31 Settling in

 This was the first time I had looked at him. He was very young with a boyish shape and manner. His complexion was pleasing and showed not one scar nor blemish. Now he wore less fancy clothes, I could see there was little muscle in him anywhere. 'He's going to struggle,' I thought to myself.
I had the meat from the doe and had already collected more lotus root, so was able to provide him with a hot meal. I suspect he was surprised by how good it was but how simple it was too. I suspect he was used to more dishes, more variety.
Xin had told me how the posh people ate when they went to restaurants, it seemed crazy to me. I know she was really envious, but then she grew up in a town so was surrounded by it.
I explained to him how to create a comfortable bed and sent him off to collect some small branches and leaf litter to create it. What he made wasn't that good, but I asked if he thought it would be OK and he said it would so I let him find out for himself. He would have a very uncomfortable night.
'I'll make him a proper one for tomorrow, but its the only way he will learn.'

I wasn't sure what to expect and she gave me a task almost as soon as I arrived; make a bed for myself. She told me what to do. Seemed simple enough, so after a small meal I set off to look for suitable branches and leaf litter. She'd shown me how she had packed hers and so, armed with an image in my head, I went to collect. 
I was scared I'd get lost so only ventured a short distance away from the camp. I found some vegetation I thought would be OK and returned with my arms full of stuff. I thought she would be pleased, but she just looked at me and asked if I thought it would be enough. I wasn't about to lose face so confidently told her it was and arranged the skin on top as she instructed me.
I watched her. She said little but set about beating a skin with a piece of hard wood. She had the skin over a stone and as she pounded it, she asked me about my life and what I had done until now.
To be honest I'd done little, so told her about sword practice, calligraphy, reading and etiquette.
She laughed and said the only activity from that list which would be of any use would be sword work and even that she scoffed. She fell silent and returned to her task. As I watched, I took a look at her for the first time.
She was short in stature and slight in build but her muscles were wiry and strong. Her hair was tied back in a long pony tail. It seemed to go on for ever, trailing on the ground next to her. Her legs and arms showed scars which had healed over time and one scar on her arm looked particularly nasty. She had been caught in the face by something, a bite mark was on her left cheek. She had fought  a great deal, yes, my brother was right, she is a scary lady to have stayed alive by herself all these years.
"How many years are you?" I asked, almost without realising.
"I think I am seventeen years, maybe eighteen, I tend not to count. Age is a number I don't need to worry about." She never looked up from her pounding, the words coming out in a staccato in rhythm with the beating.
"What does that beating do?" I asked, trying to strike up a conversation.
"It relaxes the skin, making it softer and easier to use. If you beat too hard it will fall to pieces. You have to know your hide."
"Oh, and what will it become, what will you make from it?" I asked.
"Leggings I think, keep my legs from being scratched by the undergrowth as I hunt or walk. Cuts down on bites too." She spoke minimally and wasn't going to elaborate. 
'Bitten by what?' I wondered, 'glad I have breeches then,' I thought to myself.
"With that fabric," she pointed the stick at my clothing, " you won't get too many bites but you'll get snagged by things and eventually it'll tear. You can sew I hope?" With that she looked up, " If anything needs sewing you will need to do it yourself, I hope you understand this?" She looked at me with those penetrating eyes. There was nothing there, just deep pools of life lived. I wondered what was behind them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

79 A long night

Xin and I walked back to the border fort. We'd stopped off by a small herd of reasonably sized deer and taken two out of the group. "Good eating." Xin was as tired as I was and we were reduced to minimal chatter.  "Agreed," I shifted my load, " am hungry." "Me too." For the rest of the walk we travelled in silence. We weren't the last back, groups were still staggering in, each unit as exhausted as the next. The images of us must have been gruesome, each of us with varying layers of congealed blood.  One unit arrived and it dripped on the floor as they walked. They'd been busy. "All of you, wash house. Clean up, eat and return for a debriefing."  The officer turned to the two of us, " a large tub has been prepared for you in the side room here. I hope you're happy to share the same tub? It's a large one." He gestured the direction and we silently sloughed our way in. "Do we have cleaner clothes?" ...
Read more

1 In the beginning

The night was dark and still. The moon hung in the sky bathing the world with its stark light creating illusions and spinning stories. The families were asleep save one; the midwives had gathered, a birth was about to begin. My mother pushed hard and within a couple of hours I was born into this world, this time, this place. It seemed strange to be here and I starred around the room and looked at the faces. I didn't cry, I took a breath and looked expectantly. All that squishing and being ejected had taken its toll. I was tired. I rolled over to sleep. The midwives looked at the child just delivered. She was unusual. Her hair was silky black and long, well past her knees. Her skin was dark, a mahogany tint shone in the light of the fire. The girl had been born without eyelashes or eyebrows but her hair crested forward in a peak like a bird. Her features were already that of a grown child, her facial features more akin to an adult rather than a new borne. No big eyes, no rose bud mo...
Read more

6 The recluse

It had been a few months since the incident in the clearing and my thoughts had long since left speculation behind. I walked with my guide and we talked. He taught me how the natural world moved, how the interrelationships between animals and plants held the fabric of the natural world together and how the seasons effected this. He then told me the power of water, wind, fire and air and I meditated on these as I walked. It was during one of these times I came across a small shack nestled deep within the woods. It was run down and looked abandoned. Intrigued, I wandered forward to take a look. I smelt no sign of people nor fire so, presuming abandonment, I pushed open the window shutter. "Come in," a voice said from inside, "I have been expecting you. Don't be shy, I won't hurt you, and your friend would alert you if I would. Come in, come in and close the door after you. Keep the heat in." My friend? I travelled alone. The only 'person' I spoke to li...
Read more