How My Fresh Start Began (2)

The order’s tryouts continued for an eternity, until the biting chill of the evening breeze made every applicant shiver and the moon hung high in the sky. At this point roughly half of the applicants had been dismissed, and most of the remainder were resting on the ground after becoming too exhausted to continue. A few had begun chatting happily with their sparring partners, having discovered a mutual interest in swords, each other, or both. Even though the practice session used actual weapons, surprisingly, no one had lost an arm.

My partner and I, however, were still standing. As the knight requested, my hands were thoroughly numb, and I had discovered a newfound hatred for all twelve basic forms – especially number six, which never felt quite right no matter how much I practiced it. It was some consolation to see that Rufus – that was the young lord’s given name, though he had refused to provide his surname – struggled equally with forms three and seven, perhaps because they emphasized agility and precision.

“What do you say … we call this one a draw, XXXXX?” he asked, panting with exhaustion.

“I’m not sure the examiner will let us off so easy, but I’m willing to give it a try if you are.” I sheathed my sword and shook his offered hand. “Been a pleasure learning from you.”

He smiled and replied in turn, “Likewise! I look forward to your company in the order.” before snapping to attention.

The examiner’s voice boomed from behind me. “Don’t get ahead of yourselves! You may stand taller than most of these saplings, but that doesn’t mean you meet the order’s standards!”

“Of course, sir. I was merely paying a compliment to the lady’s skill.”

The knight chuckled and waved us off. “Fair enough. I can see you two are barely on your feet, so I’ll grant you a pass for this exercise. I expect to see improvements in your third form when we next meet!”

Rufus sheathed his sword and dusted himself off. “How do you fancy a stiff drink and a warm bowl of soup to celebrate?”

“Why not? I think I’ll pass on the drink, though. I doubt showing up with a hangover would impress whoever’s in charge tomorrow, even if it’s typical behavior for a squire.”

He nodded. “It doesn’t hurt to be careful, I suppose. And I hope you don’t take offense if I say that you look like a cheap drunk.”

I reached to punch him in the shoulder, then stopped once I remembered I had jabbed that same spot eight times today. “Jackass. You’re right, though. Any friends here you want to bring along?”

He waved at a pair of girls leaning up against a low stone wall and threw his voice in their direction. “The neighborhood ruffians over there seem to have made the cut, despite their parents’ best intentions. Join us for dinner, you two?”

“Sure!” the two girls replied in unison and jogged over to meet us. “Let’s go to Amber & Rye, they’re probably not too busy right now.” the taller one suggested.

“I hope the young Master hasn’t spread any foul rumors about us.” remarked the spry one.

“Perish the thought” he replied, “only hard facts and regrettable tales, like the carriage incident.”

“That wasn’t my fault!” shouted the elegant girl.

“It wasn’t mine either!” shouted the vivacious girl.

Hang on, this is getting confusing. “Sorry, we haven’t been introduced. I’m XXXXX. Could you two ladies grace me with your names?”

The two girls took turns shaking my offered hand and introduced each other.

“She’s Ruby.” explained the handsome girl.

“And she’s Sapphire.” responded the ethereal girl, without missing a beat.

They regarded me with clear anticipation, but I decided to skip the obvious remark and advance to small talk.

“Pleasure to meet you. I take it you’ve known Rufus for a long time?”

“You lose the bet, Sapphire!”

“I was sure a lady-killer like her would compare your eyes to gemstones…”

I shrugged. “Sorry, my lady, but I can’t see them in this light. I’m sure they’re beautiful.”

Rufus chuckled and gestured for us to follow as he led the way to the tavern.

------

We lined up on the practice field at dawn the next morning and waited for the order’s vice commander to arrive. Ruby and Sapphire arrived shortly after me, hand-in-hand, and before lining up to my right, greeted me in unison. “Morning, sunshine!”

I tilted my head. “First time hearing that one. I usually get called something like ‘little bird’ or ‘smug bastard’.”

Rufus approached from behind us and stood to my left. “Those two are pretty different.”

“Yeah, I suppose. I didn’t get along with everyone back home.”

The crowd grew silent as a woman in full dress uniform exited the knights’ administrative office and approached the field. She walked up and down the line, then unrolled a sheet of paper and began to read off a list of names:

“Rufus Florentine.” So that was the young lord’s name. He clenched his fist to my left but maintained his composure.

“Ruby Hallian.” I guess these names are in alphabetical order.

“Sapphire Kansuen.” I’d figured them for sisters. Their parents must be like-minded!

I clenched my fist anxiously as the vice-commander listed four more names, then rolled the sheet up and pocketed it. “The rest of you are dismissed.”

Rufus turned to look at me, and Ruby grabbed my hand. “I can’t believe this…”

Sapphire tilted her head, and with a look of pity, responded, “I’m sure there were just too many good candidates! You’ll make it next time.”

“It’s fine, you two. I appreciate it.” I patted Ruby (the small one, in case you forgot) on the head, and she shooed my hand away before turning to look at Sapphire.

Rufus opened his mouth as if to speak, but then reconsidered and closed it, turning to look at the vice commander who was now walking in our direction.

“Good work, you three.” Rufus and the girls turned to face her as she spoke. Rufus responded promptly with a respectful “Thank you, Dame,” while the girls nodded, replying with a low-energy variation of “Thanks.”

The knight then turned to face me. “XXXXX, correct?”

“Yes, Dame.”

“Follow me. The countess wants to see you.” After saying this, she turned on her heel and walked towards the main building without waiting for my response. I waved back to the small, confused-looking crowd and followed her with as much composure as I could.

As soon as Sapphire believed I was out of earshot, I heard her mutter, “Oh, she’s in for it.”

------

The vice-commander led me into the countess’s office on the third floor of the main building. It was a wide, shallow room, with an ornate desk in the center flanked by large windows on each side looking out onto the training field. A large pair of doors, hewn from what appeared to be solid oak, sat behind the desk and led out onto a balcony, occupied by a table, two chairs, and an umbrella.

The left side of the room was occupied by a coat rack (bearing the weight of two coats and three hats for varying social circumstances) along with a small bookshelf, housing what looked like a full set of encyclopedia volumes and some hand-bound books without labels on their spines – perhaps personal diaries or family records.

On the right side sat a low table (with the House Solana crest prominently emblazoned on its surface) alongside two comfortable chairs around 16 inches apart. The countess was sitting in the chair opposite the entrance, half-way through a cup of tea. Helian’s description of her hadn’t done her justice.

“There you are. Come, sit.” She waved me towards the other chair.

I nodded and, after giving her a polite bow, approached and sat down.

She turned to face the vice-commander and smiled. “Pour us some tea, would you?”

My shock was no doubt evident on my face. Treating a ranking knight like this in front of a commoner was unprecedented, even for a noble. The countess must have had something in mind, but I dreaded the possibility that this little joke would be held against me.

Without missing a beat, the knight bent down and picked up the kettle, topping off the countess’s cup and filling mine to the brim. Countess Solana nodded, thanked her, and then explained. “Few would know it, but Dame Selene brews the best pot of tea you’ll find in the county. And I must admit, it’s amusing to insult her.”

I nearly choked on my tea. Selene coughed to my left before responding. “If that’s all, Lady Solana, I need to attend to some administrative matters.”

Solana waved her away. “Yes, that’ll do, dear. Tell the servants we’re not to be disturbed.”

Selene bowed and promptly left the room. I heard the office door lock behind me. Oh, hell.

------

The countess leaned forward and looked me in the eye. “XXXXX, was it? That’s an interesting name. It feels quite unusual in the mouth, don’t you think? It makes me wonder how it was chosen.”

“I can’t rightly say, Countess. To me, it’s just my first gift from my parents.”

She smiled and narrowed her eyes. “Not the only gift you were given, I’m sure. I saw your performance yesterday. Did they gift you that blade, as well?” she asked, gesturing towards my sheathed blade leaning up against the wall next to the entrance. (It would’ve been rude to bring it to my seat.)

“I’m afraid not, Countess. I was blessed with a family home and a loyal horse, but we lack the wealth necessary for gifts of that nature.”

“Stolen, then? Bought with your own pocket money? A gift from a wandering prince, perhaps?”

“Please rest assured that I’m not mocking you when I say this, but we found it in a cave.”

Her eyes widened with delight, and she laughed. “I’ve not heard that one before. Fantastic. Who taught you to use it?”

“A girl from my hometown was my practice partner, so most of what I know was learned from her. The rest is… improvised.”

“Oh? Where did she learn the blade?”

“I couldn’t say, Countess. I’d offer to ask on your behalf, but we no longer speak.”

“You must be quite the fool to earn the ire of a childhood friend, let alone one who could kill you where you stand!”

“Far from it, Lady Solana. We parted amicably, it’s just… our lives are set on different paths. Were it up to me, I would be at her side instead of in your distinguished company.”

The countess nodded. “I know that look in your eyes quite well - The sting of a recent break-up. I see it often, as any of my knights would attest were they certain I was out of earshot. I respect that you were able to move forward confidently after being cast aside.”

I flinched. Somehow, I managed to stop myself from objecting, and she continued. “If it’s any consolation, you’ve made the correct decision to find your own way. And I can scarcely imagine a better place for a woman like you to carve a path than in my service.”

The countess placed her free hand on top of mine. “But isn’t toiling behind a desk at the knightage or, heaven forbid, dying on some forgotten battlefield in the mountains a bit of a waste? Why not aim higher?”

“For one of low birth like myself, Countess, there aren’t many higher places to aim that I’ve any hope… of reaching.” As I said the word hope, she began to stroke my fingers. I sipped my tea and attempted to compose myself.

“This world is full of opportunities, young lady, and if you accept defeat so easily, they’ll never cross your path. You should trust the path you chose, and traverse to its end. Textbooks and gossip rags alike claim that I inherited my prestige, my title, and my strength. All gifts from my ancestors. But you know better, don’t you?”

She switched from caressing my hand to gripping it tightly and continued. “My title made these things possible, but I won every victory with my own hands, and I stepped on a mountain of corpses to get here. If I hesitate for a single moment, it will all be taken from me. I can tell you understand this. So, you should also understand that when a chance appears in front of you, you cannot hesitate. Why are you hesitating now?”

“May I speak frankly, Countess?”

“Proceed.”

“I’ve lived my life with a strict policy of not doing anything that might get me beheaded.”

She let go of my hand and caressed my neck instead.

“I assure you, while your neck might feel the sting of a blade or chain, it shall remain firmly attached, so long as you behave.”

I suddenly felt extremely thirsty, but my teacup was empty.

“You see, despite my sincerest wishes, Dame Selene is far too talented to spend all her time at my side. And she is likewise far too busy to spend much time away from it. An ambitious young woman like you, however, is the ideal choice for both. With some care and attention, we shall hone your skills razor-sharp until you’re unmatched in all the kingdom.”

“I’m not sure what to say, Lady Solana.”

“Then say yes, little bird.”

Those last two words made my blood run cold.