The Fang and the Flower
Chapter 03: Why Did She Call You That?
The following morning, a hand-delivered package addressed to Higurashi Oiran arrived at Otonari house, bearing the seal of a magenta crescent moon. From the packaging alone, she knew it had come from Sesshōmaru, and inside there would be a gift that was meant to be an official declaration of his intention to be her patron.
Kagome waited until she was inside the privacy of her quarters before she unravelled the package. The lacquered box contained a hair comb made from the exceedingly rare azure jade. He had chosen it precisely to match her eyes, she presumed. A hair comb, or any hair ornament, was a good and traditional choice as the first gift.
She flipped over the comb, and just as she had expected, she found his name engraved on the back of it. It was also traditional practice for the patron to have his name inscribed on the offering. If the Oiran accepted, she only had to wear his gift in public to seal the arrangement.
Well, there's no time like the present, Kagome thought as she got dressed for an outing and fastened the hair comb on top of her hairdo.
Because the height of summer had arrived, before she stepped out, Kagome took a fan in hand to alleviate a little of the heat that could be scorching during the day. Her attendant would take care of the rest, tailing her everywhere she went with a wide-brimmed parasol to shield her pale skin from sunburn.
She thought about where she should go to show off the hair comb and finally decided on Ritsushima Kōen, a pleasure garden located not too far from the Okiya. It was not a wholesome destination at night, though it was indeed popular for young lovers and low-class prostitutes to solicit clients. But during the day, it was a fashionable place for a stroll. A river ran through it, with weeping willows flanking the banks and decorative bridges painted in vermillion arching over the stream. A profusion of flowering bushes lined the paths at this time of year.
During the daytime stroll, especially when Kagome was not accompanying a patron, her costume was simplified. She was not required to wear the heavy, padded Uchikake robe or the five layers of colourful kimono that would distinguish her rank as a Tayū. However, she still had her obi sash tied at the front, as well as the eight turtle-shell hairpins decorating her tall hairdo, which marked her as a courtesan.
The garden was pleasantly populated, with just sufficient pairs of eyes to witness her strolling around with the comb, but not so crowded that one felt ill-at-ease. She was contemplating whether to return to Otonari house when a sight up ahead stopped her.
Kagome saw Sesshōmaru. With a female. Engrossed in a conversation as they both strolled along the path lined with blossoming hydrangea bushes.
Towards her.
The female accompanying him was dressed beautifully. A full skirt of periwinkle silk with a lightweight muslin top in the shade of blue so pale it appeared white. A wide belt of navy brocade with silver embroidery encircled her slim waist, decorated with a pendant of rose-coloured jade and tassels that swayed gently with every graceful step she took.
She wore the traditional hat of the highborn female yōkai made from a wide conical bamboo frame and covered with silk, hand-painted with beautiful imagery of morning glories. These flowers could symbolize two things: the arrival of summer, and innocence. The hat had a multilayered sheer white veil that concealed her face, marking her as an unmated female and available for courting.
Kagome observed in fascination as the female sashayed down the path. The way she moved exuded elegance. She displayed the comportment expected of a female yōkai of high birth. If her dress and her manner of walking were not sufficient as proof of her nobility, she had with her a young female chaperone and a male warrior as a guard, tailing her at a distance away.
It was odd to see Sesshōmaru with a female who was not Rin. And during the days of hunting Shikon jewel shards and battling Naraku, Rin had been a mere child that followed him as part of his pack.
But this female was clearly mature, and he treated her with evident consideration of the fact. So when she caught him holding her hand as he assisted her over a slight incline with a tenderness that was somewhat out of character for him, Kagome could not help but wonder:
Could this be someone Sesshōmaru was interested in taking as a mate?
The couple was upon her now. Perhaps she should turn away to avoid any sticky situations, Kagome thought. But with her attendant behind her, she might create more of a commotion than she intended trying to manoeuvre within the narrow confines of the garden path.
Too late anyhow. Sesshomaru's golden eyes alighted upon her person and widened in recognition before he halted his steps, just an arm's length away from her. He must have been so engrossed in the female's charms, or the conversation, that he did not sense Kagome's presence sooner. The female followed his lead and stopped as well.
Kagome could not quite see the female's visage, though she could make out the faint lines of a heart-shaped face and a glittering pair of eyes studying her with equal interest from underneath the gossamer fabric of the veil.
The correct form would have been for Sesshōmaru to speak first and make the introductions. But for once, he appeared unusually stunned. Then, after the silence had gone for a second too long, Kagome considered uttering a word or two to break the awkward pause.
Then, the female spoke.
"Ani-ue," she said. Her voice was soft and infused with warmth. "May I be introduced?"
Kagome could hardly contain the shock. Only her strict and rigorous training had kept the neutral, amicable expression fastened on her face. Ani-ue?
Ani-ue was a respectful way of referring to one's older brother.
Sesshōmaru did not comply with her wish to be introduced. As a half-smile froze on Kagome's lips, he turned to address her servants.
"Have Lady Shōri escorted back to the estate," he ordered them.
The female did not budge. From the hesitation in her posture, she looked like she wished to stay, to the point one of her attendants had to touch her elbow gently and whispered: "Please come, my Lady. Let us return to the castle."
The female hesitated for a few more seconds, holding herself up so rigidly before her shoulders slumped in defeat and she executed a bow so perfect it would make the most accomplished courtesans blush with shame.
She left in a swirl of periwinkle skirt and silver tassels, followed by her two attendants, leaving Kagome standing in the middle of the garden path with Sesshōmaru.
Once the female was safely out of earshot, Kagome turned to the daiyōkai. Then, forgetting decorum for just one weak moment, she blurted:
"Why did she call you that?"
Whatever bafflement had plagued him, it left no trace. He gave her an arched look before he replied: "The obvious answer, Oiran, is because I am her older brother."
This time, she remembered to conceal her gaping mouth with the fan she held in her hand. It was confirmed: Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha had a sister.
"I am shocked, my lord." Kagome heard herself say. "I had never entertained the thought of you having a sister."
"Why should you?" He said impassively. "She has lived all her life in the yōkai realm and had never set foot in the human world. I have never spoken of her, or even mentioned her in the minimal run-ins we had over the years. It is only natural you were oblivious to the fact that I have a sister."
"Inuyasha never mentioned her either," Kagome said. Then, she swivelled to flash a wide-eyed stare at the daiyōkai. "Does he know of her existence?"
Though his expression remained unaffected, the tick of his jaws betrayed his emotions.
"Inuyasha's knowledge of her is inconsequential," he tersely said.
Kagome returned her gaze forward and said no more. He made it quite clear that Inuyasha had no idea that a sister existed. Now she wondered: does the sister know of her hanyō brother's existence?
"I had planned to make an appointment with you later tonight," Sesshōmaru said, pulling her thoughts back to the garden at present. "But since we are both here, do you have time for a stroll?"
Kagome inclined her head and resumed her stroll, Sesshōmaru falling into steps beside her. As they strolled quietly amidst the blooming hydrangeas, irises, and the morning glories, his eyes caught sight of the azure jade comb perched on her updo. A slight smile formed on his lips.
"I am glad to know my offering has been officially accepted," he said.
Kagome lifted her fan to conceal her grin. "Since I thought you may have an urgent need for my assistance, I did not see the need to delay."
He offered her a non-committal scoff, though he provided no more details on the sort of assignments he meant to give her. Kagome decided to prod him a little further.
"My heart is clenching with both anxiety and excitement in equal measure, my lord," she said, smiling half-teasingly at him. "What could this vital assignment be? I am practically vibrating with curiosity."
Sesshōmaru let a few steps pass without a word as he stared absently at the weeping willows and more of the colourful summer flowers blooming in the distance. They had reached one of the vermillion arched bridges and they began to climb it.
"My sister is the assignment," he finally replied as they reached the top.
Kagome arched her perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. "Please, my lord, do elaborate."
"As your first assignment, I would like you to find my sister a suitable mate," he explained. "She has recently come of age. In our father's absence, the duty of ensuring she is mated to a male yōkai of suitable birth and social rank has fallen onto my lap. This matter has been on the forefront of my mind ever since she reached maturity."
It was not at all what Kagome had expected when he had proposed the arrangement last night. He must have caught the slight crease of surprise on her brows.
"Did you envision something more along the lines of espionage?" This time, it was his turn to arch his eyebrow at her. "Perhaps later. For your first assignment, I decided it would have to be something easy for you."
"Easy?" Kagome repeated. "Choosing a mate for your honoured sister is supposed to be easy? Yōkai mates for life. It is a lot of pressure you are putting on me, my Lord, to select someone your sister will be tied to for the rest of her days."
"It will be much easier for you than for me," he argued. "I am frequently away from the yōkai realm, Oiran. I possess very little knowledge of the eligible Lords suitable for her. You, on the contrary, know the ins and outs of the current social scene."
Kagome tapped the edge of her fan against her lips, contemplating his argument. Certainly, all the powerful daiyōkai visited the Pleasure District at one point or another. It was considered a prestige to seal a contract with an Oiran, or to flaunt their wealth by entertaining at teahouses. Which meant Sesshōmaru was correct: she had the advantage over him when it came to this type of knowledge.
"Alright," she conceded. "First off, what is the name of my Lord's sister?"
"Her name is Shōritomohime. Her attendants, as well as Rin, dote on her. They are fond of calling her 'Tomo-hime' or 'Shōri-hime'." He paused as though he hesitated about telling her the next piece of information. "I, however, have always called her Shōri."
Kagome nodded. Lady Shōri, then. That name might hold a special meaning to Sesshōmaru, as it meant 'victory', or 'triumph'.
"In hindsight, I should have introduced you," Sesshōmaru said, surprising her. "But— Shōri is not yet aware of my intention to have her matched and mated. And I would rather not explain it to her in public."
"I understand, my Lord." Then, after a pause, she said: "Though… I confess I had thought the lack of introduction was because I am a courtesan. A highborn such as Lady Shōri should probably not be seen in my company."
"That would be a moot point since I could sense how much she wanted to stay to converse with you."
"The feeling is mutual," Kagome replied, softly chuckling behind her fan. "If I were to choose a suitable male for her, I would very much like to get to know Lady Shōri myself."
Sesshōmaru nodded. "I am negotiating a contract with your Okami-san for you to spend a few days in my estate. You can get to know her then." He paused before he added: "And perhaps get some free time." His lips turned up into a slight smirk that could be construed as teasing if she did not know him better.
"Free time," Kagome repeated, smiling. "Such luxury."
Even during what was supposed to be her downtime, an Oiran served as a walking advertisement for her Okiya. How nice it would be to enjoy such simple pleasures as a stroll without worrying about perfection.
Her appearance constantly attracted attention. And attention brought with it some pressure. Although she had been in this profession for two decades, she was still self-conscious about the stares and the whispers. And tired of them.
"I have some business I must attend to in the human realm," Sesshōmaru said. "I may not be present during your stay, but Shōri and the staff will take good care of you."
"Is that alright, my lord?" She flashed her blue eyes at him. "The last thing I want to do is to cause unnecessary work for your sister and your staff."
Sesshōmaru scoffed. "If anything, the servants would be overjoyed to have a guest to look after, for once. You may bother them for whatever you need. As for Shōri, I am away much, and she is almost always alone. She will enjoy the company."
"Are you certain I will not be in anyone's way?"
"The estate is large, and the servants discreet," Sesshōmaru told her. "You will not see a soul for days if that is what you wish."
Kagome nodded. "Very well. Starting from tonight, I will keep my eyes and ears open for a suitable match. Is there anything else I should know, my lord?"
"Her dowry, when the time comes, will be extremely generous," Sesshōmaru said. "However— I would like her mate to be a male of means in all aspects: financial, rank, and military. I will not have her living in destitute, poor social standing, and unprotected."
So, Kagome sighed inwardly. In short, she had to find someone rich, powerful, and of noble blood. Sesshōmaru would not accept anyone less than the best.
"Goodness. Is that all? What a tall order." Kagome teased. "Well, I am no matchmaker, but I do have first-hand knowledge of all the eligible yōkai lords currently in the market for a mate. I will consult the Book when I return to the Okiya."
Sesshōmaru's forehead creased. "'The Book'?"
Each Okiya in the Pleasure District kept a record of all the patrons visiting its teahouse and entering into contract with its Oiran. Information about the patrons: his name, rank, the house he belonged to, lineage, were all detailed on the pages inside the book. Later that day, after Kagome returned to her Okiya, she flipped through its pages, sifting through hundreds of names. It was rather like finding a needle in the haystack, though it could be easily simplified through process of elimination, Kagome thought as she closed the book and placed her hand on top of the cover.
A match for the Lord of the Western Lands' sister. She would have to give it much considerations.
Kagome had not even seen the lady's face yet, but she would be willing to wager: if Lady Shōri was a fraction as beautiful as Sesshōmaru, she would have no issue attracting any lord.
Inumura Castle - The Seat of the House of the Crescent Moon
The sun was barely setting. The sky had not yet lost the brilliant blue of the day, yet the moon had emerged, half-full and low.
Shōri stood inside the pavilion floating above a pond, staring at the school of fishes swimming beneath the water's surface below. Their iridescent scales painted a colourful, beautiful moving picture as they moved swiftly around the pond.
She scattered a handful of fish food and watched them leap and swarm, their mouths opening and closing as they gorged on the pellets. It was a mundane activity, but it made her smile nonetheless.
They enjoyed such simple pleasures.
"Shōri-hime." A male voice prompted her to turn slightly and find her guard kneeling just at the entrance to the pavilion.
"Kazuhiko." She acknowledged his presence.
"You asked to be notified when Master has arrived," Kazuhiko said. "Sesshōmaru-sama is in his study."
"Thank you. I will join my brother shortly."
Kazuhiko bowed and left, just as silent as he had been. Shōri left the pavilion, though she did not go straight to the study but made a stop at the kitchen first to prepare tea the way she knew her brother liked it.
When she arrived at the study, bearing a small tray, she found him at his desk, diligently poring over an open tome. He looked up briefly from his work when she came in, though he spared no words. She placed the tray at the corner of the table and took a seat across from where he was sitting.
She had half the hope that he would open up and tell her about the encounter at the garden this morning, alas it was not to be.
"Ani-ue, that person from before." She began the conversation. "Who is she?"
"She is an acquaintance I met and fought with during the war with Naraku." After a pause, he added: "She is also — or was — Inuyasha's wife."
Shōri looked up sharply. "Ane-ue, then?" she asked. "Am I to refer to her as an older sister?"
Her brother did not reply.
"She is an Oiran, is she not?" Shōri asked, after it had become obvious that he was unwilling to respond to her previous question. "She looked so elegant and glamorous, just the way they wrote in the poems and the literature."
"She is now known as Higurashi Oiran from the Otonari house." He finally looked up from the pages to stare at her. "I have acquired her assistance and expertise to select a suitable mate for you."
Shōri's heart took a sudden plummet to the bottom of her stomach.
"A mate? For me?" Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Sesshōmaru nodded. "You have reached your age of majority. Therefore, it is only proper that you are settled with a male befitting your birth and rank."
"Must I?" She asked.
Her question prompted him to raise his eyes once again from the tomes he was inspecting.
"It is the next stage in your life." He replied in such a tone that made it clear the answer was evident and irrefutable.
"The next stage…" Shōri repeated softly. "I see. What did Mother say about this?"
"Nothing yet," Sesshōmaru said. "But Mother will approve when I inform her."
He closed his tome. His fingers briefly massaged his temple as he heaved a deep sigh. Shōri wordlessly slid the tray of refreshments closer towards him. He gave her a brisk nod of acknowledgement, and she watched him take a sip of the blend of tea she had prepared for him. Once he finished, he roused to his feet and approached the other side of the room, where the screens had been opened to showcase a beautifully manicured garden outside.
"A band of unregistered yōkai has been reported to appear in the human realm, wreaking havoc," he told her. "We do not yet know how they passed through the portal without a pass, but they managed to, somehow. Their goals are also still a mystery. I have to spend some time in the human world to take control of the situation. We do not want another hanyō abomination like Naraku to be created."
Shōri nodded. "When will you depart?"
"In two days. I hope to return in a fortnight."
"May I accompany you on your visit?" She asked.
Sesshōmaru turned away from the garden and met her gaze from across the room.
"Why do you wish to go?" He asked.
Shōri fidgeted under the weight of his golden stare. Her fingers played with the fabric of her clothing before she summoned the courage to reply.
"I would like to visit Rin and her children," she spoke softly. "It has been a long while since last I saw her. Close to ten years. And I have never even clapped eyes on her brood."
His silence made her think he was giving her request much consideration. Hope sprouted in her chest that this time he would approve.
"At the appropriate time, I will tell Jaken to bring her and her children home," he finally answered.
That hope crashed and burned as quickly as it emerged.
"Rin is a wife and mother to four children, soon to be five," Shōri pointed out. "She has her own household to manage. When would she have the time and opportunity to come home to this estate?"
"When it is appropriate," he said unaffectedly as he returned his eyes to the scenery outside.
Shōri's fingers tightened around the handful of fabric within her clutch. A tiny whisper inside urged her to drop this and back off, but a more prominent voice swallowed it down.
"But—" She argued. "Is it not easier for Rin that I visit her? Ani-ue. I will not stand in your way, I promise—"
Hearing her insistence, he turned away from the parted screens and took a few steps closer to where she sat.
"Shōri. Our family has been entrusted with guarding the borders between yōkai and human realms for generations. That is what it means to be the Lord of the Western Lands. Your Ani-ue spends much time in the human world not because he wishes to, but because it is his first and foremost duty to the Empire. These missions are not for pleasure. They are bloody and often dangerous. I cannot afford to worry about your safety when dealing with those cretins. Do you understand?"
Shōri wanted to say more, but sensing that her brother wished for the conversation to end, she lowered her head.
"Yes, Ani-ue."
"In the meantime, you can prepare gifts for Rin and her children. I will pass on your regards when I stop by the village to deliver them."
"New kimono as usual?" Shōri asked. Over the years, she had selected many kimono. First for Rin, when the girl began to reside in the village. And later on, after she married, for her children. She had gathered a few already, for autumn and winter that would be coming in a few months.
Her brother gave a brisk nod as his reply.
"Higurashi Oiran will stay here while I am away," he told her. "She wishes to get to know you so she could suggest a suitable candidate as your mate."
Her fate seemed to have been settled already. Was there even any point in trying to argue with him?
"I will endeavour to be a good host," she said.
Shōri watched him unfastening Tenseiga from his waist and placed the sword on the lacquered stand perched inside a nook on one of the walls inside the study. Bakusaiga always stayed by his side, but Tenseiga would always return to its place on the stand whenever her brother was home.
He was making his way to the door when he seemed to have received an epiphany.
"Ask Higurashi Oiran before you begin to call her 'Ane-ue'," he told her. It may not be to her liking."
She inclined her head in assent and watched him leave the room, striding along the corridor with such purpose befitting the firstborn of the House of the Crescent Moon. And just as she began to rise to her feet, her eyes fell upon Tenseiga, perching on its place as it always did in this castle.
A large painting hung above the sword. It was a portrait of their father, a dog demon in beast form as it demolished an army of yōkai rebels. His giant forepaw swiping across a sea of foes as though they were mere insects.
The legendary Inu no Taisho gave his fangs so two mighty swords could be forged: Tenseiga and Tessaiga. One sword ruled Heaven, and one sword ruled the Earth.
One sword revived one hundred souls, and one sword destroyed one hundred demons.
One sword for each of his two sons.
But none for his daughter.
Author's Notes:
Hello! Thank you so much for reading. I have a lot to say for this piece and I hope you will bear with me and indulge me by reading the following notes.
In this story, Kagome is not a geisha. She is an Oiran, a courtesan, an even older profession than Geisha. In fact, the rise of Geisha was what ended the Oiran's popularity around the Edo period.
Kagome's rank 'Tayū' is the highest of the Oiran. Back in the day, Tayū were highly accomplished and educated women, so much that they often became consort to the nobility. They also gained the nickname 'keisei', or 'castle toppler' because of their wits, intellect, and general abilities to steal the hearts of the noblemen.
There are many rules and etiquettes concerning the profession, and I will not claim to know all of them or try to research them all. I try to incorporate some that I found interesting during my research to give a taste of authenticity. However, remember that Kagome is a courtesan in the yōkai realm, not human's. Thus, I do take some creative liberties with the details, as it is part of the world-building I am creating just for this story.
Lastly, Sesshōmaru's sister. I have always liked the idea of him having a sister, and I am happy to be able to write her into this story. In all of my stories, I try to portray the female yōkai as having equal power as their male counterparts. This story is no exception, though I think you would agree that Sesshōmaru's sister is perhaps living a life inside a very beautiful cage in this chapter. I like the juxtaposition between Kagome, a human woman who is 'free' and powerful in her own right in the world of yōkai, versus Shori, the sister of a mighty yōkai lord but perhaps not having so much freedom or power.
I have no idea where this story is going, but I am certainly having fun with it. I hope you have all enjoyed what I have put out there. I thank you so much for your enthusiasm and your support.
Take care and until next time!
