fic: White butterfly 23
Title: White Butterfly 23
Author: Seraphim Grace
Archive: http://www.geocities.com/taliasen1256.html, http://www.Seraphim-grace.livejournal.com. If you want it ask.
Feedback: Always appreciated and replied to.
Rating: 18.
Pairings: Crawford x Ran others to be notified later.
Warnings: Het, yaoi, vast cast.
Tai’itsu-kun was the master of Gifu castle in all but name. She ruled over her family, the Taira, with love and understanding and the occasional iron rod. She maintained marriages between the Taira, the Sano and the Nakatsu, the other scion family, with a sort of amused air to keep the Taira’s power and wealth whole.
She stood no taller than Aya’s hip, and wore elaborate kimono and headdress to make herself seem much larger and more powerful, but there was not a man in the entire region that would speak out against her. Calling her Tai’itsu-sama, as she was entitled by marriage, would result in a foul temper, and if you were lucky, only a blow to the head from her knobbled cane. She had become Tai’itsu-kun when she had been the fourth wife of the late Taira lord, the grandfather of the current incumbent, and she saw no reason to either change it or back down.
Her attendant was a woman who stood only barely taller than Tai’itsu-kun herself and had lost her name to years of service becoming Nyan-Nyan in its place. She ran the castle for Tai’itsu-kun and had been caretaker to both Sano and his brother.
Aya had spent most of his childhood terrified of the two of them, and now, as an adult, he had not changed his opinion much. She was the sort of woman who did not grow older as much as thinner and meaner and constantly wore a scowl as if she was constantly sucking on a lemon. She met them just inside the main hall, climbing to her feet with a great show of age and creaking of bones and a truly dark glare before hobbling over them leaning heavily on her stick. Nyan-Nyan was just behind her; her hair pulled up into two austere knots and her the top of her outer kimono hanging loose at her waist to make her task of beading easier with her arms free of the heavy fabric.
Aya watched the instinctive flinch from both Ken, who had left Naoe in his futon, and Fuji, who, although they had never met her, both knew women enough like her to fear her. "You are skin and bones," she said reaching up to pinch Aya’s arms, "I am surprised Baba let you travel with so little meat on you, and the new servant that this Crawford," she managed to drag the name out into a slur "gave you, not you, Kenken," she said reaching up to squeeze his cheek, "the little one, I am led to believe that he has lungs so weak it is unlikely he will survive the winter."
"He refused to let me come with out him." Aya told her, chastened.
"You always were too soft with your servants," she said, and turned around, "but bear in mind, Ran-kun, if he dies on my property he will be buried here, no matter what instructions his owner might have left. It is shameful he let the boy get so ill, I imagine Baba sent him with a tincture and instructions on his care." She was continuing blithely on her own as she crossed the room and went back to the fire pit where she had been working at her own lap loom.
She sat down with wide legs and a creaking, one hand resting on her thigh to make sure she did not fall over. Aya was only vaguely aware of how old Tai’itsu-kun was, but he did know she was older than Baba, who he considered to have been around at creation when Ameratsu had left the cave. He was also convinced, with the naiveté of youth about such matters, that Tai’itsu-kun had been there when the goddess had entered it.
She was old, and Aya was terrified of her.
It seemed, Aya thought, looking around, that Fuji was as well, though he had never met the matriarch of the Taira house before. He maintained his closed eye smile but Aya was learning to read him, his shoulders were tight, and his hands pink from more than the cold. “And you,” she said turning to Fuji, “which of the Fuji are you? The deviant,” she watched Fuji flinch with a certain satisfaction, “or the older brother?”
A little of the tension slipped from Fuji’s shoulders as he saw the old woman’s small smile, “The older brother,” he answered, “Fuji Syuusuke, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“Mitsuki-kun tells me you offered to paint her, I am glad you are the older brother, because I would have had to have the deviant killed.”
Fuji’s smile remained closed eyed and mocking, “I’m sure my otouto would be glad that his fame has spread so far.” He bowed his head, his tan coloured hair shimmering in the fire light, “even if it is just his infamy.”
“I know a lot about you, too, Fuji Syuusuke, the empress’ Calligrapher.” Tai’itsu-kun said, “and I must admit that I do not care that you spend as much time as you do with our little Ran-kun. He may be a Fujimiya but close enough to Taira that I consider him one of my own brood.” Her eyebrows lowered over her thin watery eyes as she appraised him, “I understand that fate has thrown him in with the imperial negotiator but what is your purpose in the Fujimiya house?” Tai’itsu-kun was not one to wait on formalities.
“The imperial negotiator, Crawford, is married to my sister, he invited me to the estate that his Aya no Bara,” he looked at Aya when he said this, “might understand court, also my sister is there, and I arrived in the company of Tezuka-Buchou who Crawford intends to train his tayu,” he said that word deliberately, “in the art of the sword, as I am to teach him in the art of the pen.”
Tai’itsu-kun laughed, a short brittle sound, her hands on her thighs as she leant forward, then coughed and spat into the fire. “Such a slick tongue,” she said, “I have no use for flatterers or liars, you are lucky that there is truth in your words or I might cast you out into the snow. Izumi-kun and Takuto-kun are young and might be swayed by pretty words, and I will not be around in House Taira forever, but, I am not so old that I will be swayed by a pair of pretty blue eyes.”
Fuji laughed, his eyes flickering open to show a sliver of blue before he took up his own usual mask. “But Tai’itsu-kun,” he said, “such beauty and wisdom could sway a pair of pretty blue eyes even when they are already held by a scowl.”
Tai’itsu-kun laughed out loud, “Do not think, Fuji-san, that because you make me laugh I will forgive you your family’s atrocities at court. You serve the empress and I question that, as she is not as loyal to her husband and his house as is proper. She is a Sohma first and Tohma second.” She spat into the fire again, with the kind of indulgence that was allowed in the very old.
“You should have come to us, Aya,” she tasted the name and found it displeasing, “we are almost family after all, and instead you have found yourself the bed-warmer of an imperial wolf. I would walk about the veranda,” she said, “and you will accompany me, Nyan-Nyan, make sure that all is well for our guest, and his guest,” she looked at Fuji, “also, make sure the chiurgeon is available for the boy, it is an ill omen if he expires in our care.”
The snow had been scraped back from the ornamental gardens as Aya walked alongside Tai’itsu-kun, she took her time because she was old and he found himself taking three steps for every one of his. “Izumi-kun said that you had cut your hair, you had such beautiful hair.” She creaked as she walked, her cane thudding on the wooden floor as she shuffled along under her layers of silk and fur. “I understand that the lie meant that you would not seek comfort here, and I lament that, child,” she looked up at him, “but you did not need to whore yourself to the imperial dogs.”
“The Takatori made a compelling case.” Aya said sadly, “and I was swept up in grief and rage.”
“Did they hurt you?” She asked, “I cannot rouse the Taira armies in your name, but perhaps three hundred of my personal guard might suffice.”
“Crawford has promised me the head of Takatori Reiji, he found the price for my service.” Aya lowered his eyes to look out across the snow covered bushes. “He has been sent by the Emperor to destroy the Takatori, he has not lied to me.”
“But has he hurt you?” Tai’itsu-kun pressed.
“Once, he brought me a teacher from Kyoto who poisoned me, and him against me, he hurt me, but it was only once and I am assured by his wife and his servants that they would act out against him for it was so out of character. We have come to an agreement.” He sighed, “he is honest.” He paused again, “he does not push me for the Fujimiya wealth that was hidden from the Takatori, or the secrets of the house. I watch as he destroys the Takatori, I did not know how badly that they had destroyed my family, the treacheries that they wrought in Reiji’s greed. Crawford has taken my sister from their clutches without my asking, he does not keep me from her, and he will allow me the revenge. He asks such a little thing in exchange.” He blushed a little, “he treats me like his wife, and he does not hurt me in his passion, and is considerate of me. He makes sure I take my pleasure, so is it so terrible a thing?”
Tai’itsu-kun laughed. “You are doing what every woman is expected to do but without the contract of marriage. Do you think that this Crawford will discard you when you are no longer so beautiful?”
“I am not beautiful.” Aya answered, “his wife called me the Aya no Bara because of the scent of the water with which Baba washed my hair, I am strange looking, Tai’itsu-kun, not beautiful, and I shall honour my family code when I have killed Takatori, once they are destroyed.”
Tai’itsu-kun was silent for a moment, “take your pleasure where it is offered.” She said finally, “but know which side of your futon to lie on, and if it comes to doing right by your family’s honour remember more than one must be avenged for it.”
Aya’s smile was coldly brilliant, “he teaches me so much,” he said, “I do not think that he realises that when I have no more use for him that I shall kill him.”
Tai’itsu-kun was silent for a while, “and what shall you do with the boy that is dying in your care?”
“What choices do I have, I can ease his suffering and slit his throat, telling Crawford that he died here, or I can let him suffer?”
“What about Rao?” Tai’itsu-kun said, “but can you pay the coin necessary for such a thing.”
“I don’t know.” Aya said, “and I am unsure if I even wish to pay it.”
“There are other things she can do,” the old lady said as she started to walk along, “don’t forget she is a Fujimiya too and she was wronged just as you were. She might save the boy to use him to destroy the Takatori.” She shivered, “she has sent word that she wishes to see you, I know better than to argue with her, the House of Sleep is nominally on Taira land and we are not so powerful that she could not destroy us if she decided upon it.”
“What about Fuji?” Aya asked, “I imagine Crawford will be angered if he is murdered in his sleep.”
“He might fall from the pass on the way to the House of Sleep.” Tai’itsu-kun said. “Use the boy’s illness as an excuse to visit her, take Fuji and the boy, Ken, who has his own reasons to hate the Takatori. She is powerful, and she keeps her own counsel, but she might give to you what she would deny anyone else.”
“Can you arrange everything we would need?” Aya asked.
Tai’itsu-kun smiled. “I am closer to Izanami than I would like, I would neither anger her priestess or her children. I shall arrange suitable tribute and a donkey to bring you there.”
“Do I look so much like her?” Aya asked, “I have never seen the Lady Rao.”
“You could use her face to shave.” Tai’itsu-kun said, “now come on, I must retake my place as a Taira and not a Fujimiya, I have been Taira for four generations and younger than you when I left the Fujimiya. I must serve my house, and rule Gifu, even if I too, wish to destroy the Takatori for what they have done.”
Glossary
Ameratsu/ Amaterasu - The Sun goddess of Shinto.
Aneki - older sister.
Ayakashi - uncanny
Bikiko - Hel
Dairai - imperial court
Daimyo - a landowner or lord.
Danna - a patron
Doitsujin - German person
Ebi - Prawn
Ecchi - pervert (a very mild form of the word, lit H as in Hentai.)
Fundoshi - a wrapped loincloth worn by men.
Gaiden - legend.
Gaijin - Foreigner
Gei - art
Genkan - small area in front of the door where shoes are kept.
Genki - there is no English equivalent of this rather than chipper, which is weak in comparison. Hyper, very happy and cheery.
Hakama - split culottes
Hanzubon - shorts
Hikarin - Schoen
Horimono - Japanese tattooing
Iki - sense of style.
Joshu - a female chamberlain
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
Kawaii - an exclamation of something’s cuteness.
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
Otouto - little brother - informal.
Ouji-sama - your highness.
Qin - China
Seppuku - ritual suicide by disembowelling.
Seppun - the act of pressing mouths together- the worst of all perversions.
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
Youkai - demon
Youma - monster
Yukuta - a light cotton kimono worn for sleeping or festivals.
Author: Seraphim Grace
Archive: http://www.geocities.com/taliasen1256.html, http://www.Seraphim-grace.livejournal.com. If you want it ask.
Feedback: Always appreciated and replied to.
Rating: 18.
Pairings: Crawford x Ran others to be notified later.
Warnings: Het, yaoi, vast cast.
Tai’itsu-kun was the master of Gifu castle in all but name. She ruled over her family, the Taira, with love and understanding and the occasional iron rod. She maintained marriages between the Taira, the Sano and the Nakatsu, the other scion family, with a sort of amused air to keep the Taira’s power and wealth whole.
She stood no taller than Aya’s hip, and wore elaborate kimono and headdress to make herself seem much larger and more powerful, but there was not a man in the entire region that would speak out against her. Calling her Tai’itsu-sama, as she was entitled by marriage, would result in a foul temper, and if you were lucky, only a blow to the head from her knobbled cane. She had become Tai’itsu-kun when she had been the fourth wife of the late Taira lord, the grandfather of the current incumbent, and she saw no reason to either change it or back down.
Her attendant was a woman who stood only barely taller than Tai’itsu-kun herself and had lost her name to years of service becoming Nyan-Nyan in its place. She ran the castle for Tai’itsu-kun and had been caretaker to both Sano and his brother.
Aya had spent most of his childhood terrified of the two of them, and now, as an adult, he had not changed his opinion much. She was the sort of woman who did not grow older as much as thinner and meaner and constantly wore a scowl as if she was constantly sucking on a lemon. She met them just inside the main hall, climbing to her feet with a great show of age and creaking of bones and a truly dark glare before hobbling over them leaning heavily on her stick. Nyan-Nyan was just behind her; her hair pulled up into two austere knots and her the top of her outer kimono hanging loose at her waist to make her task of beading easier with her arms free of the heavy fabric.
Aya watched the instinctive flinch from both Ken, who had left Naoe in his futon, and Fuji, who, although they had never met her, both knew women enough like her to fear her. "You are skin and bones," she said reaching up to pinch Aya’s arms, "I am surprised Baba let you travel with so little meat on you, and the new servant that this Crawford," she managed to drag the name out into a slur "gave you, not you, Kenken," she said reaching up to squeeze his cheek, "the little one, I am led to believe that he has lungs so weak it is unlikely he will survive the winter."
"He refused to let me come with out him." Aya told her, chastened.
"You always were too soft with your servants," she said, and turned around, "but bear in mind, Ran-kun, if he dies on my property he will be buried here, no matter what instructions his owner might have left. It is shameful he let the boy get so ill, I imagine Baba sent him with a tincture and instructions on his care." She was continuing blithely on her own as she crossed the room and went back to the fire pit where she had been working at her own lap loom.
She sat down with wide legs and a creaking, one hand resting on her thigh to make sure she did not fall over. Aya was only vaguely aware of how old Tai’itsu-kun was, but he did know she was older than Baba, who he considered to have been around at creation when Ameratsu had left the cave. He was also convinced, with the naiveté of youth about such matters, that Tai’itsu-kun had been there when the goddess had entered it.
She was old, and Aya was terrified of her.
It seemed, Aya thought, looking around, that Fuji was as well, though he had never met the matriarch of the Taira house before. He maintained his closed eye smile but Aya was learning to read him, his shoulders were tight, and his hands pink from more than the cold. “And you,” she said turning to Fuji, “which of the Fuji are you? The deviant,” she watched Fuji flinch with a certain satisfaction, “or the older brother?”
A little of the tension slipped from Fuji’s shoulders as he saw the old woman’s small smile, “The older brother,” he answered, “Fuji Syuusuke, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“Mitsuki-kun tells me you offered to paint her, I am glad you are the older brother, because I would have had to have the deviant killed.”
Fuji’s smile remained closed eyed and mocking, “I’m sure my otouto would be glad that his fame has spread so far.” He bowed his head, his tan coloured hair shimmering in the fire light, “even if it is just his infamy.”
“I know a lot about you, too, Fuji Syuusuke, the empress’ Calligrapher.” Tai’itsu-kun said, “and I must admit that I do not care that you spend as much time as you do with our little Ran-kun. He may be a Fujimiya but close enough to Taira that I consider him one of my own brood.” Her eyebrows lowered over her thin watery eyes as she appraised him, “I understand that fate has thrown him in with the imperial negotiator but what is your purpose in the Fujimiya house?” Tai’itsu-kun was not one to wait on formalities.
“The imperial negotiator, Crawford, is married to my sister, he invited me to the estate that his Aya no Bara,” he looked at Aya when he said this, “might understand court, also my sister is there, and I arrived in the company of Tezuka-Buchou who Crawford intends to train his tayu,” he said that word deliberately, “in the art of the sword, as I am to teach him in the art of the pen.”
Tai’itsu-kun laughed, a short brittle sound, her hands on her thighs as she leant forward, then coughed and spat into the fire. “Such a slick tongue,” she said, “I have no use for flatterers or liars, you are lucky that there is truth in your words or I might cast you out into the snow. Izumi-kun and Takuto-kun are young and might be swayed by pretty words, and I will not be around in House Taira forever, but, I am not so old that I will be swayed by a pair of pretty blue eyes.”
Fuji laughed, his eyes flickering open to show a sliver of blue before he took up his own usual mask. “But Tai’itsu-kun,” he said, “such beauty and wisdom could sway a pair of pretty blue eyes even when they are already held by a scowl.”
Tai’itsu-kun laughed out loud, “Do not think, Fuji-san, that because you make me laugh I will forgive you your family’s atrocities at court. You serve the empress and I question that, as she is not as loyal to her husband and his house as is proper. She is a Sohma first and Tohma second.” She spat into the fire again, with the kind of indulgence that was allowed in the very old.
“You should have come to us, Aya,” she tasted the name and found it displeasing, “we are almost family after all, and instead you have found yourself the bed-warmer of an imperial wolf. I would walk about the veranda,” she said, “and you will accompany me, Nyan-Nyan, make sure that all is well for our guest, and his guest,” she looked at Fuji, “also, make sure the chiurgeon is available for the boy, it is an ill omen if he expires in our care.”
The snow had been scraped back from the ornamental gardens as Aya walked alongside Tai’itsu-kun, she took her time because she was old and he found himself taking three steps for every one of his. “Izumi-kun said that you had cut your hair, you had such beautiful hair.” She creaked as she walked, her cane thudding on the wooden floor as she shuffled along under her layers of silk and fur. “I understand that the lie meant that you would not seek comfort here, and I lament that, child,” she looked up at him, “but you did not need to whore yourself to the imperial dogs.”
“The Takatori made a compelling case.” Aya said sadly, “and I was swept up in grief and rage.”
“Did they hurt you?” She asked, “I cannot rouse the Taira armies in your name, but perhaps three hundred of my personal guard might suffice.”
“Crawford has promised me the head of Takatori Reiji, he found the price for my service.” Aya lowered his eyes to look out across the snow covered bushes. “He has been sent by the Emperor to destroy the Takatori, he has not lied to me.”
“But has he hurt you?” Tai’itsu-kun pressed.
“Once, he brought me a teacher from Kyoto who poisoned me, and him against me, he hurt me, but it was only once and I am assured by his wife and his servants that they would act out against him for it was so out of character. We have come to an agreement.” He sighed, “he is honest.” He paused again, “he does not push me for the Fujimiya wealth that was hidden from the Takatori, or the secrets of the house. I watch as he destroys the Takatori, I did not know how badly that they had destroyed my family, the treacheries that they wrought in Reiji’s greed. Crawford has taken my sister from their clutches without my asking, he does not keep me from her, and he will allow me the revenge. He asks such a little thing in exchange.” He blushed a little, “he treats me like his wife, and he does not hurt me in his passion, and is considerate of me. He makes sure I take my pleasure, so is it so terrible a thing?”
Tai’itsu-kun laughed. “You are doing what every woman is expected to do but without the contract of marriage. Do you think that this Crawford will discard you when you are no longer so beautiful?”
“I am not beautiful.” Aya answered, “his wife called me the Aya no Bara because of the scent of the water with which Baba washed my hair, I am strange looking, Tai’itsu-kun, not beautiful, and I shall honour my family code when I have killed Takatori, once they are destroyed.”
Tai’itsu-kun was silent for a moment, “take your pleasure where it is offered.” She said finally, “but know which side of your futon to lie on, and if it comes to doing right by your family’s honour remember more than one must be avenged for it.”
Aya’s smile was coldly brilliant, “he teaches me so much,” he said, “I do not think that he realises that when I have no more use for him that I shall kill him.”
Tai’itsu-kun was silent for a while, “and what shall you do with the boy that is dying in your care?”
“What choices do I have, I can ease his suffering and slit his throat, telling Crawford that he died here, or I can let him suffer?”
“What about Rao?” Tai’itsu-kun said, “but can you pay the coin necessary for such a thing.”
“I don’t know.” Aya said, “and I am unsure if I even wish to pay it.”
“There are other things she can do,” the old lady said as she started to walk along, “don’t forget she is a Fujimiya too and she was wronged just as you were. She might save the boy to use him to destroy the Takatori.” She shivered, “she has sent word that she wishes to see you, I know better than to argue with her, the House of Sleep is nominally on Taira land and we are not so powerful that she could not destroy us if she decided upon it.”
“What about Fuji?” Aya asked, “I imagine Crawford will be angered if he is murdered in his sleep.”
“He might fall from the pass on the way to the House of Sleep.” Tai’itsu-kun said. “Use the boy’s illness as an excuse to visit her, take Fuji and the boy, Ken, who has his own reasons to hate the Takatori. She is powerful, and she keeps her own counsel, but she might give to you what she would deny anyone else.”
“Can you arrange everything we would need?” Aya asked.
Tai’itsu-kun smiled. “I am closer to Izanami than I would like, I would neither anger her priestess or her children. I shall arrange suitable tribute and a donkey to bring you there.”
“Do I look so much like her?” Aya asked, “I have never seen the Lady Rao.”
“You could use her face to shave.” Tai’itsu-kun said, “now come on, I must retake my place as a Taira and not a Fujimiya, I have been Taira for four generations and younger than you when I left the Fujimiya. I must serve my house, and rule Gifu, even if I too, wish to destroy the Takatori for what they have done.”
Glossary
Ameratsu/ Amaterasu - The Sun goddess of Shinto.
Aneki - older sister.
Ayakashi - uncanny
Bikiko - Hel
Dairai - imperial court
Daimyo - a landowner or lord.
Danna - a patron
Doitsujin - German person
Ebi - Prawn
Ecchi - pervert (a very mild form of the word, lit H as in Hentai.)
Fundoshi - a wrapped loincloth worn by men.
Gaiden - legend.
Gaijin - Foreigner
Gei - art
Genkan - small area in front of the door where shoes are kept.
Genki - there is no English equivalent of this rather than chipper, which is weak in comparison. Hyper, very happy and cheery.
Hakama - split culottes
Hanzubon - shorts
Hikarin - Schoen
Horimono - Japanese tattooing
Iki - sense of style.
Joshu - a female chamberlain
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
Kawaii - an exclamation of something’s cuteness.
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
Otouto - little brother - informal.
Ouji-sama - your highness.
Qin - China
Seppuku - ritual suicide by disembowelling.
Seppun - the act of pressing mouths together- the worst of all perversions.
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
Youkai - demon
Youma - monster
Yukuta - a light cotton kimono worn for sleeping or festivals.