Tales of the Monk

Chapter Eight

No matter how hard I tried to fall asleep my body was just restless to it, when I was close to a dream state my mind filled with all the slurs that dripped out of Father Carden's mouth. He was long gone from this world but he still continued to haunt me in my consciousness

'You need to seek harder to get salvation Lancelot, You embarrass me to call you my son' Father Carden bellowed in the open battle against the fey

Rolling over onto my back I could feel the different patches of skin against the earthy floor pain my body in different ways. Some skin were soft and smooth like silk but most were broken and bruised where I was savagely beaten, knowing no matter how much time would pass they would never properly heal again

'Show these vile scum no mercy son, make them wish they never had been born into our world'

Every battle I had endured with Father Carden I would try to free as many prisoners that I could, hoping this one little act of kindness would clean my heart of any guilt for turning my back to my true roots. But Father Carden was alway wise to my antics and stop it every time before I could untie them

'Come on Lancelot, you need to slaughter your prey at some point. Those first few kills will give you a taste for it' Carden berated whilst I stood in front of a faun

'I can't do it father it's not right after all they have done nothing to this world'

'The lord test us in different ways and now he is testing you, to see if you have the will to satisfy him for cleaning his garden'

With tears in my eyes I had to kill my fey brother to end his suffering at the hands of the paladins, Father Carden's patience was wearing thin with me with my no kills so far. Taking my knife out from the belt I slit his throat open, due to my inexperience I was too close to him as his blood sprayed across my face

I couldn't even remember if Carden congratulated me on my first kill, my mind went blank from that first experience and I was so numb to my core. This was what my life would become under him for the next twelve years

Tossing and turning all across the earthy floor I knew I wasn't going to be comfortable enough to pretend I was asleep to the others. Looking up from the ground I saw Goliath grazing on some nearby grass, one thought rushed to my mind and I would only be gone for an hour or so

Untying Goliath from the other horses that were secure to the tree, I saddled him up and gave him his favourite treat of a green apple slices. Putting my left foot into the stirrups I jumped and swung my other leg over the horse and positioned myself, I was ready to ride out into the woods when I felt a small tug on my cloak below

Without even looking I knew which fey child was up and awake at this time of the morning, it would be no other than my child that follows me around everywhere I went

'What are you doing up so early?' I questioned, raising a brow

'I couldn't sleep anymore and I noticed you were gone from the others'

'Xeanhawk will be wondering where you are once she gets up from her deep sleep'

'She'll be wondering the exact same thing about you as well and besides, it was getting too warm being under her wing' he proclaimed. 'How far were you planning on going'

'Only a small ride through the woods, Goliath needs a proper run to stretch his legs'

'If you're gone for a short while then you won't mind if I tag along for the ride then will you' he smiled

'I don't see any harm with that, no one will be awake for miles around here'

Percival put one of his short legs into the stirrup and I pulled up one of his arms, he got seated in front of me and expected my arms to wrap around him whilst I took control of the reins.