When Heojin’s party arrived it had been noticeably late, late enough that the other family heads had begun without him. Now, his party was notable because of the wide berth they drew, and the stares, and the mutters. Some of them weren’t so discreet.
“Look, it’s the Coward!,” some kedan sneered without bothering to lower their voices, pointing. Their disdain was enough that the especially outspoken kedan would quite willingly talk to even Foreigners to tell them the story: how, during the invasion, Heojin the Coward had taken all the kedan outside the city and fled with them into the hills, and left the kedan within the city to fight alone. Most of them left out the part where Heojin’s people waged guerilla warfare against the invaders attempting to take over their farmlands, and cut off the supply-lines for the invaders inside the city.
Heojin only sat quietly in spite of the accusations, his back straight and expression calm and open, examining the Courtyard and those inside it with an even gaze. The two guards at his back took more offence, stepping toward anyone who got too close or too loud with scowls. They were armed with hoes and sickles -- farming instruments, not weapons. One was tall and gangly, with freckles and purple hair that stuck up everywhere, and he was the one who kept shifting from foot to foot, gazing around with a nervous sort of restlessness. The other was shorter and calmer, blonde and heavyset, leaning on his hoe and gazing into the distance in a manner that belied his attention to his surroundings.
Every now and then Heojin spoke to the third man beside him, smaller and older and with a wooden board and a scroll, and brush; a scribe, taking notes. Heojin spoke quietly, but just as he addressed the other family leaders, his tone was even and measured and didn’t seem capable of diverting from that.
Though none of them approached anyone themselves, or even seemed interested in speaking publicly, the guards didn’t stop anyone from approaching. At least, they didn’t stop anyone who proved they had no rotting fruit or weapons.
Heojin - The Woodsmen
“Look, it’s the Coward!,” some kedan sneered without bothering to lower their voices, pointing. Their disdain was enough that the especially outspoken kedan would quite willingly talk to even Foreigners to tell them the story: how, during the invasion, Heojin the Coward had taken all the kedan outside the city and fled with them into the hills, and left the kedan within the city to fight alone. Most of them left out the part where Heojin’s people waged guerilla warfare against the invaders attempting to take over their farmlands, and cut off the supply-lines for the invaders inside the city.
Heojin only sat quietly in spite of the accusations, his back straight and expression calm and open, examining the Courtyard and those inside it with an even gaze. The two guards at his back took more offence, stepping toward anyone who got too close or too loud with scowls. They were armed with hoes and sickles -- farming instruments, not weapons. One was tall and gangly, with freckles and purple hair that stuck up everywhere, and he was the one who kept shifting from foot to foot, gazing around with a nervous sort of restlessness. The other was shorter and calmer, blonde and heavyset, leaning on his hoe and gazing into the distance in a manner that belied his attention to his surroundings.
Every now and then Heojin spoke to the third man beside him, smaller and older and with a wooden board and a scroll, and brush; a scribe, taking notes. Heojin spoke quietly, but just as he addressed the other family leaders, his tone was even and measured and didn’t seem capable of diverting from that.
Though none of them approached anyone themselves, or even seemed interested in speaking publicly, the guards didn’t stop anyone from approaching. At least, they didn’t stop anyone who proved they had no rotting fruit or weapons.