Chapter Seven
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Ella stepped onto the mat, her heart pounding as Nia circled in front of her, coiled like a cat ready to spring. The air was thick and stifling, heavy with the scent of sweat. The room echoed with grunts and thumps as the initiates sparred with one another.
Sweat trickled down Ella's back, her uniform clinging to her skin. Nia's reassuring smile doing nothing to calm her nerves as they faced one another. Nia was lightning fast, her movements a blur as she threw her to the mat. Ella landed hard, the impact knocking the breath out of her.
"Are you okay?" Nia's voice was soft, laced with concern.
Ella forced a nod, gingerly getting to her feet. "I'm fine."
"Keep your guard up" Nia offered, her smile encouraging. "You're doing great."
Ella squared her shoulders, knowing she wasn't doing great but appreciating the support. She adjusted her stance, feeling the sting of her last fall as Nia came at her again, her strikes swift and precise. She managed to block a few blows, a small victory, but Nia was faster, more experienced. One minute she was facing her, the next she was on the mat, gasping in pain as she hit the ground wondering how many bruises she'd have by morning.
"Try to stay light on your feet" Nia said as Ella scrambled to her feet, "and watch your footing, don't let me predict your moves."
Ella nodded, taking her advice on board as they circled each other again. Keeping her arms up, she managed to block most of Nia's strikes, even landing a few jabs of her own. Each successful hit boosting her confidence when the whistle blew, signalling the end of the round.
"Nice job!" Nia said, clapping her on the shoulder, "We'll make a fighter out of you yet!"
Ella laughed, feeling a flicker of pride as she took a sip of her water. It had been hard, but she'd held her own, even if just a little. The girls shared a smile as Knight Harris called for them to change partners. Her smile quickly fading as she turned to see Cade standing before her.
Cade towered over her, his muscular frame and cold blue eyes giving him a formidable appearance. He looked down at her, his smug smile, making it clear he didn't see her as a threat and certainly not worthy of a Paladin.
"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this" he taunted, cracking his knuckles.
Ella's heart faltered but she forced herself to hold his gaze, masking her fear. "Let's just get this over with," she said, sounding more confident than she felt. She knew this moment was coming sooner or later but it didn't make it any less terrifying.
"Alright initiates, touch gloves."
Ella extended her clothed hand, but Cade swatted it away with a snort. His eyes full of loathing as he flexed his muscles, readying himself. He was much taller, which meant a longer reach. She was going to have to get really close or stay far away from his powerful arms if she wanted to stand a chance against him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself, her heart pounding when Cade's earlier threat echoed in her mind: 'The sooner you're dead, the sooner I take your place."
Ella shuddered. He wouldn't really kill her – would he? The way he glared at her made her feel uneasy. He wanted what she had, but was he really that desperate, that ruthless? The Brotherhood wouldn't let him do that, would they? She swallowed nervously, suddenly unsure. The Brotherhood wasn't known for its leniency. She had seen what happened to those who were weak. The bruised, battered faces of those who faltered, the stern reprimands. They prized strength above all else. Would they intervene if Cade went too far? She was suddenly unsure.
The whistle blew and Cade charged. Every instinct screamed for her to run, but she held her ground. Spinning out of the way at the last moment, sending him flying off the mat. Cade spun, his eyes turning into slits as he stormed towards her. He was a brute, his movements big and obvious as he swung at her with a heavy fist. Ella avoided the first, but the second one caught her off guard, pain exploding across her cheek. The room spun, but she managed to stay on her feet, barely able to recover before Cade lashed out again.
Ella ducked, narrowly missing his punch, before driving her shoulder into his chest, sending him staggering back. He recovered quickly, his expression darkening. Ella swallowed as he came at her again, harder this time. Each blow designed to hurt.
"You're so weak" he snarled. "The Paladin made a mistake choosing you."
Ella kept her arms up, trying to block as many blows as she could. She could barely breathe, her lungs burning as Cade pummelled into her again and again. Her vision blurred with tears of pain, feeling each blow reverberate through her body. The other initiates eyes were on them now, their attention drawn by the intensity of the fight. Cade's fists hammered into her, but she could do nothing but cover her head as Cade beat into her. Every punch felt like a sledgehammer, her bones rattling under the force of his blows as she fought to stay on her feet. She couldn't let him get her on the ground. If she did, it would be over.
Finally, Cade began to tire, his punches losing some of their intensity as the relentless barrage slowed. Sensing her chance, Ella pulled her arm back, summoning every ounce of strength she had and punched Cade square on the jaw as the whistle blew.
It was over.
Ella dropped her guard, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Relief washed over her as she gulped in large mouthfuls of air, her body battered and bruised when pain exploded across her face. She staggered back, blood spurting from her nose as a powerful fist collided with her face.
"Initiate that's enough!" Knight Harris bellowed "You're out of line!"
Cade's smirk was unmistakable through the haze of pain, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes as Nia appeared at Ella's side, her expression a mix of concern and anger. "Are you okay?" she asked.
Ella nodded, trying to stem the flow of blood with her sleeve as Nia put a supportive arm around her waist. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."
Ella accepted Nia's help, her cheeks burning as she guided her off the mat. She kept her eyes lowered, her mind racing with doubts as they headed for the bathroom. What did this mean for her now? Jake threw her a small smile as they passed but she was too ashamed to return it. The sight of her blood trailing behind them only added to her shame. She had never felt so exposed, so weak.
Pushing open the door Ella headed for the sink, her hand trembling and she turned on the tap. Pain radiated through her nose as she splashed water over her face, her eyes watering as Nia handed her a tissue.
"I can't believe Cade did that," Nia said, shaking her head in disbelief. "He's such a dick. I hope he gets up on sanitation duty for a month."
Ella laughed, instantly regretting it as pain shot through her face, splattering blood everywhere.
"You should get that checked" Nia suggested, her brows furrowing in concern "It could be broken."
"I'm fine" Ella insisted, her voice strained as she mopped up the blood. "There's no point in us both missing out. You should go back and join the others. Whoop Cade's ass for me." She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her nose was red and swollen, a deep bruise already beginning to form. She touched it gingerly, wincing in pain.
"I like the sound of that" Nia grinned "but I'll have to pass, we're going to see the medic."
XXX
Ella perched on the cold, hard exam table, her body still trembling from the fight. The sharp smell of antiseptic stung her nose, blending with the deep ache of Cade's blows as the doctor examined her.
"All right, let's have a look."
Ella fought to keep still as he gently probed the area, wincing as his firm fingers sent a jolt of pain through her nose.
"There's not much to be done if it's broken" he stated, "but we'll x-ray it to be sure."
Ella nodded as the doctor brought out the x-ray machine, proof of the Brotherhood's relentless pursuit of pre-war tech. The doctor carried out the x-ray, the sudden flash hurting Ella's eyes before leaving the room to check the results.
Ella glanced towards the door as they waited, her heart skipping a beat as she saw Danse walking past. She held her breath, praying the thick confidential file in his hand would be enough to keep his attention from spotting her. She breathed a sigh of relief as he disappeared down the corridor.
But her relief was short-lived. A second later, Danse reappeared, his dark eyes narrowing as he spotted her. Ella's heart sank as he snapped the file shut with a heavy thud.
'Shit.'
Danse strode the room, his anger palpable. "What happened?" he demanded. Nia shrank under his imposing presence, sensing the tension she gave Ella's arm a reassuring squeeze, wishing her well before slipping out of the room, leaving them alone.
Danse stood, his expression unreadable as he awaited an answer. Ella opened her mouth to speak when the doctor returned, seeming unfazed by seething Paladin.
"Well, you'll be glad to know it's not broken, just bruised" the doctor informed her, while Danse watched on silent and stony-faced. "However, it does seem rather tender. I can give you something for the pain if you feel you need it?"
Ella's eyes darted to Danse before she quickly shook her head, not wanting to show any sign of weakness in front of him. The doctor noticed her hesitation, his eyes flitting between them. "Your Paladin will tell you there is no glory in pretending you are not in pain, initiate" he said gently, fixing her with a firm gaze. "Are you sure?"
Ella nodded reluctantly, noticing Danse's jaw tighten.
"Take one a day and ice your nose multiple times over the next forty-eight hours" the doctor instructed, handing her a box of pain relief and an icepack. "If anything changes come back and see me. Otherwise, you are cleared for duty."
Danse stormed from the room without a word. Ella thanked the doctor, her voice shaky before hesitantly following him out into the corridor.
"What happened, initiate?" he demanded again, his voice stern.
Ella swallowed, feeling the weight of his gaze "I…I let my guard down" she murmured "I'm sorry I disappointed you, sir."
Danse's brows furrowed. "Disappointed? Why would I be disappointed?"
Ella's throat tightened with emotion, struggling to find the words. "I got my ass handed to me in front of everyone" she admitted, her voice trembling. "I'm supposed to be a reflection of you, of your training. I thought…I thought maybe I had embarrassed you."
Danse's expression softened, his anger fading as he looked at her. "It doesn't matter that you were outmatched today, failure is a part of the process, especially in the beginning. What matters is that you keep going. I'm not embarrassed. I'm proud of how you're handling yourself and the progress you're making."
Ella looked up at him, surprised by his words. "Thank you, sir."
Danse nodded, his tone gentler now. "Now go ice that nose. You're dismissed."
XXX
Ella sat in the dimly lit communications room, her face illuminated by the glow of terminal screens as messages and blips flickered across the screen. The crackle of radio transmissions came over her headset, the supervising lancer nodding in approval as she carefully logged the locations of Knights in the field.
She focused on her work, trying to ignore the throbbing in her nose. She hadn't realised how much she used her nose until her injury; eating, drinking, even breathing sent a stab of pain through her face. The swelling had finally gone down, the bruise fading but the pain still lingered though less than before.
She continued working, logging another location when she felt the ground rumble beneath her feet, steady and deliberate. Pulling off her headset she turned to see Danse standing behind her, her heart thumping a little harder at the sight of his formidable black power armour. He barely fit in the doorway, the sleek black plates illuminated by the glow of the screens as he stood with his helmet tucked under his arm.
"Ready, initiate?" he asked, his voice steady and authoritative.
Ella nodded, her throat suddenly dry. She hadn't seen him in it since the day he brought her abroad, she'd forgotten how intimidating it was. "Yes sir."
Setting her headset down she followed him through the corridors of the Prydwen, struggling to keep up with his long strides as his footsteps reverberated through the passageways. The fact that he was geared up set alarm bells ringing. Something was up. Uncertainty gnawed at her as she walked beside him. What could they be doing that required full battle gear?
She glanced in Danse's direction, trying to keep her tone light. "What are we doing today, sir?"
Danse kept his eyes forward. "You'll find out soon enough initiate."
Ella sighed, frustration mingling with her growing apprehension. "Are you always this cryptic?"
A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips, "It's good to keep you on your toes."
Ella rolled her eyes, trying to mask her nerves. Her unease growing as they headed towards the flight deck.
AN: Hello, just want to say a quick thanks to those reading, liking and following this story. It means the world. I'm so happy you are enjoying it so far. Thanks again!
