It was early evening when the small japanese girl nudged her way into the inn, wide-eyed and frightened, stammering a hello to the general crowd, which seemed uneffected at best by her diminutive presence. Only the ice dragon, always alert, too notice. Icer's serpentine neck swivelled, and the dragon dipped her neck in greeting to the girl. The movement caught the girl's attention and when she saw the great dragon she was even more frightened. Dropping instantly to her knees, she bowed to the dragon, her worn purple and baby-blue kimono carelessly rubbing the ground.
"I.... I am .... Chiyo, great dragon."
Icer simply blinked passively as the girl bowed to her.
"I am Icer."
The dragon smiled, though was careful not to show her fangs.
"...Pleasure, Chiyo."
Chiyo looked up slowly.
"Thank.... you... Icer, Great Dragon."
Icer nodded, then chuckled.
" You need not bow Chiyo, besides, I'm young yet."
The scene bore so many similarities to the coming of another japanese woman to the inn that it had to strike the dragon as amusing.
"I'm... sorry. Dragons are to be kneeled before. I need no curse, and fear to be hurt."
Back from her jaunt with Oja, the other woman in question ascended the steps to the inn and left her wooden geta before the door as she stepped inside, moving the door open and shut gracefully, making no noise. Icer did he best to sooth the girl's worries as she nodded to her, then tilts her head in question.
"You are new to this world aren't you?"
For a moment, Chiyo has no words to answer with as she watched the beautiful geisha step in before quickly glancing to the floor and back toward the dragon.
"Yes, but not to the harsh world."
Icer simply nodded again in deep, sage understanding. If anyone know about the cruelty and harshness of the world it was her. Sharp eyes caught the geisha's entrence and an idea took root.
"Chiyo, I have someone I'd like to introduce you to somone...Sakura!"
Meanwhile, Sakura, swathed this evening in a kimono of palest pink decorated with tiny white blossoms, an obi of sky blue cinched round her waist, made her way into the tavern. Her dark head turned as she heard her name called, and deep, dark eyes alight with a smile as they landed upon Icer. She made her way over with diminutive steps and paused to make her a polite bow.
"Yes, Grandmother Dragon?"
Far from looking pleased to see a familiar being, Chiyo had a deep fear in eyes as the dragon called over the giesha.
"No, I am not worthy enough to speak to geisha!"
She quickly averted her eyes to the floor, while Icer, smiling to Sakura, nodded toward the girl in silent introduction. Sakura glanced in the direction Icer nodded her large head, and her gaze fell upon the girl, kindness turned questioning in her expression as she watched her. Much to the giesha's dismay, Chiyo set a katana on the floor out of her obi, and knelt to the floor. her nose touching the wood.
"An orphen such as I is not to look to a geisha such as she."
Sakura's dark eyes flashed as she watched the girl put down a sword bigger almost then she was before kowtowing before her. Her throat tightened.
"Don't speak nonsense, child. I geisha is no different than any other stranger. What is forbidden is for a child - and a girl! To touch a weapon such as that."
One delicate finger indicated the katana.
"Rise, <I>kodomo</I>, and leave that weapon there. Tell me how you came to be here and why you would dare carry such a thing."
Chiyo Chan twiched at the voice, scared, but rose as the Geisha told her.
"I carry it for protection, I've been orphened since I was five. My parents were brutally killed."
It was not the geisha's usual gentle, soft spoken manner that came out now, but a much less forgiving demenor, though she is far from harsh - yet. The girl had broken a cardinal rule in their homeland. Her father would have beat her severely had she been caught playing with such a weapon - especially if he had loved her - for it was forbidden. She shook her dark head.
"You know it is not allowed. It is improper to arm yourself so! At such a young age why were you not taken to an orphanage or sold to a house that would raise you and give you work and food and shelter?"
"I'm sorry! I do not know of any family other than my parents. I wander alone."
Sakura knelt and picked up the katana. At nearly two and a half feet long it was longer than most five year olds were tall. It was ludacris to think that the child could have possibly defended herself with it. She was lucky she had not harmed herself instead. Sakura gazed at the young girl over its tang. Chiyo bows again.
"Forgive me. My family was out set from the others, I knew no one. No one can take in me in if I was not known to even be alive."
"Was your father samurai?"
The question was pointed. The girl could not have come by the sword otherwise. Katana and its smaller counterpart the daisho were the providence of the samurai alone.
"Who killed your family and why?"
"My... My father...I don't know. The men..." she gulped, "wore black....all over. They were swift."
She looked to the floor.
"They were fast, as my father was not fast enough to defend my mother."
"So then how did you come by this sword?"
She pressed, as she set the sheithed katana carefully upon the bartop nearby, out of the child's reach before turning to her once more.
"My father... he kept it on a shelf."
Sakura nodded, and doubted quite highly that the girl's father was samurai, else he would have been able to defend himself and his family from the attack - most likely he had inherted the expensive weapon. She surveyed the girl critically before giving her a small bow.
"Well. you will not need the weapon any longer. Do you understand?"
Chiyo looked to the geisha with pure hope in her eyes.
"I am safe? Someone will protect me?"
"You are safe here. No one will harm you unprovoked." She assured the girl, before reaching out to gently place one hand upon her shoulderblades.
"Come." She gently steered the girl with her over to a low table set near the hearth - her entertaining space where she poured tea and sake for her patrons. She jestured toward a cushion sat beside it upon the floor.
"Kneel and I'll make you some tea and rice. Would you like that?"
Chiyo quickly nodded her head in delight and kneeled on the cushion.
The gesha left the girl at the table and hurried off to the bar, slipping behind it. Soon the kettle was singing loudly with steam and the rice pot had its own steam escaping as it simmered, tightly covered. Sakura took it from the heat to let it sit and soak while she prepared the tea in her favorite little pot decorated with paintings of blue bamboo shoots, laying the seeping teapot upon the tray with two matching cups before she scooped out the rice and ladled it into a round, shallow bowl matching the tea set. This and a pair of chopsticks, some steamed vegetables and a shallow little dish of soy sauce all made it onto the serving tray. It was a delicate balancing act to bring them to the table, but the geisha did it as if it were as simple as breathing, with an innate grace that bespoke her years of training. She knelt down upon her own cushion near the girl and set the tray down, placing the rice bowl, vegetables, soy and chopsticks before her.
"Eat, please."
But before she could eat Chiyo had to find something out. She pulled out a scroll she had found in her mother's obi and turned to the geisha.
"Can you read?"
Sakura drew back her silken sleeve from her delicate wrist with care as she lifted the teapot and gently, gently poured tea in both their cups. She used two hands to set the hot tea before the girl then took her own before herself upon the table, but did not touch it, waiting for it to cool. She took the scroll from the girl with a blink. and scanned it slowly.
"Yes of course I can. It reads: Shico Yuamai: first degree. Why is this important?"
Chiyo paused.
"Shico is my mother's name. I was never taught to read, I've waited for someone to read it... But it might just be useless. I'm sorry."
"It is diffucult to tell." Sakura agreed, and set the scroll upon the table before the girl. But you must eat. My name is Sakura, and you have yet to tell me yours.
Chiyo quickly put the scroll back in her obi then picked up the chopsticks as she looked toward the rice like it was heaven.
"I'm Chiyo Yuamai, themost who catch my name call me Chiyo-Chan."
"Well, I will call you Chiyo, and you may call me <I>Onesa</I>, or big sister if you like." She nodded toward Icer. "Grandmother Dragon aided me when I first came to this land. Perhaps if you ask her nicely she may aid you too. You are welcome to come to me for anything, but you must promise never to touch that sword again. At least not until you are older. Customs are different here, but no child should hold a sword larger then themselves."
She fixed the girl with a sharp look, her fathomless dark eyes cold and serious at that moment.
"And no woman should wield a katana. You dishonor the samurai by doing so; those who kept our country safe."
"Thank you Onesa." She gave a little bow. "If I promise you I will not touch the katana, will you promise to take care of it? It is the last remaining item of my father."
She explained while she wolfed down the rice.
"I will care for it and keep it oon a shelf of honor in my room. If you wish you may make a small shrine there to honor your parents."
She watched the girl eat with a critical eye - much harder on her then she would have been on any other child, since she is of her own culture and land.
"Slow down...appreciate your food. You will sicken yourself and your dinner partners that way."
Chiyo obediantly slowed down.
" I... just haven't had a good dinner in ages...."
Sakura looked up from her tea to scan the room, and her gaze fell upon her dark icarus across the way. She waved a hand gently, trying to catch his attention, break him from his reverie - but to no avail. She'd have to go over there, though she was reluctant to leave the girl. It was as if Chiyo had read her mind.
"Please lady Sakura, do as you wish. I will sit here and eat my rice. I'm honored to have you guidence."
Sakura gave the girl a gentle smile and returned the bow she offered.
"Just enjoy your dinner and tea. Speak to Grandmother Dragon about a room and care. I live here if there is anything you need."
"Thank you, I will do so." She pomised as she sipped her own tea, pausing to murmur in wonder. "This was the best tea I have ever had...."
"I.... I am .... Chiyo, great dragon."
Icer simply blinked passively as the girl bowed to her.
"I am Icer."
The dragon smiled, though was careful not to show her fangs.
"...Pleasure, Chiyo."
Chiyo looked up slowly.
"Thank.... you... Icer, Great Dragon."
Icer nodded, then chuckled.
" You need not bow Chiyo, besides, I'm young yet."
The scene bore so many similarities to the coming of another japanese woman to the inn that it had to strike the dragon as amusing.
"I'm... sorry. Dragons are to be kneeled before. I need no curse, and fear to be hurt."
Back from her jaunt with Oja, the other woman in question ascended the steps to the inn and left her wooden geta before the door as she stepped inside, moving the door open and shut gracefully, making no noise. Icer did he best to sooth the girl's worries as she nodded to her, then tilts her head in question.
"You are new to this world aren't you?"
For a moment, Chiyo has no words to answer with as she watched the beautiful geisha step in before quickly glancing to the floor and back toward the dragon.
"Yes, but not to the harsh world."
Icer simply nodded again in deep, sage understanding. If anyone know about the cruelty and harshness of the world it was her. Sharp eyes caught the geisha's entrence and an idea took root.
"Chiyo, I have someone I'd like to introduce you to somone...Sakura!"
Meanwhile, Sakura, swathed this evening in a kimono of palest pink decorated with tiny white blossoms, an obi of sky blue cinched round her waist, made her way into the tavern. Her dark head turned as she heard her name called, and deep, dark eyes alight with a smile as they landed upon Icer. She made her way over with diminutive steps and paused to make her a polite bow.
"Yes, Grandmother Dragon?"
Far from looking pleased to see a familiar being, Chiyo had a deep fear in eyes as the dragon called over the giesha.
"No, I am not worthy enough to speak to geisha!"
She quickly averted her eyes to the floor, while Icer, smiling to Sakura, nodded toward the girl in silent introduction. Sakura glanced in the direction Icer nodded her large head, and her gaze fell upon the girl, kindness turned questioning in her expression as she watched her. Much to the giesha's dismay, Chiyo set a katana on the floor out of her obi, and knelt to the floor. her nose touching the wood.
"An orphen such as I is not to look to a geisha such as she."
Sakura's dark eyes flashed as she watched the girl put down a sword bigger almost then she was before kowtowing before her. Her throat tightened.
"Don't speak nonsense, child. I geisha is no different than any other stranger. What is forbidden is for a child - and a girl! To touch a weapon such as that."
One delicate finger indicated the katana.
"Rise, <I>kodomo</I>, and leave that weapon there. Tell me how you came to be here and why you would dare carry such a thing."
Chiyo Chan twiched at the voice, scared, but rose as the Geisha told her.
"I carry it for protection, I've been orphened since I was five. My parents were brutally killed."
It was not the geisha's usual gentle, soft spoken manner that came out now, but a much less forgiving demenor, though she is far from harsh - yet. The girl had broken a cardinal rule in their homeland. Her father would have beat her severely had she been caught playing with such a weapon - especially if he had loved her - for it was forbidden. She shook her dark head.
"You know it is not allowed. It is improper to arm yourself so! At such a young age why were you not taken to an orphanage or sold to a house that would raise you and give you work and food and shelter?"
"I'm sorry! I do not know of any family other than my parents. I wander alone."
Sakura knelt and picked up the katana. At nearly two and a half feet long it was longer than most five year olds were tall. It was ludacris to think that the child could have possibly defended herself with it. She was lucky she had not harmed herself instead. Sakura gazed at the young girl over its tang. Chiyo bows again.
"Forgive me. My family was out set from the others, I knew no one. No one can take in me in if I was not known to even be alive."
"Was your father samurai?"
The question was pointed. The girl could not have come by the sword otherwise. Katana and its smaller counterpart the daisho were the providence of the samurai alone.
"Who killed your family and why?"
"My... My father...I don't know. The men..." she gulped, "wore black....all over. They were swift."
She looked to the floor.
"They were fast, as my father was not fast enough to defend my mother."
"So then how did you come by this sword?"
She pressed, as she set the sheithed katana carefully upon the bartop nearby, out of the child's reach before turning to her once more.
"My father... he kept it on a shelf."
Sakura nodded, and doubted quite highly that the girl's father was samurai, else he would have been able to defend himself and his family from the attack - most likely he had inherted the expensive weapon. She surveyed the girl critically before giving her a small bow.
"Well. you will not need the weapon any longer. Do you understand?"
Chiyo looked to the geisha with pure hope in her eyes.
"I am safe? Someone will protect me?"
"You are safe here. No one will harm you unprovoked." She assured the girl, before reaching out to gently place one hand upon her shoulderblades.
"Come." She gently steered the girl with her over to a low table set near the hearth - her entertaining space where she poured tea and sake for her patrons. She jestured toward a cushion sat beside it upon the floor.
"Kneel and I'll make you some tea and rice. Would you like that?"
Chiyo quickly nodded her head in delight and kneeled on the cushion.
The gesha left the girl at the table and hurried off to the bar, slipping behind it. Soon the kettle was singing loudly with steam and the rice pot had its own steam escaping as it simmered, tightly covered. Sakura took it from the heat to let it sit and soak while she prepared the tea in her favorite little pot decorated with paintings of blue bamboo shoots, laying the seeping teapot upon the tray with two matching cups before she scooped out the rice and ladled it into a round, shallow bowl matching the tea set. This and a pair of chopsticks, some steamed vegetables and a shallow little dish of soy sauce all made it onto the serving tray. It was a delicate balancing act to bring them to the table, but the geisha did it as if it were as simple as breathing, with an innate grace that bespoke her years of training. She knelt down upon her own cushion near the girl and set the tray down, placing the rice bowl, vegetables, soy and chopsticks before her.
"Eat, please."
But before she could eat Chiyo had to find something out. She pulled out a scroll she had found in her mother's obi and turned to the geisha.
"Can you read?"
Sakura drew back her silken sleeve from her delicate wrist with care as she lifted the teapot and gently, gently poured tea in both their cups. She used two hands to set the hot tea before the girl then took her own before herself upon the table, but did not touch it, waiting for it to cool. She took the scroll from the girl with a blink. and scanned it slowly.
"Yes of course I can. It reads: Shico Yuamai: first degree. Why is this important?"
Chiyo paused.
"Shico is my mother's name. I was never taught to read, I've waited for someone to read it... But it might just be useless. I'm sorry."
"It is diffucult to tell." Sakura agreed, and set the scroll upon the table before the girl. But you must eat. My name is Sakura, and you have yet to tell me yours.
Chiyo quickly put the scroll back in her obi then picked up the chopsticks as she looked toward the rice like it was heaven.
"I'm Chiyo Yuamai, themost who catch my name call me Chiyo-Chan."
"Well, I will call you Chiyo, and you may call me <I>Onesa</I>, or big sister if you like." She nodded toward Icer. "Grandmother Dragon aided me when I first came to this land. Perhaps if you ask her nicely she may aid you too. You are welcome to come to me for anything, but you must promise never to touch that sword again. At least not until you are older. Customs are different here, but no child should hold a sword larger then themselves."
She fixed the girl with a sharp look, her fathomless dark eyes cold and serious at that moment.
"And no woman should wield a katana. You dishonor the samurai by doing so; those who kept our country safe."
"Thank you Onesa." She gave a little bow. "If I promise you I will not touch the katana, will you promise to take care of it? It is the last remaining item of my father."
She explained while she wolfed down the rice.
"I will care for it and keep it oon a shelf of honor in my room. If you wish you may make a small shrine there to honor your parents."
She watched the girl eat with a critical eye - much harder on her then she would have been on any other child, since she is of her own culture and land.
"Slow down...appreciate your food. You will sicken yourself and your dinner partners that way."
Chiyo obediantly slowed down.
" I... just haven't had a good dinner in ages...."
Sakura looked up from her tea to scan the room, and her gaze fell upon her dark icarus across the way. She waved a hand gently, trying to catch his attention, break him from his reverie - but to no avail. She'd have to go over there, though she was reluctant to leave the girl. It was as if Chiyo had read her mind.
"Please lady Sakura, do as you wish. I will sit here and eat my rice. I'm honored to have you guidence."
Sakura gave the girl a gentle smile and returned the bow she offered.
"Just enjoy your dinner and tea. Speak to Grandmother Dragon about a room and care. I live here if there is anything you need."
"Thank you, I will do so." She pomised as she sipped her own tea, pausing to murmur in wonder. "This was the best tea I have ever had...."