Rubies and Rumors

Chapter Thirteen

     Grooming the Sun Temple's meditation paths could be hot work. Despite the heat, In-Yeon was grateful for the chance to collect himself after their frightening discovery. He had also found a small jasper showing signs of being smoothed by the sea. He asked his uncle if he might have the stone.

"I suppose, but only if it doesn't interact with the ones you are tuning," the man pointed to where In-Yeon's bracelets had been stowed all afternoon.

"It shouldn't. It doesn't feel like it is really for me." In-Yeon could not fully explain this sense but was certain it was true when he put his bracelets back on. "I could also use a white chrysanthemum, or maybe two, if you know where the previous owner of the notebook was found."

"You are going ahead with the rituals?" His uncle shook his head.

"Not the full ones but we are running out of time and the lingering anger can be dangerous." In-Yeon had not shared everything he had sensed but his uncle appeared to understand. They made their way to the western gate of the Temple.

"Leave your outer cloak here and go two streets over. There you should find flower sellers. Nobody should notice a young servant on an errand if you are quick about it. Here, take these coins."

In-Yeon whispered his thanks and hurried off. He returned with three cut flowers. They were not the freshest but would have to do. They stopped by the potting shed and got a small flask to put the stems into then drew water from the unlucky fountain. He studied the area for a moment and put one of his small offerings on the back edge of the pool where it was partly hidden in the shade. He let the other one float away toward the middle where it was caught under the downspout.

The final flower was for the dorm room. He managed to sneak in and set the small piece of smoothed jasper in the base of a bowl and filled it with water. He then floated the bloom in the bowl and pushed it under the bed. All the while he chanted the song for appeasement under his breath. After a moment's pause, he grabbed up some clean robes and sprinted down the stairs to the bath line.

"Where have you been this afternoon?" one of the friendlier boys ask.

"Working on the stone paths," In-Yeon shook out his dust robe, "And meditating on my many shortcomings."

"Which of the brother's caught you?"

"Brother Suk-Chan. That's what I get for thinking I'd have a relative on my side here." In-Yeon was pretty sure they all knew about his connection already. The sniggers from the usual group of trouble-makers confirmed it, and the importance of this little ruse while the investigation was underway.

"Oh, he is strict alright. Probably stricter if your family so not as to show favoritism," one of the others observed.

"Yeah, probably, and now I will have extra classwork to catch up on. What did we do in maths?"

"Areas for different shapes. It's not too bad if you can remember the formulas."

"Your right. We did some of those last term at home in Doisan using paper shapes for the physical proofs. It was kind of cool."

A younger boy got a good laugh by loudly declaring "I doubt anything to do with maths could actually be cool."

"Or anything from Doisan, for that matter," one of the older boys said as he glared at In-Yeon. The words were barely out of his mouth when the room temperature dropped.

In-Yeon stood still and thought firmly, "I'm fine. This is nothing to worry about. So, thanks friend, you don't need to stay to defend me." He could sense some lingering anger and uncertainty but did not focus on those feelings. Instead, he decided to try to recruit a couple of the friendlier boys to help with building the memorial.

His accomplices each secreted a piece of fruit out of the dining room. In-Yeon claimed the trickier task of borrowing a brass bowl and an incense burner from the offerings table in the main temple. The other boys helped him with getting the calligraphy right and making a frame for the parchment honor board. They waited until everyone had settled after the midnight services to do their modified ritual. The other boys were surprised when In-Yeon brought the flower offering out from under his bed and added prayers for atonement.

"What happened wasn't your fault," one of the boys whispered.

"It wasn't his either," In-Yeon said and nodded toward the small shrine. As he said this, he could feel a weight lift and added, "We should all rest now."

He decided to risk leaving the memorial in place for the morning. When the House-master confronted him, In-Yeon's explain the forty-ninth day was approaching and he did not want to be sharing a bed with an uneasy spirit.

"This is not our teaching," the House-Master frowned.

"It is my family's beliefs and nobody said I needed to renounce those beliefs to be a student here. If this is a problem, I can seek permission to find a new placement." In-Yeon realized this offer might have been a bit rash but was not inclined to take it back. Instead, he decided to put his statement into action by sending a message to his family.

When he told his uncle about this decision the man surprised him by saying, "I believe it would be in your best interests. The dorm-mates who involved with the dangerous study guide are very well connected in Temple circles. We will both be safer away from here."

"Both of us?"

"As soon as you have another placement I will go on pilgrimage. I would like to see the Lake of the Heavens before I am too old to make the journey north."

"What about the Council's investigation? I thought there would be interviews by now."

"Yes, well, they say an external view is needed so are waiting for a Priestess to come from the north."

"Why the north? Oh, wait. Those connections you were talking about. I'm sorry it came to this," In-Yeon was truly shaken.

"I'm just sorry this place let us both down. The masters here could have helped with your special talents. Speaking of which, how is the tuning going?"

"I haven't really thought about it lately. There is no big difference when I stow the bracelets away, or any kind of jolt when I pick them up again." In-Yeon shrugged.

"The Librarian is going to be surprised it went so quickly. Maybe we should just wait another day or two before we let him know he should give you back your topaz," His uncle chuckled then sobered for a moment. "You know, I think there is an open tournament coming up. Maybe you can ask your visitor friends if they know anything about it."