Blood of the Righteous

The Grey Bells...

Gabriel made his way through the crowded streets of Avonshire. The market was flooded with mostly women this time of day, both wives and daughters, buying what was needed to prepare the evening meal for their hardworking husbands and brothers. Given his large, muscular build and the white tunic and forest green cloak of his Holy Defender's initiate's uniform, people tended to step out of his way with a quick bow. This never ceased to cause slight embarrassment to Gabriel. Even the servants of the castle in Lystra weren't this obsequious. Sure they showed respect, but there was always a familiarity and fondness to their attitude. But with the people of Avonshire, it seemed to be respect almost born out of fear.

A group of laughing children ran through the crowd, darting between carts, stands, and people. As they ran past an old woman carrying a large basket on her shoulder, she lost her balance and toppled over. The breads and vegetables, which she had spent the better part of the day collecting, spilled forth from the basket onto the cobblestone street. The laughing children disappeared into the crowd, oblivious to the chaos they were causing.

"You filthy little scamps!" she screamed from the ground, shaking her fist.

In an instant, Gabriel was on one knee next to the old woman. "Ma'am, are you hurt?" He reached down to offer his help to get her back on her feet, which she readily accepted.

"Thank you, young man," the old woman said, brushing herself off. "I'm not as young as I used to be, and I don't see so well anymore. Ever since my husband died..."

Quickly, Gabriel began to pick up her fallen things and stuff them back into the basket as the woman continued to speak. All around, people paid no attention, other than giving the fallen goods a contemplative glance. But, one look at Gabriel, and they quickly went about their business.

Over the drone of the old woman and the noise of the crowd, bells at the cathedral began to ring. Not the ordinary bells, which signified time of day, meals, and such, but what were referred to as the "Grey bells". The pitch was higher and sharper, and their piercing noise reached a greater distance. The Grey Bells were only used to call an emergency meeting of the Arch Bishop, his advisors, the Holy Defenders' council of twelve, and Templar Majoris Carmen himself, the leader of the Holy Defenders.

The entire market square suddenly got quiet as the high-pitched bells continued to chime. Gabriel quickly finished shoving the woman's goods into her basket, handed it to her, and left without a word.

The crowd erupted in speculative murmurs as the bells stopped. Gabriel quickened his pace through the crowd, anxious to get this confrontation over with and get back to the University to see what was wrong.