The Knights of Sheba Ep. 10: "Blood, Sweat, and Sacrifice" A

 Episode Ten: Blood, Sweat and Sacrifice

 

            A week passes and the morning finds Geneva lying in bed staring at the ceiling.  School is out for winter break, and she is spending it alone, in her room, leaving only for training or food.  She hasn’t seen Kit since the night of the party and feels no great need to change that.

            After staring at the ceiling for some time, she rises from bed for a shower.  Partway through her shower, she hears the phone but ignores it.  After getting out and drying she goes straight to her room and locks the door behind her.  While she is changing Beatrice knocks.

            “Hey, Gene, call for you.”

            Geneva clasps her bra.  “I’m not here.”

            “Uh, yeah you are.  I’m talking to you, so answer the phone.”

            “I’m busy.”  She dries her hair a second time for good measure and tosses the towel on the floor.

            “No, you’re not.”

            “Just tell her I can’t come to the phone.”

            “I’m not telling her that again.”

            “And I’m not answering the phone.”

            Beatrice leans against the door. “What the hell is your problem lately?”

            “I just don’t want to talk to her, okay?”

            “Fine.”  Beatrice leaves, and through the door, Geneva can hear her say, “Sorry, turns out she’s busy.  Yeah, I’ll definitely have her call you back.  Sorry.  Bye.”

            Geneva stares into her closet, at the clothes piling in the bottom, at the empty hangers, at the shadowed wall.  She closes her eyes, sees flashes of the battle, feels the inertia of being thrown.  The bruises still ache, when she remembers them, and she always remembers them.  Sometimes, when she looks in the mirror, she can see where her nose is swollen, even when she wears makeup to hide it, like how Ms. Olivia showed her.

            She grabs a shirt and a pair of jeans and pulls them on.  They fit loosely now, and she remembers staring into her reflection earlier this week and wondering who that was looking back at her. She looked like a woman then.  Now, she looks different, stronger, but hollow.

            She isn’t herself.

            Tugging her shirt on, she thinks how she will need to buy new clothes soon.  She goes to her nightstand, picks up the phone, and dials Ms. Olivia.

            “Hello?”

            “I’m ready.”

            “Oh, good morning, Ms. Oaks,” Ms. Olivia says.  “Isn’t it a bit early for training?”

            “If I start early, then I have more time to get it right.”

            “Yes, but Ms. Oaks, you are on break.  We’ve trained enough this week.  Don’t you think you should…”

            “Just come pick me up.”  Geneva hangs up.  She grabs her cell phone and sets it to vibrate before stuffing it into her pocket.  Then, she goes downstairs to grab breakfast before Ms. Olivia arrives.  She finds her parents there, waiting in the silence, sipping coffee.  Her father has a plate of eggs in front of him.  Her mother has just finished eating.

            “Oh, good morning, Genie,” her mother says, rising from the table with her plate in hand.  “It’s a surprise to see you up this early.”

            Her father smiles over the top of the paper.  “Normally don’t see you up before noon without school.”

            Geneva shrugs.  “Been waking up early.  Can’t sleep.”

            Her parents exchange glances, and her mother looks at her.  “Is something the matter, sweetheart?”

            “No.”  Geneva places a bagel in the toaster.  “Just busy.”

            “Do you have to see your tutor today?”

            “Yeah, she’s on her way now.”

            Her mother smiles.  “Well, we’re proud of you, dear.”

            “Thanks,” Geneva says.  Her bagel pops out, and she picks it up and drops it quickly on her plate.  Then, she sucks her burning thumb while grabbing the cream cheese from her fridge.

            “Really, honey, you’ve matured so much in only a few months.  Ever since the mugging…”

            “I’m fine, mom.”  Geneva flashes a half-hearted smile.  “Too stubborn to let anything like that change me.”

            Her mother smiles.  “Oh, we know how stubborn you can be.  I thought that labor was never going to end.”

            “Gross, mom.  Eating.”

            “Ha, that sounds more like our girl,” her father says, and he raises his mug in salute.  “Welcome back.”

            Geneva nibbles at her bagel quietly, and her mother gives her a small hug.  “Still, dear, if there is anything wrong, you can tell us, you know.”

            “I know,” Geneva says.  “Thanks, mom.”  Through the window she sees Ms. Olivia pull up, and she jams a bite of bagel in her mouth and runs for the front door.  She is throwing her jacket on when she hears her mother call, “Geneva, you left the rest of your bagel, dear.”

            “You can have it,” she says, and she is out the door.

 

-The Knights of Sheba-

 

            Nina takes Geneva to the elven compound, where they continue their training in the basement.  Despite her injuries, Geneva has trained every day since the battle and has even extended her training regimen considerably.  She is taking to it with surprising enthusiasm and no small degree of intensity.

            The elves don’t watch her anymore.  Few even make eye contact with her and Erak seems to avoid her altogether, which suits Geneva just fine.  Anymore, when she arrives, Nina leads her straight down the stairs and what few elves are training leave shortly after she enters the basement.

            This morning is the same.  In a matter of seconds they are alone while Nina prepares their equipment.  She starts by grabbing two wooden swords and passing one to Geneva.  They begin with simple exercises, forward overhead strikes.  Nina doesn’t have any formal training with a blade but has been doing research and compiling what she can.

            Geneva swipes at the air a few times before looking around the empty basement.  “Seems I’m not too popular around here anymore.  What, did I piss off the wrong guy?”

            “In truth, you were never very welcome here.”

            “Thanks.”

            “I didn’t mean to,” Nina sighs, “I simply meant to say that the elves aren’t fond of outside help, especially from those races that they view as lesser.  We are an…isolated race and like to keep it that way.”  She swings her own sword overhead.  “And, yes, you did piss off the wrong person.”  Nina manages a small smile when Geneva looks at her.  “That said, I think you did well standing up to him.”

            “Thanks, I guess.”  Geneva shrugs and paces a few feet away.  When she turns, she has her weapon ready.  “Okay, let’s do this.”

            “Now? Shouldn’t we run our usual exercises?”

            “Why waste the time?  The sword will be my primary weapon, right?  So, I need to learn to use it if I want to keep fighting.”  She adjusts her grip on her sword, making room for both hands.  “So, let’s train.”

            Nina nods.  “I suppose.  Then, I will start.”

            They walk a tight circle around each other.  Nina’s movements are smooth, practiced, and Geneva’s are more measured than usual.  Early in their training, she was clumsy and impatient.  She would rush forward, strike at false openings, flail when attacked.  Now, she is thoughtful, considerate of the distance between them in both space and skill.

            After another circle, Nina strikes.  She takes a few wide steps and swings overhead.  Geneva deflects to the side and slides in, knocking Nina’s blade up while bringing her own in to strike.  The movement, though more polished than usual, is too wide.  It leaves herself open for Nina to duck under and lunge.

            Geneva sidesteps, stumbles, and Nina retreats.  When Geneva regains her footing, she glares.  “Don’t do that!”

            “Don’t do what exactly?”

            “Don’t baby me.  I know I messed up.  Or, I mean, I don’t know.  But no more kid gloves!  I’m supposed to be a soldier now, right?  So, treat me like one.”

            Nina hesitates, then nods.  “Of course, I apologize.”

            They resume their circling, and this time Geneva initiates. She takes a few uneven steps and lunges for Nina’s chest only to have the attack knocked to the side.  A seamless movement follows, and Nina lands a blow to Geneva’s arm.  The contact is enough to knock Geneva to the mat.  She punches the floor as she recovers.

            Pushing up, she swings hard at Nina’s head.  The attack is parried, but the energy is brought into another overhead strike.  Geneva keeps swinging, fast and hard, and Nina retreats calmly, blocking and dodging as she goes.  When Geneva stumbles, Nina strikes, knocking Geneva’s weapon from her hand and sending her tumbling.

            Nina spins her blade and points it at Geneva’s prone form.  Then, she bows and offers her hand.  “Very good.  You’ve got some real power in your swings.”

            Geneva glares again.  She brushes the hand aside and crosses the room to pick up her sword.  “It wasn’t good enough.  I didn’t even hit you.”

            “But you’re keeping pace now.  That is an improvement.”

            “It’s not enough,” Geneva says.  “Enemies won’t hold back.”

            “True,” Nina says carefully.  “Well, I think we’ve done enough for today, don’t you?”

            “No!”  Geneva fixes the glare on Ms. Olivia now.  “I’m not done yet.  I can keep going.”

            “I am sure you can, but it is best to be patient.  You’re still injured.”

            “I’m fine!”

            “Ms. Oaks!”  They hold each other’s gazes, Geneva’s hardened, and Nina’s tranquil but firm in its own right.  “I must insist that we end for the day.”

            “So, what, I woke up for, like, ten minutes of training?”

            “I had said we could rest today,” Nina says.  “You need your rest.”

            “No, I need training, not naps.  I’m fighting monsters, remember?”

            “I do, and we don’t know when they will strike again, and we can’t have you too tired or hurt to fight if they do.  It is best to be cautious.”

            Geneva rolls her eyes.  “Whatever.”  She tosses the sword onto the mat.  “I’ll be outside.”

            Nina watches Geneva leave the basement and shakes her head.  She picks up the sword and puts it away on the wall before grabbing her coat.

            Outside, Nina finds Geneva waiting beside the passenger side door of Nina’s assigned SUV.  The sky is gray and the air chill.  There is no snowfall, but what has already fallen lingers, thawing and freezing in a repeated cycle.  Nina pulls her coat tight and approaches, unlocking the car with the press of a button.  Geneva shivers and climbs in.

            “Ms. Oaks, I would like to ask you, how are your injuries healing?”

            They are in the car together now.  Geneva pulls her seatbelt on while Nina works the keys into the ignition.  “They’re fine.”

            Nina starts the car and adjusts the heater.  She pulls away from the compound and notes Erak watching her from an upstairs window before turning the car around.  “And might I ask something else?”

            Geneva sighs.  “Go ahead.”

            “Is there something wrong? You’ve been acting strangely lately.”

            “I’m in a strange situation.”  Geneva stares out the window, slouching, sunken like all of the rage inside of her earlier was sustaining her.

            “Of course, but I believe if you would wish to talk about it, we might be able to find a solution for this.”

            “The only thing I wish is that you would stop, that everybody would just stop.  I wish Beatrice would stop harassing me, Kit would stop calling me, that my parents would stop telling me how proud they are, and you—you should just stop prying.  I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to do anything.  I just want to…”

            “To what?”

            “To nothing.”  Geneva sinks further into her seat and crosses her arms.  “I just want to not talk about it, because there’s nothing to say.  Nothing.”

            “I see.  Then, I apologize,” Nina says, and she glances at Geneva, who hardly seems to hear her.  They pull out onto the highway and start the short journey back into civilization.

 

-The Knights of Sheba-

 

            Claude sits on the edge of his mattress, in his underwear, staring at his arm.  In the week since the battle, he hasn’t worked a shift.  Instead, he has nursed his injured arm and injured pride.  There haven’t been any hospital bills.  Nina was true to her word, arriving to check in on him, and bringing along medical experts to attend to his wounds.  So far, his recovery has been solid, and they promise full mobility once his arm has finished healing.

            Shirley, meanwhile, has worked extra to make up for his lack of income.  This morning, she is already dressed for work, wearing a fitted burgundy jacket with a matching skirt and heels.  Her auburn hair is up in a conservative bun.  She kisses Claude on the cheek while grabbing her lipstick.  “Got one of your meetings today,” she asks from the bathroom.

            “Nope.”  He watches her from the bed. Their lives have changed so quickly, so dramatically, and yet the transition happened with surprising ease.  They are together, but looking back, it feels like they always have been.

            She leans out from the bathroom and flashes him a pretty, red smile.  “I still can’t believe what you did.  I mean, you killed a monster not even two blocks away from our apartment.  You’re a real hero.”

            Claude shakes his head.  “Nah, the girl did all of the work.  I was just in the way.”

            “You did the thing with the arrow, right?”

            Claude rubs the back of his neck.

            “So, you helped.”  She sets down her lipstick.  “Don’t you sell yourself short.  It’s your destiny to do this sort of stuff, isn’t it?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Then own it.”  She checks herself in the mirror, and then looks at Claude.  “How do I look?”

            “Uh. Good?”

            “Professional?”

            Claude looks her over and finds it hard to believe the girl with pigtails and dirt perpetually caked on her face was ever real.  “Definitely professional.”

            She smiles.  “Need anything before I go?”

            “I’m good.  Just going crazy hiding out in here all day.”

            “Then go for a walk.”  She gathers her purse and keys from the counter and peeks back at him from the front door.  “And don’t let any of this get to you, Claude.  You weren’t in the way, and you definitely helped out.  And, for what it’s worth, whatever you do, you’ll always be my hero.”

            Claude smirks.  “Thanks.”

            “Yup, yup.  I’ll pick up dinner tonight.”

            “You don’t have to,” he says.  “I can cook.”

            She snickers.  “Since when?”

            “Hey, I’m a perfectly fine cook.”

            “So, what, we’re having toast tonight?”

            “Ah, just go to work.  You’ll see when you get home.”

            She blows a raspberry and slips out the door.  “See you then!”

 

-The Knights of Sheba-

 

            Geneva and Ms. Olivia are silent.  They stare out the windows, Geneva watching the landscape roll by, Ms. Olivia focusing on the road ahead.  It feels longer than usual, the road, and both count the seconds as they pass.

            When they arrive, they find Kit’s car parked in front of Geneva’s house.  Geneva eyes the car with apprehension, her fingers tight about the door handle, but doesn’t say anything.  After a deep breath, she leaves, hopping from the SUV and slamming the door behind her.  She hurries across the yard, even as Kit gets out to meet her.

            They race to the door, Geneva ahead, Kit trailing.  Kit calls, but Geneva ignores her and is nearly inside when Kit takes her by the shoulder and wheels her around, and now they are face-to-face, and Geneva is sure Kit will hit her.  She tries to remember her training.

            Kit takes a deep breath and settles for a glare.  “What is your deal?”

            “Haven’t got a deal.”  Geneva pulls her jacket up, stuffs her hands into her pockets.  “Just busy, don’t have time to argue.”

            Kit’s lips tighten.  She glances back at the SUV, watches Ms. Olivia pull away and disappear down the street.  “Tutoring,” she asks, meeting Geneva’s gaze.

            “Yeah.  Lots of studying, and I still got more to do.  Can I go?”

            “No,” Kit says.  “I mean, we should talk.  I can come in, if you want.”

            Geneva glances at her house and thinks of all the prying eyes.  She shakes her head.  “That won’t work.  Listen, I’ll call you later, and…”

            “I’ve heard that all week, Genny, and I’m tired of waiting.  I won’t.”

            “Well, it’s all I’ve got.”

            Kit’s shifts now, looking more hurt than angry.  “Are you really so busy that you can’t even talk to me?”

            Geneva holds her breath.  She tries to view the conversation as a battle.  Kit is losing, and Geneva has a way to end it here, but staring into Kit’s eyes, defenseless, searching, she can’t.  So, she sighs, her breath coming in curls of steam.  “No,” she says after a long silence.  “No, we can talk now.  I’d just rather not do it inside.”

            Kit nods.  “We can grab brunch?”

            “Kit, no.  I don’t have any money.”

            “I’ll pay.”

            “Kit.”

            “Come on, Genny.  We really need to talk, and if this is the only way…”

            “Fine.” Geneva hangs her head.  “Fine, let’s just go.”

            “Don’t you need to tell your parents?”

            Geneva shrugs.  “Tutoring ended kind of early.  They weren’t expecting me back yet anyway.”  She moves passed Kit, her head down.  “Come on, before they notice.”

 

The Knights of Sheba 110 A…End