The Wandering God

49 Grow Old And Die Without Ever Crossing Paths 2/3

老死不相往來
Lǎo sǐ bù xiāng wǎnglái
Grow old and die without ever meeting.
Live life without ever having had any dealings with each other.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The morning Ermi left we gathered to see her off from Rabbit Run.

Despite my expectations, Ermi was dry eyed as she said goodbye, hugging us all in turn.

"Remember, princess. Confidence. Trust only yourself, and you will never be let down," I whispered in her ear when it came my turn.

Ermi squeezed me tighter in answer.

The carriage was piled high with trunks and boxes that Ermi had said contained her essential items. I thought how my essential items could all be carried in a single pack.

After goodbyes to Kageyama and Sanli, Ermi climbed into the heavily loaded carriage, followed by her yah'ying.

"Don't miss me too much," Liang'yi called out the window with a grand wave.

And then the carriage was away and they were gone.

I tried to keep busy with routine. In the morning I would rise, and go to the stables to care for the horses. In'yii and Dunya would eagerly greet me every morning, and even Makabe seemed to warm to me, after several mornings of giving him oats.

First I would groom In'yii. Her smooth coat made it easy for the brush to sweep across the patches of ice white and earthy brown. And contrary to her usually ornery attitude when I rode her, the mare herself made it easy for me, obediently standing where I positioned her, or turning in the stall when it came time to groom her other side.

The self-centered little minx loved the attention.

In'yii's grooming completed, I would pat Makabe for a time, so the stallion did not feel neglected. The black stallion's coat was always in perfect condition, thanks to Kageyama's near obsessive grooming regimen. The kitsune came in the evening, hence the reason I made my visits in the morning, so there was no chance of us meeting.

After giving Makabe attention, I would move onto grooming Dunya. The mare's rough coat made it difficult to drag brush or comb through it. In contrast to In'yii's smooth coat, Dunya's was thick, knotted, and dusty, I frequently found myself sneezing at all the hair and dust that filled the air with every drag of the brush.

"You're dirty, you know that?" I told the stubborn plains horse.

Dunya whickered proudly.

After caring for the horses, I would go to Zakhar's room. The first time I entered, my legs had walked stiffly, as though I was intruding into a sacred shrine. The windows were shuttered and dark, and I felt my way to one and opened it.

Zakhar had left his room clean, and bare of all personal effects.

He cleared his life away so neatly. I wish he had left a mess instead.

In one corner stood an old wooden cabinet for storing wine. It had been locked the first time I had ventured into his rooms, and I had quickly given up and retreated, feeling like a child trying to open something they shouldn't.

The second time I went to Zakhar's room, I stayed longer, standing in the center of the empty room. Watching the dust motes playing in the light through the narrow windows.

Dust already? It hasn't been that long...

I found one of Wo You Nai's servants and requested cleaning supplies.