GAH!!!! Ya'll are catching up! T-T See it was really easy to update since I'd already written it on my computer. Now ya'll are right there with me. ;; So don't get TOO mad if it takes a bit longer sometimes….it's just me being really slow. Thanks so much for all of you who reviewed. I appreciate the help. huggles Silver Pain You're so sweet! Thank you so much! Anyways….HAHAHAHA!!!!! Just this one last thing! I'm going to college for FREE!!! Go me! I got a full scholarship to William Carey College in Hattiesburg. AND I get to play softball there too! sigh Life could not get better…..unless of course schooling became obsolete. Bye then!
Rika admitted to herself finally that Aya and that strange man were not coming back. Or at least not anytime in the near future. And right now she needed to get out of these woods. "Alright, girl," she mumbled to herself, "You need to find somewhere to go. You can't go back to that town. They'll wonder where Aya is. Then you'll explain, and they'll throw you in an insane asylum assuming such things exist in these days." Running fingers through her hair, she sighed. "So the only choice is ahead. Great."
Walking down the dimly lit path, it took Rika a while to realize that the sun had gone down. "Great!" she cursed under her breath. "I guess it just couldn't get any worse, could it?!" Thunder rolled in the distance. Rika glared up at the sky. "Duh, Rika! You're in a book! Of course the most ironic damn thing would happen!!" Rain pored down through the canopy, and within minutes she was soaked to her skin and freezing. "I'm losing my mind." She continued walking down the path. After a moment, she sighed. "I hope Aya's okay. I wonder where that freak took her? Where am I anyway?" Rika looked around her in annoyance. "What did that innkeeper say? Kutou? I think that was it. So I'm in Kutou. Okay. Now what?"
"Excuse me, miss; but are you in need of assistance?" a friendly voice asked from behind her.
"Hm?" Rika turned to see a smiling man on a cart pulled by the ugliest donkey she'd ever seen. "Oh! Hello."
"Do you need any help?" the man asked again. "You seem to be a bit out of place." He was tall and heavily muscled, looking like a farmer. His medium length hair was a dusty brown as was his eyes.
Rika smiled, "Actually, yes. I do need a bit of help. I'm lost, and I'm not sure where to go. All I know is that I'm in Kutou."
The man smiled back, "Oh, but not by much, miss. You're only in it by a mile or so. Konan's this way where I'm heading."
"Yes, I know," Rika nodded. "By the way…you don't know anyone who can…teleport do you?"
"Teleport?" the man looked puzzled.
"Yeah, you know, appear in one place then disappear only to reappear in another place?" The man gave her a blank stare. "Ookaay. I'm guessing not. That's okay. Any idea how to get me out of these woods?"
"Now that I can do!" the man laughed. "Hop aboard! I'll have you to the next town before you know it!"
"Deal!" Rika agreed swinging into the wagon in one fluid motion. "And if you happen to see a girl with blonde hair, let me know. She's my…sister, and I need to find her."
"Sure thing, miss," the man winked at her. "And if she's as pretty as you, I'll be on the lookout for her without rest!"
"Thanks!" Rika laughed out loud.
"Now where exactly am I supposed to take you?" the young man asked with a grin. "Do I just keep driving until you say stop?"
Rika nodded, "That'll work! I'm not sure where that freak took Aya, so just keep driving until you reach your destination. You are headed to a town, right?"
The man nodded. "Yes, it's only a few days ride from here, in fact. From there I'm on to Hokkan. I've got a business set up there that needs to be checked on."
"What kind of business?"
"Oh, you wouldn't be interested in the details I'm sure," the man laughed. "It's all very technical. But I will tell you that I'm in the entertainment business."
"Cool!" Rika enthused. "I love to sing!"
"Do you now?" the man sized her up. "You'd better be careful or I might just kidnap you for my business!"
Rika laughed. "Oh, please don't! I have to find Aya first!"
"Just warning you!" he countered jovially. "I'm Oboro, by the way."
"I'm Rika."
"Very pleased to meet you, Rika," Oboro grinned.
Rika found herself enjoying the time in the wagon seat. The man was a good conversationalist and only his hideous beast marred the beautiful countryside. In no time at all, the town approached upon the horizon. By the time they reached the town, it was late at night. Rika glanced at her watch. It flashed 10:37 pm. "Wow, it's late!" Rika exclaimed to herself.
"What are you looking at?" he asked leaning over. "That's an odd piece of jewelry."
"Oh…uh—it's a family heirloom."
"Well, this is where I leave you, I suppose," Oboro commented swinging off the wagon to stroke his beast's cheek. "Do you have a place to spend the night here?"
Rika grimaced as she also swung down. Three days of sitting on a hard bench will do that to you. "Not really. I don't know many people around here."
"Well…I know it's rather presumptuous of me but…I know a house you could at least spend the night in. The guy and his wife are old friends of mine, and they would be more than happy to have you stay with them."
"I don't know…" Rika hesitated. But memories of the soft bed in the palace overcame her caution. "But okay! Can you take me there?"
"Sure thing! If you'll wait for me to unload my belongings, I'll be right there."
"Of course!" Rika nodded happy to have a roof over her head for the night. It only took a moment for Oboro to take care of that ugly donkey. In a few minutes, Rika could see Oboro grinning as he strode across the small clearing in front of the town stable.
"You ready for a good night's sleep?" Oboro called.
Rika glanced around giggling, "Yes; but if we aren't quiet, the townspeople are gonna string us up!"
"Too true," Oboro agreed with a mock-fearful look. "Then we'd better hurry to my friends' house."
"Won't they mind being woken up?" Rika asked with a little worried frown.
"Only until they see you," Oboro promised. "They'll love you. You'll see!"
Rika smiled hesitantly, still unsure of her welcome despite Oboro's assurances. "Ok."
It turned out that Oboro's friends lived on the outskirts of the town. Finally, though the first glimpses of the house appeared through the night. "Well, here we are," Oboro turned to her for the first time since they'd begun walking. Stay right here for a minute while I go wake them up." He winked at her.
Rika flushed and stood nervously while Oboro beat on the door. In only a few seconds, lights appeared in one of the windows. Rika followed the progress of the candle as it made its way to the front door. Rika couldn't see clearly the man who opened the door as she was quite a distance from the house, but he was much smaller than Oboro. He glanced quickly over at Rika. She waved a bit uncertainly. Oboro turned and motioned her over. She walked slowly over to the two men.
"Rika, this is Kagami," Oboro motioned to the smaller man standing beside him.
"Pleased ta meet ya," the man grinned.
Rika smiled back uncertainly. This was the man she was supposed to stay with? He seemed…well…rougher than she had imagined.
"Come
on, and I'll show ya where ya're supposed ta stay," Kagami
motioned for her to follow.
After a rather shaky smile of thanks
to Oboro, Rika followed Kagami inside. His house was not overly
large, but it far outshone the others in the village. While their
houses consisted of thatch and what seemed to be dirt floors,
Kagami's house was wooden and even had a wooden floor. Rika was no
expert on Ancient China, but she was pretty sure that this was a sign
of significant wealth.
"What do you do for a living, Kagami?" Rika asked, sincerely interested.
He glanced back at her for a moment before motioning her towards the back of the house. "I'm a peddler of a sorts."
"Oh, really? What do you sell?" Rika continued following Kagami eager to see her room. If it was as nice as the rest of the house, sleeping here might not be so traumatic an experience.
"This is yer room," Kagami beckoned for her to enter. The room itself was not outstanding. The bed was simply a pallet on the floor with a small space for her to set her clothes. However, the curtain that extended around her sleeping space was very nice. It gave her an added bit of privacy.
Rika turned back to Kagami from her study of the room, "Thank you very much, Kagami. I really appreciate this."
Kagami grinned, "Oh, it's nothin' much. I get visitors a lot around here. I suppose Oboro didn't feed ya?"
Rika suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten in a long time. Since yesterday, as a matter of fact. Her stomach growled its disapproval at the state of affairs. She looked up grinning sheepishly. "No, he didn't."
"Come on then. Can't have ya starvin' while ya're here. Just stay right here. I'll bring ya somethin' ta eat."
Rika waited until Kagami was completely out of the room before sinking to the 'bed' on the floor. "Well, this is just great. I'm sleeping in a stranger's house. I have no idea where Aya is, and I don't think he's a peddler." Rika surveyed the room with critical eyes. She was a decent student in school when Yuko wasn't getting her into trouble. She especially loved learning about everyday life of people in history. "Well….here's your chance, girl," Rika told herself.
"Here ya go!" Kagami bustled back into the room with a bowl. "This here soup should have you feelin good in no time!"
"But…I'm not feeling bad…" Rika murmered ineffectually. Kagami either didn't hear or chose not to. He took a quick look around the room, nodded to himself, and left as fast as he'd come.
"Okay…." Rika took a moment to study her soup. It looked edible. Rika took a tentative bite. She only barely avoided spitting it out. "Got to eat….got to eat….got to eat…." She used this as a chant while staring down suspiciously at her food.
Eventually, she finished the entire bowl. "I am so not asking what went in this." As she sat there on her pallet, Rika felt a little….dizzy. Her vision swam for a minute. "Oh…" Rika passed out on the floor with an audible thump.
Kagami heard the thump and signaled Oboro, who had been waiting downstairs. Together, the two lifted Rika and carried her out the door and into the night.
