WARNING: It’ll be quite graphic and honestly a bit testy but hope it’ll work towards a short chaptered story
Chapter 1Yui glanced down at the tattered paper and grabbed the brush to the side of her. With one stroke, she placed a thin line of black upon it. She counted and exhaled out into the room. Wiping the brow, she remembered the ten cycles of the peach-colored leaves falling from the tree. The other memory was being dragged from her family with cufflinks around her wrists as she wailed out into the open ground. The long ride inside the litter showed the outside world filled with fields. Yui sat quietly although in the silence she had heard the plan and felt her heart drop to her stomach.
Ten occasions had consumed her mind although it was the first thought that had given her hope as she was given a light coat and lavender sash for herself when she was confronted by a pale-faced person as she knelt down and bowed to her. The sliding door closed upon the brief sunlight as she stared upon the new person. Her eyes burned upon every part of the skin before a smile was drawn.
“I’m Yui.” She spoke softly with another bow of her head.
“I’m Haruka…” She replied “I’m usually called Paru.”
“Yui? That’s a cute name. My family have lived in Edo for centuries.” She gleamed.
“Your family took me away so I wouldn’t feel proud in front of me.” Yui snarled.
“Hmm… I guess that’s why you’re here. Maybe a concubine for my father… I’m not sure. I have seen my father consummate many of them. Their nubile bodies filled by such lust. He hates me though. I’m just learning my way through the system. Whoever the next heir is supposed to be…” Paru exhaled with a smirk. “If it is the case… I can’t stop it. I’m supposedly just trying to make a dowry.”
“It still doesn’t make it any better.” Yui moaned. “So why are you here?”
Paru shifted her weight over and grinned towards the sun, “I want to hear your story.”
Yui scanned around and fell back onto the floor, “One day.”
Paru bowed her head and stood above the girl. Pulling the sash from her waist, the sides flayed out upon her body. Her eyes drew the snow-white skin and the pink accents on her chest. Yui felt her chest pause before closing it back up. Paru walked out swiftly to the attendant as the door closed. She had pondered over the efforts as that cost here to be sent to Edo. Her brothers were killed and her father was spared based on alliances. Her father was neutral although disowning the sons had seemed to be a good move to save him from the blade.
Yui was the same only to protect herself with the wooden sword she had practiced upon for defense. The day she had seen the white eyes of a person was right before she had been captured. Her father had seen the intrusion and sacrificed Yui as a peace offering. She let the few tears come out before her mother came out and hugged her one last time before being marched up north. The darkness grew swiftly with the day passing by when the sliding door attracted her attention.
“Here’s your meal.” The attendant greeted as she slid a lantern into the room.
The smell of the gas tickled her nose as she saw the bowl of gruel and pickled vegetables on a small pate to the side. Yui gripped the chopsticks and shoveled the first few bites into her mouth. The journey was limited to water and dried fish with their schedules of delivering the female to the castle. Yui knew her limitations to fighting without her weapon, a short sword, based on her training with her father. There was also hand to hand fighting that she was easily over powered but gained a sense of evading the enemies into their own doom.
Yui settled upon the floor when she heard a loud cry. Paru’s warning came to mind however she’d never accepted such things even with her knowledge of her family being a mid-tier clan. The revolt was easily quelled however not holding any responsibility didn’t mean to attack and tried to loot the home as a way of victory. Yui dwelled over the situation as the sounds of cries and repeated rejections had irked her.
She had counted the time from start to finish and smirked upon it. Yui placed the bowl and plate down onto the tray and slid it over to the door. She moved to the far corner as she witnessed the moon over her window with the cool breeze blowing inside as she closed her eyes again. The image of the person intruding came to mind as the wooden sword jabbed through his chest before falling onto the floor with the blood soaking into her palms. Her father stared down upon the male with the commander glaring at the two.
The large man walked up and grabbed the weapon from her hands. He lifted it above his head and struck it over the lifeless man, driving it into his body. He pulled the female from the ground by her hair. Letting out a grunt, he yanked the sword from the man and dragged him out from the house. Her father stood with his hands into the sleeves. Yui pursed her lips when the same commander showed up later and escorted the duo to the large tent where the ashes of the community hall stood and presented to the leader.
Her father spoke on behalf, stating the incident which the commander swayed his eyes and nodded to the account of the events. Although the crime would give Yui death, the sacrifice of the lone child to the lord was a sentence to being the female to the castle under the protection of the lord. Yui awoke to the sound of another cry, the rooster crow, and rolled from the corner with the darkness consuming the room. She crawled, using her hand along the wall to guide her to the door.
“Morning.” The voice greeted with the slamming of the sliding door catching Yui towards the other corner.
“Paru? Why are you here again?” Yui hummed.
“We have to go to school.” Paru smirked.
She never assumed school was going to be in the cards with the noise from the walls. Yui stood in the partly lit hallway as she peeked upon the rooms. All were locked by a stick with a little bell at the end. She exhaled softly, following Paru to the next area with the lanterns lining the way before being pulled to the side and felt something soft upon her lips.
“What was that?” Yui asked audibly.
“I’ll answer later.” She snickered to the fully lit room with two books laid out on the table. “I heard you killed a soldier.”
She nodded. The image came back as she sat by the girl. The texts were unusual based on the appearance however she began to read the first passage about life. The dreams that linger is your fate was lingering in her mind as she continued about the goddess of the moon shining upon them as the presenter of dreams. The sun to trick others into them however giving warmth to continue such dreams. Paru’s words were like hymn to her ears before the outbreak of cries echoed into the room when it went silent again.
“They brought her in. She barely had any hair upon her body. He likes them young. They can’t fight him.” Paru sighed.
“So what exactly am I?” Yui pondered.
“Honestly… I don’t know. You might be fodder for others or just be like me.” Paru exhaled before going back to her hymn.
She read the lines and chanted as the words matched with the girl. Every page was littered with the lines. Yui understood most from her basic education however it was also quotes from some person. She had been away from prayer for a while and never responded well to such items. Yui felt the passion grow upon the woman with the chants echoing in the room, cancelling out the pleas from the other room when the bell rung and both pursed their lips.
“Ladies, morning. We have some things to do today.” The voice called out. “We will go to the baths first.”
Paru led the way out to the hallway with the kiss of the sun lighting up the path to the touch of steam upon their faces. Yui watched as the first person disrobed, followed by Paru, and peeling back her robe, she smelled the sulfur lingering in the area. They grabbed the ladle to wash the bodies before stepping into the pool below and dropping to the depths with the steam blocking their faces.
“It’s actually a pleasure to have another devotee.” The voice smiled as Yui saw the silhouette of a female.
“She isn’t one yet… I’m working at it.” Paru breathed. “She was the girl who killed the soldier.”
“I see… men are quite horny and just go for whatever meat. Good for you.” The female snickered. “Your mother is quite frail.”
“I know… father doesn’t want to feed her anymore but only likes males so will continue to satisfy himself until she perishes.” Paru splashed her body of the water. “This is priestess Yuko. The niece of my father so we are cousins.”
“Nice to meet you.” Yui replied when she felt the pain around her chest.
“Small… cute… Barely a budding flower.” Yuko murmured. “I’m hoping it isn’t a problem.”
“You’ve been blessed by the gods so not everyone can have a large set.” Paru scoffed.
“Oh well… I have to leave soon. You two have to endure the pain of the water.” Yuko stood and walked out of the pool.
“Pain of water?” Yui asked.
“The efforts of our hymns should protect us.” Paru noted as she sat quietly with her hand upon Yui.
Her stomach growled however in saving the land she once knew, it was to go through the process upon Yuko and Paru’s presence to seek the next level of the confinement in her new found home. Her mind wandered back to the day and felt the steam press up to her head. She glared out into the field of smoke before the darkness overtook her.