White Queen Ascending

Standing inside a shabby house, with his arms crossed in his c.h.e.s.t, Torin stared at the eight year old girl who's currently slumping on a wooden chair.

"So you're telling me, that you don't know how to read and write?" He said with an awkward expression.

Luciana looked at this middle aged man with a stoic face. Torin is still dressed in his old faded clothes. His twitching lips destroyed the usual cold look on his face.

"Mm." She said while nodding.

It has been two days since they finished their assassination mission. Torin wanted her to learn about some of the country's history and geography, so he bought books for her. It costed him quite some money, but he forgot to consider if the person who's going to use it can actually read.

'Why did I not think about this possibility? How could a former slave learn how to read? I'm so stupid. Damn it!' he cursed himself inwardly.

Luciana vaguely remembered someone teaching her years before, but when they were out strolling in the town, the words written on signages were already like alien language to her. The same happened with the books Torin gave her. She can interpret the pictures, but she can't understand anything other than that.

The two exchanged looks for a while, before Torin finally sighed, and resigned to his fate.

"I never thought I'd actually teach a kid how to read. You little brat! You only asked me to teach you how to fight!" Torin grumbled.

He walked out and left for some time. When he finally arrived, he already have some paper, ink, and a brush on his hands. He arranged them on the table, and sat beside Luciana.

"Look first at how I write." He folded his sleeves then lifted his right hand gracefully. He dipped the brush on the ink and started to write something on the paper. The letters that he wrote were slanted upwards and were written with obvious boldness.

"Look at this carefully, this is my name- Torin." He said while pointing at the paper. Then he dipped the brush once again and wrote. "This is your name-Luciana."

The girl looked at the paper expectantly. That is her name. The name that Amias gave her.

Remembering her friend, she felt a pang of pain in her heart, but she didn't show any of it on her face. Instead, she just continued to concentrate on what Torin is teaching.

He explained how all the letters are written and how they are pronounced. Torin is really bad in teaching this, but Luciana still listened properly and tried to remember everything.

"Copy all this. Practice until you already feel it's natural." Torin instructed her, still feeling grumpy.

Luciana nodded earnestly and took the brush from him. Torin adjusted her posture and her arm position before allowing her to start.

He nodded upon seeing her focus on what she's doing. He observed her for a while before saying, "I'll go out for a bit. Just stay here and continue practicing."

Luciana didn't even lifted her head nor spoken a single word. So Torin just left like that, feeling aggrieved about the girl's inattention to him. 'I spent hours to teach this brat, and I couldn't even get a simple thank you.' He said grumpily like a child.

~~

Inside a nameless pub, near the central part of Kuehn's town.

"The money you're giving is just making him grow more irresponsible." A man wearing a knight's armor is lecturing Torin.

The two sat on a wooden table, drinking liquor together.

"Sigh. This is the only way I know, that could somehow make me pay for the mistake I've made in the past." Torin said, then gulped another mouthful of beer.

"You've given that boy quite a lot already. I really think it is pointless now." The man replied as he brushes his beard.

"No matter how much I give him, it can never wash my hands clean from what I've done."

"But.."

Torin then cut what he's going to say, throwing a pouch towards him. "Enough Marcus, just give him this money, and don't tell him it's from me."

"You're still too stubborn." Marcus shook his head. He knew that he couldn't change Torin's mind, so he decided to just change the topic. "I've heard from Oleander that you've taken a new student. Is that true?" His friend doesn't want to stay with kids, because they make him remember painful memories. There's already Oleander by his side, and yet he still took another one. It made him a bit interested about the reason.

"Yes. She is only eight years old. Too young, yet have already experienced the ugly side of this world." Torin sighed as he told his friend about Luciana.

"You mean to say, you've taken an eight year old girl as a student? Torin, don't tell me you see that kid as her?" Marcus immediately sat straight upon realizing Torin's reason.

"No. I.. I know they're different. She's already dead." He replied, mocking his self.

Marcus relaxed, and said, "Then it's good that you know. Torin I know you're having a hard time moving on, but it is still wrong to take another person as a replacement to remove your grief."

When the sun was about to set, Torin stood up and said to Marcus, "Thank you, and I'm sorry for the trouble."

Marcus also stood up, and patted Torin's shoulder.

"It is no big deal, you can tell me everytime you need help." He said, and watched while Torin leaves the pub.

~~

A creaking sound was heard as Torin opened the door to his house. When he entered inside, he instantly saw the girl who is still seriously practicing how to write.

"Pfft." Torin stiffled a laughter.

Luciana then removed her attention from writing, then looked at Torin wondering why he is laughing.

"You brat, wipe your nose." He said while still laughing.

She felt confused but still nodded, and did as he said. But after wiping her nose, Torin instead laughed more loudly.

"Ha-ha! There's an ink on your nose. It has spread now." Torin took a piece of crumpled cloth, that is supposed to be a handkerchief, then wiped Luciana's nose properly.

"There, it's gone." Torin said gently and tapped her head. Then he looked at the papers scattered on the table. The letters there were still messy, but it's obvious that she will need only a few more time before she master them.

"Good. You are a fast learner." He added as he repeatedly nodded.

"Un. Stop that for now, I was able to hunt some wild hare. Let's go out to make some barbecue."

Luciana dropped her brush, then followed him outside.

Torin produced a small flame in a short time, then added a few dried branches in it to make it bigger.

"I am good at cooking this. Just wait there and see." Torin bragged at her.

She nodded and just watched him as he repeatedly turned the barbecue over the fire. The smell wafted to her nose, and she anticipated a delicious meal.

After a while, Torin finally gave her a piece. She stared at it for a while. The delicious aroma was no longer around, instead, a burnt smell replaced it.

'I thought he's good at this?' she complained inwardly, but still took a bite on the blackened meat.

"What do you think? Good, right?" Torin laughed loudly.

"No." Luciana frankly said. But even though the taste isn't good, it still gives a warm feeling.

'I should learn how to cook from now on.' she decided, and continued to eat.

~