The White Court

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 23267

Checkers arrived for the morning assembly at her school early, and while she had the proper reserve, she was happy and felt as if she were living in a larger world. Two officers from the town patrol came into the assembly hall, as if looking for someone. The guide pointed toward her, and the officers walked toward her. Checkers decided to take the initiative, hoping that she could perform whatever service they required.

"Checkers Rightbrook?" asked one of the officers, shortly and officially.

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"We need you to come with us to the White Court, now. Your duties will be taken care of by someone else."

There was a seriousness in this that made Checkers wonder if something was wrong at home, or if somehow the news of the statue were got out. She did not see how it could get Robin into trouble, but anything was possible.

She felt it best not to make conversation with the two officers; they appeared to be preoccupied. Checkers wondered who else from her group would be there.

When she entered the White Court, a small, whitewashed assembly room on the school grounds, and saw a couple of guides but no other students, she felt a sharp pain in the pit of her stomach. She thought the dreaded word "ostracism." She withdrew into the exercise of detachment, hoping that she was being overly gloomy. She had kept a low profile lately, and thought that she had been doing well. Perhaps this was just a review.

Lettelli, her chief guide, opened a scroll with some notes. Checkers knew that this was going to be decisive, one way or another. "Well, Checkers, you know that you have been on thin ice for the last year with the warning."

"Yes, ma'am."

"The council of elders reviewed your record last night. I am afraid that you have not made enough progress to allow you to continue Glider training."

Checkers said nothing. What could she say? She could not change the decision. She stared at Lettelli, and then asked, "What am I expected to do?"

"You will be held in confinement for the next ten days. You case is unique in one way. You ceremony will be held in Lightning Pass, not here in Electric Pass. There will be a couple of captains that will help you with the script, but it should be fairly easy. The audience will include Glider youth from all the dependent cities of Lightning Pass, so we expect that you will maintain a Glider-like attitude throughout, and not show any anger of sorrow over your fate."

"Yes, ma'am. Will it be possible to talk to my family?"

"You will not have a family anymore after the ceremony, Checkers. All ties your ties to society are cut, unless and until you bring proof that you have slain the dragon. Are you sure that you want to subject them and you to the stress?"

"If they wish it, yes, I do."

"An officer shall ask. Do you have any questions?"

She had many, most of them beginning with "why", but she knew better than to ask. "What am I allowed to bring with me?"

"The clothes on your back, what will remain of your ceremonial spear, and anything that can fit into a standard trainee pouch."

That at least was going to be easy. Checkers had that pouch prepared, and it never left her side. Living with the danger of ostracism, she had made provisions for that. She would need better clothing - that would have to be sent for, as she obviously was never going to see home again.

"Don't I get a map to the dragon's lair?"

"Why, yes, Checkers. You do remember things from other ostracism ceremonies, even if it appears that it was not enough to save you from the same fate." This was a cruel, but Checkers getting the dragonslaying task was reflecting badly on her, and Lettelli was not disposed to coddle her.

"What is considered sufficient proof of killing a dragon?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think that I could take the whole dragon carcass back with me. What happens if I kill it, but cannot get to the body?"

Lettelli chuckled at Checkers' concerns. Most of the would-be dragonslayers were killed shortly after they left the RDL, and here Checkers was worrying about the legal requirements of verifying a dragon kill. Checkers was possibly taking the dragonslaying part at face value, as a way of lessening the shame. It was this sort of irrelevance that kept getting her into trouble. "Well, if it helps her get through the ceremony, then that can only be good. Otherwise she will disgrace us further, and in front of all those Lightning Pass people, too."

"I think that a vital body part would be sufficient, such as the heart or the brain. Kill your dragon first, and then worry about it." After a silence, Lettelli asked, "Do you have any more questions?"

"No, ma'am."

Checkers was escorted to a room in the basement of the building. Her pouch was removed and she was searched for anything that could allow her to commit suicide. The Gliders from the patrol would observe her. She had to make it alive to Lightning Pass.

  1. Ten days pass, and the ceremony begins.

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