Rubies and Rumors

Chapter Sixty-one

            To try to clear his mind, In-Yeon spend the morning meditating. The frightening images from his dream were all in a jumble. He had no way to tell what order the storms, explosions, and bloody battle fields might come in but they each distinct image held the clarity of a true vision. It was frustrating to have no clues about when these things may happen or why he was gifted such incomplete foresight. He finally resolved to stop worrying and accept things would become clearer in time.

Headaches were still a daily occurrence. He went as far as to run his practice sets in a blindfold so San Jin teased him about trying to go up several levels at once. "The monks are going to be even more paranoid if you master the night protocols on you own," the older boy said with a smile but immediately apologized when he saw In-Yeon's panicked face.

"I don't want to upset the Order. Nor the order of things for that matter, but I can't shake the feeling we should be doing something other than waiting around in the Capital."

"Do you want to try another reading? I could try persuading the Shaman you like to come here," San Jin offered. In-Yeon gave him a questioning look so he admitted, "They are not exactly my cup of tea but they seemed decent enough."

"I doubt they will leave their shop but I would like to thank them for the help they gave me relaying my messages. Let me write a note and you can go explain my situation. They might have an idea how I might find my way through all the visions before I go completely mad."

"Honestly friend, some days it feels like the whole world is mad but if this gives you a bit of peace it will be worth it."

It took a series of trips over several days to first explain the situation to the Shaman, and relay each of the potions and tokens they prepared. Because of the Shaman's conviction writing the chants down would diminish their effectiveness, San Jin had to painstakingly memorize all the instructions. The first charms and sleeping draught were supposed to help better isolate any influences from past lives.

"I think it helped," In-Yeon reported the morning after this first treatment. "The battle scenes were less frenetic. More like standing on a hill watching troops maneuver, instead of slogging through mud and mist. Still, I am not sure what it is trying to tell me," In-Yeon admitted shyly.

"At least you didn't wake up screaming, so that is something," San Jin said. "Still, I think we should wait another day or two to see if it has really settled."

When Manager Doak stopped in at the end of the week, In-Yeon's request took him by surprise. The boy asked to borrow a strategy board like the team used at the training yard to lay out a complicated scenario.

"Does any of this look familiar? Like something famous from the past?"

"Close. If you add a mounted troop here, and a trench line here," the former soldier pointed to the board, "Then this could be the battle of Rangion." In-Yeon nodded and re-set the board.

"This one is close to the siege at Kaesang. Why are you quizzing me about third kingdom battles?"

"I'm not. I am just trying to make sense of some of the dreams I have been having lately."

"You should just stop reading the cadet manual before bed," The man reached over and patted In-Yeon's knee.

He did not know how to explain so just agreed then thanked the team manager for the visit. When he told San Jin the visit the older boy pulled out a collection of military texts he had inherited from his grandfather. They looked up the battles Manager Doak identified to see if they could spot any connections between the battles and In-Yeon to explain why he might be dreaming about them.

"I don't get it. Rangion and Kaesang were generations apart. One was a rebellion, the other an invasion. Why would I be dreaming about them? My family has no connections to the third kingdom."

"That you know of," San Jin corrected absent mindedly as he scanned back through the chronicle. Then he paused, and flipped back and forth between the different texts. "This is kind of weird."

"What?"

"Well, it seems both battles turned on the actions of a small band of warrior monks." San Jin pointed to the different mentions and read them out loud.

"I guess it might be a clue. My aunt would probably tell me to let it rest and trust the meaning will be revealed in time." In-Yeon sighed discontentedly.

"You need a break. Let's go see what Rufus is up to." San Jin said before putting his suggestion into action.

At the stable, the head groom was full of praise for how much better the old war horse was starting to look. "If we can get his teeth sorted, the old boy will be ready to go back into regular work. So, what are the chances you can keep him calm?"

"Let me lead him out and see how he is doing. We need to negotiate. Oh, and it can't be in bright sunlight not if I am holding him." In-Yeon lifted his blindfold and squinted at the groom. They got set-up across from the stable block. In-Yeon let the horse rest its head over his shoulder. He reached up and linked his hands behind the horse's ears and kept up an encouraging stream of praise. At one point the groom let the file slip and Rufus pulled up, lifting In-Yeon right off the ground. "Woah, steady on. That was our mistake." In-Yeon frowned at the groom who quickly apologized.

By the time they were finished, In-Yeon was covered in as much sweat at the horse so had to sit and rest. He put the blindfold back in place and leaned up against the stall door. When he woke, he found San Jin quietly standing beside him. "That one made you restless," his patient friend said.

"I need to think it through for a minute. It was a lot, and it feels important." In-Yeon took some deep breaths as he tried to pull the narrative together. "Okay. I think I have it sorted. Do you think we are going to be late for dinner?"

"Only if you insist on walking." San Jin grinned and pointed at the hand cart.

"So much for dignity," In-Yeon said as he clambered in, deftly re-setting his blindfold.