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

Various other servants of Arhus came and went during that week as Mason continued with the mundane. He found ways to amuse himself, now helping Cecily Wake expand the church's forge. They had been spending most of their time removing the clutter in the far corner that had gained all the things that Father Andrew and the other brother's thought could be used one day. The armorsmith didn't normally live and work here, but the diversion was a welcome one.
As he carried another armload of broken wooden slats towards the open entryway to the stables, a rider approached and stopped. The large, older man wore simple brown robes and his balding head seemed soaked with perspiration.

"You there, boy. Tend to my horse," the priest demanded as he tiredly dismounted, then began untying the pack from the saddle.

"Yes, sir." Mason quickly dumped his load into the cart parked to the left of the door, then moved to retrieve the reins as the priest huffed with his gear towards the chapel's rear door, beyond the well. Willem and Brady both watched the portly man head inside, then glance to him as Mason began removing the reins and saddle. He carried the heavy gear into the stables as Cecily wiped his forehead with his hand.

"Who was that?"

"I'm not sure. Probably just another visiting priest from Sarkad or something."

"Huh. Okay, well now that we've gotten most of that junk out of the way we can start blocking in the forge in the corner." His aqua colored eyes motioned to the cleared area, then back to him. "I'll go talk to my brother and find out what's taking him so long to bring the bricks."

"Okay."

Once he finally stabled the newly arrived mount, Mason headed back into the kitchen and noticed their visitor stuffing his face with quite a meal. Must have been a long ride, he thought to himself. As he moved to pass the chair that Father Andrew normally sat in, he realized the priest had claimed it for himself. A fact that normally wouldn't have caught his attention until a goblet was shoved in his path.

"I require more wine, boy. Go fetch it."

Mason eyed the guest for a long moment, then took the pewter cup and started to head for the cellar.

"What's your name, boy?"

He turned to face the priest. "Mason, sir."

A nod. "You're a faithful servant of Arhus, I take it?"

"Yes, sir."

Between bites, the priest nodded again as he studied the young orphan. "From now on, we're going to all train like it," he scanned the others in the kitchen each tending to their individual duties. "I'm bringing in a master of arms that's going to teach all of you how to fight like a true servant of Arhus should." Indignantly, Mason felt his defenses rise at the proclamation. He knew the basics of swordplay, he'd seen various templar practising over the years in the back yard. He glanced to Mason again. "Bring a pitcher along with the cup, I've had a long road."

He turned and carried out the order and once downstairs, he moved to the large storeroom that housed the many casks and barrels of wines and other drinks. Brown eyes noticed Amelia as she reached into the barrel of vegetables and turned to notice him also.

"He's mean," she commented in hushed tones.

Mason nodded in agreement and lowered the cup underneath the faucet to one of the barrels and turned the handle. "He won't be here long, don't worry."

"I hope not."

He realized how dangerous this line of thinking was. "He's a servant of Arhus though. And he's a priest, don't forget."

A long pause as he closed the handle and set the cup on a long table which housed and covered more supplies. "I know." He finally turned to eye her as he reached for an empty pitcher. "Why, what happened?"

Being his age, he considered her his sister as well as friend. "Just the way he is, I guess. Bossing everyone around." She replaced the lid to the barrel and turned to him as she moved to leave. "When do you think Father Andrew will be back?"

"He said he'd only be gone a week, so. Not long now, I think."

* * *

That night, once dinner was done and everything cleaned up, Mason found himself standing in the sanctuary with everyone else as the visiting priest stood quietly on the dais, eyeing them all. "I'm Father George," he informed and glanced to Brothers Alfred and Howard who stood with the three nurses that tended to the babies the church had inherited. "I'm the new priest here in Milford," he informed and looked back to the orphans. "And things are going to change around here. Starting tomorrow, you're all going to start exercising and training in the way of arms. Except the girls, obviously. We are a haven of justice that supports and represents those things in the world that are right and true. We need to start living like it."

Mason couldn't believe his ears.