SKY OF PAPER: AN ASIAN STEAMPUNK FANTASY

CHAPTER 27

The thought had not even occurred to me as to whether or not Kassashimei and I were worthy enough to have a guardian. During the old era, chienkuu ko were a prized commodity amongst the tea houses. So much so, that they were often victims to kidnappings. Warriors were often hired to protect them. But now, such occurrences were so rare, that guardians became nothing more than a form of decoration, a symbol to enhance the prestige and worth of the children they escorted. Because of the large amount of money it typically cost to hire them, most children had no guardian at all, but the ones that did often curried the most favor and the highest paying employment among the top ranking people in society.

"My name is Ren Tzu," the warrior said in a strong, but soothingly meditative voice. He gave a small, respectful bow, which surprised both Kassashimei and I. No one had ever greeted us with a bow before, and for him to do so, made me feel all the more unworthy of his services.

"Ren Tzu has been assigned to watch over the both of you," Miss Nishio said. "He will be staying here from now on. Everywhere you go, he will follow. Do not make his job troublesome, or any harder than it needs to be. Do you understand?"

"Yes Miss Nishio," I answered reverently.

"Good. The more people who notice your guardian, the more respect this house shall receive; and perhaps, with enough luck, more business. Be mindful of what you do, for there is no shame that you can hide from this man's eyes."

Because of my newly acquired license, the Guild was quick to make sure that the Tiger Lily Tea House appeared on the employment registry. Meng had told me that, before my arrival, the tea house was not registered at all. I asked her why. Certainly, Lai and Mai were licensed and recognized by the guild, just as Kassashimei and I recently were, weren't they? She was slow to answer. And when she did, she only mentioned a proverb that many of us learned from our teachers and elders: Good fortune only follows those that do not fear opportunity.

Barely a week had past, and already a shipping captain was interested in contracting the skills of a certain silver-eyed boy and his ambitious shyo mah. Miss Nishio was quick to negotiate and even quicker to have Kassashimei and I sit in the room with her during her discussion, so that Ren Tzu would be proudly displayed beside us. Simply having our guardian with us, with his regal, calm demeanor and grand-looking swords was enough to sway the captain's thoughts in our favor. Every now and then, while he sipped his tea, his eyes lingered for the briefest of moments towards the imposing warrior sitting across from him. Miss Nishio seemed to have a cunning glow about her, knowing that such distractions made discussing the terms that much easier. She was careful to hide the fact that I had hardly any experience. Finally, the deal was made and after everything had been arranged, Kassashimei and I donned our bamboo hats and made our way to the docks. Along with our guardian, Miss Nishio personally watched over us, letting Madame Quoli run the tea house while we were away.

As was tradition, a group of monks awaited us at the ship, where they performed a short ceremony consisting of prayers, chants, and bells meant for blessing us with a safe journey. On any airship past and present there could always be found a certain number of monks, for their spiritual connections were considered good luck on voyages. They also cared for the cleanliness of the ritual decks, as well as for the well-being of all the shyo mu and shyo mah onboard.

With us, were the other contracted chienkuu ko. It was typical for a ship to contract at least six to ten pairs of us, depending on the length of the voyage. Each pair served on the ritual deck, changing shifts every few hours. Most of them regarded Kassashimei and I with envy, for many of them did not have a guardian, just an elder or some adult from their respective houses.

Though there was some pride to be had with Ren Tzu around, he seemed indifferent about his job. He barely spoke and hardly showed any expression at all. Whatever he was thinking, he made sure to keep it hidden behind an impenetrable mask. Even though he had his own quarters, he used them only to change his clothes. The rest of the time, he spent near the quarters assigned to both Kassashimei and I. He guarded the entrance to our room diligently. Even at night, while everyone was asleep, I remember cracking open the hatch, only to find Ren Tzu kneeling on the ground in some sort of light meditation. His hands were resting on his lap, near the hilt of his swords.