Page 15 of Inheritance
He nodded with a thoughtful frown, “Yes.”
“Is that why you want to teach me how to play?”
He ignored my question.
“Let’s begin with the basics,” the Don said, leaning even more forward. His unsteady finger reached out, pointing at each of the chess pieces in turn. “This here is the pawn. It moves only one step forward, but it can take an opponent diagonally. It is your foot soldier, your first line of defense.”
I nodded, my gaze focused on the small piece that he was indicating.
“Next is the knight, which moves in an L-shape. It's unpredictable and can jump over other pieces." He continued, moving his finger to a piece shaped like a horse, smirking like the piece had taken him by surprise. "A tricky one, that."
His gaze moved from me to the board as he began explaining the rest of the pieces - the bishop that moved diagonally across any number of unoccupied squares, the rook or castle that could move horizontally or vertically across any number of squares,the queen, who could move in any direction she pleased, and finally, the king.
"The king," he said, his voice dipping low, "is both your greatest strength and your greatest vulnerability. Protect him at all costs because once he's cornered and can no longer escape capture - hes dead, and the game is lost. If you aren’t willing to sacrifice, you are as good as dead along with the pieces you didn’t want to lose.
I nodded along.
"Chess is not only a game of strategy. It is a game of sacrifice," he continued with a sigh. "Every piece on this board can be used as bait...as a pawn in a much larger game. You must anticipate your enemies moves, they will be anticipating yours, so you must also deceive them, when you are in a weak spot, appear to be strong, as if you planned it and have something up your sleeve, when you are strong, appear to be weak, then strike."
His eyes met mine, dull blue, and for a moment, I felt like I was drowning in the depth of his gaze.
"And sometimes," he said quietly, “Sometimes you have to make a move you don't want to make.”
For an uncomfortably long moment we just stared at each other.
"Take the queen for example," he said, picking up the intricately carved piece and twirling it between his finger and thumb. "She is the most powerful piece on the board, able to move any number of squares along a rank, file, or diagonal. But she can be sacrificed if it means protecting your king."
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly feeling dry.
"But remember," he said intensely. "In chess, as well as in life, power is not always about brute force. It’s about strategy, wisdom...knowing when to strike and when not to."
His voice held an edge of warning now as his gaze once again locked onto mine.
“Ill be looking for your weaknesses, rooting them out, planning to use them against you.”
He lifted a pawn, moved it forward. “Your move.”
I took the knight in my hand, and moved it in front of my row of pawns as he clamored to his feet, gripping his cane hard.
“Thats it? Just one turn?”
“Yes,” he said hobbling off.
“T-thanks for the lesson.” I said. He only grunted, waving his free hand dismissively without looking back.
And I was alone with the chessboard.
That went well…
Sophia
The final strokes came slowly, deliberately. My body ached with exhaustion, my eyes strained from staring too long at the painting.
But it was nearly done.
Nearly a week of meticulous work, of frustration, of late nights spent chasing something more than just technique. Something that looked how I felt in the gazebo. How Gabriel made mefeelin the gazebo. And now, finally, it was a few strokes away from perfect.
I exhaled, steadying my hand as I went in for the last adjustment.
