A Nagas tale

An accessory can be a husband!?

The buildings around me remind me so much of the historic buildings of Japan. "K..kogen.." I whisper the fear of the people I'd be forced to choose from weighing on me. "hm?" He asks keeping his eyes focused on the front. "uhm is it really necessary for me to get a husband?" I ask feeling nervous about the idea. He nods "A lot of women are not allowed to live on their own due to..." he stops talking as if trying to find his words. "Rapists? abusers?" I ask he nods "It's just not safe for you." He answers with a deep unsatisfied sigh. I look at the people around us and realize despite the different world the issues are the same. I tightened my hold on his clothes as I felt the same fear as I did before. The reason I carried so much pepper spray in my bag and the reason I hated being so underweight. The reports on the news about rape/ murder cases that seem to be spiking. I shake away the fear and try my best not to think about the possibility of it. "C...can you stay nearby?" I ask feeling I'd be at ease if he was nearby. Kogen was the only person I somewhat knew and felt I could trust not to hurt me. "If you want." he answers without much thought behind his words. I look at my hurt ankle and then my bleeding palm. "Please, I'm scared." I whisper mostly to myself. I rest my head on his shoulder as I hug my right palm. He did not answer me leaving me with doubt. We get to the cheifs house which is a lot larger than the ones we had been walking by a few seconds ago. "Oh good you came," the chief was waiting at the door. Two girls are standing by him waiting. I grasp Kogen's clothes tighter as he sets me down. I don't put any weight on my left leg fearing the pain of my ankle. "hmm this one is a bit more battered than the ones before." One of the women walks up to me. She grabs my face and turns my face as if checking the goods. I frown pulling my face out of her hands. She grabs my cheeks again "Don't make a fuss." she huffs I frown having her face so close to mine. I can see the powder of the makeup she wore and smell an unsettling scent coming off her. She nods "Alright, I can work with this." she answers grabbing my arm to lead me away. I hold onto Kogen feeling she would not offer me support for my hurt ankle. She turned to me annoyed I did not follow her "Tch, trust me you do not want to stay with that man." she hissed at me. I shake my head "No, I don't trust you." I answer pulling my arm free from her grip. "I don't even know you and you want me to take your word over the person thats been helping?" I ask annoyed she thought I would take her word for it. She clicks her tongue "You are just a stupid girl so stop with your fit." she huffs. I can feel she gives the same vibes as Mom did. I gasp as I am lifted off the floor and carried. I turn to Kogen who carries me like a sack of potatoes under his armpit." It's not the time to be making a fuss." he huffs. I frown as he walks after the woman. He sits me down in the center of a spacious room with clothes that remind me of Yukatas. "Stay here, I will be back." Kogen instructs me like a puppy taking orders from its master. I turn my eyes away from him before crossing my arms over my chest. He lets out a groan before walking out of the room leaving me alone with that lady. She demands I stand up "My ankle is sprained." I tell her hoping she would leave me alone. She hands me a crutch "Use this to support yourself." she tells me. I noticed she was not being rude but rather seemed more worried. I wanted to ask why she was worried but watching her start to measure my body. I decided not to bother her since she looked busy. I look out the back door seeing a lovely garden with a pond. 'you don't want to stay with that man.' Her words seemed spiteful but is she trying to warn me about something? I shake my head when she clicks her tongue again. "to think he was this careless this time around." I turn to the lady as she starts treating the palm of my hand. "I swear that man." she huffs her words only bad. I decided then to ask "Why do you not like Kogen?" my question lifted her attention from my bloody hand. "that man is a monster! There is no sane woman that would accept him as a husband." she hisses. I tilt my head "A monster? how?" I ask to which she frowns her brows knitting together. "W..well he is not very good-looking." she points out. My eyes fixed on her face 'Is this for real? you are discriminating against him because he is not good-looking?' I wanted to ask. She takes a deep breath "A husband is supposed to be an accessory to a pretty young lady." she states matter of factly. "An accessory?" I ask curiously to which she nods "Yes, a man needs to be handsome, capable, and a symbol of their house." she explains. I tilt my head as in my stupid emotionally starved mind he ticks all of the boxes. "How does he not fit into that?" I ask the lady. She clicks her tongue as she walks towards the Yukatas. 'I swear if this were a D movie she'd break out into song.' I sigh as she starts listing off his bad qualities "he is covered in scars, he has no idea how to act around a lady, his brows are... not normal and his smile is creepy!" she argues. 'okay... scars? if he spends his days fighting thats normal. He's dumb around women because of the alienation he faces. His brows? I mean he is born the way he is what the heck? A creepy smile?' I recall the days before only seeing small smirks and a flat face without a smile or a frown. 'I haven't seen him smile.' I shrug unable to bite back at her in my head for that. I watch her as she starts taking my clothes off 'Wait am I not going to shower?' I wonder as she tosses my old clothes aside. "Uhm am I going to shower?" I ask. She shakes her head "No, you will wash away your natural scent, we need you to be perfumed with your scent for these men to accept." she answers. I cringe 'Prefumed?' I want to gage at the thought of somebody liking the smell of perspiration and piss. She combed my hair and did my makeup after dressing me in a pink Yukata. Once she is done she takes me to the front door. I look out at the darkening skies 'Man that took forever.' I sigh as a few guys lined up at the door. Kogen stood next to the chief as they watched the men. My eyes fixed on Yyvonne sitting on his shoulder. I cover my nose as a few smells hit me. There is a harsh smell of tobacco, a faint smell of smoke, and an overpowering smell of mint. I feel my stomach twist uncomfortably at the smell of mint.

Once I'd come back as promised to Audrey the chief walked over to me. "Why not take this girl as your wife?" he asks I shake my head "That is not my choice to make, I'd rather her take somebody she wants rather than being forced," I explain. He sighs as he looks out into the skies "Ya'know a lot of these younger girls tend to choose the most attractive looking men, I fear they will dry up the stronger genes." he sighs as I watch the men walk up the owl is in the mix. I frown annoyed he thought it was smart to come to this marriage offering. Once all of the men gathered we turned to find Audrey and the cheifs wife already waiting. Audrey is covering her nose as she looks at the line-up. 'Is she alright?' I wondered as she turned her head away from them. 'do their scents not please her?' I wondered as the chief's wife walked her down.