The Trinity of Heroes (I Will Protect You Book 1) (22 page)

The two Knights gathered their strength, left the room, and walked out into the courtyard.

Keep your eyes on her men; she’ll tear you to ribbons otherwise. These boars are nasty; their tusks will spill your guts all over the dirt. If we can take her out she will feed the entire city tonight. Prepare yourselves men, she’s about to charge us.

-
Head Huntsman Theodore Nugget, speaking to his hunting party

The feast was the most impressive in all of Forme. The mayor had spared no expense. The feast to celebrate the Advent of Knighthood was attended by every person in the city, and even many from the surrounding villages. The Silver Shield was filled with the families, friends, and relatives of the new Knights, and the entire marketplace and surrounding blocks were crowded with people. Lawrence and Benni chatted with each other as they grabbed food from the buffet. They discussed their impressive fight with other citizens as they made their way to their seats over by Razzius.

“Glad to see you two awake,” Razzius said with a smirk. “That was quite a battle, but I would have defeated either of you. Neither one of you are a match for me.”

“Maybe not, but we are getting better,” Lawrence responded. “Soon, we’ll be ready to seriously challenge you.”

Benni and Lawrence ate ravenously, devouring the roasted pig and accompanying vegetables with a rabid desire. The flavors danced harmoniously in their mouths, taking their minds off the pain that lingered in their bones. Lawrence, Benni, Razzius, Nicolas, Fairen, Elizabeth, and Helen all sat at one end of one of the long, rectangular tables that filled the marketplace. Other Knights and their family members joined, cramming the tables to capacity. The entire square was filled with the sounds of people eating, chatting, and laughing. The mood was light and festive. Folk music and the smells of dozens of foods filled the air.

Elsie walked up behind Lawrence and put her hand on his shoulder. She bent down and whispered in his ear, “Come join my family and me at the mayor’s table.”

Lawrence cocked his head and looked at her. “Are you sure, I thought that was only for the mayor’s guests and the Knight who won the match?”

“Well, technically, yes, but, you are a guest. My guest,” she said coyly, smiling at him.

Lawrence nodded and looked at his friends. He didn’t want to neglect his friends, but he beamed with pride knowing what an honor it was to be invited to sit at the mayor’s table. “Gentlemen, I’ll see you later tonight. I’ve been invited to sit with Mayor Flint.”

Benni and Razzius smiled at each other, knowing that it was Elsie that had asked Lawrence to join the mayor’s table. “Very well, Lawrence. You’re a lucky man to have such a beautiful and thoughtful girlfriend,” Benni responded with a hint of envy.

“I know I am, Benni. We’ll join you at the dance later.” Lawrence winked at his friends, knowing they would understand that he couldn’t neglect Elsie for the entire meal.

Lawrence embraced and kissed his mother, telling her why he was leaving their table. He joined Elsie, Flint, Maggie and a few other royal guests at a large, oval oaken table set up closest to the food buffet.

“Lawrence, nice of you to join us. So, tell me, how does it feel to be a Knight of Haile?” Flint questioned in between juicy bites of roast pig.

“Very good, sire,” Lawrence responded truthfully. “I’m proud to be able to defend this city, its interests, and its citizens.”

“I have no doubt that Haile is in good hands with Knights like you on its side, Lawrence,” Maggie chimed in.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Lawrence replied respectfully to Maggie.

“We have a great class of new Knights this year,” Elsie added. “I feel very safe in this city with Knights like Lawrence and Benni and Razzius.”

“Ahhh, yes. You and Benni had quite the battle earlier. It’s too bad I couldn’t declare one of you the winner. Your skills certainly were impressive. Much better than I remember them when I watched you train in the barracks. You
have
been practicing, haven’t you?” Flint asked.

“Yes, sire. Every day Benni and I practice our skills and techniques. I am very dedicated to being the best Knight in the guard. We train hard, day in and day out, and I’m very proud of the progress I’ve made.”

“Well, I know that my daughter is quite impressed with you and quite proud of you as well,” Flint said. “I know she’s in good hands with you, Lawrence.”

Lawrence felt reassured that the mayor was completely behind Elsie’s decision to start a relationship with a Knight Guard member.

Elsie reached under the table, grabbed Lawrence’s hand, and gave it a quick squeeze. They held hands tenderly for a while as they finished eating.

As Lawrence was about to get up to refill his ale, Razzius walked over. He whispered to Lawrence in a serious tone, “Lawrence, can we take a walk? There is something I need to talk to you about.”

Lawrence nodded, and stood up from the table. “I’ll return shortly, everyone. Excuse me, please.”

Elsie peered at him quizzically, worriedly, wondering why Lawrence had to leave her side so suddenly. She assumed it was to discuss Knight Guard business, so she didn’t fuss too much.

Lawrence and Razzius walked silently for a while as they moved away from the festival. Once they were away from the crowds and noise, Razzius and Lawrence sat down on a grassy hill. Razzius breathed deeply, trying to find the words that he needed. He was a Knight now, he
had
to do this.

“Razzius, what’s on your mind?” Lawrence asked, wondering why one of his closest friends had needed him to leave the ceremony.

“Lawrence, I don’t know what to do. My father…” his voice trailed off.

“I noticed he wasn’t at the Advent of Knighthood today or the reception dinner either. I thought you said he was ill today. Is there something seriously wrong with him?” Lawrence started to become a bit concerned. This seemed like a very odd time for this conversation as Razzius rarely mentioned his father, even when others spoke of their relatives. Furthermore, Lawrence couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Wurn in public, and struggled to form a detailed mental picture of the ex-Knight.

Razzius didn’t answer for a long while. It was an intense internal struggle. He was so ashamed, but he couldn’t survive any longer if he didn’t tell
someone
.

“He wasn’t at the ceremony today because he’s passed out from drinking.” Razzius lowered his head in shame. “I actually asked him not to come. I didn’t even really want him at the ceremony. I’m afraid of him. I’m afraid of how he acts, of what he might do. I’m afraid he’ll embarrass me, or hurt me.”

Razzius felt as though the weight of a million worlds had been lifted from his shoulders. Finally, he had confided in someone. It felt so good to just
tell
someone. He no longer carried this burden alone.

Lawrence’s mouth hung open in disbelief, both at Razzius’ sudden revelation and the fact that it had taken Razzius this long to unveil it. Lawrence didn’t truly understand how difficult this was for Razzius, how hard it was for him to spill this cocooned secret that gestated inside him. This was a situation Lawrence had no experience with, and he wasn’t sure how to react.

“Razzius…my brother, I’m so sorry to hear that. You don’t deserve that at all. But…what can I do to help you?” Lawrence asked, reflecting a moment on his own father’s shortcomings. In some ways Lawrence envied Razzius, at least he had a father who was alive and around. In others ways though, Lawrence could see that having a father who was constantly around, yet constantly inattentive, inept, and abusive, could be even worse; especially when you
wanted
to look up to him. At least Lawrence was not relentlessly reminded of the disappointments of his father. Lawrence knew his father had left, so he didn’t waste his time wanting. Instead he spent his time reaching for his own goals. Lawrence understood that Razzius had been forced to see his father’s demons continually manifest themselves. Wurn was always there, preventing Razzius from pushing him out of his mind, and overcoming his relentless torment.

“I don’t know how you can help me…just listening is a big help, honestly. I…I…I just had to tell someone. I don’t know who else to turn to. Maybe you could ask and see if Benni would let me stay with you and him at his house?” Razzius was fumbling for words, stammering at the ground while he spoke. He had bared his soul, and was not used to the feelings of vulnerability he was experiencing.

Lawrence thought about Razzius’ request for a moment, and then responded, “We’ll tell Benni about this, Razzius. I bet he will be glad to help out a friend in need. Plus, it would be great to have another training partner. We are Knights now, Razzius. I feel the three of us are mature enough to take care of ourselves.”

“Thank you, Lawrence. You are a great friend. I know you and Benni will help me. Just try to keep this quiet. I only want you and Benni to know about it at this time.”

“Of course, Razzius. Your secret is safe with me.”

The boys sat in silence on the grassy knoll for a few minutes, enjoying the noises of birds chirping melodiously and singing in the trees around them. The cottonwood seeds floated by them and whisked gently in the wind, making for a springtime blizzard. The warm winds brought a thousand smells of blooming flowers to their nostrils. It was a beautiful, warm evening. They planned to discuss the matter with Benni in private later that night after the festivities had ended.

“I think we should head back to the ceremony, our friends are probably wondering what happened to us,” Lawrence said, prompting him and Razzius to leave the comfort of the hillside and venture back toward the festival. The sun was setting and a deep purple hue had formed across the horizon.

The two Knights walked back in silence, thinking about each other as a friend. Both were glad to know the other, and even happier the other knew them. It was a bond formed through years of friendship, and one that forged strong feelings between the two men. As they approached the town square their internal reverie was disrupted by a loud, unceremonious commotion.

“My son, please, someone help!” The bloodcurdling scream came from over by the buffet line.

Razzius and Lawrence rushed back to the square, and saw a large group of people looking about frantically, trying to figure out what the uproar was.

It was Helen. She was yelling hysterically and pointing in all directions, trying to get anyone’s attention. She spotted Razzius and Lawrence, and screamed at them, “Please, he’s got Fairen! You have to save my son!”

The two men glanced about and noticed a masked bandit dragging Fairen away from the festival. The bandit must have crept in through the back of the Silver Shield, and used the low light of dusk to cover his approach. He had slipped up to the buffet line and snatched Fairen from behind his mother, and now he was on his way out of the marketplace. He used the boy as a shield, daring the castle guards to confront him. Fairen’s eyes were filled with fear. He screamed loudly, begging for help as he wriggled and squirmed in the bandit’s grasp.

The bandit had no clan markings, making Lawrence and Razzius think he was either on an initiation mission or just a vagabond. The bandits who inhabited the surrounding huts and cabins in the wilderness throughout Forme were notorious thieves. They were constant pests, stealing cattle, jewels, weapons and money from the citizens of Haile and other surrounding communities. They rarely killed citizens inside the town, preferring to be discreet about it, but it wasn’t completely out of the question. The Knight Guard spent much of their time chasing these bandits, burning their shacks, and killing their leaders. But there always seemed to be more. Eradicating them was an almost impossible task. The bandits also stole children and ransomed them back to their families. If the families didn’t pay up, they’d find their loved ones disemboweled and discarded outside their front door.

Razzius knew the murderous ways of the bandit clans, having listened to Bryce’s many stories of his own glorious triumphs over the Red Hook and White Claw clans. Razzius also knew that if this unmarked and unidentified vagabond took Fairen out of the city he would be almost untraceable. The chances of rescuing Fairen would be very slim. Razzius had to act now.

Razzius raced over to a nearby rack that the Knights had placed their weapons on before eating. He grabbed a long, wood javelin with a perfectly sharpened tip. He knew he would have only one chance. He had to be especially true with his aim, ensuring that he didn’t hit Fairen. Fairen struggled mightily in the arms of the bandit, but the masked warrior held his grip firmly. Razzius jumped up on one of the massive tables and readied himself. He aimed like he had practiced many times, and hurled the javelin at the masked bandit.

“Fairen, duck down, now!” Razzius screamed.

Fairen elbowed the bandit in the side, and pushed up on the bandit’s arm that was around his throat. The bandit hunched a bit to block the blow. Fairen squirmed free and squatted down. The bandit reflexively straightened up just as the javelin pierced his windpipe. Blood sprayed like a red fountain as the force of the javelin propelled the bandit off of his feet and onto his back. The bandit clutched the javelin stick with both hands, gurgling loudly, trying to prevent the inevitable as he bled out. The javelin stick stood tall in the air, marking the dead body as a reminder to everyone of Razzius’ heroic feat.