In the morning the sun was up and the room began to get hot. Chao crawled out from under the blanket and opened the wooden window covers. The light stretched across the room and into his eyes and he was awake now. The sun was just above the high walls that surrounded the many buildings. But the light would not have reached the inner courtyard which was shaded by the other buildings and trees and was much cooler.

Chao stopped himself. He was thinking of the young madam again. After the recent excitement, he was tired. Still, he got up in the morning as he did every morning. But the young madam's husband was home and for two months he kept getting days off. He did not know how to spend his time and he walked to the dining hall thinking.

On his way, he saw the birds scattered under the canopy of the trees that lined the path and stood in between it and the wall. It was going to be a hot day, he thought. He wondered if he should grab the Madam her umbrella but thought against it. As he approached the dining hall his thoughts switched away to food.

It was the biggest building in the western outer courtyard and supplied all the servants with food. Many tables filled the inside of the hall and six men could fit on either side. Often in the mornings, the tables were full and Chao had to squeeze in wherever he could. Now the hall was empty and only a few men were sitting at the first table and they did not speak.

He walked towards the back counter where the cooks were and he saw the head cook waiting for him. Chao liked him. He always gave him extra food with his meals. He was in charge of what food and how much of it was ordered and was also responsible for the sweets that the madam would give Chao.

“You must eat quickly,” the cook said.

“I don't have to serve the young madam today,” Chao said with a wiry smile

“You haven't heard. All the servants were told to gather in the servant's yard and the farmers were pulled from their fields.”

“Why?”

“I don't know more. Hurry, you must eat quickly.”

Chao walked as fast as he could to the table without spilling, still lethargic from the morning. He could not guess what was so important but assumed it had something to do with the lords returning. He sat down next to the other men that were already eating. The man closest to him was the oldest of them. He was an artisan who built and designed most of the furniture in the outer courtyard. Some of his work was even used in the inner courtyard but most was bought from someplace else. Chao looked at the other men and thought of the other servants too. They were older and knew the lords. He could not think of many beside him, whose existence was completely new. Then he thought he would worry about it when he got there.

Chao ate the whole bowl. He was very hungry and he wanted more but knew that he should get going. The other men had already left. He was confident in his speed and he quickly caught up to the men and walked behind them. They arrived at the servant's yard together. Many servants had already gathered and they were waiting in many rows. Chao and the other men joined one of the rows and they could see the head servant at the front. He was waving his arms around and spitting orders.

He was a strange-looking man, with narrow shoulders and a small head. Often he would be seen walking from one place to another with his hands behind his back and hidden in his large sleeves. He had no hair on his head and wore a black, droopy mustache above his lip. The farmers did not like him and made fun of him for being ineffective.

Shortly after the rest of the farmers arrived and the head servant made a big fuss and they all started moving. The head servant was quick now and you could see his knees flaring from under his robe. He was a short man and the rest of the group followed, walking quickly. They went out the west gate and through the east gate. Continuing straight they came to another yard. It was twice the size of the previous yard and instead of stone the floor was dirt that had become coarse and dusty in the sun and it hurt like stone if you fell. It was surrounded by a small stone lip so that the dirt was in a shallow pit and the lip ran the perimeter and stretched in each direction until the ground rose. To the north, it was connected by wide stone stairs. Standing at the top was the grand patriarch adorned in a blue robe with a vibrant colored trim. Soldiers flanked either side of him and across the area where it was raised.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The head servant brought his hands in front of him and ran to the bottom of the stairs, bowing. “I have done as you asked my lord.”

The grand patriarch nodded at the head servant. “Listen.” The many farmers stood straight. It sounded as if the grand patriarch stood next to them and spoke to them directly but he was still at the top of the stairs. “From now on you will each gather here at this time once a week,” he turned and walked away.

Before they could question the situation the soldiers that were waiting above, flooded down the stairs and into the yard. There were seven rows and three soldiers came to each row. The last soldier stood to the side so that he could see all the rows and he began to yell. He sounded normal and the farmers relaxed.

“All of you in a horse stance, now!”

The man's orders were followed by an awkward silence. The farmers watched one another, waiting to see if the man next to them knew what they did not. But the soldiers were not very accommodating and some in the first row got dragged into the position and the rest followed.

“You will hold until I tell you so,” he screamed again.

Chao felt the ache in his thighs and it was hard work for such a small body. The men were able to hold themselves. They had sturdy bodies from working in the fields. But even they were not ready and it was hard for everyone. Chao fell to the ground and sat with his legs sprawled in front of him.

The farmers did not last much longer. They were strong but the stance was awkward and they were not happy to be there to begin with. They gathered their breath. Many of them were still thinking of their farms and how silly it was that the clan was calling them away from their fields. Others knew the implications and thought of their families. The men's rest was brief. The soldier that was standing to the side called out again.

“Everyone of you will start running around the yard. You will stop when I tell you!”

Chao could not feel his legs besides the pain that came in intervals. He wanted to get up. He thought the young madam would encourage him too. But he could not and he was not someone to ignore orders and he tried again and he failed.

“Why is there a kid?”

Another of the soldiers shrugged.

“Orders.”

“Orders huh,” the soldier sighed. “Look, boy, why don't you wait over there.” The soldier was pointing to a stone bench nearby.

“No sir, I will run.”

“You can't stand.”

Chao rolled over onto his knees. Then he lifted one leg forward, shifting his weight, using it to push against and lift his whole body, now standing and he pushed his feet off the dirt and towards the edge of the yard and his upper body was in front of his legs.

“What's wrong with that kid?”

“Who knows.”

Chao did not know why he was doing this to himself. What was he even running for, he thought. He remembered when the young madam told him that when things get hard, he should not give up. But he knew that some old words that the young miss told him were not the reason. His legs hurt, and he felt dizzy, why was he running?

That was the last thing Chao could remember waking up in his bed. He looked out the window, the sun was slowly falling. Then two maids walked in and one saw Chao and turned around again. the other stayed with him. Chao recognized her, she was one of the young madam's maids.

“Miss Lihau, what are you doing here?”

“Watching you, you brat.”

Chao looked down at his bed. “Thank you.”

“You should thank the young madam.”

“I will,” Chao said confidently.

“That's good to hear,” the young madam said walking into the room.

“I'm sorry,” he said again. Scratching the back of his head.

“I was worried, you know. What were you doing out there anyway?

Chao shrugged. “I was told to go there.”

“I give you the day off and spend it passing out.”

Chao sat up. “Young madam, how long was I sleeping?”

“Three days,” Lihau said ominously.

Chao sprang up, out from under the blanket and he screamed, “Three days!”

The young miss pulled Lihau by the ear with one hand and Chao by the other.

“Owww.”

“Stop yelling.”

“Three days! Am I going to be okay?

“Stop yelling,” the young madam pulled harder on Chaos' ear. Do you think you could throw a fit if you were passed for three days? Does that make sense? Look outside, the sun is only setting.” She let go of Chaos' ear, turning to Lihau. “And you, stop antagonizing the boy.”

Lihau dropped her head. “I'm sorry young madam.”

The other maid that left to get the young madam previously spoke. “Wow, the young madam is already acting like a mother.”

The madam sat on the edge of the bed and curled her lips, placing her hand above her forehead and Lihau laughed.

“Hey, wait a minute. What's going on here?”

The maids laughed at Chao.

“Hey. What are you guys talking about? Answer me!”