Offering to the Capital

“Kamiya? She’s standing right there…” Uncle Gobei replied casually as he pointed in my direction. I froze. Why can’t they just leave me alone to tend to the injured and then I will just silently head home.

“Kamiya! My dear girl…there you are. Please come with us, we have very good news to share with you!” the village head broke into a smile as he addressed me excitedly.

I had to be a fool to not realize that something very suspicious was going on. No one in this village except for Uncle Gobei and Auntie would refer to me as ‘my dear girl’ and even if they did, they wouldn’t mean it. Under the same logic, the good news that they wanted to share with me must really be super bad news. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply in resignation while I braced myself for what was to come.

“Where are you taking her?” Uncle Gobei interrupted as he shielded me behind him. A look of worry was clear on his face.

“We’re just taking her to a quiet place where we can have a chat with her. That is all Gobei. No need for you to worry,” the village head insisted as he stared at me. Seems like I don’t have a choice in the matter. I also didn’t want to bother or worry Uncle Gobei either.

“It’s ok uncle. I’ll go…and I’ll be back soon to help with the patients. Thank you” I told him, trying to keep my voice calm.

“Let’s go. This way please,” one of the Elders said as they led the way for me to follow.

…

“Rin Kamiya. I will get straight to the point. The Flame Dragon Empire has requested for our village to send the most beautiful and talented woman to live there as the ambassador uniting our town as part of the empire. This is the part of the price they have asked for to end the war as quickly as they did,” the old village head stated without emotions.

“You mean, they asked for a hostage and you’re choosing to send me?” I asked him bluntly. I was more than well aware of what an ‘ambassador’ in this context meant.

“Kamiya. This is a great opportunity for you to do good for this village that has raised and nurtured you. We all continued to support you even after the death of your dear father. If you were to gain the favor of the emperor or other members of the Empire’s royal family; they would come to favor this town and its people will benefit. Surely, you see the bigger picture in all of this,” the old man went on with his effort to convince me.

“If that truly is the case, I’m sure there are other young woman much more beautiful and much more talented in the arts than I am. If you choose to send me, your plan will backfire. There is no way someone like me can earn any favors with the emperor or any members of his family,” I stated factually. I didn’t know anything about make up, dressing up or any of the feminine arts that were desirable qualities in a concubine. Not that I was interested in joining anyone’s harem.

“Now that it’s come to this, I’ll have to convince you in another way. You’ve been selling your herbs secretly to Gobei at his pharmacy and clinic, right? What do you think will happen to Gobei’s business if people find out that he’s been secretly buying herbs from a girl that brings bad luck like you? Do you think people would buy or want medicine made purely of bad luck?” the village head said with a smirk.

“Are you threatening me?” I asked as I was losing my patience.

“You need to learn to think of the greater good and the people who care about you! Do you want Gobei to lose his business? It’s his life, you know that. You know well that no one wants you here, but we put up with you for all these years. Isn’t it time to payback your homeland?” the village head went on without answering my question.

“What if I say no?” I asked without backing down. I am not going to be sent to the empire as a hostage. A hostage that no one in my hometown even cares about. The mention of uncle Gobei worried me. I hate to admit it but, he could get hurt because he tried his best to help support me.

“You actually don’t have a choice. We’ll tie you up and deliver you there if that is what it takes. Just go girl. If it’s not you, then we don’t know who else to send. Do it for people of this village. Do it to protect this village that your parents held so dear…” the old man pleaded.

Using all of that against me isn’t going to change my mind. I was unwilling to go; however, I could see that there was no other way out. If I didn’t go, then some other young girl in the village would have to. Perhaps the village head was right, sending someone like me as a sacrifice might make more sense than someone well loved by the villagers. No one would miss me or feel a loss if I was the one who went away.

“Alright. I’ll go…but don’t you dare expect any favors to rain on this village. I’ll always remember that you all chose to offer me as a sacrifice,” I said in a firm voice with anger boiling right beneath the surface. I clenched my fist tight with frustration and anger as I tried to steady my resolve.

“Very well. It’s settled. You will head out tomorrow morning,” the old man said.

Tomorrow, I will travel to the capital of the Flame Dragon Empire, Darukai. I wondered what the capital of such a large empire would be like…

---To be continued…