All right, here we go! A little sooner than I expected even.
Some explanation starts in this chapter, but I hope you still enjoy.
Chapter 3: Castle Shimizu, Reina's Quarters“Fukuoka no Tanaka no Reina…” she muttered to herself as she stared down at the mat lying on the floor which seemed to be her bed. The coverings actually seemed to be of very fine raw silk, with a fluffy-looking pillow that surprised her. Upon showing her to her room, which was nearly adjacent to Takahashi’s, Sazuko explained to her that any Lady of decent standing would have a pillow like that. For the men though, it was a different story… even those posing as such.
After getting her settled the maid Sazuko had left, only to be replaced soon after by Risako-chan. The younger girl just stood meekly by the door with her eyes downcast, looking for all the world like Reina didn’t even exist in the same room with her. When Reina asked her what she was doing, she only said quietly and with extreme politeness that she was to attend her in case there was anything she needed during the night.
“Does that mean you’ll be sleeping in here too?” Reina asked, perplexed, glancing around the decent-sized room with wooden walls reinforced at the corners by thin stone runners. “’Cause there’s only the one bed…”
“Pardon my Lady, but Risako will not sleep. She will stand and keep watch until my Lady wakes in case my Lady would have need of anything during the night.”
Despite the overuse of formality she seemed to be getting used to the girl’s ever-present vigil, but it still creeped her out a bit to just have someone… constantly standing there motionless. At least there was a screen she could pull out to change behind, although she knew her silhouette would still be visible. That is, if the girl ever looked up from the floor.
Sighing over at the small pile of clothes which included her dirty underwear, the dagger from Shimizu lying on top, she felt very exposed beneath just the light silken
kosode robe. There was no way she would be able to wash them every day – they certainly wouldn’t have washing machines here – so she was going to have to figure out something to do about that. That, or just live with it.
Tucking the silk between her legs again though, she wondered if she could ever get comfortable with feeling so… exposed! Of course the Ladies around here didn’t seem to jump around and fight like she was used to doing, so perhaps it worked out for them. Perhaps she could find out what Takahashi and the other two wore beneath their kimonos… If they were really trying to be men, they’d surely have some kind of
fundoshi loincloth at least. Maybe it wouldn’t be necessary to wear men’s undergarments in addition to the outer clothes, but given the opportunity, she couldn’t see why they wouldn’t!
As if the thought was a summons, she heard the door being pushed gently open by Sazuko, followed by a confidently striding Yajima now out of most of her formal attire and sporting just a men’s
kosode and light purple
hakama of her own below hair done up now in a straight ponytail. Reflexively pulling her own robe tighter around her, Reina thought about how busy Sazuko seemed. She had helped her settle in earlier, and otherwise seemed to also attend both Takahashi and Yajima.
A thought struck her. “Is Sazuko one of your consorts, Yajima-san?” she asked the girl Lord as she seemed to scrutinize Reina’s room.
Immediately after she spoke, she saw Sazuko freeze in the process of closing the door, and Yajima’s eyes flashed to her. “I cannot say that she is,” the girl responded in obviously forced, and surprised, politeness. “She belongs to the household of Takahashi-sama, but is given as my attendant until I reunite with my own, most of whom are currently residing in Heian-kyo.” Looking into her eyes, Reina thought the girl might be offended, but her face quickly fell into a warm smile.
She glanced over at Sazuko again, who had managed to get the door closed but now seemed to be watching the floor even more studiously as she shuffled to stand beside Risako-chan. Sazuko was certainly not as young as Risako, but didn’t appear to be too much older than Yajima or herself. She wished she’d paid more attention to history courses before she dropped out of high school, so maybe she’d have some idea of the connections people had here.
“Sazuko,” Yajima said in a softer and more pleasant voice. The woman bowed slightly as she stood. “I still do not see proper kimonos and hakama for Tanaka-sama here.”
“I am so sorry,” Sazuko replied, bowing lower. “It was difficult to obtain appropriate clothing at such short notice with current availability in the Castle. Natsuyaki-san has some of her ladies on a search, and plans to have them brought when she visits later this eve.”
“Will you go to assist her in that endeavour?” Yajima requested. “Risako-chan should be sufficient for anything we may need.” Sazuko bowed low with a flush in her cheeks before scurrying out the door.
“I’m sorry,” Reina said, frustrated at trying to understand what was going on around her. If it was going to be like this all the time, she didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to hold out. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“Offend me?” Yajima asked, blinking in obvious surprise. “You have done nothing of the sort.” She glanced around the room again, somewhat distastefully this time. “Tell me… Does the arrangement in here please you? Would you like a larger screen?” She then walked over and ran a hand up and down its edge, as if admiring the floral artwork knitted across the panels.
Reina frowned in confusion at the question, and now that Yajima was looking the other way, also caught Risako take what looked like a rather surprised glance of her own up at the Lord. “Um… I think it’s all right.” She was small after all, and didn’t take up that much space to change.
Yajima turned to smile kindly back at her. “You know I regard Takahashi-sama as sister and dear friend, do you not?”
Reina hesitated a second before responding. “I heard you mention that earlier when we were with her. Why?”
“It is a bond that drives how we act in relation toward all, as well as each other,” the handsome female Lord replied cryptically. “Or at least, how we must appear to act.” Then she strode up to stand just before Reina and peer curiously down into her face. Reina pulled her robe tighter again as she tried not to blush at the girl’s proximity. “I asked you before if you were truly Japanese, but now I am certain you are.”
“Of
course I am,” Reina grumbled somewhat indignantly.
Yajima’s face never wavered from that impassive smile.
“The most striking chrysanthemums may never grace the throne.”Reina stared back into the smooth face above her. Flowers? Was she supposed to go looking for some to take to Kyoto?
Then the Lord took a step back, though Reina glanced down to find one of her hands held in the other’s, her fingers being pressed around something. When she glanced back up into Yajima’s face, the smile was gone.
“Be wary of Shimizu-san,” the Lord warned carefully, before striding to the door.
Risako-chan jumped to open it as if she’d been expecting the movement at any moment, and bowed her out. When she closed the door, she openly stared at Reina.
“What?” Reina asked. “Are you going to talk now? I’d be grateful if you did so I could maybe figure out what the hell is going on around here…”
“What did Yajima-sama give to my Lady?” the girl asked in an obviously curious voice. Reina blinked and stared down at her closed hand again before opening her fingers to find a small, rolled bit of parchment. Risako’s eyes became as big as saucers. “A letter!” she exclaimed, and rushed over to Reina’s side.
Reina, half-surprised at the sudden lack of modesty from the young attendant, kept staring a moment before picking at the roll to try and figure out how it opened. Distracted by the girl next to her who Reina, if she hadn’t known better, would have thought was bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement, it took her a little longer than it should have to break the seal and unroll it. Not that she was used to breaking court seals on letters to begin with.
She stared down at the solid lines of Chinese characters until their meanings finally started to sink in. As she started to connect them into meaningful phrases, her own eyes widened and she definitely felt a blush filling her face more strongly as she read on.
“WHAT THE HELL!?” she suddenly burst out, and Risako-chan jumped in shock at the reaction.
“…Pardon me, my Lady?” she asked timidly, and not just a bit fearfully.
Reina squinted harder, now frowning down at the thick paper.
“What. The. Hell. Does. This. Mean?” she growled between gritted teeth.
Risako-chan glanced over her shoulder and scanned slowly. “It describes the lone chrysanthemum…” she commented thoughtfully. “That refers to my Lady, of course, after the Lord’s clever—”
“I can read it well enough for that!!” Reina burst out again, and this time the girl jumped half a meter back, clutching her chest. Reina just waggled the paper at her. “Why the hell would she write something like this?”
“The Lord wrote it to my Lady,” Risako replied, scrutinizing her warily as she caught her breath. “Is… is my Lady displeased?” Her eyes donned that fearful look again.
Reina took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and looked at the letter again. “No,” she replied finally. “I’m not—” she shot a look at the girl. “I’m not displeased.” Glancing back to the letter, she grumbled to herself. “So what was all that about sisters and stuff?”
The door opened again, and maids bowed and came shuffling in with armloads of fabrics, generally colored a dark purple or a dark red. At the end came Natsuyaki, her head bowed but her eyes carefully observing those before her.
“Thank kami-sama,” Reina breathed, and dropped the letter to meet the newcomer. Before she took a step, she heard Risako-chan squeak and drop to her knees hurriedly to catch the letter before it hit the floor.
“Risako-chan,” Natsuyaki snapped briskly. “What are you doing? You have been acting very unseemly today.”
Instead of being modest as usual though, Risako-chan scurried straight over to her Lady past the other maids who were finding places for all the silks they’d just brought in, and leaned up to whisper excitedly into her ear. Natsuyaki listened carefully, her eyes drifting to the parchment in the girl’s hand, and at the end she took it gently from the girl.
“Thank you,” she said politely, and turned her attention to Reina, who had stopped at the young girl’s movement. “Is my Lady displeased?” she asked in imitation of her assistant.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that!?” Reina lamented. “And by the way, what’s with this “My Lady” stuff from you too? I thought you didn’t even think I was one.”
“So sorry, but circumstances have changed, my Lady,” Natsuyaki replied with a short bow. “Now that you have been named Takahashi-sama’s consort, you outrank the rest of us lowly Ladies by far. Momo-chan and I do not even have a court rank yet since we are still young.”
“Court rank?” Reina asked. She
knew she’d learned something about this from the history books, and again mentally slapped herself for not paying attention. But at that time it was just history. What did it really matter what a bunch of dead people did hundreds of years ago? That is, until now.
Natsuyaki peered thoughtfully at her, and Risako-chan just looked dumbfounded, but as the maids seemed to finish their work and begin to depart, she walked over to take her arm and guide her over to the chairs behind the screen. Reina just realized another had apparently been added as well by one of those maids. They each took a seat, Reina stuffing the silk down between her legs again but Natsuyaki seeming to have no problem with her own.
“Takahashi-sama, to her great fortune, has been awarded the lower senior fourth rank by His Highness,” the girl began. “Any consort of hers, with rare exceptions, would also have such a rank bestowed upon her by the next cycle. Yajima-san has similarly been awarded the lower senior fifth rank, while Shimizu-san, due generally to her weaker heritage, is the lower junior fifth rank. Please understand that this is still quite an honor for one such as her, since until recent times Shimizu-san’s clan has had no history in the aristocracy.
“Yajima-san and Shimizu-san both are also subordinates to Takahashi-sama in the Palace Guards and Ministry of War, which Takahashi-sama leads as Minister. The titles are largely ceremonial however… except when she carries out a campaign as His Highness’s Seii Taishogun, such as the northerly one we currently return from.”
Reina stayed silent a moment to try and sort all this new information out in her mind. Hearing the girl’s description did jog her memory a bit at least. It had to do with an ancient Chinese ruling system of some kind which Japan adopted around this Heian era. Either way, it was well over her head.
“So where does that leave you?” she finally asked. “And Momo-chan, I suppose.”
Natsuyaki smiled at her words. “As I said, we are still too young to receive court rank. I am fortunate to be born into a prestigious clan, so it’s expected I shall receive senior fifth rank lower, similar to Yajima-san, which is what she was bequeathed.”
“So you’ll be ranked higher than Shimizu-san?” Reina asked.
“Yes…” the girl replied. “Please understand that ranks are normally granted on an individual basis, except in cases at the top level such as the Grand Council.”
“Grand Council?” Reina asked, trying still to keep everything straight since she had a feeling it would be important to remember for the future.
Natsuyaki nodded. “The Grand Council proudly governs all of Japan. It is led by the Prime Minister, or when he is absent, as has been the case for the past decade, by the Ministers of the Left and of the Right. We are fortunate to have two Lords newly assigned to those posts, as they had also been vacant for a period of time. The heads of each Ministry, such as the Ministry of War, are supervised by them.”
It was beginning to come back to Reina now, especially since she realized it wasn’t all that different from she was used to back home. Home? This was her home now…
“Is something wrong?” the girl asked, concerned. “You suddenly seem saddened by something.”
Reina shook her head. “No. It’s okay. I was just remembering… It’s not important.”
“Please speak your mind,” Natsuyaki requested, leaning forward curiously. “Takahashi-sama is very interested to learn all about you, and for the time being at least, I hope you feel free to talk to me as well.”
Reina stared back into that smiling, honest face, and finally sighed. “Actually what I’m most concerned with… um… Do you guys
really not have panties around here?”
“Panties?” the girl asked, perplexed, sitting back again, and Reina tried not to blush.
“Underwear,” she stated, and pushed down the silk again. “Something to cover you up.”
She was still greeted with a confused face. “Underwear? Is not a
kosode covering enough?”
Reina grunted, knowing she wasn’t getting through, and strode over to her pile of clothes. Putting the knife aside, she dug out her panties and showed them to the girl.
Rising herself, Natsuyaki swayed over to her to peer at the article. Reina felt the blush rising a bit higher. “Ah! This is like
fundoshi,” she stated. Reina nodded. “Why would women have need of
fundoshi? It is much more easily accessible this way.”
“Accessible…?” Reina asked, then truly did blush when the girl continued just staring into her eyes. “Ah…” Once again, she was at a loss for words.
“Speaking of such,” Natsuyaki said, lifting a finger to her chin as if pondering. “I hear Yajima-san was present shortly before I arrived.” Her gaze returned to Reina’s, and it seemed like she was looking for some sort of response from her.
“Yes…” Reina replied, still trying to get the culmination of their last subject out of her head. In her gang they were pretty free in talking about things, but this… and in this setting…! It was like she was in a Disney fairytale, but one that at times turns incongruously perverted. “Only for a few minutes. She asked if everything was okay with the room, then said some odd things and left.”
The girl’s eyes drifted to the letter she still held in her hand. “And was everything to your fancy?” she asked, now definitely fishing for something, though Reina had no clue what.
“Well… I suppose except for my clothes…”
Natsuyaki glided slowly over to her pile and stared at the dagger for a moment. “By now you know of Momo-chan and myself, Shimizu-san’s consorts. If she lasts, I expect Shimizu-san and I will marry one day also. It would be advantageous for her, and I would be pleased. For now, I serve how I am able.” She turned again to Reina, her face serious. “Yajima-san has only one young maid, and it is unlikely they will be married. She has shown no general interest yet, and so…”
She stepped toward Reina again. “I do not know where you come from, be it the West or somewhere I may only dream of, but do you realize the difficult burden the three Lords bear? As aristocrats of high standing they are expected to marry and have families, but are incapable of achieving that naturally.”
“Yes,” Reina nodded, swallowing. “I understand that. Honestly I was a bit confused at how like you and Momo-chan could be Shimizu-san’s consorts. Especially with what you said about…”
The girl across from her held her eyes strongly, and Reina thought this Lady at least would be worthy of whatever rank the Emperor granted her. “It was of necessity that they took consorts to begin with, even if they have not yet married. For appearances, you see. However, over time…” She glanced at the knife again, and reached out a finger as if to touch it, but something held her back.
“It is not very unusual for court ladies to develop romantic or sexual feelings toward each other, even though such trysts must be kept secret.” She turned back to Reina with a grin. “Then again, that is true for all such affairs that do not involve one’s husband, ne?”
Reina chose not to answer, and just continued staring blankly.
“In unique situations such as Shimizu-san’s, or Yajima-san’s, or Takahashi-sama’s, such feelings must develop all the more. Or so I believe.” Her grin faded and her eyes grew in intensity once again. “I love Shimizu-san, and would do anything for her. I desire her, and have the good fortune that she also desires me. I cannot speak for all consorts, but that is how I feel. As the woman she is, or even if she were a man, I would love her the same.”
Despite the intriguing revelation, Reina felt herself don a soft smile. “That’s very sweet,” she complimented the girl. “You’re lucky to have each other.”
The other swallowed as if choking back unshed tears, and turned away to collect herself. Somehow, Reina now felt more certain than ever that she and this girl could be close friends, and she laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. Such a friend was something she knew she needed if she was to survive here, and she didn’t know who else it could be. There was no way she could relate to Momo-chan. Takahashi and Yajima were… different toward her. And Shimizu…
“Be wary of her,” Yajima had told her just before she left. What did the girl mean? The Lord of this castle had seemed to hate her, but then it just completely seemed to disappear. Was that all a front?
“Lilies drift along
In the marsh as the wind chills
Alone, beautiful.”“Your poetry is also beautiful,” Reina complimented, and the girl turned back to her. She glanced at the hand on her shoulder, and raised a finger of her own nearly to Reina’s lips.
“You are an unusual person, Tanaka Reina from Fukuoka,” she replied, and then seemed to catch a breath and glanced down to the bit of cloth still held in Reina’s other hand. “As for those, we can have our seamstresses study them to see if they can be replicated, but in the meantime the maids will wash them along with your other… clothing… during the nights. I assume you would not need them for sleep?”
Reina grinned. “I think I can survive,” she said, and the other smiled.
“Risako-chan!” Miyabi called, and the girl stood attentive. “Please find a maid in the hall who can take care of Tanaka-san’s clothes. They must be ready for her by morning!”
“Yes, my Lady,” Risako-chan responded, and hurried over to pick up the clothes. She eyed the knife warily as Reina handed her the last garment before darted out the door.
“You are a High Lady of rank now,” Miyabi told her, more formally. “There is nothing that cannot be arranged to your liking.”
“If that’s the case…” Reina said slowly, appearing to ponder, “Then I’d like for you to call me Reina.”
“The Lady Reina, then,” the girl replied, smiling again.
Reina made a show of sighing. “Well, I suppose that’s good enough…”
She made for the chairs so they could chat a bit longer, but the other made no move to follow. “I apologize, Reina,” she said sorrowfully, “But I must return to Shimizu-san tonight.”
“Oh,” Reina said, feeling a little disappointed. She had hoped the girl could stay with her longer and maybe begin teaching her how to be a Lady. She almost laughed out loud at the thought, but yawned instead. It had been another long day…
“I do have one last question though,” she said tentatively.
“Yes?”
“The letter. Her words…” Reina began, a bit anxiously. “Was Yajima-san coming onto me?”
Miyabi smiled. “It appears that way. And it is happy for us to see her showing an interest.”
“I see…” Reina replied, chewing her lip in worry. “But, I’m, er… Takahashi-san’s consort, aren’t I?”
“You are not married,” the girl replied as if it were obvious. “And even if you were…” She shrugged. It seemed once again also that she was looking for something from Reina.
“Thank you,” Reina replied. “Miyabi,” she added after a second.
“Sleep well, Reina,” the girl replied kindly. Risako-chan slipped back in as she spoke, her arms now empty.
“Thank you also for being a friend to me.”
The other only continued to smile as she whisked out the room.
“Shall I snuff the lamp, my Lady?” Risako-chan asked.
Reina nodded, yawning again, and looked to the bed. For all she was over a thousand years into the past, it didn’t look all that different from her own futon. “You get some sleep too,” she told the girl, and tossed some of the extra bedding that’d been brought over toward her.
“I am sorry, but then I could not assist in case—”
“I’ll wake you up,” Reina replied, lowering herself into her own sheets. She didn’t say it, but if she needed anything she’d just help herself. She was really not used to so much silk…
“Um…” the girl responded, seemingly at a loss now for an appropriate denial. She glanced a bit nervously at the door, but then glanced at Reina who continued unconcernedly tucking herself in. “Thank you.”
Shortly after, the room was still but for the even breathing of the sleeping girls.
Topic: A Fukuoka Yankii in Fujiwara's Court: Chapter 3 on 12/8 (omatase!) (Read 17222 times)