Judith Slays Holofernes, Pt VI

It has been some time since I last wrote, primarily because there has been nothing much worth writing about until now.  I decided that rather than spring my ward’s destiny on her right away, I would take the time to become a friend and confident, to build up a foundation of trust between us.  It has been working and, I will say, has been almost… pleasant. She is much as I imagine it might have been to have had a daughter, except I do not (yet) have the troublesome burden of disciplining her.  Not that she has given me- or anyone- cause to discipline her. Her words and deeds are so within the Law (as they Judaeans call their divinely delivered code of conduct) that I overhear the other servants marveling at her discipline.  This discipline gives me great hope, indeed, for her future chances of survival. But it takes more than just discipline of mind and body, more than just the natural instincts she has for grace and strength. She needs actual training, which is today I arranged for her to “accidentally” see some of my scarring.

“Ku-Aya,” she said (and she is always careful to pronounce my name properly) “What happened to your leg?”

I was relieved when she asked- the scars are quite horrible, indeed, but she is so polite I wasn’t certain she would comment.

“It was an injury of my youth, my Lady,” I demurred, but with enough of an opening in my voice to let her know that she might press for more details, should she wish.  And because she is a person who genuinely cares for others, she did.

“What could have made such marks, my dear one?”

I hesitated- not genuinely, but for effect.  “A demon, my lady,” and then I looked away, as though embarrassed to be admitting to such a foolish notion.  But then her warm fingertips caught my chin and brought my eyes to hers.

“Demons are very serious, Ku-Aya.  How did you get away?”

For a moment my heart stopped.  She did not try to deny the existence of demons!  This removed one barrier, at least.

“My people are trained to destroy demons,” I said quietly.  “My father cast a spell that drove it back into the outer darkness, and I used a knife to sever its tentacles before it could drag me along with it.”

I kept my eyes on hers, willing her to ask me more.

“That does not sound like the actions of a servant, Ku-Aya,” she said at last.

“I am called to be a servant to mankind, my lady,” I said.  “And so are you.”