The door squeaked open, and two bodies emerged. Their skin glowed beside the torches and their voices whispered and giggled. The man, brown haired with both body and face were chiseled, threw a bottle at a wooden bin next to the door and the woman pulled him back to the room.

The man and his wife laid in bed and embraced each other while the moon watches over them through the open windows and the cold summer breeze made their embrace tighter.

Footsteps thudded and suddenly stopped in front of the door. The woman rose, her blonde hair flowed down, her eyes looking worried, the man held her arms to assure her,

“It’s just Albert, my brother,” he said.

“Was he… listening? To us?”

“Don’t worry, Elizabeth, it’s just the bottle, he likes collecting them,” he said and chuckled.

“Oh, okay. Let us sleep, Alexander, oh how you exhausted me tonight,” Elizabeth said with a wide smile.

Alexander gave his wife a kiss and the couple fell asleep with their arms wrapped around each other.

***

The morning was busier than usual. Everyone gathered at the dinning-hall. At the end of the table sat the castle’s lord, Alexander’s father, his hair was black and short, and face well shaved, he was well-built man with a stern face and a scar below his right eye. On the table’s left side was Alexander and Elizabeth, on the right was Albert. Alexander’s brother was short, black haired, simple-minded and sweet, he barely leaves his room but when he does, Alexander was always by his side since they were young.

The lord offered a prayer to God and they started eating afterwards. Warm bread, wine, and roasted fish was served with sweet berries as desert. After the meal, the lord commanded them to stay at the table and informed them of the campaign to be held that season.

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“I shall keep my oath, which I had always done in all my sixty-years of life, and I have made the decision that it is now time to prove your worth as my son, Alexander, in the field of battle”, the lord announced proudly.

Albert started to clap enthusiastically, he gave his brother a wide and proud smile filled with excitement. Alexander was ecstatic, his father’s stories about his experiences and deeds during the holy wars had always amazed him and it drove him to be like his father, to be honorable, strong, and dependable. Elizabeth held his hand and also gave him a smile of genuine joy which he did not expect to see.

Alexander turned to his father,

“I am very pleased, father. I assure you that I shall deliver those pagans to God, to face judgement. I am not just a boy anymore but a knight, and I will strike all our enemies down with my lance and sword,” he proclaimed with pride.

The lord smiled and clapped his hands, Albert and Elizabeth did the same. He stood up and opened his arms toward Alexander, the latter stood up too and embraced him. Alexander was given the instruction to summon his squire and the stable boys. The preparations for the march shall now be made.

Later in the afternoon, Alexander stood on the courtyard and his father beside him was already mounted on his horse followed by their squires and servants. Their carriage was loaded with supplies and extra weapons. The maids and guards lined up on the side of paved pathway to the gates.

Elizabeth walked towards Alexander and the latter walked to her too. He gave her a kiss in the forehead,

“I am going to miss you so much, my wife. I promise that I will return,” he said.

“It is unfortunate we have to separate only after a few weeks of marriage, my husband. But I promise to wait for your return. I’ll have a new dress made and show it to you the moment you come back,” Elizabeth smiled and bit her lips. Alexander chuckled,

“Please take care of my brother, he is a sweet boy but helpless sometimes, I promise he will not cause you much trouble,” he continued.

Elizabeth glanced at Albert, who smiled at her with innocence and trust, and she gave back a faint smile,

“Y-yes, of course, my husband,” she returned her eyes to her man and answered. It was the answer Alexander wanted to hear but it gave him no confidence at all after hearing her words.

The couple embraced each other one last time then Alexander mounted his horse and rode behind his father to march for the rallying point of the Holy Patriarch’s army.