[fieldbox=A busy day - part III, turquoise]
The Second meeting of the Akinian clans,
Royal Palace.
A collab made by :
- Aliceee,
- Fieryfly,
- Lesli,
- Chromehound,
- Jason,
- Gerontis,
- Rusty,
- Nim,
- Ice,
Summary :
A second clan meeting is hosted, this time in the Royal Palace. Directing the meeting, Kiyomi intends to create a more cohesive realm by starting with another meeting.
[spoili]
Even with the looks of the dreadful weather, she didn't let that ruin her mood. Standing in the room with her fists on her hip Kiyomi had to admit that she was in a pretty good mood - considering everything that had so far happened. The preparations were already done a few hours ago. She had even helped where she could this afternoon, surprising many servants with her appearance. Eventually, she had been 'caught' and with the maids attending to her appearance she hadn't been able to help out. It had irritated her quite a lot, but she was looking forward to the meeting. Even if the last one had been bittersweet with some of its developments. Walking towards the chair that was meant for her to sit on, Kiyomi looked around. The room used to be one to impress a visitor. To boast the wealth of Akino, displaying the art of not only just the Hon clan but that of others as well. Paintings that displayed the foundation of Konoha, the rise of the First Hokage and so on.
Dressed in a dark blue and dark grey outfit, Kiyomi had some success in not wearing any dress. Her hair was braided, but she wouldn't mind as she was wearing clothing that was much more comfortable and fitting to her taste. Looking around, she hoped that she wouldn't need to wait long for the first guest to arrive. If anything, she was curious who would be sent by each clan to represent them. She did know that some wouldn't likely be capable of attending, but that list was small. Taking her seat, Kiyomi would place her hands folded together on the table. Taking the moment of 'solitude' Kiyomi decided to just think about what she would address to each clan head and how she would carry herself. The blunders of the previous meeting because of people unable to convey diplomatic matters correctly wouldn't be treated as she had tried before. Clearly, some people didn't seem to grasp her intensions when being trying to remain friendly and respectful.
It took him some time before he was allowed further and guided by a servant. Admitting in silence that the system of the seal being checked was a good one, Teng wondered for a moment how this meeting would go. With Aiko being occupied, he had been chosen to go and represent the clan. As the advisor on cultural manners to Aiko, he wondered for a moment how he would need to carry himself. If he understood it correctly, this would be a different meeting than the one that had occurred in Keishi last time. A meeting he had been interested in, after hearing quite the amusing developments. Today it would likely be different as he doubted any clan inside the realm would send youngsters that didn't know or were educated in the arts of diplomacy. Which was both a good and a bad thing. Good, seeing that it would make it less hectic to deal with others. And bad, cause he had to be careful in knowing what would be said and what really was the meaning behind words. Not that he or considered his clan to be paranoid of some dark plot against them. If anything, most clans seemed so far to be quite neutral or not really interested in dealing with the Cho clan - excluding with trade and commerce at least.
Being led to the room where the meeting would be held, Teng took a quick look around. Truth be told, he had expected some Hon influence. Even with the different surname to distuingish herself from her clan, Teng would consider the Homura and its future members to be Hons. Walking to the front of the 'U' shaped table, Teng would make a deep bow towards Kiyomi.
"Your majesty, You are absolutely, astoundingly gorgeous and that's the least interesting thing about you. I can't find no greater honour than to be allowed in your presence." A friendly smile would cross the man's lips as he would take a place at the left side - next to the reserved spot.
Shozo Uchiha remained perfectly still and quiet as the Sworn Sword checked him for weapons after the man had confirmed the invitation was authentic. An unnecessary measure since he hardly carried anything, yet he acknowledged and understood the intention of this precausion. He agreed with it. These were still dangerous times and now that the Empress was fully installed, regardless if that was to his wish or not, they would do well to take all of the important measures to keep her safe. Dressed in the traditional robes of the Uchiha, dark blue against stark grey with the clan symbol on the right sleeve and back of the haori, the man looked as impeccable as ever. His hair, tied in a tight ponytail, hardly reached the back of his neck. Over the years grey streaks had begun to form, yet it still retained some of its traditional dark color.
When the Sworn Sword was done Shozo stepped past the man with a curt nod, getting a small bow in return, and entered the room where Teng Cho just finished his compliments to the Empress herself. Shozo's eyes quickly scanned the seats and positioning before turning his eyes upon the young ruler herself. The details of the room were not lost on him and despite his stern outlook it pleased him to recognize some of the work reflect certain things of the Uchiha. Vanity had always been a slight weakpoint of his, or so he had been told by his son.
He made a bow before the Empress.
"Your Grace," he said, the corners of his mouth creeping upwards ever so slightly to present her with a smile.
"It is wonderful to find you in good health and spirits." With that said the man raised his head again and slowly made his way to the right side where he would position himself next to the chair of the Hon Representative.
Makoto watched the Sworn Sword before him, waiting for the man to finish checking him for weapons. An unnecessary measure for the Hanta, as the man hardly carried any weapons these days. Though he definitely understood why the precaution was nessecary in these times. It made sense. Times were dangerous, and their Empress had to be protected else risking the appearance of weakness to those who might wish to do them harm. The man wore a simple, yet formal outfit in the tradational black and white colors of the Hanta. However, one would be able to notice that only one of the sleeves actually had an arm in it. With that, the various scars across his features, and the eyepatch covering his missing left eye; one would be able to tell the man had seen his fair share of conflict. His once dark hair now completely grey, was cut short to keep its maitence at a minimum.
Whenever the brief inspection was finished, Makoto moved on into the palace after giving a small nod to the Sworn Sword. Following the servant, the man looked around the royal palace, admiteddly a bit impressed by the size of it all. Eventually he did arrive in the large room as the others, shortly after Shozo had made his way to the chair of his choice. Makoto briefly looked around to take in the sights of the large room, noting how each clan seemed to be represented in the art to some degree. A small smile touched the old man's lips as he noticed a Hanta piece among the other art.
Makoto made a polite bow before the Empress, holding it for a brief moment before staightening up and speaking.
"Your Grace," he began as he studied her with his remaining eye.
"It is a true honor to see you again." He said in a kind tone before making his way to the right side, positioning himself next to Shozo and gave the man a nod in greeting as he approached.
Waiting patiently, Kenta just stared in front of him. Leaning on his cane, he wouldn't argue or start to grumble about the fact some damn youngsters decided to check if he had any weapons on him. They were lucky that old age had robbed him of the ability to beat them back and forth. The bitter looking old man had already a long ride from Magnhild all the way to Konohagakure and he wasn't planning to make it any more troublesome. If anything, he was still bitter that he hadn't been allowed to ride a horse himself. Even as he had stubbornly resisted being taken to the capital in a carriage Kenta had lost the argument back home. Though not having experienced most of the ride as he kept falling asleep, Kenta had been wide awake when they had arrived in Konoha. The old man hadn't visited the city that often in his long life. Perhaps two times? And he had already considered that more than enough. This wasn't his home and it wasn't filled with his people. Grumbling he already started to curse some others inside the carriage. The idea he had to deal with some people of cultures he didn't like wasn't really appealing. Knowing, however, his place Kenta would just let the many wrinkles hide away his emotions and expressions. The only thing a person would see would be a bitter looking man that didn't smile that much more with being on such an 'advanced' age.
Allowed to head to the room where the meeting would be held, Kenta already 'suffered' something. The servant was quite eager to show the old man the place but forgot to keep his pace in check. Glaring at the young man, Kenta had to resist the temptation to scold or else whack the man on the back of his head. Arriving in the said room of the meeting, Kenta already spotted a few people. His gaze fell on Kiyomi and a little smile grew on the man's face. Walking in his slow pace with the support of his cane, Kenta cleared his throat. Only to cough twice before he was capable of speaking up.
"Your grace," He inclined his head towards her for a moment. He wouldn't mind bowing for Kiyomi. While he had a disdain for dealing with youngsters, she had proven herself in his opinion during the Hon siege with the Shoji Oppression. Oh, what had he longed back then to be in the fray as well. Sadly, he wasn't allowed and now he was here. Unable to also bow because of his back.
Looking around where he could sit, not liking the shape of the table. Why did it have to be an 'U' shape? Couldn't it be round or something common? Bah! If he could figure out who had started this 'U' shaped table trend, he would whack that person with his cane!
The same servant of before walked up to the man and whispered where he could sit. At the right side of Kiyomi? The man raised his chin a bit as he would start heading to the place. Which was rather slow, but he had the time. That and he was quite content with the place. Being at the right side was an honourable position. It was in his culture coming forth from how battle formations were planned. The more right you and your unit were set the more honour and value others had in you. At least, so was it in their history books and manuals. Settling down, he glanced at the man next to him. Spotting the Uchiha symbol, Kenta stared for a moment at the man with the black hair. Kenta didn't like the Uchiha. For the simple reason that he wasn't sure what to think of them. They weren't allies and yet also never had been rivals and enemies of the Hon clan.
"Good day." He mumbled, nodding towards the Uchiha as he would turn to Kiyomi.
"You've grown." Kenta mumbled to the young empress, a chuckle followed. And after the chuckle a coughing fit followed.
Michiro was elated. He had the great opportunity to show that the Hyuuga clan was the best clan in front of all of the others. He would show them that the Hyuuga were above and beyond by doing all he could to show how humble they were, which was, of course, exactly what their new leader wanted him to do. Well, this is what Michiro
thought their leader wanted him to do. But either way, in the end he would follow the instructions to treat everyone equally and fairly. Perhaps it was a plan to get them all on the Hyuuga side so that the Hyuuga had the most political power? Whatever the reasoning, he trusted that treating others with respect would have a good end result for him.
As Michiro neared the palace, he found his happiness fading into seriousness. He needed to do well, or he might not be asked to do anything like this again. If that happened, he would lose this chance to get his line in good favor of Hiraku's, hopefully leading to the closest to leadership he could get. As he eventually reached the palace as well as the guards checking for weapons, he let his mind stop wandering and come back to the moment. He showed the seal, was checked for weapons, and found his way into the meeting room. He began looking around, taking note of the design and furnishings.
Odd... There's no representation of most of the clans here... This can't possibly be treating each of us fairly... Maybe this is why our new leader wants us to work so hard to be more kind...?
Michiro found his gaze wandering itself to the empress, and he approached, bowing as low as he could without falling.
"I am Michiro Hyuuga, and I am pleased to meet you, Empress. Please forgive that Hiraku is not here himself, he was incapable of coming, but left me to attend in his stead. I do sincerely hope that this will not offend you or any of the other clans at all." Michiro spoke this with a rehearsed tone, as he had rehearsed it. He raised back up from his bow, adding an ammendment to his statement in his mind
Well, I hope it doesn't offend you... The rest of the clans can learn to respect us with time.
Approaching the royal palace, garbed in the standard formal wear of his clan - in this case deep purple robes, lined with a thin golden thread that matched with the golden antlers sewn into the fabric at his back. Below the antlers laid the symbol of his clan - Shikamura paused to admire the palace's beauty. He was not one to normally appreciate the stylings of luxurious extravagence, but in this case he would make an exception. Continuing to move, the Nara noticed the Sworn Swords guarding the entrance. Pulling the sealed document from his robes, Shikamura presented it to the guards at the front and awaited their inspection.
Once he was checked for weapons and the seal was validated, Shikamura was granted entrance into the palace itself. Following a servant into the meeting chamber, the Nara admired the many different forms of art on display. It would appear that the inside was every bit as beautiful as the outside. Making his way over to the large U-shaped table, Shikamura glanced around to see where everyone was sitting. It was always interesting to see how people aligned themselves. Smiling slightly, the Nara approached the Empress, standing next to the man who had introduced himself as a Hyuuga. Bowing towards the young Empress, Shikamura's smile widened and he spoke, his tone voice sincere.
"Thank you for the invitation, Empress Homura. It is an honour to be welcomed into such a beautiful place." Nodding politely, Shikamura stood and then bowed to the remaining clan members before taking his seat on the left, next to the Cho representative. Offering a polite hello to Teng, Shikamura turned back to the entrance of the hall, curious to see who was left.
Running late, Jora was slightly flustered. Eliza had insisted upon helping him prepare and - what he had initially considered to be a good idea - had quickly turned into an extravagent game of dress-up. Eliza spent over an hour finding the perfect outfit, gussying him up and styling his hair to look as fancy as possible. When the young Hyuzu had looked into the mirror he had groaned, earning himself a cuff to the back of his head. Jora was dressed in the official Dress Uniform of the Dragon Guard - a high coloured button up jacket, formal pants and the dark grey shoulder sash that traveled from his left shoulder to his right hip and which contained the symbol of the Dragon Guard. The uniform itself was mostly black, save for the trim and the insignia of the Hyuzu clan, which were silver, and the small decorative patches of white, which stood in stark contrast to the rest of the uniform. Jora had managed to convince Eliza to not make him wear the pins that signified his rank. It had taken some persuasion, but he relished in the small victory. Truth be told, Jora was embarrassed of his current rank, and did not wish to advertise to the rest of the clan leaders that he was still not even a Lieutenant within the Dragon Guard.
When he had finally managed to escape from the clutches of his fiancee, Jora had hurriedly made his way towards the royal palace. As soon as he knew he was out of eyeshot of Eliza, Jora fiddled with his hair, getting it back to its standard messy look. She would hit him for it later, he knew that much, but it was worth it.
Arriving at the royal palace, Jora presented his sealed document and let the Sworn Sword check him for weapons. Once he had finished, Jora bowed politely and made his way inside. Following alongside a very... particular servant, the young Hyuzu stopped many times to marvel at the sights. This earned him the ire of the servant who wished nothing more than to get him to the meeting room, but Jora remained oblivious to the man's grumpy reminders to continue along. When they reached the meeting hall, Jora let out an awed whistle, impressed at the size and grandeur of the room. Realizing that this was probably not the best way to conduct himself, Jora quickly straightened his posture and adjusted his collar.
Approaching the middle of the U-shaped table, where the Empress sat, Jora lowered himself into a deep bow. Raising himself so that his eyes were level with Kiyomi's, the young Hyuzu flashed her a wide grin.
"It is wonderful to see you again, Your Excellence." Standing to his full height, Jora paused for a moment, wondering where he should sit.
"This place is stunning..." Feeling a slight tap on his arm, Jora turned to see the same servant gesturing towards the seat at Kiyomi's left. Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Jora glanced back to the Empress before nodding and taking his seat. Straightening his uniform again, the young Hyuzu hoped he didn't look like too much of a stiff. Leaning towards Kiyomi after a brief moment, he whispered quietly.
"My brother wishes he could be here. He asked me to say hello for him. And... well, a bunch of other lovey dovey stuff that I think might sound a little strange coming from me." Flashing another smile towards Kiyomi, Jora sat back up in his seat and turned to look around at the other clan members.
Arriving at the palace's perimeter, Ling followed the procedure with a friendly smile displayed on his lips. Wearing the dark brown and light green colours with a comfortable and yet formal garb, Ling had made sure to not portray too much that he was representing the Sarutobi clan. Which would sound perhaps strange, but he was aware that attracting too much attention and portraying his clan too proudly could portray a wrong image. A result her rather avoided if he could. Being allowed to enter the royal complex, guided by a servant, Ling would follow the young woman. She seemed to be quite eager to show him the room and he noticed she threw several glances at him. The friendly smile was still being displayed on Ling's lips as he followed her. Entering the room in which the meeting would be hosted, Ling would shot a quick look on those who were present. He already recognized some faces pretty quickly. There were some that he hadn't interacted with or not at least a lot, but staring and standing still wouldn't be likely appreciated. Approaching the center of the front of the U shaped table, Ling would bow deep towards the Empress.
"It does me a pleasure to be in your presence again, your grace." The man said with a pleasant tone before he would straighten his back. Deciding to sit next to the leader of the Hanta clan, Ling would incline his head as a form of respect and greeting to the clan leader.
Kiyomi sat in her seat and would remain so, nodding back and flashing a smile to those who greeted her. Only by the arrival of Kenta did the polite smile grow. She had expected somebody to represent the Hon clan while Zakito would be quite busy with the last phases of his plans. But Kenta, that old man, was a pleasant surprise. For a moment she wondered if it was indeed the same old grumpy, stubborn and inspiring figure she had met during the Hon siege or if he was just tired. Almost had she moved up to help the man, but she remembered that he would probably despise such an action. Remaing thus in her seat, she would keep on smiling.
"I did, heh." For a moment the calm, friendly and 'professional' expression would be replaced by a grin. Remembering that they weren't alone, Kiyomi would turn her head and welcome the other leaders and representatives that would join after. The arrival of Jora made the young ruler tilt her head slightly to the left as she noticed he had more of an interest in the room than the people in it. With him settling next to her, a soft chuckle would escape Kiyomi as she leaned a bit forward with her right hand in front of her mouth to cover the smile for a moment upon hearing what the Hyuzu said. As soon as everybody was there, a certain silence would dawn into the room. Rising up from her seat, Kiyomi folded her hands in front of her stomach as she moved her gaze over those who were present.
"I want to thank you all for coming to today's meeting. It does me good to see you all being good health and shape. Before we start, I want to give a moment for those who would perhaps like something to drink or something small to fill the stomach before the lunch I want to share with you all." Raising her hands, Kiyomi would clap twice rapidly. Not even three seconds later would a group of servants enter the room, carrying plates with cups in which water, coffee, tea or some juice could be poured in. There were some servants who carried plates on which they offered the likes of mochi, slim slices of cake and more hearty refreshments.
Waiting till everybody had something to drink and or a refreshment Kiyomi would speak up again.
"I requested your presence as for the same reason as last time. Last meeting there had been some improvements. Some clans managed to lay the foundation of cooperation or attempted to. Sadly," Kiyomi said on a polite tone,
"There were also a few factors that I had overlooked. I want to continue on from where we left on several points last meeting. As per suggestion of Lord Senju," gesturing to the Senju, Kiyomi would continue,
"I wanted to further lay out the sacred places of each clan. It is obvious that each clan has their own region and land that they consider their own. Their ancestral home and land. The origin of their clan or place where they had proven themselves over the course of history. I hope to serve as arbiter in this coming meeting and I ask for you to forgive me if I made a slight error." A pause with an apologetic smile dawning on Kiyomi's lips followed her words.
"I'm trying to learn and remember every culture and clan's mannerism and traditions. Please, do later tell me if I was wrong with an assumption or if something I read or learned doesn't go along with the manners or culture of your clan. Now, who would like to start"
Feeling honoured that Kiyomi mentioned it was by his suggestion, Gakuro looked briefly at the appetizers that were offered. Deciding that he might take one later, he looked around
"Seeing how it was my own suggestion, I would like to begin." He said, moving his sight to Kiyomi
"The area at which the Senju have proven themselves was not too far from where Konoha currently is, a few kilometers away. That was where the majority of the clan resided until the foundation of Konohagakure, at which point the entire clan moved to the village. Our clan has created several sacred places over time, something I have mentioned in the previous meeting, but most have stopped being used. There are still two main altars that are in use, one which is beneath the main hall in the Senju Compound, and one that resides near where our previous residence was at." He said.
"As for any mistakes you make, I am sure I can speak for everyone in the room by saying we are honoured our empress wishes to learn more about each and every culture." Gakuro said in a calm tone and a smile, moving to look at Shozo briefly before putting his attention on a mochi that caught his eye from the moment it was placed on the table. Taking it, he looked around and took a bite from it, waiting to hear who will be next.
Helping himself to some green tea, Shozo listened to the words of Gakuro Senju and thought about what he himself was going to say. The Empress wished to map out the land based on their history. While it was nice to see that the Hon Empress took interest in other clans besides her own Shozo wondered if he could even explain. Or at least explain it within the minute he would be granted to speak. How could he even begin to convey the pride he felt in his chest when he saw the city and their lands? It was a feeling the Empress would surely say she shared, but it was not the same.
Shozo returned Gakuko's look with a slight smile on his lips and then cleared his throat.
"It is not easy," he started,
"to convey my ones culture and manerism in words without speaking for days. And even then there are many things that I might not be completely aware of in my culture that I am performing right now. As is known, the lands that our ancenstors have owned for ages lay next to those of Mister Hanta here. Those are prosperous lands that have sustained my people and given them purpose to fight. These are our homelands which we will always support and always protect because our ancestors were born and raised there. We take pride in those lands. It is because of them that I can sit here today, because of the wealth that we generated there it was possible to approach the Senju and together work out a plan to found this city. Konohagakure. I am sure you can understand that for us, the Uchiha, this city is our pride. Our greatest achievement. One of the greatest city the world has ever seen, if not the greatest. So when you ask about sacred places, my Grace, I would say that Konoha is one of those for us. Not one for religion like the shrines that litter my ancestoral homeland, but one to protect nevertheless. And one to pray for when times are dire. There is not a single thing in this city that I do not cherish and that I do not wish to protect. And yes, I feel like it is my personal duty to do so as this is a city my forefather founded. His legacy has to be protected by me. Alongside me are of course all the other clans that helped to make this city grow, but they cannot share the same responsibility the Uchiha feel. I do not say this to sound arrogant. I say this because it is part of my culture, part of how I was born and raised, how every Uchiha who is born after the construction of Konoha is raised."
Shozo took another deep breath and then continued in a calm fashion:
"We are raised with a respect for the village and for the people living inside, with a need to protect and uphold a legacy. I have no doubt that any of you here feel the need the protect Konoha, but there is not the same feel of weight and legacy behind it as there is for us in a way. I hope that is understandable. Of course, the Uchiha Compound plays an important part in this protection. I would not dare to say that it is the centre of the city, for it is certainly not, but it is an important place for us because it holds almost all the knowledge of my clan. The past, the present, the techniques. It is our heart and everything will come back there. We have our own archive, own temple, own great hall where we celebrate our festivities." There was a pause.
"I could explain in more detail to your Grace if she wishes it, but I feel like I have already talked quite a bit. Might you need more explination I am always glad to answer any questions you might have." With that the older Uchiha folded his hands and leaned back.
Kenta would mumble thanks to a cup of warm lemon tea as well something that at least seemed sweet. Listening to Kiyomi, he wondered what he should say. Of course, he could rant literally for hours about his clan. But this wasn't some tea party. He actually disliked the idea of a tea party with the current group. Not really his 'cup of tea'. With that word joke in his mind pushed to the back, Kenta would glance to the clan leader of the Senju. Was it still justified to call them a clan? He had heard of the news that had been announced by the young man. Regardless what the man said, Kenta considered the Senju a clan. The population of a clan was one thing, but the history and attached prestige to a name couldn't just be erased. Deciding to not speak about that, the man next to him spoke up. The leader of the Uchiha clan. Raising his warm cup to blow softly on the warm surface of the beverage, Kenta suppressed a chuckle when the Uchiha spoke of 'mister Hanta'. A small smile spread over the old man's lips. He wasn't born in the time and age where his clan conducted any raids or looted the border region between the Hon and Hanta clan. That time was long past, but Kenta had his own reasons to chuckle.
As the Uchiha clan leader was done, Kenta waited a second before he would clear his throat. Putting his cup down, the old man raised his chin slightly up. With a firm voice, he spoke to the present people.
"Your grace, I probably don't have to say a lot to what the Hon clan considers sacred or important," he began,
"Like any other reasonable clan and people we consider our own homes most sacred. We don't build any temples nor pray as that is our culture." Taking a second to take a breath, Kenta glanced around. He was certain that everybody had their opinion and he honestly wouldn't mind anybody asking questions or speaking up.
"Though we've a compound in Konohagakure and consider this city that was founded by the Uchiha and Senju clan," there was a subtle emphasis on the last word as Kenta turned his head and throw a look at Gakuro Senju,
"Important, our hearts and faith lay to the lands we fought and conquered centuries ago. Where are ancestors are buried. I only think that out of all the places that Magnhild, what is known in these regions as the Hon estate, is the most revered city we have. Our capital of culture and history. Like the Uchiha," Kenta took another second to catch his breath as he felt a cough coming up, the old man also inclined his head towards the man who sat next to him,
"We've our history recorded in the halls of the Hon estate. Our lands aren't really fertile, though they provide enough for our basic needs. Hope that I've informed your grace and any of you well enough." Kenta finished, scratching his throat, suppressed a coughing fit. If anything the old man kept his chin up and waited a moment for he would lower his head and lift his cup up again.
Makoto sat quietly, listening closely to what the other representatives who had spoken had to say. Occasionally he would lift the cup to his lips and take a sip of the tea while the others spoke. The man took the time to think about what he was going to say, not wanting to make himself look a fool. It was a good idea, in Makoto's opinion, to map out the land as the Empress seemed to be planning to do. The man figured it would probably help prevent arguments between clans. As he listened to the evident pride from Shozo, Makoto briefly wondered how he would be able to show the immense pride that he felt in the Hanta's lands. That he felt in his home. Alas, Makoto had never been a man for words as much as actions. So he doubted he could convey such emotion, but would give it a shot.
After the Hon representative finished his piece, the Hanta would set down his own cup and clear his throat. Speaking in a calm voice, Makoto would begin to address those present.
"The land that the Hanta have long since claimed our own lies between those belonging to the Uchiha, and the Hon." Makoto began, pausing to take a breath and think about his next words.
"While this land is important to us, and valued greatly, it is not what we would consider sacred. Our hearts live within our homes, our cities. As each branch of my clan has their own sacred city, a place with their temples and lodging for the companions of the hunt. These are the places where our young go to prove themselves, to pass their Rite of Passage and become an adult to our clan. We also consider Hantā no Seijou, the Hanta Estate or simply Seijou as it may be more commonly known, a sacred place. As it is here that we have our main temple, here that our elders record and pass down knowledge of our history. It is our capital of culture and history. I hope I have provided enough information to your grace and the rest of the representatives here today. I can certainly answer any questions should I have not been clear enough." the man said with a small smile before picking his cup up once more and taking a sip of tea. All the while waiting for the next representative to speak.
Responding to the hello of the Nara clan leader, Teng uttered a friendly hello in return as inclining his head towards the man next to him. As Kiyomi took the word, Teng took the moment to glance at others who were present. With the empress done, a few spoke up. Ling waited as he heared out what the other said Letting a short moment pass after Makoto of the Hanta clan was done, Teng spoke up.
"The Cho clan holds the lands south of the Sarutobi clans. Our lands have provided the materials to feed and provide means to build what we have now. Trade between the Cho and other clans have made our population enjoy the luxury and knowledge of other clans over the countless of years. It is safe to say that my people consider our land and homes sacred, but I don't think we can consider any place to hold any religious place in our hearts. Our centre of culture would be the Keep of Dayi where we sport a much larger and older library than the one that can be found in the compound in this great city of Konoha." Incling his head towards Shozo Uchiha and Gakuro Senju, Teng would end afterwards.
"I doubt there is much else to tell about the land of my people, unless some of you would like to hear about a particular ware we produce and craft."
Smiling politely at the servant who had offered him some refreshments, Shikamura accepted a cup of tea and set it down in front of himself. He listened politely as the other representatives spoke, sipping on his tea and taking in the information. When Teng had finished speaking, Shikamura glanced around before folding his hands together.
"My clan is not as large as some of the more distinguished clans. We do not have a large estate, or any overly significant structures. We do, however, have our forest, and the animals within it which are incredibly important to us." Remembering the last meeting when he had tried to explain some things, Shikamura paused and took a sip of his tea before continuing.
"Our forest is a place that we protect and, in a way, I suppose it is sacred ground for us. As Lord Shozo stated earlier, this entire village is sacred in its own way. We did not shed blood and sweat for it in the same way as the Uchiha and the Senju did, but we do share a great love for this place which we consider our home."
Watching the others closely as they spoke, Jora - once again - felt like he did not belong amongst these people. They all spoke from the heart, and each of them had a reason for loving Konoha. Jora did not really know what to say. His clan was not native to Konoha. They had not given the same things for the village as most of these other clans had. They had not bled for it, they had not given their lives in the same way...
Adjusting his collar, Jora was glad that he had accepted some snacks and a drink from the servant. Munching on the sweets, the Hyuzu tried to think of what to say. He could speak of their traditions, he could speak of their beliefs... but he did not feel like he was the best person to convey this information. Downing the last of his sweets, Jora realized that he had been eating them rather pigishly. Pausing for a moment, he wiped his face with a napkin and stared around the table.
"The Hyuzu clan does not really have a place that we hold sacred. Not within the Fire Country anyways..." Glancing back at Kiyomi before looking around at the others once again, Jora continued,
"The great mountain that the Hyuzu dragons reside in... that is sacred land to us. It is not, however, a part of the Fire Country, and is a well hidden place. Aside from that, our homes are sacred to us, as is this village. We may not hold the same claim to it as others do," nodding politely towards Lord Uchiha and Lord Senju, the Hyuzu continued,
"but we do love this village... this Empire, and we would do anything to protect it and keep it safe."
Taking a sip from his drink, Jora set it down and spread his arms in an open gesture.
"In previous days, my clan was quite tight-lipped. We held our culture and our traditions close to our chest and feared what might happen if we shared. Recently, however, we are looking to change that. We cannot grow as a clan if we continue to hold the same secrets, or to keep others out. I wish to extend an invitation to all of you to please ask any questions that you may have regarding my clan, be it now or at a later time, and I will do my best to answer everything that I can." Sitting back in his seat with a polite smile, Jora would wait for the others to speak.
Michiro wanted to speak up early on, but decided to bide his time. He accepted some tea as it was offered, and sipped from it as the other clans spoke, thinking about how he could make the other clans see the Hyuuga in a better light than they already did without resorting to anything so degrading as asking for forgiveness. Eventually, it came time for him to speak up.
"Ah, the Hyuuga primarily see their compound as our most sacred place. It's where we have placed our foothold for the village, and the place we raise our young." He glances around at the others,
Now, to begin showing the greatness of the Hyuuga without saying it.
Michiro took a quick sip of his tea before speaking again,
"I am not the leader, and I can not say with utmost certainty about what changes may be coming, but know that with our new leader, there is some change approaching. In the past, we Hyuuga have attempted to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and may have created a different reputation than we had hoped, with the new leader's budding reign, we will be taking a less high-strung approach, so if any of you wish to visit the compound to inquire further about what changes are coming about, I will let that be the end of the Hyuuga's say here, rather than take up too much time." He smiled, proud of himself for what he saw as a humble, friendly speech, despite the other possible ways of seeing it, took another drink from his tea, and awaited further talk.
The door swung open, somewhat abruptly, and casually strolling in was a middle-aged man attired in plain Akinian uniform: flak jacket, black slacks, and calf-length Shinobi sandals. He was gaunt with ponytailed salt-and-pepper hair and dreary grey eyes, his pallor cast with jaundice and shadows at the cheeks. Two dark bags hung like iron weights under his eyes. When his gaze found Kiyomi at the head of the table, he flashed a perfcuntory smile and bowed deep.
"Empress," he said, straightening with a bony fist to his chest.
"Arata Kurosawa, leader of the Kurosawa clan of the Rain Country, at your service. A thousand apologies for the unpunctuality..." He offered no explanation for the actual tardiness.
Hardly glancing at the other representatives, he found a vacant spot and sat down, coughing into the pit of his elbow.
"Must've caught a cold..."he mumbled to no-one in particular, rubbing his hands together for warmth.
"If it spreads I'll have to cure you all, eh?" he continued, speaking unabashedly and winking at the poor Michiro.
"Now — a thousand excuses for the insolent behaviour — please continue." He made a submissive gesture and leaned back in his chair, smiling an easy smile that on his face ended up looking rather horrifying.
Paying attention to what everybody said, Kiyomi made some mental notes. She used her training in recognising body language to gauge how comfortable each person that spoke was. It wasn't easy as you had to know somebody quite well to be capable of making accurate assumptions. Something she did enjoy to do during these meetings while trying to remain as subtle so that nobody would consider her staring or eyeing them in all of a sudden. Just as each clan representative had spoken, Kiyomi was about to speak. As the door swung open the teen turned her head and frowned for a second.
Leaning a bit back in her seat, Kiyomi's right eyebrow raised for a moment as a man walked into the room. As she was saluted and the man introduced himself, Kiyomi would nod back as she placed a fist back at her chest.
"It is okay, Lord Kurosawa. Take a seat and take it easy. I assume that you had a long journey. Am already glad that you could've make it in time." A glint started to show in the green eyes of the empress, growing curious as she wasn't really sure if she had met the man or heard of the Kurosawa clan before. Judging from the symbol on the flak jacket that showed the origin of the wearer, it was clear that the man was from the Rain province. It was no secret that the man was at least member or used to be member of the Shinobi corps. Only what vocation and abilities he had was, something she couldn't guess from his looks.
"I thank you all for speaking as I would like to propose the following. With some information shared I am hoping this will lead to a better understanding. Of course," Kiyomi spoke with a serious tone as she made sure to glance around, making eye contact with several of the people present in the room.
"What I want to propose next is something that I hope will work. Some here have grudges and wrongs with one another. Instead of fighting and bickering this out in the field or behind backdoors, I wanted to serve as arbiter between talks. Akino is currently one of the strongest realms in the known world. We can grow stronger if we are able to be honest to one another and able to understand each other. This also means we have to know what has been troubling one clan and sometimes that has to be talked out." For a moment Kiyomi wished Zakito or Hisoka to be around. She dreaded the moment that the men and women present would fling themselves at the throats of another person. A quick glance at Iroh made it clear that the latter was ready as were the other present Sworn Swords in the room if somebody would get funny ideas.
The meeting kept on going. While it proved to be quite interesting it hadn't been easy. There were various subjects on which the clans didn't entirely agree with one another. But eventually it was clear that some minor problems continued to exist, such as distrust and wounds of the past that needed time. Carefully crafting the end of the meeting Kiyomi would announce that they all were invited for a feast and festival that would be hosted in the evening. Seeing that some had to come from other parts of the empire the young empress revealed that lodgings were made and prepared for those people, promising that they could rest and enjoy some of the luxury that the royal palace had to offer.
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