Rubies and Rumors

Chapter Thirty-seven

      The streets near the market looked nearly identical. In-Yeon tried to remember the twists and turns he had taken with Junseo on their first visit but was very confused. He had back-tracked twice and now stood at an intersection to the road leading to the forge and one running parallel to the market. He almost gave up but then he caught the faintest scent of over-ripe persimmons. He always associated the smell with his aunt and remembered it from their other visit to the shaman so he literally followed his nose to the small shop.

In-Yeon paused in the doorway, scanning the different charms and beads on display before he made the commitment to enter and make an offering.

"Ah, the guardian-to-be returns. You earned much favor by settling the young spirit and helping him overcome the dangerous spite. But I see you have worries. Not you, young friend. No, it is your prince who has you troubled."

"Yes, I am worried about Junseo and his injury." In-Yeon was relieved to be able to share this much.

"It is a deep wound. Much deeper that he knows. Special friends kept him alive but were also injured. I am sorry but he needs to be away from here to heal."

In-Yeon nodded. It was as he suspected but it left his own place uncertain so he added a coin to ask for a foreseeing.

"Your offering is welcome but you already have the means to see yourself."

"My dreams?" In-Yeon whispered.

The Shaman nodded, "Your Topaz will draw the truth. Trust it."

"So, when I saw Junseo on a ship in my dreams?"

"It is what will come. We don't know when, but he must sail and his court will follow. He is not abandoning you, nor you him." The black-toothed smile wasn't exactly re-assuring but In-Yeon thanked the Shaman for this telling. "If it was your path, I would bid you train for our fellowship."

"Ah, my aunt said much the same thing. So, thank you." In-Yeon bowed low and exited the shop. He blinked in the bright daylight and continued on his way to visit another training yard. The training-master for the local guards looked him up and down then told In-Yeon bluntly to come back after he had grown up. 

"We are not a baby-sitting service," the man grumbled to one of his fellows and In-Yeon's ears turned red. The academy he visited was even more dismissive, especially after they gave him an impromptu quiz from their classics curriculum. With the obvious gaps in communication between the recruiters and the school staff, In-Yeon reluctantly accepted his fate to finish out the term at the Temple.

In-Yeon started trudging back but was intercepted by Go San Jin and his contingent of guards. "Well met my young friend. Here let the guards see who you are. Great. We are on our way to meet the boys at school. Since you are on your half-day why don't to tag along and see their institute for yourself. I am sure Song-hee will be happy to show you around." San Jin's warm welcome eased some of doubts In-Yeon had about the forge.

The school where some of the other boys were day-students was a revelation. The emphasis on practical skills meant linking theory to something tangible. Song-hee showed In-Yeon a piece he was working on in the lab to test drag ratios on an incline plane.

"You know I used to think I was pretty hopeless at school," Song-hee admitted. "Half the time books just put me to sleep and I can't stand a bunch of repetitious drill. Never could see the point," he shrugged expansively.

"I know what you mean," In-Yeon whispered.

"Thought you might but I am not saying you can skip the basics here. No. Its just they make more sense when you see them applied. Here, you look over my notes while I do one more adjustment." Song-hee tossed some notes at In-Yeon who juggled the sudden gift. He studied the column of numbers then noticed one seemed out of place. When he pointed it out to Song-hee, the older boy expressed his gratitude.

"I didn't even see that. It would have taken forever to try and square things up so thank you!" Song-hee patted In-Yeon's back. "You are coming for dinner aren't you. I am sure San Jin can get you back to the Temple. Say yes." All the other boys were nodded in unison at this suggestion so In-Yeon grinned his agreement.

For all their light-hearted banter on the way to the forge, the boys were clearly as battle ready as the Go family guards. In-Yeon did his part by scanning their surroundings and quietly signaling one of the older boys when he spotted a tail. Song-hee nodded and dropped back for a minute. When he returned, he had a crooked smile, "Just my regular gang checking in and wondering who the newbie might be. I vouched for you so you better not be calling the local guards or anything."

"Gang? For real? I better not let my uncle hear about it." In-Yeon said and looked over at Go San Jin, "Your family's okay with your associates?" he asked.

"My family is happy with any alliances that might improve our safety. Song-hee and his friends proved themselves more than once." A couple of San Jin's guards nodded emphatically at this statement.

"Ok. I get it. At home we have a truce with one of the pirate captains. He hates the raiders as much as we do but we have to pretend to be enemies in front of the other lords." In-Yeon smiled at the memory.

"So, did you do much sailing?" San Jin asked.

"Not much. Just the usual working holidays on my uncle's fishing boat and of course the trip here," In-Yeon tilted his head.

"Sometimes the fastest way around the country is to run along the coast then take a riverboat inland. Since most of our team members have never been out on the water, we were wondering if you had sea-legs." On the surface, San Jin's explanation made sense but In-Yeon could not help wondering if there was more to his question.

"Is the team planning a trip?" In-Yeon asked.

"Just working on the logistics. My Uncle has some pretty strict rules for us and I am not sure how viable it is to try to get a large party inland on horseback."

"Right." In-Yeon sounded a bit doubtful and the guard beside him burst out laughing.

"See, even this young pup knows you are scheming. I am going to be sticking to you like a burr from here on."

San Jin's ears turned red and he picked up the pace.