Author’s Notes:
I’m going to take a moment to explain some of the key things in this little fic. If I do them at the end, you may be confused the whole way through. Here’s the pertinent terminology, and how it’s used in the story. Keep in mind that this is my weird version of the Spoonish existence. None of this is official.
Keikoku: Keikoku are the highest order of courtesans in Spooner. Like the geisha, keikoku are not considered simply prostitutes. They are entertainers, lovers, sometimes mystics, singers, dancers, objects of obsession. A keikoku will never marry, nor will she (or, occasionally, he) be bound to one man, like the geisha might have a danna. Due to the positions of their clients, they often wield considerable political and social power. Keikoku are the most expensive, the rarest, and the most beautiful. They are the best. Literally, in Japanese, “keikoku” means “beauty, siren, courtesan, or prostitute.”
Keisei: Are the second-order prostitutes. They are beneath the keikoku in standing, price, and usually beauty. They are still highly respected, and very expensive. They may even have minor political or social influence. They may not marry, but they can take on a short-term ‘husband’ who pays large sums to spend time only with them. While she is married to one such customer, a keisei may not sexually entertain other men, which is, supposedly, the allure. “Keisei” has the same meaning in Japanese as “Keikoku.”
Koukyuo: This is the name my Spoonish people use for their harems buildings. These are sort of like the okiya in Japan, where geisha are trained and live, only on a grander scale. The keikoku and keisei live in the koukyuu. It is a complex of living quarters, mostly, as well as supply rooms and kitchens and such to provide for the kiekoku and keisei. The koukyuu are owned by rich lords, and are sometimes, if the guy is really well-to-do, even part of his own palace complex.
Joufu: This is the Spoonerian equivalent of a geisha, more or less. Not as high-standing as the keikoku, or the keisei, but still important and respectable. One must be beautiful and skilled to be a joufou, but there are far more common than the keikoku and keisei. They may both have ‘husband’ customers, and marry. In Japanese, “joufu” means “mistress, lover, or prostitute.”
Shougi: This is the “common prostitute” class. There is no skill in their work, they are not expensive, and they are commonly looked down upon by ‘civilized society.’ “Shougi” is the Japanese word for “prostitute or harlot.”
 
 

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