A Double-Edged Sword

Discovery and Injury

“Tell me there is some explanation for this,” Jorany whispered harshly, urgently, “Tell me I’m imagining things. Tell me this isn’t true.”

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered pathetically.

“Why? I spent so much time training you. How could you have lied?”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, “I had to. It was the only way.”

“The only way to what?” Jorany hissed.

“My father was dying,” she pleaded for understanding, “My brothers were gone. If my family didn’t send someone we would have lost the farm. We can’t lose the farm! The land is all we have.”

Jorany stared at her with wide eyes. Lela grabbed her ripped shirt, and pulled it together. She donned her jacket, somehow feeling that if she covered herself again it would be alright.

“I don’t even know you,” Jorany whispered, “I don’t know what to do.”

“Please, don’t say anything. You don’t need to tell anyone,” Lela was practically begging.

“I don’t need to tell anyone?” Jorany asked incredulously, “Do you know how much trouble I could get in if someone finds out that I knew you were a girl and I didn’t tell anyone? There’s a reason they don’t allow girls in the army.”

“And what’s that?” Lela asked, desperate to prevent Jorany from ratting her out, if even for a few minutes more.

“Women shouldn’t be fighting!” Jorany’s voice was raised, “You’re not strong enough for it. Your weakness could get you killed, and it could get someone else hurt!”

“I survived one battle, I can survive another!” Lela insisted.

“Yeah, and you’re already having nightmares!”

“I’ll get used to it! I’ll just deal with it!”

“No! I’m honor bound to report you.”

“Jorany! I can do this!  Please! My family can’t lose their land,” tears were starting to slide down her cheeks.

“Leake! I-“ Jorany threw his hands up in a futile gesture, “What do you want me to do?”

“Please, just keep this between us,” Lela begged, “No one will ever know that you knew. I’ll never tell. Please, Jorany! They’ll kill me for contempt. For lying to them. And even if they didn’t kill me, my life is over if they find out!”

“You should have thought about that beforehand.”

“I did! I thought long and hard about whether I was willing to give up my life for my family, and the answer is they’re worth it. But please Jorany, that doesn’t mean I’m ready for to die!”

“Leake. I’m just as guilty as you if I don’t turn you in.”

“You shouldn’t have followed me!”

“I was trying to help! How was I supposed to know that you were going to strip in front of me and force me to notice that you’re a girl?!”

“If your family was in danger, wouldn’t you do anything you could to protect them?”

“Maybe. Although I’m not too fond of a few of the members of my immediate family,” Jorany retorted.

“Then who Jorany? There has to be a person that you would give anything to keep safe. Someone that, if they were being threatened with destitution, you would defy everyone, the law included, in order to save them?”