Fool's Fortune

4 days ago

She heard the sound of the door opening and immediately stopped her walking. Facing the direction of sound, she kneeled and bowed her head to the floor. The action was difficult as her hands were locked to her belt but she had long since learned how to bow her head to the ground without her hands.

More than one person entered her cell and she was surprised. Her master never invited anyone over. When two pairs of hands grabbed her, she knew something was wrong but with her hands shackled, her mouth gagged and her eyes covered by a mask, there was nothing she could have done.

Even as she was kidnapped, Astrid couldn’t even scream.

3 days ago

Just my luck! Isak Larsson silently cursed his luck the moment he saw the 3F logo on the wall of the crime scene. Silently fuming at the run of bad luck he’s under, he walked over to his partner. “Please tell me this is just a simple robbery.”

Birk Zerguina looked at his partner and gave a sad chuckle. “You wish. Are you blind or did you miss the big fat red 3F logo on the wall there?”

“Even in Nordker a man can pray, can’t he?” Isak said looking at the logo. “Free Females Forever…it’s really them?”

“Looks that way,” Birk didn’t bother to hide his disgust. “If it’s them, then Martin Kauranen’s property is gone.”

“That’s the owner? Where is he?”

“Outside near the police van,” said his partner. “Came back from his work at the dock, saw his property was gone and called us immediately.”

“How is he?”

“He’s emotional, in a panic…and looks like he will burst into tears at any moment.”

Isak didn’t like the bemusement on the part of his partner but it was one of the things that beyond his job scope as Birk’s mentor. “Considering the situation, that is understandable.” He looked back at the 3F logo on the wall. “But what would an international group aiming to free women from male suppression want with the property of a simple dock-worker?”

“Why don’t you go and find out,” Birk asked. “I’ll clean up here but be careful with him. He’s not exactly the brightest bulb in the room.”

Yesterday

After talking to Martin Kauranen, Isak not for the first time wondered if there should be some sort of intelligence test for masters. It’s a thought shared by his superior at the moment.

“Let me get this straight, this man took a photo of his property and this is her?”

Captain Edgar Taw was an old veteran who did not take kindly to fools, so Isak wasn’t that surprised that he was angry at Kauranen. “Yes. She was an orphan whose parents were killed in an accident. She was placed in state care till she reached 18 when she was put up for the lottery. Martin Kauranen was the lucky winner.”

“And let me guess, this idiot then took a photo of his beautiful property and showed it around to her friends?” Captain Taw asked. “Even when she looked like this?”

“Especially when she looked like this,” Isak said wearily. “He was a poor dockworker who was never going to be rich enough to pay the sale price for a proper bride. That’s why he went through the lottery…and then hit a looker.”

“Moron!” The captain spit out the word like a curse. “So this might not be the 3F group then, it could just be criminals who thought they would steal away a beautiful woman and get away with it.”

“That’s my thought,” Isak agreed. “The 3F group usually “liberates” female property of politicians, wealthy businessmen, or religious figures in Nordker. After freeing these women, they then brainwash them into speaking out against the social system in our country. No reason for them to target a simple dockworker.”

“So we…”

The captain never finished the sentence as Zerguina burst into the captain’s office. “Reports of a firefight down by the docks, Pier 34…and a naked woman running around. It’s our girl.”

Today

Martin Kauranen was a big, shaggy giant of a man. He looked like the prototypical warrior in the ancient times of pirates, and Isak always thought he was the kind of man who was open with his feelings. That feeling was correct as the man was currently crushing his property in a bear hug.

After too long a time, Martin finally put his girl down and was now whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Amazingly, the girl was smiling instead of being out of breath…or dead!

“Mr. Kauranen,” Isak interrupted. “May we have a moment please?”

“Oh detective,” Martin let go of his property and gave Isak a huge hug which Isak had no choice but to return as Nordker custom dictate. “Thank you so much! So happy I got my girl back!” Martin finally released the hug. “Hope you got the guys who did this.”

“Yes, we did. That was what I wanted to speak to you about.”

Martin looked at Isak in expectation and Isak found that he had to nod his head to the woman beside them. After a moment, he finally got the idea.

He bended down and opened the bag he carried with him. Reports of the girl being naked were in error as Astrid was wearing her one-piece bodysuit. Of course in Nordker, that was almost naked.

Showing the trust between the two, Martin handed a belt to Astrid and she immediately locked the belt around her waist. A handcuff was hanging by each side of her body and Astrid locked one of her hands to the handcuff. She then calmly placed her free hand by her other side, waiting for her master.

Martin concentrated on his property’s legs, locking her feet together with a short chain. With the chain limiting her movement, Martin stood up and locked Astrid’s free hand to the handcuff. Isak saw that Astrid was smiling the whole time.

Her smile grew wider as Martin placed a ball-gag over her mouth and whispered something to her ear. This time Isak was close enough to hear what was said. “You will never leave me again.” With that said, Martin placed a black hood over her head. Padded on the inside, the hood limited Astrid’s hearing and Isak saw that the mask had no eyeholes either.

With her property lock, secured and blinded, Martin took out the sack burqa and collar from his bag. He covered his property totally with the burqa and then collared her. A leash connected to the collar would help Martin lead his property around.

With her property properly dressed for public, Martin turned to Isak and saw the detective’s smile.

Now

“So you delivered the good news?” Birk asked.

“Yeah, he was a happy man.” Isak said. “Promised to use the reward money to get better security for his property, anything here?”

Here was the crime scene at Pier 34 where the shootout happened. All ten men involved were dead, including 6 wanted men with reward money on their heads.

“What we got so far is that a group was here and another group came up. Shooting began between the 2 groups and ten men ended up dead.”

“Any leads?” Isak asked. “Anything that would make us less like the headless chicken we are so far on this case?”

“In the confusion of the shootout, Martin Kauranen’s property took her chance and escaped out the back.” Birk pointed to the direction where Astrid ran to. “She was found screaming by some passing men, one of which remembers her from the picture Kauranen was carrying around and showing off. He remembered Martin’s property was stolen and immediately called us.”

“Talk about dumb luck,” Isak can’t help but shake his head in amazement. “And then?”

“Dispatch arrived and only 3 men were left alive.” Birk now started to read from his notebook. “One died of critical wounds from the shootout while the reminding 2 shot themselves in the head rather than surrendering to the police.”

“Fanatics,” Isak said. “So it was the 3F group that stole Martin Kauranen’s property.”

“Maybe not,” Birk still do not believe the group would want anything to do with a dockworker’s property. “We know some of the dead men were criminals, mostly likely slavers. Maybe they stole Kauranen’s property, used the 3F group as a red herring and the 3F group found out. The 3F group were naturally unhappy with the criminal group and came by to kill them. Martin Kauranen’s property presence could be just a lucky break for us.”

“If that’s the case, why wasn’t Martin Kauranen’s property chained and locked up?” Isak asked. “Why was she allowed to go about with her hands and feet free?”

“She was in an unknown location with lots of men with guns around her. The criminals probably didn’t think she was going anywhere.” Birk answered. “They sure weren’t expecting any company.”

Isak had to nod his head at that. The theory made some sense however…“Too many unanswered questions.” Isak said. “And the people who could give us answers are all dead.”

“You got anything from Martin Kauranen’s property?” Birk was still at the age where hope springs eternal.

“Nothing,” Isak replied. “The group didn’t talk much in her presence and when the shooting started, she was too busy trying to get out.”

“We did get one thing though,” Birk said. “On the disks we recovered, a name keeps popping up. Someone by the name of “Mrs. Henderson,” looked like a major player in one of the groups.”

“A woman…” Isak wondered. “Anything else on the disk on her?”

“Nothing”

“So we don’t even know if our mysterious Mrs. Henderson a player for the slavers or for the 3F group?”

“A criminal?” Birk was incredulous. “A woman is a criminal?”

“It’s possible.” Isak said. “By the name she should be a foreigner.”

“But…she…a woman…”

Birk still could not get over the shock. Like most men from Nordker, he had a hard time imagining women as anything else other than property to be protected and cared for.

“Anyway,” Isak moved on to more likable news. “And as it was his property’s escape that led to this crime scene, Martin got the reward money for the 6 wanted men here. He is now a well-off man.”

“Lucky dumb bastard,” Birk was sour on the reward money. “And he didn’t even do anything! It was his property that led us here.”

“Jealousy doesn’t become you Birk,” Isak had to smile at that. In a way, he agreed with his partner. “Guess that’s why they say fortune favors the foolish.”

Friends & Owners

A meeting of old friends is a grand thing in Nordker. A chance meeting of old friends however is a grand excuse for a celebration.

            That was exactly what Sven Thorist is going to do now. It had been a total surprise when he met his friend Erik Larsen by accident. An old schoolmate, the two of them had drifted off in different directions years ago. The last he heard Erik was part of some research project that was based on the moon. Even for a mathematician like himself, Sven can’t imagine what the odds are for meeting Erik here on the streets of Onega City.

            Erik’s house was a small 2 storey building at the junction of Timlet and High Street. Erik must be doing well for himself as that was one of the most exclusive areas in the city. The house however was a little disappointing. Dark and gray, it looked a little worn-down. However, all that was forgotten was Erik met him at the door.

            Forgetting his pet, Sven took 3 quick steps and engaged Erik in the oldest form of greeting there was among men. The bear-hug! Only when he felt the pull on his waist did Sven understood what had happen.

            A leash connected his silver bracelet to the animal that had fallen to the ground. A chuckle escaped from Erik and Sven had the good grace to be slightly embarrassed at the situation. “Get up.” Sven pulled up his waist as he ordered. The tight collar around the neck of the animal gave the creature no doubt that his order was serious.

            The creature tried her best to slowly skip to her feet. Shackled as she was it was never going to be easy but Sven was embarrassed at his earlier forgetfulness and wasn’t going to allow the creature to embarrass him anymore. He swung the small walking stick in his hand and hit the creature hard across the back. “UP!”

            The creature grunted and was quicker in her movement but it took another 2 more strikes before she managed to get on her feet. “You still have it, my friend.”

            At Erik’s word, Sven turned to him and apologized for his creature’s rude behavior. As expected, Erik waved it off as nothing and invited him in. The inside of the house was far grander than the outside. A series of lamps gave the house a soft yellow glow that warmed the heart. As Sven took off his thick fur coat, he found that Erik must have installed some sort of high tech heating system in the house. The temperature of the house was just right.

            The dinner table was set already and as he went forward, Sven saw that Erik had a creature of his own. The creature was dressed just like his. Known as a ‘Sack Burqa’, all Sven could see was the enveloping blue outer garment that was worn by all women in Nordker. Crowned at the head, the garment cloaked the entire body with no eyeholes or handholds for the creature. The only ornament was the collar that was wore tightly around her neck. The creature was kneeling on the ground with its head on the ground. The leash on the collar was locked to a hook on the ground, giving the creature no place to go and no room to move.

            At Erik’s invitation, Sven locked his creature alongside Erik’s. Leaving them there, the 2 old friends took their dinner and catch up on old times. Sven heard right as Erik was now based on the moon, doing particle research that was deemed too dangerous to be done on the planet. The last thing anyone wanted was to have something go wrong and blow up the planet. He had only just returned to Nordker a few days ago for a 2 week break.

            Compare to his cutting edge research, Sven’s tenure at the university paled. However, Sven was saved by the fact his creature already had 3 babies, 2 of them boys. Erik bitterly complained that all his creature had given him was 2 girls which were of no use to anyone. He had thought of buying another creature but Sven gently encouraged him to give his current creature another chance. After all, there was no need to spend money on another creature when he already had one which was still of childbearing age.

            Once the dinner was over, it was time to feed the pets. At Erik’s suggestion, Sven agreed to put some pills in the creature’s porridge. The pills would make the creatures hornier and, more importantly, would prevent pregnancies.

            Sven unlocked his creature’s chain and ordered her on her feet. Beside him, Erik did the same. Both creatures struggled to obey their master and, after sharing a smile between themselves, the 2 old friends used their walking sticks to encourage their creatures.

            After 4 strikes, his creature finally managed to stand on her feet. Sven unlocked the collar and lifted the burqa off his creature. Beneath the burqa, his creature was revealed. With blond hair and green eyes, his creature was a woman who was aged 24. However, nothing of her face could be shown outside his own house.

            Right now, his creature’s face and hair were totally covered with a black hood. Outside small holes for the nose, the only other hole in the hood was for the mouth. A red ball-gag was locked there. Standing there silently, blinded and shackled, she was a thing of beauty. Sven spent a good part of his savings to buy her from her father and so far, the creature has not disappointed him. 

            Sven looked over at Erik’s creature and was surprised. Erik’s creature was a small petite woman that was far shorter than a normal Nordker creature. Sven looked at Erik and Erik quickly explained. Researchers from all over the planet were based on the moon research station and not all of them veiled their women from birth like Nordker. Erik saw the creature on the research station and his offer to ‘marry’ the woman was quickly accepted by her father.

            As per custom, Sven saw that Erik’s creature was shackled. Like his creature, Erik’s creature was wearing the black hood with a normal skintight temperate bodysuit covering the body. Only her hands and loins region were uncovered. Both her hands were locked to her belt and a short chain locked her feet together.

            Both men unlocked the ball-gag and ordered their creatures to kneel. As the creatures did so, the men placed their feeding dish in front of the creatures. At the order to eat, both creatures’ head went to the ground. Sven placed the feeding dish to the side of his creature and it took her a while to find it with her head. He always got a kick out of this.

            Once she found her dish, his creature attacked the porridge. This came with experience as creatures never knew when their masters will order them to stop eating or even when their next meal will be. So when the chance comes, they knew they must eat everything in front of them as fast as possible.

            The 2 friends were kind today as they both had a wonderful day and allowed the creatures to finish their porridge. Once they were finished, both creatures sat on their knees and waited for further instructions. Erik hand Sven a washcloth and they cleaned the mouth of their creatures. As creatures must always be shackled, Sven (like all men in Nordker) had to spend a lot of his time cleaning and washing his creature.

            Although she was property, Sven still has to send her for a medical check-up once every 6 months at a government clinic to ensure that she was in good health. If she was found to be in poor condition due to his negligence, she could be taken away from him and Sven would have to pay a fine. He could even be barred from owning another creature for a period of time. The time spent washing and cleaning after the creatures was more than enough reason to stop men from owning more than one creature. The only exception Sven could think of were men who were rich enough to afford to hire other men to do the cleaning for them. These male servants were usually from the lower-class but they were still very expensive to hire.    

            After the cleaning was completed, the men put the ball-gags back on the creatures. An order to stand was given again with even more encouragement from the men’s walking sticks.

            As the creatures stood up, Erik unlocked the chain at his creature’s feet. Sven immediately did the same to his creature as well. Sven then walked over to Erik’s creature and he was dying to ask what her name was. However, Sven knew better than to insult Erik. A creature’s name could only be known to her family and old friends they may be, Sven was not family. He settled for the next best thing. He asked where she was from.

            Erik replied that the creature was from Himbaya where only married women needed to veil. Sven wondered what it was like to see the face of a creature before buying it. He never the face of his creature before he bought her, though he did carefully checked out her medical records and family lineage. She was medically fit to have babies and all the women in her family had babies before. To the men of Nordker, that was what’s important. Women were just creatures to produce babies; anything more was a direct threat to Nordker society.       

            Sven bought the creature over to the sofa and laid her down. Blind as she was, the creature could only react to what Sven did. Sven push her legs apart and entered her without any word or sound. The creature was like a doll which obeyed Sven every touch.

            As Sven ramped his manhood into her, he looked over to Erik and saw that Erik was doing the same to his creature. The only difference was that Erik was taking his creature up her ass. Sven smiled, now remembering how Erik always had a thing for ass–taking. Erik saw Sven’s look and both friends shared another smile. With an unspoken bond, they came together in their creatures.

            As he took a breath to calm himself, Sven released the ball-gag around Erik’s creature. Roughly he pulled her to his manhood and without order, the creature started to clean his manhood. She was well-trained.

            As his manhood was being cleaned, Sven wondered if there was any opening for a mathematician on the moon. He has never been to the moon before. Maybe he can ask Erik about that later.

Veila's Tale

The Birth

The cries of the baby indicated that it was finally over. The father stood up and faced the door of the emergency room. A few seconds later, the nurse exited the door holding a small chain in his hand. Although the ultrasound had informed him earlier, the father's expression clearly showed his disappointment.

The father took the chain from the nurse and entered the room. The only person in the room was the midhusband who was standing in the room. The father acknowledged the man with a small nod. He then walked to the creature in the bed. The creature’s head was covered in a black hood and a red ball gag was strapped tightly around her mouth. The hood has no eyeholes and outside the 2 holes for the nose, the hood covered the head totally.

The strain the birth had taken from the creature was clearly to be seen. The father showed pride seeing his property. The creature was carrying the baby at it’s’ breast, and the father couldn’t help but took a look at the baby. She was cute but now wasn’t the time for that. Tradition dictates he must make a show of his displeasure.

He walked besides the creature and savagely squeezed the nipples of the creature. The creature grunted in pain and it didn’t turn away. The father felt pride again as the creature just laid there accepting the pain given to her. “You had born me a girl.” The creature grunted in apology at the father’s words. The father then took the chain and gently chained the baby’s hands together. The father said, “With this chain, I claim this girl. Her name will be Veila.”     

The Ceremony

Veila tried her hardest to stay still but it was almost impossible. Today’s is a big day for her. Today, she will be 10 and she will become a big girl.

Veila was kneeling on the ground with her hands chained loosely by her ‘children’s chain’. Her sundress was discarded already and she was dressed in the bodysuit of an adult woman. No, Veila quickly corrected herself. She is no longer a woman, she will not even be human; in a few moments, Veila will be changed to a creature.

Veila looked beside her and saw her ma and grandma kneeling quietly her. Both of them were wearing the ‘sack burqa’, blinded to the world. A blue garment, the burqa covered the whole body of the 2 wom…creatures with no eyeholes or handholds. Veila knew that below the garment, both creature were chained and soon she will join them in bondage and darkness. She couldn’t wait and wish her father will hurry up.

At that moment, the door opened and Veila found new concentration on the ground in front of her. She heard the cell door opened and could hear the footsteps of the men. She knew it would be her father and 2 brothers. Although one of them was younger than her, he was a male while Veila was not. Veila bowed her head to the ground in respect to the 3 males. Beside her, she could feel her ma and grandma doing the same thing.

Her father spoke, “Today you are 10, Veila.” Veila stayed silent as she wasn’t given any permission to speak. Her father continued, “Today, you will be an adult. Chained and hooded as a creature should be, silent and obedient to your master, doing the only thing a girl is good for; giving birth to strong sons.” 

Veila raise her head and without a word, her world became dark. The hood had covered her head and Veila fought down her panic. She knew she has to stay silent and quiet or her father and 2 brothers would take the strap to her with relish. The first thing Veila discovered about the hood was how silent it was. The hood had a cushion at the area of the ears and not only was she blinded, Veila was deaf to the world. She could only hear a word if it was shouted.

Veila could feel the chain belt being put around her waist. Soon her hands were locked to the belt and her legs were locked by a chain. A ball gag then forced her mouth opened. Veila could feel a garment being put over her. It could only be the sack burqa. “Stand!” Her father’s orders were to be obeyed immediately and Veila tried to stand. With her hands and legs chained, blinded and burdened by the burqa, she couldn’t. “Stand!” Her father ordered again. Veila tried again but then she felt the cane across her back. Veila tried to cry out in pain but all that came out was a grunt.

“Stand!” Her father ordered again. As the cane rained down on her back, Veila did not give up and tried her best to stand. It’s what a big girl would do.

The Sale

She was outside the house. Although she was blinded to the world, Veila could hear the sound of the outdoors. The noise of cars, the shouts of passersby, even the barks of a dog; things she hadn’t heard of in over 8 years. The leash on her collar was pulled and Veila speed up her steps. The leg chains that had limited her steps since her coming-of-age ceremony gave her only a quarter of a step at most, however Veila was an obedient creature and she quickly shuffled her steps behind her master. Veila wondered if it was her father or brothers that were holding her leash. She quickly admonished herself. It did not matter; they are all male while she was not.

She knew she must be punished for her improper thoughts and would have to confess to her father later. She was wondering how many straps she would get when they came to a stop. No orders was given to her so Veila stood in the position she was left in and soon she felt 2 other bodies beside her. From her body, Veila knew that the 3 of them were facing one and another, shoulder to shoulder. Veila moved her head forward slightly and soon she felt the head of the other 2 creature. Together the 3 creatures stood there in a circle with their head together. Veila believed that it was her ma and grandma. A family outing was unheard of, even when her father took her ma and grandma out, she was always left behind. Her virgin status was extremely important for her sale price. Veila grunted in surprise. Her sale!

Veila suddenly became very nervous. Today was her sale. She wondered what kind of master would buy her.

Veila felt a tug in her collar leash. Like the doll she was trained to be, Veila followed the direction of the leash. After a while, she was stopped again. The collar was taken off her and then she felt the sack burqa being taken off her. Like the day when she was 10, Veila could feel the butterflies in her stomach. However 8 years of training and beatings had caused her to abandon all thoughts of moving. Veila stood in her spot like a statue. 
Quietly, her ball gag was removed. Veila wanted to stretch out her mouth but she controlled herself. She wasn’t going to embarrass her father in front of her new master. Then her hood was removed. Veila was shocked by this. As a creature, her face must always be covered in public. In fact from the day of their coming-of-age ceremony, all adult women must have their face hooded and eyes blinded till the end of their childbearing age, which is considered to be 50. In fact, outside the 1 hour shower and rest period each day, Veila had always been hooded since her coming-of-age ceremony 8 years ago.

What was even more shocking to Veila was the stranger standing in front of her beside her father. Veila fought the urge to hide herself behind her father. If her father didn’t want to show her off, he wouldn’t have taken off her hood. “She looked like of plain,” the stranger said.

“A woman is only good for the babies she can produce,” her father replied. “Nothing else matters because they are good for nothing else.”

“Of course, of course.” The stranger graciously conceded the point.

“Veila!” Her father was addressing her. “This is Sven Thorist. He will be your lord and master from today. Give him many strong sons or know his wrath.”

Veila did the only she could. She kneeled and bowed her head at her new master’s feet. As her head was on the ground, she would hear a door opening and closing. “Stand up Veila.” Veila stood up at her father’s commands, long since discovering the way to stand while her hands and feet were shackled. She saw her 2 brothers in the room, each holding on to a leash to a creature. It was her ma and grandma.

“Say your goodbyes.” Her father said kindly.

Veila first approached her father and kneeled before him. He had been a good father, strict without being cruel. Veila bowed her head at his feet grateful to be born to such a man. She then stood up and shuffled to her brothers. One after another, she bowed at their feet as well. She didn’t know them that well, expect for the time they needed each other for training. Veila stood and went towards her ma and grandma.
They were the ones she would really miss. She remembered all the time the 3 of them were freed from their hood and how they would talked and advice her on her training. Veila fought back the tears in her eyes as she shuffled to them. She stood facing them and placed her head on their shoulders. In response, her ma and grandma placed their head on her shoulders. Veila felt their head on each of her shoulder and for a moment, she truly understood the closeness of the bond they had. Quietly she said her goodbyes, “Goodbye mama. Goodbye grand. I’m leaving now; you two take care of each other.”

Her ma and grandma grunted softly in response to her words. Veila understood. Slowly the 3 of them raised their heads and rubbed against each other. In their world of silence, this was the woman’s way of saying farewell. Veila’s tears flowed. 
She knew she would never see them again.

The United Islands of Nordker

The United Islands of Nordker

Born of Pirates

The archipelagic nation of Nordker is now known for its great education system, its vast scientific research centers, and as the world’s leading nation in space exploration, but that has not always been the case. Knowing Nordker now, one would be shocked that it is a nation born out of piracy.

Since ancient times, the archipelago of Nordker had been a haven for pirates. Although no one truly knows who built the first settlement, the first notable town was the port town of Malam. From this town, pirates from all over the world came to repair and restock before going out at sea again. Soon more and more pirates’ towns came into being which in turn attracted even more pirates to the area. As you can expect, this lead to vast problems with other nations and some of the greatest sea battles in history were fought in the ice cold waters of Nordker.

The big change came during the period of Nordker history called “The Agreement”.

As trading ships became better armed, the pirates faced more and more problems with raiding. This in turn harmed the financial health of the pirate towns in Nordker. In short, piracy became too unstable to be used as an effective economic policy and the towns had to find another way to survive. The various pirate towns decided that they had to work together.

The various towns decided to spilt resources among themselves and would secretly trade with each other without taxing each other trading ships. As some towns in more fertile islands would concentrate with farming and fishing, other towns would concentrate on trading with other nations, while others would continue to be a haven for long-time customers, the pirates. Amazingly it worked.

The geography of the island made it possible for the trading towns to say that they had nothing to do with the piracy towns, while the piracy towns made an agreement with the pirates that the towns within the archipelago of Nordker were off limits to their raids. All the time, the farming towns made sure all the towns weren’t lacking in resources. Money made was then disbursed fairly among the towns within the agreement.

Things changed again when piracy became a loss some nations refused to accept. Fleets of battleships were sent out to Nordker to crush the pirates. The great sea battles of history were fought during this time and the pirates’ fleets fought fiercely to maintain their grip on the area. Most notable were the battles the pirates had with the navy from the trading nation of Trisban; these battles are still considered to be the most brutal sea battles in history.

The other towns couldn’t help the pirate towns directly and soon the pirates were beaten off Nordker. Malam itself was burned to the ground. As years had passed already, the other towns had prospered and not wanting to share in the fate of the pirate towns, they decided pirates would no longer welcome in Nordker.

Thus began The United Islands of Nordker.

Political System

Nordker still maintain the system the founding towns put in place during the original agreement. The various islands within the archipelago are spilt into 72 sectors. Each sector consists of 1 to 5 islands and each sector is charge with one main factor of business. There are farming sectors, business sectors, research sectors etc. Elections are held in each sector once every 4 years.

2 positions need to be filled in the elections. One will be the ‘Overseer’ who will be in charge of the day-to-day running of the sector while the other elected member will be the ‘Sector’ who will represent the sector in the ‘Horn Chamber’, the parliament of Nordker.

Bills in the Horn Chamber are passed with a two-thirds majority. This usually leads to a series of coalition governments as few political parties are capable of securing two-thirds of the chamber by themselves. The Nordian men prefer it this way as they feel this gives balance to the government and it can also prevent the sitting government from taking their power from granted. The leader of the ruling coalition is named Prime Minister and is the head of the nation.

Only men are allowed to vote and only men are allowed to stand for elections.  

The Social Framework

Nordker is a society that runs on a mentoring system. The biggest factor for respect in the country is experience. Throughout their life, Nordians are taught to respect the people with the most experience. Fathers teach their sons, mothers teach their daughters, seniors teach their juniors etc. Usually, organisations in Nordker have several apprenticeships schemes in place for almost every job on their payroll where the seniors in the group would impart their knowledge to their juniors.

This national trait has leaded some to complain that seniority is more valued than talent in the archipelago but the people feel that this is the fairest system to have in place. As they are fond of saying, “Even if you don’t have talent, experience is something you can pass on. Besides, the truly talented ones will always shine through in the end.”

This national trait is also credited by some for the stable society that is Nordker. As an archipelago, the differences betweens the various islands can be huge (in fact, the nation has a huge gap between the rich and the poor) but the mentoring system helped to left the poor. Various government and business organisations usually hold free seminars for business success and people from all walks of life are always welcome to attend. Although the gap between the rich and poor is wide, it is also highly fluid and it’s no surprise for men in the islands to go from rich to poor and finally back to rich. 

Men and women have very different roles in society and are thus treated accordingly. In simple terms, men are in charge of everything in the country. Whether it is in business, science, finance or even housework, men are the one who are doing in. The concept of gender equality is foreign to the people and most Nordian men treat any attempt at gender equality as an attack on the Nordker culture.

Women are only respect (or tolerated, depending on who you ask) for their one contribution to society; their ability to give birth. The Nordian family believed that children is a must for a complete and go to huge lengths to ensure this happen. From the day they were born, women in Nordker are locked in chains and are not allowed to do anything remotely dangerous. Most houses in the country have a woman room where all the females in the family are locked. What the women fell about this does not matter as in Nordker, women do not matter.

Women in Nordker Society

From the day they are born, female babies in Nordker will undergo what they call a naming ritual. The father (or guardian) of the baby will named the baby and at the same time, he will put a light chain around the baby’s hands; a symbolic gesture showing the locking of her body. Girls are basically treated the same as boys, they go to school, they play along with the boys, with only one difference. The girl’s hands are always chained together. Usually, this will be a light breakable chain as to prevent accidents from happening and the chain is more symbolic than anything else. However it does remain the girl even from a young age what her role in Nordker society will be.

The next change for the girls is the coming-of-age ceremony. On their tenth birthday, the girls light chain will be replaced by the standard shackles of a grown woman. A belt will be worn around the waist of the woman and both hands will be locked to the belt. This prevents the woman from using their hands for any purpose. A chain will also lock their feet together, giving them limited leg movement. A black hood will also be put on the woman. This hood has no eyeholes and is usually padded as to prevent the woman from hearing any ‘unnecessary’ noise. A ball-gag will then be secured around the mouth to prevent them from speaking. Blinded, gagged and senseless, the woman would then be locked in the woman’s room of the house. If there is a need for an outside trip, the woman will be covered by a ‘sack burqa’. A burqa with no eyeholes or grills, the woman needed to be guided by a man whenever they are outside. Usually a collar would be place around the neck of the woman and the men would guide the woman using the leash attached to the collar.

For 1 hour per day, the woman would be freed from their bondage. This is widely called the shower hour, though some do call it the rest hour. After a quick shower, most Nordian women will do what women do. They will talk. Gagged for the rest of the time, Nordian women speak in a very fast matter during the limited time they are allowed to do so and this sometimes result in culture shock for women from other countries. As one Vipponese woman sarcastically commented, talking to a Nordian woman is like standing in front of a bullet train. They will stop for nothing.

At least till the hour is up and the gag has to go back on.

Marriage is the big stage of a woman’s life. Again, marriage is the men’s decision. Usually men who has daughters of marriageable age (age 18 and above) would inform family and friend (or in this modern age, put advertisements in the papers and internet) and wait to see if there are any interested parties. If there is, both side will release details like family history, personal medical reports, financial details (only for the men), even their family tree. It is considered accepted practice to hire private investigators to ensure that all details provided are accurate and honest.

If both families can come out to an agreement, they will then discuss a ‘sale price’. Called a dowry by most other cultures, the ‘sale price’ will then be paid to the girl’s father and the girl will be taken away by her new family. Although not a must, a girl’s virginity does affect the sale price and as such most families also check on the girl’s virginity before agreeing on the sale price. Like in all matters of her life, the woman has no say in this. In Nordker, women believe that being a good wife and mother is the highest aspiration a woman can have and most look forward to the day of their ‘sale’. All of them have been taught by their mothers the submissive demeanour Nordian men have come to expect from their women and the last thing on their mind is to object to a decision made by their father.

A woman’s worth in Nordker is based on how many sons she can give birth to and this is a source of pride for them and their families. This is without doubt the first priority for a Nordker woman and women has come out with all sort of superstitions and folklore to ensure a male birth. Having said that, woman also played an important role as a teacher to their daughters. As stated earlier, mothers are expected to teach their daughters everything about marriage, sex and men. As such, daughters are usually very close to their mothers and tearful farewells are the norm during a daughter’s sale.

At their new home, the women are still hooded and gagged. This continued till the woman reached the age of 50. This age is traditionally accepted as the age when woman can no longer have children. Though science has changed that, Nordian men are loathed to change such an accepted practice. At this age, women are no longer hooded and when they leave the house, the burqa has the grill which allows limit sight for the old women. Outside those small changes however, everything remained the same as they are still gagged and chained like a normal woman.

Names are of vital importance to a Nordian woman. Like the men, Nordian woman is only known by a single name but women are not allowed any family name behind. Their names are also to be kept secret to be known only to members of the family. Even if they are life-long friends, Nordian men would never release their wife’s or daughter’s name to each other. Outside a record put with the government, only family members will know the name of a woman.

Despite all these restrictions (or because of it), Nordian law is heavily on the side of the woman. Men must send their women for a through medical health check once every 6 months. These checks are to ensure the well-being of the women and heavy fines are regularly issued even for the most minor infractions. An injury could cost a fine of a few hundred dollars for the men, even if it’s through no fault of their. If the injury is due to a fault of the men, the fines could reach thousands of dollars and a heavy jail term is not out of the question. Due to this reason, the health of their women is of vital importance to Nordian men. However most men leave the day-to-day care of their woman to their sons as it is felt this is a good way for the young boys (usually teenagers) to learn responsibly from a young age.

The Nordker Economy

Education & Science

For decades Nordker has tried to be a self-subsisted country, but all the science in the world can’t make up for the icy cold conditions of the islands. Much like their ancestors, Nordker has to import a lot amount of food to feed its’ growing population and that usually take a good part of the annual budget. However whereas their horned-helmet ancestors raided and stole, modern Nordians trade.

The Nordker economy is based almost entirely on science. The country has a very robust research sector and they are at the very edge of research in almost all areas of science. Secret research facilities are located all over the archipelago and Nordker pride itself on being at the forefront of research and knowledge. The government give various grants for research in return for a percentage of the profits generated by the results of the research. They also hold a good number of copyright and patents rights and this generate good annual income as well.

However various Nordker governments know that it policy will only work as long as Nordker keep their lead in the science sector. To make sure their research centres has a ready supply of young eager researchers, Nordker also has one of the world’s best (and most heavily funded) education system. Most of these are directed in the science sector and it’s not surprising to see a great number of foreign students studying in Nordker universities. Everything from physics to sports science is covered by at least one of the universities in Nordker.

Some countries have bitterly complained about Nordker only accepting men in their universities and have petition against the ‘unfair’ practices. However this is a policy that is unlikely to change as the last time a Nordker government tried to change it, it got voted out of power in a landslide.

The Space Island

Just like their ancestors who travelled far and wide on the waves of the sea, Nordker men still has a reputation for wanderlust. Since every part of the world has been discovered already, the men of Nordker now look to the star to satiate their wanderlust. Taking full advantage of their lead in science, Nordker has turned Whitebeard Island into the world’s only space port.

There are other space launch areas in the world, but only Whitebeard can call itself a space port. Everything in Whitebeard City has something to do with space and its exploration. Outside the launch centre, training facilities are also in the city. The training grounds even extend to the whole of Whitebeard Island and some of the world’s biggest conferences on space and its exploration are held on Whitebeard. This has lead people to call Whitebeard the Space Island, a name most locals are quite proud of.

Nordker is also the primary financial backer to the newly built space station on the moon. The Moon Station was a joint venture by several countries but the primary financing comes from Nordker. This has gained Nordker the admiration of many people and greatly enhanced the status of the country in many places. Although some in Nordker still balked at the money spent in the building of the Moon Station, the ‘soft power’ gained by the country has kept the grumbles to a minimum.    

Nordker: Culture & Customs

Shackles and the Sack Burqa

In times past, people grew fearful when they sighted the ships of the Nordker pirates. Men fear for their lives, and women fear for their freedom. When raiding, the pirates often considered women to be part of the spoils and thus treat them accordingly. To this day, Nordian men still consider women to be property and nothing more. Captured women are chained and shackled to prevent them from escaping or from attacking their abductors and the practice has also been maintained to the modern days.

The blinding and sack burqa practices are harder to explain. Nordker men can’t really explained when the practice first came into being but most believed it’s due to fact that pirates were away from Nordker for long periods and thus tried to find ways to ensure the ‘safety’ of their possessions. The burqa and preventing their women from ever being seen in public were good ways to stop people from having designs on their women when they were away on voyages. 
  
The typical Nordker ‘uniform’ for a woman consists around the shackles and hood. A belt is worn by the women and both her hands would be locked to the belt. A short chain will lock their feet and a black hood will be place on the woman. This hood has no eyeholes and is usually padded as to limit the woman’s hearing. A ball-gag (usually red) will then be secured around the mouth to prevent them from speaking.

Outside these, men are allowed to dress their women in any way they wish. The current fashion is a one piece bodysuit designed to keep the women warm in Nordker cold climate, but practices do varied from island to island. Some islands have their women naked while other islands dressed their women from gothic dresses to T-shirts and jeans. It’s all up to the men to decide and few women in Nordker have any say in how they are dressed.

Consequences of the Burqa

One of the main results of the ‘unseen and unheard’ treatment of women in Nordker is that men do considered women to be lower beings than men. Men (and women) in Nordker feels that there nothing wrong with this view and more than one Nordian scientist has tried to convince the world through this by their work. However, this also leads to Nordian men underestimating women, especially women from other countries. Nordian men are also usually surprised at how much freedom a woman has when they are overseas and more than a little amused by the concept of a henpeck husband.

The introduction of the hood in Nordker has also seen to the rise of a match-making business in Nordker. As most men are unable to see the face of women, their family usually turn to these match-making agencies for a good match for their sons. Usually they will look at the women’s health records, as well as their family history. If there is one which they like, the family would inform the agency who will approach the woman’s family and come to an arrangement. If both parties are happy, then the ‘sale’ will take place. Husband and wife (or owner and property, depending on who you ask) do not meet face to face till the day of the ceremony.

The Nordker Marriage

Relations between husbands and wives in Nordker are a very simple affair because women are expected to do whatever their men wants them to do. A good wife is one who can follow instructions to the T and accept whatever is done to them by their husband without question or complaints. If there is more than one woman in the marriage, the newer wife is expected to follow the instructions of the more experienced wife even if the newer wife is older. Age does not matter as she is expected to obey the wife who has been married longer to the husband. Nordian families believe that this keep order in the family and women accept this without question.

Men are allowed considerable freedom in their treatment of their wives. A husband can punish or train his wife in anyway he deem fit as long as the woman does not suffer any long term injuries. The full extent of control that a man has can be very scary for a woman unused to Nordker culture and more than one foreign woman has been scared off by the marriage culture of the archipelago.

In the case of the death of the husband, the wife is automatically ‘transferred’ to the next of kin. Usually this will be the closest male member of the husband’s family, but if there are no male family member in the husband’s family, the wife will then be ‘transferred’ back to her family. If there is still no male family member available, the Nordker state government will put them up in a shelter.  

Education of the Young

 Boys and girls are allowed to mingle and play with each other till the age of 10. Once they reached that age, boys and girls are separated with the girls kept in the house to undergo training for their marriage. Boys are sent to school for education.

However anyone who thinks the boys has it good is sorely mistaken. The status of most men in Nordker is linked to their education levels and as such competition to get into the best school is intense. The scramble for the limited places available in universities place incredible pressures on the boys and unsurprisingly, Nordker has one of the highest suicide rates for young men in the world. There have been talks for years about lowering the pressure for the young men but nothing has been done thus far as the Nordker government worry about losing their scientific edge on the rest of the world.

Women are not educated beyond their tenth year.
 

Religion in Nordker

To call Nordker a secular society is a total understatement. As a country built on modern science, most Nordian has a less than impressive view on religion. Most Nordian men consider themselves free-thinkers. Having said that (or because of that), the people are very tolerant of religion. The Nordker government allowed the building of temples, mosques and churches due to the amount of foreigners in the country but outside that takes a very hand-off approach to the issue of religion.

Distant Rats

           Iweko took the water bottle and carefully slipped the straw between the cuts in the veil. Taking her time, she took her drink slowly. Looking around her, Iweko saw that she was not alone. Most of her colleagues were doing the same thing she was doing; slacking off, just waiting for the bell.

It might not be the right thing to do, but after a hard shift at the factory all the women, including Iweko, needed a breather for the day ahead. The moment the bell rang, everyone stood up and took off. Iweko took her punch card and joined in the dash for the clock. As her station was in the middle of the factory, she joined halfway in the queue. Not that it matters much as all the women were in a rush. Before you know it, Iweko was at the exit of the factory.

Before leaving, Iweko went through a quick check to make sure her clothing was in order. She was wearing a plain brown kimono with gloves and socks that covered her hands and feet. Most importantly of course was her black hoodveil. Covering her head, Iweko made sure the hoodveil was secured around the head. The 2 piece veil totally covered the whole face outside the small area near the eyes. A cut in the veil made it easy for her to drink refreshments, but even that cut was overlayed, making it impossible for anyone to see her flesh. Seeing that everything was in order, Iweko made the daily dash home.

Situated in the Rat Province, Port Tama was a city that depended on the small port for her livelihood. For centuries, men had fished in the Sea of Blue Snow and used ports like Tama as their port of call. When the season was in full swing, the fishing, crab, lobster ships will go into the Sea of Blue Snow and make their catches. From there, the seafood would be unloaded in port and the women of the fishermen would clean and packed the fishes into boxes. After which, trucks would deliver the cargo all over Vippon.

As you might expect, the fish factory was situated near the port and far away from the residential areas. Afterall, no one want to live beside the smell of fish all day and Iweko’s home, like most, was at the fringe of the city.. This also means that women like Iweko had a long walk home everyday. Head facing downwards, Iweko ran for home. At least she attempted to run for home. Like all women in the Rat Province, Iweko’s 2 feets were connected with a short rope. Since ancient times, it was considered ungainly for women to run and the rope was an ancient way to maintain a woman’s modesty. Tradition dies hard in the Rat.

The rope prevented Iweko from taking a full stride, or even half a stride, making a fast walk all but impossible. Add to this was the constant wind and rain. The Rat was a small but important province in Vippon as it was the only province that has access to the sea. Bordering the rich Sea of Blue Snow, it supplied closed to all the seafood consumed by the citizens of Vippon. However, the Sea of Blue Snow was not a gentle sea. It was both cold and rough as heavy wind can cause big waves at sea, making fishing a dangerous if high-paying career. The wind lashed against the mainland as well, bringing along with it the ever-present water vapour from the sea. Head faced down, rope between the feet, heavy wind and constant rain makes walking fast dangerous for women. Still, Iweko walked as fast as she dared. She knew that being late was unacceptable for her father-in-law.

Shuffling as fast as she can, Iweko finally made it home. Her family knew the knock-off time at the factory and Iweko, like all the women who worked at the factory, had a curfew. As usual, Iweko had missed it.

“Woman, you are late again!” Her father-in-law was holding the cane at the entrance of the house. Knowing better than to argue, Iweko kneed and bowed her head to the ground. As with most families in Port Tama, Iweko was from a fishing family and her husband was currently out at sea fishing.

The husband was out at sea; the wives were working at the fish factories; the mother-in-laws were keeping house and the father-in-law oversaw the women in the husband’s absence. It was the way fishermen had lived for centuries in Vippon. They had piece of mind while out at sea, miles from their wives because they knew that even in their absence, their fathers will see to it that their wives were behaving honorably.

A retired seaman himself, Iweko’s father-in-law ruled the house with an iron-fist. He began berating Iweko for being late and accused her of dishonoring the family and her husband for her lazy ways. Iweko kept her head bowed to the ground and accepted everything that was said silently. It was almost a daily ritual as it was almost impossible to make it home in the time set by her father-in-law. However, this was a scene played out all over the city at the moment as Iweko’s father-in-law was not harsh. The curfew set by the in-laws were too short for the women on purpose.

The purpose was punishment. Her father-in-law walked to the side of her and Iweko steeled herself for what’s coming. She heard the swish of the cane and immediately Iweko’s buttocks was aflame with pain. Iweko kept silent despite the pain and took the beating silently. Her father-in-law alternated between her buttocks and her back as Iweko silently kept count of the strokes. Even after years, Iweko couldn’t help but feel humiliated having a public caning in full view of her neighbors.

After 22 strokes, her father-in-law stopped. This meant that she was 22mins late today. Iweko did not know if this was true but as a woman, it was not her place to question or complain, only to accept the rules and orders of the men of the house.

At the order of her father-in-law, Iweko stood up and went in to the house. Her two young sons were on the sofa watching television. Iweko immediately stood at attention and gave them both a respectfully low bow. A wave in dismissal from her sons later, Iweko went into the kitchen. Her mother-in-law was already there with Iweko’s daughter. Iweko bowed to her in-law and enquired if there was anything she needed help in. However dinner was almost ready and her mother-in-law told her to go for her bath and prayers.

Iweko wasn’t surprised. Her oldest daughter Amiko was already 12 years old and was already helping in the kitchen. Since Amiko would be taking the veil next year, she had been given lots of housework in preparation for the big day. Knowing in her heart everything was in order, Iweko went to her bedroom. In her cupboard, she took out her spare kimono.

In her frugal family, every woman was only given 4 plain brown kimonos. Excluding the one she was currently wearing, one was in the wash, one was drying on the bamboo pole, and this was the spare. It was just enough for the women. Iweko took out her spare bra and panties and rush to the bathroom. Before that, Iweko stopped in front of her father-in-law who was reading the papers in the living room. Kneeling, Iweko bowed to the ground and begged her father-in-law to allow her to go for the bath. Her father-in-law gave his approval and Iweko, while on her knees, turned around. Her father-in-law unhooked the rope between her feet, and gave a kick to her buttocks. At the signal, Iweko stood up and walked to the kitchen.

Iweko walked quickly to the back of the kitchen and into the bathroom. Taking off her fish-smelling kimono, she threw it into the wash. Iweko then took off her underwear and her hoodveil as well. Everything went into the wash. Her mother-in-law would wash it tomorrow. Iweko a quick shower, not that she could stay in there long anyway. Hot-water shower was only allowed for the men and children; grown women like her were only allowed cold showers. In a cold place like Port Tama, a long cold shower was impossible.

After she finished, Iweko put on the spare kimono, hoodveil and walked out. The family altar was in the living room. Every family in Vippon has an altar at home worshipping their ancestors, and Iweko’s family was no exception. Head down, Iweko walked to the altar and kneed before it.

Most people in other countries found it strange that in Vippon only women were engaged in religion. Most people did not understand the Vippon religion of Ancestral Worship. People in Vippon believed that when they pass on, their forefathers still lived on in spirit and can influence the physical world if they wish to. However as with most spirits, their forefathers couldn’t care less about the physical world and you must beg them to help you and your family. As men are leaders of society, you can’t expect them to beg for favors on a daily basis; but woman could! So religion is considered a women’s job in Vippon.

Iweko again made sure her kimono and hoodveil were in order; it wouldn’t do to insult her ancestors by being poorly-dressed. Iweko bowed her head to the floor and silently begged her ancestors to keep her husband safe. In this, her family was lucky. In her family tree, there were no less than 16 seamen, 3 of whom were captains of their own ships. Iweko knew all of them by name and begged each one of them one-by-one to make sure her husband return home unharmed.

With 16 pleas, it took a long time to finish her prayers. By the time she was finished with the prayers, it was dinner time. Dinner was a quiet affair for the women. Iweko, her mother-in-law and Amiko sat at the dinner table which had a screen cutting across the table. This screen separated the men from the women and as Iweko and her mother-in-law lowered their veil to take dinner, the screen prevented the men from seeing their faces. In fact, her husband told Iweko that it has been years since he saw her mother’s face. Iweko only hoped that she could match her mother-in-law’s care and discipline in the future.

The women finished quickly, both Iweko and her mother-in-law immediately put their veils back on. The 3 women then sat quietly with their head down and their hands folded on their laps. After the men had finished, the women cleared the table and did the washing. As her sons were playing their latest computer games and her father-in-law was reading the papers, the women were busy with the washing. They also cleaned the whole kitchen again.

By the time they were finished, it was late but Iweko tested Amiko on her knowledge of cooking. Since she was working at the factory, the training of Amiko was left up to her mother-in-law. But as her mother, Iweko made a point to test Amiko on occasions to make sure she had learned everything she had been thought. Personally, she felt her mother-in-law was a little lenient with her granddaughter.

The test was cut short when her father-in-law announced it was time for bed. It must have been later than she thought. As Amiko and her sons went to their room, Iweko followed her father-in-law into her bedroom. As her husband was out at sea, Iweko was not allowed to sleep on the bed. Instead she followed her father-in-law to the cupboard she took her kimonos from. Iweko put her hands behind her and her father-in-law tied them up with a thick rope. He then opened up the cupboard and Iweko obediently went into the cupboard. The cupboard was small so she had to knee to fit into it. Iweko’s father-in-law went to work again with more ropes. By the time he was finished, Iweko found that she would not move an inch. The ropes had tied her feet together and it looped over her head crisis-crossing over her body. The tie was to prevent her from dishonoring herself with temptations.

The door of the cupboard closes and Iweko was locked up in the darkness. In some way she was lucky. Iweko knew that some of her colleagues were locked in small wooden boxes barely big enough for them.

A small light is then switched on within the cupboard. It shone on a stern picture of her lord and master which was placed on a hook inside the cupboard. The hook was directly in front of her eyes. Iweko relaxed and looked at the picture of her husband. It would be the last image she would see before she goes to sleep and the first thing she would see when she wakes up. Iweko wondered what her husband was doing now on the distant seas. Silently, she leaned her head against the cupboard’s door and tried to get some sleep. It would be the same thing everyday until her master came home. 

Iweko looked at her husband’s picture once more and then closed her eyes. Be safe, my lord and come home soon.

A Perfect Vassel

Not perfect but after a full hour of work, the haiku was the best Tonoji could come out with. He put the ink brush down slowly and looked at his work. The calligraphy was excellent as usual; it’s just too bad about the words.

Tonoji took a deep breath and tried to release his tension. His poetry has been lacking inspiration lately and frustration was getting to him. Even an amateur poet like him knows that the best poems come to the calm mind. However, Tonoji could sense that his best work was done for today.

He turned his head slightly and gave a small nod. Yashinko, who had been kneeling quietly behind him, bowed her head to the ground in acknowledgment. Tonoji stood up and walked away from the mat.

As Fujiko went about keeping the items, Tonoji took another deep breath and tried to enjoy the gentle breeze flowing through the park.

“The wind in my face
Leaves gently on the ground
Joy comes with spring”

Tonoji said the haiku out loud, but it was still as disappointing in speech as it was on paper. If this was his best, Tonoji felt he may need to find another hobby. He was so into his thoughts that he was surprised when a woman stepped in front of him and gave him a polite bow.

Tonoji quickly bowed back. When he looked up, he gave the woman a quick look. She was dressed in an elegant green kimono with prints of various flowers on it. A black hoodveil was covering her head, so Tonoji could only see her eyes but from the fashionable cut and quality of the kimono, Tonoji guessed that the woman was young and rich.

“May I help you with anything, noble lady?” Tonoji asked, wondering why the young woman would approach him.
“My apologies but I was walking in the park when I saw you sitting with brush and paper. I was wondering why you would use a traditional low desk instead of the stone tables provided in the park”
“The stone tables provided are excellent but I find it better for my mind when I use the old ways. I guess for me wood give a peace of mind stone just cannot provide.”
The young lady gave a small bow at this. “I heard your poem and if that is the case, perhaps I too should consider writing on a low desk.”
“I am a poor amateur at best,” Tonoji said humbly. “In poetry, I believe a lady as elegant and noble as yourself would be my superior.”
“That is very kind of you. May I enquire on how you know I have an interest in poetry as well?”
“With you dress and standing, it stands to reason that you are of noble birth. When I see someone attempting poetry, I too will be drawn towards them to see their skill. Add them together; I would guess that my noble lady is a poet herself.”
The lady gave another small bow to Tonoji. “Outside a love for the beauty of words, you have intelligence and sweetness as well sir.”
“I said nothing but the truth my lady. Still you must be a true lover of poetry to approach a strange man like myself just because you had heard my poor poem.”
The lady gave a girly giggle at this. “Your work is hardly poor my lord. I thanked you for your kind words…I think but I am unable to accept such praise.”
“I am only saying what I am hearing with my own ears. Anyone who think that my poor work is beauty must truly have a love for poetry.”
The lady’s giggling increased. “You are too kind sir. I’m unworthy of such praise.”
“Humility is a hallmark of a noble lady. With your every action, you prove the truth in my words.”
“I thank you then for your words. I wish to continue such a delightful conversation but I see that your servant is ready to leave.”

Tonoji looked back and saw that Yashinko was indeed ready to leave. The small wooden table was hooked to her back and she was carrying a basket in each hand. One was his writing materials while the other was the refreshments he needed for the day. The straw mat was rolled up and tucked under her left arm.

Standing there with her head bowed submissively in her faded kimono, Tonoji could see how someone could mistake her for a servant.

“I’m sorry my lady but there is a mistake. Yashinko is not my servant, she is my wife.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The picture was one of the best he had ever done. As he put the paintbrush down, Tonoji can’t help but admire the influence of having a muse.

“It is a thing of beauty sir.” The lady said kindly.
“I thank you for your kind words. Your presence here today was an inspiration.”
The lady gave a small giggle at this. “Thank you for the flattery sir. If only I can hear such words more often. Why is it that I don’t see you that often in the park?”
“I am afraid I am only free from my studies on Sunday and that is when Yashinko and I come to the park. Do you come here often?”
“Almost everyday”
“If I may be so bold, may I enquire about the name of my noble lady?”
“Only if I may know yours sir.”
“I am Maru Tonoji my lady.” Tonoji turned and introduced his wife, “and this is my wife Maru Yashinko”
“I am called Fujiko, of House Tadan.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Fujiko was kneeling on the mat enjoying the sight. It was a joy to see a finished painting but that joy was nothing when you compare it to seeing a painter at work. Tonoji may not be much of a poet but he was a very good painter with a marvelous affinity with landscapes.

The painting this time was of a cliff in a desert landscape and as usual it was beautiful. Although not a painter herself, it seems to Fujiko that Tonoji’s skill was getting better and better. In her pride, she hoped that she had something to do with the improvement.

When he finally put his brush down, Fujiko couldn’t help but comment on his improvement. As usual Tonoji humbly rejected the praise and as the conversation went on, Tonoji turned from the art and asked a most personal question.

“If I may be so bold Fujiko-san, it has been some months since we first met and there is a question I have been meaning to ask you.”
“Please ask sir”
“Fujiko-san, you said that you are at this park everyday. Don’t you have school or family to attend to? It would seem that a noble young lady like yourself would at least have school at least.”
Fujiko stayed silent for a moment wondering how best to answer the question. She decided the truth was the best policy. “I’ve already finished high school and my results were not excellent enough to go on to higher education. It was decided by my family that I was better suited for marriage. A marriage was discussed to a son of my father’s business partner, but he died in a car accident before the marriage could take place.”
Tonoji bowed his head in respect. “I am sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you sir”
“No, it is I who must thank you. I hope I wasn’t too forward in my enquiry.”
“Oh no sir, I am glad to satisfy your curiosity.” Fujiko assured Tonoji. “Frankly I am bored with my life and it is good to have someone to talk to.”
“What about your family or your friends?”
“I am not close to my family, as for my friends…most of them are married or going for higher education.” Fujiko explained.
“And you are in neither group”
“That is correct”
“Then I must again express my sorrow at the loss of your future husband.”
“I thank you again but in true sir I hardly know the man I was to marry.”
“Still it is respectful to mourn for a man who could be a potential husband.”
“I am sorry he is dead but sorrow is something I cannot feel for I had only met him twice in my life”
“Even if it is a stranger, all life is precious my lady”
“That’s sounds like something from Qizen”
“Yes, it is why I am in the Stallion Province. I am studying to be a higher student of Qizen.”
“Oh…you are here to study the scriptures?”
“The Stallion Province is the home of the Brotherhood of Qizen and the heart of all Vipponese art and culture. The higher studies of the scriptures can only be done in this province.”
“I understand why you have such an interest in poetry and paintings then.”
“Yes they are ways for a man to strengthen the mind and increase his Qi.”
“Wait sir, you do not look like a monk of Qizen.”
“I am not my lady. A monk is one who stayed in the temple and devotes his life to the scriptures. A monk seeks his enlightenment through the study and meditation. That I fear is beyond me. I am but a mere lay person who seeks to increase his Qi. A student who seeks to spread the teachings of Qizen.”
“You are training to be a missionary?”
“Yes my lady.”
“Sir, if I may ask but I never understood why the Brotherhood never sent their monks overseas as missionaries?”
“It’s because the monks are seeking their enlightenment and it is a hard task. To be tempted by the outside world beyond the temple would make such enlightenment impossible.”
“So the job of a missionary is left to lay people like you”
“The mission to spread the teachings is better suited to ordinary people anyway. Being a monk require dedication that is…uncomfortable to most people who do not believe in the teachings of Qizen. A lay person like myself is better suited to the task of spreading the teachings.”
“It must be exciting to go overseas with such a mission.”
“It is my lady, and I can only hope I will do well in my mission.”
“I know little of Qizen sir. Perhaps you can enlighten me on some of the aspect of the teaching.”
Tonoji looked at Fujiko in surprise. “I can’t my lady. A woman is a vassal for the Qi of the men in her wife. She is the embodiment of the will of her man and her every action reflect the thinking and actions of the men in her life. Qizen can only be taught to a woman by her father when she is young, her husband when she is married, and her son when she is old. I’m surprised your father has not taught you this.”
Fujiko gave a small bow at this. “I thank you for your concern sir. My father is not a devout follower of Qizen but he did teach me his will. I am the embodiment of his will, but I wonder if it is time for me to have a new teacher.”
Tonoji gave a nervous laugh. “That will require you to marry my lady. Only your husband can spread to you his Qi.”
“I understand sir. I guessed this is one reason why I look forward to our weekly talks. I asked that you teach me the scriptures of Qizen.”
“You do understand what you are asking for, do you not?”
“Yes I do sir.” Fujiko bow her head to the ground. “Please enlighten this woman with your Qi my lord.”
A silence loomed in the park till Tonoji spoke. “Qi is what we call a man’s essence. His will, his strength, his influence; all these are his Qi. A woman like you does not have Qi as only men have will, strength, and influence. You are but a vassal that gathers the Qi of the men in your live. Your father when you are young as he is the one who provide and care for you, your husband when you are married as he is the one you will serve, and your son when you are old as he is the one who will take care of you in your old age.”
“What if the man has more than 1 woman in his life?”
“That does not matter. A man can have more than 1 daughter, more than 1 wife, if his father had 2 wives more than 1 mother. A man will influence many woman in his life.”
“What if…”

The lesson started and their lives would forever be changed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

There was a cool breeze in the park today. Just as well considering the situation Fujiko found herself in right now. Tonoji had use the breeze as an excuse to take a walk in the park so Fujiko and Yashinko were now left along.

It was a welcome chance for the two women to clear the air between them; that is if they knew how to approach the sensitive subject. For the past 10 minutes, the two women had been kneeling there without a word spoken by either party.

Fujiko decided that she would have to break the ice. “I am sorry if I surprised you last week with my actions. I meant no disrespect to my lady or your family.”
Yashinko gave a small bow at this and replied, “I will be lying if I said I wasn’t angry but after a week to consider the position, I am now in full approval to your intended marriage to my lord and husband.”
“You agreed?” Fujiko couldn’t help but be surprised at this. She had fully expected that she would have to plead her case to be allowed to be the second wife of Tonoji.
“It is hardly unusual for a man in Vippon to have more than one wife,” Yashinko said. “As you are of noble birth as well, your marriage would be good for my…our lord’s career as well. So if such positives, I am happy to accept you as a fellow sister.”
“I am grateful for your approval my lady but I am but the second daughter to a minor noble. I doubt my birth would be of much use to your lord.”
“Our lord” Yashinko corrected.
“That would be an error as I have not met with the approval of you yet nor have I married with Tonoji.” Fujiko gave a deep bow towards Yashinko.
“You are indeed noble born to have such grace.” Yashinko returned with a bow as deep as Fujiko. “Like I said, I approve of your marriage.”
“I am grateful for your approval my lady.” Fujiko raise her head from the bow. “I have but one small request from you on the marriage.”
“Please ask” Yashinko raise her head looked at Fujiko.
“When I am the second wife of Tonoji,” Fujiko bowed her head to the ground, “I begged that you will treat this servant kindly.”
“It will be done”

………………………………………………………………………………………………

It had been a beautiful day. Tonoji had enjoyed the peaceful walk through the park and even nature was now playing its part with a soft breeze flowing through as he made his home. Just as he was enjoying the wind on his face, he heard Yashinko behind him,

“My lord husband”
“Yes. What is it my wife?” Tonoji turned back to face Yashinko.
“My lord, I still believe that it would be wiser if Fujiko-san be the first wife.”
“You do?”
“Yes my lord. As she is of noble birth, it would be better for your career if you take her as the first wife. I would gladly go to the temple and renounce my position of first wife in favor of her.”
“Did I not already tell you of my will on this matter?”
“Yes my lord, but…”

The slap rocked Yashinko back. The surprise and ferocity of the slap staggered Yashinko back a few steps, but once the surprise was over, she immediately got back into her initial position only this time with her face looking submissively at the ground.

“Qizen is the teaching of nature and man’s position in this world of nature. You are my first wife, Fujiko came later than you so she is the second wife. That is the way of things. What kind of missionary of Qizen would I be if I disobey even such an obvious thing?”
“I meant no disrespect my lord. I only…”
“I had spoken to you before on my decision.” Tonoji cut in, “Was I unclear in my instructions?”
“No my lord”
The answer earned Yashinko another slap in the face. This time Yashinko was ready for it and took it stoically. “So you knew of my will on the matter and yet still question my decision.” Tonoji asked, “Are you unhappy with my will?”
A sharp intake of breath answered Tonoji. “Never my lord,” said Yashinko, horrified at the suggestion that she would be ever be displeased with any decision made by her husband. “Please punish me heavily for my disobedience.”
“I will”

With that Tonoji turned back and continued his walk back home. He mused that although Yashinko was a quiet, hardworking obedient wife, at times she has too much of a mind of her own.

Qizen teach that women were but vassals for their men. Having a mind of her own is not a good thing in a woman as she should be nothing but a blank piece of paper for her men to paint. Tonoji wondered if he had been too soft with her. He might have to increase Yashinko’s punishments from now on.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

As it was a marriage between a man and his second wife, Tonoji and Fujiko did not have a 30 table wedding dinner but a solemn wedding ceremony at the Qizen temple. Tonoji vowed to care and protect Fujiko, while Fujiko vowed to obey and serve the Maru household to the best of her abilities.

Once the marriage ceremony was over, Fujiko found to her embarrassment that her household skills were sorely lacking in practice. Although she had been taught the wife arts of cooking, cleaning, washing and serving, she was from a noble household that was rich enough to provide her with servants. It’s one thing to know how to cook, it’s another matter altogether when you actually had to cook.

Luckily Yashinko was a patient teacher who taught her from scratch the needs and wants of their lord husband. However no matter how good of a teacher Yashinko was, there was one thing she can’t help with.

Fujiko had always had a bad memory and was especially bad at remembering names. It was a huge problem as she had to remember the names and titles of 16 generations of the Maru family. The duty of honoring the ancestors of the family is one that only the women of the household could perform, and although she did not believe in ghosts or spirits, Fujiko was adamant that she would perform all the wifely duties well.

The problem of her bad memory remains however, and Yashinko had to punish her for her failure to honor the ancestors properly. Curiously about her training, Tonoji wanted to see the results of her punishments.

It was a sight to behold.

Dropping her kimono on the floor, Fujiko stood with her back to her lord. Naked expect for her hoodveil, Tonoji saw the red lashes on her buttocks. Despite his better judgment, Tonoji found it an arousing sight.

“How many tonight?” he asked.
“8 lashes of the cane my lord. One for every name I got wrong.”
“Same as last night, there was no improvement?”
“No my lord”
“Turn around.” Tonoji waited for his second wife to turn around before continuing. “The actions of the students reflect the ability of the teacher. Your failure to remember the names of our family ancestors is partly the fault of your teacher as well. As such from tomorrow onwards, any lashes you received I will double that on both you and Yashinko.”
“No my lord, the fault is all mine. I have a bad memory and it has nothing to do with my lady Yashinko. She had been an excellent patient teacher and…”
“I have decided.” Tonoji never liked it when woman nagged.
“But my lord…” A slap to the face cut Fujiko off before she could say another word.
“I have decided” Tonoji intoned.
“Your will my lord.”
“Good. Now get on the bed and let us retire for the day.”
“Your will my lord”

As Fujiko got on the bed naked expect for her hoodveil, Tonoji reflect on how well adjusted Fujiko had been since entering the family. It couldn’t been easy to go from a noble daughter to a second wife. She had made many mistakes but she was clearly trying. That was something Tonoji appreciated. She wasn’t perfect but she’s trying and soon she would be just like Yashinko. Nothing but a vassal for his will.

Tonoji look forward to that day but now it was time was something else. Tonoji turned and saw that Fujiko had already prepared herself. Laying on the futon with her legs wide open, she hooked her hands around her knees and lifted them towards her upper body. Tonoji could see that her sex was already wet with desire and could felt his manhood rise at the sight.

Tonoji positioned himself between Fujiko’s legs and released his manhood from his briefs. He entered Fujiko slowly and asked, “What are you?”
“Your wife, a woman who is nothing but a vassal for your will my lord”
“Why are you nothing but a vassal Fujiko?”
“I am a woman and all women are but vassals for their men”
Tonoji slide gently into Fujiko, “Because men are the ones with essence, like the essence that is currently in you.”
“Yes my lord”
“Do woman have minds of their own then?”
“Yes my lord but uh…like our bodies, our minds are nothing but vassals as well.”
“Your minds are for your men to mold. For me to mold.”
“Yes my lord”
“Do you regret being born a woman then?”
“Never my lord. Uh…we all have our place in this world. My place is naturally here…beneath you.”
“Well said wife”
“You are a great teacher my lord. I will remember all your teachings, your rules, your laws and obey them always.”
Tonoji slide harder into Fujiko, “A woman is nothing without a man.”
“Yes my lord”
“A woman’s mind and body is not hers but a canvas for their men to shape and mold.”
“Yes my lord”
“Your body, your mind is nothing but a canvas for me to mold.”
“Ye…YES my lord”
“Are you ready to accept my essence now?”
“Yes my lord.”
Tonoji released his seed within Fujiko and she let out a shriek. “Remember my teachings always”
“Yes my lord.” Fujiko said happily.
“Accept my will in all things”
“Yes my lord”
“Good. Now we must sleep.”
“I love you my lord.”
“I know. Obey me in all things as directed by the teachings of Qizen and I shall treat you well.”
“Yes my lord”
“Now keep quiet and let’s sleep.” As Tonoji switched off the lights, he heard Fujiko’s last words for the night.
“Yes my lord”