Two Sides of the Coin

Chapter 10

Earning Respect

The heat from the furnace baked Joey's sweat-drenched skin. He puffed, breathing heavily as his muscles screamed. Despite that, he smiled as he gripped the heavy tongs tight, gloves fingers cooking as they sat close to the flames. Just hot enough for him to feel it, but not quite hot enough to leave him burnt. A delicate balance that he maintained as he watched the metal within the furnace glow brighter.

Kaito should be telling me to pull it out any moment now.

"Iron!"

Joey gritted his teeth then pulled, yanking the glowing hot metal from the furnace and swinging it to the anvil in one fluid motion. As soon as he rested it against the anvil, Kaito's hammer crashed against it, molding the metal like clay.

"Turn!"

Joey twisted his forearms, braced himself, then felt the next crash of the hammer vibrate through his arms and into his shoulders.

"Again!"

He shifted his grip and twisted. The hammer struck. His fingers stung. By the time they were finished with this blade, his body would feel dead. At the same time, Joey knew that right now might be the most alive he had felt in some time.

He gritted his teeth, muscles straining as he steadied the large blade. Kaito grabbed a new tool as the metal's glow dimmed to a duller red. He used it to cut the metal, then grasped it with his own tongs and folded the billet.

"Heat!"

Pivot, turn, then Joey thrust the billet back into the flames. It would have to sit there for a couple minutes. More than enough time for a ladle of water.

He stumbled toward the water barrel outside of the blacksmith's lean-to. Rainwater filled it. The ground was still soft and muddy from a storm that blew through the previous day. Joey cupped some of the cool water and splashed his sweat-stained face before taking the ladle and greedily gulping some down. A refreshed gasp shot from his lungs.

"How big is this one?" He asked as he set the ladle down and then tried to dry his hands on his trousers.

Kaito, the old weaponsmith of Castle Shirasagi, maintained his usual frown. Several weeks had passed since Joey first began working for the man, and he still treated Joey with near callous indifference. He didn't like answering questions, and he disliked having a Nohrian operating his forge. But, when Joey displayed his raw strength, Kaito's complaints turned to quiet grumbles rather than loud protests. Eventually, he did begin instructing Joey a little bit, in his own way. That way typically involved sharp words and even sharper blows with a reed when he messed up.

I guess that's how he thinks he can get through my thick skull. He's not the only one in my life to come to that conclusion.

"Normal length, many folds," Kaito replied. A man of few words. Joey was still struggling to decide if that was because he didn't like talking, or just didn't know many words Joey could understand.

"How many folds are we talking?" Joey asked as he leaned over and peered into the furnace, watching the billet begin to glow a bright orange once again. Once it turned white hot, he would yank it from the coals and place it on the anvil. A few more minutes still.

"Twenty."

Joey's eyes widened. "Twenty?"

Kaito frowned from across the anvil. "Too much for you, Nohrian?"

Joey reached for the hem of his shirt and peeled it off, rolling his shoulders and then smirking. "Not at all. Gives me an excuse to open the gun show. Billet ready?"

Kaito scowled then shook his head before gesturing at the furnace. Yes, it was time to get back to work. No, he did not appreciate Joey showing off a physique carved in the high school weight room and football field. Tough. Joey preferred his disapproval to heatstroke anyway.

Joey tugged on his thick gloves, rolled his shoulders and neck, then grasped the tang with tongs and waited for Kaito's order. When the boss barked, he moved, and as he moved, he saw a glimpse of blue hair passing by. Golden eyes landed on him, and for a moment, Joey hesitated.

There she was again. Azura, the lady who made him look like a complete jackass when they first met, twice. Granted, Mac would say he was very good at making himself look like a jackass, but that was different. Making a fool of himself was far different from being made a fool of. The former made him laugh, and the latter made his blood boil.

But not with Azura. For some reason, she piqued his curiosity. He watched as she paused beside a soldier who was walking nearby with Prince Takumi. The Prince maintained his disgruntled demeanor, but he was a bit softer with Azura than everyone else. Did he have feelings for her?

Nah, she's out of his league.

"Iron!"

The tang trembled. Joey's arms burned. He grunted, cursed, then heaved the molten metal onto the anvil just in time. Any longer and it would have slipped from the tang. He shook his head as sweat beaded from his brow. After turning the billet over, he saw Azura flick a glance his way as Kaito berated him for not paying attention.

Stupid, Joey. Stupid!

Still, he couldn't pay attention as he watched the slender girl stride away, her white gown floating atop the gravel path through the castle grounds. She entered the armory, which surprised him, then emerged with a spear. His eyes widened.

She can fight?

"Iron!"

"Damn it!" Joey twisted the tang. Kaito hammered, and the billet elongated. Then he set to work folding it over. A minute later, Joey was shoving it back into the furnace. He huffed and puffed, struggling to catch his breath. Kaito smacked his shoulder with a heavy, gloved hand. For such a small guy, he had stones for hands.

"Break for you."

"Break? Nah, I'm fine and-"

"Break, now. Your head is not on right. Fix it, then come back."

Joey frowned. He knew that this wasn't a privilege. This was a punishment. The more work he did, the more invaluable he made himself, and the easier it was to justify keeping a foreigner like him around despite the Hoshidans' wariness of him. Plus, he liked the work. He liked keeping busy. He was that way back home, which was why he was always working on his truck.

I miss my truck.

In the end, Joey relented, nodding his thanks to Kaito and then stepping out of the lean-to. He didn't bother with a drink of water. He could get one when he came back. Perhaps a walk would do him some good? Today, his path took him toward the armory and the sandy training yard attached to it.

Several of the royal guards who weren't on duty occupied spaces in the sand, sparring with their weapons. They shot him suspicious glares. Glances that told him he did not belong there. That he was not welcome. Joey didn't care. Let them have their opinions. He just wanted to check things out.

The figure at the center of the yard was who grabbed his attention anyway. Azura held her spear off to the side, shaft planted in the sand, blunted tip glinting in the sun. She didn't wear any armor or training gear, but she did have her blue hair pulled out of her face into a tight bun behind her head. He watched as she pulled the spear out of the sand, spun it, then held it with both hands, dropping into a ready stance. No one sparred with her. No one opposed her. She eyed invisible enemies as her arms and legs tensed, ready to move.

Then, Joey's mouth fell open. She swept a leg, and jabbed out with the spear, making the head turn into a metallic blur as she put a dozen holes into her imaginary opponent. After felling one, she pirouetted, sweeping the spear around and smashing it against the ground, taking another opponent down. Sand jumped around her legs as she fought, her movements looking more like a beautiful dance than brutal combat.

Who is this girl?

Her dance ended with a powerful thrust of her spear. Azura's chest rose and fell as she drew in deep, heavy breaths. A slight smirk tugged on the corner of her mouth. Joey knew that look. He had it several times whenever he ran a perfect route and left a corner in the dust. Satisfaction.

That was when she noticed him, and her smirk ran away.

"What do you want, Joey?" She asked.

Joey drew back. "Was I the only one watching?"

"No, but you're the only newcomer watching," Azura strode toward a water basin, which sat at the edge of the sandy yard. She ladled herself some water, wiped her mouth, then returned her attention to him. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

"Boss told me to take a break. Said my head wasn't on right today."

"Because your eyes aren't where they should be?"

Joey snorted. "Well, yeah but-" His words ground to a halt then he folded his arms. "So, you were taking a look too, eh?"

Azura gave him a sharp glare, making him suddenly feel small.

"No need to be shy about it," he said with a mutter.

Azura shook her head then laughed under her breath. She glanced around the yard. The soldiers there were still unhappy with Joey's presence.

"If you're going to be here, then you can't just be an observer."

"Why's that?"

"Because that is not how you'll earn respect, that's why," Azura responded. "Do you know how to fight?"

Joey drew back. "Ya mean like, weapons and shit?"

"More weapons and less excrement, but yes," Azura replied.

"I mean…" Joey kicked some sand. "I've been in my fair share of fist fights."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Cause I'm good at attracting trouble and you know it," Joey replied with a wry smile.

"So I've heard." Azura put her hands on her hips, drew in a deep breath, then nodded. "Fine, fist-fighter. Let's see what you're made of."

Joey blinked. "Wait, you mean, like I'm gonna fight you?"

"Afraid?"

"No. Just don't think that's a very fair fight."

"You think that you'll overpower me?"

"I think that you're more than capable of turning me into a pretzel after what I just saw," Joey replied, and for the first time, he got a slight smile from the stoic girl.

"You won't fight me, because you are correct, that would hardly be fair. Besides, I have no desire to harm you. However," she nodded past him at a pair of soldiers glowering his way, "those two appear ready to beat you."

Joey glanced over his shoulder. "Ya mean string bean and the potato?"

"Apt descriptions, I'd say. They are new trainees brought in by the Captain of the Guard. They're looking to earn their place. In fact, most of the people in this yard are. Some think that beating you to a pulp will earn them favor with the royals. What do you think?"

"I think that's a crock."

"Well…" Azura stepped around him and motioned to the Potato. "Earn their respect."

A ring formed around Joey and the Potato. Truly, the guy opposite of him was a looker in the worst possible ways. He had a wart on his face that might as well have been the eye of a potato, and the pushed-up nose reminded Joey of a hog. But, looks could be deceiving, and he knew that firsthand. More than once, someone underestimated him on the football field because he dressed like a small-town caricature, mullet included. He always made them pay for it.

He refused to be on the receiving end of that embarrassment.

"Hands and feet only," the battlemaster in charge of the yard announced. "Victory shall be achieved by submission or the opponent becoming unconscious."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Joey rolled his shoulders and sniffed. "Hope you're ready, Potato."

"The name is Kanamaru."

"Do ya really think I know how to say that?"

Kanamaru roared, charged, and Joey swept to the side, avoiding his bull rush. A sharp pivot, and he planted his heel into Kanamaru's backside, sending the potato-shaped man tumbling forward. He chuckled as jeers and hollers from the onlookers rose in volume. As he enjoyed the crowd noise, he failed to notice Kanamaru charge him again.

A meaty shoulder slammed into the small of Joey's back. Sand smacked his face as he was taken to the ground. A heavy body pinned him to the ground while a bony elbow dug between his shoulder blades. Joey hissed and struggled but found it impossible to get any decent leverage.

When did this become a wrestling match?

"Hook his leg with yours," he heard Azura say over the cheers of the crowd.

"I ain't flexible!" Joey exclaimed as Kanamaru shoved his face into the sand and then rose, allowing him to get back to his hands and knees.

That was when a bare foot slammed into his side. Pain flooded Joey's left flank as he rolled over in the sand, feeling the area that was struck throb.

"I am not going to submit you, Nohrian." The Potato grabbed him by his mullet and yanked him to his feet. Then, his fist crashed into Joey's jaw.

Joey saw stars, but he still heard the large man's snarl.

"I'm going to beat you bloody." A fist hammered into Joey's gut, right in the solar plexus. All of the air shot from Joey's lungs, but the Potato kept him standing, delivering several sharp body blows before landing a roundhouse kick into Joey's unguarded hip. Joey stumbled and dropped to his knees. The world spun.

"I'm going to remind you of the power of Hoshido."

A fist hit the side of his head. Joey's arms trembled as he fought to stay up.

"I'm going to make you pay for the sins of your damned countrymen."

An uppercut connected and sent Joey sprawling onto his back. No follow-up blows came. The Potato must have thought he was finished. Joey could feel sticky blood running down his nose bubbling from a cut in his mouth. His body throbbed. Bruises were forming already.

God, I hope ice baths are a thing in this place.

Cheers rang in his ears. The other soldiers were loving this. Joey forced his eyes open and saw their sneering faces, then he saw Azura's impassive expression. She wasn't enjoying this like everyone else, but she wasn't going to intervene either.

Ya want me to earn some respect, huh? Joey managed to roll over. He got to his hands and knees, spat some blood into the sand, then smiled. Let me show ya how a redneck fights.

With a slight shake in his legs, Joey rose to his feet. He raised his fists, and the crowd's cheers dulled. The Potato looked at him, stunned.

"You want more?" The Potato asked, his face caught between disbelief and excited anticipation. "Don't know when to quit, do you?"

Joey blinked some sweat from his eyes. He sniffled, spat again, then gave the Potato a bloody grin.

"Quit? Never heard of it," he panted.

The Potato uttered a chuckle, stalked toward Joey, then landed a flurry of blows that would have felled anyone else. But Joey was stubborn. He wasn't going to give the man the satisfaction of knocking him out. Not a chance in hell.

Time to return the favor.

With a roar, Joey swung a massive hook right at the Potato's temple. His knuckles connected and a loud pop rang through the air. The Potato swayed to and fro then collapsed face-first into the sand, unconscious. In the blink of an eye, Joey went from defeated to victor, and the crowd was silent.

Joey gasped for breath as the adrenaline that powered him ebbed away. His entire body ached and pulsed. His muscles were sore from both work and the fight. However, he refused to show weakness. Not when the String Bean was still standing. When he faced the skinnier trainee, the man took a step back, and Joey smiled.

He turned and marched to the edge of the training yard. After splashing some water across his face, he wiped the blood from his lips and nose and glanced at Azura. Her arms were folded, but she didn't appear displeased. He could see a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Respect earned," he said.

Then he went back to work.

Prince Takumi did not like that Joey had earned respect. Instead, the Prince must have felt that Joey had earned a harsh punishment, and that involved having Joey dragged from his room in the evening to King Sumeragi.

Joey expected to be dragged to the throne room. He was surprised when they passed through it and did not stop. Instead, they entered the royal wing of the palace. Here, the accommodation became more luxurious. The floors somehow felt softer and the floorboards did not squeak. The sliding doors weren't just made of wood and paper. They were embroidered and painted and woven with rich golds and scarlets.

The King's chambers were the very last at the end of the corridor. Four guards stood vigilante in front of the door. They parted when Prince Takumi reached them. The Prince slid the door open, and the soldiers dragging Joey hauled him into the room and then tossed him to the floor.

"Was that entirely necessary, Takumi?" the soft tone of Queen Mikoto asked.

Joey blinked as he raised his eyes. He had not spoken with the Queen yet. He got the impression that she was a quiet, reserved individual, more content with observing and supervising the day-to-day activities of the palace than dispensing stern orders like her husband. But, in the privacy of the royal quarters, she was much more prominent. She stood near a table with a vase filled with pink flowers. Her kimono was resplendent, with sakura blossoms woven into a lovely pattern throughout the cream-colored silk.

King Sumeragi was nowhere to be found.

Takumi furrowed his brow. "I was under the impression that father-"

"Your father did not call for this. I did," Queen Mikoto interrupted, making Takumi bristle. The Prince kept his composure as the queen's gaze landed on Joey. "I heard about the scuffle in the training yard. Care to explain what happened?"

Joey winced. "Well, if Potato is telling ya that I beat him unprovoked, I challenge ya to use your eyes and see which of us is more tenderized." He bit back a curse as a sharp pain shot through his back. When did he get kicked there?

An amused look crossed the Queen's face. "He did weave quite the tale of a savage Nohrian provoking him and blindsiding him with a dishonorable blow. However, it appears to me that the dishonor falls on him for lying to his sovereign." She flicked her eyes at Takumi. The Prince said nothing. He just bowed his head. "Now, from what I heard from Princess Azura, you took quite a severe amount of punishment yet still managed to emerge victorious?"

"Yeah, well, Princess Az-Az-Az-" Joey's eyes widened. "Come again?"

"You were unaware of Azura's status?"

"By the Dawn Dragon, you're an idiot," Takumi muttered.

"Takumi," Mikoto warned, her tone soft yet still commanding. A motherly scolding. Joey knew those all too well. "Is what I heard from Azura true?"

Joey gulped. "I don't think I should be questioning the words of a Princess, ma'am."

"You were happy to debate mine and Hinoka's," Takumi jabbed.

"Well, you're just too fun to annoy; that's why," Joey grinned.

The Queen cleared her throat, silencing both of them.

"So, if true, it sounds to me like you could be more than capable of accomplishing the task I have in mind, Joseph Jensen."

Takumi drew back. "Y-Your majesty, you don't mean to say- myself, Azura, and Ryoma are more than capable of handling the situation. Hinoka's message might just be hysteria from one of her soldiers anyways and-"

"Takumi…"

The boy fell silent. Joey grimaced.

"What exactly is going on?"

Queen Mikoto drew in a deep breath. Her calm demeanor cracked for a moment, revealing worry lines and stress.

"Something has happened to Hinoka and Sakura during their mission to the northern villages. I fear the reports of Faceless prowling the area may in fact be true, and that there were more than they could handle. You, Joseph, have experience dealing with Faceless. But that alone would not convince me to send you to assist Takumi, Ryoma, and Azura. Azura, herself, personally requested you be added to her retinue as a retainer."

Takumi and Joey's mouths fell open.

"Huh?" They said together.

"You will be ready to leave at first light. I will make sure a healer with a festal visits you before you fall asleep so that you wake refreshed. Takumi, see that Joey returns to his chambers safely, please."

"Your majesty, if I may ask, what does father think of this?" Takumi asked, no doubt searching for some way to protest. Joey did not blame him. In a week, he went from a guest to blacksmith assistance, to retainer… whatever that meant? Things were happening too fast, and he actually found himself silently thanking Takumi for trying to slow things down.

Mikoto let out a heavy sigh then glanced at a darkened room concealed by a divider. "Your father is resting, right now. He had a long day. He does not rule alone, and it is my duty to step forward when he must step back. Listen to what I say, Takumi. Make sure you bring Hinoka and Sakura back unharmed. Joseph, be certain to obey Azura's commands. She is your liege now, as the Nohrians would put it. Now, go rest. First light will come soon."

Takumi did not protest further. He just gritted his teeth, turned on his heel, and marched out with Joey following close behind him. When the guards shut the door behind them, Takumi whirled around and pinned Joey to the wall with a forearm.

"Listen well, Nohrian, you may have my parents fooled, as well as Azura, but not me. I know the true nature of your ilk."

"Do ya?" Joey replied, reaching up and shoving Takumi's arm from his chest. "Last I check, you've never bothered to get to know me at all."

"And why should I? You Nohrians are all the same. No honor, only savagery."

"But I wasn't the one who just pinned someone to a wall."

Takumi scowled.

"Just sayin'," Joey remarked.

Takumi's jaw clenched. "Go to your chambers, Nohrian. Be awake at first light, or you will be left behind. I won't let you slow us down on this mission."

He stormed away, leaving Joey in the dimly lit corridor. Joey frowned as he watched him leave.

"What's with him?"

He would have to learn the answer to that question later. For now, Joey could feel the exhaustion from the day weighing down on him. He needed sleep more than anything else, and the Queen was right.

First light would be here soon.

And chapter! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! Have a new chapter as a gift from me! Joey's finding his place in Hoshido, and it should be interesting to see what happens now that he's being thrust into the thick of things. Also, writing Azura is proving to be very fun. Expect more of that in the future! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it. Have a nice day!