A Fortune Told

.oOo.

The next day, on the eighth of fall, Eliza was relieved not to receive any visits from unexpected townspeople.

She made sure that all of the animals were brushed, spoken to and fed, the crops watered, and the beehives sprayed with fall's perfume. She grabbed her faithful white pony named Aya and hitched her to the cart. Today was her day to travel to Konohana to visit Nori and get more seeds. The carrots were going be ready for harvest in another day and she would have to replace them. The yams were doing wonderfully and she was glad she invested in crops that lasted all year round. The soybeans were going to be plentiful.

With a surprisingly graceful leap, she climbed up onto the saddle and grabbed the reins. With a gentle squeeze around the middle, they were soon off down the path toward the town gates. The sounds of the cart's wheels crunching over the gravel and packed dirt was like music to her ears. Eliza always enjoyed these mountain rides. Usually, she would take the time to forage off the main beaten road and gather what she could. She would also take the time to do some fishing. However, she was in a hurry this morning so on she went over the mountain.

It took only a half an hour to an hour to go over the mountain depending on how hard she rode Aya. She didn't like to tire her pony out, with having to pull the cart as well as bearing Eliza's weight. Yet, her pony continued on happily, whinnying with every gentle squeeze that the farmer gave. Eliza could only laugh in delight as her pony went a little faster as they crested the top of the mountain and continued on down to Konohana...

.oOo.

"Good morning Eliza! You're looking wide awake."

Nori tried not to laugh too much as she watched Eliza nearly stumble over the watering can that was resting beside the hedges that blocked the view of the main road. The farmer pushed it to the side, out of the way of the path, before she smiled at her friend.

"Good morning Nori. I would hope to be wide awake by this time of the morning. Are you ready?"

Eliza made her way over to her friend. The granddaughter of Gombe was a very beautiful woman with long black hair that fell like sheet of fine silk down past her waist. A dark pink sash with white flower petals adorned her brow as a headband, crowning her head with elegant taste. Her kimono-like outfit matched in light and dark pink tones, the same flower petals designed about the cuffs of her long sleeves and the hemline of her shirt. Her eyes were so dark they looked like onyx and they twinkled with a kindness that showed in every gesture and spoke in every word.

She brandished a fine needle and thread as well. As soon as Eliza's sheep had become mature enough to shear for wool, she had brought it straight to Nori in exchange for her work outfit. It was much more comfortable and reminded Eliza so much of the clothing she had worn in her life prior to coming to this mountain. She was planning on her next outfit when the timing was right and Nori would be the person she would go to.

Nori had been one of the first Konohana residents that Eliza had befriended, considering how kind she was it wasn't a hard thing to do. It was a blessed thing that Eliza enjoyed her tea and that Nori shared in the same pleasure. Whenever Eliza came to visit, they always paid a visit to Yun's tea house to enjoy a cup and take a break. Today was no different and within ten minutes, both young women were a sharing a table and sipping their respective teas while they munched on a light brunch.

Today seemed to bring something a little more different though. Now, Nori was a very observant woman and she could tell that something had been bothering her friend. There was something in Eliza's dark eyes that spoke of unrest and Nori did not like the sight of it. Gently setting her cup aside, she studied Eliza for a few short moments, who seemed unaware of her friend's focus upon her. She was staring off into the distance, a faint blush on her cheeks. Whatever that was taking her thoughts this morning was enough to worry Nori and she simply smiled while Eliza continued to focus on whatever it was that bothered her...

"So," Nori began, a teasing smile upon her lips. "Who is he?"

Eliza jumped at the sound of her friend's voice and focused her gaze upon the other woman, her dark eyes growing wide as her blush deepened. "What?"

Nori did not allow the distracted air about her friend to put her off from the topic at hand. She simply smiled as she reached over the table and took Eliza's hand in her own. "Who is he?"

Eliza's dark eyes flashed, for a moment, with alarm before they flicked away to her teacup below. "What are you talking about?" She didn't pull her hand away from her friend's but she did manage to drain the last of her tea. She set her cup down and pushed it aside, now quite aware of the blush that filled her cheeks.

"Who is he?" Nori repeated, a full smile now playing upon her lips as she studied Eliza with interest. She had never seen her friend so flustered before so it was obviously a man who had brought this unease within her. Now it was only a matter of extracting that little tidbit. Goddess knows there hasn't been anyone to make this farmer blush so and Nori was eager to know who the gentleman was. "You can't lie to me. I know you well enough to know that someone has made you so flustered."

Eliza's blush deepened even further and she refused to look at her friend much less answer her question. Nori was beginning to wonder exactly who it was her friend was avoiding when suddenly, the owner of the teahouse, whose name was Yun, appeared at their table and took hold of Eliza's cup. She flipped it over onto the tray, allowed it several seconds to drain, before flipping it right side up and swirling the dregs within three times counter clockwise. Eliza was watching the older woman in surprise though Nori was beginning to smile in a knowing way.

The handle of the tea cup was facing Eliza and Yun had gripped it within her hand and was studying the inside of it with intense concentration. "I see... a face." She was focused on her right side, toward the rim, her eyes studying the contents with an intensity that had both younger women silent in awe. "A change will be coming to you Eliza, a sudden change that may or may not bring you happiness." She focused her gaze on another part of the cup, further to the right of where she had been looking originally. "I see a tent and a sword... There will be a traveler who will make a prominent appearance in your life and will bring many amounts of discord..." She focused her gaze closer to the rim of the cup, further to her right of where she was reading, further to the rim, and her smile had grown at the sight of whatever she was looking at. "I see a ring... It will be an offer of marriage... I see a star as well. There is much hope for happiness in your future." She set the cup down upon the tray, her eyes focused on Eliza with an open and welcome smile. "This is one of the most positive readings I have done so far. You will be very happy in the end Eliza."

Eliza could only stare in awe at the older woman, her mind whirling with questions and uncertainty. It had to be a coincidence that Yun would read her cup today of all days. She had been drinking at this tea house for months and the older woman had never done such a thing as reading her tea leaves. Of course, she had heard that Yun had some talent of fortune telling but she had never taken it seriously. Now though...

She was blushing up a storm as she got up from the table, coming up with an excuse that she had much work to do and had already wasted the day. She bid Nori and Yun a happy goodbye before she rushed from the tea house and back toward where her pony and cart waited for her by the hedges beside Gombe's field. She climbed on her pony's saddle and was soon rushing her way out of Konohana.

She had been so flustered... What had that been about? A change will come to her? A traveler that will cause her discord? Really... She believed in the Harvest Goddess but having a fortune told was a bit much. She continued on the main road, taking the time to pull Aya aside to gather the usual foraged items. She continued on this way for a few hours, gathering what she could from the known mountain paths, before she reached the top of the mountain. By the time she was making her way down the mountain, the sun was beginning to set and it was high time that she returned home to water her crops again and put the animals away.

She urged Aya to rush a little more than usual as they made their way down the mountain toward Bluebell. She was so distracted by her troubled thoughts of her fortune, she didn't notice the tall form walking down the road in front of her. Aya let out a high whinny as she threw her head back and slowed in her steps, trying to avoid the person who was in front if her. Eliza was quick to grasp the reins tightly as she urged Aya to the right side of the road with a shout to the traveler in front of them to look out.

The traveler had glanced back in surprise at the sight of the pony and cart barreling down the mountain road behind them and leapt out the way, narrowly being hit. He tripped over a rock and fell face first into the grass, his familiar trench coat settling about his legs.

Eliza immediately pulled on Aya's reins and the pony and cart pulled to a stop on the road. She hopped off of her pony and ran to the man's aid. "Are you all right? I am so sorry! I wasn't watching how fast I was going."

The traveler was grumbling as he pulled himself up into his knees and a familiar face was glaring up at her. It was smudged with dirt and the glasses were now bent at an odd angle but Eliza recognized the musician who was to play for the festival in two day's time.

Mikhail was looking less than pleased as he pulled his bent glasses from his face and stared at them with a surprising calm. He then bent them back into their proper way before placing them on and letting out a long, calming sigh. "It is all right Ms. Eliza. A simple mistake as anyone would make. Please be careful next time." He ignored her attempts in helping him up and got to his feet on his own. He brushed off the leaves and dirt to his pants and continued on his way with barely at her.

She stared after him in surprise, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had almost run the town's violinist over... Desperate to avoid leaving a bad impression on her second day of meeting him, she rushed to the back of her cart and dug around, looking for the fresh food she had bought just that morning from Yun. It took a moment of digging through some of the refrigerated crates but she found a dish of Miso Eggplant she had stocked up on before she left Konohana in a hurry. Yun was a wonderful cook and her dishes had always brought a needed smile to Eliza's face.

Without skipping a beat, she hurried after the traveler, the dish carefully held in her gloved hands. "Mikhail!" She continued down the path after the violinist, her cheeks still red from embarrassment. "Mikhail wait!"

The violinist turned around, his movements filled with reluctance, as he watched the farmer run down the road toward him. He had to admit that there was something about the earnest expression on her face that had him kept from turning away. There was something truly honest about her that he couldn't place...

Eliza let out a breath as she stopped in front of him and gasped in a fresh breath of air. "Here. A gift in apology." She held out the dish further and bowed in true Konohana fashion. "I am truly sorry."

Mikhail was surprised at the gesture but he took the dish, if only not to offend the woman. Curious, he peeled away the wrapping of the dish and was greeted by the sight of Miso Eggplant. He was shocked at the fact that she had given him something that actually he liked. Usually, people gave them whatever tickled their fancy. Replacing the wrapping, he cleared his throat and smiled as Eliza straightened in her posture to look expectantly up at him. Her cheeks were still filled with a deep blush.

"There is nothing to forgive, Ms. Eliza," said Mikhail, a surprisingly honest smile on his face. "I thank you for the gift though."

Eliza was blushing deeper by this time and quickly murmured something in reply before she backed away and ran back to Aya. Soon she, her pony, and her cart were racing back down the mountain toward Bluebell. Mikhail was looking slightly shocked at the abrupt retreat of the farmer and again he wondered if it had been something he had said...

She, on the other hand, was trying her best to forget how handsome Mikhail had looked when he had smiled at her...