Richard startled awake with his head on my lap and sprung up and back. A look of confusion flashed across his features his breathing was harsh and with a sputtering voice, “Why was my head in your lap?”

I smiled sadly, “You were having nightmares and almost rolled into the small fire we set. Once I held you you quieted. I figured the best way for both of us to get some rest was if I held onto you.”

Richard patted himself down and calmed slowly, “Oh, I guess thanks are in order. I’m glad I didn’t roll into the fire and get burned. Just startling to wake up so close to another person.” His cheeks flushed at the realization.

I realized just how young this man was. With a smirk, “You’ve never been with a woman Richard?”

His eyes darted to the shade as the blush deepened, “Of course I have.” I could tell he was lying. “What knight or squire hasn’t laid with a woman.”

“Sure, they all have.” Deciding to drop the subject I rolled up the bedroll and noticed how wet some of the bottom of it was and sighed. I’d have to hang it to dry at the next town. It wouldn’t dry properly on the road. Packing up the things and standing I motioned towards Richard’s armor. “Do you require assistance to don your chain?”

He smoothed his front and shook his head. “I can dress just fine. Squires don’t get assistance in donning armor usually.”

I watched as it got caught on his clothes a couple times while he was putting it in and stifled a chuckle at his expense. I cleared my throat when he was done a few minutes later as he strapped his sword to his hip. “Ready young squire?”

With a terse nod and a grumbled complaint we set back onto the road. I had to turn him in the right direction as he started walking back from the way we came. His eyes still darted around the trees and road.

“Everything alright Richard?”

“I feel like I’m being watched or followed. Usually my sense of danger has been sharp but it’s constant since the battle.” He rested one hand upon the hilt of his blade and kept his movements quick. “We must hurry. The siege continues every day.” Richard started walking even quicker.

I had seen these kinds of things before. All the way back in the frozen ages. When men slaughtered each other it often left wounds that would fester for life. Talking after a few drinks to loosen up helped for a little but I had never seen someone heal from it properly. I could use magic to calm his mind down but it would be temporary. It would build and worsen over time in his mind and come back tenfold. “Would you like a song today?”

“I’m in no mood for jovial singing.” His tone was terse and clipped.

I held my hands up in mock surrender, “Suit yourself Richard.” We lapsed into silence. After a few minutes a branch snapped in the woods and a man emerged from the trees looking sleepy and haggard.

In an instant Richard had his sword drawn and was moments from stabbing the man through. The steel of his blade glimmered in the sun as time slowed. The man that was about to be run through wore garb so similar to what the average messenger wore. He had a satchel bulging with letters upon his hip. I couldn't take his burden of deliveries as well. That and Richard would never recover from the guilt.

With few options I bent and kept wrapping my arms around Richard and dragging him to the ground. “Richard, calm yourself!”

“Traitor! I knew you were a spy!” He tried to slam his pommel into my had as he thrashed like a wild animal. “I’ll slay you both!” His sword arm began to flail as he attempted to wrestle himself free.

I crawled up his body and pinned him to the ground with a drop of my true strength. Looking at the messenger I could tell the man was outright shocked. “Run along sir messenger. This one here,” I patted Richard, “Is mighty spooked and I don’t know how long it will be till he calms.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

With frantic nods the messenger with his full satchel half ran away towards the way we came. I turned my attention to Richard and struggled to contain his body for a moment. “Richard, calm yourself.”

“Slay me and be done with it, Spy. Ram whatever hidden dagger you have on you and finish me quickly!” His body sagged in defeat and I could see more tears falling from his eyes. There was no fear only sadness he could not complete his duty.

“Don’t be silly, I have no reason to hurt you. Remember, I watched over you in your sleep Richard. If I wanted you dead it would have been then. But instead, I soothed you.” I kept my voice low and calm trying to exude the same in my words.

His ragged breathing became more even as he took my words and thought about them. “I’m sorry Dolan. I don’t know why but I was so sure just now. It made so much sense for a moment. An enemy messenger, a spy at my back.” He sobbed, “Oh gods, what is happening?”

I rolled off him but kept a hand upon the sword in case Richard would attack. “I’ve seen it before Richard. A lot of men from the battlefield are haunted by the souls of the fallen. There is not much you can do but think about if things have evidence or cause to be true. It is a skill that needs work. What would tell you that I was a spy? Truly anything. I sang the song that prudes would not. Watched over you while you slept. Would a spy hiding an attack do those things?”

He began to push himself up as he through. “No, they wouldn’t do that.”

I released his sword and stood with him. “I’m no expert in all this Richard but follow me in this. Name five different things you see.”

Breathing slowly Richard looked around, “I see the trees, the wet road, you, the bushes the man was most likely sleeping in.” I could see him visibly calm.

“Good job Richard. What are four things you can feel?” I remembered the old woman who taught me this as a way to calm children.

“My chainmail, I feel its weight. The rough cloth of my padding against my skin. The brisk air upon my cheeks, almost like winter’s bite is still there. My wool socks, they’re soaked in sweat.” His shoulders lost all their tension as he finished and he looked to me for more.

I handed him the sword and stood now with him. “Lastly, name three more things you can hear.”

With eyes closed he turned his head, cocking it to the side to listen. “Your voice, it sounds older than you are. The sounds of my heart, they’ve gotten softer. The birds are starting to sing once more.” Richard looked at me once more. “Thank you, I feel much better.”

“It is okay, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t do anything you might regret. Now sheath your blade and we can continue. Tonight we will have to knock some dirt from your chain but I’ll help.” As he put away his naked blade and walked slowly toward him and patted his shoulder. “Anytime you're scared, do that again. You can do five, four, three, or lower. “

“Where did you learn that?” An innocent question.

“A old nursemaid I fancied when I was in a nobleman’s house. I watched her use it on the people around her. Including myself.” I released his shoulder and motioned for us to continue. “We should reach the next hold by nightfall.”

We continued on our path and soon in the distance over the trees I could see the keep-like structures that were constructed for identifying holds where knights lived in service to their king. I kept making sure to keep up with Richard as the forest was suddenly cut away and pastures filled with livestock stretched before us.

Great grassy plains grown to my waist spread over light small hills around the hold. Farmers guiding sheep around and pulling them into farmsteads to be sheared or slaughtered lay in each of the wall areas that lay around it. The scent of dung wafted in the air as it all thawed from an unpleasant winter. The gentle bleating of sheep and ram filled the air. I could see one magnificent specimen of a ram. His horns perfectly curled to add to the impact it would have should it slam into you. Half the sheep lay sheared already, the great wool harvest needed to be done so that it might regrow by winter.

“Let us go to the keep so I might give word.” Richard’s words cut through the peace that I was feeling and I followed behind him.

Many of the herders waved or eyed us suspiciously. A blend of friendliness and wariness. I could not blame them for such feelings. Soon the walls of the hold were towering before us with his gate open and portcullis raised. Guards stood bored and lazily leaned against the stone. They recognized the garb of Richard.

Standing straight the two crossed their poles across the road. “State your business.”

“I have urgent messages from the south. I need use of your pigeons and a word with your knight captain.” Richard stepped forward and straightened himself. “As you can tell I’m a squire from the southern hold. It is under siege.”

The two men blanched in the light of the day. “The king’s land is under attack? From who?”

“The Talarions. It is to be a religious war.” Richard pushed past the poles and looked around realizing he couldn’t tell where to go. “Pigeons and the knight captain. Where are they?”

“The pigeons be in that tower,” he pointed to the tower behind the main building. “The knight captain Sir Gellick isn’t here. He would be indisposed at this time.”

“Indisposed? Doing what.”

“Probably tossing in the hay with some lass.” A grim chuckle between the two passed.

“Well don’t just stand there! Send a runner while I deal with your aerie master. Dolan, what are you going to do?”

I lost my thoughts for a moment, “I’ll wait in an audience chamber and pull out the appropriate letter that is for this hold.”

Richard and I separated as I was brought to an audience chamber. A wooden bench was the only place to sit. I pulled off my things and began sifting through the letters looking for any addresses to Sir Gellick.

It was near night time when a meal was brought to me. “You’ll be seen in the morning. Someone will bring a cot.”