Chapter Three: Madder, Hollyhock and Bedstraw
-and rain
A/N: I don't own Digimon or Gathering Blue
Sunlight slowly crept its way into Sora's bright, crimson eyes. It took a while for her to remember the events of the previous day. She rose from her soft bed and decided she would take a bath.
She didn't know how to run the water. She had always bathed in the stream, never inside a building. After a lot of struggle Sora gave up, and tugged on the rope in her workroom. Within minutes, her tender, Mimi was at her door showing her how to run the faucet.
Sora thanked Mimi, and began to undress. She slipped into the warm water and felt her tensed muscles relax. She planned out her morning in her head. First, she would go for a morning walk, and see how T.K. was doing. Then, one of the advisors would come and explain to her what all she was required to do.
After her bath, Sora dressed into simple, beige, cotton dress, dried her short hair, and slipped on her leather sandals. She grabbed her walking stick and slowly crept outside. The morning greeted her with familiar smiles and nods from the people of her village.
She passed the sweet smell of fresh bread from the bakery, where she ran into her young friend.
"Morning Sora! Did you sleep well?" T.K. asked.
"Like a baby! I didn't see you yesterday," Sora said.
"I stopped by kind of late, you were already sleeping. So I left your things with the Artisan… I forget his name…" T.K. frowned as he tried to remember.
"That's ok, thanks T.K." She laughed.
"So what have you been up to? Do you know what you're supposed to do?"
"Not yet. One of the advisors will meet with me today."
"Oh well, good luck," T.K. smiled up at his friend.
Sora was about to reply, when an angry old woman with a baby in her arms came marching towards them.
"Takeru! What the hell do you think you're doing? Didn't I ask you to bring in the firewood?" She yelled over the baby's fitful screams and cries.
"Uh oh, gotta run Sora!" T.K. said hurriedly as he ran in the opposite direction.
"Get back here ye little rascal!" The old woman screamed after the boy.
Sora turned the corner to get to her room, when she noticed that the Artisan's door was open. She decided to gather her things from him. She peeked inside the room.
It was similar to hers, three rooms: a workroom, washroom, and bedroom. His workroom was the first room she entered. There were four long tables, and a large bookshelf in the back corner. An assortment of carving knives and blades were neatly organized in their cases at one table.
Several wood chips were brushed all over the tables, and logs of different kinds of wood were stacked in one corner. She liked the scent of his room. It reminded her of her private cove by the stream. The fresh scent of pine and chinaberry trees lingered in the air.
She walked over to his window and rested her walking stick against the wall. His view was different than hers. Instead of the rich mountain scenery, she could see the village square, with all the people running about, attending to their morning duties.
"Can I help you?" A voice said from the doorway.
Sora jumped. She turned and saw a very handsome young man leaning against the doorframe. His wild brown hair was tousled all over the place, somewhat hiding his warm brown eyes.
"Oh sorry, but a friend of mine left some of my things with you, you are the Artisan aren't you?" Sora asked.
"Yes," he said casually as he brushed some wood chips off his shirt. "Hang on a minute, I'll be right back." He walked past her and went into his bedroom.
Sora followed him with her eyes, and then returned her gaze back out the window.
He was about to hand her the large basket, when he noticed her walking stick and the bandages around her foot. "Where's you room?"
"I, oh, the second door on the right," she told him, "Thank you… Artisan…"
"My name isn't Artisan," he rolled her eyes at her as he walked out the door.
"Well you never told me what it was!" Sora frowned.
"It's Tai!" he called back at her.
She followed him back to her room. "Thank you, Tai," she said gruffly. He set her basket on her bed.
"You're welcome…Threader," he grinned.
"Sora," she corrected him.
"Oh, hello Taichi," and young blue haired man said, as he entered Sora's room. "I thought this was the Threader's room."
"It is, sorry Joe, just introducing myself to our new guest," Tai smirked.
"So glad you did," Sora spat sarcastically.
"Uh…okay, I think you all are well acquainted," the man said fretfully as he ushered Tai back to his room. "Sorry about that, he can be a little… bothersome, but he means well."
"No problem… sorry I didn't catch your name…" Sora said sheepishly.
"Oh, it's Joe. I'm one of the advisors to the Keepers. I'm here to help get you started. Now then, Sora isn't it?"
Sora nodded.
"Right, so are you comfortable here? Mimi showed how to utilize everything right?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Ah," he said as he opened a large drawer. "The robe. Your mother made minor repairs each year. But now, it all must be restored. This is your job."
Sora nodded. "I understand," she said, though she really didn't.
"This is the story of our world. We must keep it intact," he said as he unfolded the robe and laid it gently on the table. "Your supplies, are they adequate?"
"I haven't looked yet. But I wonder, do you have a place where I could set up a color garden. A place where I can grow my plants so they can produce the colors I need?"
"Yes, if you look out your window, there is land for your garden, a pit for the fire, and a shed for you to store and dry the threads. When Matsuo Asami, your mother's teacher, died we brought over her equipment. If you need anything you mustn't hesitate to ask. Do you have any questions?"
Sora shook her head.
"Very well then, we are expecting great things from you Sora-san," Joe said with a smile as he left.
Sora sighed as she took out her threading frame and began to gently pull away at loose threads from the robe.
Sora finished her lunch quickly and laced up her sandals. She decided to go ahead and start dyeing some of the white thread the Council had provided for her. She would need to go to the greenhouse to find some of the plants she needed.
"Where are you off to?" A familiar voice asked.
"The greenhouse, why?" Sora said to the Artisan as she passed his door.
"No reason, just checking to make sure you weren't running away," he said.
"Please, where would I go?"
"I dunno, back to your burrow maybe," Tai said as he sharpened one of his blades.
"It was burnt. My mother died of sickness." Sora said shortly.
Tai looked up from his work, "Oh, I'm sorry. I-"
"It's okay," she said, giving him a small smile as she left. She didn't want any sympathy she knew it would only bring back the tears she tried so hard to fight back.
She went down stairs and through the entrance hall. She exited through the back door, which led to the extravagant courtyard. It was beautiful. A large fountain in the very center sputtered water into a small pond.
Several dogwood and cherry trees lined the stoned pathways. The courtyard was fairly large, protected by the four towers of the Manor. Sora made her way past the fountain and opened a gate in the far back corner.
She hurried down a few stairs to the greenhouse. Several plants and herbs were rooted all around. Vines and ivy hung in different places, and the heavy aroma of flowers perfumed the air.
"Oh, is there something I can help you with?" a kind voice said from behind.
Sora whirled around to face a girl with deep violet hair. "Um, yes actually. My name is Takenouchi Sora, I'm the Threader… I guess." She wasn't used to her new title.
"Oh yes, I am Inoue Miyako, but you can call me Yolei. I'm the Gardener here at the Council."
"Nice to meet you Yolei. I was wondering if you had a few plants that I would be able to take with me, for my threads. I use special plants to help me make the colors I need," Sora explained.
"Of course, I'm sure the Warden would want you to use anything we can provide. So how is the robe? Magnificent isn't it?" Yolei said with a twinkle in her eye.
"Oh yes, marvelous, but it really needs repairs. The colors have faded badly." Sora looked around at the many plants, "It's going to be hard to find all the plants that I need," she said nervously.
"That's why I'm here, I know where everything is, just name whatever you need."
"Um, well first, I'll need madder, hollyhock, and bedstraw for red… um, goldenrod, yarrow, and chamomile for yellow, and rhododendron for green…"
The sun was slowly setting when Sora returned. She had to quickly stop by her dyeing shed to store her plants in a safe place so they wouldn't wilt. She trudged up the stairs, dragging her sore ankle behind.
Mother was right; I should be resting my ankle, now it'll take even longer to mend. Sora was just about to enter her room when she tripped over her dress and fell to the floor. She screamed in pain as all her weight landed on her damaged leg. Her walking stick flew from her hands and broke as it crashed to the floor.
Tai came rushing out of his room, "What happened?" His voice was full of concern. He helped the frail girl to her feet, but she couldn't stand.
"I tripped," she cried, tears of pain streaming down her delicate face.
"Can you stand? Where's your walking stick?"
Sora pointed to where her broken cane lay. Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps approached them, "What happened?" Mimi gasped. Joe and Yamato followed her.
"She tripped, I think she fell on her hurt ankle," Tai said over Sora's cries as Mimi tried to examine her leg.
"Quick, go get Mitsuki-sensei Joe!" Yamato ordered.
Joe nodded and hurried down the corridor. "Let it be, we don't want to injure it anymore Mimi. We should let Sensei attend to it first," Yamato said.
Tai bent down and scooped Sora gently into his arms. Sora relaxed a little at his warm touch. She allowed herself to be carried to her room. Normally, she wouldn't let boys come near her. She always had bad experiences with the village boys.
"Be careful Tai," Mimi said worriedly as she opened the door to Sora's room.
Tai rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to drop her Mimi." Sora smiled against his chest. He laid her softly on her comfortable bed.
"Thanks Tai," she said softly as she rested her head against the headboard. She closed her eyes, letting her body consume all the pain her ankle released. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Sorry, if we're late. I came as fast as I could!" Mitsuki-sensei panted. He caught his breath and pulled up a chair by Sora's bed. "Now, what- what happened?"
"She was coming back from the greenhouse when she tripped and fell on her ankle," Yamato told the doctor.
Mitsuki-sensei nodded as he unwrapped the thin bandages from Sora's foot. Sora clenched her teeth, trying to prevent herself from screaming. Mimi rushed over and grasped Sora's hand.
The doctor shook his head, "Sora…" he began in a disappointed tone, "you have to be more careful. Didn't I tell you to rest your ankle instead of running around all day?"
Sora's whole foot was a grotesque blackish blue color. Joe cringed at the sight of it, "Is there anything we can do to help?" He asked.
"Just make sure she doesn't get up for the next few days, or at least until the swelling has calmed down," Mitsuki-sensei said as he reached for his doctor's bag. He pulled out a small cloth sack. From it he removed a number of small instruments. A miniature blade, medicine dropper, tweezers, and, a small bottle of anesthetics.
Sora's eyes grew wide as she realized what the doctor was about to do. She shook her head rapidly. "Now Sora, this may hurt-"
"No!" She screamed.
Mitsuki-sensei looked to Mimi, she nodded and knelt down beside Sora, gripping onto to her hands tightly. Sora's eyes filled with tears. She squeezed Mimi's hand and shut her eyes tightly.
Tai, Joe and Yamato watched helplessly as Sensei wiped the small blade and filled the dropper with the anesthetic.
"Ready…" he said softly as he cut into Sora's discolored ankle. She screamed as the piercing pain shot throughout her body. The doctor peeled open the skin and wiped away at the blood that seeped from the cut. He quickly squirted a few drops of the anesthetic into the abrasion.
Sora felt a horrible stinging sensation. Sensei then wrapped Sora's ankle with a fresh set of bandages. "There now, I hope you have learned you lesson Sora-san. You must rest, I understand that you have a new position her in the village, but in order for you to succeed, you must allow your leg to heal," he said gently as he stroked Sora's cheek.
Sora nodded tearfully. She thanked the doctor as he left with Joe. The pain began to subside as the anesthetic began to work.
A/N: That was chapter 3! Not much Taiora yet, but it'll get there! I hope you like it, this is my first fic, so be nice! Lol! R~R if you think I should continue!!
~Rain