Torsten Hewson
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v2c73: The Hearth
🕑 Added 2021-10-19 00:57:10 +0000 UTCSome nights she dreamed. Dreamed about a girl, pacing back and forth. She would occasionally look to the horizon, and wring her hands, or fold her arms across her chest.
She always wondered what the dreams meant, because eventually, the girl would wander back over to Meiling, and curl up on her lap. Her body was tense, and her eyes would flicker. The world underneath them was restless.
Her fingers would trail through short, unruly hair, and the girl would calm.
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Meiling awoke to a body curled up next to her. It wasn’t big and strong, cradling her in an embrace, but it did still feel nice. The bed was just a bit too big by her lonesome. There was a rooster crowing at the sun. It wasn’t Bi De who normally took over crowing duties but another younger, less skilled rooster. The voice was loud and scratchy as he howled, seemingly trying to make up for lost time, silent as he was when the other rooster was around.
She wished he would take after his sire a bit more. His incessant shouting was annoying, but she supposed she was just a little bit spoiled. Bi De normally only crowed once, and then was silent.
Beside her, her little brother grumbled petulantly, burying his head under the pillow.
She sighed, and got up, leaving him for the moment to get dressed. When she was done she turned back to the bed, Xian still hadn’t moved.
“Come on. Time to get up.” She cajoled.
Hong Xian the Younger made a muffled noise, and rolled away from her hugging a pillow. Meiling raised an eyebrow, and pulled the pillow out of his grasp. He scrunched up his nose in response and whined.
“If you don’t get up, Chun Ke and Wa Shi won’t give you any rides.” She threatened.
Xian’s eyes opened a crack and he levelled a glare at her.
“Meanie,” he declared.
But he did get up. He struggled out of the sheets reluctantly then threw on a set of clothes. Meiling pulled his unruly hair into a braid once he was dressed.
“Right. I’ll get started on breakfast,” she declared. As she started descending the stairs, a weight pressed against her back, as Xian clambered up onto her back. She absently caught his legs for support, barely feeling anything.
It was nice to still be able to pick him up with impunity. Although her little brother took advantage of it far too often.
As she descended the stairs, her father glanced up at her from his seat, as he had for the week since her husband left for the south. He already had a pad of a paper in front of him, his musings on the Spiritual Herbs written down in his formal, exacting detail. It was nice having people around, even after everybody had gone back to Hong Yaowu, or departed south. Even if she did have Chun Ke and the rest of their ‘Disciples’ for company… it was just nice, to live in the same house as her father and younger brother again.
His smile warmed, as he saw Xian’s head resting on her shoulder, still half asleep. She rolled her eyes, and deposited Xian on top of Chun Ke, the boar snorting a pleased greeting.
She leaned into his embrace, as he stood to greet her.
“How’s that going?” She whispered, pointing at his pad of paper.
Her father shrugged, stroking his beard. “Qi makes things… wonky.” He admitted. “Especially in such concentrations.”
He pulled back, and stared at her. “I’d like your thoughts on a few things, if you’d give them.”
Meiling nodded. “I’ll look over it after we’re done for today.” She agreed.
Meiling headed off to the kitchen, where Pi Pa and Wa Shi were readying things for breakfast.
The sow perked up as Meiling entered.
‘Good Morning, Mistress. The fires are lit and ready,’ she stated, bowing her head. Wa Shi just slapped his fins on the floor, as his head poked out of the river. Already there were vegetables lined up and washed, ready to be cooked. Meiling was impressed. Only a single carrot had it’s end bitten off.
“Thank you Pi Pa, Wa Shi.” They nodded at her .
Breakfast this morning was something she had made a thousand times before. Rice and eggs. While she did like Jin’s strange food, and his bread, there was just something good and comforting about the food of her youth. Doubly so since her father and brother were here.
She went to add more rice to the bowl, when a nose gently touched her, startling her.
‘Too much, Mistress.’ Pi Pa gently corrected.
Meiling stared at the scoop, and put it back. It would probably get eaten, but they were missing over half their company.
She shook her head and finished breakfast. How easy was it to slip into a routine again.
A fish in a trough, two pigs, her brother and her father gathered around the table. Bei Be was still outside. She had made an offer for him to join them, but the ox had politely declined, contenting himself with a meal of grass.
After breakfast they lined up moving into the quiet meditation of movement that the family practiced except now it was Meiling leading. She moved slowly, going through the motions Jin had taught her. The beginnings of a martial kata, one that left her refreshed, and ready for the day. The first times she had done it, her father had raised an eyebrow, but hadn’t commented. Beside her her little brother followed her trying to ape the movements. Her father did his own slow breathing exercise nearby.
The whole family, gathered for the day.
Meiling turned around, after she was finished. Everybody was waiting for her patiently to begin the day. .
She gathered her list for the day and checked tasks off as he handed them out. “Father, could you help us check over the ledgers today? Xian, go around the perimeter and check the fences, please. Chun Ke, could you tell me how things are going upstream?”
There was a chorus of affirmatives.
Meiling set out into the sun, and did her own work that day. Milking the cows, and moving the sheep to a different pasture. Cleaning the floor, and checking in on the apple trees, steadily growing their fruit. It was long, but not particularly hard. Most of the chores were simple things, and she ended up spending most of the day looking at Jin’s notes. He said she could read them, and if she felt like it, she could test anything that caught her interest.
It was only recently that he started including complete instructions on what to do, as well.
Meiling considered the recipe. Potato stew? With cream? With a shrug, she stenciled it in for dinner, as her brother climbed on top of the balancing poles, and repeatedly fell in.
Like all of Jin’s recipes, it was a bit strange to cook. A thick broth, rich with cream, and full of vegetables.
It was quite delicious.
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The girl didn’t want to catch frogs. She didn’t want to throw mud. She even refused to ride the stone boar that was bigger than Meiling’s house.
It was a far cry from the mischievous welp she knew.
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Meiling took a breath of the cool forest air. It was much nicer in the shade, rather than the late summer sun. Meiling hummed to herself, as she held onto the straps of the large basket on her back. Her father had looked a little concerned that she was planning on carrying so much weight back, but Meiling wasn’t that far along yet. The baby bump barely showed!
Xian looked around at the small trail, as they walked in the shade of the trees. They were headed upstream today, near the river that ran through the forest.
“Not even a year ago and it was all tangled undergrowth,” her father muttered, adjusting the large, empty basket on his back.
And indeed, the forest floor was remarkably clear. Clear like in the sections near Hong Yaowu, where it took painstaking effort to clear the junk undergrowth, and help promote the useful plants and fungus they needed. Meiling herself was no stranger wandering around the forest with an axe, and shearing off the vines that grew like weeds, or looking after the pigs as they rooted around, making sure they didn’t target anything that was valuable.
Naturally, all it took was a small explanation on why he wanted the forest like this from Jin, and Chun Ke, Wa Shi, and Pi Pa made the forests their foraging ground. In a year, the forest looked like it had been carefully maintained for hundreds.
The massive boar was trotting along, six of the baskets that Meiling had on her back strung out over his. Xian had cheerfully taken his place as a rider, looking around at the forest from his lofty perch. Pi Pa trotted beside him, a brush behind her ear, and a ledger tied to Chun Ke’s side.
The oddest member of their group was of course Wa Shi, in his dragon form and trotting happily along beside them. His whiskers twitched, and his fishy eyes were locked ahead. A long tongue lolled out, almost like a dog’s, and he licked his lips in anticipation.
They came into a clearing. The entire section of forest was blanketed in gentle mist from a small waterfall, pouring continuously onto rocks. Though the occasional tall tree provided cover, it was thin, making room for row upon row of logs stacked together and leaned up onto small scaffolds.
The sound of flowing water filled the clearing.
Meiling stared at the sight. Her father made an impressed noise.
“That's a lot of mushrooms.” Her little brother said, from on top of Chun Ke. The boar oinked, proud of his observation.
Xianggu, the mushrooms Jin called shiitake, absolutely covered the logs.
“It's certainly been an explosion.” Meiling muttered. It hadn’t been quite this many the last time she had checked.
And while the black fungus was the most dominant, this entire area was flourishing, in the damp, and slowly rotting wood. Edible shelf mushrooms. Jadecaps. Other medicinal fungus that her father had given them on their wedding, sprouting like weeds from the trees and the soil.
“I do believe we’ll need to make a couple of trips.” she said.
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One night, she asked the girl in her dream what was wrong. The girl pouted fiercely. She looked away. She didn’t answer for several long minutes.
“I don’t like it when he's gone.” She muttered petulantly. “It feels weird.”
Meiling didn’t really know what she was talking about, but she did know the feeling.
“It's better when everybody is home,” she agreed, and the little girl held onto her tighter.
“I need him. I don’t want to lose him, or you… or them” The little one said. “Maybe I should keep them all here?”
The last part was said with an inflection Meiling wasn’t sure she liked, as the ground rumbled.
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They collected the mushrooms from the logs and then wandered the property. She spent time with her father, crushing the Spiritual Herbs into paste, and examining their effects.
Even her little brother joined in, though he was mostly just handing them tools.
There was no real grand breakthrough. But they did get to spend time together, making medicine. Something she treasured and cherished. This time, without the worried look on her father’s face that had become prevalent, with each failed matchmaking. Just listening to his calm voice, as they walked through the crushing and grinding together.
Her father’s proud smile, at the carefully organised medicinal plants, and at the quality of ingredients made her flush with pride.
But even he could not stay forever. He had his own duties to attend to.
The days passed. Her father returned home, carried on Chun Ke’s back.
Hu Li, the Xong brother’s mother, came to visit.
“Ya know, I was a little surprised when you asked me for help with this.” The woman admitted, as they worked together.
Meiling squinted at the curdling milk. “...Jin likes it.” She muttered, her voice nasal from the fabric plugs stuffed up them. “And I want to surprise everybody, when they get back home.Make a big feast, Like Jin did for me, ya know?”
Hu Li smiled at her. “Making something you hate because somebody else likes it. Oh, I know that. I always swear its the last time I’m going to cook bear, and then my husband comes back with more meat and his dumb hopeful grin…”
Meiling blushed and nodded.
“And I see you’ve been practicing.” Hu Li pointed to where Chun Ke and Wa Shi were lazing on the river bank. Wa Shi pushed one of his strangely muscled arms into the basket and pulled out a slightly burned loaf of bread, dipping it in more stew. His entire body shuddered, as he popped the morsel in his mouth.
“The sourdough stuff bakes weirdly.” She muttered “And sometimes Jin uses weird names for spices, but he was super enthusiastic about his ‘pizza’.”
Hu Li reached over and ruffled Meiling’s hair. “Cute.” She declared.
Meiling pointedly ignored her.
Hu Li barked out a laugh, as the curds started to separate.
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She kept stroking the girl’s hair. “It's fine, not to want to lose him. But I don’t think confining anybody will work.”
The girl turned, and buried her face in Meiling’s skirt. There was a nod.
“All you have to do is trust that they’ll come back. I miss my husband... But I’ve got a family to take care of. Work to do. And I know, without a doubt he's coming home.”
“And when he gets back, he's going to laugh about the stinky cheese I made him, even though I hate it. Hes going to marvel at how nice the house looks, and show me all the cool things he bought in the city.”
And then, when they set off again, you make sure they have all the supplies they need, and see them off with a smile. Or if you can, go with them, and go on that journey together.”
The girl paused, as Meiling kept stroking her hair.
She turned, looking up at Meiling with a petulant pout.
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She stared out, over the river. Her back was resting against a boar, and her fingers played with a dragon’s beard as she sipped her tea.
Sometimes, the surrealness still struck her. The small little jolt. When she was scratching a boar who was taller than her at the shoulder under his chin, only for her to blink, and Chun Ke to be smaller again.
To be minding her own business, then suddenly be wrapped up in the coils of a dragon. Wa Shi’s clawed hands on her shoulder as he tried to hide behind her to escape Pi Pa’s wrath.
A polite pig, nodding her head diligently, and writing down everything Meiling said. Bringing her ledgers and counting up baskets of mushrooms with her.
Walking to the back, and Bei Be following silently behind her, his plow hanging from his horn. She could almost see a stoic swordsman guarding her.
And yet… she still appreciated that little jolt. That small feeling of wonder.
Some days felt like a pleasant dream. But it was real, and it was her life.
She put the cup down, and continued to write. The proper baking time for the sourdough. Her own idle musings on how to use ingredients, added to pieces of paper.
Her own ideas on how to help their home improve. Maybe they would be good ones. Maybe they wouldn’t amount to anything. But she wrote her thoughts down anyway, as she sat with the family that had remained behind.
She couldn’t wait until everybody got back…. But for now, she was content.
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A girl stared at a road made out of gold, leading off into the distance. She poked at it. It was in disrepair. It was broken, and bits leaked, covered only by the barest of patch jobs.
Energy travelled along it. Little bits and pieces.
It was in dire need of repair. But out there.... out there, was pain. The strange gem the little moonshard brought back, that she had shied away from. The other pieces, cracked and broken, full of memories she wasn't even sure she wanted.
The girl sighed. She got to work. Even if she couldn't travel to him.. she could make sure he got home safely.
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A bit of slice of life, and a conversation with two people who stayed home.
I'm a little uncertain about the earth spirit scenes, but hopefully, its all rtight.
Comments
ByzFan
Thank you. I always find myself smiling when I read this tale. A tale as wide as it is tall.
ArtaN KozaK
Amazing and wonderfull chapter. Every time when i read your story i fell peace in my heart and mind.
Sere Maddox
Ah. My conjecture had the Earth Spirit as the original soul of the embryo: the logical confirmation of Jin's belief of reciprocity with the Land, and a continuance of the theme of the various Spirit Animals gaining human form. Perhaps Jin and Mei Li become literal parents to the reawakened Earth Spirit, who grows to teach The Dance to the other villages in the area and reawakens the Chi flows of the Azure Hills in the process? Perhaps that strays too far into "uncanny valley" territory, however, not having a child born from human parents be entirely human. The novel series DUNE had Alia Atredes as a child born with ancient knowledge: I was thinking of something like this, but perhaps more fey and wild, elfin.
John Koor
I wouldn't like that. It would imply that the earth spirit pushed out the child's soul to use it as a vessel. Better to just have the kid turn out to be amazing since it was born and raised on the farm, and the earth spirit to see the child as a little brother/sister.
Chad Hagner
I really really liked this chapter, good continued story building.
Stewart Boyatt
Lu RI? Cloudy Seord guy? Definitely.
Artur Vogt
well. what do you want?
Kara Nina
The author is going in chronological order, which is one way of doing this. Another would be to work through these three stories that are unfolding one after the other. But that is simply about style and the second type would confuse a lot of readers regarding the chronological order
Kara Nina
He's at the tournament
Russel
I hate how right that sounds
HighterDK
Daaaamn. That felt like a Studio Ghibli story. Incredible chapter.
Anders Kirkegaard
I feel like we are jumbing point of view to much, the story has slowed significant down, and only move forward at a really slow pace.
xdxx345
This was excellent. The dream sequences consoling the earth spirit are interspersed smoothly with scenes showcasing Fa Ram's new, magical normal. The ethereal quality of the days' passing is reflected upon with Meiling's "small little jolts" of surreality, injecting a moment of verisimilitude into the prose that I think really completes this chapter. It ties all of the spirits, magic and talking animals to Meiling's origins as a vivacious, but mortal, young woman. It may be just my currently oddly sappy state of mind affecting my judgement, but this is a top 3 chapter for me at the moment. Thanks!
Druid Killa
Meimei is a Disney princess.
Sere Maddox
The Earth Spirit incarnating as Jin's wise magical child would be amazing. She might age more quickly into adulthood than "normal" babies/children, or she may choose to stop aging at some point and be a forever child, a wise youth of the Wilds who happens to also live with her loving parents at Fa Ram. I wonder, as the Golden Roads are repaired, if Bi De will take a second journey to re-connect the dancing shrines for his new companion?
Yunru
I kept expecting what's-his-name to turn up looking for Jin, it seemed like the perfect setup.
Ashlazaria
This one was special. I loved it.
Daniel
This was really nice and cozy. Loved it!
Space253
Sounds like Jin might be about to get an extension cord for his land based power.
Demian Buckle
Thank you for the Chapter. I enjoy it and liked the Earth Spirit scenes. It gave more insight into her character.
Artur Vogt
i absofuckinglutely loved this one. this chapter felt like a cup of cocoa while siting in a warm chair looking out the window in the fall.
Efgbog
Babe looks to becoming a master of cutting, can't wait for him to get his human body and amaze everyone with his perfect cuts with his plow.
Digdug
Ty so much for the chapter. I needed Meiling dose today!
mindsystem
Liking the slice of life "life on the range" bits. While I hope their home doesn't get attacked again a la Chou Ji, I'd love to see Babe and Sunny deal with someone/thing in their own stoic swordsman way.
Garrett
All fruits are vegetables, but not all vegetables are fruits. A vegetable is basically any edible part of a plant, be it the root, the stem, the leaf, or the fruit. Fruits just feel different because the plant wants them to be eaten and grows them to be appetizing, whereas the rest of the plant is more... organic.
alex ayala
i'm glad i wasn't the only one, I thought it was their unborn kid at first
Michael Maor
Great chapter, and I really liked the Earth spirit scenes, looking forward to seeing what effect her spreading out from the farm and connecting to other fragments will have.
Gabriel
I really enjoyed this chapter. I love this style of story and the way you are telling it.
J Klugh
Is earthchan going to incarnate? That’s a lot of little girl dreams for a pregnant lady
Aaron Martinez
It wasn't Jin's, it was Big De's and the rest.
Len
I am thinking the gold road is the old pathway - Ley lines -that got destroyed ages ago that routed the spirit power around the region. And the spirit is now REPAIRING them........bets on when the route to sea grass city is fixed, at least enough for her power to flow through, in small amounts smoothly?
Tzeneth
Does it still stay sword intent or does it become plow intent? Maybe it just stays part of the larger Dao of cutting! :P
James Squibb
It took me until the third scene to realize it was the earth spirit. However, I very much enjoyed them.
Bobby B.
My god... was listening to some soft violin music and I could FEEL this chap, the echo of waiting for my ma to get back stateside, it... wow. Well done.
Torbjørn Nilsen
Jupp, everytime I read about her I want to give her a big hug and tell her that it's all going to be OK. For this is the feel-good series books, about Fa Ram where there are close to only good stuff happening.
Jan Alexander
Very apt chapter title. Mushroom and Cheese! Can't have pizza without it. Its good to see the Earth Spirit more active and communicating with Meimei. Babe a swordsman? Haha.
Leviathon251
Love it. Thanks for the chapter
Calico C
I can definitely see the land spirits’ attributes being noticed, and that’s how the land is divided. Azure Hills is the domain of our spirit. I can also see the places where demons roam and attack heavily fortified cities is a place where the earth spirit doesn’t care for or outright hates humans
Blahful
It's a fruit. Assuming that you meant chilly pepper.
aj0413
Earth-Chan is always welcomed here :)
Michael Otton
I'd say there's 1 earth spirit but shes so fractured and damaged that multiple fragments could be awoken then either merge later or chose to stay separate but weaker and more personalized.
Obran
Have you ever contemplated the humble pepper? It is a new world vegetable that was native to central America. When the Spanish came to the Americas, one of the things they brought back was the pepper. From there it spread across Eurasia, every country selectively breeding it for their localized tastes. The northern europeans turned it into the bell pepper. Hungarians turned it into Paprika. India and south east asia pumped up the heat and added it to curries. Africans turned it into Peri Peri peppers. It is a fascinating vegetable.
Reiner Fox
I wonder if their is only the one earth spirit or multiple out there that are being tormented and abused? It would be fun to learn more one day about where those paths lead, and how they might be better protected from damage in the future? Maybe spirit beast play a role in that?
Adam Moore
this is a dope chapter brother
David Bean
Excellent, all of it.
J3_Haustkottr
Perfect
Paerofar
Seconded, it was a lovely way to get time cuts into this chapter so we got only the best parts of each day
Summercat
Earth Chan is... Yes.
Dale
Looks like Our little earth spirit has come to gether enough to finally work up to start pulling herself back together and start fully healing.
Mrdelta
Honestly I loved the earth spirit scenes. Though it does make me wonder about the gender of Mei's baby.
Jonathan Rudel
The conversations with earth chan gave this chapter a sort of dreamy feel for me. I think it worked quite good.
Paratus
Love the farm stuff. Although I'm waiting for the bad guy to pull something with Tigu or Xiulan and Jin mysteriously shows up just in time to give him more PTSD.
Bob Semxy
Was wondering how those pendants the guards wore was able to pick up jins qi. Turns out the earth spirit wasn't with him. Also the scenes with the spirit were good and kinda alude to what memories it might uncover and if those memories connect to Bi De's quest. Good chapter overall
Lochar
This is the furthest her "Connected One" has gone, so it's right for her to be scared of him never coming back. Because of cutting herself off from the wider world, she's basically a powerful child with little wisdom. Which makes it a damn good thing Meimei has some answers for her. Otherwise Jin might actually have not liked his return home. And good job on showing Meiling keeping a touch of whimsical wonder in her day to day life. Anything can become normal if you let it, but it's much more fun to still not see the grand become mundane.
The Slowest Turtle
Soo good. I love these "day in the life" chapters.
Bob of Doom
It also shows the spirits fear and how she is willing to take risks again
Bob of Doom
I think the Earth spirit parts make the scene. It shows how important everyone is to Fa Ram.
Ask-if-I-like-lemons
Oh it was the earth spirit. I thought it was some future sight thing and it's their daughter.
Eric
The spirit scenes were fine. At first I thought she was dreaming of her child, but it made more sense by the second dream.
Eric Hicks
I always enjoy when the Earth Spirit makes an appearance... one of my favorite people in the story so far.
Robert Mullins
I'd say this is your best portrayal of life on the farm yet. And the earth spirit scene(s?) Sit among the best you've written.
BRUNO ASTUR
I liked the spirit scenes. She is still hurting, so her behavior is acceptable. Also I can't wait for when Jin and Meilin discover about her.
J B
I think it’s well written, and shows both the sadness in the spirit’s existene, as well as the sheer terror she could be.
Phillip Ingram
I really liked this chapter. I thought the spirit scenes were great. It's weird but with everything being so peaceful, I honestly felt like there was some sort of ominous undertone with the spirit.
Bunny Waffles
I like it! While I am excited to see what happens at the city, the sense of what life is like at home and the worries of Earthy and the potentially dark roads her worries take her mind down, and over all just Meiling being Meiling.
Sean Ulrich
I like seeing the spirit’s reaction to him leaving. Not all powerful, but very human
Ben Allen
Thank goodness! I needed my fix.
