struck it lucky enough this time, with this rude boy who was at least he was her age, or thereabouts... the next time, however..
The girl shuddered. She didn't even want to think about it. And he had no interest in her? At least, then, he would not be expecting anything of her.
"Fine. But if you want me to cooperate, act your part. And I would like the permission to break this agreement should I eventually.. find someone else."
Someone better, she wanted to say, but she thought it wise to keep quiet about that.
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