| Templar Knights |
| A lone priest walks through the small graveyard, to the back of him some yards away walk two women. Alyn and Gwyen, mother and sister to Brother Silas, whose grave he now led them to. He need not see their faces to know that their eyes were red with spilt and unshed tears. He came to the door of the crypt which housed the members of their order as they slept eternal and produced an ancient iron key. Sliding it in to the black wood door he twisted till a loud clank was heard from within and the door creaked forward. This was a room that all brothers hated to enter, for they knew that they would rest here someday, god willing, for they were all templar knights. �In here Mistress Alyn, and young lady Gwyen, Brother Silas killed four of the pagan savages before one got him. We of the templar will sing his name on high for generations to come; he was one of our greatest knights, as well as the head of the order of the Paladin order of this sect.� He showed them the body of their loved one laid on a marble slab in full dress armor. His black hair was laid out neatly, bright burnished chain mail over the perfect gray swordsman�s shirt and pants. Over all of that was the black surcoat that symbolized the order of the Paladin, the blood red cross in the center with a white border to show allegiance to god and a protector of the people. Burnished steel gauntlets covered his hands which were laid on his chest on top of the cross. His helm was laid at his waist, in line with the sword and dagger that rested on his hips. �He saved a group of young ladies from the horrors of slavery at the hands of their attackers. Although one did kill your son, Mistress Alyn, he died in the effort as well.� Alyn nodded, �Thank you, Brother Christopher, my son was born a fighter and he knew from the start that he would meet a violent end at the end of an enemy. At least his death was not in vein; by saving others he died doing what he wanted.� She fought to control the tears that were starting to stream down her face. As her daughter sobbed he head against Silas� chest whispering prayer over him as she did. �I am sorry that we were delayed in our arrival, but the weather in the lowlands turns nasty sometimes, we have taken enough of your time, we will be leaving.� �Actually Father Amos wishes to speak to you, your son had many personal effect that were left with strict instructions to be given to upon his passing.� He stopped to close the door, replacing the bolt back with the key then led them in to the castle. �I am sure that this must be the most depressing thing for you or any of the families of our members.� Gwyen stopped and looked at him, �Brother Christopher, do you meant to say that you don�t have any family, I mean you must have some one somewhere don�t you?� Christopher smiled sadly, �Yes and no young lady, I was disowned when I joined the templar knights. They have not had anything to do with me since I joined and as far as I am concerned I am an orphan.� He stopped sighing once, �My family was part of the pagan clan that killed your brother, I joined the order a year to the day before your brother, but I still feel like I am responsible. My brother was one of those who he killed, I was glad to personally burn his body.� They had reached the castle wall and passed through the doorway, once in side of the courtyard he led them to the great hall, of the highland citadel. He walked across the large room and up the grand stair leading to the upper level of the stronghold. He tuned to the left of the stair and there was a door which two templar knights posted beside it. Brother Christopher stopped and spoke with one who nodded and opened the door, �Go on in ladies I will leave you here I am due at the practice courts, and must leave you here.� He bowed gracefully and walked off down the hall. Christopher walked in to the indoor practice court and pulled off the surcoat that he and worn to show the women to Silas� resting place. He drew his broadsword and started warming up as the sword master of their order stepped out of his office. He wore clothing just like, Christopher�s but they were jet black instead of the perfect gray. �So you still wish to join the Order of the Paladin, even after you helped the mother and sister of our last leader do their last viewing of their loved one.� The man pulled his own surcoat the same as that which Silas was warring in the crypt only a thread of silver cross high on the left breast marked him as the leader of the Order of Paladin of the Templar Knights. �One would think that you of all people, with your background should know that your kind are not really welcome in the Templar Knights but Father Amos admitted you, and Brother Silas told you that with practice you could be one of the elite. Well Silas is dead and I am in command of the Paladin knights now, and I think you will have to do better then that. After all it was your own brother that took the life of Brother Silas.� Christopher took a fighting stance and slipped the sword belt from his waist, he kicked it aside. �Now come on Brother Michael you really think you can get a rise out of me, I was taught the art of the sword by Brother Lucian, you remember how well he fought even as he died.� He gripped the blade with both hands and waited. He did not wait long as Michael lunged, whipping his blade around, and coming in with a high jab, �You may have been taught by the great Lucian but you have none of his skill.� The jab was easy to block, Christopher simple parried it by swinging his blade around, point down, as he spun with it. Using his momentum to propel the blade he made a downward angling slash that if Michael ad not parried would have ended the bout in a practice �kill�. Christopher arched high coming down at Michael�s skull, the dull practice blades rang as the locked hilt to hilt. Size and strength wise they were a perfect match. Michael punched Christopher in the abdomen, but all he did was grunt. �Nice try, but not good enough,� He grunted and driving his knee in to Michael�s ribs, used his opponents force and weight to flip him, sending both swords flying. He looked to where Michael had landed. �What were you saying about skill; oh head of the Paladin knights.� Michael jumped up and charged, at a dead run he leapt entering a spin and lashed out with his right leg at Christopher�s chest. He roared with a triumphant yell. Christopher had seen Michael use this move before, and was ready he grabbed the foot and twisted the direction of the spin once again sending Michael to the floor, only this time he hit the wall first. He did not need to attack, at this point; his opponent had lost his temper and control. �Come on, Brother Michael, I know you can do better then that, let me see what made you Silas� second in command.� With a feral roar Michael launched himself at Christopher even as he drew the razor edged belt dagger, �Pagan scum, you killed Brother Silas.� His roar brought the attention of passing knights, who entered just in time to see Christopher place one hand on Michael�s wrist and the other wrap around to grab the mans belt. Using the handholds and his opponent�s momentum Christopher drove his knee at the base of the breast bone with enough force that it cracked audibly thought out the room. The force that Michael�s charge had built up sent both men flying backwards; Christopher landed hard on his upper back his head slamming against the hard floor. Michael flew several feet away sliding and tumbling to a stop. Michael�s dagger was driven deep in Christopher�s shoulder; it had punched all the way through, but was pushed back by the landing, a small pool of blood formed at his shoulder. Michael was gasping for air, fluttering on the brink of consciousness from the pain of a shattered breast bone, snapped collarbone, and the shard of his breast bone had nicked his lung. As two of the observers carried them to the infirmary, Michael lapsed out of consciousness, which proved a blessing as the only non-templar priests went to work on both of them. The removed the, rough bandage applied by the carriers, and stitched the wound up placing healing herds and potions in to it to help. He was moved to a recovery room while those who had worked on him went to help with Michael. He was cut open and they were wiring the tip of the breast bone with strong healing potions. The chip had barely touched the lung but they added some of the same liquid to it. They stitched the wound up and moved him too to a recovery room, a separate both with armed guards. Alyn and Gwyen were both still in Father Amos� office when one of the men who had carried Christopher to the infirmary barged in, he was covered with blood from the shoulder would. �Forgive me father but, there has been a fight.� The old knight looked at the man covered in blood, �What kind of fight Brother Robert?� �Brothers Christopher and Michael, they were in the practice court and things got out of hand, Michael was sent to the infirmary with a broken breastbone, collarbone and a scratched lung. Christopher was less hurt in one way, but more in another. He suffered a concussion and a stab wound that went all the way through his left shoulder from Michael�s belt dagger.� �By god, what were those two fools doing with combat weapons in the practice courts, no real weapons are allowed in practice bouts.� The old knight was livid with fury, �Bring me any witnesses, and ask all the servants one of them had to see or hear something.� He looked at the two women before him and swore colorfully �Forgive me mistress Alyn, young mistress Gwyen, but I must deal with this personally. If you would like to stay in the guest quarters for the night, after all the night is just too dangerous for two young women to travel alone.� He stood his old bones moaning and creaking as age has a way of making them do so. Gwyen stood and looked at the old knight, �Father Amos, will Brother Christopher be alright?� She had only known the man for a very short while but she liked him, in spite of the connection to her brother�s killer. The man looked at her, and thought then smiled. �Yes child, God would not take the live of such a valiant and courageous Templar yet. I do however know that a certain Templar Paladin feels very differently about the boy. I am sure that if you desire one of my assistants will guide you to the infirmary wing to sit with him till he wakes.� With that the knight master walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. A moment later a massive roar was heard on the other side of the door, �That bloody moron.� Gwyen looked at her mother, pleading to see if she could go to the infirmary. Alyn who also liked the young knight nodded, �I will go as well any who showed as much sadness over your brother�s death should have at least some company when he wakes up.� She opened the door and looked for one of the assistants; she saw one a frail looking clerk, �Could you take me and my daughter to the infirmary so that we may sit with bother Christopher? No one should face death and come back, to find them selves alone when they wake� Christopher woke with a blinding headache and swore vividly colorfully and creatively, before he realized he had two guests, female guests at that. Thought his vision was still pretty blurred he could tell they were female by the perfumes they wore where had he smelled that sent recently. "Hello?� Gwyen laid a gentle hand on his forehead, �It is okay Brother Christopher you where hurt in your fight with Brother Michael. My mother and I stayed with you so that you would be able to have some friendly company upon awakening.� He helped him sit up, the wound still needed a lot of attention just the right move right now would open it wide, as if it were anew. Alyn spoke her voice breaking an awkward pause between her daughter and the knight, �What caused you two to fight? They said he was screaming at you when he attacked the final time.� Michael closed his eyes, �Those that know of the retches I once called my family, resent me and many think I am a pagan spy to be sent here to make sure that when the time comes the pagan forces will know the secrets of the Templar Knights. Brother Michael has thought that from the beginning, and now that he is the Master Paladin, he took your brothers place as the head of the Order of the Paladin, he plans to make sure that I never make it in. Though, after his actions tonight I would be surprised if he remained a Templar Knight let alone a Paladin Knight.� He tried to get up and his vision blurred and the room spun as he fell back down moaning. �God help me what happened to my head, I feel like a horse kicked me in the helm.� �When you landed you hit the ground fairly hard, you softened the blow for your body by using your head.� Gwyen helped him drink by holding a small cup with a strong whiskey. �How did you not know you were stabbed, they said the blade passed completely through your shoulder, barely missing any vital arteries.� Although, Gwyen did not understand what that meant but she did not like the idea that it had barely missed. Alyn had to laugh inwardly; her daughter was falling for the young warrior of the cloth. �I am tired daughter if I leave you here you are to do as the priests instruct you. You know what happened last time, you disappointed me.� Gwyen glared at her mother, it had been year�s sense that day but she still thought of the night her mother had tied her to the post in their yard naked, all for being seen holding hands with the local lord ling. Her mother was furious; the local lord had killed her father and driven her brother to the Order of the Templar Knight. Her mother met her glare for glare, and gave Christopher and his guard each a small nod and left the room. She went to her set of rooms in the visitor wing, turning the corner just by her rooms she heard a sound behind her, and spun it was Brother Robert she had not noticed she had squeaked when she spun. �Forgive me mistress but Father Amos would like you to dine with him, and talk about your son. He had come to see your son as an adopted son; his words were �Parents should always share their stories.� She bowed her head and motioned for him to lead the way, and fallowed gracefully and subtly replacing her slender belt knife. She had not survived as the lady of the highlands for thirty years since her husband�s death without a few tricks under her sleeves. |
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| Chapter 2 |
| Chapter 1 |