Modest Knight

Zeke has never been lonelier during the time she spent with herself in solitary confinement. Yet, Zeke has never been gleeful in this caged room. Metal clangs on her shoulders as she continues her repetitions to push the floor. Her petite arms hide a brute force equal to a man. The confinement room is hot and sultry, but the heat never disturbed her. The cuirass on her body does not seem to be any heavier even with her gauntlets on. Her soaked clothes still feel dry. Her long, waist-length lavender hair with lopsided bangs sticking to her face with her trickling sweat doesn’t not seem to be any bother. 

It is a fine day in the land of Nelquevec, and the wind is whispering as trees danced with the breeze. Clouds brought by the wind gives Zeke shade for a second as she continues to work out in the confinement room. She does it again. Rigorously working out when she has nothing to do. It is Tuesday, last week of September, her third and last day in solitary confinement.

“Maybe I should just ask acting grandmaster Adira next time about what it takes to be a knight!”

Thoughts conversed with her internally. 

“I have never been in solitude after some time now I think about it. I thought I would be lonelier here. But why is it that I managed to compose myself more?”

Alone, she binds together herself into molecules, and manifest into an entire new universe these past three days.

Zeke always dreamed to be a knight of Zephyrus growing up. That dream meant everything to her. Unlike most people in Himmel that has chosen to grow up face reality and give up on their dreams, Zeke did not. She stayed true to her dreams. While working as a maid, she tirelessly took note after note on the knights around her on what it meant to be a knight of Zephyrus. What it meant to be a shield for others. Himmel is famous and known by its cobblestone street that runs towards the city edge and rise with tan walls securing the city perimeter. Every first week of September everyone is busy preparing for their Sky Festival happening the second week of the month. But it is the city walls that made Zeke realized her dream. She also finds it annoying because it is the first time in her life, she finds herself in a confinement room. In September. Yes, she thought about it repeatedly. “In September?!” A knight would be free to barge in and out of these walls. During these times, she would have volunteered to guard the walls.

~

Last Saturday morning, Zeke arrived before work, Adira was about to leave the office after reviewing some papers. Acting grandmaster Adira is the newly in-charge of the selection process for the knights try out. It was just recently that Zeke failed her fifth selection test. She just made her conclusion. It was the time she felt discouraged. The etiquette, the swordsmanship, the line she had memorized, are they all gone to waste? But like anyone who tries to follow their dreams, these people knew life is not smooth sailing. It came the time when she questioned herself. 

“Maybe it’s time to face my reality.” 

“Maybe no matter how hard I tried to work, achieving my dreams is impossible.”

“I remember all the strong points of every official knight, but who would remember the arduous work of a failure like me?”

“It’s like I am traveling night and day through an icy thunder. I see my destination, but I just cannot go near it. It is like the weather through the storms made an agreement with the waters of the seas to stir me. No matter how hard I try row my boat, it’s just not moving.”

The knight’s headquarters doors swung open. That moment she immediately gave her knight salute. At that time, she knew it was an abrupt thing to do and wonder what Adira might think of her. But just as wishing that there might be some light into which she can crawl. Adira stopped in her tracks and returned the salute. Zeke gave a straight smile. Clumsy but pure. It is the day that she will always remember because she received the most precious recognition to her. From Adira and Geno the gods. 

“My efforts were recognized after all. On this day forward I affirm that I will have my own donning as a knight.”

~

But now, well rested for three days, she finds it pleasant. The aspiring maid in the knights of Zephyrus finds herself at peace. It has been another tough week for her as a maid who does her duties excessively. Everyday this past week she has been busy helping little Sammy farm wheat for his pigeons every afternoon past three. She also finds time to sit with Prestige every morning every after breakfast at the city plaza to keep her company. In the city, Zeke is “the maid of all Himmel”. Every day she carries out her training diligently by helping everyone in Himmel doing basic chores to patrolling as a volunteer knight. Clashing with hideous creatures with sharp fangs and claws near the city walls. All the citizens’ need to do is call out her name, and Zeke will be present. She can be everywhere. There hasn’t been any citizen from Himmel who does not know her. All of them have at least received a single help from her. 

~

Last week during Sky Festival. Long tables arranged in a rectangular shape and loaded up with a wide range of food was set up in the square before the rotunda for everybody to enjoy. The food was prepared by volunteers who can cook. During that time, Zeke, who always holds herself to a standard, joined the volunteers. It was not more work. But it was troublesome for her because she demands tasting each dish to ensure they are up to standard. The armor she was wearing exploded as she tastes all the foods that was about to be served. The servers and the citizens laughed at her bulging belly that hangs below her belt. She laughed together with the citizens and servers. 

"Oh, come on guys! Just focus on your foods.” Quickly trying to change the subject.

But by the time the laughter started to dissipate. She started fidgeting as she shifts the weight of her bulging belly from side to side. Taking a step back, the citizens laughed and admired Zeke for her presence and effort. 

“Thank you, Zeke! You really bring joy to the citizens.” A citizen from the dining table cheered for her.

Afterwards, as usual every evening she is the busiest as the house cleaner in knight’s headquarters. 

The next morning, Zeke just finished running errands from the flower shop. Chatting away from the florist Flora, Zeke saw the young and energetic Alsie administered by the acting grand Master Adira of the knights of Zephyrus just outside the knight’s headquarters. At a distance she saw Alsie bowing down her head with a frown as she curled her hands towards her chest. The displeasure of Alsie discomposed Adira when she tried to continue her speech. After a while, Adira taps the young child’s head and Alsie’s eyes started to twinkle, her smiles beamed towards the atmosphere. The aspiring maid who also wanted to be a knight sparked her curiosity as to what advice the young Alsie received from the grandmaster herself. Alsie is just nine years old, but this young lady is part of the official knights of Zephyrus, and she wonders. How? 

“In my fifteen years of living and eight years of training? How?” She said to herself.

Adira approached. “Oh? Hello there Zeke, how have you been?” Asked Adira with her furrowed forehead. Grimacing and resting face. Adira was probably worried about Alsie not behaving and always playing with bombs within the knight’s headquarters.

“Uhm…” She hesitates to respond. She seemed blushing, shaky, and speechless while tapping her hands together quietly. Still feeling timid and uncomfortable, Zeke wanted to ask a few questions, “How... do... I... become... a... knight...” but she gathered her thoughts late. She noticed Adira was already in a distance to the knight’s headquarters. 

Unexpectedly, a sharp shrieking burst of laughter flooded. She looked around and found no one. The chuckling sound seemed nearby. Not until she looked down. There she saw the graceful Alsie. She just smiled and at once grabbed her by the hand. She wanted to utter a word and ask for tips about what it takes to be a knight since she saw the acting grandmaster interact with her just recently. But Alsie immediately pulled out one of her toy bombs. She gasped a quick, momentary intake of breath, as her eyebrows raised in opposite directions. The light spirited and vibrant Alsie started tossing her toy bombs with Zeke.

She thought to herself. 

“Is this part of the training for the knights?”

“I should use this opportunity to train with this young and fully-fledged knight!”

The cheerful young child with pale skin and light red eyes runs around recklessly. Her pale blonde hair tied in pigtails was bouncing softly with her elf ears.

“Young…knight of Zephyrus… is this how you usually do your trainings?”

The naïve young child looked at her and with a huge smile on her face.

“Tr…tr…tr…training?!” The excitement showered brilliance upon her.

“Yesh… this is Alsie’s training!” She was so excited that she grabbed more bombs to play with. Zeke was shaking like wind rustling a tree full of leaves and accidentally dropped a bombed. A sound of blast trembled the surroundings. Dust filled the air and smog covered Zeke’s face. The passersby were also astonished about the explosion. Luckily, everyone was safe. The shockwave caused a vibration, but it did not break any nearby glass windows. Even though it was a toy, it was real, and it caused an impact.

The shockwave reached Adira’s office. Adira knew what that sound was, Alsie was already on her mind. Adira started to rub her head and paced fiercely. She was walking so fast with her smoking nose like a bull charging towards a red flag. To avoid being reprimanded Alsie at once grabbed her bag while Zeke wipes herself. She sneakily took steps to slip away. But Adira just came on time, after witnessing Alsie her head erupted. Smoke exits her ears like an engine backfire.

“WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO ALSIE!!!?”

“TO SOLITARY CONFINEMENT! BOTH OF YOU!”

~

Zeke hears a thundering sound as she lies her back on the floor. The resonating beat is filling her ears till it stopped. Adira stood by the door. Peeking through the small hole while she wriggles herself looking for Zeke.

“Zeke? Are you sleeping?” Adira asks.

Zeke stares at the ceiling blankly while she bears all her thought within a whim.

“I think it’s all right to be here for a while. All those times every after festival it usually takes a week to remove all the banners and tables at the plaza and rotunda. But here I am in solitary confinement.”

Zeke noticed three knocks from her door. 

“Yes.” She utterly speaks. “No use of pretending, I am well covered in sweat.” She whispers to herself.

A clicking sound across the room occurred twice. Zeke hastily squats and lies on the floor crossing her legs. Pretentiously sitting calm, the salty odor from her room struck the tonsils at the back of her throat. The clicking sound continues. Adira then opens and peeks through the door. Zeke coughed as she tasted herself the sting of her own sweat.

“You startled me” (*coughs)

Adira is quite demure in her job as an acting grandmaster.

“Zeke, you see. I apologize sending you to solitary confinement together with Alsie. I am trying to discipline my niece, but I just cannot get enough of her sometimes. She is still a kid anyway. I am trying my best to be a better aunt and act as a grandmaster at the same time.”

In a soft and melancholic voice. Zeke replied. “I can understand grandmaster. It was fine by me. As an aspiring knight it is also part my duty to educate a child.”

Zeke’s soft voice concealed her true strength. She twiddles her fingers with her tense aura. Instantaneously she asked. “Grandmaster… what does it take to be a knight?!”

Adira smiled. Taps her by the shoulder and speaks. “Courage, courage is a necessity to graciously accept sacrifices. Once you become a knight itself you decide for the other qualities you want to impart with others. But I tell you now, courage, because when one has courage, one can eliminate one’s fears.”

The next day, Zeke sets a time for her to meditate. From then on, she tries to seek courage from within, not just by strengthening her body, but also her mind. She still spends time with the citizens. But with herself alone she learns to spend more time.

“I knew I required more.” 

But now, as she stares deeply at the back of her eyelids. She thinks of “what would have been?”.