The Knights of Haile: A Trinity of Heroes

5

Lawrence grasped the blend of herbs that Galvan had given him tightly in his hands. He stared at it for a long time before, eventually, he stood from the half log he was sitting on and put it into a kettle that sat full of water and hung over a modest campfire.

"If this doesn't work, I don't know what I'll do, mom," Lawrence spoke softly. "Old man Galvan from Alacrecia gave me these herbs. He said they should help you get better." Lawrence rehearsed the conversation he would have with his mother over and over again. He was so nervous. What reason did she have to drink the herbal tincture he was brewing? What reason didn't she have, he constantly reasoned with himself. Lawrence stirred the mixture with a wooden spoon that sat on a small, beaten up bench nearby.

Lawrence looked behind him at the shoddy broken door of the small hut like dwelling that he and his mother lived in. It was barely enough to fit two people and both of their beds rested on the dirt ground. Not that many others had it much better, not since the war with Necromancer Ghast less than twenty years previous. Lawrence stood, opened the door and entered the small home. He smelled the moist, clammy air of the hut, the scent of mud was quite strong. He sighed.

"Mother, I'm back home."

"S-on," Elizabeth struggled. She moved in her bed and tried to turn her face so she could see Lawrence in the fading sun of the early evening that speared its way in through the doorway. "You're home." She tried to sit up but could not. "Lawrence, water, please."

Lawrence moved quickly and grabbed for a small, wooden goblet. He stepped outside, filled it at the water barrel and brought it back in with him. He helped his mother to a sitting position and offered the goblet to her. After she took it and drank it down, she asked for more. "Mother, I might have something that can help you feel better," Lawrence offered. "Should I bring it in?"

Elizabeth looked up at Lawrence, her soft blue eyes bright for the first time in a while. "What is it?"

Lawrence shook his head. "Old Man Galvan from Alacrecia gave me a mixture of herbs to brew for you. He says he thinks this will help you get better." He smiled. He took the goblet, ran outside, stirred the pot and filled the goblet. He returned to his mother and knelt down by her. "He said I wouldn't have to pay for them if I just offered him the results after you drank the tincture."

Elizabeth had been sick for months now and no matter what she tried, nothing seemed to help. At this point, she would try anything. If this was some assassin's way of trying to end her life or if it would end with her puking her innards into a pile on the floor, she didn't care anymore. Elizabeth took the goblet from Lawrence and drank it down. She tasted ginger and cinnamon for certain, the others she couldn't quite name. She gave the cup back to Lawrence. "Another, please." She smiled when Lawrence nearly stumbled over himself to get her another goblet of remedy. When he returned she took it and drank it down quickly. She smiled.

Lawrence placed a hand on her shoulder. "How do you feel?" he asked, looking for any sign that the tincture could be working. "Anything?"

Elizabeth stayed quiet for a long while. She leaned in and kissed her son on the cheek. "I love you so much, Lawrence. You're going to be a wonderful man." She took his hand and squeezed. "Let's see how I feel in a few days. I'll drink some more before I sleep for the evening." She moved to lay back down and before she did, Lawrence straightened her pillow and brought her another blanket.

"I'm going to go out for a stroll, mother," he spoke softly. "I should be home before dark."

Elizabeth nodded. "Be safe, my son."

***

That evening, Lawrence walked briskly along the beaten dirt streets of Haile. He looked from home to home, shop to shop and smiled as he saw another day of business coming to an end. There were plenty of things in Haile that filled his heart with hope and joy but there was also plenty of things that rubbed Lawrence the wrong way. He always wondered why-

"Oi, you little prick! Watch where you're going!" a voice called from down a side alley.

Lawrence looked and saw a young man face to face with three others of larger stature than him. They had the young man surrounded.

"Think you're better than us, prick!" One of the three shouted at the boy. "We've no time for a scab like you!"

"Hey!" Lawrence shouted, approaching the group. "What's he done to deserve this? There's three of you and one of him. Back off!"

"This your friend?" One of the three asked, preparing to fight. "Did ya really think we'd be okay with you siding with the sodding Knights? You're a fookin traitor!"

Lawrence didn't wait. He was enraged. After all, his father had been a Knight and fought and served in the war with Necromancer Ghast. Lawrence moved in swiftly and caught the boy shouting insults with a wicked right hook, knocking him square on his ass. He turned to the other two and in a heartbeat, he and the other boy beat down the remaining duo.

After chasing them off with a barrage of verbal insults, the young man turned to Lawrence and offered his hand for a shake. "Benjamin Wakewood," he spoke. "Friends call me Benni."

"Lawrence Sanctus," Lawrence spoke firm. "Nice to meet you, Benjamin." They shook hands. "What in Deminion's half acre was that?"

"Reinhardt offered me a temporary position working with himself and the Knights of Haile and when I told me friends...me less than savory friends, they turned on me. Am I really a traitor, Lawrence?"

"Depends who you ask, Benjamin," Lawrence said honestly. "They're probably do nothing vagabonds." Lawrence thought for a moment. "Not that you're a-"

Benni shrugged. "You ain't wrong, lad. I made plenty of mistakes in my day. I'm just tired of me mom and dad being let down by me. And, on account my me little brother Fairen looking up to me."

Lawrence nodded. "I can understand that, Benjamin." Lawrence let out a sigh. "What are ya doin, running with that lot anyway? Maxwell and the Knights will tan yer arse if they catch you fighting."

Benni bit his lip. "That's why I'm trying to get away from that malarkey," he revealed. "Tired of  being sent home to me mum with black eyes and a bruised face."

Lawrence nodded and acknowledged the boy's reasoning. "How the hell did you get invited to work with Reinhardt or any Knight for that matter? Figured they'd just beat yer arse and send you home."

Benni laughed it off. "They did, plenty of times." He playfully slapped Lawrence across the shoulder. "I just kept coming back. I've done my share of shite slinging toward Captain Maxwell and his second Reinhardt. They probably figured it was easier to employ me and train me than keep beating me back with sticks and kicks every day of the week."

"Why do you want to serve with the Knights so bad? If you were hanging with those three it doesn't seem you've much honor to me." Lawrence shrugged. "Seems like you were asking for it."

"My father got stuck with an arrow from a bandit, while on the job at the stone works just outside of town," Benni revealed. "I told Reinhardt his boys failed to do anything to protect my father and the other workers. I wouldn't have failed. I would have chased off those bandits and kept the workers safe."

Lawrence smiled. "I see there is some good in you, Benjamin Wakewood. Maybe this city isn't doomed to you and yer three pal's mischief."

Benni smiled and playfully backhanded Lawrence across the chest. "Fook you, Sanctus." He motioned toward the bakery. "Come on, I'll catch you a hard roll before I head home."

Lawrence smirked. "As long as you don't steal it, Benni."

Benni looked back at him. "Ok, Lawrence. Let's go."