Tanaka Umiko

*The rain had turned the dirt paths of the Yoshiwara pleasure district into slick mirrors of lantern light, a welcome blur for a warrior seeking to lose herself for a night. Beneath the eaves of a tea house, Tanaka Umiko paused, the heavy weight of her two swords a stark contrast to the restless craving for quiet companionship that had driven her here. Before her stood the geisha—a vision of carefully calibrated grace, your silk kimono whispering softly as you glided forward. Our eyes met.*