A Family Interview

The fusuma opened and the girl glided into the room with a grace that showed her years of practice. She turned and slide the doors closed. Folding her hands in front of her, the girl then turned back towards them and walked slowly, gracefully towards them.

Chika took a good look at her and saw that the girl was dressed in a blue silk kimono with patterns of flowing water on it. The kimono was tied tightly to her body with a silk obi. Her head was covered with a black hoodveil with only an opening for her eyes.

The girl stopped in front of them. For a moment she just stayed there, then in a flowing motion she knelt, put her hands together on the ground and bowed her head in submission. Her head to the ground just above her hands, the girl greeted her future superiors.

“This girl is Hiromi. Hiromi is 18 years of age and respectfully greet her future mistresses.”

Chika did not want to admit but had to. This girl was grace personified but as the second wife of the Date family, it was not Chika’s place to reply. This task was left to her lord’s first wife, Nanao.

“This woman is Nanao Date, first wife of Fujio Date. Stand Hiromi-san.”

Nanao phrased it as a request but none of the three women in the small room had any doubt it was anything but. With her seemingly customary grace, Hiromi stood but maintain her submissive posture by putting her hands in front of her and her head looking at the ground.

“Hiromi-san, strip.”

Hiromi did not hesitate. The moment the words came out of Nanao’s mouth, the girl opened her obi and let her kimono slide to the ground. Chika couldn’t help but admire the girl’s grace. She had little doubt her lord would be pleased with Hiromi but she got a job to do.

“Chika,” Nanao said. “Check her.”

As first wife, Nanao was kneeling in front of Chika. Chika was kneeling behind Nanao to her right and Chika stood as ordered. She walked towards Hiromi and stood in front of the poor girl.

Standing in front of the naked Hiromi, Chika understood the humiliation the young girl must be feeling. 10 years and 3 children ago when she was being interviewed by Nanao, Chika stood where Hiromi was today. It was a day she could never forget.

However this was not the time for remembrance. Chika walked around Hiromi who was now naked except for her hoodveil. Chika looked over her body for any blemishes, scars or birthmarks. Any such information had been given to the Date family earlier by the matchmaker but it was always good to check. Chika was checking if there was anything that was missing in the reports.

Chika couldn’t see any problems and was soon standing back in front of Hiromi. Nanao told the girl to look up. Hiromi did as ordered and Chika quickly raised her hands to Hiromi’s breasts and squeezed. The girl’s breasts were soft and firm but Chika didn’t care about that. She was looking at Hiromi’s eyes. What would her reaction be to her breasts being violated? Fear, anger, acceptance, maybe even pride? Would she accept what was done to her or would she pulled back in disgrace?

No. Hiromi stood where she was and Chika saw resignation in Hiromi’s eyes. This was a girl who did not like what was being done to her but was resigned to her fate. She was the second daughter of her father’s second wife and was now to be married to be the third wife of a man chosen by her father. She might even knew that this marriage was not for her happiness but to tie the two business families together in one.

In Hiromi’s eyes, Chika saw that the young girl was resigned to her fate. She knew her wishes and happiness had less than nothing to do with the marriage. This was a marriage for their families, not for a silly little girl. Hiromi knew this and accepted it.

Chika was pleased. Hiromi had the making of an obedient third wife. Chika turned to Nanao and bowed her acceptance to the first wife. A wave of Nanao’s hand later, Chika went back to her place kneeling behind Nanao.

“Make yourself decent Hiromi-san.”

Trained from young to be obedient, Hiromi obeyed. Picking up her kimono from the ground, she put it on and tied it tight with her obi. Everything was done with a flow, pleasing and graceful to the eye. Oh yes, Chika knew for certain now that her lord would be very pleased with Hiromi.

Seeing that Hiromi was now properly dressed, Nanao told Hiromi the news she needed to hear.

“Hiromi, you are here today because you are to be the third wife of my lord and husband, Fujio Date. I will tell this this so that there would be no misunderstanding in the future. You are young, petite and beautiful but those are not the reasons why you are here. You are here because your marriage to my lord would tie our families together. You are but a side-note to the business deals our families would agree to. This is why there is a marriage. When you are married, you will be expected to serve, slave and obey. You will give the Date family many children and served the boys with the respect and honour they deserved. You will train your daughters to be obedient so that in the future they will become good obedient wives to their future husbands. Husbands that will be chosen for them by our lord. Those will be the only reasons for your existence. In the Date family, our husband is our lord, master and god. Not only have that, as the third wife of Fujio Date you will also be expected to obey every word of me and Chika here.”

Chika nodded her head at the mention of her name but kept eyes on Hiromi. Her reaction now would determine if this interview would be a success or a failure. Nanao and Chika waited in silence and they were not disappointed.

Hiromi knelt and once again bowed her head to the ground.

“Hiromi knows and understand. It would Hiromi’s great honour to serve as the third wife of Fujio Date, a slave to the Date family, and a servant to Nanao and Chika Date, first and second wife of the Date family. Hiromi begged for the chance to marry, serve, and slave in the Date family.”

Chika smiled behind her hoodveil and she knew Nanao was smiling too. From today, the Date family would have a new wife, servant and slave.