Come Into My Parlour

Boats.

Rie liked boats.

I wonder if it's normal for a six year girl to like boats? She thought, as she made her way down the narrow streets as fast as her awkward geta shoes would allow her to go.

Rie couldn't remember exactly how long she had been living in the Okiya. All she knew was that one day, she was to become Geisha - just like her big sister, Chiaki.

Chiaki was beautiful. When she walked, it appeared as if she was gliding. Rie wanted to be just like her when she was older.

She liked it at the Okiya. She loved her school too - especially her dance classes. In fact, Rie loved her life in general.

Turning right onto the next narrow street, Rie was careful not to damage her little wooden boat on the wall.

'Making boats is for boys!' Mother had scolded, when Rie had brought it home with her.

And so it was, Rie supposed. But then again, it wasn't like she would be taking up carpentry for a living.

She and her friend Michiko had made the boat just for fun. And now, she was going to try it out.

Michiko wasn't able to join her, and Rie couldn't wait any longer, so she had decided to go alone.

Mother often sent her on errands around the Hanamachi, the Geisha district in which she lived. As such, Rie knew the area well - and she knew the perfect place to try out her boat.

With Autumn drawing in on the city of Kyoto, Rie knew she didn't have long before it began to get dark.

But just enough time to sail my boat once across this pond she thought, slipping through the gate of the Azagao Gardens, and trotting up the gravel path towards the pond.

It wasn't a particularly big pond. And nor would it be very deep, Rie had concluded.

Stopping at the edge, Rie surveyed the calm water in front of her.

Yes.

She could definitely bob along in this little pond quite nicely for a short while.

Taking a look around the garden, Rie smiled.

She liked to smile. And anyway, Mothers always told her that frowning was too much strain for little girls who wanted to grow up as pretty as their big sisters. So Rie only practiced smiling.

This garden was probably as beautiful as the rest once, she thought. It looked a bit neglected now, however. The shrubs and plants that had once surrounded the pond were bare, twisted sticks. The footpath and grass areas of the gardens were shrouded in brown autumn leaves and the last remaining cherry blossom petals, still trying to cling to life in the bitter cold.

Rie thought it sad that something so beautiful and innocent as a blossom petal should come to an end. But even at the age of six, she was bright enough to understand that cruel and unfair things happened in this world all of the time, and more often than not, it was better not to question them.

Pushing her boat out onto the surface of the pond, Rie climbed gingerly aboard and settled herself down.

If it had been summer, she should probably have brought a snack with her. That would have been fun.

Maybe I'll come back next year and do just that.

With that, Rie dipped her arm into the water and began to paddle across the pond.

The water was a lot colder than she had anticipated, even for this time of year. In fact, it was ice cold, and it wasn't long before the little girl was forced to swap arms. After all, she didn't want her skin to turn blue.