Chapter 2:
Several hours ago...
The Little Phoenix Inn and Tavern was having a slow day. A really slow day. Being at the crossroads of trading routes had its advantages, but at this particular time of year, not many travelers usually came through, especially with the war waging in the east between the Three Kingdoms. The trade embargoes had been activated, but there were always small town merchants creeping their way across the borders unnoticed. In other words, business was never completely lost.
The tavern on the ground floor was sparsely occupied, mostly by men too old to fight, injured soldiers that had been mercifully discharged, a few merchants, a whore or two, a musician playing simple melodies on a bamboo flute, and the innkeeper herself who was busy in the back rooms preparing dinner for her tenants. Smoke wafted up from tobacco pipes and cigarettes, adding a bittersweet essence to the humid air around them.
Rain fell in incessant little droplets. A couple of farmers nodded approvingly at the window. It was going to be a fruitful season- as long as the war stayed exactly where it was. Life was slow, but nobody minded one bit. At least the fighting hadn't reached this far west. This peace was a blessing no living soul in the area would curse and that is why a feeling of apprehension suddenly dropped upon the guests of the inn like a deadweight when a black-clad uniformed stranger arrived. Heads looked up upon the entrance of the newcomer.
He was young, no more than twenty five, with dark brown hair that reached past his chin and spectacles which, in the humidity of the day, fogged up, obscuring jade green eyes. But it was not his handsome features that called attention, but the obvious military insignia pinned to his black jacket that caused unspoken worry. Had he come to announce the extension of battleground? Had he come to advise an evacuation? Had he come to say that the fourth kingdom in the west had decided to join the war? Had he come to draft more men? Several tenants shifted in their seats, but the newcomer paid them no heed.
The stranger seated himself wordlessly by the window, eyes fixated on the little streams of raindrops that washed down, weaving intricate narrow rivers on the glass. Not long after, the innkeeper - a short, middle aged woman who went by the name of Maian - came to attend him in her usual warm and energetic manner.
"Good day, good sir!" she greeted, instantly seeing the insignia and interpreting it to be a symbol of high rank. "Have you come for a room? Four silver pieces a night. It may seem a bit pricy, but the place is impeccably clean. I see to it myself!" Maian declared proudly, then lowering her voice to a near whisper said. "But I'm sure that you understand, sir, that the war has made business a little difficult lately."
The man nodded sensibly, an understanding smile tilted up the sides of his mouth. "Of course. But no room for me, just a beer. Perhaps a meal too, if you would be so kind."
"Of course, sir! Kourin!!!!!" she called for the waitress. "Our best ale and a good meal for the gentleman!"
A young girl jumped up and ran into the kitchen, coming out a minute later with a bowl of steaming hot rice and meat along with a goblet of the locally brewed beer which the innkeeper gloated was the best in the region.
Tenpou gave another customary smile, sipped, and complimented the quality of the flavor. Immensely pleased, the innkeeper gave a quick bow then went off to tend to other guests. When she was out of earshot, the marshal chuckled to himself. "They treat me better here than they do up there."
But before he could take even a bite out of the course meal, the innkeeper scuttled quickly back. "Oh forgive a senile old woman like me, good sir! I just now realized how soaked to the bone you are!"
"Oh, it's quite all right you don't have to trouble yoursel-" Before the brunette could even finish his sentence, Maian shoved a bundle of clothes in his arms.
"Please, put these on. They belonged to my son before he died in the war. Were you comrades in arms? I'm sure you were since you came here and his regiment was the closest one to this town. Come now. I want no condolences from you! He died bravely. That's what people have told me and that's what I believe because he was a brave boy. Oh my, now I'm just being a little chatterbox. Go change. It takes forever for wooden seats to dry anyways!"
With that, Tenpou was led to a room where he changed and not knowing where to put the wet uniform, shoved it into an empty closet for safekeeping. He found human ways amusing, especially their never-ending attachment to things long gone. No doubt the innkeeper saw her son in him. It was quite refreshing in its own way, for it has been literally ages since he himself had seen his own mother.
No matter though. The real question was why he had come here in the first place. Tenpou didn't know, nor did he even think as his feet led him down the hill and into the small town settled in the valley below his little perch. His only feasible motive for the rare visit was simple curiosity- a chance to exist alongside the people he always read about- for books can only convey so much.
Now clad in a loose cotton shirt and rough gray slacks, Tenpou made his way back to the table, only now noticing the multiple pairs of eyes that were glued onto him. He raised a slender brow, shrugged, and returned his attention to the ale - which by his standards was a bit too bitter and raw to be considered the finest, though there was no complaining considering that its brewers were humans.
"Oi." A rough voice broke his attention away from the world outside. "Soldier."
"Hm?" Tenpou looked up to see a young man of medium height, light brown hair and tan skin standing by his table with a small red satchel under his arm. He was clad in a blue traveler's tunic, leather boots and worn black slacks and couldn't have been more than seventeen years old. "Can I help you?"
The boy cocked his head to the side, a light smile indicating his amusement at the strange accent in which this stranger talked. "You're not from around here are you?"
"No. I guess not." the Marshal replied.
"You are a soldier, right? Nobody else would wear a suit like that."
"I can't fool anyone can I?" said Tenpou, chuckling softly.
"Not like you were trying to hide it though."
"No. Of course not. Sit down, please. I don't like looking up at people while having conversations with them." And it was true. Something in Tenpou's nature made him heartily dislike speaking up to people and being looked down upon- physically and mentally. "I also don't like it when people don't say what they really want to say and instead think of dead end ways of starting a conversation."
Taking a seat across from the disguised god, the boy took the unsubtle hint. He lowered his head and said in a near whisper. "Did you know that you're scaring the hell out of almost everybody here? What's your business?"
"My, my, can't a man have a drink without getting the third degree?" Tenpou's smile and good humor did not falter. "I'm just here for a drink, nothing else, so rest easy...um...I believe I didn't catch your name."
"Liam." the boy responded, then after a brief, almost embarrassed pause, "That's it? Just for second rate alcohol?" Liam sounded almost disappointed.
Tenpou looked up from his drink. "Why? Were you expecting something else from me?"
"I thought you were here to draft." admitted the young man, staring so hard into the wooden table that he could have burned holes in it with is eyes.
The other nodded with increased understanding. "So you want to fight, is that it? How noble-"
"I don't have any noble reasons at all for wanting to!" Liam cut in almost fiercely. "What do I care about defending the country, my home when it had already been destroyed by the troops that were supposed to be defending it! They kicked us out of hour homes so they could live off our hard earned food and possessions." When he realized what he had said and who he thought he was talking to, Liam looked away, greatly ashamed. With a muttered apology, he made to get up and walk away, wanting to kick himself for approaching the soldier in the first place.
The outburst had finally gained the marshal's full attention and he leaned forward on the table in obvious interest. "They why do you want to join the army if you hate it so much?"
"You'd probably kill me." the boy concluded, with strange certainty.
"Why would I? The politics here doesn't concern me the least bit. And even if I did -though I highly doubt whatever you say will endanger your physical health- I wouldn't be able to kill you. In any case, there's no harm in stating opinions."
The statement received a strange expression from the younger of the two. "Man, you aren't from around here, are you? Or maybe you're just oblivious. Just thinking the wrong thing'll get you decapitated if the wrong person were there to catch the vibes. That's the way it is here, at least. I don't know about how it is where you're from."
"Just the same- only without the decapitation part...but you were saying?"
Liam looked at him in no attempt to hide his distrust, but continued anyways, voice still just over a whisper. "I wanna bring 'em down. Down to everyone else's level."
"I don't follow." Tenpou said honestly, mentally jotting down notes in his calculating mind on the matter- from Liam's very words to the bitter intensity of his eyes.
"You know, make the higher ups realize that they have responsibilities towards the people. I swear, them generals n' captains are in their own little world up there. Somebody's gotta tell 'em its down here that counts!"
Tenpou looked up at the sky at Liam's mention of that 'little world up there' nodding in agreement. "But they're very stubborn. I don't think they want to change that little world. And usually, whatever they say goes...or doesn't go- depending on what they want exactly. Plus, a little subversion can go a long way. You may end up shaking the foundation of the system and then facing 'dire consequences'..." He gazed back at the young man, who seemed deep in thought with his brows furrowed in concentration.
After a minute or two of silence. Liam answered stubbornly. "I don't give a shit."
"Now that's noble." said Tenpou, his jade eyes bright with mirth as he saw a little bit of a certain general's attitude within the young man. Kenren would be proud.
"Fuck being noble. Just as long as things change."
Very very proud.
"Then why don't you do it? Make history a little more interesting. There's no point in waiting here so that opportunity can build a fucking door for you to walk through. Besides, this town is full of decrepits. The draft will never reach it." the marshal insisted, feeling already very much involved in the young man's firebrand inclinations.
"Money." Liam answered very simply. "I need money for armor, clothes, tools, and weapons."
"What do you do now?" ventured Tenpou, finally realizing that the boy couldn't have been a full time revolutionary.
At the question, Liam put the bag on the table and pulled out several bundles of different dried herbs. "I sell medicinal plants. Mostly to local healers and the like. The land is good here, so my family keeps a small garden to grow them in."
From his pocket, Tenpou produced a small velvet satchel. "I'll buy everything you've got on hand to sell right now."
Something of late had begun to prod at the back of Tenpou's mind, something he forgot to do and should be doing, or people he should be meeting, or a file he forgot to submit. It nagged at him incessantly until he finally stood up to leave.
"You're kidding." But Liam was gaping stupidly at the offer.
"If you were five years old, I'd be kidding."
"Everything?"
"Everything."
"But all this would be worth, like, an entire goldpiece!" interjected Liam as the other produced the necessary goldpiece from the satchel and put it back inside.
"You think it's too expensive to be wasting my money or is it that you think its charity and are to prideful to accept it? You have a cause, don't you?" Tenpou was getting impatient.
"Fine. I'll take it." the boy spat out as if trying to act like he were forced to accept the money. His appreciative expression, however, expressed infinite gratitude. "On one condition."
Tenpou was already halfway to the exit by the time he said this. Turning around and crossing his arms with a smirk playing on his lips, he inquired. "Condition? Aren't we the savvy businessman?"
"That I..." Liam gave a cursory glance around the room to make sure their conversation went unheard. "That I get to pay you back because I know there's a hell of a lot more money in here than just a goldpiece. It's heavy, which means I can get everything I need and be off. How can I..."
"Money. In the universal essence, it's just a bunch of shiny rocks." Commented the god nonchalantly. "But if you insist...perhaps get a temple built somewhere."
"You don't seem like the religious type."
"I'm not." Tenpou smiled over his shoulder ironically as he pushed open the wooden door, allowing the sound of falling rain to drown out the last bits of their conversation. "But maybe you'll win the favor of the gods more quickly that way. It's always more to your benefit to be on their good side."
The young merchant laughed heartily. "What? And you're not?"
"I guess you could say that."
"Fuck it. You're the kinda guy who doesn't need them. And from the way you were speakin', it sounds like you're out to cause the same trouble I'm planning on."
The rain was starting to fall harder, making the world outside blur like a watercolor painting. Tenpou Gensui was absolutely mesmerized as the sky seemed to cry right before his eyes. "Sometimes you have to break what must be broken."
"Don't worry. I'll get that temple built." Reassured Liam. "Maybe the powers that be might be a little more merciful with you since you were the one who had suggested it in the first place."
"You can only hope, right?"
"Just like walking across a lake of ice. But if you fall you fall. What's the worst that can happen? Death? You'd end up living again anyway. Safe travels!" The boy bowed the merchants bow and brought the satchel to his chest.
And with that last farewell, Tenpou waited until the boy turned around before stepping out into the curtain of rain and disappearing.
Several hours ago...
The Little Phoenix Inn and Tavern was having a slow day. A really slow day. Being at the crossroads of trading routes had its advantages, but at this particular time of year, not many travelers usually came through, especially with the war waging in the east between the Three Kingdoms. The trade embargoes had been activated, but there were always small town merchants creeping their way across the borders unnoticed. In other words, business was never completely lost.
The tavern on the ground floor was sparsely occupied, mostly by men too old to fight, injured soldiers that had been mercifully discharged, a few merchants, a whore or two, a musician playing simple melodies on a bamboo flute, and the innkeeper herself who was busy in the back rooms preparing dinner for her tenants. Smoke wafted up from tobacco pipes and cigarettes, adding a bittersweet essence to the humid air around them.
Rain fell in incessant little droplets. A couple of farmers nodded approvingly at the window. It was going to be a fruitful season- as long as the war stayed exactly where it was. Life was slow, but nobody minded one bit. At least the fighting hadn't reached this far west. This peace was a blessing no living soul in the area would curse and that is why a feeling of apprehension suddenly dropped upon the guests of the inn like a deadweight when a black-clad uniformed stranger arrived. Heads looked up upon the entrance of the newcomer.
He was young, no more than twenty five, with dark brown hair that reached past his chin and spectacles which, in the humidity of the day, fogged up, obscuring jade green eyes. But it was not his handsome features that called attention, but the obvious military insignia pinned to his black jacket that caused unspoken worry. Had he come to announce the extension of battleground? Had he come to advise an evacuation? Had he come to say that the fourth kingdom in the west had decided to join the war? Had he come to draft more men? Several tenants shifted in their seats, but the newcomer paid them no heed.
The stranger seated himself wordlessly by the window, eyes fixated on the little streams of raindrops that washed down, weaving intricate narrow rivers on the glass. Not long after, the innkeeper - a short, middle aged woman who went by the name of Maian - came to attend him in her usual warm and energetic manner.
"Good day, good sir!" she greeted, instantly seeing the insignia and interpreting it to be a symbol of high rank. "Have you come for a room? Four silver pieces a night. It may seem a bit pricy, but the place is impeccably clean. I see to it myself!" Maian declared proudly, then lowering her voice to a near whisper said. "But I'm sure that you understand, sir, that the war has made business a little difficult lately."
The man nodded sensibly, an understanding smile tilted up the sides of his mouth. "Of course. But no room for me, just a beer. Perhaps a meal too, if you would be so kind."
"Of course, sir! Kourin!!!!!" she called for the waitress. "Our best ale and a good meal for the gentleman!"
A young girl jumped up and ran into the kitchen, coming out a minute later with a bowl of steaming hot rice and meat along with a goblet of the locally brewed beer which the innkeeper gloated was the best in the region.
Tenpou gave another customary smile, sipped, and complimented the quality of the flavor. Immensely pleased, the innkeeper gave a quick bow then went off to tend to other guests. When she was out of earshot, the marshal chuckled to himself. "They treat me better here than they do up there."
But before he could take even a bite out of the course meal, the innkeeper scuttled quickly back. "Oh forgive a senile old woman like me, good sir! I just now realized how soaked to the bone you are!"
"Oh, it's quite all right you don't have to trouble yoursel-" Before the brunette could even finish his sentence, Maian shoved a bundle of clothes in his arms.
"Please, put these on. They belonged to my son before he died in the war. Were you comrades in arms? I'm sure you were since you came here and his regiment was the closest one to this town. Come now. I want no condolences from you! He died bravely. That's what people have told me and that's what I believe because he was a brave boy. Oh my, now I'm just being a little chatterbox. Go change. It takes forever for wooden seats to dry anyways!"
With that, Tenpou was led to a room where he changed and not knowing where to put the wet uniform, shoved it into an empty closet for safekeeping. He found human ways amusing, especially their never-ending attachment to things long gone. No doubt the innkeeper saw her son in him. It was quite refreshing in its own way, for it has been literally ages since he himself had seen his own mother.
No matter though. The real question was why he had come here in the first place. Tenpou didn't know, nor did he even think as his feet led him down the hill and into the small town settled in the valley below his little perch. His only feasible motive for the rare visit was simple curiosity- a chance to exist alongside the people he always read about- for books can only convey so much.
Now clad in a loose cotton shirt and rough gray slacks, Tenpou made his way back to the table, only now noticing the multiple pairs of eyes that were glued onto him. He raised a slender brow, shrugged, and returned his attention to the ale - which by his standards was a bit too bitter and raw to be considered the finest, though there was no complaining considering that its brewers were humans.
"Oi." A rough voice broke his attention away from the world outside. "Soldier."
"Hm?" Tenpou looked up to see a young man of medium height, light brown hair and tan skin standing by his table with a small red satchel under his arm. He was clad in a blue traveler's tunic, leather boots and worn black slacks and couldn't have been more than seventeen years old. "Can I help you?"
The boy cocked his head to the side, a light smile indicating his amusement at the strange accent in which this stranger talked. "You're not from around here are you?"
"No. I guess not." the Marshal replied.
"You are a soldier, right? Nobody else would wear a suit like that."
"I can't fool anyone can I?" said Tenpou, chuckling softly.
"Not like you were trying to hide it though."
"No. Of course not. Sit down, please. I don't like looking up at people while having conversations with them." And it was true. Something in Tenpou's nature made him heartily dislike speaking up to people and being looked down upon- physically and mentally. "I also don't like it when people don't say what they really want to say and instead think of dead end ways of starting a conversation."
Taking a seat across from the disguised god, the boy took the unsubtle hint. He lowered his head and said in a near whisper. "Did you know that you're scaring the hell out of almost everybody here? What's your business?"
"My, my, can't a man have a drink without getting the third degree?" Tenpou's smile and good humor did not falter. "I'm just here for a drink, nothing else, so rest easy...um...I believe I didn't catch your name."
"Liam." the boy responded, then after a brief, almost embarrassed pause, "That's it? Just for second rate alcohol?" Liam sounded almost disappointed.
Tenpou looked up from his drink. "Why? Were you expecting something else from me?"
"I thought you were here to draft." admitted the young man, staring so hard into the wooden table that he could have burned holes in it with is eyes.
The other nodded with increased understanding. "So you want to fight, is that it? How noble-"
"I don't have any noble reasons at all for wanting to!" Liam cut in almost fiercely. "What do I care about defending the country, my home when it had already been destroyed by the troops that were supposed to be defending it! They kicked us out of hour homes so they could live off our hard earned food and possessions." When he realized what he had said and who he thought he was talking to, Liam looked away, greatly ashamed. With a muttered apology, he made to get up and walk away, wanting to kick himself for approaching the soldier in the first place.
The outburst had finally gained the marshal's full attention and he leaned forward on the table in obvious interest. "They why do you want to join the army if you hate it so much?"
"You'd probably kill me." the boy concluded, with strange certainty.
"Why would I? The politics here doesn't concern me the least bit. And even if I did -though I highly doubt whatever you say will endanger your physical health- I wouldn't be able to kill you. In any case, there's no harm in stating opinions."
The statement received a strange expression from the younger of the two. "Man, you aren't from around here, are you? Or maybe you're just oblivious. Just thinking the wrong thing'll get you decapitated if the wrong person were there to catch the vibes. That's the way it is here, at least. I don't know about how it is where you're from."
"Just the same- only without the decapitation part...but you were saying?"
Liam looked at him in no attempt to hide his distrust, but continued anyways, voice still just over a whisper. "I wanna bring 'em down. Down to everyone else's level."
"I don't follow." Tenpou said honestly, mentally jotting down notes in his calculating mind on the matter- from Liam's very words to the bitter intensity of his eyes.
"You know, make the higher ups realize that they have responsibilities towards the people. I swear, them generals n' captains are in their own little world up there. Somebody's gotta tell 'em its down here that counts!"
Tenpou looked up at the sky at Liam's mention of that 'little world up there' nodding in agreement. "But they're very stubborn. I don't think they want to change that little world. And usually, whatever they say goes...or doesn't go- depending on what they want exactly. Plus, a little subversion can go a long way. You may end up shaking the foundation of the system and then facing 'dire consequences'..." He gazed back at the young man, who seemed deep in thought with his brows furrowed in concentration.
After a minute or two of silence. Liam answered stubbornly. "I don't give a shit."
"Now that's noble." said Tenpou, his jade eyes bright with mirth as he saw a little bit of a certain general's attitude within the young man. Kenren would be proud.
"Fuck being noble. Just as long as things change."
Very very proud.
"Then why don't you do it? Make history a little more interesting. There's no point in waiting here so that opportunity can build a fucking door for you to walk through. Besides, this town is full of decrepits. The draft will never reach it." the marshal insisted, feeling already very much involved in the young man's firebrand inclinations.
"Money." Liam answered very simply. "I need money for armor, clothes, tools, and weapons."
"What do you do now?" ventured Tenpou, finally realizing that the boy couldn't have been a full time revolutionary.
At the question, Liam put the bag on the table and pulled out several bundles of different dried herbs. "I sell medicinal plants. Mostly to local healers and the like. The land is good here, so my family keeps a small garden to grow them in."
From his pocket, Tenpou produced a small velvet satchel. "I'll buy everything you've got on hand to sell right now."
Something of late had begun to prod at the back of Tenpou's mind, something he forgot to do and should be doing, or people he should be meeting, or a file he forgot to submit. It nagged at him incessantly until he finally stood up to leave.
"You're kidding." But Liam was gaping stupidly at the offer.
"If you were five years old, I'd be kidding."
"Everything?"
"Everything."
"But all this would be worth, like, an entire goldpiece!" interjected Liam as the other produced the necessary goldpiece from the satchel and put it back inside.
"You think it's too expensive to be wasting my money or is it that you think its charity and are to prideful to accept it? You have a cause, don't you?" Tenpou was getting impatient.
"Fine. I'll take it." the boy spat out as if trying to act like he were forced to accept the money. His appreciative expression, however, expressed infinite gratitude. "On one condition."
Tenpou was already halfway to the exit by the time he said this. Turning around and crossing his arms with a smirk playing on his lips, he inquired. "Condition? Aren't we the savvy businessman?"
"That I..." Liam gave a cursory glance around the room to make sure their conversation went unheard. "That I get to pay you back because I know there's a hell of a lot more money in here than just a goldpiece. It's heavy, which means I can get everything I need and be off. How can I..."
"Money. In the universal essence, it's just a bunch of shiny rocks." Commented the god nonchalantly. "But if you insist...perhaps get a temple built somewhere."
"You don't seem like the religious type."
"I'm not." Tenpou smiled over his shoulder ironically as he pushed open the wooden door, allowing the sound of falling rain to drown out the last bits of their conversation. "But maybe you'll win the favor of the gods more quickly that way. It's always more to your benefit to be on their good side."
The young merchant laughed heartily. "What? And you're not?"
"I guess you could say that."
"Fuck it. You're the kinda guy who doesn't need them. And from the way you were speakin', it sounds like you're out to cause the same trouble I'm planning on."
The rain was starting to fall harder, making the world outside blur like a watercolor painting. Tenpou Gensui was absolutely mesmerized as the sky seemed to cry right before his eyes. "Sometimes you have to break what must be broken."
"Don't worry. I'll get that temple built." Reassured Liam. "Maybe the powers that be might be a little more merciful with you since you were the one who had suggested it in the first place."
"You can only hope, right?"
"Just like walking across a lake of ice. But if you fall you fall. What's the worst that can happen? Death? You'd end up living again anyway. Safe travels!" The boy bowed the merchants bow and brought the satchel to his chest.
And with that last farewell, Tenpou waited until the boy turned around before stepping out into the curtain of rain and disappearing.
