Guardian of Heaven and Earth
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New Yogo
The armies of Rota and Kanbal returned to their home nations
at the end of summer. New Yogo’s people cheered for them and hosted them gladly
during their long departure.
News arrived at midsummer that Prince Raul had ascended the
throne as the new Talsh Emperor. The cicada sounds were so loud they sounded
like screaming when Chagum received the message.
The survivors of the battle at the Tarano Plains left the
caves where they’d been tended at the beginning of autumn. They thanked their
benefactors and made their own way back to their homes.
It took the winter, another spring, and a new summer for
daily life to return to what it had been before the war. Oh, some signs of war
still remained, but since people were able to go about their daily lives, those
signs mostly went ignored. The trampled rice fields recovered and were fertile
again. Refugees that had been trapped in Kanbal and Rota crossed the border now
that it was open.
Shirogai started being rebuilt, though rebuilding materials
were still hard to come by and the damage was extensive. The air always smelled
of woodchips and smoke. Hammering and sawing went on for days without a break.
Some of the structures started coming together by summer of the year after the
war. The merchants and people who had lived there were all scattered in Rota, though
some decided to return. All rejoiced when they heard the news that Talsh had
been defeated. Shirogai at the beginning of summer the year after the war ended
was mostly a town full of young men who were waiting for their homes to be rebuilt
before sending for their parents, wives and children.
Balsa stopped near a wooden sign that read, “Samada Store.”
Chikisa was working outside. The store wasn’t yet the size that it used to be, but
Martha, her family and her employees all had a roof over their head again. It
was the end of summer; Balsa had spent part of the year traveling from Jitan to
cities along Rota’s trade routes. She’d received a message from Toun that the
family was in Jitan and insisted on guiding Martha and everyone back to
Shirogai herself. The day after the temporary store was built, Martha took it
all in and cried tears of joy.
Relocating again from Jitan was no easy task for Martha and
the Samada Store. Martha was terribly busy for a few weeks getting everything
ready, but finally, she and all her people were prepared to return to New Yogo.
Toun rode beside Balsa and Martha, along with Asra and Chikisa. Asra and
Chikisa had gotten used to life in Rota, but they both preferred it in New
Yogo.
“Let’s go home,” Chikisa said.
Asra nodded and placed her hand in Chikisa’s.
Balsa and Toun started making preparations for departure
after all the wagons were loaded.
Chikisa rode up beside Balsa with Asra in front of him in
the saddle. “Balsa,” he said.
Balsa finished giving greetings and instructions to Toun and
the others, then faced Chikisa.
“Balsa, I…” Chikisa didn’t know what to say. He sought for
words. In the end, all he managed to express was his gratitude. “Thank you.” He
felt much better after saying it.
Balsa raised an eyebrow at Chikisa, who was working outside
with Asra. “Things have been pretty rough so far, huh?” she asked. There were
still ashes everywhere. It was still easy to tell that the entire town had been
burned.
“We’ll get it built up again,” Chikisa said. “It’s not so bad.”
Balsa reached out tenderly with both arms, enfolding Chikisa
and Asra in a gentle hug .”I got you here safely, so it’s time for me to go,”
she said.
“Already?” Chikisa asked. “Won’t you at least visit the
temporary store?”
“I can’t stay long,” she said. “I want to be through the
mountain pass by sunset.”
Asra and Chikisa pulled long faces.
“Don’t give me that,” Balsa said. “You know I’ll come back again.” She gripped Asra’s shoulder with one hand. “Look after your brother, now, Asra.”
Balsa mounted up and turned her horse.
Chikisa called out, “Balsa! Don’t forget to say hi to Tanda
for us!”
Balsa turned to face him and smiled. It was a very midsummer
sort of smile, warm and full of life.
Balsa went down the mountain path with fresh summer leaves
falling in her hair. She’d made some money guarding the Samada Store’s caravan
through Rota. Without that money, she wouldn’t have enough to buy food and clothes
to get home.
The roof of Tanda’s hut appeared in the middle distance.
Balsa stood still, worried…but then she smelled something. Something cooking. A
thin trail of smoke rose from the small hole in Tanda’s roof. Mosquitoes
swarmed around the hut and under the eaves, but they avoided the smoke
completely.
Balsa approached the hut and opened the door, but didn’t go
in yet. Her senses were immediately overcome by the savory smells of stew
bubbling over a fire. It was dumpling stew made with bamboo shoots. Tanda often
made it for dinner during the summer.
Balsa also smelled alcohol. Torogai was asleep in the corner
of the room with a bowl of rice wine resting in front of her, half-finished.
“I’m home!” Balsa said. She set her spear standing upright
by the door.
“Welcome home!” Tanda called out brightly.
Balsa smiled and came inside for dinner.
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