Chapter 7

I stepped in just as the Captain straightened up abruptly from the desk at the front of the room. I thought I heard the soft “whomf” of a draw sliding shut.

“Ah-ha-ha good! Testers are done with lunch?” she laughed nervously. “Are you the first interview? Fine then. Take a seat.”

After a moment Irinia returned. She too visited the desk and drew out of it a stack of papers which she shuffled through until she came to one in particular. Pausing, she turned to look a moment at the Captain, who had taken a seat with a stack of papers as well. The Captain fiddled with a pocket on her coat and pulled out a small baggie with white paper and some dried leafy substance in it.

“I hope you weren’t thinking to smoke, Captain,” Irinia murmured quietly. “Smoking is prohibited in the school building.”

The Captain shook her head but rolled some of the paper and leaves into short wrapped bundles anyways, “Nope. Just planning for later, Second.”

Irinia nodded, and then the interview began. I honestly cannot remember what we talked about. It was so odd watching this tension between the two women that I may have answered more honestly than I intended.

“So what can you bring to New Castle?” Irinia asked.

Reality snapped back into place.

“What?” I asked. “Sorry, once more please?”

“She asked what you think you can contribute to New Castle,” the Captain interrupted impatiently. “Everyone plays a part here, you know. We Regulars are rough and ready; we defend the city from attack and keep order and law. Wardens and their family, Wardensans, coordinate the city. They keep the lore and laws of the city alive, negotiate trade, spread knowledge, and patronize the universities and crafters. Seconds help them out and stuff. Good help is hard to find, yadda yadda. Alchemists make medicine, poison, and brew beer. Thaumaturges make Thaumaturgic metal, tune weapons, and blow crap up. Bench Dogs are merchants and handy folk or turn to traveling and become Rovers. Cogs keep the city itself running, doing everything from minding the millet and hemp fields to grooming elk to keeping the salamanders running. Everybody has a part. Everybody fits in. Where do you fit in?”

With a sinking heart, I knew there was just one answer.

“I don’t.”

The Captain snorted and raised an eyebrow at Irinia.

“But I could! Lorus could fit in any of those places though. Just-Lorus just needs a chance. Whatever you need Lorus to do, Lorus does!”

Tears would not work on the Captain, and I doubted very much Irinia had any regard for them. I didn’t feel like indulging in something so useless, so I shuffled outside and waited with the rest. I would not have minded if Moron or Beka had come over to speak with me, but they were holding their own discussion. Why was I waiting around? Annoyed with myself, I shuffled off, back to the hospital tent. Why do something as useless as sit around feeling sorry for myself? Taking a nap would be much more productive.

When I returned to the hospital, however, I found my bed had already been turned over. There were new sheets and new pillows on it, and there was a new body in the bed. Some little sandy-haired boy with pocks all over his face and a constant runny nose was there taking up Nurse Jane’s attention. Utterly put out, I stole a blanket from the laundry, found a sunny spot in the yard, and curled up.

“They didn’t do it out of cruelty, Lorus.”

Raikan’s voice startled me back into a sitting position. I stared at her then rumbled and rolled over.

“Not so kind to leave Lorus out.”

“Did you really want to be a part?” she replied softly.

I thought about it then rolled back her direction, “I didn’t-Lorus didn’t not want to be a part. Lorus never really got the choice, did she?”

Raikan smiled and crouched down next to me, “Neither did I.”

We sat there for a bit, waiting each other out. I had gotten too used to talking and having people listen, so Raikan won, and I said, “I’m tired of other people controlling my life.”

Raikan nodded, “I was too. That’s why I decided not to go to New Castle. I may change my mind someday, but when I do, it will be because I want to.”

“I may not have a choice,” I sighed and laid my face on the ground. Nurse Jane would probably yell at me later for getting dirty. Then again, would she really even care about me once I wasn’t in her ward? Probably not. “If I go to New Castle, then there’s an entire society telling me what to do. If I stay outside, then Jack will catch me again and make me do what he wants me to do.”

“Only two choices?” Raikan asked.

“Are there more?”

“When are there not?”

I’m sure we could have continued like that, but Nurse Jane came sweeping across the yard towards us.

“Lorus! There you are! They are announcing the candidacy results. Don’t you want to know whether or not you’ll get your citizen’s pass?”

I grumbled and pulled the blanket around me, but Nurse Jane clucked and picked me up under the armpits. For a second I dangled there like a grumpy kitten, curled into a ball.

“Now Lorus, you’re a big girl!” Nurse Jane said gently. “I expect you to act like one. Where’s all that pluck and bravery you showed when you first arrived? Suffering all that discomfort? Being so eager to learn? Regaining your legs when you thought no one was looking? Come on now. Buck up!”

I capitulated and straightened my legs out until my feet touched the ground. Nurse Jane beamed at me.

“Good girl! Come along then, ducky! We’ll go together!”

Before we left Raikan called after me, “Lorus, just remember that even if you do make it, you don’t have to accept, and even if you don’t make it, you don’t have to give up!”

I’m not sure what help she thought that would be, but I waved an arm at her like it mattered.

It turned out each applicant was informed individually of whether or not they made the cut and passed their round of exams. Many had gone through already, with a few excitedly talking in groups, making gestures as grand as their plans for New Castle. There were some, however, that did not share their enthusiasm. I hadn’t really kept track of families, but there were one or two huddled here or there with pained looks on their faces.

The mothers cried or the fathers looked pained as the children clung to their shirt tails. A group of Regulars with stiff-backed books were making their rounds to these groups asking if the family would split, the member that had succeeded would get to enter while the ones that failed could try again in a month, or would the family stay together. It seemed the children almost always gained citizenship, and the Regulars assured the parents that their children would immediately be enrolled in school to give them a better chance of elevating to a degree rather than remain a cog. Sometimes one of the parents made it while the other did not. Then they would have to decide whether to go on ahead to establish a home in the hopes that the rest would soon be joining, or they stayed behind and waited.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Moron was actually making rounds of these fractured groups, shaking hands, offering condolences, working his angle.

“But did you know that after you pass through quarantine, you can actually apply to live in one of the Shoal villages? Take Arsenal, for instance, we actually have several retired Regulars and Rovers there as well as a working lab and pharmacy regulated only by our city elders. In fact, even though we’re a Shoal now, paper work has already been submitted to start the process of integrating and raising our city to an actual Ward as soon as we find a sister Shoal to match. Isn’t that exciting! You could make a home at Arsenal and still become a Castelian in the next few years without even having to retake the exam!”

At one point, I caught his eye. After hesitating a moment, he smiled and headed in my direction. Moron never made it over though as my name was called, and I was quickly ushered back into the school house for what I hoped was the last time.

The Captain, Irinia Crane, Colonel Whittaker, Lynwood, and Gimlet were all sitting there.

Nurse Jane gave a sniff, “What is he doing here? Candidacy meetings are confidential you know.”

The Captain gave a dismissive wave of her hand, “Well enough for most cases, Nurse Jane. You’ve done a lovely job with healing up your ward, but the topic of her stewardship is one that needs to be addressed one way or the other.”

Nurse tossed her head, “And them? Colonel I appreciate your interest in the efficiency of our hospital unit, but certainly this case cannot involve you and your…”

Lynwood stepped forward, face reddening, “Private Chelsey Lynwood and RCF candidate, ma’am. I’m here acting as witness today.”

The Colonel nodded, “Quite right. I am not here in official capacity. Rather I too am acting as witness of sorts regarding this…particular candidate.”

None of this made any sense to me at all. It did, however, set my stomach into a whole mess of butterflies and knots, or maybe knotted butterflies, or knots tied to look like butterflies. Either way, I could feel my palms begin to sweat.

The Captain looked a little nonplussed.

“This is a candidacy hearing, not a trial. No offense, Colonel, but if not in official capacity, I am not clear exactly on your reason for being here,” She paused and shuffled the papers, nervously shooting a look at Gimlet. “If this has to do with the circumstances surrounding bringing the child in, I assure you, we have already made provisions for her care.”

“Have you now?” Nurse Jane’s tone was flat. “So what exactly are Lorus’s circumstances, and did she or did she not pass the exam?”

“Well that doesn’t really matter,” Lynwood snorted. “I mean either way-“

“Beg pardon private,” the Captain snapped. “I was under the impression that Regulars from the 13th Ward received better training than to interrupt a superior or talk out of place, even if they think they can spurn generations of tradition and become an RCFer.”

Lynwood sputtered, but the Colonel muttered, “Bad show Lynwood, this means twenty demerits and extra duty back at the garrison.”

She fell silent and glowered sullenly.

The Captain smiled, “Thank you. As I was saying, the, ah, transitioning time for Lorus has been rather short, her previous circumstances and living conditions considered, so it should not come as such a surprise that Lorus did not pass this round of exams.”

I sucked in a breath. It was so blunt. But there it was. I had failed.

“You’re saying she failed?” Irinia’s voice was bland and flat. The Captain reshuffled her papers.

“Well, um, yes. The scores she received from the practical as well as from the interview-“

“Really? She scored near perfect on the practical.”

The Captain held out papers for Irinia to look at everyone else crowded around them as the Captain kept talking.

“Those are the marks. From both graders’ sheets. They do correlate, as you can see. As I was trying to say, even though Lorus did not make marks high enough to pass, with an official guardian she can be fast tracked to the front of the line for retaking the exam and being naturalized.”

She paused and Jack stepped forward.

“Mr. Jack Gimlet, a mechanic and elder of his former tribe, has some association with Lorus and has agreed to adopt her in order to help facilitate her integration into society,” the Captain beamed. “He received perfect marks on his practical as well as giving an exceptional interview. We would be honored to have his tactical skills among the Regulars, though Jack tells me his mechanical skills make him more interested in Thaumaturgical pursuits, particularly weaponry and explosive support for the troops.”

It would have made more sense to me if she’d said Gimlet claimed to be the reincarnation of the Spring Chicken Bunny and had the power to fly through the air on a frying pan. And oh yeah, he wanted access to their weapons and armory.

“He did give a very solid interview,” Irinia acquiesced.

“You cannot be serious!” Nurse Jane sputtered. “This man is ruthless and a savage! Do you know what he did to poor Lorus?!”

I felt my heart lift. He hadn’t gotten to Nurse Jane!

The Colonel tushed, “Now Nurse Jane, we don’t use words like ‘savage’ to describe our outdoor neighbors. They have their own sort of…organization.”

Lynwood was fretting and huffing on the side, “Now may I, Colonel?”

He turned to the Captain, “Was there anything more you wanted to say on this matter, Captain Harkness? A guardian, I believe you did say, would allow Lorus to be moved into the city sooner.”

The Captain nodded, “Indeed, sir. And, I would ask you all to consider the defamation of Jack just that. There is no evidence whatsoever of any abuse or harm from Jack done to Lorus. Keep in mind also that petulant children are prone to exaggeration when they think they can prey upon the sympathies or leverage others.”

The Colonel gave a little tilt of his head in agreement, “Quite right. The young can be somewhat impulsive, can’t they? Well, Lorus, what do you say? Have you been stretching the truth a little? Playing with Nurse Jane’s heart strings a bit? Wouldn’t you rather go to a nice warm home with Jack over there, a nice comfy bed and toys to play with?”

“A what?”

The Colonel’s mustaches twitched, “A toy, child. A plaything.”

Like what Jack was making all of them into. I looked at Nurse Jane. Her chin was held high, but I could see doubt creeping into her eyes at the corner.

“Lorus would rather be a rabbit.”

Gimlet actually snorted at that. He shrugged and made a gesture with his hand, basically saying, “Have it your way. I’ve already won.”

A ‘rabbit’ in the Roadies is someone who chooses death over capitulation. On occasion there would be new slaves or prisoners the Roadies would take who would make themselves into barely living burdens. They wouldn’t eat or drink anything, and you could beat or threaten them as much as you wanted, but they refused to move or do anything more than lie there and stare. Roadies hated them because they saw rabbits as those who refused to do whatever it took to live. It would be easier to ditch them on the side of the road, but the fear was always that a rabbit would somehow survive their self-inflicted starvation then come back for revenge. It was easier just to beat them to death early on.

“Well, bunny rabbit or not, we have indeed found a guardian for you,” the Colonel beamed.

I took a step backwards. I hadn’t tried running yet, but I might need to pretty soon.

“Lorus will not go with Jack!” I barked.

“No choice, Bright Eyes,” he chuckled, nodding his head at the desk. “The Captain has already kindly helped me fill out the paperwork. Officially, you belong to me now, oh dear daughter of mine.”

“Bullocks!” Lynwood exploded and waved the Colonel off as he motioned her to soften her tone. “You can’t adopt someone what’s already got a family! You told it wrong, Colonel!”

“Erhum, perhaps my statement was a little confusing,” he rumbled. “But that’s no reason to-“

“That’s why I was so shocked when I saw you bouncing off that there elf and why I had to come back and see for myself,” Lynwood strode across the room and leaned down, getting in my face. I bared my teeth and considered head-butting her.

She gave an affirmative nod though and straightened up.

“I don’t forget faces once I’ve seen them, especially if they have teeth in them. It’s what will make me an RCFer. Doesn’t matter what they’ve done to try to cover up her eyes. I used to sit minding at her family’s estate when she was ickle,” she grinned. “Used to chew on the hem of my training togs you did while learning to walk.” Her nose wrinkled, “You’re still a bit wobbly.”

“Wait!” the Captain interrupted, flailing her hands over her head. “Colonel, what exactly is Private Lynwood saying here?!”

The Colonel’s eyes twinkled, “Captain, Lorus here is actually Loris Forsythe of said family, of course. She went missing ten years ago, and it seems she at last has found her way home.”

Lynwood smiled again and actually smacked me on the back, “That’s right, runt, you’re actually already a child of New Castle. Welcome home!”