Light And Shadow

Fifteen Warriors

It was the first time in a long while that these men had gathered together, and the feast was in full swing with no end in sight. From a distance, McFadden eyed Eli, who was socializing with the people in the noisy hall during the feast. Eli, who rarely laughed out loud, was smiling.

He thought back to the shock he felt earlier that day -he never dreamt to see the day that Eli would ride on a horse with a woman in broad daylight. According to Eli, women were only useful as company in bed. Yet, today he had appeared before them with his arms wrapped tightly around the waist of the woman he called his wife. To top it all off, they were mounted atop his dearest warhorse.

McFadden's gaze moved over to Edna, the duchess, seated at Eli's side. A strange excitement surged from deep within his heart when he looked at her. The 40-year old McFadden's pulse quickened, as if he'd seen the ghost of someone who should've disappeared long ago. No, he knew it couldn't be. That person burned to their death in Cecil's castle two years ago. Moreover, it'd been over 12 years since he last saw him. Still, he couldn't shake the strange excitement Edna brought to him.

When Eli left his family of his own accord a decade before, McFadden chose to follow him, leaving behind the place where he was born and raised. Since then, he'd gone on to save a fatally-wounded Eli, and help him become the ruthless warrior he was today. In all that time, Mc Fadden had never seen Eli smile, but now, Eli was smiling next to a woman who elicited a strange thrill in McFad den's heart. He gulped down the strong wine.

Edna had noticed McFadden's sideway glances. When she had the chance, she snuck a look back at him. She dis covered an ugly, worm-like scar decorated one side of his face and how short, silver hair covered his head. Quietly searching her memories for his profile, she took note of how the knot of wrinkles on his forehead gave him an air of caution. What if he didn't have that scar...? Just then, their eyes met. Edna quickly dodged his gaze, and leaned close to Eli.

"I'd like to rest since I'm feeling tired. May I head up first?" she whispered in his ear. Realizing it was late, Eli got up from his seat with her. The other knights stood up in unison. Gesturing for them to sit back down, Eli said clearly, "You may eat and drink to your heart's content tonight, but bear one thing in mind: never lay hands on the women in the castle."

Edna realized her husband had taken to heart the story of her days spent as a maid at the viscount's castle. Unknowingly, she grabbed Eli's arm and he gently patted her hand, as if trying to comfort her. Soon, they were climbing the stairs side-by-side.

His men were watching Eli with wide eyes. Philly, in particular, was wondering if he was hallucinating. The reality was finally sinking in that he'd indeed seen those two riding ogether on the same horse when they came to greet the arriving men at the entrance of the village ear lier that day. And now, Eli was escorting his wife upstairs! Eventually, unable to contain his bewilderment, Philly tilted his head and spoke up. "Is something weird with the alcohol today? Why would he make such a state ment? I must be hallucinating." 

His twin brother, Phillan, was of the same mind. Even the saintliest of men turned into beasts after wandering on the battlefield. Whipped into a frenzy by their testos terone, men were slowly driven wild like beasts. The more they became accustomed to death, the duller their emotions grew. Eventually, everything lost meaning save for the instinctual will to survive.

Eli was living proof of this philosophy. While he was on the battlefield, he deeply imprinted within everyone's minds what was the meaning of fear. He dominated the battlefield with strong momentum, as if trying to cut down his own death. He bedded women left and right, as if trying to prove to himself that he was still alive.