winter storm
for tsuki_no_bara, whose prompt was 'monastery au - squash'.
Winter had fallen in the mountains and the monastery was awash in snow. normally their little valley afforded them a certain protection from the harsh cold, but this year was particularly bad. A storm had blown in from the east and the very stones themselves shook with cold, cowering together and allowing the wind to seep into the very heart of the monastery.
The abbott had ordered the easternmost rooms of the monastery were to be vacated until the storm had passed and that those evicted from their rooms to double up with those on the western side; fewer fires could be shared by many and they would also preserve their supplies of firewood, which could not be replenished until spring.
Guang did not share any of the abbott's concerns, of course. He had first claimed that his chamber was far too small and could not possibly hold anyone except himself (and of course Jing); when forced to choose another party to share their quarters he grumbled but was soothed by Jing's suggestion that they take in their brother monk who sleeps.
However after a second storm descended upon them from the north, forcing more monks from their rooms in seach of warmth, Guang was once again forced to give up more of his precious space and privacy. Indeed, after many complaints the abbott came to Guang's room himself and spoke to him most harshly. Jing sighed and attempted to intervene, finally brokering a compromise that they would only take in two more of their brother monks, and that he himself would choose them. The abbott found this to be acceptable, so Jing fetched the acolytes Rou and Lau Yuan to serve.
Guang was in a foul temper. Winter had always been his most hated season, especially since he had taken injury to his leg some years ago. The bitter cold was but a greater disturbance to his sensibilities.
"Rou is known to snore, of course." he scowled, his voice taking on a waspish quality. "And as all of my acolytes are known to have some sort of unfortunate habit merely to prevent me from achieving enlightenment, i can only assume that Lau Yuan has some similar affliction."
"I do not think so, Master." Lau Yuan replied.
"Master, a thousand pardons, but -" Rou began.
Guang silenced him with a black look.
"I do not snore." Rou mumbled, his eyes downcast.
"I will bank the fire." Jing's tone of voice was clearly meant to soothe savage tempers. "And we can pile our bedrolls in the warmest part of the room, and sleep together."
"What about our brother monk who sleeps?" Lau Yuan nodded his head toward the slumbering monk who was propped up against an interior wall.
"Leave him be." Guang dragged his bedding in front of the hearth. "He is at peace. I only wish I could achieve such tranquility in the face of this nonsense."
Jing lay his bedroll beside Guang, deciding to combine their blankets for additional warmth. Rou watched this and decided to do the same.
"Are you certain that you have no objectionable sleep habits, Lau Yuan?" he asked, a trifle nervously.
"I cannot recall." the young monk's manner had its usual carefree tone. "My mother never mentioned such things in the stories she told of my birth before she sent me here to become enlightened."
"I expect his mother sent him here because she is still attempting to rebuild their dwelling." Jing murmured, and Guang smiled broadly, covering his mouth in order to laugh unseen.
The monks bedded down for the evening and there was relative peace for several hours after that. It was not until the earliest hours of the morning that Rou awoke with a shout.
"What is it?" Jing's hand flew toward the candlestick he had set beside the hearth, lighting it to bring some light to the room.
"He has woken himself with his own snoring again." Guang replied irritably.
"No, Master - it is Lau Yuan, he has tripped over me."
Jing caught sight of the young acolyte, who was walking into the opposite corner of the room. He got to his feet and touched Lau Yuan's shoulder, but he did not turn.
"He is still asleep." Jing rubbed the back of his neck. "What shall we do?"
"Open the door and guide him outside the room. Then direct him across the hall." Guang instructed.
Rou and Jing did so. The young monk drifted off, still asleep.
"What is in the room across the hall, Master?" Rou inquired.
"The abbott in his bedroll." Guang made no effort to hide the gleeful look on his face. "We shall soon see how well he enjoys sharing a room with so many guests."
Winter had fallen in the mountains and the monastery was awash in snow. normally their little valley afforded them a certain protection from the harsh cold, but this year was particularly bad. A storm had blown in from the east and the very stones themselves shook with cold, cowering together and allowing the wind to seep into the very heart of the monastery.
The abbott had ordered the easternmost rooms of the monastery were to be vacated until the storm had passed and that those evicted from their rooms to double up with those on the western side; fewer fires could be shared by many and they would also preserve their supplies of firewood, which could not be replenished until spring.
Guang did not share any of the abbott's concerns, of course. He had first claimed that his chamber was far too small and could not possibly hold anyone except himself (and of course Jing); when forced to choose another party to share their quarters he grumbled but was soothed by Jing's suggestion that they take in their brother monk who sleeps.
However after a second storm descended upon them from the north, forcing more monks from their rooms in seach of warmth, Guang was once again forced to give up more of his precious space and privacy. Indeed, after many complaints the abbott came to Guang's room himself and spoke to him most harshly. Jing sighed and attempted to intervene, finally brokering a compromise that they would only take in two more of their brother monks, and that he himself would choose them. The abbott found this to be acceptable, so Jing fetched the acolytes Rou and Lau Yuan to serve.
Guang was in a foul temper. Winter had always been his most hated season, especially since he had taken injury to his leg some years ago. The bitter cold was but a greater disturbance to his sensibilities.
"Rou is known to snore, of course." he scowled, his voice taking on a waspish quality. "And as all of my acolytes are known to have some sort of unfortunate habit merely to prevent me from achieving enlightenment, i can only assume that Lau Yuan has some similar affliction."
"I do not think so, Master." Lau Yuan replied.
"Master, a thousand pardons, but -" Rou began.
Guang silenced him with a black look.
"I do not snore." Rou mumbled, his eyes downcast.
"I will bank the fire." Jing's tone of voice was clearly meant to soothe savage tempers. "And we can pile our bedrolls in the warmest part of the room, and sleep together."
"What about our brother monk who sleeps?" Lau Yuan nodded his head toward the slumbering monk who was propped up against an interior wall.
"Leave him be." Guang dragged his bedding in front of the hearth. "He is at peace. I only wish I could achieve such tranquility in the face of this nonsense."
Jing lay his bedroll beside Guang, deciding to combine their blankets for additional warmth. Rou watched this and decided to do the same.
"Are you certain that you have no objectionable sleep habits, Lau Yuan?" he asked, a trifle nervously.
"I cannot recall." the young monk's manner had its usual carefree tone. "My mother never mentioned such things in the stories she told of my birth before she sent me here to become enlightened."
"I expect his mother sent him here because she is still attempting to rebuild their dwelling." Jing murmured, and Guang smiled broadly, covering his mouth in order to laugh unseen.
The monks bedded down for the evening and there was relative peace for several hours after that. It was not until the earliest hours of the morning that Rou awoke with a shout.
"What is it?" Jing's hand flew toward the candlestick he had set beside the hearth, lighting it to bring some light to the room.
"He has woken himself with his own snoring again." Guang replied irritably.
"No, Master - it is Lau Yuan, he has tripped over me."
Jing caught sight of the young acolyte, who was walking into the opposite corner of the room. He got to his feet and touched Lau Yuan's shoulder, but he did not turn.
"He is still asleep." Jing rubbed the back of his neck. "What shall we do?"
"Open the door and guide him outside the room. Then direct him across the hall." Guang instructed.
Rou and Jing did so. The young monk drifted off, still asleep.
"What is in the room across the hall, Master?" Rou inquired.
"The abbott in his bedroll." Guang made no effort to hide the gleeful look on his face. "We shall soon see how well he enjoys sharing a room with so many guests."