Twelve Kingdoms v08 by Fuyumi Ono

Twelve Kingdoms v08 by Fuyumi Ono

Author:Fuyumi Ono
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-09T16:00:00+00:00


Chapter 2

Hyouchuu descended the narrow stairs of the inn. Light from a handful of candles barely illuminated the rough tavern on the first floor. No diners sat at the long tables lined up on the dirt floor. The wooden door facing the street opened at daybreak, but there were either no early birds among the lodgers or no one in search of a meal at this hour in the morning.

A freezing chill flowed through the quiet dark.

“Morning,” a young servant called out to him. His cherubic features suggested an age of ten or so. “You woke up early.”

Hyouchuu nodded. He ordered tea and breakfast and sat at the table the boy had just wiped down.

“My dad says a storm is coming,” said the boy, returning with the steaming cup.

Outside, flurries danced through the air. Above the sagging roof of the building across the street, leaden clouds filled the gray and slowly brightening sky, surely forecasting bad weather ahead.

“Headed south?” the boy asked.

Hyouchuu nodded.

“I heard the road south is hard going today.”

“I’ll be okay.”

Hyouchuu handed the boy a stone for him to place on the stove. During the winter, tucking a few hot stones into the pockets helped stave off the cold.

“But—”

“I’m in a hurry, see. How about we get my breakfast ready first?”

As he warmed his hands with the teacup, the falling snow grew heavier. Blown by the wind, the snow drifted into the ruts and potholes.

The innkeeper, a man of fifty or so, came in carrying the bowl filled with rice gruel. He placed the bowl in front of Hyouchuu and said, “The kid asked you already, but you headed out early?”

Yes, he had asked already. “That’s right. I hope to get on my way as soon as the town gates open.”

“Looks like you’d be better off waiting. You headed to San’you?”

San’you was the large city at the end of the road south.

“I’m headed as far as I can go.”

The innkeeper didn’t hide the startled look on his face. “Don’t tell me you’re on the run from somebody.”

Hyouchuu shook his head and said with a wry smile, “No, only trying to cover as much ground as I can.”

The rice gruel was hot enough to scald his tongue. It contained some rice but was mostly millet. Rice was a labor intensive crop. There weren’t enough farm workers left in the kingdom to consume rice as a staple. The gruel was flavored with a few dried mushrooms and minced greens.

Nevertheless, having half-frozen to death getting dressed, Hyouchuu counted it as a blessing. Even if just a little, warming the core of a sluggish body weary from travel was a true pleasure.

“If you’re in that much of a hurry, how about using a horse cart? I sure can’t recommend proceeding on foot. You’ll be in a tough spot if the blizzard catches you out there in the wilderness.”

Hyouchuu eyed the innkeeper. “Do you have a horse cart?” he asked hopefully.

The innkeeper opened his mouth then paused to think about it. “Well—yeah—guess that won’t work.



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