The first seventeen years of Aroi Tetsuo's life were full of comfort and prosperity. His face had very soft features, giving him a youthful appearance, but his sensei had ensured that he built a strong body. He spent most of his days studying the ways of both war and peace. His uncle, Aroi Keiji, was an expert in the art of war, and had obtained a vast region for his family to rule over, however, due to his Lord's success, Tetsuo had never been called on to defend the land, nor had Tetsuo asked for such an honor. The Aroi armies were a force to be reckoned with, and no lord would take a conflict with the Aroi clan lightly. This being the case, though Tetsuo was trained both in the use of a blade and in military tactics, he had yet to see a real fight. 

As a boy, Tetsuo was praised by his elders for his command of courtesy and exhibited decorum beyond his years. His servants, though he never let them overstep the bounds of decorum, were treated with respect and rewarded often. However, once Tetsuo could no longer be considered his child, his father, Aroi Shingo, imparted these words onto him: "You have grown into a capable and virtuous man, but virtue alone will not suffice for a ruler of these lands. Your heart is too soft, and any enemies that will inevitably appear in your life will have their blades to your throat before you even consider drawing your own. I have not requested that my brother give you an army because I know I would lose a son, not for lack of competence, but for lack of spirit. There are times for compassion, but there are also times for ferocity. You have done nothing for which I may reprimand you, but as your father I must tell you that if you do not harden your heart, the world will harden it for you. My brother has been fortunate. One turn of bad fortune will mean his responsibilities become mine, which will in turn may fall to you one day. Be prepared for that day."

Tetsuo regarded his father's words highly and was grateful for the advice, but he knew not how to abide by it. His father saw that his son's heart was still soft, and so he began to turn control of Ido castle over to Tetsuo little by little. He would not send his son to battle, but perhaps there were lessons that the young man could learn through domestic responsibility. A disrespectful guest could be a challenge as great as a rival general after all. So it was the Tetsuo, under his father's supervision, came to be the handler of all of Ido Castle's economic and domestic affairs. By age seventeen, Shingo was lord of the estate only in name and was not the least bit worried for the affairs in the event of his untimely passing. Now Tetsuo was ready for his next challenge...

"How are the preparations for the Nakashima family's visit coming?" Shingo asked.

Tetsuo replied, "We are missing only the family in question."

"That is good," his father said, and then with a subtle grin continued, "but there is one thing in the letter that I forgot to mention..." Since Tetsuo was still technically not in charge of the castle, all letters were addressed to Shingo, and in accordance with decorum he would be the one to read the letters, then simply relay the information to his son, but for the Nakashima family's letter he made an exception. "I will be entertaining Nakashima-san, as will my wife his. You are relieved of that responsibility. However, I forgot to tell you that their daughter will be accompanying them. She will be your responsibility. See to it that she is comfortable and enjoys her stay. Ah, and Nakashima-san has given you permission to court her if you wish." Shingo deliberately understated Nakashima's "permission;" in fact, the letter was an outright marriage offer, but he felt that information would make things too easy for his son. If Tetsuo was not fit for one battlefield, then he would be tried in another. Shingo had respectfully written back that they would "consider" the offer, but left the matter at that.

Tetsuo was caught completely off-guard by this information. His father had mentioned that there would be three guests, but not that a daughter would be among them. And he had permission to court her? How could his father forget such an important piece of information? It would completely change the dynamics of their acquaintance. At this point, he wouldn't even have time to prepare a proper poem! But Tetsuo refused to let himself appear flustered. "Yes father," he said quickly, bowing in acknowledgement. Then, he dared to ask a question. "Do you believe that we ought to unite the Nakashima family with ours?"

Shingo gave a small laugh in response. "I'd like to see what you think."