Chapter 246 - Cooling Off

The midday summer sun beat down full force on a carriage that rumbled down a dirt path. It traveled down the well worn road at a leisure pace, traversing the green rolling hills of central Kumin. Farm houses dotted the landscape, farmers tended to their fields under a clear blue sky. 

Closer to the capital the fields were full of lilacs and roses, and there were fields of herbs and orchards with berry bushes planted in the beds under the trees. Now that the carriage was a week out from Noga the more luxurious crops were less seen, with fields of corn, turnips, potatoes and wheat now the main staple. 

Char Char looked out the window of the carriage with drooped eyelids and an irritated expression on her lips. Sweat beaded on her forehead and neck, soaking into her blouse and pooling under her breasts as she idly cooled herself with a paper fan. The breezeless air inside the carriage was hot and muggy, her legs were cramped and her butt sore from a week of carriage travel.

She tried to keep her mind off her discomfort by watching the young farmhand boys as they chased off birds and picked weeds. Older workers with rippling muscles pulled wooden handcarts filled with lumber, while others were occupied harvesting their summer crops. Every so often she’d see a few pigs or a horse or even cattle, raised for the farmers’ use rather than to be sold.

As the sun reached its zenith the farmhands took a break, sitting under the shade as they ate a small midday meal. A few boys frolicked in a small stream, their laughter ringing out in the peaceful air.

This sight set Char Char over the edge as she suddenly exclaimed, “I’ve had it with this heat!” 

She grabbed the door handle, but was interrupted by a hot and clammy hand on her other arm. She yanked her arm away with a disgusted wail and shoved open the door, barreling out onto the dirt path.

“Char Char!” Corbin growled from his seat next to hers, “Get back in here!”

“No!” She fumed, “I’m going to the stream!”

“You’re forbidden to leave the carriage!” Corbin clambered out after her as the carriage came to a halt, “You promised me you’d behave!”

“Well I un-promise because this is the worst!” Char Char yelled at him, walking backwards off the path in the direction of the stream, “You can’t lock me in a hot, disgusting cart for days without letting me even stretch my legs! I’m done with that!”

“You’re an adult now, Char Char, act like it.” Corbin said, lowering his voice slightly as he checked to see how close the nearest farmers were. “Are you going to jeopardize your own mission?

All it would take was a little bit of suspicion for them to arrange a check at the Zhao manor and for this whole plot to be exposed. And a scandal at such a stage would be a huge blow for the trading company and Corbin Nao’s own reputation!

Char Char’s cheeks puffed up as she inhaled deeply.

“I.”

“Don’t.”

“CARE!”

Char Char screeched one last time as she took off at a dead run down the hill toward the stream.

Corbin’s whole body trembled as he watched her scamper off. His hands clenched into tight fists, his teeth ground together so intensely that they hurt. A hundred profanities passed through his mind without leaving his lips for sheer virtue of not being able to decide which ones to spew out first.

“You know what!” He screamed, “I don’t care either! Go drown yourse-“

He jumped as a gentle hand on his shoulder interrupted his outburst, popping him out of his rage. He turned his head to see the elegant, tan skinned Firuzeh next to him.

“Ah. Firuzeh.” He said in a meek voice, grumbling, “My apologies, you know how she is. I think we’ll take a quick stop here, just for a moment.”

“I understand.” Firuzeh said with a calm smile, “How about if I try talking to her?”

 “Yes. Go ahead. Well, good luck getting through to her. You know I’ve done my best, but she’s as stubborn as a Shah. I suppose as long as we’re careful, there’s no harm in stopping for a moment.” 

“Most importantly, we need to conceal Char Char’s identity.” Firuzeh nodded, “The chances of her being recognized out here are basically none, but rumours spread fast. If any sort of suspicion reaches the capital, it wouldn’t take any effort for them to check the manor and uncover her disappearance.”

“Right. Well, that’s what I told her, you’d think she’d listen to reason.” Corbin grumbled.

“I’ll have a chat with her.” Firuzeh smiled again, “In the meantime, it would be best not to yell her name out for the whole countryside to hear.”

“I didn’t- er-“ Corbin stuttered, “Right. We mustn’t be careless. Absolutely.”

Firuzeh left Corbin behind as she followed the path Char Char had taken down to the stream.

~

A short while later Firuzeh found Char Char sitting on a rock with her legs immersed in the narrow stream at the bottom of the hill, splashing water onto her face and neck. She observed the hunched over girl’s back from a distance, giving her a moment’s peace.

“I know I shouldn’t be out here.” Char Char said at length without turning around, her voice low and moody, “Don’t worry, nobody’s around to see me.”

She splashed water on her arms, not caring that her blouse was getting soaked. Firuzeh didn’t reply or come closer.

“Just give me a moment and I’ll get back in the cart.” Char Char said, “We’re a day from Plunes, right?”

“Yes, we should reach by tomorrow evening.” Firuzeh replied. “After that, you’ll have to tell us where you need to go.”

“It shouldn’t be far from the town.” Char Char said. She’d kept the existence of Finn’s map a secret from the group, meaning only she knew exactly where they were going.

“In the meantime, we should discuss our arrangements once we reach town. I had originally meant to bring this up once we reached Plunes, but this is an opportune time as any.” Firuzeh said.

“Wouldn’t I just be hiding in the carriage?” Char Char’s lips curled downward as she spoke the words.

“In some ways that would be ideal, concealing your existence completely would avert any suspicions at all.” Firuzeh subconsciously touched the crystal on her necklace with her thumb and forefinger,  “The combination of your powers and our methods means even high level Exalted shouldn’t be able to sense your presence.

“However, it’s likely an unsustainable plan, and quite fragile as well. It’s worked decently up to this point as we’ve only stopped by small villages, but Plunes is larger. More eyes, more scrutiny. Your comfort is important too— Kai and I have had our share of miserable experiences in hot, cramped spaces.” She paused, then added, “Also, there’s another consideration - your chaperone.”

“Corbin?”

“Yes. You might not be recognizable to random passersby, but Mr. Nao is a fairly prominent, well-traveled businessman.” Firuzeh nodded, “Technically, he doesn’t need to hide his identity or his presence, though up to this point he’s remained hidden in the cabin with you - I suppose as a show of support.”

Char Char scoffed at her words without interrupting.

Firuzeh continued, “However, since he’s so connected to you, any mistakes on the trip might raise suspicions. Particularly if it was obvious that we were trying to hide his involvement in the first place, as we are doing now.”

Char Char’s mood lightened somewhat as she turned to look at Firuzeh, “Then what?”

“What if, rather than posing as anonymous travelers, we legitimize the trip?” Firuzeh said, “Corbin can make a public show of his travels, sending letters back to the company headquarters, perhaps partaking in business conversations on the way. Then, since he is an important figure, we can form his entourage and security detail more openly.”

“Don’t I still have to hide, though?” Char Char frowned.

“That’s why I said ‘we’.” Firuzeh smiled, “You are, after all, an employee of the Red Lion Security company.”

Char Char raised an eyebrow as she started to put the pieces together.

“Hiding your identity, then, would be a matter of deception rather than concealment. Wearing the company uniform, you’d blend in to the security detail. With Corbin Nao being our client, you’d stand out even less. Though it will be somewhat hotter than your current outfit… you will have freedom to sit or walk outside the carriages and move around.” Firuzeh explained, “In addition, it’s not uncommon for guards to wear masks - say, for guards who have been disfigured in battle and would be unsightly next to a prestigious client.”

Char Char’s eyes brightened as she digested Firuzeh’s plan. She hopped to her feet, water dripping off the soaked hems of her skirt, “That sounds great! I can do that!”

“Also, we’ll have to call you by a different name. Something common, that won’t draw attention.” Firuzeh said, then added, “You can choose it, if you’d like.”

“Okay—“ Char Char contemplated, “How about Sophia?”

“Reasonable enough.” Firuzeh nodded, “Then you’ll change roles tonight, Sophia. Tomorrow you’ll sit on top of the carriage next to me as a guard.”

“Alright!” Char Char smiled, “Oh, what if Corbin doesn’t agree with the plan?”

“I don’t think it’ll bother him.” Firuzeh said enigmatically. In fact, at this moment Kai was talking with Corbin about the plan, and with some convincing he’d also agreed. The result of the conversation had already been communicated to Firuzeh through her crystal pendant.

“I’ve cooled down.” Char Char said, accepting Firuzeh’s words, “I’m ready to go back.”

“Okay, Sophia.” Firuzeh nodded.

Char Char’s eyebrows knitted in confusion as she looked blankly up at Firuzeh, “Huh?”

“Sophia.” Firuzeh repeated, adding after a moment, “Your new name.”

“Oh— right.” Char Char smiled. She started up the stream bank and nodded again as she passed Firuzeh, “Got it.”

A worried frown tugged at Firuzeh’s lips as she watched Char Char head back to the cart. Firuzeh’s thoughts turned to Corbin’s constant exasperation around Char Char as a sense of empathy for the man budded within her.