Behind the Fans

Please note that the Gorean Saga is a fictional series, and its world, customs, and values may not align with modern societal standards or moral principles.

The following is a insight into different cultures within Gor. 

Gor is Copyrighted by John Norman

Written by a Guest Writer Kasumi.

Dear Reader, 

My name is Kasumi and I am here to share with you a story of a contract woman in the Pani lands

Over the next few Hands I will let you glimpse beneath the veils and sheer silks that keeps the Pani culture one of mystery

Disclaimer, this is not my story, so men, please keep your collars on your belt, these are stories I witnessed as I grew up in the Pani lands, and stories shared with me.

Names and locations have been changed to retain privacy. Some of the story has been embellished for dramatic effect, but you must figure out what is true and what has been painted in more vivid colours.

                                                        Behind the Fans

                                                        Chapter 1  第1章

The night air bit at a young girls heels as she stumbled through the streets of Yonui. She had been out in the streets begging and had managed to steal some frozen fish from a vendors and now little Poy rushed to get home. Her family were poor and her father was now so ill he couldn't fish to feed his family. Poy Was slipping on the icy roads, her old getas ringing out in the night as she moved through the narrow back streets of the village. Poy thought she was safe and paused against a wall, tucking the frozen fish under her arm she blew on her hands to try and warm up. Poy was 8 yrs old, and wore rags, not fitting for the freezing winter of Yonui, and as a hand landed on her shoulder she shrieked. She looked up to see an warrior looking down at her, she was caught, and with great shame she told the warrior her name and where she lived. The man took her back to the market stall she had stolen from and threw her at the mans feet. Poy was given 10 Lashes and told to return with the coin owed for the fish, a mere 10 copper, yet to her, it was a fortune she owed. She knew she couldn't go home with this news, it would bring shame on her family, she sat in a lantern lit doorway and cried until she fell asleep/ Poy was awoken as a sliding door opened, she fell flat on her back and watched a stunning woman with a pained face glide by in the most amazing Kimono she had ever seen...a second later and she was yanked up by her ragged collar and thrown against the wall. The woman demanded an explanation and poor Poy began to cry and explain it all. The woman listened and nodded "I will fix" she said and grabbed Poy by her hair and pulled her through the streets to the merchant. Poy watched as the two spoke and the woman paid her bill, and the fine to the warrior who had been there to take reports

Poy was taken back to the Okiya and tossed indoors, she was informed that the woman was the Okaasan, and Poy was now a servant there, the Okaasan had paid all her debts, and now Poy had to work off what was paid. Little did Poy know that she was also being charged for the clothing, food and room as she lived there, she couldn't refuse, to go home, in debt, the dishonour would kill her father. it was better they think her dead. The Okaasan came and put chains on her legs, hobbling her, a bell so she would be heard, and a lock so they couldn't be removed, She was then thrown down into the cellar and told to be quiet

Her first night in the cellar she cried silently, her sobs mingled with the sobs of other girls, snatched from the streets in similar ways, each girl held a heavy pain deep inside them, knowing they couldn't leave, the chains around there legs locked together by a long chain at night

And so the days and hands passed this way, waking before the sun rises, working to clean everything, to serve, to learn, she was beaten by a thin branch when she spilled water hauling large buckets of  hot water to the roof for the Contract women to shower.

If a contract woman had a bad day or a nasty client, they often turned there anger on the servant girls in secret, beating them and hissing insults. This was her life, for 4 long years she served, she scrubbed and cleaned, until a loud knocking rang out in the Okyia. The girls were rushed into the cellar and whispers could be heard above, something about a large debt, a Contract woman who stole a large amount of coin, it would seem this okiya was not working within the Pani's law of honor and respect, and it was this day when the entire Okiya was closed, the Contract omen were taken and sold in the mainland as collared girls and as the days passed, each servant girl was sold off to repay the debt, Poy was the last. She stood before a woman in the now closed Okiya, her Okaasan and this woman began to bargain and after 2 ahn an agreement was made, Poy was sold for a small cost of 50 copper.

She sat in the old cart, pulled by a bosk, the woman sat in front, expressionless, dressed in a simple yet elegant silk Kimono, Poy watched as the streets passed by, the evening was drawing in, it was summer and the warm air and sweet smell of flowering trees filled the air, lamps were being lit and Poy sighed wondering what fresh hell she was arriving to. A few ahn later they arrived at a compound, the gates opened and the cart rumbled in. Poy was taken without fuss from the cage and a key was slipped into her leg shackles. Poy looked up at the woman who's softly painted face showed nothing but a soft expression of kindness. Poy was led into a room with a bed, clean clothing and a girl around her age bouncing excitedly "A new sister" she giggled. The woman shot the girl a look and suddenly the girl became soft, graceful and restrained.

The woman left the two girls alone in the room and Poy slid down into a corner. The girl introduced herself as Xiya, and it was explained to Poy that she was bought to train here as a Contract Woman, the woman, Okaasan Mai had spotted her a few times when she was out cleaning the windows, and it seems she saw worth in her. Once it was publicly known the badly run Okiya was being sold off, Mai made her move.

For the first time since Poy was a little girl, she slept in a bed, her legs unchained, and her heart terrified for what all these changes meant for her