Read The Twelve Kingdoms: Dreaming of Paradise for Free Online Page A

in the way, I could always go somewhere else—"
    Seitaku tilted his head to the side. "Did something happen?"
    "Something happen?" Taiki echoed.
    "If I asked you to help me, then I shouldn't think that you were also in the way. So why would you ask such a question?"
    "Because—I really can't do anything."
    "You gathered up all those prunings, didn't you? Helped fetch the water, carried all that straw—"
    "All I did was carry it."
    "That alone constitutes help, doesn't it? When you talk like that, it makes me think you don't see yourself as being very useful."
    Seitaku looked at him with his clear, warm eyes. Taiki nodded. "I don't want to think so, but I'm afraid it's true."
    "Why is that?"
    "Because I'm so totally useless. Not just farming. Everything. Gyousou-sama says it's just because I'm small, but I can tell I'm a disappointment to everybody."
    "Really?" Seitaku asked. Taiki nodded his head. Seitaku patted him on the back. "Why don't we take a break?" he said, indicating a pile of hay.
    "No, we can keep working."
    "Well, I'm pooped. How about some tea?" Seitaku directed his voice at the levy bordering the adjacent rice field where Tansui had withdrawn to observe from a comfortable distance. "Hey, Mr. Bodyguard, would you like some tea too?"
    Tansui waved his hand, declining the offer.
    "Not a job I'd want to have, sitting around like that all the time," Seitaku said, getting out a big earthenware teapot. "I used to think it'd be tough being a bodyguard because it was dangerous. But times like this, when there's no danger at all, could be just as bad."
    "Yeah," Taiki laughed. But the smile quickly faded. Staring into the teacup Seitaku passed him, he said, "So there's a difference between your job and your duty—"
    "That's right."
    "When I heard that, I thought it must be true. The duty of the kirin is to pick the king. I've done my duty. It'd be nice if I could just do my job the best I knew how. Except as Saiho, as Province Lord, I'm too small to really do anything."
    "I've always thought the kirin's duty was to act with compassion."
    "Not choose the king?"
    "Choosing the king is one aspect of that, is it not? Choosing the ruler who will best serve the people?"
    "So there's still a duty left for me to perform."
    "I would say so."
    "Then what is a kirin's job?"
    "Taiki's job is to grow up." Seitaku smiled. "That's the job of every child, isn't it?" He plucked a red kasho from a low-hanging limb and placed it in Taiki's palm. "You've got a lot on your mind. And that's part of your job too. As is eating and sleeping and crying and laughing.
    Taiki looked at the bright, red fruit in his hand. "But is that enough? The people of Tai are in a bad state. Tai is very cold in the winter. A lot of people are suffering amidst all that snow. Even though I'm Saiho and Province Lord, there's nothing I can give them. Just growing up with nothing to offer—"
    Seitaku interrupted, "I'm no great leader of men myself. A mere farmer who can hardly make heads nor tails of politics and government. Renrin's got a talent for that sort of thing, so I leave it up to her. Looking after the crops and livestock is about the best I can do."
    "Even when you're the king?"
    "I guess so," Seitaku laughed. "That's why I built this farm. It's the one way I know to make myself useful. Having plowed under the royal gardens, and thinking about the time and effort it takes to keep things all shipshape, I thought I should do my part to defray the public expenditures of money. At the very least, it'd be cheaper and easier than buying from the stores in Juurei."
    "So it's like you're paying your room and board."
    "Exactly," Seitaku answered with an earnest nod. "You can't live without somebody paying for your upkeep. I'm a farmer, see? That duty was given to me by the kingdom. But there's no way I'd be able to pay the wages of all the officers and officials, or afford the silk ceremonial robes, or wine and dine the guests of honor. That's why even Renrin