by Rex Sumner
unerringly she took the left fork. The monk started to take the right fork, not intending to say anything.
"This way is better," she said determinedly.
The monk stopped and looked at her. He knew both ways were equally good.
"This way we spend the night at the village of Seventh Happiness. The water is very good and the people are friendly, we will eat better. So says Wu Yang, the merchant, and he is always concerned for good food."
"When did he say that?"
"Two months ago, he came with the news that you monks were searching for dragon food. He warned everyone to hide their daughters. I decided then to come with you and asked him the best way."
"Why would he talk to you?"
"He says that he ends up overpaying my father when I distract him and the best way to get rid of me is to feed me to the dragon. He has been telling my father to do that for years. I like Wu Yang."
The monk found himself following her during this conversation, and in due course they approached the village of Seventh Happiness. Wu Gui stopped at the travellers' shrine that overlooked the village, and he overheard her talking to the other two girls as he went in to meditate.
"Clean the stone there under the tree. The Sifu will sit there while he eats. Make up a bed for him under the travellers' roof, using those long grasses from beside the river. Make sure they are dry. Ting Lah, you have good hands, you will massage him when he finishes praying and I will come back with food from the village."
Indeed, on completing his meditation he found a beautiful grass bed made up for him and the girls sat him on that while one washed his feet and the other worked the knots out of this shoulders.
As he enjoyed this unexpected attention, he noticed a procession coming from the village; Wu Gui bringing at least a dozen people with her. Somehow she had managed to obtain a jacket, silk if he wasn't mistaken, and looked terribly important. She stopped the villagers outside the shrine and arrayed them in front of the stone, making sure they all averted their eyes from the monk, who was watching in some astonishment.
Wu Gui came under the roof and inspected the monk critically, checking his ears and nostrils to ensure the girls had cleaned them. Ju Qua did not find the inspection in the slightest bit respectful, but was too fascinated in her plans and machinations to object, and allowed himself to be escorted to the stone under the tree.
Wu Gui had appropriated his staff, and now stood at his right and thumped it down on a stone, making a solid sound and the audience shake.
"The Guardian is ready. You may approach and show your respect."
The humble monk was careful to take control of his ch'i and ensure no leakage that would betray his astonishment at the spectacle of the village head man, who only the previous year had ignored him while pushing past him in the street, now throwing himself prostrate and gabbling words he couldn't make out. They were clearly some sort of apology, though, and a promise of better behaviour in the future.
He raised a hand to stop the babble, and he felt Wu Gui's ch'i pulse from beside him as she interrupted.
"The Guardian says enough. Retreat and put forward the candidates."
The headman scuttled backwards and four awed children, freshly scrubbed, came forward and bowed before the monk. He blinked at the sight of children he had never seen before, but examined their auras. Each was strong, bright and even, no blackness but the streak of red that indicated intelligence. He beckoned them forward and laid his hands on their foreheads, each in turn. He skimmed the surfaces of their minds and was pleased. Vaguely, he noticed that two were boys, which he was rarely permitted to see. Settling back, he prepared himself to speak when he was interrupted again.
"They are acceptable. Just." Wu Gui's voice had taken on an ethereal tone, and from the corner of his eye he could see the force of her ch'i as a beacon shining from her. The peasants must have been able to see something as well, because they prostrated themselves on the ground. "They may spend the night with their families and be here at dawn. They will serve the dragon and protect you in your homes. Go."
Adults and candidates both backed away hurriedly, bowing repeatedly as they did so, till they felt sufficiently far away that they could turn and run back to the village of Seventh Happiness.
Ju Qua watched them go, then turned on Wu Gui, to find her slumped to the ground, barely able to hold his staff. He grunted and took her wrist, feeling the slow cold pulse of ch'i exhaustion. He trickled a little of his ch'i into her.
"Sit, girl and rest. The others will bring you food."
She glared at him. "Do not call me girl, Shanyang Fen. My name is Wu Nu."
He was taken aback that she was now called Beauteous Lady instead of Turtle. "I thought your name was Wu Gui?"
"I changed it to suit my new role as Trainer and Polisher of Goat Shit into Guardian of the Dragon and the People." She struggled to her feet and peremptorily instructed the two girls to serve herself and 'the Guardian' and to bring her a stool.
Ju Qua noticed she was served first and hid his delight as she first had him put to bed, then ensured both girls were tucked up comfortably on beds of grass the other side of the roofed area. She knelt beside them and he listened, fascinated, to her answer their questions.
"Honoured Auntie, how will you stop the dragon from eating us?" This, from a girl at least a hand taller.
"There is no dragon, Little Sister. It is just a story to frighten people into giving food and money to the monastery."
"Why do they want us in the monastery, Honoured Auntie?"
"Think, girl, how many monks does this monastery have? Very few. They need more. We are to be monks."
Ju Qua was delighted with her reasoning and the girls clearly reassured.
"What does a monk do, Honoured Auntie? Will you or this old monk teach us?"
Wu Nu sniffed mightily but prettily at the same time, managed to convey exactly the right amount of disparagement. "This old monk is a fighting monk, a Guardian monk. He will protect us from bandits and I will help you with your lessons."
"What will we learn, Honoured Auntie?"
"You will learn to think, for you will need to come to the villages and help to dispense wisdom and justice. You know how little there is of both. Now, sleep, for I want you awake before dawn to clean my jacket. See, I shall put it here where it is safe. I must be wearing it when the villagers come with breakfast and our new recruits. May the dragon's thoughts send you miraculous dreams."
Ju Qua was astonished and realised the girl was older than he had assumed. He was still astonished several days later as they filed up the winding path from the valley to the imposing carved stone monastery on the mountain top. Theirs had been a journey of grace and triumph, gaining recruits from every village, willingly fed and looked after at every stop. Wu Nu had stopped even checking for his opinion when selecting the recruits and the only part of his role she had not usurped was leading the morning and evening exercises. She clearly adored these and leapt into them with delight, questioning him closely on the purpose of each one and relishing the martial flavour.
He was wearing a new orange robe. He had new sandals that actually fit. He didn't remember being so well fed, nor so pampered. There was clearly a need in the countryside for the Guardians Wu Nu promised the credulous villagers, for which they had been rewarded with clothes, food and recruits, and he thought the Abbot would see that it was clearly worthwhile to fill that need.
Even so, he worried as they neared the gates and would have slowed the procession, but Wu Nu had taken the pole position in her silk jacket. The little girl reappeared briefly as she stared up at the soaring spires with a big grin on her face.
Ju Qua prepared his speech to the door monk and hoped there would be sufficient accommodation for all the recruits.
The great gates swung slowly open as they neared, with no sign of a person operating them.
Revealed in the middle of the outer hall was a lady
. Ju Qua's heart quailed as he recognised one of the reclusive female monks unique to Sindalar.
Her face was heavily powdered to make it glaring white with bright scarlet lips and black eyes, her hair tied into a tight bun with two sticks thrust through it. She wore a high jacket with voluminous sleeves that made her look very young and small, with a skirt that covered her legs and feet. She glided forward.
Wu Nu walked straight up to her and bowed deeply. The Lady returned the bow and spoke. "Welcome Novices. Long have I waited for you. The years grow weary, the dragon is hungry."
Wu Nu beamed. She started to speak, but was cut off. "Girls will come with me." The lady turned and glided away. Wu Nu followed her, clearly trying to imitate the glide, and the other girls trailed along behind, some looking back. The Lady's enigmatic greeting clearly awakening fears that Wu Nu had laid to rest.
The girls were led through corridors into the open air and found a small village behind the monastery. A low room proved to be a dormitory, with numerous hard cots.
"Place your belongings on a bed, wash and go to the dining hall. You will eat, and then meditate. This afternoon you feed the dragon."
The girls didn't exactly panic, but they all looked at Wu Nu.
"It is a story, a test," she said equably, taking off her precious jacket and folding it neatly on a cot. She stripped off her white cotton shift, went into the wash area and started to pour frigid water over