Ronin (An Interactive Story) Part 3

The winner is option B: A section of land to call his own.  Not what I expected, but that’s why we’re writing this together.  I don’t always want to know where the story is going to go.  Let’s see what happens next.

                 The Ronin was silent for a moment, eyes still closed.  Yet the Daimyo could sense that the Ronin’s eyes were open in another way, aimed towards the future.  What little future was available for a man such as himself.

                Finally, the Ronin opened his eyes and looked directly into the Daimyo’s.  “Land,” he said.
                “Land?”
                “An estate.  A patch of land in some far corner of your realm.  Somewhere where I can live out the remainder of my days in peace.  I cannot be expected to raise a family and risk passing my dishonour on to my children.  But I cannot die either.”
                “Cannot or will not?” the Daimyo asked, his curiosity getting the better of him once again.
                The Ronin turned his gaze away, his fingers dancing to the hilt of the extravagant golden katana at his side.  “Cannot.”
                “Very well,” the Daimyo nodded.  “I shall grant you this boon upon your return.  You have my word.  Now, I must ask you to leave immediately.  My son…was part of the last envoy that I sent to the village.  One of my servants will give you a map to your destination.”
                The Daimyo’s voice grew grave as he slid open the door and beckoned for the Ronin to precede him.  The Ronin nodded and passed through the doorway without any hesitation.  “I will discover what has happened.  But I make no promise to return with your son.”
                “I can still have hope.”
                “Hope,” the Ronin said, a touch of disgust in his voice.  “I care not for your superstitions, my daimyo.”
                The Daimyo frowned grimly as the Ronin walked away.  His eyes fell to the katana at his sword for a moment, then the Ronin rounded the corner and was out of sight.
                The Ronin quickly reacquired his horse and saddled up, proceeding out through the gates he had entered through less than half an hour earlier.  The samurai of the castle lined up on either side of the pathway to the gate, azure armour reflecting early morning sun like a great blue ocean.  His vermillion armour cut a path through their ranks unattested.  The Ronin kept his gaze high and forward.  He did nothing when a samurai spat on the ground before him as he rode past.
                One of the Daimyo’s servants had given him a map indicating where the village he was to travel to was located.  The ride would take almost seven hours at a trot without stopping, by the Ronin’s estimate.  Not wishing to push his horse too hard, the Ronin passed the time breathing in the rich air and searching for glimpses of wildlife in the thick woods to either side of him.
                The village was close but not yet in sight when he spotted a small boy playing in the road before him.  The boy wore nothing but ragged pants that appeared to be made from a burlap sack.  The Ronin slowed his horse as he approached.
                “Boy, are you from the village just down the road?” the Ronin called.
                At first the Ronin did not believe that the boy had heard him.  After a moment, the boy slowly rose to his feet, his back still to the Ronin.
                “There’s a monster in the village.”
                “Where did it come from?” the Ronin asked, urging his horse slightly closer and preparing to dismount.
                “From you.”
                The Ronin was taken aback by this statement.  However, before he could say anything more, the boy took off into the woods and disappeared between the trunks of the trees.
                Confused, the Ronin deliberated for a moment.  He felt a great unease growing in his chest and considered turning back.  But his thoughts turned to the possibility of a home to call his own, a place to live out his days shielded from a society that no longer acknowledged him, and he urged his mount forward once more.

Now, time to build some mystery.  What do you think the Ronin should find when he arrives in the village?

A)     The village is mysteriously empty

B)      The village is full of people but none of them are behaving quite right

C)      The village is full of children but no adults
D)     The village is full of people but they are all asleep