laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Alexander followed close behind as Stephen walked through the streets of Eaglesham, through the gate and out into the fields where many had given their lives. His eyes gazed across to the distant forest, now blackened from the fires that raged that morning, and quietly turned right as they headed to the campsite for the Order of the Golden Scepter.

"Is Sir Kenneth alright?" he asked.

"He'll be fine," Stephen informed. "We thought we had lost you."

Blue eyes sank to the grass bordered fence that lined the nearby field.

"Next time I tell you to stay with the horses, do so. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. Forgive me, I saw the fight with the demon and saw him kill two knights with one stroke..."

"And thought that you could succeed where veterans failed," Stephen finished. "You're not ready for that kind of foe, Alexander. That's why we have rules and levels of promotion reflective of skill and knowledge. If all of our squires fell two days ago, who would take up our mantle when we're gone?"

Alex nodded, his guilt weighing him down more than the bruised shoulders. "I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."

They quietly walked into the array of gear, horses and knights resting from their wounds near a distant brook that cut through the box and alder that protected them from the sun's direct rays. His eyes soon caught sight of two other squires that he had shared stories with in Velence as they carried buckets of sloshing water to their respective knights. Stephen finally stopped and turned to sit on the short stool at the foot of Sir Kenneth who lay underneath a thick, grey woolen blanket.

"Well," the veteran greeted, grinning through a myriad of scars. "Our brave squire, unkilled by the dead."

"Sir," Alex nodded respectfully. "How are you?"

"I'll be fine. Done worse breaking Bideven there," he said and glanced to his horse who unemotionally stood near the other three mounts.

"I'm glad, sir." He turned to Stephen whose brown eyes glanced up to him. "What needs to be done, milord?"

Leaning forward, he rested his arms on his thighs. "Your horses have been neglected for some time now. I heard yours this morning complaining that he didn't get the attention that he used to," he grinned.

"Yes, sir." He set his shield down and quickly led the quartet of warhorses to the brook and brushed each down. Happily, his chestnut nuzzled him and Alex hugged the thick neck for a moment. "It's good to see you again too, Janus."

"Alexander," a younger voice called from behind him. He turned to see William, squire to Sir Godfrey. "I saw you charge the other day. Bravest thing I ever saw. When I saw that thing hit you and you didn't get up, I was sure that Arhus had taken you."

Alex grinned, then glanced back to the camp and noticed that they had some privacy. He neared. "He did, but I was given a choice to come back." His voice trailed off, not sure if the encounter was supposed to stay private or not.

William stared blankly for a moment. "You actually saw him?"

"No. My champion was there and she told me."

The younger squire chuckled in disbelief. Alex knew that no one could fully appreciate what he had experienced without knowing it themselves firsthand. He left his friend to his musings and led the horses back to their owners and continued with his chores.