Part 1 – Refugee

Columns of black smoke broke the cloudless blue skies and everyday a new one rose. It seems to get closer and closer to the refugee camp but as long as the cries of terror were inaudible, the distance was deemed safe.

The lord's sergeant, covered in maille with a bright and clean surcoat, came to the camp with another supply wagon and the refugees, thin and weak, suddenly had a burst of energy and raced towards the sergeant and his men.

"Fall in line, damn it!" the sergeant yelled.

"I've been telling you this every week and you still can't get it, you dirty dogs."

The crowd complied to the sergeant's command and begun forming multiple lines.

As the bread started to be distributed, a thin and bearded man just left his tent and ran between seemingly endless rows of tents to the end of the line.

"Hey John, over here," another thin, but tall, man in the middle of the line shouted. John immediately found him and ran towards that man.

"Fall in line before me, friend, it's alright," the man said.

"Thank you, Mark. I'm sorry for being sluggish, I was just washing my wife in the tent," John replied.

"It's alright, John. I know your wife just gave birth. She needs all the help she can get."

"Yes, of course, thank you again, Mark."

"What's your baby's name?"

"Henry."

"Congratulations, John. Another handsome devil eh."

John chuckled. Mark gave John a tap on the shoulder.

Two hours later, John finally reached the front of the line.

"Here. Now go," the soldier said after handing him a roll of five long bread and a bag of potatoes.

"Sir, may I have a bit more potatoes? My wife just gave birth to another child. She needs the nutrients, sir," John begged.

"I said off you go. If I gave you more, there might not be enough for the next families."

"Just a little, sir, it's just that she's very weak, sir, jus-"

"It’s alright, John, you can have some of my potatoes, my sister doesn't like them that much anyway," Mark interrupted.

"Hear that? Now get off the damn line." the soldier commanded.

Mark received his share of the provisions and John waited for him at the side of the line.

"Here, John. Take half of my potatoes. It's alright."

"Thank you, Mark. But you don't have to help me so much, I don't want to burden you, friend," John said with a sigh.

"Don't feel bad, John. You're not less of a man for receiving help from a friend."

"Yes, but-never mind. I swear I'll return the favors, Mark, you have my word."

Mark gave John a nod and separated.

Part 2 - Father

John returned and entered his tent. He placed the bread and potatoes in a basket beside their chest of clothes. His wife, with her black hair tied exposing her pale thin face, sat opposite of it.

"I'm hungry, father," his son said.

"I'll boil you some potatoes, Joseph. Help me carry your mother outside first, she needs the fresh air," John replied. Joseph held his mother's legs while John carried his wife while she was holding the baby.

They sat her on a log in front of their fire.

"Are you comfortable, Mary?" John asked.

"Yes, thank you, John," Mary replied with a faint smile.

"Put some potatoes in the pot, Joseph. I'll add more wood to our fire."

"Yes, father," Joseph grabbed the bag of potatoes and opened it, "Oh there's more potatoes than last time, father."

"Really?" Mary asked pleasantly.

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"Yes, Mark was kind enough to give us some of his."

"Thank the gods, you have such kind friends, John."

"And thank the gods, you and little Henry there is safe." John replied with a smile.

Shortly after supper, Mary and little Henry were in the tent sleeping. "You watch over your mother now, Joseph. I'll go do my watch." John kissed Joseph on the head and left.

The night was bright but cold. Bats sped over John's head and eyes of owls shined through the branches as their heads turned. Small critters were making all kinds of noises in the shrubs, this was a good a sign.

There were footsteps behind him coming closer, John turned.

"Hey, Richard," he said.

"Good evening, John," Richard, a hairy and pale man, greeted back.

"What is it? It's not your watch yet."

"Aye, but listen, we heard that you got a new child."

"Aye, little Henry."

"Congratulations, John-"

"Thank you, Richard."

"Listen, John, I came here because perhaps you could help me and our other friends and neighbors."

"Sure, Richard, how can I help?"

"You see, while me and my friends were on watch, we came across a camp of former soldiers."

"former soldiers? Veterans or...?"

"The second one," Richard whispered.

"What happened?" John was worried.

"Nothing bad, don't worry, John. We just talked. They asked us if we would like to... uh... help them."

"Help?"

"Yes, they said that merchants are travelling south towards the camp of the main army, they know what road the merchants go through. They said it'll be fast, no one has to get to hurt, just point your weapon on to them and take whatever you can take then run back to the woods."

"Wait, what the- are you asking me to rob merchants on the road?" John was surprised.

"Come on, John. You got a new child, my wife is also pregnant. We need the extra food and money," Richard said in a low voice.

"What about their escorts? If they see us, we're dead."

"They travel relatively close to the army, so they don't hire escorts anymore because the army scares away bandits, that's what I've been told."

"Then the army's knights will get us."

"It'll be a straight road towards the south, we will see them a mile away, then we get back in the forest where it is too difficult for their horses to maneuver."

John paused, he swallowed the saliva in his mouth, looked around then slowed down his breathing,

I shouldn't, but I need to, and it's my chance to, I just have to do what I have to do, I'm tired of being a..., he faced Richard again, "When will it happen?" he asked.

"Tomorrow night."

"Fine, I'll help you."

"Thank you, friend."

Richard tapped John on the shoulder and left. John continued his watch sweating as the cold night breeze blew to his face.

Part 3 - Bandit

Another day passed and night has fallen again. The bats flew over the camp and small critters continue to creep under the foliage. John was sharpening his spear outside his tent and was already wearing his coat.

"Where are you going John?" Mary asked.

"Sergeant said that men who do extra nights of work and watch will get extra food." John replied.

"Oh, so you’re going on watch again?"

"Y-yes, Mary. I am."

"Well, be careful out there. I'll be sure to pray for you."

"Thank you, Mary," John kissed her on the forehead, "nothing bad will happen, I assure you. I'm just doing this for my family." he continued with a smile.

Richard and five of his friends approached John and greeted him and his wife.

"Let's go, John." Richard continued.

"Aye. Let's go." John replied.

Mary watched the men walked away from the camp and into the woods. She turned to the tent and was frightened by a moth sticking on the curtain. Mary grabbed a piece of wood and raised it to hit the moth, but a bat suddenly flew pass her and attacked the moth making her squeak.

John had reached the bandit camp with Richard. There were eight of them, all wore padded jackets and hood over their metal caps. On their right was a spear, on the left a shield with the army's colors.

"Just call me Captain," the leader of the bandits said, "this is a one-time operation, after this we never knew each other, we have never seen each other, got it, lads?"

"Aye, captain," everyone answered.

"Here's the plan, me and my boys will hold them back, we know how to fight, it shouldn't be a problem, while you boys carry as much cargo as you can and run back here, understand?"

"Aye, captain."

"Good, follow me."

The bandits went West of the camp guided by their leader with a lamp. After an hour of walking, they reached an elongated depression covered by ferns and the roots of trees a few paces away from the road. The captain turned off the lamp and slowly their eyes adjust to the darkness. They waited motionless and silently. Bats and insects restlessly raced over them.

Cartwheels was then heard, lamps begun to appear, and hooves were making noise on the gravel. John gripped his spear tightly, his heart started to beat faster as they follow the lamps and sound of horses. The world began to narrow, and he begun to hear Richard breathing heavily beside him.

"Now!" the captain commanded and charged. The bandits followed him, and they jumped out of foliage at the side of the road. The merchants were startled and immediately panicked, they drew their swords and retreated on the opposite side of the road. The captain and his friends held them away from the two carriages with their spears and shields.

John, Richard, and his friends dropped their spears and begun opening the carriages, they dragged and carried the crates into the dark forest. When John and the others returned to continue the looting, one of the merchants blew a whistle so loud it echoed through the night and startled the birds and critters nearby.

The captain of the bandits turned south and saw a cloud of dust rising.

"Knights are coming from the south, there's still time, carry what you can now and let's go!" the captain yelled.

John ran towards the forest carrying a small chest then a dog jumped and emerged out of the foliage and bit his leg. He fell, dropped the chest, and screamed in pain as the dog locked its jaws on to his right leg. The bandits turned North, and knights appeared from the bend.

"Run for your lives!"

The bandits scrambled and panicked. More dogs ran toward the forest and knights in full plate harness followed them.

"Richard! Help me!" John cried.

Every one of the bandits were gone. The merchants heard his cries, ran towards him and started kicking him on the ground. John tried to crawl away, but the dog held him in place.

A knight approach the violent group and they started to step away from John. His lips were popped, head was bleeding, and his limbs were swelling. John's blood stained the ground.

"Please, sir..." John cried. Tears, blood, sweat, mucus, and saliva flowed down his face.

"Sir, I beg you. Please..." John cried, he could not think of anything to do but cry. He shook and screamed on the ground helplessly.

"My family is starving, sir, mercy please..."

The merchants looked at the knight, were they waiting for a response or maybe they could not look at John anymore, they do not know.

"Sir... I will not do it again I swear," John begged. The knight did not answer.

John crawled to the knight's sabaton and kissed it. The knight drew his sword and stabbed John through back and into his heart, John's body dropped instantly, and the dog finally released his leg.

The knight faced the merchants, he saw them grew pale, and said,

"He's just a dirty dog."

John's blood puddled beneath him. He saw the merchants, the knight, and the dog walk away. He could hear Mary's prayers and the cry of little Henry. He heard Joseph's calls and he simply replied,

"You watch over your mother now."

The merchants continued their way, and the bats continue chasing and eating the insects flying away in terror.