Title: A Herald's Wings
Part 3: This Road We Travel
Author: Dreamwind
Disclaimer: Herald Alexian, YoShen (KazeHa), and the people known as "the lost" are all my ideas and as such are mine to play with as I please. * note: no characters were harmed in the making of this fic. *
*Flashback* ::Mindspeech:: when either YoShen or Alexian are talking to the other in their native tongue. These are used for the person who's POV we aren't in. It means we can understand what they are saying but the other characters cannot.
The rain came down in a curtain so thick KazeHa could barely see two feet in front of him. The only thing he could really see was the thick gray world of rain and cloud. The sound of the spirit horses chiming hooves let KazeHa know where the gaijin was relative to where he was in the rain. This damn rain had come out of nowhere and it was unlikely they would find shelter nearby unless there was some godforsaken town out here. KazeHa doubted that. His luck just wasn't that good. It wasn't even good enough for a stupid boulder they could hide under and wait for the rain to pass. So now he was soaked there the bones, cold, hungry, and stuck walking with an urn tied to his chest. What a great day. Of course it was just as good as many of the other days he had had since meeting the gaijin.
* "It is with great sadness that I must commit my son to the dead." Elder ChiHa swallowed back a sob. "May the next life be filled with more joy and honor than this one has. Good-bye, my son." The blade cut clean. Hardly a sound was made as KazeHa's life was cut away.
The long tail of black hair fell to the ground in front of Elder ChiHa's feet. KazeHa slowly reached his hand behind his head to feel the place where his life had been tied. All he could feel was his skin under his fingers and a few hairs that had been left uncut. KazeHa swallowed and fought the urge to turn and look at the retreating figures of the elders of his people- no they weren't his people anymore. He was a ghost now. He had no people. No home except for what the gaijin might give him. KazeHa swallowed the sour taste that rose in his mouth at the thought of having to be given anything. He should be capable of taking care of himself. He shouldn't need the baka gaijin's help. KazeHa looked up from the earth and saw the gaijin. He was standing alone, surrounded by the dark plants. Moonlight reflected off the white of his shirt and the stream he stood next to, giving him a soft silver glow. For a moment he seemed to be something more than just a man. KazeHa closed his eyes and open them after taking a deep breath.
"It is time to go now, gaijin. Come." KazeHa walked pass the gaijin and over the bridge. It was time to leave and never look back. *
KazeHa suddenly crashed into the solid frame of the spirit horse. They had stopped in the middle of the roadway. KazeHa looked up at the gaijin and was about to yell at him when he heard it. A sound so faint you almost couldn't hear it over the pounding of the rain. It was coming from somewhere just ahead of them. KazeHa focused on blocking out all other sound. He called quietly to the wind and asked it to bring him the clear sound of the noise. The wind laughed and swirled around him, splashing rainwater in his face as it went to do as commanded. The gaijin looked back at him as the wind returned and seemed to notice that KazHa was up to something. KazeHa let out a loud whoop of joy as the wind brought to his ears the sound of a search party. They came into sight just as the gaijin was about to ask what was going on.
Three men mounted on plow horses with another man driving a small covered wagon appeared out of the rain. They stopped just in front of the gaijin and the leader of their little group went to speak to the gaijin. KazeHa listened intently to the two gaijin's as they talked. However, he kept his eyes on the other three gaijin never letting them out of his sight. The three men seemed to shiver under his gaze and called out to their leader. The man turned to look back at them and noticed how they seemed to shrink under KazeHa's gaze. Herald I would appriciate it if you could get the lad to stop scaring my men.
I would if I could but I don't speak his language. The gaijin sighed and shrugged his shoulders. :: Ylsa, love, can you speak to him and tell him to quit scaring the men?::
::I could but I don't think he would like me to. Remember that their city had some sort of magic that blocked mindspeech.::
::I know love, but he's scarring the men badly and we need them to get out of this rain.::
::Very well.:: Ylsa snorted and prodded KazeHa before daring to enter his mind. ::Lad please stop-::
KazeHa screamed in outrage. ::Demon spawned spirit, how dare invade my mind! Retched, dishonorable heel-spawn!::
The spirit-horse reared back as a blast of wind came out of nowhere. The gaijin cursed as he fell off his spirit-horse. KazeHa stopped himself before he brought his sword as well as the wind down on the horse. His chest heaved and glared at the horse with eyes that were filled with a wild rage. "If I wasn't bound to your gaijin I would skin you alive for what you did." KazeHa's voice was colder than the wind barring down on them. "I know you know no better I will let such as insult slide this time. Beware though, if you do it again I will not hesitate to kill you."
The spirit horse stepped away from KazeHa and blocked the gaijin bodily from him. ::I told you he wouldn't like me mindspeeking to him.::
::What hell did he just say?::
::That if I did that again he would kill me and that the only thing that stopped him from doing so was that I knew no better. Also because he is bound to you.::
::He's WHAT?::
::I don't know what exactly that means.::
After a few tense moments everyone calmed down and KazeHa refused to look at any of them. The men gave the gaijin a raincoat and through much gesturing offered to let KazeHa ride in the wagon. So there he was, wrapped in his sleeping blanket, which was just as wet as he was, cramped in the back of the wagon with a couple children and two sheep. To make it worse the wagon was drafty and seemed to hit every single hole in the road. This was not a good day. Not at all.
* They were out of the city in under an hour. That had to be a record. Of course it meant that he got to bring with him hardly anything at all. Just his camping supplies, his kataana, one change of cloths, some books, and the urn for the dead gaijin. As soon as he was packed KazeHa and the gaijin were on their way out. As they went through the streets everyone turned their backs to him. Refusing to acknowledge him. Brining home his ceremonial death even harder. The guards at the gate closed and locked the door behind them. KazeHa turned to look back once more at his former home only to see that it had vanished. He would never be able to see it again. He was forever blind to the cities of The Lost.
"Come gaijin...we should be on our way." KazeHa held back his tears and felt something inside him die slowly. He had never even got to say goodbye to his mother. *
KazeHa woke up as the wagon suddenly stopped. They must have been traveling for several hours. He felt warmer though. Of course that was due to the two children and the sheep that had curled up around him. It took him a moment to realize why. The wind wasn't coming in his direction. The wind spirits were helping him again. KazeHa looked to the open end of the wagon and noticed that the gaijin and a woman about his mother's age were standing in the opening smiling at him. KazeHa glared at them and it only made them smile harder.
Come now young man. Let's get you inside and dried off before you catch a cold.
Yes, we don't need you to be any surly than you already are.
KazeHa shook the children awake and waited for them to get out before he crawled out of the wagon. "The two of you are making fun of me, I can tell." The two gaijin's just smiled and ushered him into the building. There was a sign hanging from the side of the building. He couldn't tell what it said but there was a picture of a kestrel and a rose on it. It had to be some form of shop or other. Inside the building was warm and smelled of fresh backed bread. It was a homey place filled with empty, or mostly empty tables. The only people here were the children from the wagon, the men from the search party and the woman from outside along with one teenage girl. Directly across from the door was a large bar with stools and a door. In the far right hand of the room was a staircase leading to a second floor. KazeHa couldn't quite figure out what this place was supposed to be. It seemed to be some kind of restaurant but it wasn't like any in Shiratoshi.
Ah dear, the woman put her hand on KazeHa's shoulder, haven't you ever seen an inn before? KazeHa looked at the woman confused. That's it! The woman waved her hand around the room. Inn.
KazeHa nodded his understanding and moved towards the fireplace. This was an inn, whatever that was. The teen girl herded the children upstairs and the men disappeared through the door by the bar. That left him, the woman, and the gaijin in the room. KazeHa turned to look over at where they were standing and realized the woman was gone. "Where did she go?"
The gaijin looked over to KazeHa and smiled. Miss her already, lad? Don't worry she went to get us some dry cloths.
KazeHa just sighed. He was really frustraited with the fact that he couldn't understand anyone. He looked back at the fire for a moment. It was warm and bright just like the fires at home. KazeHa turned back to the gaijin ready to ask him something and froze. The gaijin was undressing. Right in the middle of a common room! KazeHa felt suddenly very warm and turned away from the sight of the man as he peeled himself out of his wet cloths. It was no big deal. He had seen other men naked before. This wasn't any different.
A warm hand settled onto his shoulder and KazeHa spun around. Suddenly he was face to face with the naked gaijin. He felt faint. Swallowing hard KazeHa stared him directly in the eyes, refusing to admit to the weird fluttering in his stomach. The gaijin smiled and placed a pair of roof woolen cloths in his hands. The lady of the house says these should be your size. Put them on before you catch a chill. With that the gaijin moved away from KazeHa and began to get dressed himself. KazeHa stripped out of his cloths as fast as possible and managed to get redressed just as fast and without misshape. When both of them were dressed in the clean, warm cloths the woman came back out with a try filled with hot food. KazeHa's stomach rumbled and the hunger that had been gnawing at him all day long voiced itself.
They sat down at one of the tables. It felt odd to be sitting so high up, instead on a cushion on the floor. The woman came to sit in the chair next him and KazeHa stood up. She was the lady of this house and had been gracious enough to let them stay here and warm up. Even if women in his own culture weren't considered as high as men they were still treated with respect. All women deserved respect, even if you didn't know them. They were the givers of life. KazeHa pulled out the chair and waited for her to sit in it before pushing it closer to the table. Then he sat down. The bowl in front of him was filled with a thick stew of some sort. On a plate in the middle of the table was a large loaf of bread that smelled of garlic butter. It all looked delicious. KazeHa clasped his hands together and spoke, "Ikadakimasu!" (1)
What did he say?
It beats me, ma'm. I just smile and nod.
The woman chuckled at whatever the gaijin said. KazeHa ignored their conversation and dug into the strange food with a passion. It was all so very good. KazeHa didn't think he could ever fill his stomach, it just kept asking for more. Finally though he emptied his bowl and the bread was gone. He held his bowl out to the woman and silently asked for more. She chuckled and went to get more mumbling in a good-natured voice. Ah, young men, you can never fill them up.
The rest of the night was filled with warm food, warm cloths and good-natured chatter. KazeHa felt left out since he couldn't understand what the strangers were saying. However that feeling faded when the children came back down the stairs for a while and played with him near the hearth. Eventually they were lead back up to bed though, and he was left the outsider once again. About this time KazeHa noted that the gaijin had fallen asleep in the chair and so had many of the others. Were they to sleep out here?
If you'll help me lad, we can get the herald up to the bedroom the two of you will be sharing. It's not much but it's dry and warm.
KazeHa followed the woman to the gaijin's side and before she could shake him awake. KazeHa lifted him into his arms without waking him. "Show me the way, m'Lady."
Together they made their way to the bedroom. The bed was just large enough for two people and KazeHa felt that fluttery feeling again as he crawled into the bed with the sleeping gaijin. Soon sleep claimed him as well and the fluttery feeling disappeared.
** Special thanks to ShadeAngel who noted the little implant referred to as Shinigami's Temple. He he he. I have been trying to slip in little bits of GW into most of my fics. Besides Duo richly deserves to be worshiped as the beautiful God of Death that he is. I wasn't really aiming for YoShen to be a WuFei knock-off, but now that I think about it, he does kind of remind me of that Justice obsessed solitary dragon. Oh well...I still like him.
1. Ikadakimasu is like grace. Basically it translates to 'thanks for the food.'
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Part 3: This Road We Travel
Author: Dreamwind
Disclaimer: Herald Alexian, YoShen (KazeHa), and the people known as "the lost" are all my ideas and as such are mine to play with as I please. * note: no characters were harmed in the making of this fic. *
*Flashback* ::Mindspeech:: when either YoShen or Alexian are talking to the other in their native tongue. These are used for the person who's POV we aren't in. It means we can understand what they are saying but the other characters cannot.
The rain came down in a curtain so thick KazeHa could barely see two feet in front of him. The only thing he could really see was the thick gray world of rain and cloud. The sound of the spirit horses chiming hooves let KazeHa know where the gaijin was relative to where he was in the rain. This damn rain had come out of nowhere and it was unlikely they would find shelter nearby unless there was some godforsaken town out here. KazeHa doubted that. His luck just wasn't that good. It wasn't even good enough for a stupid boulder they could hide under and wait for the rain to pass. So now he was soaked there the bones, cold, hungry, and stuck walking with an urn tied to his chest. What a great day. Of course it was just as good as many of the other days he had had since meeting the gaijin.
* "It is with great sadness that I must commit my son to the dead." Elder ChiHa swallowed back a sob. "May the next life be filled with more joy and honor than this one has. Good-bye, my son." The blade cut clean. Hardly a sound was made as KazeHa's life was cut away.
The long tail of black hair fell to the ground in front of Elder ChiHa's feet. KazeHa slowly reached his hand behind his head to feel the place where his life had been tied. All he could feel was his skin under his fingers and a few hairs that had been left uncut. KazeHa swallowed and fought the urge to turn and look at the retreating figures of the elders of his people- no they weren't his people anymore. He was a ghost now. He had no people. No home except for what the gaijin might give him. KazeHa swallowed the sour taste that rose in his mouth at the thought of having to be given anything. He should be capable of taking care of himself. He shouldn't need the baka gaijin's help. KazeHa looked up from the earth and saw the gaijin. He was standing alone, surrounded by the dark plants. Moonlight reflected off the white of his shirt and the stream he stood next to, giving him a soft silver glow. For a moment he seemed to be something more than just a man. KazeHa closed his eyes and open them after taking a deep breath.
"It is time to go now, gaijin. Come." KazeHa walked pass the gaijin and over the bridge. It was time to leave and never look back. *
KazeHa suddenly crashed into the solid frame of the spirit horse. They had stopped in the middle of the roadway. KazeHa looked up at the gaijin and was about to yell at him when he heard it. A sound so faint you almost couldn't hear it over the pounding of the rain. It was coming from somewhere just ahead of them. KazeHa focused on blocking out all other sound. He called quietly to the wind and asked it to bring him the clear sound of the noise. The wind laughed and swirled around him, splashing rainwater in his face as it went to do as commanded. The gaijin looked back at him as the wind returned and seemed to notice that KazHa was up to something. KazeHa let out a loud whoop of joy as the wind brought to his ears the sound of a search party. They came into sight just as the gaijin was about to ask what was going on.
Three men mounted on plow horses with another man driving a small covered wagon appeared out of the rain. They stopped just in front of the gaijin and the leader of their little group went to speak to the gaijin. KazeHa listened intently to the two gaijin's as they talked. However, he kept his eyes on the other three gaijin never letting them out of his sight. The three men seemed to shiver under his gaze and called out to their leader. The man turned to look back at them and noticed how they seemed to shrink under KazeHa's gaze. Herald I would appriciate it if you could get the lad to stop scaring my men.
I would if I could but I don't speak his language. The gaijin sighed and shrugged his shoulders. :: Ylsa, love, can you speak to him and tell him to quit scaring the men?::
::I could but I don't think he would like me to. Remember that their city had some sort of magic that blocked mindspeech.::
::I know love, but he's scarring the men badly and we need them to get out of this rain.::
::Very well.:: Ylsa snorted and prodded KazeHa before daring to enter his mind. ::Lad please stop-::
KazeHa screamed in outrage. ::Demon spawned spirit, how dare invade my mind! Retched, dishonorable heel-spawn!::
The spirit-horse reared back as a blast of wind came out of nowhere. The gaijin cursed as he fell off his spirit-horse. KazeHa stopped himself before he brought his sword as well as the wind down on the horse. His chest heaved and glared at the horse with eyes that were filled with a wild rage. "If I wasn't bound to your gaijin I would skin you alive for what you did." KazeHa's voice was colder than the wind barring down on them. "I know you know no better I will let such as insult slide this time. Beware though, if you do it again I will not hesitate to kill you."
The spirit horse stepped away from KazeHa and blocked the gaijin bodily from him. ::I told you he wouldn't like me mindspeeking to him.::
::What hell did he just say?::
::That if I did that again he would kill me and that the only thing that stopped him from doing so was that I knew no better. Also because he is bound to you.::
::He's WHAT?::
::I don't know what exactly that means.::
After a few tense moments everyone calmed down and KazeHa refused to look at any of them. The men gave the gaijin a raincoat and through much gesturing offered to let KazeHa ride in the wagon. So there he was, wrapped in his sleeping blanket, which was just as wet as he was, cramped in the back of the wagon with a couple children and two sheep. To make it worse the wagon was drafty and seemed to hit every single hole in the road. This was not a good day. Not at all.
* They were out of the city in under an hour. That had to be a record. Of course it meant that he got to bring with him hardly anything at all. Just his camping supplies, his kataana, one change of cloths, some books, and the urn for the dead gaijin. As soon as he was packed KazeHa and the gaijin were on their way out. As they went through the streets everyone turned their backs to him. Refusing to acknowledge him. Brining home his ceremonial death even harder. The guards at the gate closed and locked the door behind them. KazeHa turned to look back once more at his former home only to see that it had vanished. He would never be able to see it again. He was forever blind to the cities of The Lost.
"Come gaijin...we should be on our way." KazeHa held back his tears and felt something inside him die slowly. He had never even got to say goodbye to his mother. *
KazeHa woke up as the wagon suddenly stopped. They must have been traveling for several hours. He felt warmer though. Of course that was due to the two children and the sheep that had curled up around him. It took him a moment to realize why. The wind wasn't coming in his direction. The wind spirits were helping him again. KazeHa looked to the open end of the wagon and noticed that the gaijin and a woman about his mother's age were standing in the opening smiling at him. KazeHa glared at them and it only made them smile harder.
Come now young man. Let's get you inside and dried off before you catch a cold.
Yes, we don't need you to be any surly than you already are.
KazeHa shook the children awake and waited for them to get out before he crawled out of the wagon. "The two of you are making fun of me, I can tell." The two gaijin's just smiled and ushered him into the building. There was a sign hanging from the side of the building. He couldn't tell what it said but there was a picture of a kestrel and a rose on it. It had to be some form of shop or other. Inside the building was warm and smelled of fresh backed bread. It was a homey place filled with empty, or mostly empty tables. The only people here were the children from the wagon, the men from the search party and the woman from outside along with one teenage girl. Directly across from the door was a large bar with stools and a door. In the far right hand of the room was a staircase leading to a second floor. KazeHa couldn't quite figure out what this place was supposed to be. It seemed to be some kind of restaurant but it wasn't like any in Shiratoshi.
Ah dear, the woman put her hand on KazeHa's shoulder, haven't you ever seen an inn before? KazeHa looked at the woman confused. That's it! The woman waved her hand around the room. Inn.
KazeHa nodded his understanding and moved towards the fireplace. This was an inn, whatever that was. The teen girl herded the children upstairs and the men disappeared through the door by the bar. That left him, the woman, and the gaijin in the room. KazeHa turned to look over at where they were standing and realized the woman was gone. "Where did she go?"
The gaijin looked over to KazeHa and smiled. Miss her already, lad? Don't worry she went to get us some dry cloths.
KazeHa just sighed. He was really frustraited with the fact that he couldn't understand anyone. He looked back at the fire for a moment. It was warm and bright just like the fires at home. KazeHa turned back to the gaijin ready to ask him something and froze. The gaijin was undressing. Right in the middle of a common room! KazeHa felt suddenly very warm and turned away from the sight of the man as he peeled himself out of his wet cloths. It was no big deal. He had seen other men naked before. This wasn't any different.
A warm hand settled onto his shoulder and KazeHa spun around. Suddenly he was face to face with the naked gaijin. He felt faint. Swallowing hard KazeHa stared him directly in the eyes, refusing to admit to the weird fluttering in his stomach. The gaijin smiled and placed a pair of roof woolen cloths in his hands. The lady of the house says these should be your size. Put them on before you catch a chill. With that the gaijin moved away from KazeHa and began to get dressed himself. KazeHa stripped out of his cloths as fast as possible and managed to get redressed just as fast and without misshape. When both of them were dressed in the clean, warm cloths the woman came back out with a try filled with hot food. KazeHa's stomach rumbled and the hunger that had been gnawing at him all day long voiced itself.
They sat down at one of the tables. It felt odd to be sitting so high up, instead on a cushion on the floor. The woman came to sit in the chair next him and KazeHa stood up. She was the lady of this house and had been gracious enough to let them stay here and warm up. Even if women in his own culture weren't considered as high as men they were still treated with respect. All women deserved respect, even if you didn't know them. They were the givers of life. KazeHa pulled out the chair and waited for her to sit in it before pushing it closer to the table. Then he sat down. The bowl in front of him was filled with a thick stew of some sort. On a plate in the middle of the table was a large loaf of bread that smelled of garlic butter. It all looked delicious. KazeHa clasped his hands together and spoke, "Ikadakimasu!" (1)
What did he say?
It beats me, ma'm. I just smile and nod.
The woman chuckled at whatever the gaijin said. KazeHa ignored their conversation and dug into the strange food with a passion. It was all so very good. KazeHa didn't think he could ever fill his stomach, it just kept asking for more. Finally though he emptied his bowl and the bread was gone. He held his bowl out to the woman and silently asked for more. She chuckled and went to get more mumbling in a good-natured voice. Ah, young men, you can never fill them up.
The rest of the night was filled with warm food, warm cloths and good-natured chatter. KazeHa felt left out since he couldn't understand what the strangers were saying. However that feeling faded when the children came back down the stairs for a while and played with him near the hearth. Eventually they were lead back up to bed though, and he was left the outsider once again. About this time KazeHa noted that the gaijin had fallen asleep in the chair and so had many of the others. Were they to sleep out here?
If you'll help me lad, we can get the herald up to the bedroom the two of you will be sharing. It's not much but it's dry and warm.
KazeHa followed the woman to the gaijin's side and before she could shake him awake. KazeHa lifted him into his arms without waking him. "Show me the way, m'Lady."
Together they made their way to the bedroom. The bed was just large enough for two people and KazeHa felt that fluttery feeling again as he crawled into the bed with the sleeping gaijin. Soon sleep claimed him as well and the fluttery feeling disappeared.
** Special thanks to ShadeAngel who noted the little implant referred to as Shinigami's Temple. He he he. I have been trying to slip in little bits of GW into most of my fics. Besides Duo richly deserves to be worshiped as the beautiful God of Death that he is. I wasn't really aiming for YoShen to be a WuFei knock-off, but now that I think about it, he does kind of remind me of that Justice obsessed solitary dragon. Oh well...I still like him.
1. Ikadakimasu is like grace. Basically it translates to 'thanks for the food.'
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