Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="ForceUser" data-source="post: 262601" data-attributes="member: 2785">Session One, Part 5THE VILLAGE of Son La lay nestled against the bank of a mountain stream. Three communal lodges formed a semicircle facing the water, and close behind the tiny community the jungle sprawled like a dozing predator. Chickens, ducks, and pigs pecked and rooted in the mud between the buildings, and several children dashed around the structures playing tag. Women sat on porches, weaving baskets and mending clothing, and a few men waded through the gurgling rush with nets.“Tam? I have not seen Tam in weeks,” drawled the fisherman. “He lives with crazy Anh in a hut in the jungle, about a quarter day’s walk from here.” The man pointed to indicate the direction and smiled, showing black gums and teeth stained by a lifetime of eating betelnuts. “Crazy Anh?” replied Tran, suddenly worried.“Yes. Her ch’ishu is strong, but she frightens the children. Actually,” he admitted, “she frightens me as well. She is fierce as a wounded beaver! But she has never harmed us, and Tam brings us love potions and health draughts that she makes, from time to time. We trade them for furs, fish, and other things.”“Um,” said Tran as he considered.The four of them – Tran, Lei, Vinh, and Woo – had arrived in Son La less than an hour ago, following a small road through the foliage. It was not yet midday. “Let’s keep going,” said Woo. Lei nodded, Vinh watched the fishermen at their craft. Tran sighed. “I was hoping for a bit of rest. My feet are sore.”Woo waited.“Oh, all right! Let’s go!” Tran thanked the fisherman tersely and went to get his horse.+++++++++++++“GET….OUT!” Anh screamed. Tam ducked as she threw an earthen jar at him and hustled out of the hut. He coughed as his eyes watered; smoke from his “experiment” billowed out of the window and door of the one-room shanty. Outside, he bent, stretched, and took deep breaths. The smell was awful, like rotten eggs and cloying honey. Inside, Anh raged. He listened and cringed as she swept vials and beakers from his workbench to the dirt floor. Perhaps I should go get some fresh water, he rationalized. As he turned to sneak away from the wrath of the roaring she-demon that was his mentor in the art of ch’ishu, he spied the visitors. There were four of them with horses, and they stood and stared at the scene behind Tam. One looked bored, one restless, one solemn, and one confused.“Er…” said the confused-looking one. He wore nice clothes and was shorter than the rest. He held a letter, but seemed unsure what to do with it.“Hello!” Tam greeted him cheerfully. Behind him, Anh began to spew colorful profanities from inside the hut. The smoke had lessened somewhat, but he still heard the sound of things breaking from within. He smiled wider.“Welcome! We don’t get many visitors!” Tam liked being friendly. The stranger was looking over his shoulder, wide-eyed.“Er, you don’t say. Well, we’re looking for a fellow named Bui-Gia Duc Tam. I’m sure you haven’t seen him.” He turned to go.“But we have! We are Tam!” Tam smiled again, and bowed.“Pardon?” “You have found us. We are Tam. To what do we owe this visit?”“Um.” The aristocrat looked at the others for help. One of the warriors shrugged.”DUC TAM!!!” Anh charged out of the house like a bull. She was short, even for a woman, and filthy. Her hair was a greasy, stringy mess, her face and body grimy, her clothes ragged and stained, and her feet black from a lifetime of walking barefoot. ”WHO ARE THESE…THESE…MEN?!” She pointed viscously, punctuating her words. “Right…” said Tran.“These are our friends. They have come to visit us.” Tam smiled at Tran again. Anh gurgled in inarticulate rage and spun around. She stopped, looked north, then pivoted her body east and plopped down in the mud cross-legged. While the newcomers puzzled over Anh’s behavior, Tam snatched the letter out of Tran’s hand and read. Hmm. Interesting. “Thi Anh, the Emperor requires our service. May we go?””LIES!” she screeched from her spot in the mud. She crossed her arms. “I, ah, I assure you…madam…it is true.” Tran ventured.”LIES! SHOW ME!” Her hand whipped out over her head. Tam walked over and handed her the letter. She read.“Hmm…yes…yes!” she squealed. “My ancestors have answered my prayers. Take your things and leave, Tam! Don’t come back! DO NOT COME BACK!” She shook her fists and bounced with fury. Mud squelched between her thighs.“Thank you, Thi Anh! We will visit often!” Tam offered a warm smile to her back.”NO!” she roared.Tam walked into the hut, collected his things into an old sack, reverently placed his spell scrolls into a sturdy case, and rejoined his new friends outside. Anh still sat in the mud. “We, Bui-Gia Duc Tam, are ready to serve!” he announced, and began to walk down the path to the stream. Vinh and Lei looked at each other. Tran stuttered. Woo groaned.</blockquote>

Verification