Northstar Vale Once More With Feeling

After all the chaos of the meeting, the demotion of various loyalists to her sister, and the eventful fainting of Reiko, Hime was locked-in as an interim governess for the most part and was going to take full advantage of her empowered role. While she had agreed to serve as the proxy Empress while her sister was caring for her newborns, her weakness was an opportunity that Hime could not let slip by. Reiko had been taken back to her children and left to rest; without Awenfen there post-meeting to tend to her sister, Hime had taken it upon herself to a degree. She was not a trained medic and had done her best to fashion a remedy - not too far from what she'd been gifting to Reiko earlier during her pregnancy - and now needed more support.

It was a good time to be Hime, in other words.

Her need for protection would grow with her responsibilities. Depending on how long her sister was weakened and how things shifted post-meeting with Takeshi's rise to the Emperor position, Hime was confident she could snake her way through the mire of ensuing changes, but she also knew having physical support would be a boon - thus, calling for Collision. He had an edge to his voice as he replied to her comment; likely feeling prideful but sore from his dismissal and demotion. The correction after brought a glimmer to Hime's gaze, although her jaw was firmly set.

I worry for my sister. The meeting was hard on her, and with the fainting - and her newborns to care for - she needs more support now than I alone can give her. It was the truth, and while Hime did not want to appear weak, she would allow a modicum of that worry to cast her in a humbled light. With a more conspiratorial air to her words, a drop in her voice to something low and secretive, she says, I wish to employ you as her protector. You were stripped of your rank but not your duty, and it was wrong of our new Emperor to do so. You care for my sister, yes? You would do this for her..?

A small sigh erupted from Hime then, heavy, diminishing her prideful stance as her shoulders sagged. The longer my sister remains ill and locked beneath her husband's thumb, the more I worry about the kingdom. Her children need their mother, and I need my sister. We all need the Empress - more than the man she's tied to. There's a dark undercurrent to that last comment, but there she silences, watching him carefully.