Failure, Sakina reflected, as she made her way, litter-borne, through the city to the Palace, was something which seemed particularly the province of men. She had long thought it, and it had recently been proven to her by the outstanding failure of her dear husband to do anything even remotely useful. She supposed, if she was being very charitable, that Genkichi had been trying hard. He always tried hard, in his own particular way. Often, she thought, he tried hard to vex her. But in the case she was currently concerned with, it had been a matter of simple failure. He had, she thought, wafting her decorated Yukari Chen fan nonchalantly in front of her, simply been out of his depth.
It had been a nice idea. Really rather sweet, if she considered theory rather than practice. It was supposed to have been an anniversary present for her, he had told her afterwards, rather sheepishly. All very well - but men had absolutely no idea as to the right way to go about things. Such things, Sakina thought, with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, were best left to women.
Genkichi had attempted, in his befuddled, confused sort of way, to arrange a marriage for their youngest son, Sai. It was a very comendable endeavour, and she fully approved of it, in principle. Although she and Genkichi were hardly old, plenty of other couples their age had grandchildren by now, and whatever Sakina personally thought about grandchildren, it was the done thing to have them. Besides, she knew she would have fun planning their various marriages and intrigues as they grew up. Technically speaking, Sakina had a lot of grandchildren already, dotted about all over the city, but they were only technical grandchildren - nothing out of wedlock really counted, as everyone who was anyone knew. Not that they came from Sai - such a thing was almost unthinkable (although that was a whole separate issue to consider). No; it was her eldest son Craig who was the productive one in that department. However, everyone in the known world, not just the Sakura Kingdom, knew that getting Craig to enter into a state of wedded bliss was so much a contradiction in terms that were it suggested to that gentleman, he would have had a nervous breakdown.
Unfortunately, with Genkichi's handling of the situation, nervous breakdown had been exactly the way things had gone before, with Sai's frightful illness earlier in the year. Then there had been all that awkwardness with the Fujimoto family, which Genkichi had managed very badly, and Sakina had only just smoothed over. No; it would not do to let a man have the handling of anything. This time, she determined, now that Sai had recovered and was back to his usual (if slightly unatisfactory) self, she was going to do things right. Discreetly. Carefully. With minimum fuss, and maximum credit to her. Society wedding, all the works, everybody happy - especially the proud mother of the bridegroom. Problem child number two solved.
The family she had settled on were the Inoues. Or at least, what was left of them. But it was that very thing, or rather, person, which interested her. Lady Mai Inoue, the only daughter of the household, who had recently inherited everything from money to family affairs. The Inoue name was a good one, as good as their own, although perhaps ever so slightly their social inferior. But the difference was so slight as not to be noticed. The family were good - Sakina approved of them completely. And the girl - everything she could have wished. Mature beyond her years, serious and not too frivolous (although Sakina was a frivolous woman herself, she did not value the quality in a potential daughter-in-law). And she was a beauty, which was an absolute essential for Sai's future wife. Not so much for her son's benefit - she had long been aware that Sai preferred boys, although she could have wished for him to exhibit rather more taste in his choices. It was for herself and her family she cared - Lady Mai would prove an adornment worthy of the Co-Editor of The Cherry Basket.
The girl herself had no idea yet, of course. That was the purpose of Sakina's visit to her, on this bright winter afternoon. She had arranged it beforehand, of course - Lady Mai was expecting her, for tea and a little chat, all very above board, a visit such as any Court lady might pay to another. Polite conversation would pass between them , and then, perhaps, if matters turned towards a rather more serious bent, then neither lady would show unseemly surprise, and things would proceed from there. Who knew, an arrangement, beneficial, and pleasurable, to both parties might be reached.
Her litter reached the Palace, and she was soon being conducted through the corridors to Lady Inoue's rooms. She was dressed fashionably but incredibly tastefully, and she was well equipped with a small gift for her hostess. Everything was destined to go just swimmingly.
