The moon wasn't there and no stars gave light in the sky. The
chessboard hides a clue in which the ghost wants to help solve. This was a
great disadvantage to Soujiro, but...
What was the ghost trying to tell him?
THE WANDERER'S EYES
(Chapter 7: The Unknown...)
Soujiro pries open the chessboard's gap. It wasn't all that difficult, but it still needed much force to be opened. Inside was a blue piece of paper. A lot more drips of blood were in the paper and the pen reached the other side. Soujiro was about to turn it to the side where he can read it when suddenly, the wind blew it away. He tried to grab it but the wind was swifter than he was. The piece of paper was carried out to the back door, where he knew he'd venture soon.
The next day, he had a bright smile on his face. Jovial and encouraging, the dear doctor didn't even bother him at all, afraid that he'd change his expression later in the day. Soujiro had intentions on getting his piece of paper back. He knew it would only be stuck on a bush right by the back door. He remembered the trail he drew that night so he can also see what it was the ghost wanted him to see. He also intended on visiting Gyenryu to find out what it was that he was called for.
He arrived at the door, still open, but to his dismay, there was no piece of paper lying around anywhere. He scanned around. No sight or even a scratch of it was found. He imagined a rat could have taken it or a stranger had stolen it. Whatever the case, he was going to ask Gyenryu what was written in it. He tied his Waragi's lace/shoelace back into place.
He jogged in the house, still with a face that is bright and friendly. He looked for the hall of no windows to confront the man the ghost wanted help from. He forgot all about the back door because he knew he'd have to tell Dr.Kirashime he was going outside. He refused because the doctor was a little upset with him because of the day he took Soushi out in the rain. He didn't care if Sai didn't get the blame. She was also sick. Nobody would suspect it was her that took Soushi out, or rather, allowed him to be out in the cold rain.
The hallway was beginning to be narrow, meaning to say he was closer to that hall and to that room. The path he walked in was already dark and there was little light that passed by the cracks on the walls of every corner. Then he stopped at the room with the silver mirror. He never saw if the good old doctor pushed the door to get in. He was weary that night and had been scared out of his mind.
He pressed his hands gently on the glass and pushed. He felt its smooth yet hard surface and how he pushed it with all his might to open. He closed his eyes to put his concentration. He felt a barge of water pass him by. He felt it yet he didn't feel as if he was wet. He opened his eyes to see he was inside. It was strange that he didn't even hear the door creak open or any other matter that cold have told him he was inside. A decent- looking man around the age of twenty or over was lying on his back with his hands clasped together. A juzu/oriental rosary was wrapped around them and he was fast asleep.
Soujiro looked back to see if the silver door was also a mirror. Peculiar, he thought. The door reflected those that are outside the door, not the inside. It was useful having that in a house where robbers may break in. They would have a hard time opening it and at the same time, someone from the inside of the house can get ready to fight the robber.
The lamp in the room emitted silver or gray light. Soujiro never saw anything like it before. It is hard to explain how he saw it or how it absolutely appeared. The light was simply gray or silver and there are no other words to express it other than weird.
There was a silver platter on a silver table and it had a lion's head engraved on it. A creature unknown to him was beside the lion. It had an eagle's head and a body of a horse. A mane that was of a horse was on it and a beak that was so sharp was its mouth. Then, there was a silver plated notepad, which drew Soujiro's eyes to great greed.
"I'm sure he won't need it," he assured himself "Of course, he is sick..."
He was about to pocket the notepad when Gyenryu was up on his back to the wall.
"What do you think you're doing? I'd have your head-"
Soujiro was quick enough to gag his mouth before he commenced another terrible scream. There were great amounts of wind that passed by his hand. Gyenryu stopped, he felt. He kept his hands back to himself and a less irritable visage contained him.
"So tell me, old chap. First, who you are and why you are planning to- to- to cohemburate my notebook?."
Soujiro smirked. He never heard such a fellow that would be so practical in his voice. He too never heard of such jargon.
Soujiro explained, "I'm greatly sorry. I can't help myself to such a lovely thing. My name is Soujiro Seta. I was drawn to it, sir, I'm sorry."
"Well," he snorted "It appears to be only a misunderstanding. I understand, my good man. Now, is it time for my usual practice?"
"Your what?"
Gyenryu chuckled as if he thought Soujiro was joking. He looked at him and his expression changed because Soujiro was telling the truth.
"Didn't Modhra send for you? I've been awaiting for his arrival."
"I'm sorry. No, I'm not whoever you were waiting for."
He exploded, "BAKA(Stupid)!! ARE YOU SAYING YOU CAME HERE FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON?! A-"
Soujiro gagged him again. The quick-tempered young man was a hard to please kind. HE tried to bite Soujiro's fingers, but Soujiro poked his teeth before they even had a piece of him. After a few seconds, the fighting stopped.
"What in the king's name are you in here for then? Speak, at once, speak!" Gyenryu demanded.
Soujiro started to explain once again, "You see. Last night, a ghostly bride appeared before me. She kept calling your name and asking for help. After that night of confusion, I discovered you were near the room we had a struggle on. You even screamed."
"I heard no scream outside my door. I saw you and I saw the dress, but not the bride herself. Does she speak Latin?"
"Yes, she definitely does."
"Many of us here are of different descent that has a Latin Language somewhere in our own dialects. My father, for example, was an English king's grandson. Yuri and Kitsune were of South African. They learned witchcraft and all those tribal affairs. They were born there as I was born in England. The Tomochi kids were Norwegian and Asian. Very nice kids, they are. It is sad that one of them died. I don't want to remember..."
He stopped and took the silver slate from Soujiro. "Saicho Re- Re, I forgot, was American. Hated Taro, but a fine, fine lady. Loved her with all my life."
Soujiro assumed he spoke of Sai Tomore. She was, after all, pretty if you think about it. Well, that is if you saw her. Her pale white and heavily wounded skin with almost all of her body wrapped in bandages cannot hide the fact that her eyes had a blue glow like no other. Odd as she was, there was no pupil in her electric blue eyes. There was only sorrow in the sea of blood. Her lips were no redder than that of a rose, but it was as pure and soft as a newborn's. Her nose was perfectly in the right place and at the right proportion; and even though one of her ears was cut, the other resembled a very beautiful one. It can be seen that she was beautiful.
"Saicho was a nice lass. Green eyes and red hai-"
"That's not Sai-chan?! She has blue eyes and-"
Gyenryu erupted again in a much harsher voice, "I KNOW VERY WELL WHAT I MEAN!! I knew her since she was admitted here at the age of twelve. Kitsune was here at the age of eleven, the same year, and Yuri was eleven a year after. Soushi and Nagi were here at the same time with little Soushi being only a baby and Nagi was eight. They happen to be here only a month or two before I came here with my honorable father."
Gyenryu ordered after a light pause, "My dear visitor, would you mind opening that cupboard to your right and hand me a cup of tea. I need to drink once a day."
Soujiro obeyed his wishes before he rants and raves. His cupboard was made out of silver, and the handle was that of the creature he couldn't identify. Inside were cups and saucers. A few snacks were there such as pate(which he did bother to take out) and crackers. A large pot or kettle was at the bottom, made out of China with silver marks on the side.
"That was a gift" he said "From an old friend, a knight's son, we were told. He went all the way from China to get a Celadon Pot. I used it for many things, tea, coffee or just hot water."
Soujiro, having to experience a hasty curiosity, asked with much enthusiasm, "What's this? I mean, the carving on the handle and the one of the plate."
"That, me friend is a Hippogriff. They were the favored mount of the knights of Charlemange, legend says. They, again with the legends, were of a union between a mare and a griffin, where it takes most of its characteristics."
"I've never seen such a queer creature, and a greefon?"
"A Griffin, half eagle and half horse."
"Are these creatures real?"
"No!" Gyenryu exclaimed "Of course not! Unless you had a vivid imagination like Nagi or you did see them, they are nothing but a writer's creation."
Soujiro poured the tea, feeling a little dumb to believe such a thing. He had, however, noticed how much Gyenryu praised his friend Nagi so much.
"I shall be glad to have you for tea. If I do say so myself, I am the only one who drinks tea in this house. Nagi used to come and visit. She was the only one who would try this. She didn't like it though, but she tries it differently everytime. A dash of oregano, or maybe thyme and rosemary. Very clever child. Never met another like her."
Soujiro took a short sip. Ugh. A bitter kind of tea and it had a tingly type of taste. Gyenryu drank his tea without feeling the burn and the taste. He was most likely used to it.
Gyenryu offered him buttered toast, but Soujiro was contented with his tea. Soujiro liked it a little better when Gyenryu added a few sprinkles of sugar on it. Then, he opened the silver slate that Soujiro nearly took out of his reach.
He began "This slate was a gift from the ministers in France, where I grew up with. My mother was Japanese and her father was a merchant. Granddad ran out of merchandise to sell and became bankrupt. When an English foreigner asked him if he would sell his daughter, he refused. However, after having given him an estate in Korea, mother was officially father's wife. Mother hated my granddad even when he died. I believe Kitsune and Yuri's parents were like that but their Japanese mother sold herself. The Tomochi (A/N: If you want to know how to pronounce this, it's TOE-MOW-KEY. Just remember your foot, to mow the lawn and if you've lost a key.) kids had a Japanese father and a mother who enticed him. Sai had pure Japanese blood. Taro was too, but his stepmother had an English influence in him. I'm just lucky Chiriko and Boten never did change much."
"I," he continued "Was raised under strict conditions. The ministers were kind to me, but they punished the evils of Calais. I loved them very much. There was just so many scoundrels in Paris."(He pronounced Paris and Calais without an s, which Soujiro thought to be a very authentic accent.)
He looked at a sundial-like object in the center of the room. There was no light other than his gray light to shine on it. He announced, "Well, you better go. I would like to take my nap. -yawn- If you want to visit again, please don't bring anyone else unless you tell me first. I hate strangers." He brushed aside his cup and saucer. He held his slate over to Soujiro. "All these sketches were made by Sai. You can borrow them for awhile..."
Gyenryu fell asleep immediately, but he murmured while Soujiro pushed against the silver door, "Remember: I hate strangers..."
What was the ghost trying to tell him?
THE WANDERER'S EYES
(Chapter 7: The Unknown...)
Soujiro pries open the chessboard's gap. It wasn't all that difficult, but it still needed much force to be opened. Inside was a blue piece of paper. A lot more drips of blood were in the paper and the pen reached the other side. Soujiro was about to turn it to the side where he can read it when suddenly, the wind blew it away. He tried to grab it but the wind was swifter than he was. The piece of paper was carried out to the back door, where he knew he'd venture soon.
The next day, he had a bright smile on his face. Jovial and encouraging, the dear doctor didn't even bother him at all, afraid that he'd change his expression later in the day. Soujiro had intentions on getting his piece of paper back. He knew it would only be stuck on a bush right by the back door. He remembered the trail he drew that night so he can also see what it was the ghost wanted him to see. He also intended on visiting Gyenryu to find out what it was that he was called for.
He arrived at the door, still open, but to his dismay, there was no piece of paper lying around anywhere. He scanned around. No sight or even a scratch of it was found. He imagined a rat could have taken it or a stranger had stolen it. Whatever the case, he was going to ask Gyenryu what was written in it. He tied his Waragi's lace/shoelace back into place.
He jogged in the house, still with a face that is bright and friendly. He looked for the hall of no windows to confront the man the ghost wanted help from. He forgot all about the back door because he knew he'd have to tell Dr.Kirashime he was going outside. He refused because the doctor was a little upset with him because of the day he took Soushi out in the rain. He didn't care if Sai didn't get the blame. She was also sick. Nobody would suspect it was her that took Soushi out, or rather, allowed him to be out in the cold rain.
The hallway was beginning to be narrow, meaning to say he was closer to that hall and to that room. The path he walked in was already dark and there was little light that passed by the cracks on the walls of every corner. Then he stopped at the room with the silver mirror. He never saw if the good old doctor pushed the door to get in. He was weary that night and had been scared out of his mind.
He pressed his hands gently on the glass and pushed. He felt its smooth yet hard surface and how he pushed it with all his might to open. He closed his eyes to put his concentration. He felt a barge of water pass him by. He felt it yet he didn't feel as if he was wet. He opened his eyes to see he was inside. It was strange that he didn't even hear the door creak open or any other matter that cold have told him he was inside. A decent- looking man around the age of twenty or over was lying on his back with his hands clasped together. A juzu/oriental rosary was wrapped around them and he was fast asleep.
Soujiro looked back to see if the silver door was also a mirror. Peculiar, he thought. The door reflected those that are outside the door, not the inside. It was useful having that in a house where robbers may break in. They would have a hard time opening it and at the same time, someone from the inside of the house can get ready to fight the robber.
The lamp in the room emitted silver or gray light. Soujiro never saw anything like it before. It is hard to explain how he saw it or how it absolutely appeared. The light was simply gray or silver and there are no other words to express it other than weird.
There was a silver platter on a silver table and it had a lion's head engraved on it. A creature unknown to him was beside the lion. It had an eagle's head and a body of a horse. A mane that was of a horse was on it and a beak that was so sharp was its mouth. Then, there was a silver plated notepad, which drew Soujiro's eyes to great greed.
"I'm sure he won't need it," he assured himself "Of course, he is sick..."
He was about to pocket the notepad when Gyenryu was up on his back to the wall.
"What do you think you're doing? I'd have your head-"
Soujiro was quick enough to gag his mouth before he commenced another terrible scream. There were great amounts of wind that passed by his hand. Gyenryu stopped, he felt. He kept his hands back to himself and a less irritable visage contained him.
"So tell me, old chap. First, who you are and why you are planning to- to- to cohemburate my notebook?."
Soujiro smirked. He never heard such a fellow that would be so practical in his voice. He too never heard of such jargon.
Soujiro explained, "I'm greatly sorry. I can't help myself to such a lovely thing. My name is Soujiro Seta. I was drawn to it, sir, I'm sorry."
"Well," he snorted "It appears to be only a misunderstanding. I understand, my good man. Now, is it time for my usual practice?"
"Your what?"
Gyenryu chuckled as if he thought Soujiro was joking. He looked at him and his expression changed because Soujiro was telling the truth.
"Didn't Modhra send for you? I've been awaiting for his arrival."
"I'm sorry. No, I'm not whoever you were waiting for."
He exploded, "BAKA(Stupid)!! ARE YOU SAYING YOU CAME HERE FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON?! A-"
Soujiro gagged him again. The quick-tempered young man was a hard to please kind. HE tried to bite Soujiro's fingers, but Soujiro poked his teeth before they even had a piece of him. After a few seconds, the fighting stopped.
"What in the king's name are you in here for then? Speak, at once, speak!" Gyenryu demanded.
Soujiro started to explain once again, "You see. Last night, a ghostly bride appeared before me. She kept calling your name and asking for help. After that night of confusion, I discovered you were near the room we had a struggle on. You even screamed."
"I heard no scream outside my door. I saw you and I saw the dress, but not the bride herself. Does she speak Latin?"
"Yes, she definitely does."
"Many of us here are of different descent that has a Latin Language somewhere in our own dialects. My father, for example, was an English king's grandson. Yuri and Kitsune were of South African. They learned witchcraft and all those tribal affairs. They were born there as I was born in England. The Tomochi kids were Norwegian and Asian. Very nice kids, they are. It is sad that one of them died. I don't want to remember..."
He stopped and took the silver slate from Soujiro. "Saicho Re- Re, I forgot, was American. Hated Taro, but a fine, fine lady. Loved her with all my life."
Soujiro assumed he spoke of Sai Tomore. She was, after all, pretty if you think about it. Well, that is if you saw her. Her pale white and heavily wounded skin with almost all of her body wrapped in bandages cannot hide the fact that her eyes had a blue glow like no other. Odd as she was, there was no pupil in her electric blue eyes. There was only sorrow in the sea of blood. Her lips were no redder than that of a rose, but it was as pure and soft as a newborn's. Her nose was perfectly in the right place and at the right proportion; and even though one of her ears was cut, the other resembled a very beautiful one. It can be seen that she was beautiful.
"Saicho was a nice lass. Green eyes and red hai-"
"That's not Sai-chan?! She has blue eyes and-"
Gyenryu erupted again in a much harsher voice, "I KNOW VERY WELL WHAT I MEAN!! I knew her since she was admitted here at the age of twelve. Kitsune was here at the age of eleven, the same year, and Yuri was eleven a year after. Soushi and Nagi were here at the same time with little Soushi being only a baby and Nagi was eight. They happen to be here only a month or two before I came here with my honorable father."
Gyenryu ordered after a light pause, "My dear visitor, would you mind opening that cupboard to your right and hand me a cup of tea. I need to drink once a day."
Soujiro obeyed his wishes before he rants and raves. His cupboard was made out of silver, and the handle was that of the creature he couldn't identify. Inside were cups and saucers. A few snacks were there such as pate(which he did bother to take out) and crackers. A large pot or kettle was at the bottom, made out of China with silver marks on the side.
"That was a gift" he said "From an old friend, a knight's son, we were told. He went all the way from China to get a Celadon Pot. I used it for many things, tea, coffee or just hot water."
Soujiro, having to experience a hasty curiosity, asked with much enthusiasm, "What's this? I mean, the carving on the handle and the one of the plate."
"That, me friend is a Hippogriff. They were the favored mount of the knights of Charlemange, legend says. They, again with the legends, were of a union between a mare and a griffin, where it takes most of its characteristics."
"I've never seen such a queer creature, and a greefon?"
"A Griffin, half eagle and half horse."
"Are these creatures real?"
"No!" Gyenryu exclaimed "Of course not! Unless you had a vivid imagination like Nagi or you did see them, they are nothing but a writer's creation."
Soujiro poured the tea, feeling a little dumb to believe such a thing. He had, however, noticed how much Gyenryu praised his friend Nagi so much.
"I shall be glad to have you for tea. If I do say so myself, I am the only one who drinks tea in this house. Nagi used to come and visit. She was the only one who would try this. She didn't like it though, but she tries it differently everytime. A dash of oregano, or maybe thyme and rosemary. Very clever child. Never met another like her."
Soujiro took a short sip. Ugh. A bitter kind of tea and it had a tingly type of taste. Gyenryu drank his tea without feeling the burn and the taste. He was most likely used to it.
Gyenryu offered him buttered toast, but Soujiro was contented with his tea. Soujiro liked it a little better when Gyenryu added a few sprinkles of sugar on it. Then, he opened the silver slate that Soujiro nearly took out of his reach.
He began "This slate was a gift from the ministers in France, where I grew up with. My mother was Japanese and her father was a merchant. Granddad ran out of merchandise to sell and became bankrupt. When an English foreigner asked him if he would sell his daughter, he refused. However, after having given him an estate in Korea, mother was officially father's wife. Mother hated my granddad even when he died. I believe Kitsune and Yuri's parents were like that but their Japanese mother sold herself. The Tomochi (A/N: If you want to know how to pronounce this, it's TOE-MOW-KEY. Just remember your foot, to mow the lawn and if you've lost a key.) kids had a Japanese father and a mother who enticed him. Sai had pure Japanese blood. Taro was too, but his stepmother had an English influence in him. I'm just lucky Chiriko and Boten never did change much."
"I," he continued "Was raised under strict conditions. The ministers were kind to me, but they punished the evils of Calais. I loved them very much. There was just so many scoundrels in Paris."(He pronounced Paris and Calais without an s, which Soujiro thought to be a very authentic accent.)
He looked at a sundial-like object in the center of the room. There was no light other than his gray light to shine on it. He announced, "Well, you better go. I would like to take my nap. -yawn- If you want to visit again, please don't bring anyone else unless you tell me first. I hate strangers." He brushed aside his cup and saucer. He held his slate over to Soujiro. "All these sketches were made by Sai. You can borrow them for awhile..."
Gyenryu fell asleep immediately, but he murmured while Soujiro pushed against the silver door, "Remember: I hate strangers..."