The Tales of the Argonauts: The Osorezu and the Hana (13-2)

The argonauts returned to silence just as the wench returned with their drinks and rolls. Kai, visibly disturbed by the words that Tara had said. Her facade as leader was glass. It was instantly seen through and it was easily shattered.

Taking no second longer to contemplate these unsettling thoughts, Kai lifted her mug of ale and quickly downed in. When she put the mug down, she found the other argonauts to be staring at her in bewilderment. She grabbed up three rolls and stuffed them into her mouth one after the other. She’d soon be more drunk than a turtle-bear was large.

“Kai, don’t you think you might needtobreathe…?” Shun asked cautiously, also trying to be humourous-- an attempt which only succeeded in rubbing Kai the wrong way.

“Shuddup!” Kai growled, crumbs falling from her lips. “I just wanna get drunk. Leave me alone.”

“I’m not going to let you do that,” Pualani said, getting to her feet and taking her friend’s arm. Kai slapped the Yin away from her.

“You get back from me! I don’t want to have someone around me that keeps lying to me! You say you’re fine, but I know you’re not! You’re hallucinating most of the time. Are you eating mushrooms? I want to help you, but you won’t let me! You won’t tell me what’s wrong!” Kai was in a state of mind that couldn’t be broken. She was in so deep a sorrow, so bottomless a fear, that she couldn’t even think of the consequences of her actions. Pualani realized this and left for their room as well.

“Are you guys gonna leave me too?!” Kai screamed at Kenichi and Shun, spittle flying from her lips. There was a moment’s hesitation before Kenichi slowly rose to his feet. “Shun, will you bring my food to our room please?” he requested before leaving for some peace and quiet.

This left Kai and Shun quite alone. The instant that Kai realized this, her knees wobbled and she collapsed.

“Thank you…” she whispered breathlessly. “Thank you for staying with me.”

“It’s no problem,” Shun said, brows furrowed but a smile curving his lips gently. “Is that all really how you feel?”

“I’m… I’m ashamed to say it is.”

“You can rest assured that I’ll talk to Tara about her exploding. That was uncalled for. She should know better. You’re carrying a heavier burden than being tripped over, or leading a mare to the stables. You have the world resting on your guidance of us.” Shun’s chest rattled with a fluid filled sigh.

“Are you sick?” Kai asked, showing sympathy, though it was a struggle after her outburst.

“I think so. It was probably something from the forest, or maybe even my fight back at the academy.”

“I hope that you don’t fall too sick,” Kai said. “I’d wouldn’t be able to leave you behind in a town. I don’t think we’d be able to support you, and I certainly don’t think that you would be able to fight Hono with us.” A shaky sigh left her.

The wench returned with their food.

“Where did they go? Do they still want their food?” she asked.

“Yes, they do,” Kai replied. “Please just leave it on the table. We’ll take it to them when we’re finished.”

“Oh no, no. I’ll take it to them now. Which rooms are they staying in?” the wench asked, setting the collection of plates down on another empty table.

“Rooms seven and eight, on the second floor,” Shun answered. The wench nodded her head as she gathered Shun’s and Kai’s meals, both of which were meat laden. Their meals were easily distinguishable from the others, as they consisted mainly of potatoes, or breads, or fruit.

“Thank you,” Kai said to the wench as her meal was placed before her. Tears were beginning to debut at the corners of her eyes. Tensions were high, and Kai’s stress was as well. She simply couldn’t help but harbour tears like this.

“It’s alright Kai,” Shun whispered to her.

“I know, I know,” she whispered in reply. She lifted her fork in her trembling finger and began to pick at her lamb. Moments later, the wench returned with a mug of ale for her to work on while she served the rest of the party. Kai downed the drink again, but it took twice as long this time. She wouldn’t get into too much trouble at this rate.

“Are you feeling any better?” Shun asked. His plate was already half empty.

“Yes,” she belched, “very.” Shun laughed a hearty laugh deep from his belly. It was a mature laugh, that which you’d expect from a grown man. Only then did Kai truly notice how much Shun had grown. He wasn’t lanky anymore. He had more meat on his bones-- nay, muscle. He wasn’t a boy anymore. He was a man. It made Kai blush to think about how her friend had grown and she hadn’t.

“Young miss? Miss?” It was a low, gruff voice that snapped her from her thoughts. The voice belonged to one of the men that she’d observed drinking before. His was tall and his shoulders were broad. He looked as if he could crush a cindre block with his bare hands. “I heard yer party talkin’ ‘bout a Child of Light.”

“It’s an insane idea, isn’t it?” Kai laughed sadly, downing the last of her drink.

“Aye, it is… But that doesn’t mean it isn’t impossible. Ye know, they say there’s a man in the forest outside of Kaiyan Shun village. Say he’s a hermit. Say he’s stopped a rampant tiger spirit from destroying the town.”

Shun sat forward.

“Is this true?” he asked. The man nodded.

“I swear it. My wife, Aira, wouldn’t ever lie,” the man explained, nodding his dark head.

“Thank you,” Kai replied, delivering quite the sincere smile. They could simply be heading on a wild goose chase, but some direction was better than none. Even if this proved to be a fruitless venture, it might shed light on the right way.

The man returned to his drinking endeavours, as did the young Guide. The two remaining argonauts ate in peace for the remainder of the night. Kai even found herself pleasantly drunk. However, that proved difficult when Shun was attempting to get her into bed. She simply wouldn’t leave his side.

“Kai! You need to go to your room!” Shun hissed out. There was a room for the girls and one for the boys. “Please!”

“No, no, Shun, I can’t. They’ll be mad at me!” Kai cried out, a smidgen too loudly.

“Keep quiet! They aren’t mad. They’re asleep, but they will be mad if you wake them. Now come on: go to your room,” Shun begged, his voice pleading.

“I can’t Shun! I’m scared. Don’t make me go in with them.” Tears were streaming down her face. Her fear might have been irrational, but it was real. She was afraid of what Tara might say, or what this scene would do for her relationship with Pualani. It wasn’t logical to think that, especially when they were asleep, and there wouldn’t be any interactions. However, that gut fear was like a wall, keeping Kai from nearing the girls’ room. “Please, let me sleep with you, please,” she said at last.

There was a moment’s hesitation that crawled by in what seemed to be centuries for the young Guide.

“Fine, but you can’t cuddle me, Kai. I don’t care how drunk you are. If Tara were to find us, she’d slit your throat,” Shun explained, unlocking the door to the boys’ room. “I don’t understand why she’s so jealous of you, but I wouldn’t push your luck.”

Those words went in one of Kai’s ears and out the other. In her drunken stupour, those words had meant absolutely nothing for her.

Once inside of the room, the two Yang slipped into bed. Shun kept a sizeable distance between them. As the clamour of the hearty gathering below came to a close, they each slipped into a deep slumber so warm and inviting, it would be a miracle if they’d ever be willing to wake.