Infinitesimal: A Tale of Dragons and Daring Deeds

Chapter 2: Traveller

Louanne and Mackenzie took Cookie to the camp. Lou rode on top of her, getting a feel for her trot and stride. Mackenzie praised her on how well she was riding Cookie. Lou held her head high the whole way back. Cooper's amazement and Hansen's bitter resentment made her day even better.

The camp gathered around. Lou tied up Cookie and walked a few paces behind Mackenzie. All the eyes on her made her nervous. She tried to stand tall, but it was still hard to avoid the gawks and mocks.

Mackenzie bellowed a heavy speech. He spoke of how Louanne Verrmien had tried against all odds to be the best she could. How she fought her way to the top of the ranks, against all men. She's stubborn and ox-minded, rash and fore-front. She's honorable and brave, and sticks up for those in need.

Cooper's face lit up at that.

When the old knight had finished his speech, Lou walked to him. Her heart was heavy with nostalgia. When she was introduced, her mother called her ox-minded and brave. Mackenzie must have remembered that.

She noticed, in the back of her mind, her mother and father were hidden in the crowd. She didn't think her father wanted to come much. Her mother must have insisted. Louanne had only negative thoughts about that point.

Mackenzie, with his fading beard and set-in eyes, grasped her shoulder. Lou couldn't tell the intentions behind that gaze. It felt like it should be pride, but it felt like pity. Like he didn't want her to go.

Lou's face scrunched up. She gave the old knight a reassuring nod. She hoped it was reassuring, anyway. Mackenzie's face lightened. By Lou's standards, she had succeeded. She kneeled in front of him. He drew his sword, and placed it on her shoulder.

"By my power as a Knight, and in the name of King Beuregard, with Lord Verrmien as my witness, I knight thee. Louanne Verrmien, knightling no longer. Stand, not as child, but as woman." He lifted the sword.

Louanne stood. She looked out to the crowd of people. They all came to her knighting. The baker and his wife. Cobblers and farmers. Gregor, the blacksmith. Her mother. Her father. Even Hansen had come.

Mackenzie shoved her shoulder. "Say somethin', lass."

"Okay," Louanne thought for a moment.

"When I came to this camp, originally, I was confident I'd make it to knighthood. I had thought, rather naively, that just having the will to do something would be enough to actually do it. I learned that was not the case quick enough.

"While I know that being a woman puts me at an apparent disadvantage, I do strongly believe that everyone can achieve what they want to in life. Any one person can change the way that people think of them." Louanne looked to her father. Her face rested in a scowl. "And never be afraid to change the norm."

Her father broke the eye contact. Mackenzie stood in shock for a second, and then slapped her back. He congratulated her with words that seemed petty. Lou thanked him nonetheless. Mackenzie's words were anything but hollow.

***

Lou spent the rest of the morning, and into the afternoon, with her old friends. Cooper had half a pint with her and the two grinned through pink cheeks. He was telling a story from when he was little. Louanne added to it, since the shy boy hardly said anything.

"And I go up to my mother, and I says, "This dress doesn't fit me right, Mother!" and she says to me, "Right it does, Jamie. You're just wearing it wrong!""

Louanne laughed. "The day your mother stopped buying you dresses was the day you gave them all to me. I still have some of the bigger ones!"

Cooper nods, and goes on about how his parents thought he was a girl. He really wasn't, still isn't, even if he has the parts of one. The younger recruits would give him odd looks, but by the stern glares Lou sent their way if they did, they knew not to.