The Road to Kotaishi

At last Shiko came to what he determined must be the lamplighter's shop; it would be hard to miss, what with the great light fixture hanging over the door. He knocked and waited.

He heard a shuffling from inside, and a voice said, "Wait, wait, just a minute..." Finally the door opened with a squeak, and the familiar face of the lamplighter peered out at him. Shiko had never talked to him, but had seen him lighting the lamps around the priory and the castle ever since he could remember. The man wore a sleeping gown, and Shiko suddenly realized with horror that the lamplighter would of course sleep late, having tended the castle's lamps much of the night.

"Your pardon, Master Lamplighter," said Shiko, with embarrassment. "I did not mean to wake you."

"'Tis all right boy, 'tis all right," replied the lamplighter, walking back inside and waving to Shiko to follow him. "'Twas time to be up and about anyways."

The apprentice followed the man into his workshop. At first glance, it was a room that was almost overwhelming to the senses. Everywhere he looked Shiko saw lamps and lanterns, brass frames, pieces of glass, cords of rope for wicks, and all manner of unfamiliar paraphernalia. The morning sunlight coming through the windows, striking the various bits of metal and glass, caused the entire room to sparkle.

The lamplighter interrupted Shiko's reverie. "You be one of those Deshi boys, huh?"

"Yes, Master Lamplighter."

"Ah. Name's Tukeru, by the way. Be with you in a moment." He went over to a small wood stove. "Needs my hot kosha, get these old bones moving in the mornings." He poured out some boiling water from a well-dented pot into a tiny cup, one so small he could easily hold it in the palm of his hand. Placing some ground-up leaves in the cup, he swished the mixture around in his hand and then downed it in one draft. Putting the cup down with a satisfied "Ahhhhhh", he turned back to Shiko. "Now then, boy, what be the problem at the priory this time? Still more candles needed for all that book readin'? Don't know how you Deshi-folk keep any of your eyesight," he muttered, as he shuffled over toward his workbench. "Just dropped off a whole case-full o' candles the other day. They makin' you study into the wee hours, boy?"

"No, Master Tukeru. Actually, I've come for something...well, something different."

"Ohhhh? Well, let me see," said Tukeru with feigned concentration. "Something 'different' he says," as he looked about. "Well, me boy, so sorry, but I be all out of 'different' today." He looked back at Shiko with a gentle grin. "'Less, of course, you can be a bit more specific?"

Shiko smiled. "Well, somewhat, Master Tukeru. I'm looking for...that is, have you ever heard of a Hikari lantern?"

Tukeru gave Shiko a long considering look. Finally he said, "Nope. Never heard of one. But if you describe it, mayhaps I got something that would do the trick. What's it for?"

Deflated, Shiko thought about how much he should explain to the lamplighter. He decided that discretion was perhaps in order. "It's for a special ceremony. It has to be lit during the ritual, and is then carried on the end of a pole until...well, until the ceremony is over," he finished lamely.

"I see," said Tukeru, who clearly did not. "Well, let's look at what sortsa lanterns I got over here that might fit your bill." He walked over to the far wall of the shop, where a bewildering variety of lamps and lanterns were arranged on pegs, from small table candle holders to large outdoor affairs used to light the pathways around the castles. "Be needin' somethin' fancy, I suspect. Most times people want lotsa pretty gee-gaws on their lights when they want one for weddin's and such."

Shiko listened without hearing as Tukeru rummaged through the lamps hanging on the wall. Large or small, they all looked more or less the same to Shiko. What, he wondered, was a Hikari supposed to look like? How was he ever going to find one?