Guardian of Heaven and Earth
-
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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