The Touch of a Geisha by TiarellaCordifolia

{memories of a tear] Part 1

……..The Touch

……..of a

……..Geisha

a fanfic by

--------TiarellaCordifolia

_____________________________________________________________________________________

[memories of a tear]

Part 1

There are times when I sit alone over a cup of green tea, I feel as if the soothing wind beats softly against the air in a steady rhythm.

A steady rhythm that is almost as if there was beating against geisha drums.

I wasn’t born to be a geisha. I wasn’t even raised to be a geisha in fact. I was instead raised in a local village, working as a maid in the local shrine. It was a lovely little shrine. Kaede-san was in a way, our master and mistress, being the sole miko for miles around. Also, we, as in my family and I, lived directly under their roof, and we served them until they relieve us, in which case, most likely would have been never.

Ofcourse, that wasn’t my case.

I was born in the servant’s quarters on the floor, covered with tattered strips of bamboo. I have been told that I was a difficult child during labor and an even more difficult child after birth. My given name is Kagome. Thus, I was known as the bright and lovely girl Kagome of the shrine, who while as untamed as the thick of the forest, was in every way as helpful and generous as the next miko. That is, up to Kikyo.

Kikyo wasn’t your average miko. And I wasn’t your average maid. In fact, Kaede-san took me under her wing short of my fifth year in training, which is surprising since none of my family was of priesthood lineage. Kikyo was a beautiful girl. Beautiful, but vain, as later years will also provide. She prided herself as being quite powerful, which she was, as a descendent of a long line of strong mikos. In fact, she claimed to be a descendent of the all-powerful Midiroko or whatever, the one that created the famed Shiko no Tama. I never cared much for my lessons in purification and all, I was a simple maid, is all. Kikyo was overtaken in rage when she learned of my extra studies, jealous that I should start at such a ripe young age (though I’m only a year younger) and should be worthy enough to be tutored under the great Kaede, who is known throughout for her wonderful healing skills.

I really didn’t understand why Kikyo was upset seeing she is more respected and beautiful than me. She was also to be announced as the next protector of the Jewel of Four Souls. Well, what was left of it anyways.

For you see, this was a time of war, later known as the Feudal Ages. Youkai, hanyou, and even humans sought after the sacred jewel, for it brought much power. Our village was a target for much mass destruction, seeing as to we has the strongest miko(s) and probably a third of the sparkly thing. I never much cared for politics and the likes. Still am.

Ofcourse this soon proved to be a mistake. Politics and power was the reason I was sold into slavery.

Sold as a maid first, but later joining Kikyo as a geisha in the most renowned okiya in all of Japan.

And that is where my story starts.

*Bear in mind that this part of “The Touch of a Geisha” (since I am considering doing more than one in sequence) will contain some true facts in the life of a normal geisha back in the day. However, I found it rather distasteful to write an Inuyasha fanfic in such a humdrum form, so I’ve decided to make it a bit different than my normal works. Firstly, this is to be written in first person. And secondly, it is being mixed together with youkai and the likes. Ofcourse, it doesn’t really work even in a sense since the time periods probably wouldn’t clash, but I wouldn’t know much. Most of these facts about geisha are taken from random historical novels and such that I’ve read, and since my memory is a tad bit tipsy and many random facts will be mixed with made-up stuff from the theme youkai, I wouldn’t count on me as a reference guide. ~TiarellaCordifolia

_____________________________________________________________________________________

I hold no claim towards “Inuyasha” the series or manga.

But do [review] =]