The Lost Flower of the Hidden Leaf (WIP - On Hiatus)

Chapter Four; Weakness

"I didn't mean to interrupt," she said, entering the kitchen.

"You're not. Would you like to have some tea with me?"

"Ah... sure." Katana reached up into the cupboard to take out two cups. "Would you like me to start breakfast?"

"That is no longer your task, Katana." Mameha carried the pot of freshly brewed tea to the table. "You are maiko now."

"I thought it was important we kept up our cooking skills?"

"It is. But we are not the ones you have to beguile, are we?"

Katana lowered her head, letting Mameha serve the tea. The sweet fragrance of white tea and cherry usually comforted her, but it failed to do so now, when she was once again reminded of the awful twist in her life. Something weighed heavily on her ever since talking to Sasuke, and she needed to know about it.

"Mameha... Do you really already expect me to... do that?"

"That? Care to elaborate?" The geisha's dark eyes glanced at Katana over the cup she brought to her lips. 

"I'm not stupid, Mameha," Katana answered, blunter than she meant to. "I know geisha sometimes have to... get intimate with someone for the sake of the mission. You have our test at age sixteen for that reason, don't you?"

"It's too early for you to worry about such a thing. When the time comes, I will guide you as I have done with all maiko before you. But that won't be for many moons and years yet. I hope that answers your question somewhat?"

It didn't. Not by a long shot. But if there was one thing Katana was reassured of now, it was that Mameha would never make her do anything before she was old enough and ready. 

"When will I have my first lesson?" she asked.

"Soon. There are some things I need to arrange, so you will accompany me to some establishments the following days. You cannot become a geisha if you do not have the attributes. We will acquire what you need, and while we are gone, the servants will move your things to your room."

Katana frowned. "My room? I don't have to sleep with the other trainees anymore?"

"Heavens, no. You have no privacy at all in the dormitory. Your first three kimonos alone will take up an entire closet. And you need an adequate dresser to sit at for your hair and make-up. You will be assigned a helper as well to —"

"Kagami."

Mameha smirked at the interruption. "You believe you get to choose?"

"I'm becoming a geisha before I'm ready by your own standards. That should get me something, don't you think?"

The geisha's expression remained perfectly poised as always, but her gaze darkened. Katana forced herself to meet that gaze. She couldn't give this up. If she had Kagami as her helper, she wouldn't be Kitiara's anymore. She'd be spared from being at that wretched demon's beck and call.

"All right," said Mameha then, much to Katana's surprise. "I will reassign Kagami to you. Anything else you would like to request?"

Katana bit her lip. Did she dare? "Can I have her room?"

Mameha's jaw clenched. Katana didn't need to speak Yuna's name for Mameha to know she spoke of her. Her last maiko was the greatest taboo in the okiya. Everyone knew Mameha blamed herself for not stopping Yuna from going after Itachi Uchiha after he murdered his clan. At the time, they all thought Yuna would be the one person Itachi would surely never hurt. How wrong they were...

"Very well," conceded Mameha eventually. "You will need to air it out for a few days, but yes, you may have her room. On one condition, though. You must swear to me now that you will do as I say when I say it."