The Hidden

Chapter 43 - [Warriorhood]

Meenu didn’t know where the meeting room was, so she had to ask for directions from the guards to get there. But when she and Knight got there, she was surprised to see Master Red standing outside, waiting for her.

     He wore no mask, but other than that, he looked the way he usually did.

     Just a little more tired than usual.

     “Master Red.” Meenu smiled, but then she froze in her spot and bowed quickly. She almost always forgot to bow.

     “I sensed your presence, Meenu.” Master Red said, “what brings you to me?”

     “I wanted to talk to you… for a while, actually.”

     “About what?”

     Meenu didn’t look at him for a moment, but then she took a deep breath and looked him straight in his red eyes. “I know I’m not that fast and I’m sometimes careless and I’m still pretty bad at fighting face to face and I still need holes in my mast to see but…” she took another breath, “but I want to ask if you would still make me into a full fledged warrior.”

     Master Red raised an eyebrow.

     “Wisdom, honor, faithfulness, righteousness, charity, diligence, patience, compassion, loyalty, bravery and truthfulness.” Meenu recited, “to be a warrior, you must be all of these. And I think I’ve gotten there.”

     He listened.

     “Avaryn… when I knew him as Blood… he told me that a warrior who destroys an entire army to protect a King’s treasures is in no way better than a warrior who almost dies from protecting a child from a wild boar.” She said, “I am most definitely not someone who could destroy an army… but I could definitely kill a boar to defend a child. I think I’m good enough.”

     Master Red just watched her.

     Wisdom, honor, faithfulness, righteousness, charity, diligence, patience, compassion, loyalty, bravery and truthfulness. He thought. The Code of the Warrior.

     Wisdom. He had heard Meenu’s words to Avaryn the day that he went to confront her about telling Seliaryn his secret. Those were wise words… he even wondered if he could have ever said something like that. She still had a long way to go but she was definitely getting there.

     Honor. She knew very well how to honor people. Her parents were the best example. Her respect for them was unbelievable. And Master Red knew of the respect she had for him.

     Faithfulness. She was definitely faithful. Trustworthy. Dependable. She was all of those. Avaryn knew it, Master Red knew it and everyone who interacted with her knew it.

     Righteousness. That incident with the Destynians, where Meenu attempted to save them. That was the best example he could think of that would prove her righteousness. Even her desire to become a warrior, that itself proved her desire to be a righteous young woman.

     Charity. There were too many examples of her charity. Master Red just skipped past it, knowing for sure that she definitely had a desire to help people.

     Diligence. Excellent, was all Master Red had to think. Within five months of him training her, she had proved to him that she was a very hard worker and extremely determined.

     Patience. Master Red just thought of how long she waited to see Avaryn. There were countless times were she had to be patient and wait for him. That was all the proof he needed for that trait.