Doji Shizue

Doji Shizue was a Crane story teller, born to a Doji father and a Scorpion mother. Her father was Doji Ichihara, the brother of the Crane Clan Champion Doji Satsume. She was romantically involved with Matsu Hiroru.

Adoptive Parents
Ichihara died in a skirmish with the Crab before Shizue was born and her mother died during her birth. Doji Teinko, the wife of Satsume, had always wanted a daughter and begged Satsume to adopt Shizue. Satsume agreed, but paid not attention to Shizue when she was growing up due to her crippled leg. Teinko however doted upon Shizue as much as her two adopted brothers Hoturi and Kuwanan. Teinko taught her many skills from the Kakita Artisan school, but most successfully the art of storytelling.

Appearance
Shizue was not a great beauty, but a lovely girl with bright grey eyes and long white hair. She was quick to smile and laugh, and her voice could convey a tremendous depth of emotion. Due to the crippled foot her steps are slow, but rhythmic, and thanks to some of the dancing she was taught by Teinko she moved quite gracefully.

Artisan
Her difficulties only made her stronger, and if anyone followed the ideals of the Kakita Artisans the most it could arguably be Shizue. "Life is an art; do one thing well and you will do everything well." She would spend a lot of her time in the gardens of the Crane Clan telling stories and helping the Crane remember their history. She lead a peaceful life, and bore no remorse for the death of her parents.

Training
Shizue was not only taught to be an artisan, but when she was old enough Satsume ordered Kakita Yoshi to train her as a spy. She would incorporate hidden messages in her stories to convey information to Yoshi, Satsume or Hoturi, and her access to the Imperial Court gave her a lot of critical information. She had a great capacity for memorizing manuscripts at a glance and deciphering hidden codes in writing as well as speeches. Yoshi himself spoke highly of her, and would frequently say she would make a fine addition to the Crane Ambassadors to the Imperial Court when she was older. To the other clans however she remained only a goodwill ambassador. Her sunny disposition could make any courtroom cheerful, and she would frequently travel to the Lion, Scorpion, Phoenix or Dragon lands.

Lady Doji and the Beggar
One day when traveling home to Kyuden Doji Shizue stopped her palanquin to sit and talk with a beggar on the side of the road. They swapped stories and when they were done she put some money in his begging bowl. When her guard came to her and asked why she would give money to a hinin she told him of the time during the Dawn of the Empire when Lady Doji had done much the same to a poor beggar sitting out in the snow. Shizue said that she, as a descendant of Doji, could do no less.

Storyteller to the Emperor
Only two years after her gempukku Shizue was asked to be present in the Emperors court. Her gift for storytelling was unmatched, and many thought she was the reborn spirit of Kakita's sister Kakita Kiyamori. She was skilled in other things such as song and calligraphy, and even Satsume could sometimes be heard to mumble faint praises about the girl.

Death of Two Emperors
She was popular in the Imperial court for a long time, and was even present for the murder of Hantei XXXVIII at Bayushi Shoju's hands during a dinner held in Shoju's honor. She managed to hide herself during the five days of the Scorpion Coup, and witnessed the final duel in the throne room between Akodo Toturi and Shoju.

Legend about the origin of the Naga
During Clan War the Naga told Shizue their legend about the origin of their kind. Shizue continued to tell their legend across the Empire.

Hidden Emperor
Shizue suspected Kage of being a kolat member, and she spied on him.

Kolat sleeper
In a secret encounter with her beloved Hiroru, Kage appeared and obliged her to enter in trance and stab Hiroru, in the presence of Akodo Ginawa. She was kidnapped by Kage who fled the scene.

During her captivity, Shizue met many members of the Kolat.

Death
Shizue died during the War Against Shadow, to a shadow spawn's dagger, while defending Akodo Kage to prove to him that honor did indeed have value.

Works of Doji Shizue
The following are some of Shizue's published works:
 * Dark Tidings