This story is not exact to any actual characters or place in any time in history nor is it based on any persons living or dead. It is modeled after ancient Japan.
"What do you think you are doing you impudent whore? How dare you talk back to me, Yuriko! I ought to kill you now and send you to the depths of hell!" He smacked her again, drawing a line of blood from her lip to match her bloodied nose and bruised cheeks and eyes, which were downcast and deeply afraid. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his smoldering eyes. "But that would be too good for a whore like you. Not even hell would keep you!" He pushed her to the ground, pointing and laughing at her as she fell in a large mud puddle, sobbing. "Now you look as dirty as you are, whore!" He continued laughing as she sobbed in the mud, feeling completely helpless. How had she survived three years as this man's wife? Images of her lifeless body floating upon the pond behind their home became more comforting...yes she would drown hers- - her thought process was interrupted as she heard a strange wet noise, and felt something splatter on her. She looked up, and saw a large samurai sword sticking out from the gut of her husband. She glanced at his shocked face before he was pushed off the sword and aside. A hand reached out to her, and she took it, pulling herself up out of the mud. His other hand, holding the sword, expertly flicked off the blood and slid it back into its case.
The samurai was dressed plainly, in what appeared to be a simple black kimono, accented with brilliant jade. But looking closer, one could see the imperial symbol and dragon elegantly printed into the fabric. She immediately fell to the mud again, bowing and touching her head to the ground before the royal samurai. A gruff laugh escaped his lips before he yanked her up again. "I desire no formalities. You are to come with me, for you have business with the Empress." The girls mouth dropped and the samurai let another gruff laugh escape before he turned on the heel of his sandals. "Follow me." It didn't take much encouragement as she quickly followed after his retreating form.
Neither one spoke as they made their way towards the towering Imperial Palace in the distance.
Business with the Empress? Whatever kind of business could she have with the Empress? She couldn't even remember ever having SEEN the Empress, let alone have had any contact that would warrant business. She had led a quiet life with her horrible beast of a husband - which reminded her that she should eventually have to thank the samurai for taking care of him for her - helping him run their small tea shop in the middle of town. She hadn't broken any laws, or done anything of merit. Really she was just an ordinary girl who had lived an extraordinarily unhappy life of 23 years. Perhaps this event was the Fortunes finally smiling upon her? She smiled to herself at this thought, and picked up her speed to catch up with the fast paced samurai.
Her mouth dropped open again as they came to the gate of the looming, huge, magnificent palace. Covered in gold, jade, and the finest materials known to man it was the most amazing structure in all of the land. Home to the son of the Sun God, as her people believed that each Emperor was the voice of the Sun God on Earth - the supreme ruler of the land. The funny thing was, he was never there - at least this Emperor never was. He was always off leading his troops into different lands, invading and protecting, protecting and invading. It was rumored that the Empress herself did most of the ruling within the main city and surrounding lands. She was a strong, powerful woman who was admired by many and hated by just as many.
Her mouth continued to gape as she passed what seemed to be hundreds of rooms filled with courtesans, warriors, art work, geisha, swords, dragons, phoenix - everywhere she looked she saw more and more beautiful things than she had ever seen before. Suddenly the samurai came to a stop and she almost fell over herself to keep from running into him. He pulled open one of the few solid wooden doors she had seen, and large wafts of steam came out. He led her inside what appeared to be a bathing room. He turned to her and motioned to the steaming pool of water sunken into the intricate marble and jade floor. "Here you can bathe and dress before seeing the Empress. I will wait outside the door for you until you are finished." He promptly bowed, backed out of the room, and shut the door before she could thank him.
Yuriko paced around the small but beautiful room, and her eyes landed on the kimono hanging at the back of the room. She gently traced her fingers along its edges - it was made of the finest fabric she had ever felt. It was a deep blue edged with gold, and was patterned with small lilies. She smiled, and couldn't wait to bathe to then try it on. She slipped out of her muddy kimono and gently folded it and placed it on the small ledge that surrounded the room. She stepped down into the bath, instantly gasping at its pleasant warmth.
It had been so long since she had taken a nice hot bath - in fact she couldn't even remember the last time she had taken one. She washed her slender but firm body - she was very fit from being on her feet constantly in their tea house and having to carry things everywhere she went. While her husband called her too manly for being muscular, she appreciated her well muscled form - from her square shoulders, medium sized breasts, smooth stomach, and shapely rear. She was not the usual thin waif that most of the girls her age were running around as.
After cleaning away the dirt and grim it was apparent that her skin was very slightly tan where her kimono did not touch and the sun could kiss her skin which was also slightly roughed from hard labor - but immaculate and without overt blemish. She carefully washed the mud and dirt out of her long ebony hair which reached down to the bottom of her shoulder blades, a cascade of ebony silk down her back. She took her time braiding it into a single braid that hung down her back, and would sway with each movement of her body. Feeling refreshed, she stepped out of the bath and slipped into the kimono. It was short - cut just at her knees to reveal her well toned legs. The blue was a perfect compliment to her skin, and the soft material clung to her body, and although she was completely covered, she felt slightly exposed - but sensual in a way she had not known before.
She smoothed the kimono one more time, self consciously, and opened the door. As he said, the samurai was waiting outside for her. He smiled and bowed to her, and motioned for her to follow him. After traversing a few more hallways, and receiving many strange almost knowing looks, they came to two huge mahogany doors. Upon the doors were numerous phoenix (the symbol of the Empress), carved masterfully into the beautiful rich wood. With a soft grunt and a shove, the samurai opened the doors and motioned for her to enter the Empress' chambers. In the middle of the room, against the back wall was a large bed. Yuriko had only heard descriptions of such things from travelers, as sofas and mats were the more common sleeping apparatuses in their lands.
