Here I sit in the damp and dark hold of this foul smelling merchant ship. I stowed aboard several days ago after fearing capture as a horse thief. The boat keeps rocking and listing. I’m not sure if it will ever stop and I cannot take much more of this. I have not been able to eat anything that I stole and I am running low on water. At least it is quiet on the decks above me.
My body hurts from its lack of use and my sleep has been restless. I might be losing my mind, as fearing capture I must stay quiet. If I get caught I may be handed over to the authorities as a horse thief or worse still I may be thrown overboard as a stowaway. Is it nighttime again? I don’t know for sure. I haven’t seen the sun in the days I have been aboard. It's quiet and I am tired -- thank the Four Winds that I have not been discovered yet. I cover myself with my damp cloak and close my eyes. Eventually the dreams will take hold of me and take me back to that night, it seems so long ago…
I awoke from my sleep to the shouting and screaming in the night. I looked out of our house and saw that the Daizu had surprised the night watch and were attacking the village. By the time the alarm was sounded properly some of the village men had already been mortally wounded in the raid. As my father rushed out of the house he drew the great sword that he had in his scabbard.
Several of the Daizu were struck down by his sword as he ran to get to the center of the village to join his men. He ordered them to fight back and they fought valiantly to defend the town. But there were so many of them and they were better prepared for battle. Even in the town, they rode, thundering along lanes and alleys, shooting their horn bows at anything that moved. Eventually the remaining townsmen were surrounded and my father surrendered to ensure that no further men would be killed in the raid.
My mother, a Shen woman, tried to cover my eyes to block the carnage but to no avail, there were too many of my siblings for her to control. I saw the Warlord, Yozuka, enter the village on horseback and dismount as my father was presented to him… bound and still wearing his sleeping clothes. One of the Daizu lieutenants presented my father’s sheathed sword to Yozuka who laughed and grasped it with glee. My father asked Yozuka to spare the men that had surrendered, as they were only following his orders.
Yozuka agreed and told my father that the headman must always pay. He motioned to one of his warriors, who brought forth a dagger, a pail of water and a white piece of silk. The man dipped the ladle into the water pail and poured the contents onto the blade, abluting it as my mother ran out of the house begging for mercy and forgiveness. She was stopped and restrained. My father calmly ordered her to return to the house and to forgive him. She was escorted back, still weeping.
The Daizu warrior continued with some ritual as he wrapped a portion of the blade with the silk cloth. When the blade was ready the man walked over to my father and handed him the weapon. I looked in horror as my father took the weapon and kneeled before the Warlord. He opened his shirt to the navel and held the dagger with both hands -- one on the hilt, the other around the silk wrapped blade that pricked his abdomen. He took a deep breath, then plunged the blade home. He let out a long sigh, and then with incredible strength, turned the blade and continued his cut, lifting slightly at the end as his eyes cast upward toward Heaven. He was about to die when suddenly Yozuka took my father's sword from its sheath and severed his head with a single powerful stroke. I watched in horror and heard my mother cry out as though she had also died. Then there was a loud cheer as my father fell over sideways, and the Daizu Warlord ordered food and drink to be brought forth.
For the rest of the evening a feast was hosted by our village even as blood still dried in the streets. I watched for a few hours and when the time was right, I managed to escape using the cover of night. Before dawn, I managed to reach a neighboring village. After I told the headman who I was and my story, they stated that I would be safe with them and they began to prepare for war. He swore that I would be taken in as one of his daughters and protected from harm. Days turned to weeks before a few of the Daizu warriors arrived to parley with the village where I was hiding. This is when I learned the true meaning of treachery. The headman had sent a messenger explaining my escape and offering my return for a truce with the Daizu.
So, I was handed over to the warriors and was taken back bound to my village. My attempt at escape only brought greater hardship to what was left of my family. My mother and sisters of age were given away as prizes to the Warlord’s lieutenants and I was beaten with my father's training sword. The Warlord and his men occupied our village for the rest of the Fall and Winter. It seemed as though they had no intention of leaving our village in the Spring. My mother told me and my older brother that when the time was right that we were to leave the village and head West. She said to listen to my brother and obey him as he was now the only man of the family.
It was the evening of the New Year when most of the Warriors had their fill of Kesae Shu, that my mother had arranged for us to escape. She came and woke us, and handed my brother the family sword that Yazuka had taken from my father along with some coins. We gathered what belongings and food could be carried and headed to the stables. My brother tossed blankets over a few horses and untied the rest of Daizu's. We slipped out undetected. Once outside of the village, my brother and I jumped on the horses and we headed West as fast as we could.
We rode as hard as we could for as long as we could. It seemed like weeks before we reached the Pillars of Heaven. When we finally camped on the shores of a high calm lake shrouded by trees. He gathered wood to risk a fire. I questioned what he was doing, but he said that he had a plan. I remembered my mother's admonition to obey him as the smoke rose in the sky.
The smoke brought a caravan and the next day, my brother arranged for us to travel with the merchant Kwan and use his bodyguards in exchange for a few silver coins. The days were uneventful as we were in a company of the well-armed men. The nights were spent with many stories of old and I was asked to tell those that I knew. I recited the story of my father’s death and spoke from the heart as to his bravery, courage and honor. That was the first time that I sensed that I had a way with words as my narrative brought tears to grown men’s eyes.
They called me their story-teller. Some of the merchantmen even handed me a few coins. One of the guards handed me a dagger in honor of my father, and thanked me for the moving story. Every evening, for the rest of our journey, I was asked to recite another story. One night I told the company the story of our village and how it was attacked by the Diazu and how we escaped with the sacrifice our mother had made in abetting our escape.
With the caravan we traveled further South and started to head West again, running into several caravans heading the way we'd come. The merchants always spent a few moments trading wares and sharing knowledge of each other's intended routes. During these times, my brother and I would stay together and silent, so that we would not draw too much attention to ourselves. A few days later we arrived in the port city of Farpoint.
This was the first time that either of us had seen such a sight. The city was sprawling before us and there was much commotion from all corners as we rode into town. Several of the merchants were hailed in their strange tongue and ours, as old acquaintances were rekindled. The sights and smells were overwhelming. People shouted to each other to be heard. Men were busy trying to finish their work before nightfall.
We wandered about the city, looking at the shops and taverns and a sense of relief finally overtook us. We were safe here. Finally, we found a small inn near the city gates where we spent that night. It cost us nearly the rest of the coin we had, but the food was good and the bath was refreshing. The next morning, the innkeeper pointed us in the direction of ships leaving and advised which of them might have passage to book.
Merchant Kwan suggested that we sell our horses as they were not going to be needed when journeyed West. He said that he knew of a stable in town that would give us good gold for our mounts. This sounded like a good plan and we agreed. At the livery, the owner walked around and examined our horses carefully, before disappearing into the barn to fetch some coin.
When he emerged, he was joined by two guards. Butchering our tongue, he said, "Did you really think you could sell my own horses back to me, you Daizu mare?"
The his men were upon us. My brother drew our father's sword but was amost immediately cut down. I cried out and grabbed the hilt of the dagger under my cloak and stabbed at the one nearest me. It pierced deep just below the leather vest that he was wearing. The guard hissed as his final breath escaped him and he sank to his knees with blood running out between his fingers. I withdrew the dagger and threw it at the remaining man as he drew back his sword for a second swing. The dagger struck a lucky blow and embedded itself in his eye socket. I saw him fall, but I do not know if I killed him.
By then I had turned and ran as fast as I could through the city and out along the quay. There were many ships there. I ran to the last one I could find and managed to climbed aboard undetected as the hue and cry went forth in their barking tongue. I tried to find a hiding spot, but this was an unfamiliar place to me and any moment I was sure that I was going to be detected. I looked up at the moon and while doing so, I noticed that there were great sheets of fabric rolled up well above the ship’s deck. I climbed up pole and made my way to the end of the sheets and crawled into one of the loose folds that was there and hid as best as I could.
My heart was pounding as I heard livery owner yelling. I recognized when he used our word for horse thief and murder and little else. I watched from above as he hefted a bag of coin, apparently a reward for my capture. My heart was pounding and I clutched the dagger tightly for the next few hours as men searched the docks and ships trying to find me. Eventually the searchers left the area and moved farther inland, checking between houses and down cobbled lanes. I looked at the brilliant blue water below me. The sea was calm and no one moved on the ship. I took this opportunity to find a more permanent hiding spot.
As I crossed the deck, I noticed that there were barrels of food and water… this must mean that the ship was leaving port soon. I grabbed all that I could carry and headed below deck. I didn’t have many possessions but eventually I found a spot to hide out in the corner of the ships hold and fell asleep. Now, I know not where I am, or where I am going, but my life has to be looking better for than it has been. I will make my fortune in whatever land hosts me and I will come back as rich as a Zhou Bo (see Eastrun), or not at all.
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