White Butterfly : Chapter 5
Ran did not share his breakfast with Crawford the next morning as Crawford took the opportunity to acquire some things for himself. He returned by late morning and asked Ran to join him in the music room. Unlike the rest of the house the music room, on the first floor, was almost completely enclosed off the observatory. It had no windows, and contained many wooden tansu. Ran knelt on a cushion, he only wore a light yukuta and hakama pants.
Baba had tied up the cut of his hair so that it was almost elegant leaving two long bangs to frame his face but shortened at the front to cover his eyes. He looked older.
Next to Crawford was a calligrapher. His eyes were avaricious beads, and he was loosely dressed, revealing a bird thin rib cage. He had his tools in front of him. “Is this the boy?” He asked.
Crawford grunted agreement. He was drinking in the sight of Ran like this, totally subservient and very much afraid.
“And this is the lettering?” the Calligrapher asked.
Crawford nodded. “I would like to watch.” He said calmly.
“By your will,” in front of him he had a small lacquered box which he opened.
“Ran,” Crawford said, “remove your yukuta and sit here, facing the wall.” Ran did as he was told. He could not see what was happening. He could hear the sound of stone grating and then the sound of liquid being poured into a stone dish, then other sounds he could not recognise.
The calligrapher’s hands were cold on his head when they arranged him, then there was the cool cold swipe of a badger hair brush on the back of his neck, down to the well between his shoulder blades. “Are you sure of the design?” The calligrapher asked.
Crawford agreed.
It was torture, Ran thought, as the tiny needles pierced the skin, embossing him with the design. He had seen horimono done before. He knew what was happening. It was Crawford’s right, he supposed. There was a bamboo wand to which several sharp slivers of metal had been tied. This was struck with a second wand to slightly pierce the skin and push the ink inside. It was a slow and laborious process. It was also, Ran noticed, slightly short of painful. It was like being bitten by mosquitos but being unable to strike at them.
“If you cannot sit still.” The calligrapher said, “I will have you tied.”
“Sumimasen.” Ran said and tried his best to remain still, but that in itself was torturous.
“You were right, Crawford-san,” the calligrapher said without pausing in his work, “it is the right shade for the boy.”
“It is the colour of his eyes,” Crawford answered and Ran knew then the colour of the tattoo they were impressing on him.
After an interminable age the calligrapher was done and rubbed the stinging flesh with foul smelling grease and then pressed a square of cloth to it. “And the payment we agreed, Crawford-san?”
“Meet Baba-san downstairs.” Crawford said, “She will see that you get what you deserve.” He turned his attention to his concubine, “attend me, Ran, I understand there is some misunderstanding between us, I would resolve it.” Ran pulled on the yukuta, hissing as it touched the fresh ink on his neck.
He walked slightly behind Crawford down the stairs to the central corridor and then through the burial room to the veranda and stepped down to the cherry orchard. “Master,” Ran protested, “you said I should not leave the house.”
Crawford’s smile was indulgent, “and so you shall not, except by my side. There may be a time I will take you places and I can not do that if you cannot leave my house.” He held out his hand and warily Ran took it, slipped on the shoes on the steps and unto the grass amongst the trees. “I will not hurt you, Ran,” Crawford murmured, Ran only looked at the two broken fingers on his hand, Crawford noticed the gesture. “Except when you make me.” He stopped, “Baba told me to talk to you, she said you were unsure of your place. I would solve that issue for you. But,” he stopped and looked around, “these walls have ears.”
He led him around the lake to a quiet cove far from the boathouse. It was a place Ran had played as a child but he did not tell his master that. It was sheltered from prying eyes by a large willow tree. “I have sent to Kyoto for a yujo to train you, her name is Hikarin.” Crawford blurted out, “I,” he stopped, he didn’t know why being around Ran robbed him of his precious control, but he did. “I was going to arrange Mizuage.”
“Oh,” was all that Ran said.
“Do you wish it?” Crawford asked, “Hikarin will train you, that you receive such training is inevitable, and beyond both of our control.” He reached out and touched Ran’s cheeks and the dark purple bruising on his face, “but mizuage belongs to you, I was not going to auction you off, just to give you what every Tayu has ever received, a first time all his or her own.”
“By your will, master.” Ran said.
“Ran,” Crawford snapped, losing his temper with the boy he knew wasn’t as docile as he looked. “There is little I can give you choices in, do you want this?”
“Does it matter?” Ran asked, his eyes finally showing a spark of his personality that was obviously buried under a plethora of disdain and duty.
“I suppose not.” Crawford answered. “I just don’t want to be a cruel master.”
Ran raised his hand, “you are cruel in ways you do not know, I am your servant, let me serve you.”
Crawford raised his hand in a command, “no,” he said, “not here, not for your first time.” He was adamant about that. “Tell me about your parents.”
Ran lowered his head but answered him regardless.
Crawford was sat in the fire room when the bundle of blonde energy came bursting in shouting “Ran-nii” at the top of his lungs. This, Crawford decided, had to be Takatori Mamoru. He had been told the boy was genki but he had had no idea it was this bad. Beside him stood a boy more of an age with Ran with mud brown hair and colour changing eyes. “Ran-nii.”
It was Naoe who stood up to welcome the child. “Who are you? What do you want?”
The boy held out a small reed basket. “I’m here to see Ran-nii.” The boy said proudly, he was slightly older than Naoe but not as mature, he was obviously spoiled.
Baba came in, “Ouji-sama,” she said with a slight incline of the head, but there was none of the affection she showered both Ran and Naoe with. “Ken-san.”
“Ba-chan.” The boy enthused literally launching himself across the room. Baba stepped back rather politely, Crawford thought, as though she might get something on her kimono. “I can to see Ran-nii but he’s not here.”
“No, ouji-sama.” Baba said in the tone of deference Crawford could never get out of her, “he’s sleeping, he had a long night and we decided it would be best to let him rest. Can I pass on a message?”
The child beamed, his large blue eyes almost glowing in the firelight. “Mama asked me to bring this for him, can you give it to him?” Baba took the basket with another low bow then swept away.
“What was it?” Naoe asked, indignant at this slightly older boy who acted so much younger.
“A puppy, Mama said that Okaasan’s bitch had had puppies and that she had heard that Ran was to have one and she had three of them, there were only four, so she thought it was okay to give Ran-nii one. I would have liked to give it to him myself but if he’s sleeping.” He grinned then as Naoe tried hard to follow the stream of words, “I’m Mamoru but everyone calls me Omi, and this is Ken,” he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “he’s to stop me being kidnapped, who are you?”
“Naoe,” he answered, “Nagi Naoe.”
“Mama-Birman’s cat has just had kittens, wanna come see?” Omi asked excitedly. Naoe looked at Crawford to be forbidden, but Crawford nodded so Naoe just agreed and went with him. “They’re fudge coloured apart from one and he’s a got a black face and Mama says that I can have one, we’ll go and see the kittens and I can introduce you to Mama-Birman and Mama and maybe even Papa if he’s there, but Papa has a lot of business.” He turned his attention to Crawford, “you must be Crawford-sama.” He said brightly, “I am pleased to meet you.” He bowed clumsily. “And be nice to Ran-nii, he’s not as strong as he wants you to think he is, and Shion wants to know when he can restart Ran’s kendo lessons.”
“Ran takes kendo?” Crawford asked, he did not know that.
“Uh huh, he’s really good, Shion thinks he might be better than him with practise.” Omi babbled.
“Omi,” Ken said from the doorway, “I’m sure we’ve taken up enough of the gentleman’s time.” It was a chide.
“Sorry,” Omi almost shouted the word, bowed again and then taking a rather unwilling Naoe by the hand and almost dragging him towards the genkan.
Crawford just shook his head and returned his attention to the map of the house he was trying to work out.
Ran was sat on the veranda and in truth had heard Omi but having no desire to explain his bruises or broken fingers to the boy had begged off and Baba, strangely, had indulged him in that.
She came out and nestled her old bones beside him. “The Takatori are sending you gifts.” She said, “your master said you might like a puppy, Manx-sama heard of it and sent you this.” She thrust the basket she had taken from Omi at him.
Ran pulled back the cloth to reveal a small sleeping chin puppy. It had black and white markings and was nosing at the flannel cloth it was sleeping on. Ran lifted the dog from the basket turning it over, “it’s a bitch,” he said and watched as the tiny bundle wriggled then snuggled into his hand. “I’ll call her Kimi.” He said sadly and then nuzzled the puppy with his nose.
“She will be spoiled.” Baba said with a slight laugh. Ran offered her a meek smile before he tucked the puppy into the line of his yukuta to rest in the fold above his obi.
Hikarin was among the most prized of Kyoto’s Yujo but she had never received the rank of Tayu. It was a bone of contention that her sister Bikiko had. The Tayu were the most honoured, the most praised, the most expensive, and with her naturally blonde hair and fair complexion Hikarin believed she was worthy of the position. She had entertained the emperor. But Hikarin was not as clever as her sister and it was that that separated them.
Crawford had chosen her to train Ran for several reasons, including that it was unlikely she would be missed in Kyoto the way her sister would have been.
She was beautiful; with all the artifice a portable tansu of concoctions and creams could make her.
She walked into the Fujimiya house with her head held high under her veil and made a beeline for Crawford who neatly side stepped her advance. “Hikarin,” he said with a slight bow of the head, “you came.”
“You summoned, my lord.” She said in a breathy voice. “I did not realise the journey was so long or I might be fresher upon my arrival.”
“We’d have been here days ago,” Schuldig sniped from behind her, “if she would rise before noon.”
“And then,” Yohji added from his side, “there is the three hours preparation, even on a journey she has to be fully made up.”
“It is a lady’s duty to look her best at all times.” Hikarin answered sharply.
She twisted her fingers in the folds of Crawford’s kimono. “I missed you about town, my lord.” She said softly, “did you miss me?”
Like most of the women of fashion Hikarin wore heavy layers of fabric that were designed to show off the colour of her skin and hair, and although she wore a veil over her face it was almost completely transparent and showed how she had whitened her skin and blackened her teeth with iron filings so her mouth was a black hole.
“Like the plague.” Schuldig said behind her. Yohji snickered at the joke.
Hikarin flicked out her fan in annoyance like a weapon. She was obviously trying to charm Crawford who had never had any interest in her, at least not like that. Hikarin, however, was a master of her art, with her brushes and paints she turned a girl who was in fact rather plain, although blessed with grey eyes and blonde hair, and Crawford would like to see how she would paint Ran.
Though her sister was brilliant Hikarin was a dullard.
“Schuldig, set Hikarin up in the cage room, it has the best views over the lake.” Crawford said quietly disengaging himself from her wandering fingers, it also had the advantage of being on the complete opposite side of the house from him. It would mean she would have to cross the entire house to get to the room he had chosen as his own. “It also has the nicest of the furniture and is away from the bustle of the main house. It will suit you,” he turned his attention to the yujo in front of him, “no one will disturb your obviously important beauty sleep. You can meet your charge after breakfast tomorrow.”
Hikarin scowled but accepted the information with brittle grace. She was obviously not happy about it but she could not countermand him, especially in front of his men.
Crawford met with Ran and his new puppy at supper. Ran was feeding the tiny creature with scraps of fish and meat from his own plate and smiling as the puppy attempted to suckle his fingertips in thanks for the food.
“Do you like him?” Crawford asked.
“It’s a bitch,” Ran corrected, “thank you, master, for letting me keep her. I’ve called her Kimi.”
Crawford kept quiet about the detail that he had to accept the gift from the Takatori to provoke a response from Reiji. “Ba-chan says I’ll spoil her.”
“She’s yours to spoil.” Crawford answered calmly as Ran set the puppy on the matting; it curled up on the sprawl of his robe to sleep. Even Crawford smiled indulgently at her. Baba was right- the puppy would be spoiled.
“I was lonely, master, it made me,” he paused looking for the word.
“I understand.” Crawford answered. “Your tutor has arrived from Kyoto, you must mind her manner, she is better at what she does than she first appears and you must watch yourself around her, she can be spiteful.”
Ran nodded, “yes, master.” He stopped, sipping his tea, “master,” Crawford looked at him quizzically, Ran was not given to addressing him except to answer him. The only exception had been in his suicidal rage. “Thank you. Ba-chan made me realise just how kind to me that you were.”
Crawford shrugged, “I told you,” he said putting down his chopsticks, “I am not a cruel master, except when you give me cause to be.”
Ran nodded, “but thank you. You didn’t have to be so kind.”
Crawford couldn’t think of an answer to that. “Ran,” he said eventually, “would you like to stay with me tonight?” Ran’s face contorted with thought. “It is your decision, though I would like it if you would.”
“I don’t know, master,” Ran said scooping up his puppy. “I don’t know how. I am confused. I challenged you, Ba-chan,” he stopped. “My apologies, I am out of my depth, even Naoe knows more than I.”
Crawford chuckled. “Does that make me a terrible man for finding that one of the most charming attributes about you?”
“Master, I’m out of my depth.” Ran said, lowering his eyes, his attention on the puppy in his hands.
“I know,” Crawford said, cupping the boy’s face gently. “That is why I am letting you walk away.”
“I don’t know if I should.” Ran said quietly, holding the puppy in one palm now, it was that small and bringing it to his face. “I am lost, master.”
Crawford reached forward and pulled Ran so that he was lying with his head on Crawford’s knee, stroking the boy’s hair, “I know, little one, I know.”
Glossary
Ameratsu – The Sun goddess of Shinto.
Bikiko - Hel
Dairai – imperial court
Daimyo – a landowner or lord.
Danna – a patron
Doitsujin - German person
Fundoshi – a wrapped loincloth worn by men.
Gaiden – legend.
Gaijin – Foreigner
Genkan – small area in front of the door where shoes are kept.
Genki – chipper
Hakama – split culottes
Hanzubon – shorts
Hikarin – Schoen
Horimono – Japanese tattooing
Juni Hitoe – Lit twelve layers but the many layered kimono of the Heian period before the sumptuary laws, this could be over forty layers of fabric.
Kaasan – Mother
Kimi – she who is without equal.
Kimono – a decorated robe
Konketsu – half-breed.
Kyu – the lowest ranking in Go
Mizuage – a deflowering ceremony
Moku – two corresponding lines in go – marks one area.
Monogatori – lit: story of a person; romances or stories.
Nagajubon – a light white kimono worn under the more ornate robes.
Natto - fermented soybeans
Nigiri – a pressed rice ball
Nihonjin – Japanese person
Obi – the wide belt used to fasten a kimono
Okaasan - mother
Omemie - Neu
Omusubi – wrapped rice balls
Onmyoji – sorcerer
Ouji-sama – your highness.
Seppuku – ritual suicide by disembowelling.
Shibari - the art of rope tying.
Sumimasen – the most formal way of apologising, I used this because there is no English equivalent.
Tabi – split toed socks
Takoyaki – fried balls of octopus and flour.
Tansu – a Japanese chest. This is a distinct style.
Tanto – a short bladed sword, usually used by women, part of a set.
Tatami – a mat, rooms are measured by tatami.
Tayu – a very high-class courtesan, also called an Oiran
Usagi - Todt
Yukuta – a light cotton kimono worn for sleeping or festivals.
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