heian era sukuna x servant (✿◡‿◡)(❁´◡`❁)╰(*°▽°*)╯ word count : 4457
a/n : yay my second fic!! (you can support me by reading my first one) so this is a bit of a different heian era x y/n trope. i didn’t want it to be the generic concubine reader x master fic since i’m so tired of seeing it (lolz not really) i also wanted to give y/n a bit of a background and not just throw her in there and just make it about sex and shit so it’s a bit lengthy other parts are in the works, this has several parts so stay tuned when i post again. and sorry if my info is not accurate T_T but enjoy!!
artwork is NOT mine . all credit goes to original artists. images were taken from Pinterest
you had spent your entire life believing you were ordinary. and yet at times it felt as though your whole purpose was meaningless. no matter what you did, it was never enough, especially for your dead beat father, who had never missed an opportunity to remind you how little he cared about you.
your mother, due to improper care during child birth, had died not too long after you had been delivered. from the moment her eyes closed for the last time, your father resented you. in a way, he abandoned you, leaving you in the care of neighbours who would feel pity listening to your cries at night whenever he disappeared, off doing heaven knows what.
as the years passed, you were passed around the small village from one household to another. sometimes it was Ms. Takahashi, whose sweet treats were beloved by everyone in town. other times it was Mr. Kanji, the wisest man in the village who had always dreamed of having a daughter of his own.
there were days when your father was around. but even then it felt like he wasn’t truly there. his presence never brought comfort or peace. it filled the house with a suffocating tension and the air felt heavier the moment he entered that front door.
every move was calculated. you stayed quiet and stayed out of his sight because you never knew at which moment he would lash out and it didn’t take much to. the healed horizontal scar on your cheek tells the story.
and then there were days where he left. no explanation. no goodbyes. gone for days, sometimes even weeks. you’d have to ponder on when he would come back. wishing he wouldn’t. the house felt lighter when he wasn’t around. during times like these you would wander off to whichever house that was willing to welcome you in.
despite being taken care of and adored by the villagers, nothing filled the void in your heart. no matter how much kindness they showed you, you couldn't shake the feeling that you were a burden even though they were the ones who willingly took you in. watching parents take their children to lively festivals, it filled you with envy. you watched fathers lift their children onto their shoulders to see above the crowd, mothers fixing messy hair and straightening
crooked clothes. you watched the delight in children's eyes as they received small, thoughtful trinkets simply because they came from someone who loved them.
“Why can’t i have that? What did i do to not deserve it? Am i not deserving of it?” these thoughts forever plagued your mind.
you hardly ever saw your father,that’s if you could even call him that. it’s been moons since you last saw him. at some point you stopped worrying. it was no longer your duty to waste energy on a man who never showed up for his own child. yet you still remained wary.
ironically, the man who shared your blood felt more like a stranger than family, while the people who owed you nothing became the ones who cared for you most. and among them all, one person stood above the rest.
more than anyone else in the village, he had become your caretaker and over the years you had come to reside with him permanently. and as you grew older, you realized it was time to start pulling your weight around the house. he was getting older and frail and could no longer provide as much as he used to before.
no job in the village was enough to suffice for the stuff needed. food,medicine,grooming items, things that were handed to you automatically had cost more than ever. the realization filled you with even more guilt. he had been supplying you with all these things with little help from others.
determined to ease his burden, you began searching for work that paid better wages, no matter how difficult or unpleasant it might be. that’s when word about the king of the land had fallen upon your ears.
of course, you had heard whispers about him before in the community or when you went to the market on Saturdays. you never paid much attention to them. Ms.Takahashi had always warned you to not trust every tale that spread through word of mouth. but a rumor had spread like wildfire that was too hard to ignore.
people claimed the king had killed his own wife and several servants. some say that they had plotted against him. others say that he did it out of pure boredom. one tale is even more outrageous than the other.
none of that mattered to you. what mattered was one thing : the king was in need of servants and you needed to sweep up the offer before anyone else did. It was the highest paying job across the land which made everyone desperate to grab it as fast as possible.
but it also meant one thing. this wasn't the kind of job you could leave behind at the end of the day.
a position within the royal palace required your presence around the clock. if you were accepted, you would be expected to live there indefinitely, tending to whatever duties were assigned to you. it meant leaving the village behind…leaving Mr. Kanji behind.
but you needed this. needed the money for him. you need to put yourself out of the equation and put him first. it may have been a rough decision but this was vital.
you woke up early that morning, the sun had not even risen yet. trying not to make too much noise, you filled a kettle with water and set it over the fire. as it began to heat, you busied yourself by preparing Mr. Kanji's favourite breakfast : a warm cup of green tea accompanied by tamagoyaki, a slightly sweet rolled omelet that he always seemed to enjoy. after that you arrange it on the dining table,covering it with a bowl so the steam will be trapped inside. you grabbed a scroll from the far right corner of the table and a brush. you began writing. telling Mr.Kanji about your departure, about how you needed this more than ever to take care of him. when you thought it was enough, you rolled it up and placed it near the bowl so that he could see it the moment he woke up to eat
after everything was set, you went out into the bathhouse and took a cold shower to calm your nerves .today would be a long day. you had mustered up the courage to finally acquire the spot as a servant. you had doubt considering the fact that this role would have already been sought out and people from around the country, hell even the world would have already filled in the spot. shaking your head, you leaned over the basin and splashed cool water onto your face to wash away the negative thoughts and stepped out to go change.
you put on your finest silk kimono which was embroidered with jade and sapphire flowers, complementing the silver garment. it was a gift from Mr.kanji for your 20th birthday. looking at it flow onto the wooden floor you sighed. reminiscing about your childhood with him. he’s done so much now it’s your turn to return the favour.
gathering your hair into a sleek bun, you carefully secured it in place before sliding a kanzashi through the dark strands as a finishing touch then headed to the door. not before sneaking a bag of coins into your sleeve in case of an emergency. you sat down at the entry way, slipping your sandals on and then rose up to smooth down the kimono. this was it. there was no turning back now. you were set off to start a journey which could determine your future. will you actually be accepted ? you’ve never worked a day in your life. will you be able to last? and if you did, then how long?
you slid the door shut as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb anyone at the wee hours of the morning and strided onto the route you remembered. you were headed down near the lake where travelers rented horses from merchants for their long journeys. it was not often but it was still there when in need.
as the stable came into view you trotted a bit faster. to your surprise, a merchant was already there, tending to his horses while the rest of the village still slept. he looked up as your footsteps approached, curiosity flickering across his face.
“Good morning, sir.” you greeted, waiting for an answer.
“Good morning to you too. Ma’am. how may i help you this early at dawn.” he looked you up and down, unable to hide the confusion in his voice for why you were dressed so fancy this early.
“Would it be possible if you could ferry me to the lord’s estate?” you asked with a bit of confidence but the uncertainty in your words was evident.
"Ha! You're heading to The Fallen One, are you?" he looked at you with open disbelief. "You're quite brave for someone your size. Word's been going around that he kills his servants for sport."
"I've heard the rumors," you replied, your voice calm. "No need to tell me twice. Now, will you take me there or not?"
for a brief moment, his eyes widened. you were being serious. “Of course ma’am i’ll take you there. But it doesn’t come free.” he stretches his hand out staring at you with a cunning grin.
“Name your price.” you stare right back at him
he rubbed his chin “Hmmm...30 silver coins.”
you took the bag of coins from your sleeve and handed it to him. that was all you had. he took the bag and poured out all its contents, counting every coin making sure that it was the exact amount. after inspecting he nodded in satisfaction and put everything back in. “Hop on” he tapped the rear end of one of the horse.
without any help, unsurprisingly, you got on top of the horse. after securing a rope between your horse and his own, he clicked his tongue, urging the animals forward. the estate was not far nor was it close either. you could have gone on your own but the possibilities of bandits or wild animals attacking was best to avoid.
dawn started to break and the sun woke from its slumber. you and the merchant rode in a weird uncomfortable silence. he was focused on the road ahead while you distracted yourself with the breathtaking landscape. with valleys upon valleys which were decorated with flowers of all kinds. trees stretched high in the distance and shrubs lined either side of the well traveled path, after years of disturbed growth as countless travelers had passed through.
it felt as if an eternity had passed. the sun hung high in the sky. was it already noon? sitting in this position for that long filled you with unease. every few moments, you shifted your weight or adjusted the fabric, it all resulted in the same discomfort.
“Have we arrived yet?” you asked in slight annoyance. “Hold your horses madam.” and with that he stops. you brace on to the saddle from the sudden impact. he finally brought the horses to a halt atop a grassy hill with the expanse of the large estate in the bottom. to call it huge would have been a gross understatement.
the wings of the palace had extended far and wide, you could have even seen servants and staff brisking about. from your view they looked like ants, entering and leaving rooms. the town before it was bustling. everyone looked refined and svelte. they wore garments crafted from the finest fabrics, and the most expensive jewels. elegant carriages rolled through the streets, carrying nobles and wealthy merchants to their destinations. others strolled along the stone roads with their personal attendants who carried their belongings, shaded them with parasols, or walked closely behind them.
“We’re almost there” the man uttered. he tugged onto the reins urging the horses to begin walking again as he descended down the hill. you lowered your head to face the ground, feeling too unworthy to look at them.
“This is your stop.” the merchant brought the horses to a gentle halt before a vast mahogany doorway. with beautiful carvings of dragons and flowers that were mesmerizing. you looked up at it in complete awe. beyond them lay endless possibilities, a future you had only ever allowed yourself to dream of. a chance to earn enough to repay Mr. Kanji for every sacrifice he had made. a chance to become someone of worth. you carefully jumped down the horse and dusted your kimono for what felt like the hundredth time that day. you bowed to the man in gratitude and turned toward the large entrance.
before you could even knock it had already opened by…a small child? the person standing before you was so small that the top of their head was the same level of your hip.
“State your purpose,” they asked you immediately.
“Uh.. good day.” you bowed down. “I-i am here to require a position in the king's estate.” you continued not daring to look back up, too scared of being rejected.
after what felt like an eternity, they gave a subtle nod. "Come in." they turned around and started walking further inside. you quickly straightened your posture and hurried after them. the moment you stepped in, the door closed with a loud THUD!
the view inside was like nothing you could have imagined. scattered around the courtyard stood women with highly luxurious, layered clothing. their faces were painted with flawless make up while they giggled and gossiped. Were they the lord's concubines?
besides them were also servants tending to their every need. some stood perfectly still beside their mistresses like statues, patiently awaiting their next command. the rest gently fanned the heat away from their faces and cooled their skin with little cubes of ice.
to your left, some were sitting near a wide, clear pond which was filled with different species of fishes that shimmered in the sun that reflected on the water. from koi to betta fishes. they looked immaculate.
the escort continued into the palace until they reached where it seemed to be the kitchen. “this is where you shall work until other tasks are given to you.” they still had not turned around to look at you.
“Work? I am already working? But i have just arrived. Are you not going to ask me about my qualities and background?” is this person out of their mind? just giving away jobs as if it was free candy.
“Why would i do that? You want the job, no? Here you have it. Plus if anything were to go wrong, the king will deal with you personally.”
the last line left you speechless. you could not form a coherent sentence.
“Now carry on. Your tasks await you.” with that they vanished.
you’re left standing there clueless. no tutorial. no instructions. you were left to fend for yourself like a duckling whose mother abandoned them. all the cooks in the kitchen seemed so preoccupied that they probably never even recognized your presence.
my tasks? what were they talking about? you muttered under your breath. in an instant your question was answered.
"Hello! You there, girl! Quit standing there and start chopping some of these cabbage.” an older woman had shouted ordering you to prepare some vegetables. without a second thought you scurried to her side and began cutting. unsure of what you were doing was right, you glanced over to her looking for any sign of uncertainty. but as if you were a ghost she did not glance once. too concentrated on the task at hand. perhaps she would tell you to stop…maybe.
after chopping about 4 patches of cabbages, she took it from you and tossed it into a bowl and walked into another direction,,disappearing in the swarm of other chefs who were sweating bullets from the amount of heat in the room.
you sure had your work cut out for you.
that same day you were bombarded with a stream of several demands, more specifically by the older cooks. one minute there was a “Grab that spoon!” “Wash those vegetables again!” or “Turn the fish over before it burns!” or the one you heard the most “Stop standing there if you’re just going to be a waste of space!”
as the day drew to an end, one by one all the cooks dispersed out of the kitchen. the other servants carried trays upon trays of the freshly prepared dishes that spent the entire day preparing. it was brought into a room with a big round table where the lord’s concubines awaited for their meals.
despite the lavish meals and interactions that you’ve seen, the lord had not appeared once. perhaps he was away on official business or had remained locked in his chambers away from everyone else. no one in the kitchen had brought him up yet. maybe they were too scared due to the horrendous hearsay that had spread which probably shook them to the core.
everything was still a blur. you got accepted without even having to try. the moment was so short lived that you struggled to believe you were truly here. as the evening came to a close, you quietly fell in line behind the other servants, following them through the winding corridors of the estate. you assumed they were heading back to their quarters for the night. without knowing where they were going you simply followed, too afraid to stand out.
when you all reached a point in the corridor, tthe men peeled off to the left while the women continued to the right. a huge door up ahead had been opened by a pair of guards standing outside of the room. it looked similar to the one in front of the estate, just with less carvings on it. inside were rows upon rows of neatly arranged futons covered on the floor. these were the servants' quarters.
some spots were vacant. perhaps they were assigned somewhere else. or maybe..
you pushed the thought out of your head. you didn’t want to imagine what had happened to them. making your way to an empty futon, there was a white piece of folded clothing at the foot of it. you picked it up and opened it out to see what it was. it was a robe which looked identical to the ones the servants had been wearing.
looking around you saw everyone changing into it. without shame, everyone's naked bodies were on display. goosebumps raised across your skin. you vigorously averted you eyes and swiftly slipped your kimono off to replace it with the robe as quickly as possible. you folded it and laid it near your pillow. you also removed the kanzashi off as well. they were the very few precious things you owned. you sat down on the futon and placed the covers over your shoulders. you squeezed your eyes shut, hoping that sleep would come quickly. then your mind wandered.
you now were a servant to the world’s most feared cursed sorcerer, King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna. the name that would make a room fall silent the moment it was uttered. the name that would send shivers down the spine of anyone, whether it be a rival, peasant or acquaintance, everyone feared him. the stories had spread across mountains, villages and nations about the countless atrocities that he had committed.
then it drifted again this time to something different. What did Mr.Kanji think about this? Was he understand? Was he fuming when he found out about your motives? Or maybe he was worried sick. there was no way you could have communicated with him. well not that you knew of at the moment. you should ask the maids tomorrow. they surely would have known, it would have been impossible that they never wrote to any of their family members since arriving here.
as sleep slowly overtook you, one final thought lingered in your mind.
you might finally meet the monster behind the name.
morning came in what felt like a blink of an eye. someone had been shaking you by your shoulders. prying your eyes open, you were met with the piercing ones of the same woman in the kitchen from the day before.
“Girl! Girl! Wake up! You need to get ready for the ceremony!” she huffed.
you sat up in an instance,taking in the look of your surroundings. everyone hurriedly rolled up their bedding and rushed toward the door. you turned your attention back to the woman.
“R-ready for what?” you rub your eyes, still sounding groggy from sleep.
“The king is returning in a matter of hours.” the woman said briskly. “That means the kitchens need to have every meal prepared before his arrival, and every inch of this estate must be spotless."
the king was coming back? Shit.
you pulled yourself up to your feet. the woman grabbed your wrist and led you out of the quarters and headed to the bathing area. on your way out, you slipped your feet into your sandals.
everyone looked occupied and worked themselves into a frenzy. they walked past you with buckets of water and armful of towels in their hands. men stood high on pillars, trimming shrubs which had weeds and outgrown branches around it. and women swept the floors removing dust particles – even the ones that was not there. scrubbing at walls, to get rid of grime that has been there long overdue.
when reaching the bathing area she pushed you in and began rummaging through one of the wooden shelves and pulled out a towel and another cleaned robe.
“Take this. You have five minutes. Use it wisely and then head down to the kitchen. Do not be late.” she warned and closed the door behind her.
without wasting another second, you began undressing. thankfully, there was no else around to make you feel embarrassed like last night. it must of taken a long while for the servants to adjust and grow accustomed with being that vulnerable among each other.
you grabbed a wooden pail and filled it with water from the large barrel next to it and threw the water onto yourself. the coldness made you shiver. then you repeated several times. making sure to lather yourself with sufficient soap of course.
the older woman's warning echoed in the back of your mind. you washed the soap of your skin one last time and grabbed the towel to dry yourself off, gently patting the droplets. until you were dry enough you tied the robe around your waist.
taking a quiet breath, you stepped back into the bustling corridors. without taking corners. you headed straight to the kitchen. steam and smoke filled the kitchen immensely. it made you start coughing as you stepped in. you couldn’t possibly work in these conditions.
the older woman from earlier spotted you almost immediately and called you over to meet her. you walked over carefully not wanting to disturb anyone from their concentration.
“Yes miss?” you answered her.
“Come help me," she ordered. “Here. Wash this rice. When you're done, put it over the fire and add plenty of salt.” she pushed a wooden basin filled to the brim with uncooked rice into your arms before pointing toward the water barrels nearby, while she returned to seasoning a freshly cleaned fish.
you hurried towards and poured cool water into it. setting it down, you submerged your hands into it and gently swirled the grains in between your fingers. within seconds it became clouded with starch which was your sign to drain it. you emptied the basin and filled it again then repeated the process. to be on the safer side you washed it out one more time before sprinkling a generous amont of salt to it and placing it on the fire. the fire pit was packed with several dishes that were being cooked at the same time.
“I’m done.” you told the woman.
she glanced at you with only a brief glance in the corner of her eyes.
“Good. Season this.” she slid a freshly cleaned fish toward you. you pulled it closer to you and grabbed the seasonings and added it to the fish precisely. the woman nodded and turned back.
the both of you and everyone had been working tirelessly. no one did more work than the other. if someone thought a task was done then another one would fall into their lap. so much so you had eventually lost track of how long you had been cooking and seasoning and chopping.
it had already started getting dark when the child-sized person entered into the kitchen. the room fell quiet and everyone paused doing whatever they were doing. trailing behind them were the same servants who had carried the evening meal to the concubines the day before.
“Thank you everyone for your hard work today. The king will be here in a matter of minutes. I suggest you all take a shower and gather on the courtyard. Do not skylark.” everyone bowed at them and they bowed back. they stood up then led the other servants out to place the meals into the dining area.
when the coast was clear everyone quietly walked out of the room. and all headed to the bathing area. the women and men both went to their respective areas. like clockwork, they discarded their clothing and doused themselves with water. you had no choice but to follow suit. how else would you get clean? no one on this compound looked at for anyone. one man for himself. the robes placed this time were red. signifying the return of the king. this man held aura in a room he wasn’t even in.
some time passed when everyone stepped out of the bath house in a queue with their robes properly tied and flattened. you could hardly read their faces. you couldn’t tell if they were nervous or scared. How did the king really look. I wonder if he would appreciate all the work we put into this.
everyone who resided in the estate stood in lines vertically and horizontaliy
with a few taps of a hoove. the carved door was unlatched. first came henchmen who trotted with the their horse and positioned them in a clear straight line in front of the servants.
then came two others with white ones. they looked even more important than those who arrived beforehand. and lastly, the one who everyone was waiting for the most walked through with a horse of his own. his was a black with a slick coat and long luscious braids on it's tail and head. everyone in the vicinity immediately bowed upon his presence making you follow suit.
everyone adjusted their stance and focused their attention on the man that stood before them.
