The Lady-in-Waiting. Secrets and Mysticism of the Imperial Court. Book 1

By Elena Kryuchkova and Olga Kryuchkova

Young Ono no Komachi enters the service of the Imperial Palace and becomes the lady-in-waiting of one of the consorts. Soon, she encounters an inexplicable phenomenon: a mysterious flying golden palanquin appears on the outskirts of the capital Heian.
The young lady-in-waiting marries a brilliant guardsman. However, he dies during the suppression of an uprising in one of the outlying provinces. To drown out the pain of loss, the lady-in-waiting is engaged in poetry. The Empress highly appreciates Ono no Komachi and her work. And soon the girl becomes her lady-in-waiting...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elena Kryuchkova
• Release date: Oct 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215582763

Elena Kryuchkova

Elena Kryuchkova started her creative path in 2012. She writes in different genres, such as: esotericism, fantasy, Slavic fantasy, sci-fi, dystopia, post-apocalyptic and others. Has several graphic works. A number of her novels were co-authored with Olga Kryuchkova.She is inspired by various fantasy and science fiction.Loves cats and draws.

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The Lady-in-Waiting. Secrets and Mysticism of the Imperial Court. Book 1.

Elena Kryuchkova, Olga Kryuchkova

The Lady-in-Waiting. Secrets and Mysticism of the Imperial Court. Book 1

Written By Elena Kryuchkova, Olga Kryuchkova

Copyright © 2023 Elena Kryuchkova, Olga Kryuchkova

All rights reserved

Cover Design © 2023 Elena Kryuchkova

Book 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

List of Historical Persons

List of Poetry

This story is fiction and any similarity to real people or events are coincidental.

The names of real people who lived in the past are marked. But the description of their life in this story is fictitious.

This story is completely fiction.

Book 1

Chapter 1

Second year of the reign of Emperor Ninmyō1 (835 AD), Heian.

The golden rays of the morning spring sun lit up the city with soft light. It was called Heian (the future Kyoto) or Heian-kyō, the ‘Peaceful Capital’ or ‘Tranquil Capital’. Also known as ‘Miyako’, which means ‘Capital’.

The capital of the Japanese state was built on the model of the urban planning of the Chinese capital Chang'an (future Xi'an).

The streets were laid out in even rows, dividing the city like straight lines on paper. On the first lines, in the north-eastern part of the city, closer to the Mikado Palace (as the emperors were called), there were houses of the court aristocracy.

Since that distant day, when the capital was founded, representatives of the highest nobility began to move here from the provinces. For owning a house in Heian raised their status. The cost of such estates reached fabulous prices. Every aristocrat, whether metropolitan or provincial, dreamed of acquiring a house as close as possible to the Imperial Palace. And many succeeded. In a word, the first lines were inhabited by those dignitaries, aristocrats or wealthy persons whose lives were literally successful.

Further, the houses of more modest officials and inhabitants of Heian were built.

... The estates of aristocrats in Heian had vast territories. Their spacious gardens were specially planned so that at any time of the year one could find a picturesque corner for admiring nature. Some owners placed miniature rocks in their gardens or even arranged streams, backwaters with goldfish in their possessions, and graceful curved bridges were thrown over them. Near the backwaters, the owners erected elegant pavilions for recreation and fishing. Often white and pink lotuses swayed on the surface of the water. Sometimes family shrines were seen nearby.

... That court nobility in the north of the capital built rich palace ensembles. The main building was located in the center of the land plot. On the sides and behind it, additional buildings were erected, which were interconnected by covered galleries. From the eastern and western additional buildings there was a covered gallery to the south. Thus, a closed courtyard with a garden and, often, with pavilions was obtained.

The pavilions were painted red, and many architectural elements were made of gold, once again emphasizing the wealth of the owner. The wooden parts were covered with fine carvings.

In the eastern and western parts of the city, there were two markets where the townspeople could purchase a wide variety of goods. There were two temples in the southern part of the capital. The rest of the religious buildings were outside the city.

Spring was drawing to a close and the weather was warm. At the Hour of the Rabbit2, the city gradually woke up. Officials with extremely concentrated faces began to walk busily through the streets — they had a busy day ahead. They were heading to the numerous departments located on the territory of the Imperial Palace.

Merchants opened their shops and checked how attractively the goods were laid out. It was a huge variety of goods! And cuts of silk, and jewelry, and various luxury items brought from China.

The servants from the houses from the first lines, located near the Imperial Palace, hurried early in the morning for the necessary purchases. Besides, where can you get the latest news if not on the market?!

In the Imperial Palace itself, life was already in full swing from dawn. Numerous ladies-in-waiting of the Emperor's mother, Lady Kachiko*, the Empress and the Imperial consorts, awakened at the Hour of the Rabbit, hurried to clean themselves up in order to begin their daily duties.

Komachi* got up from her modest futon (a cotton mattress that was removed during the day), took out a kimono from a chest (which was among the many chests of other ladies-in-waiting).

This time she chose a white cotton kimono underneath, then a pink one, and a crimson kimono embroidered with purple flowers for the top. The outfit was completed with a lemon-yellow belt with intricate peach patterns. Komachi pulled her long black hair into a ponytail and adorned it with an amber hairpin.

...Komachi's parents, the Kiyohara couple, left this world when she was still a child. The girl's mother died in childbirth, and her father died five years later from smallpox. Shortly before his illness, he was able to arrange the fate of his eldest daughter, Kaori, who at that time was fourteen years old, arranging her as a lady-in-waiting to the court of the Empress herself and successfully marrying an official of the Ministry of Justice, Ono no Atsutada from the Ono family. After a few years of marriage, their daughter Hanako was born.

After the death of their father, Kaori and Atsutada officially adopted the little orphaned Komachi, raised her and gave her a good education. Adoption was very common. Grandparents could adopt grandchildren. A good education meant knowledge of writing, knowledge of history, the ability