User blog comment:Hakaishin Aro/The Inari temple/@comment-28358106-20161024201648/@comment-28358106-20161027030923

"Ah, yes. Right. Here you are. Er," I hesitate for a moment. "I'd like to point out that I'm not responsible for the contents of this letter. I'm merely the messenger." I gingerly hand it over.

It's a beautiful, hand embossed black envelope, with gilt silver lettering. It is sealed with the wax seal of the Regent, a ribbon of office attached. Inside is a handwritten letter, also on black paper, with lace borders and written in silver ink.

Esteemed Lady Nozomi, 

''I hope this missive finds you in good health and equal spirits. I apologize for the method of delivery, but as you might imagine, one must trust important matters to those who would treat them accordingly. As such you may think of the good Doctor as an ambassador, though he does not yet know it. He is the diplomatic sort; in fact, it is his greatest strength. Thus, he stands before you as bearer of this message.''

''Though I have not had the pleasure of visiting Zipangu within the last several hundred years, I remember its aching beauty well. The gentle mountains, the forests, the sweet sounds of the sea...jewels, all. And they serve to shape an equally precious people, do they not? Who stops to count the blossoms beside the path, or hold close the nightingale's song as he sings his wife to sleep as the sun rises?''

''These are what I know of Zipangu. Peace, and its sweet embrace, held in hand by a people whom the world should know as an example for us all to follow. While we live in dark times, we wish for the same things. We pray for the hour when we count our armies only as the clouds, and the trees, and the birds in the sky.''

Like the nightingale, we dream in this world that we may one day awaken to a better one.

''The Dwarves of our Realm have a saying. They say, "Let the mountains be my family." To them, this means that all can see the great and soaring peaks, and all should know that we share the same burdens, and should be kind to each other because of it, because our burdens are what bring us together. In other words, we all see the same mountains. They mean the same thing to us all.''

''Perhaps, one day, we may meet, and share our love of the same things. We are a great many peoples, but we all dream the same dream. The stories of your peaceful ways have reached us, and have touched us deeply.''

''Consider this letter your free and open invitation to our humble country as representatives of Zipangu. It would bring me no greater pleasure than to be graced by your presence. As such, you may expect nothing but the finest upon your arrival. There is no need to hurry; you may come at any time as is convenient for you. Should you decline, we shall be disappointed, but understanding.''

May the scent of spring be ever close to your doorstep.

Yours Very Sincerely,

Lady Adelaide Grey, Regent Officium, Whitemarch