Chapter Six
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The day was stifling hot. Sweat pricked Ella's forehead as she approached the entrance of the barracks. An armoured knight, armed with a minigun almost as tall as she was, stood at the doorway.
"Good morning, sir," she greeted him, "Permission to enter?"
She breathed in relief as the knight nodded, stepping aside to let her pass. Located within the ruins beneath the Prydwen, the crumbling airport had been fortified and repurposed, its once derelict walls now bustling with soldiers. The thrum of vertibirds taking off buzzed in her ears, the smell of gun oil filling the air as she made her way through the hive of activity. Soldiers panted and grunted as they trained nearby, their superiors barking out orders as she entered the training yard, spotting Nia standing in the shade of a collapsed wall.
"Hey," she greeted her. Grateful to be out of the suffocating heat as she joined her in the shade. "How's engineering going?"
"It's amazing," Nia replied, her eyes lighting up "I got to work on a T-60 the other day!"
"That's incredible," Ella said, though she couldn't quite muster the same enthusiasm.
"Proctor Ingham is great and I love working on them but I can't wait to be in one. Can you imagine what it's like wearing one of those every day?"
'No.' Ella thought to herself. The idea of being trapped in a tin can and sent off to fight who knows what didn't appeal to her as much as it did the others.
"What about you," Nia asked, "How's logistics?"
Ella shrugged. The logistics department was a well-oiled machine, responsible for counting, recording and storing shipments of food, ammunition, medical supplies – anything the Brotherhood needed. She's spent the last week meticulously counting each item, and though she appreciated the importance of the role, it lacked the kind of excitement she was hoping for.
"It's okay," Ella said, "I don't think it's for me though."
"Could be worse. You could have been working for Scribe Thorne."
Ella shuddered. The thought of Thorne's crop sending a chill down her spine. She'd rather face the ghouls again.
"All right initiates, listen up!"
The sun beat down as the initiates gathered around, she scanned the group, her eyes meeting Cade's as he scowled at her from across the circle. Although her demanding kept her apart from the others most of the time, she was beginning to recognise a few faces, like Jake, a pale, wiry initiate with sharp cheekbones and a mop of curly brown hair.
"Today's task is about endurance." Knight Harris, their supervisor explained. "You are to run three laps around the course without stopping. Each of you will be timed so make sure you're not last."
"That doesn't sound too hard" Jake whispered.
The knight's lip curled into a sly smile. "Is that so?" he asked dropping a heavy rucksack before them with a resounding thud. "You'll also be carrying these."
A chorus of moans erupted. Ella's heart sank, the sack looked impossibly heavy; she felt tired just looking at it.
"Enough whining" Knight Harris snapped "Get moving!"
They did as he said, the initiates scrambling to pick up the heavy sacks in an effort to be first. Picking up a bag, Ella felt the heaviness press down on her already aching body. 'Damn, these are heavy' she thought as she struggled to secure it onto her back, nearly toppling under its weight as she wrestled to get her arm through the strap.
"Need a hand?" Jake offered, appearing beside her.
Ella nodded "That'd be great."
He stepped forward holding the strap as she slipped her arm through.
"There," he said, settling the rucksack onto her back "that should do it."
"Thanks."
"No problem" he said, his eyes full of curiosity as he glanced at her "So, are you the one Paladin Danse brought in?"
Her stomach fluttered nervously. It was common knowledge that she was Danse's mentee, but no one knew how it came to be. How he'd rescued her from the ghouls and brought her in personally. "How do you know that?" she asked cautiously,
Jake's expression softened. "My brother was serving under him at the time. He was part of the recon team who were there – Knight Ryan?"
Her brows shot up in surprise as she took in Jake's features more closely. The resemblance was suddenly clear— the same brown eyes and mop of dark hair. "I remember him," she said softly, "he helped save my life."
"That mission was tough for all of them" Jake nodded, "He and the Paladin have been through a lot together, but he always speaks highly of him. He says he's one of the best."
Ella nodded in agreement, wanting to know more when a sharp voice interrupted them.
"What are you standing about for?" Knight Harris barked "Get moving!"
Tightening her straps they set off. The rucksack was jarring and uncomfortable, bouncing with every step but having Nia and Jake at her side made the run a little easier, a sense of camaraderie falling over them as they ran side by side.
"Not surprised to see you at the back." Ella turned to see Cade beside her, looking frustratingly at ease with the weight of his rucksack as he fell in step beside her. "The weakest animals are always the ones who fall behind."
Ella shot him a glare, panting heavily. "Then why are you here?"
"Predators take down the weak," Cade replied smoothly "especially the ones who can't keep up."
Ella almost stumbled, her heart skipping a beat, but she forced her expression to remain smooth. "Is that supposed to scare me?" she asked. It did - but she wasn't about to let him know that.
"It should," Cade grinned. With a snort he pushed past her, delivering a swift shove that sent her sprawling. Jake jumped to avoid colliding with her, pain shooting through her knees as they scraped against the rough ground.
"Get up initiate!" Harris barked.
Her cheeks burnt as she scrambled to her feet, readjusting the heavy sack on her shoulders as Nia slowed down, allowing her to catch up.
"Don't let him get to you" Nia said, offering her a reassuring smile "he's just jealous."
Ella nodded, appreciating the support as they resumed their laps, the weight of the rucksack making each step an effort. Her shoulders burned, the strap digging into her skin, but she forced herself on, determined to finish.
Sweaty and breathless, the initiates finished their laps. "Better but you have a lot to improve on initiate" Knight Harris said, jotting down Ella's time. "Alright, that'll do for today." He called, signalling the end of the session. "Remember, you'll be sparring tomorrow so come prepared."
Ella's heart sank. Tomorrow would be her first time on the mat. Danse had gone over basic manoeuvres in preparation, but she'd never gone head-to-head with anyone, unlike the others, who had already faced one another. Her lack of training already put her at a disadvantage. It didn't help that she was shorter than most of the others, which made her an easy target – that and being Danse's mentee. She may as well have had a giant red X painted on her back.
"Don't worry" Nia said, offering her a reassuring smile "It'll be fine."
Ella nodded, appreciating the support though it did little to ease her worry. She was out of her depth, and everyone knew it. Anxiety clawed at her, the thought of facing the others filling her with dread.
Exhausted, she headed to her quarters. Her stomach rumbled as she passed the mess hall but decided against it, the lunchtime rush was in full swing, the sound of clattering plates and lively chatter filling her ears as she trudged past. She'd make do with her traded Sugar bombs. They probably tasted better anyway.
She was just nearing the door to her quarters, her bunk calling, when a stern voice stopped her.
"Initiate!"
Ella turned, dread coiling in her stomach as she saw Scribe Thorne hobbling towards her—a scowl etched on his haggard face.
"What do you think you are doing?" he snapped, his tone lined with impatience.
Ella blinked, trying to understand his anger. "I'm sorry sir" she apologised, "I don't understand what you –"
"Why is Paladin Danse getting his own food?" Thorne demanded, his cold eyes narrowing. "As his initiate, it is your duty to ensure his needs are met both on and off the battlefield. It is your responsibility to cater to his every whim without question. If he tells you to jump, you jump. If he tells you to kiss his boots, you do it."
Ella's stomach dropped; she'd had no idea. "I'm sorry. I didn't -"
"Pathetic" Thorne spat "Clearly, you still do not understand your responsibilities. If you can't do that then what use are you?"
Ella's mind raced, panic seeping into her thoughts. She opened her mouth to respond but before she could reply, Danse appeared, his expression unreadable. Relief surged through her as he stopped beside her, his presence solid and commanding.
"I am perfectly capable of getting my own food," Danse said, his voice steady but firm "My initiate is not your servant Thorne, nor is she mine. She is a valuable member of this team and deserves respect."
"Respect is earned Paladin," Thorne sneered, his voice laced with venom "She needs to know her place."
Ella's breath caught in her throat, her eyes darting between the two men. The air was thick with tension, her heart pounding so loudly she feared they would hear it.
Danse's eyes hardened, his jaw tightening. "Respect is a basic human right," he said flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Every member, no matter what rank, is crucial and vital to our success, undermining them with disrespect weakens us all."
Thorne scoffed, his face twisting in anger. "You're too soft Danse. They won't learn if they don't toughen up."
Danse took a step toward him, towering over the Scribe as he glared at him. Ella could feel the heat of their confrontation. She held her breath, her muscles tensing in response.
"They will learn through guidance and support, not fear and intimidation," Danse growled. "The fact that you can't see that, proves you are not fit to lead."
Ella stood beside Danse, exhaustion forgotten as she watched the two men, their anger palpable. Thorne's, fists clenched at his sides, his face red with fury, but said nothing more. With a final glare, he turned on his heel, his uneven footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Danse turned to face her, concern softening his features. "Are you alright?" he asked gently.
"I'm fine sir," Ella said, managing a small nod, "I'm sorry. I didn't realise I was supposed to -"
"You have nothing to be sorry for" Danse interjected, "It's my responsibility to teach you the ways of the Brotherhood, not to exploit my position. Unlike some, I believe an initiate proves their worth through resilience and loyalty, not by how well they serve their superiors."
"Does everyone...?" She trailed off, unsure how to phrase her question.
Danse sighed, leading her towards her quarters. Ella walked alongside him, still slightly shaken by the confrontation but finding comfort in his presence. The long corridor felt less intimidating with him at her side.
"Many initiates are exploited, used for menial tasks to 'prove' themselves," Danse told her "It's an old way of thinking, from a time long past. But I don't operate that way. You will prove your worth through your actions in training and combat, not by fetching meals or cleaning."
Ella felt a surge of gratitude for him, realising just how different he was from the others. She was fortunate to have him as her mentor, unlike the others, he genuinely valued and respected her, and she admired him for it.
"Thank you, sir," she said, smiling softly at him.
Danse nodded a hint of a smile on his lips, a shared understanding settling between them as they reached her door. "Just keep your head down and focus on your training" he said gently "You'll prove yourself in time."