JACKAL AMONG SNAKES - C.558: Child Reeducation

JACKAL AMONG SNAKES

C.558: Child Reeducation
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There was some small respite from the constant necessity of tending to the situation in the Great Chu. Their armies were, for a time, at a stalemate brought about by partial control of the enemyā€™s commanding officers. Any assault that was to come, either from the heavens or from the ground, was something they were amply prepared for. Law and the other gods made their presence more felt on the shores of the Great Chu every second, but until something decisive happened to tip the balance, they didnā€™t have much hope. Hopefully, that ā€˜somethingā€™ would come at the hands of Governor Zen.

But there was trouble back homeā€”trouble that was somewhat resolving itself, yet still needed a direct hand. Sophia.

Argrave opened the door to their bedroom, where Sophia had been staying ever since her toys had come to life and then died. She was lying down, but upon hearing the door open, she jolted upright. Argrave entered, and Anneliese followed soon after. Waiting behind them was Elenore.

ā€œYou donā€™t want to come in?ā€ Argrave asked Elenore in a whisper.

ā€œIā€¦ā€ Elenore crossed her arms. ā€œPerhaps later.ā€

Both of them nodded, then left her to watch at the doorway.

ā€œHey, Sophia,ā€ Argrave said affectionately. ā€œWeā€™d like to have a talk, the three of us. Are you up for it?ā€

Sophia nodded, her red eyes wide and scared. They moved to sit down, one of them on each side of her.

Argrave and Anneliese had been checking in on her occasionally, but she was rather despondent most times, and their other duties kept them unable to commit to anything serious. This issue, untreated, could become an infected wound. Given the gravity of Sophiaā€™s future, it was something that needed to be tended to.

ā€œHow are you feeling?ā€ Argrave asked, to begin with.

ā€œIā€™m fine.ā€ Sophia lowered her head.

Argrave brought his legs up onto the bed and turned his body. ā€œI think we all know thatā€™s not true. We have to talk about what happened. About the lives you created, at our urging.ā€

ā€œI didnā€™t know they would all die. I just want them back. Back to the way they wereā€¦ they didnā€™t need to talk, to do anything.ā€ Sophia wiped at her face.

ā€œBut the fact is they did,ā€ Anneliese said, not unkindly. ā€œAnd you still have the potential inside you to create yet more. That is the matter at hand.ā€

ā€œIā€™m never gonna do it again,ā€ Sophia shook her head fiercely, black hair whipping about. ā€œI donā€™t want to. Theyā€™ll die. I donā€™tā€¦ I donā€™t want to be able to do this.ā€

Argrave got off the bed and kneeled down until he looked Sophia in the eyes. ā€œCreating life isnā€™t a bad thing, Sophia. You were bornā€”a life created. As was I. As was Anneliese. Life can be made, and life can end. These are two incontrovertible facts.ā€

ā€œIncontā€¦ incontroā€¦ā€ Sophia furrowed her brows in confusion.

ā€œIt means it cannot be denied,ā€ Anneliese explained, putting her hand on Sophiaā€™s shoulder. ā€œYou, Sophia, can create life. Most living things can. The ease at which you do it does not make it wrong. It does, however, place a large responsibility on your shoulders. Lives carelessly created canā€¦ well, they can exist as Mr. Knight did. And they can stop, too.ā€

Silence stretched between the three of them, and Sophia wiped tears from her eyes as foul memories came back. ā€œIf itā€™s not a bad thing, why do I feel so bad?ā€

ā€œItā€™s supposed to,ā€ Argrave explained. ā€œThe fact that you feel that is natural. And if you ever donā€™t feel it, thatā€™ll be cause to worry. Lives areā€¦ complex things, that neither Anneliese nor I can describe to you briefly. But each one has limitless value. Let me ask you somethingā€”when you first made Mr. Knight, why did you do it?ā€

Sophia kneaded her little hands together. ā€œIā€¦ I wanted to pay you back, Argrave. I wanted you to be proud of me. I wanted to help you.ā€

Argrave was touched, and he kneeled there in silence for a little as he digested what she said. ā€œThatā€™s a noble thing on your end. But where you went wrong, Sophiaā€”and where we did, for pushing you so hardā€”is trying to impose your will on the life of another being. I donā€™t think you did so on purpose. But one of the important things about life is its independence.ā€

Sophia tensed from the light chastisement, yet did not wither. She repeated, ā€œIndependence?ā€

ā€œThatā€™s right.ā€ Argrave tapped Sophiaā€™s hand. ā€œYour father and your mother were the two people that created you. They are responsible for your life. Norman tried to impose upon you what he wanted you to do. He wanted you to do terrible, evil things, just as he did. He tried to strip away your independence, and make you an extension of himself.ā€

Sophia began to tremble.

ā€œBut youā€™re not like him,ā€ Argrave continued hurriedly. ā€œUnlike him, you never wanted any of that stuff to happen, nor did you want to do what he did. And because you were a life unto yourself, you never adapted those tendencies. You became far, far, better than he could ever hope to be.ā€

Sophia was a smart child, and her face immediately warped to horror as she wrapped her mind around what Argrave was saying. ā€œBut I didā€¦ I did what Norman did, to them? I made them do what I wanted?ā€

ā€œIt isnā€™t the same at all,ā€ Argrave assured her. ā€œBut the thing that Anneliese and I worry about, is that it could become similar. Thatā€™s why we intend to impart some lessons upon you, so that you understand what it is to make a life, and the responsibility that carries.ā€

They were wandering into murky territory. By Argraveā€™s view, all morality was subjective. The things that dictate it were simply the instincts and thoughts within a personā€™s head. Argrave believed that was much of the reason people turn to ideas or concepts greater than themselves, larger than themselvesā€”an inner struggle with this subjective understanding. Philosophies and religion offered answers that could be accepted or rejected, but even if one took them to be true, the existence of free will and independent existence made life and all its moralities a choiceā€”a subjective choice, imposed from the inside rather than the outside. Argrave had never found a guidebook for life.

Of course, Sophia was a little young to hear that preachy spiel. Maybe when she was older, and there was less potential of her creating untold monstrosities.

ā€œI donā€™t understand,ā€ Sophia lowered her head. ā€œIā€™m sorry, Argrave.ā€novelbuddy.(c)om

ā€œItā€™s alright,ā€ Anneliese patted Sophia on the back. ā€œWeā€™ll help you understand. Argrave told you as much, did he not?ā€

ā€œSheā€™s right.ā€ Argrave nodded. ā€œEvery step of the way, weā€™ll be here with you.ā€

Sophia grabbed the sheets of the bedside tight, trying her best to control her tears. After a while, she looked up with a brave face and asked, ā€œArgrave, did you mean it whenā€¦ did you mean it when you said that Iā€™mā€¦ that weā€™reā€¦ā€ she bit her lip hard, then muttered weakly, ā€œā€¦family?ā€

Argrave nodded resolutely. ā€œI did.ā€

ā€œBut youā€™re notā€¦ I mean, my fatherā€¦ā€

ā€œYes. We arenā€™t related to you by blood.ā€ Anneliese brushed back a wisp of the girlā€™s hair. ā€œBut family need not always be those you are born to. Argrave and I are family by virtue of marriage. Many of those around us, howeverā€¦ I would consider them family all the same, though we have no marriage or blood relation binding us.ā€

ā€œLike I said. If you want to, we can be family. And weā€™ll never cast you out.ā€ Argrave held his arms out to cap that point.

He hadnā€™t intended it as an invitation for a hug, but perhaps it was interpreted that way. Sophia lunged off the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Argrave was surprised for a few moments, but then gratefully accepted it and returned it. In time, she broke away and hugged Anneliese, too, trying her best to stifle tears.

When she sat back on the bed, looking utterly relieved, Argrave felt it was time to mention the real purpose theyā€™d come here. It was somewhat haunting, so Argrave took a deep breath and prepared himself. ā€œSophia, on that pointā€¦ one of the creations youā€™ve made is still alive.ā€

Sophia stared up at him in mute shock.

ā€œCastro,ā€ Argrave explained with that one word.

Sophia trembled, and couldnā€™t meet Argraveā€™s gaze.

ā€œI already told you that weā€™ll never cast you out,ā€ Argrave assured, putting his hand on her small head. ā€œBut in order for you to understand the responsibility you carry, Anneliese and I think itā€™s best that you once again meet Castro. And we hope to teach to you what it means to be alive.ā€

Sophia stared at the ground, and only after some time mumbled, ā€œHe scares me. I neverā€¦ā€

ā€œWeā€™ll be with you,ā€ Anneliese assured, taking her small hand. ā€œAnd together, weā€™ll make him truly alive. Weā€™ll fix this. Weā€™ll help you take responsibility for his life, and all others after.ā€

Sophia grew despondent for a few moments and Argrave feared theyā€™d overreached, but she nodded. ā€œOkay. Iā€™llā€¦ Iā€™ll do it.ā€

A while after Argrave and Anneliese had left the room with a sleeping Sophia, the door again opened. Elenore walked through quietly, and Sophia slept beneath the covers. She came to stand above the sleeping girl, and Sophia roused from some small noise.

ā€œā€¦Elenore?ā€ Sophia asked in recognition, blinking tired eyes.

ā€œI didnā€™tā€¦ intend to wake you,ā€ Elenore said, then sat on her bedside. ā€œI thought you were still awake.ā€

ā€œItā€™s okay. I donā€™t mind,ā€ Sophia assured.

Elenore stared off into the distance. She felt a little uneasy being around children. She couldnā€™t so casually dismiss their worth. She felt children were still innocentā€”that her cynicism was unwarranted, where it was totally warranted in the case of adults. She didnā€™t want to be unkind to children, ever.

But Elenoreā€™s personality slanted toward pessimismā€”she knew this. What she thought, what she did, was not something a child should ever be exposed to. She felt her influence might make this child precisely what Argrave and Anneliese wanted her not to become.

Despite that, this child still liked her. It was rather baffling.

ā€œYou should listen to Argrave and Anneliese,ā€ Elenore said idly. ā€œIā€¦ had a father rather like yours. Despite that, theyā€™ve seen me. And they helped me.ā€

Sophia nodded at Elenoreā€™s serious words, toying with the sheets covering her. Then, she dared ask, ā€œWhat was your father like?ā€

ā€œHe cut off my feet and gougedā€”ā€ she paused, scolding herself. That blunt response always came like instinct whenever someone asked a question about her father, but this was a child. She shook her head and continued, ā€œIt doesnā€™t matter any longer. Argrave and Anneliese accepted me as their family, and they healed me. I think they can do the same for you.ā€

Sophia stared as Elenore watched the distance in silence.

ā€œCan I be your family, too?ā€ Sophia asked.

Elenore looked at her. ā€œIā€™m not half of what you think I am, Sophia. Iā€™mā€¦ā€

Silence stretched, broken by a scared Sophia asking, ā€œDo you not like me?ā€

Elenore shook her head. ā€œYouā€™reā€¦ fine. Youā€™re a fine child. More than tolerable. Probably the best of the ones Iā€™ve seen, but then thatā€™s not many. But meā€¦ā€

ā€œBut Argrave said youā€™re the most helpful person to him,ā€ Sophia said innocently. ā€œAnd you said that Argrave is a good person. If you help a good personā€¦ā€

Elenore sighed, at a loss. ā€œVery well. You have me.ā€

Sophia got out from under the covers and hugged Elenore. The great and terrible Bat shook in surprise at the childā€™s assault, but eventually settled her arms down upon the girl. They did have a similar father, she supposed. But there was something of a new desire.

Maybe this girl could grow up the opposite way Elenore had.

Argrave walked into Elenoreā€™s study the next morning. His sister was busily peering down upon a document, but she lifted her head when she heard him.

ā€œOrion said youā€™d called for me.ā€

ā€œCommander Yuan was stripped of service in light of his injuries,ā€ Elenore said. ā€œI was studying a copy of military law that exists in the Great Chu. And I believeā€¦ I believe weā€™ve found a way to make headway, finally, with those few still alive. I believe weā€™ve found a way to utterly disrupt the armies of the Great Chu, and finally get to work on the Grand Imperial Bank.ā€

Argrave smiled. ā€œWell. Thatā€™s a better way to wake up than cold water, surely.ā€

ā€œPlus, Governor Zen is looking into the Palace of Heaven. All in allā€¦ weā€™re making tremendous headway,ā€ Elenore smiled.

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