Breaking the Rules, Part V
Many Years Ago
“Apprentice Ekla.”
Ekla picked up her head. The library came into focus as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Had she fallen asleep studying? How had she fallen asleep? Wasn’t someone supposed to wake her up if she fell asleep? Where was the librarian?
Someone had woken her up. Who was talking? She blinked to clear her eyes, then focused on the person in front of her.
“My Lady!”
Ekla jumped to her feet and stood at attention for Lady Enrakal.
Stop panicking. Her father’s voice echoed in her mind. Even when he wasn’t around, she could feel his disapproval with every mistake she made. She had to be perfect, and being perfect meant not worrying about anything.
“My apologies,” she said, her voice calm and smooth.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” Lady Enrakal smiled at her. Something was wrong with her smile. It wasn’t forced or condescending. Was she that good at faking it? No one had ever smiled at Ekla before she’d started her apprenticeship. Her father always said smiling was for the lower class.
Ekla waited for her to continue. A child wasn’t to speak unless spoken to, and was certainly not allowed to have opinions, which caused a lot of confusion when Master Velal asked her how she felt. She still wasn’t sure she fully understood the question.
“Master Velal was worried that you might’ve been doing some late night practicing. He says you push yourself too hard.”
Ekla didn’t push herself too hard, she didn’t push herself hard enough. She wasn’t perfect yet, and she had to be perfect.
“You don’t have to be perfect,” Lady Enrakal said. “No matter what your father’s told you. You’re also allowed to express yourself. In fact, I encourage you to do so. It can be good to let your feelings out sometimes.”
“What? Don’t talk to me like I have a problem! I’m fine!”
“My apologies if I’ve offended you.” Lady Enrakal’s smile never faltered. How was she staying so pleasant? “I don’t think you have a problem. I think you’re perfect just the way you are.”
“Father doesn’t think so,” Ekla muttered.
“Then your father doesn’t know what he’s missing.” She started collecting the books. “I’ll help you put these away, then we’ll walk to the north tower together.”
Ekla didn’t understand what was happening. If her father had caught her like this, she didn’t want to imagine the punishment. But Lady Enrakal was helping her. No one had ever helped Ekla. She’d had to do everything on her own.
“Thank you, My Lady.”
“It’s my pleasure, Apprentice Ekla.”
Present Day
Ekla smiled at the two sleeping apprentices in the library. Roshil was using an open book as a pillow, while Aonva had at least managed not to fall asleep on one of the books they were reading. She tried thinking of a way to wake them up that wouldn’t send Aonva into a panic, but that didn’t seem possible.
“Apprentice Roshil.”
“You can’t prove anything,” Roshil mumbled. “Was always like that.”
Ekla closed her eyes and counted to five. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
“Apprentice Roshil,” she repeated, nudging Roshil’s shoulder.
“What?” Roshil picked up her head. “I didn’t do it. You can’t prove anything.” She blinked as it sank in that she was in the library. “Oh. What time is it?”
“Past curfew,” Ekla said. “I happened to be in the area and did a sweep of the library.”
She hoped neither of them would realize that it wasn’t her job to do so, nor that it was unlikely that she would’ve happened to be there on the exact night they fell asleep. She certainly hadn’t been anxious after Kurgm had slipped out with his so-called friends.
Roshil reached over and rested her hand on Aonva’s shoulder.
“Aonva. We fell asleep.”
Aonva mumbled something incoherent and lifted her head.
“What time is it?”
Aonva blinked and rubbed her eyes. She stared for a moment, then stood up so fast that she knocked over her chair.
“Master Ekla, we… um… I… we didn’t… did we miss curfew?”
“You’re not in trouble,” Ekla said, keeping her voice low and calm. “You two have been working too hard again. Just make sure you’re taking better care of yourselves.”
Roshil stood up, closing the books.
“Isn’t breaking curfew against the rules?” she asked conversationally. “Like, lose-your-free-reign-privileges against the rules?”
“Have you been talking to Apprentice Kurgm?” Ekla asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yup,” Roshil said, picking up some books. “Are we allowed to check these out, or do we have to put them back? Unless we can leave them here.”
Aonva gathered up as many books as she could, dropping a few in the process.
“We’ll put them back right now,” she said. “I’m so sorry. We lost track of time, and I was so tired, I just rested my eyes for a moment.”
“She was asleep,” Roshil said, “and I was tired.”
Ekla stooped down to help Aonva. “You’re not in trouble. There’s a difference between breaking curfew with intent, and breaking it because you fell asleep in the library. That happens more than you’d think.”
“So we can sleep here?” Roshil asked.
“I’ve changed my mind. Apprentice Aonva, you’re not in trouble.”
“Roshil, stop antagonizing her,” Aonva said as she stood back up. “You shouldn’t be talking to a master like that.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Ekla said as they started putting the books away. “I shouldn’t be here in the first place. Master Juoura should be patrolling the library, not me. Although, the librarian usually lets the regulars stay a little late.”
“Right,” Aonva said. “I remember her telling us not to stay too much later. It was almost curfew, and… I can’t remember anything after that.”
“You drifted off,” Roshil said. “You were tired, so I let you rest. Then I… didn’t want to leave you.”
“You should’ve woken me up.”
“I tried, but you were already asleep.”
“Don’t worry about it, you two. Let’s put these back, and get you two to the north tower.”
They put the books back and left the library. Ekla was happy to see them getting along so well. She wished she’d had a friend like either of them when she was their age. Someone to talk to. Someone to spend time with. Someone that had her back. Someone that made them feel perfect the way they were.
“Good night, you two,” Ekla said when they reached the north tower. “Never forget how lucky you are to have each other.”
The girls looked at one another. Aonva smiled. Roshil grinned.
“We won’t,” Roshil said. “Good night, Master Ekla.”
“Good night, Master Ekla.”
“Good night.”