Chiyo sat in her palanquin as her newly assigned guard men carried her to the Royal family shrines run by the Faithful Concubines. Chiyo felt quite proud of her self for the strife she caused Jade and was quite bored and decided to explore the palace. Chiyo was slightly unhappy to be carried due to belief that if she touched the ground in such a place that jealous spirits would take her child.
The cold air made contact with Chiyo's face as the guards men set her down to look at her surroundings which smelled like death. Plum trees were scattered throughout the shrines. In the center of an unmarked grave lay one lone young sakura tree.
Sounds of approaching footsteps distracted Chiyo who turned around to see groups of bald women walking towards her with a deep bow. Chiyo tilted her head curious about the odd looking women who all had slight imperfections where she compared to them was a goddess. Chiyo raised her hand and the women rose all as one.
One woman wearing darker clothing than the rest walked closer and began to speak.
"We welcome you High Motherly Empress." The woman said. Chiyo simply nodded.
"Why do you all have shaved heads?" Chiyo asked confused. The woman breathed in and inhaled grasping her hands in a position which the rest of the women copied perfectly.
"We do not need hair as we seek no vanity or those that cause wickedness of the world. We only seek refuge in the holy presence the spirits and nature provides." Chiyo gaped her mouth open slightly shocked at the word's the woman spoke for they were so eloquent but so insane. Chiyo could never understand these petty women or their faith the woman in black spoke of.
"Very well then." Chiyo said raising her hands to signal her guards to take her away back to her chambers.