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Chi Story 3: Chi Culture
Jinkun, Naido, Genshu, & Zenmai.
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(I dunno how to do this properly)
Endless Rain Untold Stories
Supplemental: Chi Culture
“Jishuku, you have to start thinking about your future.” Naido spoke calmly, “Traditions have to be honored, and you have to marry someone in order to keep your place in the council.”
“I know, mother, but Chi tradition has also raised me to be stubborn and prideful of what I do… and my pride won’t let me marry some overly-pampered royal brat just because he’s suitable for my social status. I don’t even like Dainan, much less want to marry him.”
“Well, you’ll have to decide on someone soon, honey, or your father will choose for you and you know how that one will end…”
“Oh God, he’ll probably marry me to the richest, most spoiled and egotistical male he can find…”
There was silence for a few moments as the two women sat on Jishuku’s bed, trying to find some way to come to an agreement on this issue. Being a Chi tribesman was never an easy task for anyone, but being part of the royal class made it even more unpleasant at times. There were just so many contradictions in tradition that there was never any way of knowing which way you were expected to turn next. You were told to be independent, then forced to work in groups. You were told that stubbornness and pride were the traits to have, then given little or no choice whatsoever in the biggest decisions of your lives. There was never a right answer, and although everyone knew it, they were still Chi. Their traditions were everything to them, and they could never change them.
“Mother… why does everything have to be so hard?”
“I don’t know, honey. I think it’s meant to make us stronger. Traditions force us to conform or confront everything we encounter and every choice we make. Everything we do could destroy or save the hundreds of people of our village, and we have to be strong enough to make those decisions without second thought. Especially in our position as High Council of the Chi.”
“So it’s a test. Every hardship in my life was a test to see if I’d be predictable enough to be a safe leader. Every time I gave up what I wanted… what I loved for the sake of tradition…” Jishuku jeered, breathing deeply as a few tears began to fall from her eyes with the aggravation she felt. Her mother only placed a knowing hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t think of it like that. I married your father because he was chosen for me by my parents… and I grew to love him very much. You can do the same.”
“You never regret it?” she asked, turning her tear-stained face towards her mother.
“Late at night, sometimes… when I can’t sleep. But these things happen, Jishuku, and I’ve grown to accept it and not to think about what could have been. It’s the only way to happiness, my dear.” Naido spoke softly, patting her daughter’s shoulder as she rose to leave the room, “Just think about it, and sleep. Tomorrow is another day, and you might think differently.”
Jishuku awoke next to her husband, Teinei, and moved to pull one of his arms over her. He groaned and mumbled something incoherent, then tightened against her comfortably as the sun’s rays peeked in their window.
“Another bad dream?” he asked softly, wrapping his other arm around his wife as he held her close to him.
“No, just a memory I’d like to forget.” She replied, sighing.
“Do you want to skip the ceremony? I don’t care if we do. Not like they’re going to have you do anything. You’re not even their daughter anymore, according to them.”
“I want to go. They invited me, and I love my little brother. I should be at his wedding.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am. Don’t worry.”
Jishuku turned over towards her husband and buried her face in his chest. His only response was to run his hand over her hair and hold her as close as he could. He could never repay her for what she gave up to be with him, but he could always be there for her. That he could do. And that he planned to do. He planned to make every day of her life a happy one because of the choice she made those several years ago that brought so much happiness into his life. The choice to marry him and give up her place in the royal line.
“Mama! Mama!”
Both Jishuku and Teinei slowly sat up at the call, smiling as they saw their little girl bound into the room with endless energy and hop on their bed. She was five years old now, and always a handful, but her parents had expected nothing less from a Chi child. Right now she was wearing her clothes backwards, and didn’t even seem to notice that one of her arms wasn’t in the sleeve of her shirt.
“Mama! We’re gonna be late! We’re gonna be late! Let’s go! Let’s go!”
Moyasu laughed and jumped off the bed, running out of the room as Jishuku and Teinei got up and began to dress. She came back a few minutes later with her little brother Koudo in tow, though it was apparent that she had had a bit more trouble dressing him than she had herself.
“He won’t stay still!” she complained.
“Just be patient, Moyasu… we’re not late.” Jishuku scolded her daughter lightly.
“I’ll take care of them, you get ready.” Teinei suggested, already dressed in his formal outfit of dark green and red. He smiled to his wife, then dutifully threw the giggling Moyasu over one shoulder as his son clinged to his left pant leg.
“Don’t trip.” She suggested, as the three of them gimped out the door like some silly circus sideshow.
Jishuku sighed and slowly made her way to her feet, one hand on the small of her back as the other rubbed her bulging belly. This was going to be baby number three for her and Teinei, and they were already trying to decide on a name. Teinei wanted to name him after his father if it was a boy, but Jishuku was positive it would be another girl and always demanded they needed to think of a name for her. It didn’t really matter which it was, boy or girl, but she liked teasing her husband and play-fighting over these little things that meant nothing to either of them. The child would be born, and they would love it, no matter boy or girl. But it was still fun to tease.
An hour passed until the family was finally dressed up and out of the house. They moved casually along the narrow side-streets towards the temple and admired the decorations that had been laid out along the way. Every wall and every house had beautiful red and blue flowers and garlands over them. Silver bells and golden wind chimes hung from every tree, making wonderful music fill the air, and helping everyone to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Why shouldn’t they? They were about to witness the marriage of Genshu and Zenmai, the future High Council of the whole tribe (and Jishuku’s brother and sister-in-law). It was a big day for everyone, and Jishuku idly wondered why she herself was feeling the same swell of joy and anticipation that everyone else was feeling. She wasn’t a part of the royal family anymore, but she still felt the connection.
After finding their seats, Jishuku and Teinei stood with the rest of the congregation of villagers as the council arrived and took their seats at the front. Jishuku’s father, Jinkun, led the council members and took his place standing on the stairs of the temple as the wedding march began to play. The whole of the village turned towards the far end of the temple grounds behind them and watched as Genshu and Zenmai slowly made their entrance and began to march up the center towards Jinkun.
Genshu was dressed in his most elegant robes, a dark cape flowing behind him as he led his bride towards the altar. Zenmai herself was a vision of beauty. She wore several layers of highly-detailed robes that flowed fifteen or so feet behind her, the ends being safely kept off the ground by several servant girls in silver dresses, and her veil was a bright red, stamped along the borders with the golden seal of the Chi tribe. Every move she made was graceful and perfect, as if she had been training for this day since her birth. No one in the audience dared make even a tiny sound as the two of them passed, the wedding march reaching its end just as the two kneeled before the High Councilman Jinkun and bowed to him.
“Welcome, everyone, to this most glorious day of days. Today, my son becomes a man, and I have never been as proud of a child of mine as I am of Genshu right now...”
Jishuku felt a twinge at those words, as if they had been aimed directly at her. Did her father still feel animosity towards her even now? Did he still think she made the wrong decision? Teinei wrapped one arm around her knowingly, and Jishuku melted into him as she let the rest of the speech go on without listening to it. She just couldn’t listen to him right now, but she continued to watch the ceremony despite herself. She watched as her brother rose and took Zenmai’s hand into his own. She watched as Zenmai bowed and was helped to remove her veil. She watched as the two exchanged their first kiss at the end of the ceremony, and she smiled tearfully as her little brother took his hair down from the traditional bun that every child wore and cut his hair short (as was tradition). Her brother was a married man now, she realized, and he was going to rule over the Chi tribe someday. She only hoped that he would be different and more understanding than their father.
After a closing speech from Jinkun, Jishuku and the congregation watched as the final tradition of marriage was carried out. Each of the eight council members came forward from their respective seats with two long wooden sticks, each beaded and decorated uniquely, and placed them decoratively into Zenmai’s hair. The sticks could have the words fortune or prosperity carved into them, or health or honor. It was the way for the council to acknowledge their part in the marriage and their place in the village, so if you were not presented with these tokens, you were technically not a part of their society. You were just commonfolk.
Jishuku and Teinei’s marriage was outside village etiquette, and they never received the blessings of the council. Barely anyone even attended their wedding, much unlike today, and ever since they were considered outcasts to high society. They were basically ignored by anyone of high birth, and weren’t allowed to take part in anything that the commoners weren’t allowed to take part in, but that didn’t matter to either of them. The lower class had no qualms with their choices or their marriage, and they had found an even tighter web of friendships there at the bottom of the Chi ladder than either of them could have even dreamed of in the royal lines.
They were happy together, and that’s more than many high class could say. Chi culture has always been strange in that way.
In order of release date:
Chi Stories Order
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