CHAPTER 6
The Visitors’ Request
<Mica>
<Reiji>
<Douko>
<Moya>
<Seido>
<Cho>
<Elder Sahari>
<Kegan>
<Toppu>
<Todai>
The air was getting cooler.
It was late in the afternoon when Moya, Reiji, and Seido got back to the village.
They had all been snacking on berries.
They were not hungry anymore.
“Welcome back,” Mica whistled.
“Good to be back,” Seido, Moya, and Reiji all whistled together.
“I see you found Reiji and Seido.
You brought some souvenirs back too,” Mica whistled to Moya.
“Yes, six baskets full of berries from The Foggy Fields,” Moya whistled back.
“I can’t wait to eat them,” Mica whistled.
“See you at dinner then?” Reiji asked.
“See you at dinner,” Mica replied.
“Also, Everyone is at Elder Sahari’s.
We have some visitors,”
“Visitors? Okay, we’ll go check it out,” Reiji asked.
Reiji, Moya, and Seido went to Douko’s pickle stall.
Douko was not there.
They put the baskets down inside.
A group of villagers had gathered at Elder Sahari’s cabin.
“Who are the visitors?” Seido asked his friend, Cho.
“They are from Chinami Village,” Cho answered.
“They have come from the coast.
They are asking for copper from Copper Cave.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Moya said.
“There is more than enough.
We don’t even use any ourselves.”
Just then, three visitors came out of Elder Sahari’s cabin.
They were followed by Douko and Doug.
Douko announced, “Tonight our guests will eat with us.
Let’s prepare a delicious meal.”
Everyone cheered.
The whole village went out to gather the ingredients for dinner.
Reiji pulled Douko aside.
“Douko, what’s going on?” Reiji asked.
“I’ll tell you everything after dinner,” Douko said.
“I heard you guys whistling to Mica about berries.
We’re going to need all of them.”
“Haha, I thought they would have lasted longer,” Reiji laughed.
“Catch you later then.”
The sun was close to the horizon to the west.
The sky turned orange.
The dining hall and kitchen were buzzing like a bee colony.
Everyone was preparing for dinner.
Rice was steaming.
Three big pots filled with minestrone soup were bubbling gently.
Bread dough was being kneaded.
Bread loaves were being placed in the large oven.
Tart crusts were toasting.
Tables were being moved back and forth.
A row of teapots were set in front of a small fire in the middle of the dining hall.
Elder Sahari walked into the dining hall.
Douko guided the visitors to a table.
Tea was poured.
“Our honored guests have brought salt from the ocean.
Their gift has helped season our dishes,”
Everyone in the dining room cheered.
Elder Sahari continued.
“Our guests have asked for some copper from Copper Cave.
Unfortunately I cannot give any copper.”
The dining room fell silent.
“Copper Cave is not ours.
Copper Cave is not anyone’s.
Copper Cave belongs to the mountain.
The Chinami people wish to use the copper to defend themselves.
They fear something dangerous is coming.
Instead of copper there is something we can give to the Chinami people.
We can give some of our eagle-eyed scouts.
We can help defend our neighbors.
Tomorrow we will send off our friends and family.
Tonight let us enjoy the feast you have all prepared together.”
Everyone cheered again.
The visitors just smiled, but did not cheer.
“Did you see that?” Moya asked Reiji.
“The Chinami visitors don’t seem happy.”
“Yeah, I think everyone saw that,” Reiji said.
“But I can understand.
They can’t get the copper they came for.
I mean, I would be disappointed if I were them.”
“Perhaps, but we are sending our friends and family with them,” Seido joined the conversation.
“Our time is our gift,” Seido reminded Reiji.
“I thought they would be more appreciative.
But one of them seems right out angry.”
“True,” Reiji said.
“They obviously don't see things the way you do.
They might also have more on their minds.
Maybe we can spend some time with them.
There is time tonight during the meal.
Maybe we can show them that we do care.
We can still do a lot to support them.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Moya said.
She walked across the dining hall.
A small group of visitors was talking quietly to the side.
They did not look happy.
“What a liar and cheat,” one young visitor said.
Moya decided to listen in a little more.
“The copper is not hers to give?
It belongs to the mountain?
What about the clay for these dishes?
What about the stones for this floor?
Copper is no more than shiny rock.
Am I right?”
“Welcome, everyone.
I’m Moya,” Moya said.
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard you talking about Elder Sahari, about how she refused your request for copper.
I don’t understand why she refused either.”
“Come sit with us, Moya,” the oldest visitor said.
All of the hair on his head was gone.
It all seemed to have moved to his jaw.
His beard was very deep.
It was so deep that you couldn’t see his mouth.
“My name’s Kegan.
This young man is Toppu, and this sharp young lady is Todai.
I too am curious about why she refused.
However, I trust Elder Sahari with my life.
There must be a reason she refused.
I know she cannot tell us everything.”
“I heard she always hides the truth,” Toppu, the young visitor with short hair said.
“My father said he came here a long time ago.
He came to talk with Elder Sahari.
He said that Elder Sahari always seems to hide something.
I think she does not like us.”
“Toppu, that’s enough,” Kegan warned.
“She is a leader.
She has a reason to tell us no.
She doesn’t have to justify herself to everyone."
“She is still angry about the battle!
The battle that they won!” Toppu said angrily.
His face turned red.
“Enough!” Kegan boomed.
People close by fell silent.
A few looked over at Moya and the visitors.
Toppu stormed out.
“Don’t worry about him,” Todai said.
“He will be back when he cools off.”
“I apologize for Toppu,” Kegan said.
“He has a great deal of pride.
He loves our village.
His heart is in the right place, but he is hard headed.”
“I heard about the battle,” Moya said.
“It was unfortunate.
I am sad that our villages fought.
Elder Sahari told us that our villages had a disagreement.
She said the disagreement got out of hand.
Many people died.
I don't know the whole story though.
I don't know what the disagreement was.
What do you know about the battle, Kegan?”
“The battle was so long ago,” Kegan started.
“We only have stories.
Our stories come from our great grandparents.
I do know the battle was about the copper in Copper cave.
We used to mine copper from Copper Cave.
We started to build minecarts and tracks.
Your village tried to stop us.
We fought back.
We lost...
Well, everyone lost.
That is as much as I know.
Luckily we moved on.
We grew stronger together.”
“That makes a lot of sense now,” Moya said.
“Elder Sahari never told us about the problem.
She never talked about the copper.
I am not sure she knows the whole story.”
“I think Elder Sahari knows more than any of us,” Todai said.
“Unfortunately she doesn’t say much.
How old is she anyway?”
“Rude,” Kegan said.
“I’m not sure," Moya said.
"She is ancient," Reiji cut in as he sat down next to Moya.
"Rude," Moya said.
“This is my friend, Reiji.
Reiji doesn’t have manners.
Reiji, this is Kegan, and Todai.”
"Pleasure to meet you.
No one knows how old she is," Reiji continued.
"She has outlived everyone in the village.
At least that is the rumor."
"That may be true, I admit," Kegan said.
"I was only twelve years old when I first met Elder Sahari.
Elder Sahari was the elder then too.
She has seen more than any of us."
“Perhaps I can talk to Elder Sahari.
I want to know why she is not giving you copper,” Moya said.
“Does it have to do with our history?
I wonder.”
Todai nodded in agreement.
“I wish we could stay and hear what you learn,” Todai said.
“But we will head back to Chinami Village tomorrow.
We leave when your scouts finish gearing up."
“Our friend, Mica, told me he is going to Chinami village with you,” Reiji said.
“Elder Sahari is gathering all the scouts.
The scouts are preparing for tomorrow.
They are leaving after breakfast.
Perhaps Mica can tell us something then too.”
“Whatever the case,” Kegan said and looked at Todai.
“Todai, you should find Toppu.
You two should get some rest for tomorrow.
Moya, Reiji, it was nice chatting with you.
I am going to spend some time with my old friend, Doug.
Have a good night.”
“Good night, Kegan, Todai,” Moya said.
“It was a pleasure talking with you.
I hope we see you again.”
“That would be nice,” Kegan said.
Kegan went over to the table with Doug and Douko.
Todai went out to search for Toppu.
Reiji and Moya left feeling curious.
They needed to know more.
Once again, they left the dining hall feeling unsatisfied.
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私は英語の教師です。私は生徒たちと一緒に本を読むのが大好きです。
しかし、問題があります。
初心者向けの簡単な本と、上級学習者向けの複雑な物語があります。
ただし、初心者向けの複雑で興味深いストーリーが不足しています。
数年前、私は自分の物語を書き始めました。機会がありましたら、ぜひ読んで感想を聞かせてください。
-toast