Chapter 10

The Dame

Sanjura - 886 (eleven years ago)

“Baba! Look, look!” Maia was excitedly pointing at the rusty orange cargo truck parked in the courtyard. A grey-haired man was unloading food crates.

“Not now, Maia,” Matthias shushed her as the Dame approached.

The Dame was an elegant woman. Her dark hair had turned mostly white with age and she moved with the grace of a trained dancer. Even now, in the early morning, she was dressed as though she was heading to some fancy dinner or gala. She looked at Matthias as though he were an unwanted animal that had strayed into her garden. Not at all like he was about to give her six thousand shells. A damn fortune.

“You are Matthias,” the Dame greeted him stiffly.

“I am,” Matthias nodded, and held out his hand for her to shake. She looked at it, ignored and moved her eyes down to Maia.

“You certainly are a beautiful child,” she said warmly to her. Maia clutched Matthias’ leg.

“A bit dirty but I suppose you’ve been living out in the fringes, is that right?”

“That’s right,” Matthias grunted.

“Not a very suitable place to raise a little girl—or any child for that matter.”

“That’s why I’m here, ain’t it?”

“I suppose you’re right. It is an honourable thing, to sacrifice everything for your child. Many would not do the same.”

“She’ll be safer here than out there with me.”

“Of course she will. The Academy is one of the safest places in the entire Holy Empire. Your daughter is exceptionally lucky that we even had a space for her. She will be raised amongst the very finest Sanjuric stock.”

“Uh huh.”

The truck engine shuddered to life. It sounded like an old-world engine and likely running off algae fuel. It reminded Matthias of the agriculture vehicles that used to pull ploughs in the fields.

The truck rumbled as the engine ticked over. Maia jumped with excitement.

“Baba, look, the truck!”

“You shouldn’t be looking at trucks,” the Dame chided, “you’re a girl! But don’t fret, all of those unseemly characteristics will be trained out of you here, girl.”

At that comment, Maia recoiled further behind Matthias’ leg. He found himself placing a protective hand on her head. She looked sad. It was a look on her face that he was well accustomed to, a puffed lower lip and big round eyes.

That face often appeared whenever he would leave her to go on a contract. Or when it was time for her bath… or when he served bitebug meat for dinner. He usually found the expression funny, because he knew that picking her up would make her happy again in an instant. But now he did not find it funny. It made him sad.

“You will learn all of the proper ways in which a Lady of the court should conduct herself,” the Dame beamed. “Where and when you should speak. What you should dress for which occasion. We will even find appropriate courtiers for you when you come of age. Many of our pupils go on to marry future government officials or wealthy administrators. This is a place where we only train the very—”

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Matthias was only half-listening to the Dame’s swaggering speech. He’d expected as much from a fancy girl’s academy in Sanjur. This was the heart of the Holy Empire after all. Women were traditionally encouraged to be wives and to raise children. Only poor women or those who had no family to care for them needed to work in this country.

Sanjura was one of the remaining bastions of the old religion. Where people still believed in the power of Archons and their will, mainly because their city hadn’t been ripped apart in the war like everywhere else. In pre-war times, Lindrao and Sanjura had been enemies, but all those old prejudiceness had been put aside when the Verdant had arrived. And, these days, the world was simply too broken for old disputes to flare up again.

It had taken them three weeks to reach Sanjura. Riding trains, and buses and whatever else Matthias could find to get them here. It had been a long journey to make with a young child. But this was where she needed to be.

He looked down at Maia. He could tell she wanted to leave. But this was the best place for her. As the Dame had said, there was no safer place. She would be protected here. Out in the wastelands, they were exposed. Any of the monsters or bandits could kill her out there… but then again. Matthias had survived out there, hadn't he? Admittedly, he wasn’t a five-year-old girl when he first ventured out into the wastes. But Maia would have him to guide her. And, in truth, who else was better suited to keep her safe? Who else was cosmically bound to her wellbeing?

“—And of course, there are the monthly galas that we hold to indoctr—”

“—on second thought,” Matthias held up his hand interrupting the Dame. She looked as though he had slapped her. “I don’t think this is the right place for her. Come on, Maia, let’s go.” He lifted her up into his arms and propped her on his hip. The smile she gave him made him feel a burst of warmth in his chest.

“Wh-what?!” the Dame stammered, “what do you mean? Do you have any idea how prestigious this academy is?”

“I’m aware,” Matthias turned to leave.

“You are throwing away this poor girl’s future!” her voice was rising, not yet with anger, just shock.

“I think she’ll be fine with me,” he gave Maia a wink and she hugged her arms around his neck.

“You’ve already paid a deposit! Do you want your two thousand shells to go to waste?!”

That comment did make Matthias stop in his tracks. He turned to look back at her. The Dame’s surprise had now escalated to anger. She likely wanted the rest of her due.

“You’re right. It would be a waste, wouldn’t it?” He nodded to the truck, “tell you what. That thing’s probably only got another few years left in her. Those old-world engines are hard to maintain.”

“I don’t understand,” the Dame shook her head. The older gentleman who’d been unloading the truck paused, now with the eyes of both the Dame and Matthias on him and the truck.

“You know,” Matthias mused, “I’d heard the Sanjuric factories on the outskirts of the city have started producing new models. How’s about I buy that old truck offa you, and you can use the shells towards a vehicle that better suits the prestige of this place.”

“You wanna buy this old rust bucket?” The older man chuckled.

“I’ve already given two thousand shells, let’s say another three thousand, eh? Call it an even five.”

The old man’s eyes widened. “Five thousand for this?! Sir, you’ve lost your mind. But it’s the Dame’s call on it.”

“You would throw away your daughter’s chance at a good life… for this?” she gestured towards the truck. Matthias knew that the truck had once been worth a lot more than five thousand shells. And what this pair didn’t realise was that old-world vehicles were a lot more reliable out in the wastes than any of the newer Verdant tech ones. Five thousand wasn’t much of a price for a working carrier like this. Especially not considering what Matthias now had planned for it.

The Dame clearly wanted Matthias’ shells more than she wanted to argue because soon enough the shells had been exchanged, the keys to the truck handed over.

The older man was emptying the last of the crates as Matthias and Maia approached. She had since moved up onto his shoulders.

“What d’ya think?” Matthias asked brightly.

“I love it, Baba!” she shouted with excitement.

“What shall we call her, eh?”

“Umm,” Maia’s face scrunched up as if this was the most important question she’d ever been asked. “How about Dame?” she said proudly.

“You know what,” Matthias chuckled, glancing over at the now red-faced Dame, “I think that’s a fantastic name for this old truck.”