For Honor: Chapter Six

Anja buried her head deep into her current book. For hours she had been slowly paging through a thick anthology book. Anja hated anthology. Whenever her tutor assigned it, Anja would do everything she could to get out of doing her work. But today was the week’s end. The meant she would have the whole day to procrastinate and claim to still be working on the three-page explanation she had finished hours ago. 1

Anja laughed to herself considering her genius. It hadn’t taken long to make up a plan. Ever since her outburst and departure form the evening’s meal, her mother and sisters had been desperately trying to force her into social situations. Whether it be a light social at someone’s house or a outing that just so happened to circulate back to home, Anja was expected to participate, after her studies were finished. So there Anja sat leaning over a dull large book, pretending to be engrossed. 2

‘The Baron Marque’s wrote, “If things were meant to be, they would have been; but things can only have been if they have been thought into be”, it is believed the Baron was a believer in fate. That we make of own fate by inviting fate to ride along with our decisions.’3

Anja shook her head she was tired of hearing about fate. It made her feel defenseless and a slave. If all her decisions were already preordained, then what was the point? Anja didn’t get a chance to answer this question due to rapid heels clicking against the hallway near the study..4

Without the courtesy of knocking, Mary and Vivian erupted into the quiet room bring a cacophony of laughter and noise along with them. Both older, soon to be married, girls looked around the room. Their laughter slowly quieted. Mary covered her mouth in mock wonder. 5

“Since when do we have a library? And so many books.” 6

Vivian copied and joked. “We’ve always had one, but no one in their right mind would voluntarily come her. Well, except, Anja!” 7

“And who ever said she was in her right mind?8

“Born in spring, good tidings bring9

Born in autumn, skin so soft10

Born in summer healthy mother11

These three are girls the best12

But surly winter always13

Banter and find no time to jest.14

For Harsher winds and life take away her light15

And leave her granny’d at best.”16

Anja rolled her eyes as her sisters sang the annoying song. She had heard it a thousand times. No one knew when it had originally been writing. But it was widely known, even in the peasant class. But only nobles took it seriously. To say a girl had some north wind about her was an insult, along with Ice Queen, or frigid. All were commonplace but Anja felt that her people just took it way to seriously and were childish to believe in such superstitions. Then again she was the one who was born in the dead of winter, during the worse storm of the decade. So naturally she had a chip on her shoulder about it. An ice chip, if you will.17

The girl buried her nose further into the book trying not to show her embarrassment. Although it got old it still hurt. Anja just focused on the paged before her and blinked her tears away. Does no good to star crying now. Anja turn the page slowly and sighed trying to rid herself of the lump in her throat, but Vivian wasn’t having in. The bubbly blonde sat down next to her sister and ripped the book from her hands. Turn the textbook sideways Vivian flipped hundreds of pages as she held it away from Anja’s grasp.18

“Come now Vivo! Give it back.” Anja begged. But Vivian simply threw it to Mary. Mary fell backwards dramatically into the couch groaning obnoxiously. “Why would anyone want to read this?” 19

Vivian Held the younger sister back as Mary half-hazard went through the brook’s knowledge. “And what is the world does ‘internment’ mean? That’s not a word you’d ever hear in proper conversation, I don’t think.” 20

Anja smirked and ripped her arms from Vivian’s hold and folded them, “No, you don’t. But we don’t expect much from you.”21

“Who’s we?”22

The opening of the study door cut off Anja’s reply. Oh, great what now what? More people to irritate me. A tall gentle man in a riding suit appeared in the doorway. Anja couldn’t have mistaken his playful grin for anyone else. 23

“Mesick! What are you doing here?” Anja tried to late to hide her elation. It was a boon to have someone around that wouldn’t ridicule her every move. But then she remembered the dinner. How he berated her the minute he arrived. Anja’s face noticeably fell before she was able to plaster a smile on. It hurt to think about how much his comments had hurt her. It shouldn’t matter, but it did. And Anja cared, even if she didn’t want to.24

Mesick stood at the door only for a moment. He alone had seen Anja’s sudden change in emotions several times. He wanted to speak, but he could never do so freely when her sisters were present.25

“Ahem. Good day ladies! I have a message from the postal boys. Apparently a few young gentlemen were hoping for your arms on this days ride.” Vivian and Mary squealed and swoon before leaving he room. The clicking of their heels gave Anja a headache as she rolled her eyes. Then she looked at Mesick and gave a curt nod. 26

“Good day sir.” 27

She was stooped short on her exit by his firm grasp. Anja waited like a chastened child. Mesick slowly dragged her back into the room until they came to the window seats.28

“Sit,” was all he said. Anja stood indignant. She in no way, shape, or form would be ordered around by someone who had fallen in her graces. With a heavy sigh Mesick himself sat. He looked up at Anja in wonder. So much about the girl had changed. A sort of sorrow had fallen over her. What angers and fears she had faced in his absence he did not know. What he did know was that she was changed from his child companion. Mesick knew of Anja’s struggle with the family’s expectations. He had thought she would relent but not in such a drastic way. She looked so different, how could she possibly be the same?29

“It would please me if I were not the only one sitting.” Mesick gently tugged Anja’s wrist. The girl responded in wrenching her hand free and taking three steps away, before settling in a seat far in the corner. Mesick chuckled. “Still stubborn as ever I see. Yet not as cheerful.”30

“I was never cheerful. What do you want?”31

“It has been too long since I have spoken with you.”32

“Well, you made it very clear the other day how you felt about me, Mesick. And as my sister’s husband I don’t believe you should be alone with me.”33

Mesick raised and lowered his brows. “Still as sharp as a knife too. You think I meant to offend you?”34

Anja looked away. 35

“I could see that it would seem as much. But then again, a father would be just as shocked to see his three year old toting a sledgehammer the very next day.”36

Anja coughed and blinked furiously.37

“But perhaps it is not the same. I am not your father, and you are more than three. Oh but time passes in the oddest of ways. I can scarcely remember a time when you ever wore dresses willingly.”38

“And who says I wear them willingly? You can’t just come back here and expect me to be the same. For Haven’s sake there’s been a war, Mesick. A war! People died, poor faithful men killed for the good of you and you act like it doesn’t even matter!” Anja stood furious. She hadn’t meant to yell. But his causal tone infuriated her. The way he sat there so self appointed and in control. How changed he was! How could she have not seen it at first? Mesick had always been this way, but now age and wisdom revealed him for what he was: one of them.39

Mesick stood as well. He took slow measure steps until he was right in front of Anja. He ran his hand down the side of her face smoothing her bangs. Mesick smirked; a reaction Anja had never seen before. 40

“My dear Anja. You speak as if you were there to witness it first hand, eh?” Anja’s eyes widened. Her back broke out in cold sweats. Her family had a strict policy of women owning weapons, let alone actually wielding them. Anja began to stutter trying to explain herself. It was more humiliation than she could bear. 41

“I-I just mean to say that-that just because—you’re such an ass!” 42

Anja brushed passed him hard. She threw all her weight into his chest. Mesick stumbled back a few feet and was too shocked to react. Anja stomped out of the room flaming. 43

This time she would not be stopped. Anja grabbed her cloak and got though the front door before anyone could even think to stop her. Damn Mesick. Damn family. Damn rules. Just…just…just damn! Anja slid right passed the carrier and attendants. She needed out of the world she knew. And her visit to Yoshiro was long over due. Her heart began to patter less as she thought of the calm old man. His glory days had long passed, but Anja took heart in the wisdom he shared with her. Whether it was about war, fighting, or life itself, Anja always found truth in what her teacher told her.44

When Mesick had left from entertaining Anja to pursue his artistic needs, Anja didn’t know what to do with her self. She wandered around the temples and market, but everyday it was the same old thing. It wasn’t until she got lost one day and found herself in the fifth district that Anja found any excitement. The markets and vendors were different, exotic and mysterious compared to the sellers she had known her whole life. Anja relished in being able to purchase things that couldn’t be found at home. Most people and merchants delighted in the naive little child splurging on their food and products. But a few people recognized her for a noble and didn’t take kindly to her presents. Anja was jumped. She fended them off with magic, which she hated to use, but was thoroughly shaken. So bad that she fainted right then. It was Master Yoshiro who had found her. A widower and mourning father himself, he took pity on Anja and brought her into his home after witnessing her encounter. 45

When Anja had awoken she was so afraid that she nearly wet herself. But Yoshiro had been kind and gentle explaining her present state. While Anja got her bearings, she had taken time to admire all the weapons on Yoshiro’s walls. 46

“You’re a fighter? A real one?” 47

The old sage had smiled briefly. “We prefer the term warrior, but yes. A Silent Solider back in ancient times.” 48

“My family used to host a whole line of warriors. But then things changed and only the boys are allowed to fight but they don’t do that much anymore. You know more noble stuff. But what could be more noble than fighting?” 49

Anja’s had then pretended to fight an invisible foe. Yoshiro had begun to think and smile. Anja had reminded him of his our children and their passion for fighting. And he agreed to teach her. That day had been the best in her young life. Sine then Anja fought with not only her body, but also her heart and spirit. Yoshiro even encouraged her to work on fighting with her mind, magi attacks, He said that “One day you will have a difficult opponent and a magi attack will cloud his judgment. Might even give you even time to counter hard. All sorts of fighting are to be practiced. You never know when you’ll need it.” 50

So had begun her career in combat. For Anja the actually fighting was easy. The hard part was getting her mother to surrender the sums Anja needed to practice, that and being able to get away on a regular basis. But it all had worked out. Anja smiled as she passed the sector gate. Despite all of her obstacles she had risen to be a warrior. In the past two years, Anja had never lost a fight against any of the other aspiring students she faced. Yoshiro no longer schooled fighters, but other masters had schools fifty strong. Anja had never lost against any of them. Of course that was a small selection. Those were the individual schools. A few taught groups of young men to be a team and depended on a synchronized group for fighting as well as self. It was a group similar to this that Anja had recalled losing to. The only time I’ve ever lost. They were pretty strong too. Had I’d used magi, I might have won. But he was worth losing to…. Anja leaned against Yoshiro’s door as she fantasized meeting him again. The two would fight one on one. And this time Anja would gladly lay down her sword, like back in ancient times, and accept him as her protector. Her fantasy also involved them fighting horse back, racing along the coast, fighting side by side to defeat enemies and free the oppressed.51

Anja sighed. It would never happen. She would marry a tight wad bastard so self absorbed in his own pleasure that he wouldn’t even notice when she fell asleep. Anja didn’t have a firm idea of what would go on in her marriage bed but she knew it would hurt and that there blood. But she shook the thought from her head. Her home life wasn’t meant to mingle with her life as a warrior. She bowed her head in prayer cleansing herself of all other things. “May my visit prove to be fruitful in my destiny.” Anja quickly blessed herself and entered the house foyer. 52

Yoshiro was not a wealthy man, but his age had given him the advantage of requiring help about his home. The maid was familiar to Anja almost like a cousin who lived out of the city. Mina opened the door slowly, peering out cautious of any strangers. Anja smiled and pulled down her hood. The meek maid grinned and opened the door, bowling low as she did. “Good day to you too, Mina. How have you been?” 53

The young woman tilted her head a few times and shrugged. Then Mina looked around, and then pulled up her long sleeve on her left hand to display it. A slightly dusty nail began the finger and slowly as the cuff was pulled up above the wrist, Anja could see a bright braided thread at the knuckle. Anja’s eyes widened and her smile grew. “You’re to be married?” Man nodded and hopped a little. The mute girl offered her hand then led Anja to the middle room. 54

Because Yoshiro was stubborn and tried to remain as independent as possible, Mina had most of the day to herself. Spread out on the floor was fabric swatches and pictures for her ceremony. Apparently Mina was near the end of her planning. A small rag doll lay in the center. The doll’s dress was bright orange, its trails and robes were lime green, the shoes on the doll’s feet were green as well. A green and orange mesh piece was pinned to the doll’s head for the veil. Anja smiled. “Was this your mother’s?” 55

A nod. 56

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll look beautiful.”57

“The envy of the entire valley!”58

Both young women turned around to see the old man leaning on his cane near his room. Quickly the girls faced him and touched their fist to their foreheads in respect. Yoshiro did the same. “Come Anja. The two of you will have your whole lives to plan weddings and such. I am not as young as I used to be.” Anja stood and bowed toward Mina before joining her teacher. From the look on his old withered face, they had much to discuss.59

“Imagine if you can dear Anja. Your student leaving an impossible note to go and fight in a war! To have riches dropped on your door step and no word for weeks!”60

Yoshiro slammed the door hard and Anja jumped. Her teacher was not often angry but when he was…Anja shuddered. She had no excuse to offer that he would not anticipate, so she remained quiet. The old warrior ambled along with his cane. 61

“Never mind that she has never been in a war before! Never mind that she is not nearly old enough to enlist! Forget all the troubles with being found out to be a noble heiress holding a weapon. Or that her parents would begin to wonder more than usual where she had run off to. Let all that has passed be removed!” He stopped pacing to glare at Anja. 62

“Let it be known that her teacher knew none of it! Until the war was called, was blinded. Had he known would he have tried to persuade her other wise, who knows? But that she had neglected the simple decency to alert her teacher of her actions!” Yoshiro banged his fist against the stonewall even shaking the floor. Anja tried not to look down as he continued. But the urge to look away to visibly show her remorse was too great. Her eyes traveled to her shoes only briefly, but long enough for the sage to notice.63

“Do not look down! Be proud of what you have done! I did not say you were wrong. Be proud of your decision to sacrifice you life for those who don’t know you. Stand straight and admit to deceiving in order to fight along side those more experienced than you. I said chin up.” Anja bit the inside of her lip. Anja strained to raise her eyes. His hand dropped to his side and the silver wisp of his beard swayed as his head turned. 64

“There are times, when I forget you are not my own daughter. Shiraz. Why she would be just as the same. Mina and Shiraz were close friends. I am glad that you have grown to know her.” Anja exhaled. It was a good sign when the man reminisced. It meant that his anger had passed and the mood would be lightening shortly. Anja rushed to grab a chair for him but he waved her away. So she stood near him. With deliberate slowness, Anja reached for his hand. 65

She ran her palms on his, warming them against their chill. Anja pressed Yoshiro’s cool hands against her face both right side and left. Then she kissed his palms and squeezed. “My teacher. I am your daughter. More than you’ll ever know.”66

The old man chuckled in agreement and made his way to the divan as his student followed. With a relaxed sigh, they both sat and pondered things as they were and what they could be. Anja wished, as she often did, that she were Yoshiro’s daughter. It was a dream of her to have grown up in the fifth circle. Never having to know the difficulties of being an aristocrat. She laid back and exhaled hoping to dispel every breath of air that remained from home. Anja wanted to forget about home. She could stay and refuse to go back. They might never find her. She would hide inside for a couple of months, then change her appearance so that she might be able to roam the streets in freedom. But Yoshiro had other plans.67

He studied Anja fully. He knew she was out of shape and weary. But tournaments were approaching. If Anja were to pose any chance in preliminaries she would have to start training immediately. “How often do you practice normally?”68

Anja sat up. “At least one a day. Usually late at night. I’ll stretch the practice hand-to-hand combat. I don’t usually take Soraya out unless there’s been heavy drinking.”69

“That is not enough. If you want to stay on your feet in competition, you must practice against people more often.”70

“Who am I going to spar against? No one else in the district is allowing any new students so close to the date. And I’m not going to ask one of my brothers. They would either laugh or turn me to my father.”71

“I have already arranged it. These streets are rough, but on early mornings it can be especially noisy. There are not enough officials as of yet to keep the peace in the less populated areas. If someone were to, lets say patrol, the area, I’m sure the entire area would appreciate it.”72

Anja winced. She was not a morning person. “How early, is early?”73

“At least five hours after the sun has set. The moon is about four-fifths across the sky.” 74

Her jaw dropped. There were times when some of her family, Mary and Vivian, didn’t even go to bed till then. 75

“And, this will have to be a regular thing. Possibly not an every day occurrence, But the week’s ending days.” Anja groaned loudly. Not that she terribly minded. But it would be painful to try and escape on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. She gripped her forehead thinking. She couldn’t refuse. Master Yoshiro had indirectly given her a mission. As a pupil she had to obey her teacher. Anja sat for a while trying to formulate a rough plan of what she was going to do. Due to her mother’s attentions, it was harder and harder to get away. Not to mention Mesick was in the house, that man knew Anja better than the whole family combined. She groaned again, not liking her options and slowly sat up right. 76

“I will do so to the best of my ability, as often as the chance arises.” 77

The old sage patted her thigh. “That’s all I ask.”78