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For Raisa! Backdated to take place during the Ravorn festival!

Izumi had not partaken in an obscene amount of fermented berries like she had the other night. The empress was lucky enough to learn her lesson and never do that again, lest she risk embarrassing herself again. Just the memory of the events from the other night caused her cheeks to heat uncomfortably — the first time she'd ever gotten drunk. It was good to know now, because she was never doing it again.

Except she had.

Not in the severity that caused her delirious visions and a pool of vomit come next morning. No — she had found herself just a little bit tipsy after consuming some more fermented elderberries within the cache. The cranebird needed something to take her mind off of her own actions the other night, laying to rest beside a tree for comfort. She should have restrained herself, that night, and anxiously wondered if Osamu thought less of her because of it.

Or worse, reconsidered his choice to be romantically involved…

……

Ah, she needed more berries…

She gulped – too quickly. So quickly that an uncomfortable amount of air went down the hatch, along with the burning warmth of alcoholic berries. Her paw pressed against her lips with a short wheeze, eyes squeezed tight for a solid second. The cranebird turned to face the woman who caught her off guard, fixing her posture and clearing her throat as if nothing had happened, though her frosted gaze and shoulders would soften upon realizing who it was. An escaped breath of relief, then, airy laughter.

Lady Raisa,

A warm smile reserved for the once ally was offered, approaching the striped tigress while a white tassel danced over her hips like flowing silk. Izumi’s chin sought to rest against her shoulder as her neck curved into her own, and the Empress only hoped she did not notice the slightly fuddled gait.

It has been far too long, young matriarch. How are you? How is your family?