Lament of the Slave

Chapter 119: Don't Tell Deckard

Drunken Filly, the inn, was in much better shape than Broken Mug, larger too, and yet the place seemed full. If I had to guess, it was due to the clever placement across the street from the barracks. Hats off to the owner.

It didn't change the fact that I didn't even know how I got here. All the way here, my mind was wrestling with my jitters. Hell, my palms were sweating so much that my new shorts were already showing stains where I'd wiped them on. I was actually trembling, so I didn't find it strange that my instincts were telling me to run as if I was facing a powerful monster.

In fact, I would rather face such a beast than this inn full of strangers who want to toast with me. And hopefully, just a toast. The thought of anything else made me even more anxious. What if someone wants to dance? All I knew were the moves from parties and clubs, not a real waltz and stuff. Would that meet with understanding? I bet these party dance moves would make me even more of a weirdo. Not to mention, even in those moves, I was rusty.

"Are you going in? Or are you gonna stand here all night?"

Swordmaster Blaine, his voice coming from behind me, made me jump a little. "Evening..." I greeted him, puzzled when I realized I didn't know how to address him. Rayden introduced her lieutenant to me by name. However, he was sort of my superior...in a roundabout way.

"Relax Grey. We're not in the barracks, and I'm not even your commanding officer. Blaine will do. Swordmaster, if you must."

"Oh...okay, thanks," I said, feeling the awkwardness of the situation, not knowing what to say next. "Korra, I don't mind if you call me Korra." Awkward, I know. I should have said it right away.

"Don't mind if I do, then."

After I gave him a smile, an uncomfortable silence fell between us. "So...You don't have a last name?"

"Orphans hardly ever have."

"Sorry...I didn't mean to..."

He held up his hand to stop me. "You don't have to. I have no memories of my folks. And what you don't remember, you can't miss."

"I don't think that's true."

"Whatever..." he said with a shrug. "I'm surprised Deckard didn't tell you."

"About what?"

"About me and the others being orphans of the war." Orphans of war? Mind Wars?

That gave me pause. "What about Captain Rayden? She has a last name. Did she get married?"

"Traiana's tits, no!" he said, seeing the idea was utterly ridiculous. "She's older than the rest of us, just a few years. Enough to remember her folks, though. For reasons, the old man couldn't give us his family name, so at least he made sure she got to keep hers."

"Ah...wait, Deckard is an orphan too?"

Blaine laughed. "It took you a while to figure it out. Frankly, I'm amazed you didn't ask him."

What can I say?

"Yes, he is, just like the rest of us. Why do you think everyone calls him Deckard?"

It made more sense to me now, but... "Well, I thought he was just famous. Some sort of celebrity, you know."

"I don't know how he would take you comparing him to theater performers...he is surely well known, though. How to say it? Well, he has a certain charisma..."

"Isn't he famous for being strong?" I would not call that charisma.

Blaine nodded. "That's only part of the picture. Over the years as an intelligence officer, I've learned that strength isn't everything, Korra. It's also about how people perceive you." He paused, thinking of examples. "Strong but humble. Powerful and kind. There are many ways you can impact people. Many powerful individuals suffer from arrogance, pride, and superiority. Not the ones ordinary folk like to deal with. When they see you as cheerful, many doors will open for you. People themselves will want to talk to you, despite your tremendous strength."