“What’s all this you runts!” The sturdy woman yelled. She did a double take at Gregory’s face and then began shouting more.

“You lot are in here fighting!? I’ll have all your runt asses outta here tonight!” She stomped into the center of the room.

“You! What happened here!?” She yelled and pointed at a random boy in his bed who stuttered and pointed at Gregory and Lin wordlessly.

“Bah! You!” The woman yelled impatiently and pointed to someone else. “What happened!?”

Many rounds of yelling and retelling later saw Gregory, Lin, goon one, two and toady lined up outside the bunkhouse in the cold as the guardsmen night captain paced in front of them.

Gregory’s face had begun to swell and one of his eyes was forced closed. The cold seemed to be helping but the thin bed clothes he wore did nothing to stop him from shivering.

The night captain was a very stern looking man, square jawed and clean shaven with hard eyes. He paced back and forth as he glared at each of them in turn. Several guardsmen, including the woman from earlier stood around the line of boys holding torches.

“I’ve already heard the different versions of what happened in there and while normally I’d just expel you from the compound tonight and let you walk home in the dark there are some serious accusations and we’ll need to actually sort this out.” He said in a commanding voice.

Toady and his henchmen were looking more nervous with every passing second. Rape was a serious crime in Steinheimm and was punishable with hard labor or prison time and on rare occasions, even death.

Not that these boys would be sentenced to death but the threat of any sort of punishment and the dishonor it would bring their families was very real.

Gregory had no sympathy though, he’d heard them, all four of them, and he still simmered with anger. The fourth boy had apparently sprinted for the first guardsmen he could find and then ran back. Gregory didn’t know what to think of that but it wasn’t his job to mete out punishment so there he stood. His face swollen and sore, his knuckles bruised but his head held high, knowing he did the right thing.

“Huginn help me if I know how to sort this though. Every runt in there has a different story.” The captain mumbled in frustration.

As if in answer to his call a large black raven hopped into the torchlight. The boys all froze at the sight and the bird looked at each of them intensely, one at a time. When it was Gregory’s turn to be appraised by the bird he could’ve sworn he could feel Huginn’s presence in the air. It might just have been all the blows to the head he’d received mere hours ago but he swore he could feel something.

The captain glanced at the bird and then stared off into the dark, as if expecting another bird to hop into the light as well.

Instead of another bird though Odin came out of the dark. Striding into the firelight and clad in his worn armor he cut a stoic figure. He eyed the line of boys and lingered on Gregory’s beaten face for only a second longer than the others.

The captain saluted smartly and Odin returned the gesture.

“At ease Captain, what’s all this? I was out for an evening stroll and saw the commotion.” The bird, still staring at Gregory blinked and broke eye contact then hopped onto Odin’s shoulder.

The man didn’t flinch or even react to the large bird landing on him.

“Yes Paladin, there was apparently a tussle. These runt-er these recruits were fighting in the bunkhouse and there are accusations of attempted rape of a female recruit.” Odin rubbed his beard and looked down the line of boys.

“The two big ones and the little one are the accused? And the last one, he reported it to the guard?” The boys all paled at his accurate guess work. It was rumored that paladins could weigh your sins by simply looking at you and here and now Gregory was inclined to believe the wild stories he’d heard.

“Uh-that is yes Paladin sir.” The captain said haltingly.

“If I may?” Odin said to the captain and gestured to the boys.

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“Of course Paladin. I was honestly at a loss as to what to do. There are many conflicting stories, normally I would just expel them all but with the serious accusations I felt it needed more attention.” The captain said with a gesture to the lineup.

“Hmm, a wise move captain.” Odin nodded. He then moved to stand directly in front of the boys and pointed at each in turn.

“You, you and you, I find you guilty of attempted rape of one Kellendry. Your families will be notified and the Queen will hand out punishment fitting the crime.” He said imperiously as he pointed to the goons and toady.

Toady’s mouth hung open and the goons hung their heads.

“You.” He said pointing to the timid boy who flinched at the movement.

“Because you had a change of heart, Muninn takes mercy on you and only your family will be notified. No punishment.” The boy nodded and somehow managed to look relieved and guilty at the same time.

Then Odin and the large bird both turned their gaze on Lin and Gregory. The focus of the bird was unsettlingly intelligent and its mannerisms seemed less birdlike than they should be.

“You two, walk with me.” The boys looked at eachother uneasily but it wasn’t like they really had a choice so they left the lineup and followed the large man into the dark.

Odin called back over his shoulder. “Oh and captain? Let's put those boys in the holding cells for the night and send them on their way tomorrow.”

The captain looked almost disappointed, like he wanted to expel them now but he called back.

“Yes Ravener-er Paladin!” Toady looked ready to cry and the two goons hung their heads lower. The timid boy started to quietly sob as they left the lit area and the guilty boys to the mercy of the angry guardsmen.

Gregory and Lin stumbled a little at first, but less and less as their eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight.

Odin grunted and stopped. “Boy, your face looks like ground beef. What they do, hit you with clubs? I barely recognized you.”

Gregory would have chuckled but his face hurt too bad but Lin chuckled for him.

“Almost sir, that big guy. Allen was sitting on him and right wailing on his face with both hands.” Lin supplied helpfully.

Odin regarded the boy with his one eye. “Illinis right? The blacksmith's son?” Lin smiled widely, showing his gapped teeth.

“That’s right. E’eryone calls me Lin though.”

Odin grunted. “You both did good work and I’m proud of you. I’m personally going to recommend you both for the first five.”

The boys looked at eachother, dumbfounded.

“Now now, before you get all excited. It's still not a guarantee, you’ll still need to earn it.” They nodded along.

But surely a recommendation from a senior Paladin means something right? Gregory thought and smiled.

The action cracked his scabbing lip and pulled his swollen skin. Making him grimace. “Sheesh Greg. You’re gonna be feeling that tomorrow. Here, let me get you something.” He rummaged around in his belt pouches and the movements jostled the raven. Up close the bird was huge, larger than a raven had any right to be. The bird’s wings flapped as it struggled to stay balanced on the man’s armored shoulder, its claws scraped and scratched at the already scratched plate there. Finally Odin stopped rummaging and dug out a little leather pouch. He held out the little leather envelope for Lin to take.

“Here, take this. Make a cup of tea using this and make sure Greg here drinks it all. It’ll help with the swelling and the pain.” Lin reached out and took the small packet as he nodded.

“Make sure he drinks it, it tastes like ass and he won’t want to.” Odin paused as if listening to something and then added.

“Greg, do you remember who I am as well as when and where we met?”

Gregory nodded.

“I need you to actually answer me Greg.” Odin said gently.

“Your name is Odin. You’re a Paladin, I met you the day before yesterday at The Well.” Odin nodded along and Lin’s jaw dropped.

“What were you doing at The Well and who were you with. Whom were you with?” His brow furrowed and he mumbled to himself. “Huh, that's a weird translation issue right there.”

Gregory waited for Odin to finish and then answered his questions, ignoring the odd mumbling.

“I was delivering the plaque the Order had commissioned. I was with my Father but Kearin and Kellendry joined us at the gate to the Compound.” Lin was openly staring at Gregory in shock and looked more than a little offended.

He’d been hesitant to share that story because he wasn’t sure if it was privileged information and Kellendry hadn’t mentioned it either.

Odin was still slightly mumbling to himself and seemed lost in thought so the large bird tapped him on the head with its beak, snapping him out of his inner dialogue. “Right sorry lads. Got a little distracted. Sorry for the questions Greg, just making sure your brain didn’t get bruised in all that.” He said, gesturing vaguely to his pulped face. “Well boys best be off to bed. Tomorrow’s the big brains day, as well as the tournaments.” He said as he started walking back to the torchlight of the few Guardsmen still standing around. As they got closer Odin leaned in and said to them in a solemn voice.

“Listen. Lin, Greg, you both did the right thing here. Now best of luck tomorrow!” He straightened up and walked off into the dark, the bird swayed on his shoulder as he faded from view.

“Lin!” Came a shout from the dark.

“Make sure he drinks the whole cup!” Lin just nodded numbly.

“Good lad.” Odin called from far away.