About

Himari Mihata presides over an okiya in the district of Shirogane. She won't discuss her past, unless it's an amusing anecdote, so it's best not to ask.

As Okaasan, she oversees both both the instruction of the girls in her care, as well as their protection. Her establishment is a haven for those who live in the shadier parts of the city but she does not allow criminal activity to occur inside. Those who work at the okiya her find in her a stern but loving mentor. She teaches the women in her employ how to use elegance and beauty to achieve their goals and never be under the boot of men again. Beneath the artistry lies her second profession: information broker. Himari knows that information is half the battle in Kugane, and is prepared to sell secrets where necessary for the right price.

Her life has been shaped by loss and survival. She has been orphaned, enslaved, and freed. She is a self-made business woman, who will make her own way in the world and doesn't want to rely on others to do so.

Short Story

The room is quiet save for the soft rustle of silk and the distant cry of gulls outside the paper-screened windows. Himari stands barefoot upon the tatami mat, sleeves folded, watching her reflection in the lacquered vanity. Her hands move with fluid grace, selecting the perfect layer for the day—a robe of wine-red and pearl that shimmers like lacquer in the low light.

Layer by layer, she constructs herself. The inner robe. The tie. The outer layer. Each fold, each sash is a ritual, a claim to power. When the obi is cinched, it is not just fabric, it is armor. When she lifts the ornate comb to her hair, it is not just adornment, it is command.

There is a knock. She does not answer right away. She takes one last moment to tilt her chin, to look herself in the eye. Then she turns, perfected. The door slides open. A client waits with a false smile and deeper intentions. She returns the smile, welcoming them inside with a practiced bow.

The dance has already begun.