This is a Usagi and Seiya fic.For those who do not like this couple…DON'T READ!!:))
Also I do not own the characters but I do own the plot.
Chapter one
It was a beautiful summer day and she stood by the window deep in thought. Although it was very hot outside, you could see people working very hard on their daily assignments.
She had already finished her daily rituals and was looking for a place to spend some time alone because she had a lot of things on her mind.
This girl was about 16 years old,mid-height slim but she did have amazing curves and her features were very intriguing, some people would call them special. For 16 she was not very mature, although people were expecting that from her because of the position she held. Some people enjoyed her playfulness and her outgoing personality but others found it disturbing that she hadn't grown out of her childish state. To them she was the Shogun's daughter-the title which every mortal in Japan wished they had due to his power as military dictator and because he ruled for the emperor-- he held the royal seal and he was invested with all the imperial powers -- so she had to have a proper conduct.
Usagi also had other siblings including a twin sister; she had an older brother Motoki,a sister Kakyuu and of course her twin sister Minako,from whom she was inseparable.Minako and Usagi were a perfect match in the personality department some might say. In order not to be confused by people Usagi kept her beautiful gold hair in two buns and because of that her brothers called her Odango as a pet name, and Minako kept her hair loose and on the top of her head she kept part of her hair in a pigtail with a red bow.Neither Minako or Usagi acted their age but still they were loved by their parents. The Shogun-Kenji Tsukino and his wife-Ikuko adored their children equally and made no difference when it came to loving them.
Usagi was proud of her father because he was a good ruler and since he was named Shogun the wars between the daimyo rulers had stopped. Now she was deep in thought because of what her older sister Kakyuu confided with her and Minako,that she fell in love with someone whom she was not allowed to. She was very worried that this may cause another war if anyone found out about it and there were a lot of spies among the palace court.
Since Kenji became Shogun, the wars that went on for years and years had stopped because he was fair with the daimyo rulers but now since his daughters and son reached the age in which they should find spouses the situation was being hostile again.
All daimyo rulers hopped that their children could marry one of the Shogun's and they each saw in the other a possible threat to the well-being of their offspring's.Again a battle for power was threatening the welfare of the land, because the daimyo who could get his child married to one of the Shogun's would become more powerful and rich.
Although Minako and Usagi were considered immature for their age they were not unintelligent far from that, they knew the situation very well and the danger in which they were.Motoki was the first born and he was next in line for the title of Shogun but he had to marry someone with royal blood, and that rule went for all of Kenji's children.Luckily for Motoki he found the girl who had royal blood and with whom he fell in love with and they were soon to be married. Her name was Kino Makoto of the Minowara clan, the daughter of one of the most important daimyo rulers in Japan,Toranaga-san.They were truly blessed because for them it was love at first site.Usagi thought they were a lucky couple because they were in love. She was afraid for her and her sister because she saw two of her best friends Naru and Unazuki get married with men they did not love and with whom they were unhappy. She was not the type to resign into marrying someone whom she was not in love with because she could not settle with mediocrity. She was a hopeless romantic and she wanted to be deeply in love with the one she would marry but in those conditions it seemed impossible.
Her father was planning on having a big gathering at which he invited all the daimyo rulers with their children in order to find suitable spouses for his offspring's.
A list was soon made and the preparations began.
Kenji was keen on details,that was one of the reasons he was elected to be Shogun and his wife Ikuko was the only woman,besides his mother for which he had the utmost respect,due to the fact that she was a very intelligent and a very organized woman who never neglected her duties.
-„Saiainotsuma(one's darling wife),I want to speak to you about the party",Kenji addressed Ikuko.
-„Yes dannna(husband,sir,master).May I ask what this is about?"Ikuko answered her husband.
-„It's regarding the list which you have made my dear.I wanted to know if you asked your beloved brother and his wife to join us along with their children at the celebration?We wouldn't want to upset an important member of our family and a dear ally,would we?"Kenji gave her a concerned look.
-„Of course I did, my danna!I would never allow my sister-in-law to influence my relationship with my brother.",Ikuko's answer came quickly.
-„Good,I must admit that I was a little worried,knowing how the two of you got along.I know Beryl can be a little to pushy with your brother but she is just watching for her family welfare.You know family comes first!Although I do not agree with her and with what she does but I must say this: she is a good wife and a good mother."Kenji said.Despite the fact that he saw what Beryl's real intentions were,she only wanted for her husband to obtain as many new domains as he could in order to increase his power among the other daimyo rulers and was trying to convince Kenji to help them.
-„I am actually concerned with the influence she has over my brother,because you know that everyone wishes to have your title, and she will stop at nothing in order to obtain that for my brother.I am not saying he is weak but he does love her and he listens to her advices.Although he is my brother, our children come first and that is why we are having this party because we want our clan to keep ruling over our beautiful land and to keep the peace that our government has brought along."Ikuko said watching her husbands reaction.
-„After Motoki and Kino Makoto-san get married we have one of the most important daimyo rulers support, all we have to do is find for our 3 daughter's suitable husbands and we will have our position secured.Don't worry I always think ahead!The emperor and his wife support us because we take good care of them and you know he has an important role in keeping my position."Kenji said .
-„Yes,danna,but you forget that our younger daughters are difficult and I am afraid that they will not agree with the suitors we find them.They dream of love and romance and I hope they will not influence Kakyuu with their modern ideas.You know that in order to maintain peace among our people we have to have our children's future secured in order to reassure them of the continuity of the clan."Ikuko replied as she made a concerned face when she saw Usagi approaching.Something was bothering her daughter and that made her fear the worst.
-„Otosan(father),Okasan(mother) konnichi wa!,Usagi bowed in sign of respect for her parents.
-„Usagi,your father and I were discussing important matters regarding the feast.But...",and Ikuko was soon interrupted by the arrival of one of their servants.
-„Sumimasen(excuse me) taishou(master,general,admiral,chief), but general Nephrite is here and says he has urgent matters to discuss with you.He is waiting in the imperial office",Tetis bowed and left.Kenji excused himself and was on his way to talk to Nephrite in order to discuss their problems.
-„Okasan I know why you are preparing so much for this party and I must say that I am more than willing to help you with the arrangements",Usagi stated.She wanted to know the possible suitors for her and her sisters and this was a good way to find out who they were.
-„Arigato Usagi-chan" ,Ikuko replied ,"but you know that you have your lessons to attend and I can handle things myself".She knew her daughter and could see straight through her like she was an open book."But what is troubling you my dear?
-„Nothing Okasan,I just wanted to help you!I am fine,you know me,I just had a bad dream and nothing more!!"Usagi was glad that she thought of that because she saw her mother relieved.
-„Alright Usagi-chan then you should get going because if I am not mistaken Setsuna will come here in about an hour to give you classes on poetry and I wouldn't want you to be late!Please study hard and try to focus on what is important to you!".Ikuko told her daughter.
-„Sumimasen Okasan,I will go find my sisters and leave you to your matters!",Usagi said after bowing to her mother and left to find Kakyuu and Minako.
Ikuko was planning on having a wonderful party for her family and friends so she had every detail sort out not only in her head but also on paper.The palace was being decorated and cleaned,more than usual and the cook already had a list with what she wanted to be served at the feast.She hired geisha's to entertain the guests, because Ikuko held great respect for these women and she selected the one's who will attend the party herself.
Ikuko was beautiful and wise and because of that the Shogun didn't take a mistress like it was accustomed.It was a fact to be admired how she was the only woman who held his attention and he was completely devoted to her.Ikuko was looking on the list of geisha's she had selected to attend the royal feast:Ami, Rei, Setsuna , Petz , Calaveras , Berthier and Koan,all of them beautiful and intelligent and surely they could keep the male guests entertained.
Her daughters were friends with these women although this was not totally approved by some but they helped with her girls education despite the fact that they were already tutored by miss Haruna.
Geisha's were not prostitutes.While the prostitutes wear the bow of their sash, or obi, in front of their kimono, the geisha wear their obi at the back.A true geisha usually had the luxury of a professional aide to help them in the difficult process of dressing; their clothing is made up of several layers of kimono and undergarments, and an obi is more than a simple band of cloth. Dressing could take over an hour, even with professional help. Prostitutes, however, had to take off their obi several times a day, so theirs were far less complex, and tied at the front for ease of removal and replacement. geisha do not engage in paid sex with clients. The purpose of geisha's was to entertain their customer, be it by reciting verse, playing musical instruments, or engaging in light conversation.A geisha's engagements may include flirting with men and playful innuendos; however, clients know that nothing more can be expected. Also geisha's are expected to be single women; those who choose to marry must retire from the profession.The one in charge of the okiya(geisha houses) was Petz as she was the eldest and she had earned her title as a geisha.She trained hard and also taught her younger sisters:Calaveras,Berthier and Koan the art of becoming a geisha.Although Petz and Setsuna were the same age Petz was the owner of the house and took care of the others.
Petz was in love with Saphir Ishido a very important general in the army of his brother Dimande Ishido daimyo and ruler of one of the most important regions in Japan Kyushu.He was important because his region was linked to China through the port Nagasaki.Japanese needed the silk that they were buying from the chinese because of their hot weather.
They wanted to get married but that was a bit of a problem for them.It was traditional for established geisha to take a danna. A danna was typically a wealthy man, sometimes married, who had the means to support the very large expenses related to a geisha's traditional training and other costs. A geisha and her danna may or may not be in love, but intimacy is never viewed as a reward for the danna's financial support. While it is true that a geisha is free to pursue personal relationships with men she meets through her work, such relationships are carefully chosen and unlikely to be casual,because it tends to be a very tight-knit community and a geisha's good reputation is not taken lightly.
Ami and Rei were not geisha's yet they were recently promoted to the third stage of their training: maiko which could last for years because now they were truly apprentices of the geisha's and they were very excited with this.
Setsuna,Ami,Rei and Koan were waiting for Usagi and her sisters to appear because their class was soon to begin.