<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">It wasn't the first time he had come in like a brigand to meet her; Itakura always caused a ruckus. His arrival wasn't as much of a surprise as he expected... At least not to Midori. When he came through the window, her hand had flitted almost unseen to her father's blade on he ground at her side. It was possibly unseemly that a woman would carry a man's weapon, but she was a Daimyo -- a clan leader, and now a warlord. The bureaucrats could eat their hearts out.<br/><br/>She inclined her head to her general with a smile, and then gestured with her hands for the servants to leave. Emiko would arrive soon. Nothing improper could be assumed by her being alone with Itakura with more company impending. After they had left, her smile vanished like a ghost. "Itakura-san, I'm glad you could make it. Are you in good health?"<br/><br/>Midori poured tea for him, and pushed it to the other end of the table where she sat in traditional style with her legs beneath her. She gauged his reaction: if he didn't want the tea, she produced a small bottle of sake from beneath the table that he knew she kept for him. Midori was polite, if nothing else. "I trust you have readied a contingent of cavalry to take with you? There's a mine to our East, near the mountains..."<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://99px.ru/sstorage/56/2014/06/image_560506141924114027651.jpg)</div>Itakura Tametane (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=274532.msg13520213#msg13520213)<br/><strong>Location:</strong>: Oshiro Clan Estate<br/><strong>Tagged</strong>: Oshiro MIdori<br/><hr/><br/>"Have you ever known me to not be ready to draw steel Hime?  I wasn't under the impression you kept me around for my charming sense of manners."  He slithered off the windowsill edge, feet hitting the floor as he assumed a crouch, letting his body slowly extend itself back up to his full height as he padded towards the table.  He took what was offered and without ceremony took the cup to his lips and drained a hint of its contents.<br/><br/>"I'm glad that you've finally decided to move, it's been ... amusing destabilizing our neighbors but better still the rewards reaped for openly taking what it is we require.   You play the part of the sheep a little too convincingly these days, I'm glad you can bare your fangs when it's required"  He gave a half bow, wearing that devil may care smile that looked so natural on his bearded lips.  The commotion outside continued, but something about it was off, it was one thing to try to deal with a warhorse who didn't want to be moved, quite another for a more general stirring in the household to be started. The warrior's hand instinctively came to rest on the hilt of his Katana, the black binding beneath his palm the most natural extension of his will as it made a clarion sound of metal rasping on leather when it cleared its sheathe.<br/><br/>"If you arranged an attempt on your life just to give me something to do I appreciate the thought"<br/><br/>It was just after those words came that the Chancellor begged for entrance.