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Yua collected me in the morning. Two weeks since Lord Kwan told me I would only stay a prisoner for five years and not twenty. I was to clear out the stables and stock the pens fresh with straw. I’d only ever known Lan’s old mare, patting her when he stopped to let me. But I knew a few bits of caution: to never be close behind a horse, what it meant when they swished their tails, how the position of their ears told you their mood, and that they could kick just as hard to the side if they felt threatened. That was the extent of my knowledge, which was better than nothing, and let me feel like I shouldn’t fear them.
The horses here were bigger. Tall with proud muscles and thick legs, I felt some intimidation being so close. Though, there were not too many. Only six.
When it came time to lead one out, they seemed to already know, and bent their head down to accept the lead rope. They kept a slow step behind me, patient with my pace. I patted them as I tied them off, exactly the way I was shown, giving them praise for their good manners. They didn’t acknowledge it much. Perhaps as they grew used to me, they would. We could become good friends in time.
I cleared out the old bedding straw, hoisting it onto a cart that would take it away, and replaced it just as quickly with fresh stock. Something that reminded me to ask if any could be spared for my own cell. I resolved then to do the job perfectly. If the stable master found it pleasing, he wouldn’t deny my request, would he?
When I came to the last horse, the sun was hanging low. It was a stallion fit for a lord. His dark brown fur gleamed in the soft rays of sunlight, looking like fire lurked just below. His yellow mane seemed to glow as well. He was nothing at all like Lan’s mare, and I adored him from our first meeting. The stallion seemed curious about me as well, putting his nose close and taking in deep breaths of my scent. His lip played with my shirt for further investigation, though I pulled away in case a curious bite would follow. He didn’t give me a reason to suspect that, but better to stay cautious. I didn’t want to look incompetent before asking my favor.
Despite being the biggest horse, he was also the gentlest, keeping a keen look out for my bare feet. In his paddock again, he inspected my work, pawing at the straw before laying in it and rolling with a grunt of approval.
I chuckled, watching him; a magnificent creature behaving in the silliest way. He got back to his feet with little grace, shaking out with more sounding approval.
“He likes you,” said the stable master. An older looking man with white hair neatly tied up, and a long, matching beard that looked finely combed. I thought it odd, since all the other spirits looked youthful and strong and graceful. Perhaps he was a much more ancient spirit.
“He does?” I asked, thoughtlessly swatting at my ear to shoo bugs. I remembered then that it was my hair, having grown and tickling.
“He doesn’t see many ladies come through. The women of the house complaint it’s too dirty.”
I laughed. “I’m not afraid of a little dirt.”
“No, you most certainly are not afraid of a little dirt.” There was a pleasantness to his old voice as he spoke, patting my head.
“None of the girls in my village are,” I went on. “We all help in the fields when there’s a lot to do. There’s no avoiding getting dirty at that point.”
A smile, something like mischief came over his face. “Maybe they could learn from the human village girls. Sometimes I think Lord Kwan spoils them—but don’t tell him I said that.”
I shook my head, smiling.
“I’m sorry about the prank the others played you for.” He straightened himself, looking back at the lordly stallion. “Lord Kwan was most upset by it. Said they were undisciplined and becoming lazy. Started whipping them into shape the next morning.”
I paled a little. “Because of me?”
He gave a single, slow shake of his head. “It’s true, we’ve become too relaxed under Lord Kwan’s protection. Having one of the strongest Juneun as your master will do that. And since he decided to stop hosting court and festivities, there wasn’t a need to keep things so pristine. You saw the neglect to the yard farthest in the back, correct?”
“He’s one of the strongest?” I asked, curious. While we’d known a Juneun lived on the mountain, no one ever dared to come this far unless they were desperate, and so we knew very little about which one specifically lived here.
“His family’s crest is the tiger. You can’t just pick out a crest, you know, it has to be earned. Every heir of that family has a different colored one from their great deeds to the world.”
I stared a while, taking in the story, and looked back to the stallion. “What great deed did Lord Kwan do?”
“He’s the only one who can match Gumiho’s power. That’s why he chose here to live. He pushed her as far back from good lands as he could, to the edge of the world.”
I placed my arms atop the paddock door, resting my head on them as I listened.
“I don’t think he has the heart to destroy her. He’s not that kind of man. That’s why he took in Syaoran. The fox queen cast him out for some slight against her. Anyone else would have seen him as just another devil, and killed him. Lord Kwan took pity on the boy. You won’t find a more faithful servant to any lord.”
That surprised me. I’d wondered about Syaoran, but thought I would be seen as rude if I asked.
“Lord Kwan loved walking the woods. He was also quite the poet, and many ladies sought him out, dreaming he might choose them as a bride. It all changed a little over fifty years ago.”
“Why?” I asked, looking back to the stable master. “What happened fifty years ago?”
He twisted his face in thought. “If you don’t know, then it’s probably for the best.”
I didn’t understand, but decided not to pry. If Lord Kwan was angry enough at his servants for a slight on his prisoner, I didn’t want to know how he’d respond if he thought I was causing trouble. “If it’s alright,” I said. “Could I take any of the extra straw back to my cell?”
“Hm?” He looked me over. “I suppose so, though there’s not much left. And Saburo likes you. I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“That’s the stallion’s name?”
He nodded at me, pointing. “It’s here on his door.”
I looked at the lines, trying to understand. It must’ve been a while, because I felt the stable master staring at me. I ignored it the best I could, wanting to remember what the name looked like.
****
At my cell, my face went pale. Tori, the bird I’d found, was missing. He’d been starting to fly short distances, but always stayed in the cell before. In a frantic whisper, I began to call for him. What if a snake had come in? Or one of the staff saw him and tossed him out? He wasn’t strong enough just yet.
I called, my whispers quickening.
A set of demanding chirps caught my attention, calming me. I called again. Demanding chirps answered. I followed, calling again and listening. He’d gone to the back of the kennels, showing off that he could fly while demanding his supper.
I’d caught him easily enough, much to his displeasure, and hurried back to my cell to sit him in the nest I’d made.
“You can’t just take off and explore on your own,” I scolded, hushed in my tone. “You’re not strong enough yet. What if something had happened to you?”
He stared at me with black eyes, as if he weren’t the least bit naughty.
“I know you want to go out. But you have to wait for me to come back first.”
He blinked, turning his head in what I knew was his way of being impatient.
“I promised I would keep you safe. So, you need to stay here while I work off my debt. I promise I’ll try to be quicker so I can come back here earlier for you. Have patience.”
“Who are you talking to?”
I jumped at the sound of Lord Kwan, getting to my feet awkwardly and bowing. I didn’t hear him walk up, and now he stood in my cell with me.
He kept silent, waiting for an answer.
“I was...” I hesitated. Would he tell me to get rid of Tori? My mind searched for some lie I could tell, something that would protect my little friend, but he’d already caught me. “I found a baby bird, my lord, and I’ve been raising it you see.”
He cocked a brow, a question on his stone face. “A bird?”
“I couldn’t find his nest to return him, so I...” my fingers began to fidget with each other. “I couldn’t just leave him there on the ground. He’d die, my lord. So, I thought maybe I could raise him and have him for company in my cell.”
Lord Kwan blinked, slow. I remembered what the stable master had said. His crest was a tiger, and his eyes reflected that so clearly now. “It sounded like you were bargaining with it. Are you sure you’re not a little witch?”
I shook my head, wanting to curl up and retreat into myself. “I’m not. I just,” again, I hesitated, trying to figure out how to say things in a way that made sense. “I wanted a friend, my lord. Please don’t make me put him out. He’s not ready just yet.”
He looked from me to the straw I’d brought in. “You were going to make it a cage?”
“N-no, my lord. I don’t know how to make one. The straw is to make blankets for winter. I was told I could have a bit.”
His eyes slowly made their way back to me. “Resourceful.”
I blinked, not knowing if that was good or bad.
“I won’t make you throw away your friend. You can keep him if you wish.”
I felt relieved, and tried to smile as I said my thanks. He left without another word.
After supper, I kept my smile as I worked to weave a blanket together and started to think of how much I would need to secure myself from winter.
Out of new habit since my happy news, I brought out the puzzle box. The soft glow from within was a comfort to the aches I collected in the day, and there was something soothing in sliding around the pieces. Tonight, by chance, two of them clicked together. I found it difficult to separate them, and left them to slide around the others aimlessly until I grew tired.
At the end of the following day, I found a bird cage in my cell with Tori happily in it, jumping from place to place to strengthen his wings. A note was attached. I stared at it, not knowing what it meant or who did this. Still, I smiled, admiring the bamboo cage as my tiny friend showed off inside it.