72 What we desire, doesn't necessarily happen.

I woke to the warming smell of congee cooking and fresh buns coming out of the oven.
"Good morning little one, you sleep well?" I loved this man, his kindness and generosity knew no bounds. His wife was as loving and kind as him and not surprisingly his children were, well, beautiful children. 
"I did, thank you." I sniffed the air, "didn't realise I was that hungry." My mouth salivated at the thought of sinking my teeth into the soft, sweet dough of the buns already cooling on the table . An involuntary action made me wince. Touching my mouth I realised it was swollen and sore. 
"You look rough this morning little one. It hurts, yes?" I nodded wanting to cry, "okay, you eat and then a good soak in the tub. I've heated water for you in the back room. You can climb in there and ease yourself off? Xin Yi sent over a set of clothes for you. Get rid of these ones? How does that sound?"
I nodded, tears stinging my face; I'd not had friends like these before.
Getting up, I carefully ate my fill and then headed to the back room.
Second Master had taken my bundle and the new clothes through, so finding my comb, wash cloth and muslin to dry myself, I climbed into the water and let myself sink beneath the surface. As I did, I felt the oppression of yesterday lift.
'When everything around seems bleak and frightening, hold those who love you clear in your mind. They will stand around you, their love protecting you from the hatred of others.'
Funny how extracts from that book still come to mind. 
Thing is, they make sense now.


I stayed at Second Master's smithy for some time. I made myself useful by returning to the Forge and turning out heads for arrows, close combat knives and repairing knives from the kitchen.
Sometimes I worked the bellows, but that was rare these days as an automatic bellow pump was employed here, run using water wheel power.
First time I saw it, I did laugh. We're out in the middle of a desert and yet there's plenty of water if you know where to look.
I still felt unsafe in the town so didn't leave the military sector.
Although runners had been sent out to those detachments near the gorge, we'd heard nothing back.
Bǎo had returned to his military position and was gathering together a unit consisting of archers and close quarter fighters. 
He was heading up a team of 'outliers', as he called them. As he said, it sounded better than mercenaries. 
The unit was built on the principles I had initially wanted to put into practice. I was pleased my ideas hadn't gone to waste. 
He was training them hard, bringing them into a functioning unit rather than the spurious selection of unknowns, they had been initially. 
I know Second Master had been involved in their selection. I had faith in him.
Me? I did my job in the smithy. At the moment, this is all I could do.
That, and hoping Hao Yang was still alive.


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