Editing Dawn of the Third Age/IC Logs/Nomoe Hideaki and Bright Snow2

[[Dawn of the Third Age]]

Nomoe_Hideaki:	Nomoe Hideaki is very easy man to find. Just follow the Sanken flags, the white tree on a black field, and the Nomoe family Mon, a white chrysanthemum at the center of three spiral tomoe suggesting wind, and finally Hideaki's personal banner, the white crane in flight crowned with sun and moon.

Nomoe_Hideaki:	That way one will quickly find a pavilion of silk and bamboo, shielded by paper screens. Nomoe house guards are scattered around it in their bright feast-day uniforms, keeping the unqualified masses of festival goers at bay. But they are no obstacle to either a Deliberative courier or a Chosen of Luna.

Nomoe_Hideaki:	Inside two wooden chairs and a small table are prepared, light and simple in design to be quickly assembled and diassembled, yet elegant. On the table the manifold instruments of tea preparation are laid out. On one of the chairs Nomoe Hideaki sits, his hands folded in his lap, his eyes unfocused in meditative silence.

Bright_Snow:	Entering the room, Snow stays at its edge, awaiting its occupant to return to the hear and now. Using this time she examines the room and then moves on to examine the features of the man that has brought her here, out of hiding.

Nomoe_Hideaki is an uncommonly handsome man of aristocratic bearing in his late twenties. He is of slight build with the fair complexion and almond eyes common to the region around Sanken. The color of his eyes is a gray reminiscent of a cold winter sky, his long, black hair he keeps backward with intricate silver jewelry. As usual he is wearing  loose clothes in a tone of  violet so dark as to appear almost black, over which he wears a white haori with the Mon of the Nomoe family.

Nomoe_Hideaki:	It's no more than a moment or two until Nomoe Hideaki reacts to the presence of his visitor, his attention briefly becoming quite intense before - assured that it is no assassin come to end him but rather the mysterious Chosen of Luna he had been hoping would come - rising to greet her. "Ah, you came." He spreads his hands in a welcoming gesture, then bows. "Welcome, oh Chosen of Luna."

Nomoe_Hideaki:	**/ ... would greet you by name, but .../** He smiles and indicates the two chairs facing the entrance with the table between them. "Please, you are my guest. Make yourself comfortable."

Bright_Snow nods taking the seat he indicates.

Nomoe_Hideaki sits down as well as Bright Snow chooses to sit. ""Would you like some tea?"

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"Or can I do anything else for you?"

Bright_Snow nods in response to his offer of tea.

Nomoe_Hideaki inclines his head slightly - **a bit of relief /... this I know how to do .../ he still has only limited control over the bond** - and his hands moving with the automatism of long familiarity begin preparing the tea.

Bright_Snow:	"Tea should suffice for the moment." /** Surprise that he would offer her such a thing, replaces the slight anxiety that had occupied her mind until then. **/

Nomoe_Hideaki smiles. "I would be a poor host if I did not offer as much hospitality as I could." **/And this way it's familiar, safer .../ the familiar setting and task help him keep his balance**

Bright_Snow returns his smile. **/And I for one appreciate the... privacy of such an arrangement/ the last of the anxiety fades, replaced by cold curiousity /Do not get too attached./**

Nomoe_Hideaki looks at his guest rather than at the work of his hands, which proceeds slowly but steadly even without sight to guide it. "You ... said **/well, thought but the distinction .../** previously, that you were working under a cover identity. Should I call you by that name, or if not, how may I address you?"

Nomoe_Hideaki:	**He too is curious. It is an alien concept to him to hide one's name rather than taking pride in displaying it openly**

Nomoe_Hideaki:	**At the same time he respects his guest's privacy, though. Diplomatic experience has taught him to accept cover names without resentment.**

Bright_Snow bites her lower lip, considering. **/...do I trust him with it. It isn't like with his resources he couldn't find out.../..indecision and confusion.../**

Bright_Snow:	She pauses a minute. Silence filling the air and the bond, leaving only a feeling of her wrestling with the decision.

Nomoe_Hideaki looks away, focusing on the tea preparation again. "It need not be a true name," he says gently. "But I would like to be able to address you by some name."

Nomoe_Hideaki:	**/It is a little strange not to be able to put any name to a face, a person ... but I can't pry/ other than this stray thought the bond is silent on his end as well, a solid presence but not so close as to intrude**

Nomoe_Hideaki:	His preparation of the tea leaves finished he uses a long metal instrument to gauge the temperature of the water on the small alchemical heating stone and nods, satisfied.

Nomoe_Hideaki:	Bringing water and tea leaves together he nods again. "The tea should be ready in only a minute," he says to fill the silence with talk of less consequence, and gives two small and artful porcelain tea cups a last cleaning with a pure white cloth.

Bright_Snow:	She comes to a decision. "Bright Snow" /**Resignation, but more to her own warring natures** A name you would have learnt eventually anyway. No point in delaying the inevitable./

Bright_Snow:	settle on his actions with the tea and she smiles, relief shows on her features /**and a little flows into the bond as well **/

Bright_Snow:	"Though I would appreciate if you did not use that one in public." Her tone is carefully neutral, and still she keeps her voice quiet. "The other I gave you, that should suffice otherwise."

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"Bright Snow." He pronounces the name slowly and carefully, then bows to her. "I am Nomoe Hideaki." **/You know that already, but still/** He smiles. "And I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Bright Snow." **Thankfulness for the gesture of trust, no matter whether he could have found out through other means as well**

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"And I will be careful not to employ this name where it might be overheard." His expression is serious, his word is given.

Bright_Snow nods /**thankful**/

Nomoe_Hideaki:	The tea aroma now spreading through the small pavillon indicates that enough time has passed now and Nomoe Hideaki fills the two small tea cups where they stand, both equidistant between them. "Finest Sanken green tea," he explain, then gestures to the filled cups for her to choose one. "Please."

Nomoe_Hideaki:	**/This is how they taught us to do it with diplomats ... and covert operatives ... prepare the tea before their eyes, let them choose their cup .../**

Bright_Snow:	Hesistantly she chooses the one on her right side and holds it. Awaiting him to take hold of his own before proceeding.

Nomoe_Hideaki takes the one not chosen by Bright Snow, pauses briefly to smell the tea with closed eyes, then drinks.

Nomoe_Hideaki:	Nomoe_Hideaki drinks his tea in silence for a minute. **He would like to learn more, but if even just her name requires long minutes of consideration and reluctance, asking would be quite impolite** "You have answered my question with difficult truth where you did not have to," he says finally, "it would be only fair for me to do the same. Is there anything - or any more than one things - you would know of me?" His lips curl in the hint of a smile, defusing the seriousness of the question a little. "Since you do know my name already."

Bright_Snow:	"Most of what there is to know of you lies on **/or close to/** the surface, easily discoverable. Trading my name for something deeper seems demeaning somehow when all I would ask are deeper secrets of your own."

Nomoe_Hideaki shakes his head with a small smile, but very serious. "Not a trade, never that. An exchange of gifts. A gift honestly given can never be demeaning."

Nomoe_Hideaki:	He shrugs slightly. "You need not ask if you do not want to. What is yours is yours to decide what to do with."

Bright_Snow sips her tea. **/...but what to ask?/ Curiosity flares to life within her. /What is there to ask about?/**

Nomoe_Hideaki offers to refill Bright Snow's cup if it seems to be going on empty, then refills his own empty cup.

Bright_Snow gives him a sly glance as he refills her cup. "Can I save such a gift for a later occasion?" /** Mischief fills the bond **/ Though I am assuming of course there is one./

Nomoe_Hideaki inclines his head. "Yours to decide what to do with, as I said." **amusement and curiosity of his own, what will she ask? Mixed in also a hint of concern - was he too hasty in offering his secrets? But no, it will be fine. And besides his word is given now.**

Nomoe_Hideaki:	Setting down his tea cup Nomoe Hideaki looks into the distance for a minute. **/Another question, though this one concerns neither past nor present .../** "You did say you were interested in making Creation better and stronger, didn't you?" **This is not the question, only establishing the ground for it.**

Nomoe_Hideaki:	After a moment he continues. "There is a project of sorts I and a few others are engaged in at the moment, one that may prove vital to the political - and possibly ontological - stability of Creation."

Nomoe_Hideaki gives a slight shrug. "If you would be interested ... we may well need all the help we can get before it is over." **/And that way we would meet again, beyond this one festival/ - that thought was not meant to be audible**

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"The Deliberative would not need to know any details or names. Since, in their boundless wisdom **bitter irony here** the Grand Circle has among others included some very questionable personages in this matter, one more - infinitely more trustworthy - non-Deliberator should hardly concern them."

Bright_Snow:	"Is there much travel involved? I rarely stay anywhere for long."

Nomoe_Hideaki nods. "I should think so. The Infernal plots we mean to unravel are spread all over the threshold and alleged sightings of the Empress are similarly spread out."

Bright_Snow:	She purses her lips, in the form she is in it makes her apparent youth more obvious /**Interest floods the bond at his offer. Though distaste at the mention of the Grand Circle and even more at Infernalism.**/It certainly sounds interesting, and it would not hinder my plans... so why am I still reluctant.../

Bright_Snow pauses, her several expressions crossing her face /**and a dozen more emotions besides flooding the bond **/ and settles to the idea. "I think..."

Bright_Snow:	"...I shall." /**her emotions calm **/ "Though I am amused you have controlled yourself from asking what I really look like." She grins broadly, "After all I am not as young as I appear."

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"Very well." **a small spike of elation, quickly submerged** 

Nomoe_Hideaki:	He bows his head then. "I thought it impolite to ask. But if you say that isn't so ...?"

Nomoe_Hideaki:	With a carefully neutral expression he waits for Bright Snow to confirm that before he can continue. Unless she won't. Either way.

Nomoe_Hideaki:	**He had considered that this likely wasn't Bright Snow's true form, but couldn't think of a good way to ask such a delicate and personal question**

Bright_Snow:	Gesturing for him to continue, she speaks "Well in a way you already have. And no this isn't how I was born."

Nomoe_Hideaki nods. "If you are neither offended by the question nor unwilling to trust me with that knowledge, how do you appear in truth?"

Nomoe_Hideaki:	**Curiosity and uncertainty whether asking is the right thing to do, despite the assurance**

Bright_Snow:	"Taller and as cold and pale as my namesake."

Nomoe_Hideaki looks thoughtful, trying to imagine while making sure his unfinished mental sketches do not cross the bond.

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"I assume that you won't want to use that appearance in working with us, nor probably the one you're wearing now since that might compromise this identity?"

Bright_Snow:	"There are several others I possess. Though none ideal. This one is perhaps best for the moment"

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"Your power as a Chosen of Luna will be difficult to hide from the perceptions of the others, especially when inevitably battles occur. How shall I introduce you?" **/Shall I make them swear an oath not to reveal anything about you to the rest of the Deliberative?/**

Bright_Snow:	"Just call me what I am, a chosen of Luna and your mate. Anything else they can ask me themselves." **/ After all I need not answer them and no oath should be necessary. No point in arising suspicion unnecessarily /**

Nomoe_Hideaki nods. **His mate. That thought is difficult to process still, and unclear is what it means precisely. Yet it is not a bad uncertainty.**

Nomoe_Hideaki:	"As you wish."