Where the Kami Blow (L5R Minor Clan Gaijin Land Quest)

Emerald eyes glint at you out of the early morning darkness, thin vertical pupils constricted from the light of your private chamber. As your hands move to the slim wooden frame of the window, you let out a soft whisper "Kami, guard me from my own foolishness."
With those words, you slide the window open, before stepping back and away. Pale slim hands reach over the slip, gripping it tightly, as a slim crimson haired figure pulls itself into the privacy of your chambers. Before you now stands a lithe young woman, no taller than your shoulder, clad in a short cloak of leather and fur. Glancing around curiously, she then proceeds to offer you an odd and awkward bow. One of her legs, mostly bare skin of a tone that reminds you of peaches in autumn, extends out behind her while her sword arm is stretched gracefully back and to her side; pushing the folds of her cloak open. As she then bends forward, you catch a brief glimpse of a short skirt of mottled cloth and a similar band of green and brown preserving what modesty this stranger has. Soft red lips curl back in a small smile; revealing pearly white teeth incisors glinting, and a voice that brings with it the sensation of a foggy morning breeze on your spine.
"This one would offer greeting unto thee, oh Laird o' Cats. Moit I perhaps find meself welcome within yer walls this evening? Nothing more than a humble visitor, do you find this noight." Eyes of jade seem to glint within the shadows of the hooded cloak; locked upon you awaiting your reply.
[] No, she may say her piece and then go. Your home is not open to surprise midnight "visitors".

---

Pardon the short length. I'm going to try and do a succession of short updates for this scene, tailored to your responses. On the personal front, the family medical issues seem to have calmed down, but if things flare up again, I'll attempt to advise in a more timely fashion this time.

With a polite and proper bow, as one would to a lady of stature, you proudly state; "I am Rinkusu Kihei, the son of Kitsune Ienao, shugnja of the Yoritomo School, and Lord of Clan Lynx, and you are a welcome guest in my home. All travelers of peaceful intent are welcome within our walls, and we would not see you suffer the cold night alone. Might I know the name of the one who shelters beneath my roof? "

As you speak those words, you note that she stands straighter; her eyes seeming to pierce your own. A slight hesitation seems to fill the room before the hood is swept back. Of first note is her hair, crimson and plush like a fox in spring, with what appear to be the fine points of her ears poking through a short distance above her temples. Fine of feature and tanned of skin, you almost would believe that a girl of no more than 18 summers stood before you… save the eyes. The eyes of jade that remind you of an advisor of your father, an elder Hida, long retired from the Wall. Cold eyes, old eyes; eyes that have seen far more of sadness than you would ever wish to. For a brief moment, you find yourself lost within cold, alone, and silent. Then in a moment, it passes, as those same eyes seem to ignite with joy.

"Ach, it is good to see that honor is still found in the hearts of cats. And to think, even a foreigner such as yerself knows of thinks like a guest gift. And such a princely one as this, I'll be hard pressed to match it. Among my folk, we have been naming you the An Cait; The Cat Lord, due to yon banners." With a brief gesture towards your clan mon, she continues, "This humble one, so simple in her ways, is known as Teine of the Autumn Court of the An Sidhe and I find meself in yer debt prior to ever knowing you An Cait. And by yer courtesy, I found it deeper still."
With a swirl of her cloak, your guest dart across the room before sitting down upon a sea chest. Drawing a pale leg up, she laces her arms along the top of her knee. "Within the ruined corpse of me old life, if find new breath as stirred. And you, An Cait, have restored to me a sight I did not know I missed. I hear yer whispers on the wind, courting the spirit kingdoms as a lover would his first, an it fills me with hope. Where my kin were left in ruin, I find joy. Where I last saw the same snow covered rubble, you have given me something new. And ya do not even comprehend how precious this is, do ya. I slip yer walls to offer you little thanks in the noit and you make a fair guest rites offer with a gift so fine as a name that true? How would you have me match such a thing, An Cait? What would you have of me in return? Or would you see me match your gift as I feel it deserves?" With tears glinting at the corner of her eyes, she tilts her head and looks directly at you.

[] Decline any gift.
[] Let her chose
[] Write in

"My lady of the Autumn Court, I have done not but one should do in offering you the hospitality of my clan. If you feel you must repay me, perhaps you would be willing to grant me your wisdom? My people and I are new to these shores and are unfamiliar with their ways. Would you be willing to shed the light of your knowledge upon this land for me and mine?"

Teine smile glints in the light of your fireplace. "My Larid o' Cats, your flater me so. Wisdom from meself? I am a doer nay a scholar. But ask as ye will and grant I shall, to the best of me ability. But this simple question does nay relieve the debt which brought me here. Unto you An Cait I'll allow three questions answered true, three blessing cast wide, and three gifts given freely; fer form sake, if nothing else. For the good you have done my heart, for the work of you hands, and for the wisdom to ask for your people's sake first. Tis a fine thing to meet a Laird of integrity among the mayflys. But be warned, more eyes than mine own have been cast your way. Now An Cait, which would you have first? Patterns matter as do tradition, young Laird, chose wisely."

"While my heart yearns for knowledge and my curiosity peeks to know more of you and yours, I would ask you bless my People first, Lady Teine. For in all things, a samurai is servant to his people first." Looking the fae woman in the eye, you await her response.

The shadows of the room seem to lengthen, as Teine's eyes shimmer emerald in the night. Straightening the young woman matches you stare and a smile fills her face; the youthful glory of which fills the room like a warmth like an evening hearth. "Know this now An Cait, Laird o' the Cats, amongst the kin of my court there are few who will care what path you tread. What matters is that you chose. An' with every choice, there is sacrifice to be found. On this night, four blessing will I offer thee, three to claim and one to forsake. But a blessing turned away shall nae be given again."

Rising from your sea chest, Teine crosses to the rooms heart; cloak pooling around her like ink spilled from a calligrapher's brush. Turning in the shadows, all that remains clear is her pale face beneath a crown of crimson hair. "An Cait, Laird o' Cats, first do I offer unto thee this boon. By my words and will, the beasts of the fields shall be kept from the gathered grain of your labors for so long as thanks are given on the longest day and the whys of this are not forgotten."

Raising her right arm, she gestures towards the fire and to your surprise you see the kami respond. Smoke streams from the flame, coiling and wending around her hand and wrist like an armored glove. "The second blessing, to you be known. Fer a year and a day, the shadows shall turn away the eyes of those how would seek harm to you and yours in their effort to regain a lost glory, long denied to them."

A brief off hand motion draws in motes of light from beyond the window, seven fireflies spiraling tight in her palm. "Third to you shall I offer you a balm; within the depths of the darkest months of this your first year, joy shall come to yours and the chill of winter shall feel abated"

With smoke in one hand and light in the other Teine walks towards you, stopping bare inches from your face. Her eyes are filled with dilated slits of her pupils as a flush fills her cheeks. "And last shall I offer the blessing of a shield. Nae court shall be allowed to pluck from the people of the Cat to fill their numbers or slate their hungers until the seventh daughter of a seventh son's seventh son comes into her own and is acclaimed by all the courts, lest the face mine own wrath. Fer while I may not be among the most wise, nor bare the sharpest blade, I has meself a reputation well earned. And I am known to be one with whom not to trifle." With those words, her smile grows feral and the chill of ice crawls your spine. For all her courtly manners and kind offers, what stands before you is neither human nor tame. "Chose ye well and wisely, An Cait, and forget not your words of warning. What shall it be? Answer now and be quick to choose. And if I've lied to you this eve, may the stars themselves forsake me and may I hear the song of the winds nae more."