Sunstone - Dishonor's Bane (Book 2) (17 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

~

C
hika assumed the guise of the youth
again. Shiro looked at her in the light of the moon. Chika, the young woman was as tall as Chika the young man. Shiro had to admit he preferred the woman.

“I miss your lovely face,” Shiro said.

She scoffed at him. “It will be easier for you to converse with a young man, rather than Chika Udishi, banished daughter of one of the South Isle lords.”

Shiro sighed, not getting her real image out of his mind. “Suit yourself. It will be easier for you to travel in your present guise, anyway.”

“I always wanted strapping sons,” Ashiyo said. They had been traveling on foot for ten days. “Now I have two.” He grinned as they continued walking east into the night. Shiro’s idea had given the man a mission.

Since their escape from Sekkoro, Chika hadn’t plied him with double entendres. Shiro had to admit he had enjoyed playing the game with her, but perhaps the prospect of traipsing around in her father’s domain depressed her.

“Did you read Ashiyo’s real library on Affinity and how to use it?”

Ashiyo nodded his head. “I did. Unfortunately, my power level is barely apprentice level; at least that’s what the real Ashiyo told me.”

“By the way, what is your name? I can’t be calling you Ashiyo when we’re talking about Ashiyo,” Shiro said.

“Ah. My name is Himura. I’m from a little village east of Rumoto.”

Shiro laughed. “I am too.”

“What?” Himura furrowed his brows in confusion.

“That was my story when they asked about my history when I joined the army at the castle. We lived on a farm, so I didn’t tell them my village.”

“Well, I can be more specific. Ashiyo’s father was the largest merchant in Rumoto and I grew up in a smithy.”

Shiro grew curious. “A smithy? Maybe you might know something about my sword. It’s time for a break anyway.”

Himura carried their food, purchased from a roadside inn, and distributed rice cakes and chicken jerky. After getting something in his stomach, Shiro unsheathed his sword. “What can you tell me about this?” He handed it over to Himura.

“Quite unconventional. Ancient, I’d say. The blade is made out of a steel I’ve never seen. What is underneath this wrapping?” Himura moved to take it off. “There is something with power underneath.”

Shiro took a deep breath and let him unwrap it.

“Ah. It’s unique.” Himura touched the stone and fell back. “I don’t have the power to touch this. I know of only one stone, jewel actually, that this could be. I can’t believe I hold this sword.”

“The Sunstone? I wondered if it could be the actual thing.”

Chika touched the stone. She grunted and had to sit down. “That is pure power.”

Himura examined the blade. “I wouldn’t show this to anyone, Shiro. It’s legendary.”

“I know little about it. Four stones were created in ancient times, when the world was ruled from the continent of Ayrtani. The wizard-ruler made three for his continental rulers and kept one. Some kind of cataclysm occurred,” Shiro shook his head,” and then they were lost.”

“Not lost. Only the Purestone and the Sunstone have been gone for centuries. The Moonstone was recently lost in Zarroni and the Bloodstone is in the possession of the ruler of the Red Kingdom on Besseti.”

“That’s right,” Shiro said. “The one who ruled over Roppon ordered the sword destroyed. It didn’t happen.”

“You sharpened the blade?” Himura said as he looked at the edge.

“I did with a bit of magic. It has held an edge for weeks.”

“Indeed. As the magic dissipates, so will the edge. The shape of the blade is very recognizable, even without knowledge of the stone. Why don’t you place a spell on the blade to hide it.”

Shiro had never even considered that. “You know what kind of spell?”

The older man laughed. “I know all kinds of spells but I don’t have sufficient power. You have sufficient power, but don’t know the spells. We can’t fix my situation, but together, we can solve yours.”

“I’ll use the knowledge, in the memory of Shiuki.” Shiro said. He might not be able to comfort the man’s feelings, but he still could do something for the woman who befriended him.

Himura grabbed onto Shiro’s wrist. “We’ll do it together.” His breath hitched. “For her.”

Chika pursed her lips. “Or we’ll die trying…”

Shiro glared at her. “No try. Not acceptable. We’ve made this far.”

She’d returned his glare and narrowed her eyes even more. Shiro had never seen Chika show such anger. “You think walking through my prefecture and just plucking up the White Rose Society will be easy? My father hates my sisters.”

“Do you know why?” Shiro asked. He really wanted to know.

“My grandmother had the power and used it on his uncle. Killed him. My mother said the man tried to rape her. My father said she did it to install her son-in-law as Lord of the Prefecture. He was the son-in-law and he hated her for raising him to his position with magic. It lacked all honor.”

“Who do you believe?” Himura said.

“I don’t know the truth!” Chika said putting her hands to her head. “Ever since I knew I had Affinity, my life has been a mess.” She looked miserable as she said it. “You’d think my father would thank his mother-in-law for giving him a domain, but he didn’t.”

Shiro wondered what he could say. “Perhaps he’s scared you would kill him to put your own son in his place.”

“I’d never do such a thing!”

“Does he know that?” Shiro said. “Did you ever talk to him about it?”

The question silenced Chika. “No.”

“Himura, have you ever known sorcerers to eliminate rulers to advance their own political agenda?”

The older man shook his head. “Only among sorcerers. The Guild would have a sorcerer removed if they tried to become a noble. That’s why all progeny of all nobles are inducted into the Guild if they show power. They cannot rule.”

“Wild talents are the real problem,” Shiro said. “The White Rose Society needs to be set up as a Guild for women with rules that Roppon can trust to be enforced.”

Chika threw up her hands. “Now you want to run the White Society!”

“You know me well enough, Chika. Do you think that’s ever been in my mind?”

Chika looked away. “You had designs on changing the White Society after you had rescued Shiuki.” She folded her arms and turned back to drill him with narrowed eyes.

“Who would be running the society?”

“Shiuki.”

Shiro nodded his head. “Shiuki. I only wanted her to be safe, for those with Affinity to be safe from the depredations of the Guild. As a shadow organization you are subject to the whims of those in power. Lord Sekkoro wanted women sorcerers put to death. He got his wish and we’ve found out as we’ve traveled that he paid for the act with his own life.”

“Good. He deserved burning in his castle with my sisters.”

“But did Shiuki and her sisters deserve it? We might have been killed along with them had circumstances not gone our way.”

Himura snorted. “If you call that our way.” He put up his hand. “I’m in agreement with you on this Shiro and you should agree, too, Chika. Don’t get mad at Shiro about what you think might happen. You’re doing the same thing your father did, ascribing motives that simply aren’t there.”

Chika got up, huffed around a bit and took off down the road. The two men hurriedly gathered their things and followed her, but not too close. Shiro imagined smoke coming out of her ears and he’d rather discuss their plans when she might be a bit more amenable. Himura must have really hurt her with his last words. Now they might have alienated her and, among other things, Shiro needed her knowledge of the east.

~~~

Chapter Twenty-Four

~

C
hika still walked far in front of them
as she entered a village, not waiting for them at all. She walked into an inn. Shiro and Himura sighed at the thought of finally being able to talk to her.

“A youth came into the inn a few minutes ago,” Shiro said after he walked up to the innkeeper’s counter.

“No,” the innkeeper said. “A woman came in and asked if I needed a good cook. I always need a cook, been doing it myself for the last few months. I hired her. Strange lady wearing arms like some soldier…  Like you for example,” the innkeeper said looking at Shiro.

The two of them had really upset her. If Chika wanted to work her frustrations out on cooking food, then let her do it. Shiro wanted to be ready to do whatever he needed to do to have her rejoin them when the time came. In order to do that they’d need to stick around somewhere.

“We’re looking to stay here for a few weeks and wait for our companion. Do you rent rooms for that long?” Shiro would let Chika work out her frustrations, but he couldn’t dream of moving on without her.

The man shook his head. I don’t, but the general merchant up the street owns a few shacks on the edge of the village. You might talk him into something. Feel free to eat your meals here. With the new cook, I’m sure my regulars will return. She said she’s very good.”

Himura gave the man a bow. “I am sure that she will work out. Thank you for your help and we will return this evening.” Shiro gave the innkeeper a curt nod as they left to seek out the merchant.

“A few weeks?” Himura said.

Shiro shrugged. “I don’t know how long Chika will need. She’s probably very upset with us and I’d rather not have ill feelings get in the way of what we are about to do. I need to learn more magic in any event. An interlude in this village might suit us well, anyway. With the Lord Sekkoro dead, there won’t be as much impetus to drive out the White Rose Society.”

Himura kicked at a rock in the road. “I suppose you’re right. I still haven’t taught you how to disguise your sword.” He grinned. “I could use some time on a sleeping pallet rather than on hard ground anyway.”

Shiro laughed. “Depends on what’s available. Remember, Chika had most of our money,” he said as they ducked into the merchant’s shop.

“We’re looking for a place to stay for a week or two and the innkeeper up the street said that you might have something we can rent for that long.”

The old merchant looked up at them, being short, skinny and bald. “I’ve got a house close in. Three sleeping places. No more than three weeks, though. I have a long-term tenant who’ll be working on a farm close-by the village moving in with his family. It has its own well—one of the few in the neighborhood.”

“Fortune smiles on us,” Shiro said, smiling to the merchant. “We’ll take it.” They negotiated the rent and Shiro paid for the first week in advance. He hoped he wouldn’t be staying past that.

The little house wasn’t far and the pair spent the rest of the day cleaning it out. The place didn’t have many conveniences, but enough for them. They washed down the place and themselves using water from the well.

Shiro squatted in his underclothes, pouring water over his dirty body when Chika opened the gate to the yard in her cook’s guise.

“Three pallets, the merchant said. I’ll take one of them.” She eyed Shiro’s dripping body and paused to say something, but didn’t. He had hoped for some suitable quip.

“You want one?”

She nodded. “I’m not ready to talk to you two, but the innkeeper’s eyes rove a bit too much and I found out that cooks don’t stay because he thinks that the wages include nighttime visitation privileges.”

Shiro bit off a retort this time and he heroically kept a smile from blossoming on his face.

“Preserve your privacy and your purse. You are free to sleep here.”

“Won’t be much of that. I’m to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner and any in-between meals that customers demand. I’ve much to think about, so I’m ready for the abuse.”

“That kind of abuse,” Himura said as he walked out from the house.

“You heard the conversation?” Chika said.

“Enough. I agree with Shiro. You are more than welcome here and if and when you are ready to move on, we’ll be here ready to go.”

She grunted and left the yard.

“Won’t see much of her until she’s ready,” Himura said. “She’ll be gone before we rise and will come in after we’re asleep.”

“As long as we stay in contact, I’m confident she’ll return to us. We need her money as much as anything else. I only hope we can stretch what little we have to keep us fed,” Shiro said.

“I saw a smithy on the way in. I noticed lots of work collecting dust and rust on the outside. Perhaps he can use a hand.”

Shiro only really knew how to use magic and farm. “I’ll go back to the merchant and see if anyone needs an expert farmhand. Don’t commit to too much time. I need to become your student.”

Himura laughed. “I haven’t forgotten. Perhaps we can make inquiries before we go to the inn to taste Chika’s delights. As I remember, she is a remarkably good cook for a young woman.”

“She does well on the road.”

~

Himura sat at the small table at the inn. He had taught Shiro how to disguise his sword and he had to perfect it before he showed up at the inn.

“That looks right to me,” Himura said, looking at the more traditional hilt sticking up from the sword on Shiro’s back. “It’s too bad you can’t shove the sword in your sash like everyone else, but there are enough rogues out in the world that wear their sword as you do.”

Shiro grunted. “Overhear anything?”

“Nothing useful. I asked about the blacksmith and he doesn’t show up here very often.”

Both of them eyed the crowd drinking tea. Wine could come after dinner.  Shiro saw the merchant arrive and sit at another table.

“There is our merchant friend,” Himura said.

Shiro nodded and rose from his bench, sauntering over. “I’m afraid I’m going to have some time on my hands and wondered if there is some daytime labor to keep me busy.”

“And earn some more rent money for me?” The merchant grinned, showing blackened, twisted teeth. “The land that my new tenants are to work isn’t in very good shape. I’ll pay you to clean the plot up. I’ll inspect your work every few days and pay you what I think your work is worth.”

Shiro put his hand to his chin. He didn’t really trust this man and could see him trying to cheat Shiro out of his pay. “And if you don’t want to pay me anything it would be easy for you to reject my efforts. That doesn’t sound like a suitable arrangement to me.”

The merchant grumbled. “Take it or leave it.” He waved Shiro away. “It’s of no difference to me.”

“I appreciate the opportunity, but I will pass. My thanks for considering my services.” Shiro bowed to the merchant, despite the merchant’s anger, and returned to the table. The man was their landlord, after all.

“He wanted to dictate what he’d pay me.”

Himura winced. “That old man would never show satisfaction of what you did.”

An ancient farmer shuffled up to their table and looked back at the merchant. “You rejected Usho’s offer? You made a wise decision. I have a job for you. My farm needs to be put to bed for the winter. Everything was harvested some time ago in mid-summer except for my wife’s vegetable garden. My son helps me, but he’s gone until the spring to find a new wife.” The old man laughed. “Wore the other one out. I’ll pay you every day for your work and I won’t cheat you. I’ve got a tool shed that needs seeing to. Hope you don’t mind witches, for it’s close by a cottage where four of them live.”

Shiro smiled. “I’d be happy to help. I’m not afraid of witches either.” He winked at the old man.

“Good. I’m the second farm on the road that heads southeast a few hundred paces outside of town. Be there at the crack of dawn. Name is Yori.” He bowed to Shiro. “Bring your friend if you’d like. Make your work shorter.”

“I’m Shiro and this is Himura. Himura’s a smith and if the local smithy won’t hire him I’ll bring him along.”

“Thank you.” Shiro stood and bowed to Yori. The old man smiled and shuffled to his table, drained a cup of wine and proceeded out of the inn. “There we go and the work offer is for the both of us.”

“If we both liked farming, but it appears that there’s only one of us who do. I’ll first take my chances with the smith.”

Chika came out of the kitchen with a bowl of pickled vegetables. She tossed it on the table. “Now what are you going to do?”

“Ready to leave?” Shiro asked.

She sat down and picked out some vegetables and let them slide down her throat. “No. I’m not sure yet. Give me more time. The innkeeper won’t. I’ve got another two hours work, yet. Enjoy.” She coughed and hurried back to the kitchen.

Shiro plucked up a few vegetables. “I think she’s just about ready and it’s only been a day.” He put the vegetables in his mouth and felt the fires of the hells explode in his mouth. He spit out the vegetables and grabbed the tea, pouring it down his throat.

“Shiro!  That’s hot tea.”

“Believe me, it’s cooling off my mouth!” His breath increased and his face broke out in a sweat. “She’s not ready yet. Whew!”

~

The smell of dirt gave Shiro bittersweet memories. He looked over the farmland and surveyed his task. Yori hadn’t neglected his field too badly. A dike had broken down in a far corner, inundating a portion of the farmer’s field. That would be good physical work. If Shiro became too tired, he could levitate the soil, but he really didn’t think he’d have to unless Chika had a sudden change in heart and they’d have to leave suddenly.

He smiled as he remembered her silently coming into the house the previous night and chuckling herself to sleep. She refused to respond to his words. Just as well. Let her have her fun. He hoped that the opportunity to pay her back would come. Shiro could be patient.

Yori walked up to him. “Let me show you the toolshed.”

Shiro followed the old man through the fallow rows to a large hut. Yori opened the double doors.

“You’re a wealthy farmer,” Shiro said looking at all of the steel tools. Most farmers used wooden field implements.

“Oh, I haven’t done too badly, but as I aged, I bought the tools to make the work easier. Look, a metal plow.”

Indeed in a corner sat a plow with a rusted iron blade. “I’ve heard of these, but I’ve never seen one.”

“My son can till my fields in less than a week. It’s cheaper to hire a horse and use this than it is to hire men to use wooden plows to get it done in twice the time.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Shiro found a pitchfork, a few shovels and hoes and other implements he’d never seen. “Where did you find the patterns?”

Yori laughed. “Did you know they used these on Ayrtani? My son’s father-in-law is a scholar. He has copies of ancient books. Such implements are common in Besseti. The northerners have more metal than we do.” Yori sighed. “If only the Ropponi were less set in their ways.” He shook his head.

“We always will be. It’s who we are.”

“Bureaucrats and Sorcerers. They don’t care for the common people.” Yori spit on the ground. “But you’re right, it’s our damned culture. It hasn’t changed one bit in hundreds of years. Few farmers would agree to use these. I’ve had more than a few of my closest friends think of these as the tools of demons.” He laughed. “Productive demons. Some of these are bent and have very rounded edges. See what you can do about sharpening them. I have some stones that do a mediocre job, but mediocre is better than dull.”

Shiro laughed. “I’ll see what I can do. Don’t worry about me. I wish I had some of these demon tools when I farmed my own land. The other farmers would be jealous.” Indeed they were when Shiro unwittingly used dose of his power to grow better crops. If he had metal tools, they would have stormed his farmhouse with envious anger.

The pair walked out of the farmhouse. Shiro saw a cottage nestled in the woods on a little rise that overlooked the farm. “Witches?”

Yori waved at the house with his hand. “They might be witches, but they are nice ladies who buy my produce at the best prices. Before you go, I want you to work in my wife’s vegetable patch. She still has some plantings going.”

“I’ll start on these,” Shiro said. It was past time that Himura would have shown up had the smith rejected his offer of work.

Shiro walked back into the tool hut and picked up a spade. He used his talent on the edge and left a shiny sharp track as he ran his finger along the surface. Then he thought of tightening the grain of the metal and when he finished the surface looked nearly shiny and hard.

He took the shovel down to the broken down dike area and used it to move the dirt. It bit into the soil effortlessly. After a quarter turn of the hour, he heard a crack and picked up the shovel. It had broken in to two pieces, right at the boundary of his magic work. Evidently Shiro didn’t know enough about metal. Perhaps making the metal denser didn’t necessarily make it stronger. He’d have to talk to Himura and see if he could fix it somehow.

On his way back to the hut, a woman waited for him at the edge of Yori’s property.