Lifting The Fog
Written for the prompt 'fog' on story_lottery. Haneul and Leidian are from the same project as Taiki from Something Of His Own and Akio and Kuwabara from Children At Play.
Haneul groaned as he awoke and peered out the window. No sun, no light, just clouds and clouds of the thickest fog imaginable. It was early, must be, since he couldn’t hear anyone going about the usual morning chores, the neighing of horses, the clattering of clogs as water was fetched from the well. No, he decided, silently dressing, instead it was…
He hurried to the window and stared out into the fog. Was it daytime? Midnight? Dusk? He knew it couldn’t be dawn.
Dressed but for his socks, which he pulled on hurriedly as he hopped out the door, he moved quickly, until he found a servant. The servant, used to seeing the boy in a state of disarray, nodded to him respectfully. “Good evening, seer.”
Haneul gaped at him in amazement. Evening?
“Dinner will be served soon,” the servant continued, hiding a smile at Haneul’s undisguised surprise. The boy really had to get used to the normal passage of time soon. “I understand that Lord Rongyu will be having some guests to dinner, so I think you had better change into something more suitable.”
-
When at last Haneul had settled himself into his place at the dinner table, all eyes upon him, he found that there were rather more than simply ‘some guests’. Rather, he could spot at least two lords from neighbouring provinces, and several from their first ranks of warriors. And across from him was a Metal lord, and beside him was a Trader, lacking a finger from his left hand. The look in his eyes sent a shiver down Haneul’s spine- here was a man who had traded for power at least until the second level, traded an emotion for the ability and power of magic that normal men did not, could not have.
“And this is the seer of my household,” Lord Rongyu said, with a smile like a razorblade. “Haneul, who was a foundling. Do greet Lord Moon, and Lord Zhang.” Haneul, finding his tongue tied, sputtered a few short words of greeting. He knew that Lord Zhang was Lord Rongyu’s brother-in-law, but that there had been some kind of dispute at the time of Lord Rongyu’s niece’s birth.
The dinner went on with sharp jabs from Lord Rongyu towards Lord Zhang, returned with subtle remarks. Uncomfortable, Haneul kept his head down and set his mind towards chewing, only to be talked to. Expected, really- true seers were even rarer than Sign people.
So he spoke, nervously and soft, answering questions that he knew and explaining his lack of knowledge when confronted with those he didn’t. He explained softly that his ability entailed less of the individual and more of the overall perspective, to which the Metal lord nodded and said that the horoscope ceremonies conducted by Elementals revealed the individual futures.
“But,” the Trader cut in, voice smooth as silk, “that is cut away once you are eighteen, and even when you are a child, the Elementals cloak their words in mystery, so we are hard-pressed to deduce what is meant. We are blind about our future, you see?”
Haneul chewed and chewed and chewed, desperately hoping that some kind of brilliant answer would fall from the heavens into his thoughts. Before anything came to mind, another voice cut in, high and young and impatient.
“Certainly we are blind about our future. Are we to cower in bed forever, afraid to face the day ahead?” the girl spoke, scornful and passionate with the arrogance of youth. She was perhaps a year younger than him, hair short and dark, with a face that might have been pretty if she were gentler. “We could never live, had we not the courage to stand and step outside our homes! What use is there in letting others dictate your life? You could never be true; you could never be a real person; you could never be you!”
“Very perceptive, Leidian, my dear,” Lord Rongyu said, smiling only with his mouth. “But I see you have learned nothing in the way of etiquette. Children should not speak unless they are spoken to.”
“Indeed,” agreed Lord Zhang, who Haneul realised was her father, once he recognized the name. “Daughter, still your tongue. People dictate one another’s lives all the time; who could live alone, isolated, without someone else’s words or presence? Your argument is flawed.”
Leidian- Lady Leidian, he should call her- bit back a scowl, glaring at her uncle. Did her father and her uncle feel so similarly about her, that they would for a moment put aside their differences to unite in their opinions? Taking a sip of water to steady his courage, he said, in answer to Lord Zhang’s words, “That is true, lord, but no one truly wanders blind in time. Nor do others’ actions or words have to affect one’s own. We should not let what knowledge of the future that is granted us restrain us, nor should we assume that the future is set in stone. Rather we should allow it to guide us, whether to ensure what has been foreseen occurs, or to prevent it from occurring, if possible.” Saying thus, he looked down and went on with his meal, trying not to choke or show anything to indicate that he didn’t make thoughtful statements like that every day.
He knew he was attracting stares, and his ears told him that beyond the usual sounds of dinner, no one was talking. But he felt oddly elated.
Now he knew why he was here in this household, with this ability, amongst these people.
Eventually, the conversation returned, away from the topic of the future. Glancing up, he caught the eye of the Metal lord, who winked at him, and then of Lady Leidian, who nodded to him her thanks.
And then there was the Trader.
The Trader looked at him, looked through him almost, and he barely managed to swallow. Those cold eyes- the awful left hand with no little finger, merely a stump, smoothed over as if it had never been there- why did he, how could he? What power could have been worth that?
Was living one’s life with one’s own will so important, that all must stand apart from one another?
-
When the dinner was finally over, Haneul made his escape, gathering the materials he required for his seeing. It was still foggy, but Haneul knew what he wanted, where he wanted it, and always knew that he was never far from the main house.
Clear water. Fragrant flowers and leaves and roots. Earth, cool and dark, dug up from deep down.
It was difficult to force a vision of a particular place, or people, or person. But it could be done, if a little differently than he usually did.
In the metal pan, he burned the plants together with the earth. It was slow to catch, but when it did it burned quickly. And when it was almost used up, he put it out with the water; just enough that the burnt remnants would be something like mud.
He took a dab of it, licked it off his finger, swallowed the bitter substance. Then he spread it under his nose, his eyes, into his ears. And…
There.
The lady Leidian, older, but not old enough. Barely fifteen. Prouder and still wanting to step forward, unfettered by others’ decisions and opinions. And beside her, the Trader.
And then-
The ritual is long, and demanding. When it is done, she has only one eye.
Haneul gasped for air, panting as though he had run from one end of the world to the other. Not another. No one needed that much power. No.
But he could not replace the fog that disguised the future.
Haneul groaned as he awoke and peered out the window. No sun, no light, just clouds and clouds of the thickest fog imaginable. It was early, must be, since he couldn’t hear anyone going about the usual morning chores, the neighing of horses, the clattering of clogs as water was fetched from the well. No, he decided, silently dressing, instead it was…
He hurried to the window and stared out into the fog. Was it daytime? Midnight? Dusk? He knew it couldn’t be dawn.
Dressed but for his socks, which he pulled on hurriedly as he hopped out the door, he moved quickly, until he found a servant. The servant, used to seeing the boy in a state of disarray, nodded to him respectfully. “Good evening, seer.”
Haneul gaped at him in amazement. Evening?
“Dinner will be served soon,” the servant continued, hiding a smile at Haneul’s undisguised surprise. The boy really had to get used to the normal passage of time soon. “I understand that Lord Rongyu will be having some guests to dinner, so I think you had better change into something more suitable.”
-
When at last Haneul had settled himself into his place at the dinner table, all eyes upon him, he found that there were rather more than simply ‘some guests’. Rather, he could spot at least two lords from neighbouring provinces, and several from their first ranks of warriors. And across from him was a Metal lord, and beside him was a Trader, lacking a finger from his left hand. The look in his eyes sent a shiver down Haneul’s spine- here was a man who had traded for power at least until the second level, traded an emotion for the ability and power of magic that normal men did not, could not have.
“And this is the seer of my household,” Lord Rongyu said, with a smile like a razorblade. “Haneul, who was a foundling. Do greet Lord Moon, and Lord Zhang.” Haneul, finding his tongue tied, sputtered a few short words of greeting. He knew that Lord Zhang was Lord Rongyu’s brother-in-law, but that there had been some kind of dispute at the time of Lord Rongyu’s niece’s birth.
The dinner went on with sharp jabs from Lord Rongyu towards Lord Zhang, returned with subtle remarks. Uncomfortable, Haneul kept his head down and set his mind towards chewing, only to be talked to. Expected, really- true seers were even rarer than Sign people.
So he spoke, nervously and soft, answering questions that he knew and explaining his lack of knowledge when confronted with those he didn’t. He explained softly that his ability entailed less of the individual and more of the overall perspective, to which the Metal lord nodded and said that the horoscope ceremonies conducted by Elementals revealed the individual futures.
“But,” the Trader cut in, voice smooth as silk, “that is cut away once you are eighteen, and even when you are a child, the Elementals cloak their words in mystery, so we are hard-pressed to deduce what is meant. We are blind about our future, you see?”
Haneul chewed and chewed and chewed, desperately hoping that some kind of brilliant answer would fall from the heavens into his thoughts. Before anything came to mind, another voice cut in, high and young and impatient.
“Certainly we are blind about our future. Are we to cower in bed forever, afraid to face the day ahead?” the girl spoke, scornful and passionate with the arrogance of youth. She was perhaps a year younger than him, hair short and dark, with a face that might have been pretty if she were gentler. “We could never live, had we not the courage to stand and step outside our homes! What use is there in letting others dictate your life? You could never be true; you could never be a real person; you could never be you!”
“Very perceptive, Leidian, my dear,” Lord Rongyu said, smiling only with his mouth. “But I see you have learned nothing in the way of etiquette. Children should not speak unless they are spoken to.”
“Indeed,” agreed Lord Zhang, who Haneul realised was her father, once he recognized the name. “Daughter, still your tongue. People dictate one another’s lives all the time; who could live alone, isolated, without someone else’s words or presence? Your argument is flawed.”
Leidian- Lady Leidian, he should call her- bit back a scowl, glaring at her uncle. Did her father and her uncle feel so similarly about her, that they would for a moment put aside their differences to unite in their opinions? Taking a sip of water to steady his courage, he said, in answer to Lord Zhang’s words, “That is true, lord, but no one truly wanders blind in time. Nor do others’ actions or words have to affect one’s own. We should not let what knowledge of the future that is granted us restrain us, nor should we assume that the future is set in stone. Rather we should allow it to guide us, whether to ensure what has been foreseen occurs, or to prevent it from occurring, if possible.” Saying thus, he looked down and went on with his meal, trying not to choke or show anything to indicate that he didn’t make thoughtful statements like that every day.
He knew he was attracting stares, and his ears told him that beyond the usual sounds of dinner, no one was talking. But he felt oddly elated.
Now he knew why he was here in this household, with this ability, amongst these people.
Eventually, the conversation returned, away from the topic of the future. Glancing up, he caught the eye of the Metal lord, who winked at him, and then of Lady Leidian, who nodded to him her thanks.
And then there was the Trader.
The Trader looked at him, looked through him almost, and he barely managed to swallow. Those cold eyes- the awful left hand with no little finger, merely a stump, smoothed over as if it had never been there- why did he, how could he? What power could have been worth that?
Was living one’s life with one’s own will so important, that all must stand apart from one another?
-
When the dinner was finally over, Haneul made his escape, gathering the materials he required for his seeing. It was still foggy, but Haneul knew what he wanted, where he wanted it, and always knew that he was never far from the main house.
Clear water. Fragrant flowers and leaves and roots. Earth, cool and dark, dug up from deep down.
It was difficult to force a vision of a particular place, or people, or person. But it could be done, if a little differently than he usually did.
In the metal pan, he burned the plants together with the earth. It was slow to catch, but when it did it burned quickly. And when it was almost used up, he put it out with the water; just enough that the burnt remnants would be something like mud.
He took a dab of it, licked it off his finger, swallowed the bitter substance. Then he spread it under his nose, his eyes, into his ears. And…
There.
The lady Leidian, older, but not old enough. Barely fifteen. Prouder and still wanting to step forward, unfettered by others’ decisions and opinions. And beside her, the Trader.
And then-
The ritual is long, and demanding. When it is done, she has only one eye.
Haneul gasped for air, panting as though he had run from one end of the world to the other. Not another. No one needed that much power. No.
But he could not replace the fog that disguised the future.