The three figures came into view and he could see that the tallest was a cleric and the younger man beside him was carrying some medical equipment. The priest held the head of the youngest figure in his lap. He slid to a stop and approached them, silent. He pushed between the two men wordlessly to examine the person with them. The sandy-haired boy had a pale face and his breath was faint. Han Li felt his wrist for a pulse. It was also slight. "What's wrong with this child?" he demanded of the two men.
"We-I, I don't know," the priest sputtered. We where heading up the road to Rugcnul and he collapsed when approached us. I don't even know him; I've never seen the boy in my life."
The dusty man untied his pouch and dumped its contents onto the ground, muttering to himself. "It's been a while since I've seen it. ...Drives me crazy! Always leave everything to Han Li!" He turned his face suddenly back to the priest; "I need some water."
"Ah, yes," the stunned man replied, pulling a canteen out of his pack and meekly holding it out. Han Li snatched it, a grateful look washing over his stern face. He poured some of the water clumsily into a small bowl, spilling a good bit on the ground, and then tore open a paper packet from among the assorted items he carried in his pouch. He dumped its contents, some sort of finely ground herbs, into the bowl. He stirred it with a wooden spoon and began to try and force the mixture into the pale boy.
At first he was unsuccessful, but the boy began to stir and eventually opened his brown eyes. He swallowed the liquid with a bitter expression, making it quite clear that he could care less for the taste, but Han Li was adamant in his finishing it all so the sandy-haired boy complied.
The young man with mousy brown hair examined Han Li's things, his curiosity evident. The priest did not seem to notice what distracted his companion. "So...what was that all about...? I mean, what did you do? What was wrong?" he inquired, rubbing his unshaven chin with one hand.
"I think he's a little dehydrated, but it's a variety of fever," the serious man explained, not taking his eyes off the boy, who gazed at him with a vague look as if he saw the man looking down at him through a haze, "I think it's a bit contagious," he added sagely.
The dark-haired priest jumped to his feet, "How contagious?!" he gasped, his face turning white.
"You've barely had any contact with him," Han Li noted, "Probably not contagious enough for you to be worrying."
Color quickly returned to the tall man's face and he relaxed visibly, "It's nice to meet you, whoever you might be. I'm Chico and my aid's name is Dal. Awfully good of you to look after the lad there..."
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 62- Vigilance
Captain Mibari, a thin man of indeterminate age, paced up and down the deck of the Whistling Lily thoughtfully. As if Lucien's nerves had not been frayed enough simply by the trip itself! The gray-haired man stood silently as the pirate appraised the ship. "Not bad, not bad at all," the man noted, running a finger along the scar that ran down his left cheek. It seemed to Lucien like an eternity until Haneh returned from belowdeck with Ayu. The wavy-haired bandit tied his purple bandanna onto his head at he approached. The gleam in his eye was as bright as ever as he came closer to the man in the long black cloak.
"Mibari!" he called happily, "You really look like you've done well since I last saw you!"
The pirate responded in kind, smiling pleasantly, "Ayu! How's your father? Is this your ship? The old man here seems a bit stern for your tastes, but she certainly is a fine craft."
Haneh looked at Lucien quizzically, but the older man's face was turned down with a sigh, "Not another one..."
It did not take long for Tywin and Tasrinym to be retrieved from the galley and they too began to chat with the pirate. Captain Zajan, the owner of the ships, actually seemed somewhat flattered by the pirate's interest in his two vessels. The two knights from state of Onwya laughed at the light-hearted jokes the brigands made and Haneh leaned out over the ship's railing to look at the craft belonging to the pirates. Mibari had boarded them with a relatively small escort. The man among them who appeared to his first mate had disappeared into the galley immediately. His face was red and his speech slurred. Meiyar watched him closely from a respectful distance as the pirate rooted around through the cupboards in search of a drink.
"Cap'an Zajan, Jirobane, everybody," Ayu announced as his conversation with his old friend ended, "This's my pal Mibari, the cap'an of the White Rose o'er there, we go way back. He's going to escort us to where we need ta go."
"Not like we have a choice in the matter," Jirobane noted with a negligent shrug, "Just don't go off chasing merchant vessels while you're with you. It's embarrassing."
"Perfect! Fantastic! Onward then!" Mibari shouted energetically. Meiyar looked back at the man in the galley, quietly wondering who would have to clean the mess the pirate was creating.
News of the crushing defeat of the Imperial troops from Jao-Nyang during the battle at Rugcnul reached Emperor Leo Maximillian the following day. He had already tripped on the stairs that morning and slightly injured his ankle. The emperor was in no mood for bad news. The unfortunate messenger who had escaped the massacre by not being at Jao-Nyang when the troops departed took the brunt of Leo Maximillian's anger, which exploded into a storm of threats, shouts, and curses. The messenger received his reappointment, which sent him to the area called the Grasslands, bitterly leaving the White Halls in a bad mood that nearly equalled that of his emperor.
Imperial Princess Susan and her younger brother, Imperial Prince Pietro, entered the throne room apprehensively after an advisor warned them of their father's mood. "Father," Susan ventured timidly, pushing her strawberry blond hair back over her shoulders, "Have you heard anything from Jonathon?"
The emperor did not respond at first, considering whether or not he should tell his younger children of his decision to abandon his second son to the rebels, but eventually he opted for the truth, "I have heard about him."
"Is he okay?" Pietro squeaked, still unsure of his father's emotional state, "Will he come home to visit soon?"
"I don't know," Leo Maximillian replied bluntly, "He was captured by those rebels."
"That's terrible!" Susan gasped, "Father, something must be done to rescue him!"
"Susan, Pietro, sometimes we must make sacrifices for our country," their father explained, trying to be gentle, "...With the best of luck, Jonathon will be saved, but that's not our priority. The first thing we must focus on is the additional fortifications being prepared to protect Rupanda itself."
"Father! That is completely, totally, absolutely horrible!" his daughter shouted, stomping a delicate foot down on the thick carpet. She turned angrily and rushed out of the throne room. Pietro watched his older sister go with a look of confusion.
"Pietro, you aren't upset with me, are you?" Leo Maximillian questioned his son softly.
The boy shook his head, his white hat sliding back and forth on his head; "It's too bad your soldiers lost, Papa."
"Pietro, come here," the emperor said sadly, holding out his arms. His eight-year-old son hurried up to his father who wrapped his arms around the boy tightly.
Han Li returned to Jao-Nyang that evening carrying the sandy-haired boy he had assisted on his back. Father Chico, his crimson cape blowing slightly in the cold breeze, followed him along with his assistant, Dal.
"Halt!" a stern voice called down to the small group, "Who goes there?"
"Oh, cut that out!" the dusty man shot back, "You all know who I am! If anyone in this fortress can't recognize me by now they need to get their eyes checked!"
"Uh...sorry..." the soldier at the gate replied lamely, "I just thought..."
Han Li sighed, "I don't need an explanation, just let us in."
The large gates creaked open and the Han Li entered with the three newcomers. "I'm really, truly sorry, Sir," the man who had challenged them apologized, hanging his head slightly.
"What's your name?" Han Li inquired firmly, "And what state did you come from?"
"My name? I'm Astel, from Kaimei," he responded, taking his helmet off to rub his baldhead with a handkerchief.
"I think I'll mention you to those schemers we call leaders later," the wind mage told him, "Your vigilance is commendable. How'd you like to do a job for me?"