When the peonies bloom.

Late Autumn Part 1

"Telling me that you're as fine is about as true as the sky's ability to rain gold coins."

Tomo came a little closer to look at her mistress' face.

"You're breaking out in sweat. You're worried over something aren't you. Sit and tell me."

"You can't do that." She hissed, partially from her pain as she lowered her body.

Tomo's unwavering stare of a parent by their child's lie made Hyosaku sighed and her body collapsed back on her cushion.

"Not that anyone can help". She mumbled. "Well not without costs." She added, this time a little louder. "If I have to go see the doctors at the hospital, it'll only add to the mountain of debt that is already as tall as Mt. Fuji itself. I will never leave this place alive."

Tomo was surprised that her lady of grandeur would ever talk about the shackles that wrapped around her feet, hidden by her lavish and long silks dresses.

"Don't say that!" Tomo said dismissively. She cleared her throat and continued in an assuring tone. "You can't be the best for your clients, if you are not well. That much you know as well as I do. Hm? And you won't repay your said debt when you are not well." Tomo tried to reason sternly.

Hyosaku found no saliva in that instance to respond to her body guard's hard words.

"But I can help, only if you tell me what you have felt." Tomo rested her palm on the back of her mistress' hand and wrapped her fingers around hers.

Hyosaku raised her unsure eyes to Tomo's then looked away. As if to say 'alright, not that I have any choice."

"This pain, it's just not going away... down there." Her mistress revealed gingerly. Her eyes glanced sideways to avoid any contact

"Are there red or sore bumps down there?"

"No... but it's just very painful... how do I explain it? It's like there is this fire burning inside me when I need to... you know, go to use the bathroom."

Hyosaku looked squeamish, like she was talking about the most absurd, disgusting thing happening in her known universe.

It did want to make Tomo laugh but she knew any hint of mirth would send her mistress' ego in a million pieces.

"I don't know what is happening." She continued to whisper. "Please don't tell me I am going to burst into rashes and sores! Will it go away? Will big boils grow on my face and make my nose fall off" The horror stories of courtesans being exiled from their house after contracting mysterious disfiguring illness frightened the great courtesan as something very vividly real in that instant.

"Cloudy urine? Weak urine flow?" Tomo continued to ask without a pause to divert her mistress' panic elsewhere. She tried to put a stop to her humour as she found her mistress becoming increasingly anxious. Maybe that was slightly mean on second thoughts.

"How do you know?" Hyosaku moaned.

"I-... it's none of your business." Tomo gave her a confident sneer and crossed her arms to throw her off guard.

Suddenly it clicked in her mind. "Do you have it too? How- did you get it?" Hyosaku's eyes became wide as rice bowls.

"I won't say." Tomo cut her off with a flick of her hand and turned her face to the side, her eyes focused on the ceiling.

"Please I need to know. How are you not in pain from it?" Hyosaky begged, she almost clambered up towards Tomo, over her low table. Tomo felt bad for showing mirth on her face.

"I didn't say anything. Tomo raised her hand and got up from her seat position.

"Is it serious?"