The Northern Fortress did not have a delicate glass conservatory, so the Clan Elders had insisted on hosting a formal apology tea in the solar.
They had brought their own porcelain. They had brought their own imported golden-leaf tea. They were trying to completely control the environment, using high-society etiquette to silently scream that I did not belong at the table.
I sat next to Akira on a heavy wooden bench. I was wearing my dark wool gown, completely ignoring the fragile, painted teacup placed in front of me.
"We truly apologize for our... abrupt behavior in the Great Hall, Lady Kitsune," Lady Shizuka said. The Snow Crane elder took a delicate, perfectly practiced sip of her tea. "We simply care so deeply for the North. It takes decades of refined education to understand the complex political economy of the Yokai clans. We were merely concerned that a girl of your... humble origins might be crushed by the logistical weight."
