Emeralds and Enemies

Chapter Eighty-two

            It was strange for Junseo to find himself with time on his hands. He looked for something to read in the library but nothing really grabbed him. He practiced as much as he could in the training yard but the masters there did not have any better idea about the senior final than he did. They suggested he find a dojo so he started by trying to map their locations and then tried to get a sense of the styles they favored by watching the junior classes.

The assistant instructors were usually very welcoming. A couple even asked him to help with some of their young charges so he improvised a couple of balancing games and even let himself be the victim of push me – pull me to demonstrate the important of feet positions. This served as a good ice-breaker with the other instructors or at least until his competition rank became known.

The masters were less than welcoming. When he admitted his training included following temple forms, they accused him of abandoning vows and asked how they could trust him to keep his word. A couple went as far as asking him to post a bond before they would allow him to practice with their senior groups. It did not take long for the word he was looking for a dojo to get around and he soon found he was no longer welcome to observe even the most junior classes. He went back to punishing the practice dummy in the palace training yard. That was where Captain Shiro found him.

"Are you going to break that one too?" The lean man nodded over at where the equipment master was fretting.

"I've learned how to slow down so it should be fine." Junseo stopped his routine and wiped his face on his sleeve. He wondered why the captain had sought him out but just waited for the man to explain himself.

Captain Shiro slipped into his coaching role. "From what I have seen you don't need to worry about the senior finals too much. Just keep up your routines and maybe fence with San Jin or Hae-sung when you get a chance. You're getting more battle forms than tournament styles here so try to get used to the lighter blades again."

"I don't know if I will get a chance to fence with anybody who used to be on the team. It wouldn't be easy to be around them now." Junseo swallowed the lump in his throat and looked away for a moment. He told Captain Shiro what had happened and how he was now in limbo.

The man listened carefully then summed things up before saying, "Hopefully, it won't be too long before everything gets sorted out. I don't make excuses for others but will say you are not at all to blame. We are enough alike I know by now you have started to doubt yourself."

Junseo looked surprised and then blushed. "I don't know how many teachers and coaches I have heard say build on your talent. Like it is an easy choice."

"It works for most. Being good at something makes it easier to keep at it long enough to get better."

"If it is too easy it just gets boring." Junseo complained.

"Yes, but if it is too hard most folks will just give up. Everything won't come naturally but it should at least be in the realm of possibility. Its why I would never attempt to be a singer even though a lot of my family are entertainers." Captain Shiro chucked at the memory of being pushing into a choir when he was young.

"I think I understand." Junseo smiled shyly.

"Good. I have just one more piece of advice for you and then I have to ask for a favor." Captain Shiro put his arm across Junseo's shoulder and led him away from the casual onlookers in the practice yard. "Don't forget you have friends and that sometimes they might be afraid to approach you." Junseo was ready to argue but then just nodded.

"Good. Now this is an important favor. I need you to be my confidential courier. If you don't see me within the next three days, you need to take a package to Knight-Master Lie at the forge."

Junseo looked around and held out his hand.

"No, its not here. Its safely in your room at the palace. Try to keep it away from your noisy roommate. You know I wouldn't ask this if there was another way. Now pretend I just told you a bad joke."

Junseo took a step back and crinkled up the corners of his eyes. "Really?" he said loudly "That is the best you can come with? Stop with the Dad jokes already."

Captain Shiro pretended to be offended and they both started to laugh and then walk away from the practice courts.

"See you soon." Junseo tapped his heart and nodded.

"Not more than three days," the Captain reinforced before leaving.

It took a lot of self-control not to rush back to his room to check on the package but Junseo knew he had to keep up appearances so he made his way to the Royal Medical Academy. He had not sat in on any labs or lectures since he had come back and tried to remain inconspicuous.

"Hey baby legacy. We were placing bets on whether or not you would be back," one of the anatomy students said with a drawl when Junseo slid into a seat in the back row.

"I guess you lost." Junseo whispered smugly. He could not help feeling satisfied. Even if he wasn't ready to make a full-time commitment to being a healer he did not want to be thought of as a quitter. The instructor spent the first half of the session reviewing materials from earlier in the term so Junseo was prepared when called on for an answer. The student sitting next to him looked resentful while the next one over only grinned.

Before he could find out what was going on he was waylaid by Healer Yang. She dragged him off to her lab for the next hour to have him test different crystal configurations. He was rescued by Professor Yip's secretary who told Junseo he was under no obligations to participate in research experiments. Junseo thanked him and took the opportunity to ask if he should avoid answering questions if an instructor called on him. "I am not always clear on the rules for auditing classes. I mean outside of direct labs how much I should participate."

"Ah. I guess the competition for year end standings is heating up. You should just trust that if an instructor calls on you, she or he knows full well they are not calling on someone whose participation is being assessed."

"Okay. Thanks." Junseo said before making his escape from the academy. He had wondered if the instructor was just trying to catch him out for being away. It did not feel right to be put in the middle of grade competitions so he just added it to the list of reasons why he did not feel ready to commit to healer study full-time. Now the combination of making and building up skills needed to defend the country was not an option he just didn't know what he should do until he was old enough to start his required military service.