Part 1 – Oath

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.

“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 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 must 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.

Part 2 - Feast

The gates opened and the lord with his son entered the courtyard welcomed by warm applause and the smiles of Albert and Elizabeth. Alexander wore the same cloaks, as clean as it were when they left but patches and repairs were clearly done. The servants and stable boys tended the carriage and carried the leftovers and weapons away while the squires dismounted and ran beside the father and son,

“Your orders, sir?” Alexander’s squire asked; the knight dismounted,

“Take my horse in the stables and get some sleep, it has been a rough endeavor,” he said and held the squire’s shoulder with appreciation and respect. The lord and his squire did the same.

Elizabeth walked towards and embraced him, she looked at his face closely,

“What happened, dear husband?” she asked touching the scar on his left cheek. Alexander smiled,

“It is an interesting story, I shall entertain you all with my deeds in dinner,” he replied and gave his wife a passionate kiss. Albert also walked towards him, his eyes were filled with admiration and a smile so welcoming and warm, Alexander embraced him tight and tousled Albert’s hair. The lord finally entered the castle’s keep first and everyone else followed.

A feast was prepared in the dining halls, the lord and his family were seated in their usual places. In front of them were a mouth-watering banquet; roasted beef, pork, and fish with various stews and colorful fruits and salads were served. Alexander and his father inhaled the heavenly aroma, the long marches had made them glutinous. The lord gave grace to God, and they ate dinner. Alexander and the lord’s appetite surprised Elizabeth and made her and Albert chuckled.

Alexander’s father wiped his mouth and said,

“I have missed you all and I am glad everyone is safe and healthy. I know what everyone is thinking when we arrived: what is the story behind that horrid scar on Alexander’s face?” Everyone chuckled,

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“So, my son, please tell them it’s tale,” the lord continued. Alexander gulped some wine, cleared his throat,

“This may be anti-climactic, but this scar did not actually come from a battle against the heathens. We were encamped on the border; father and I were hunting in the woods, this is admittedly embarrassing, but I was to lead the chased and I lost my way. Dear lord, I got a tongue-lashing from father,” he chuckled, “then we finally managed to find and retrieve the doe we shot but it was already sunset and when we traced back our way, it had been nightfall. We found the road and followed it southward to our camp. When we turned on the bend, there were a small group of merchants that were ambushed by bandits. Father unleashed the dogs, and another hunt was set. He led the chase in the woods and followed close behind him, one of us stayed behind to look after the merchants. It was night and the leaves covered the skies, I was blind as a mole, I could not see anything in my helmet, so I raised the visor. The bandits decided to split up, so we decided to do the same. As I was chasing a bandit, my horse, which I rode through the foliage, slipped on a rock, and fell taking me down with him. As I was getting up, a spear point flashed before my eyes and rushed towards my face. Luckily, I grabbed it before it could bury more of its metal inside my flesh. I draw my sword, rushed him back, and slayed the dirty dog. My mount was fortunately unharmed, so I rode him back to the locations of the merchant after wiping the black blood of the filth I punished. They tended to my wounds and my father returned there too, carrying two filthy heads, well everyone was carrying heads except me! Because of that no one believed me that I had slayed the parasite I chased down, what a waste of opportunity,” Alexander shook his head and chuckled again.

“I believe, I believe!” Albert said impressed.

“Well, I still don’t,” the lord remarked, and everyone laughed.

Everyone stood up after the lord invited them to the fireplace for more stories. While walking together, Elizabeth leaned on Alexander,

“I will show you my new dress later and you could take it off me if you want afterwards,” Elizabeth whispered. Alexander answered her with a devious smile.

Part 3 - Count

Everyone sat around the brick fireplace, the lord sat on his furnished dark oak chair padded with red silk cushions with a maid beside him pouring tea on a circular table. Alexander, Elizabeth, and Albert all sat on their own beautifully decorated but smaller chairs. Alexander’s father took a sip from his cup and begun,

“I shall tell you all about the first battle we had with the pagans. God was on our side as he blessed us with a calm and beautiful weather, this is also Alexander’s first battle of course, it was on- oh my, what is that smell?” the lord and everyone else looked at Albert who had soiled his trousers.

“Did you have some wine, Albert?’ Elizabeth interrogated.

“Yes, sorry,” he replied shamefully.

Elizabeth turned to the maid and asked her to bring Albert to his room, but Alexander intervened and insisted he would do it.

Alexander and Albert went upstairs and to the latter’s room. As Albert was changing his pants, the sparkling bottles lined up on a shelf had caught Alexander’s eye,

“How many bottles do you have before I left, brother? Ninety-nine, right?’ Alexander was curious.

“Ninety-nine, ninety-nine.” Albert answered and showed his fresh pair of pants to Alexander.

“I’ll give you your hundredth tomorrow,” Alexander proclaimed devilishly.

“Hundredth-first, hundredth first,”

“No, it’s a hundredth after the ninety-ninth not- “Alexander counted the bottles, not being satisfied with the first count, he counted again,

“W-where? Where did you get the hundredth bottle?” he asked worriedly.

“Your room, your room,” Albert pointed at him.

‘But why? Why would that? Why would she… she was expecting someone, of course! That wretched dog!” Alexander immediately turned and ran out of the room confusing his brother. He went downstairs until he reached the castles alchemist’s laboratory and knocked its door loudly,

“Open the damn door, woman!”

“Yes, sir!” the voice behind the wooden door answered.

The door was unlocked, and Alexander kicked it so hard, it smashed on the hooded alchemist’s face and knocked her down. She wiped the blood of her nose and looked at Alexander’s cold and stiffed face.

“Did she ask for a bottle of contraceptive?” the man questioned her.

The alchemist could not answer and crawled back instead. Alexander grabbed her left leg and pulled her back, she turned back to him,

“No, sir,” she panicked. Alexander kicked her across the face from the right to left, she was knocked on her back again, revealing her bald head and dark eyes, and she spat pieces of broken teeth on her side.

“Don’t lie to me.”

The alchemist’s eyes started to water, and her mucus dripped from her nose,

“Yes… yes”

“Did you know she was with someone?”

“No, no, sir,” she sniffed, “I just gave it to her when she asked for it,” the alchemist cried.

Alexander went inside and took a bottle from a shelf and a slow deep breath, he turned, walked pass the alchemist, and shut the door. He washed his face and hands before returning to his chair at the fireplace.

“Are you alright? Albert said you just suddenly left him,” the lord said.

“I am not feeling well, father. Perhaps I should excuse myself,” Alexander replied.

“Well, I understand, I feel a little spent myself. Very well then, will have the stories after breakfast,” his father announced.

Everyone left for their chambers leaving the maid behind to clean after them. Elizabeth leaned on Alexander, pressing her left shoulder on Alexander’s right,

“I guess you could not wait for tonight, my dear husband,” she teased and chuckled. Alexander smiled,

“Yes, my dear faithful wife.”

Part 4 - Confession

The door squeaked open and a woman wearing a bloody white robe had emerged. She turned to Alexander, who was standing next to the door anxiously.

“You may enter to see your wife and child, sir,” the midwife said.

Alexander rushed inside. Elizabeth lied on the bed pale, sweaty, bleeding, and exhausted, she was carrying the baby which was wrapped in white silk cloth. The bed itself was a wet mess and beneath it was a tub full of blood still rising slowly.

The midwife leaned on Alexander,

“Her wounds, sir,” she wiped the sweat on her eyebrows, “her wounds are still bleeding, sir” she whispered.

Alexander glanced at the midwife and turned his eyes back on his child,

“What about my child?” he asked.

“It’s a healthy boy, sir. He will be fine,” the midwife answered.

“Good. That’s good,” Alexander was relieved and nodded slowly.

“I shall leave you now, sir.”

“Yes, thank you for your services.” Alexander replied with a faint smile.

The midwife bowed and left the room carrying the extra towels and tray of medicine. Alexander sat beside Elizabeth, the latter handed him their baby and smiled.

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Elizabeth said with a frail voice. Alexander smiled. His eyes fixed on the child’s wide brown eyes that reflected him.

“Very. He’s very beautiful.”

Alexander rose and placed the child gently on an old dark wood carriage across the room. He returned to his wife still refusing to look at her directly.

“Did she tell you that… that- “

“She did,” Alexander replied coldly.

Elizabeth held Alexander’s arm, her tears flowed down her grey cheeks and her breathing started to get heavy.

“I won’t be able to watch our little boy gro- “

“You’re dying, Elizabeth. Is this not the best time to confess your sins?” he interrupted.

“My… sins?” Elizabeth turned to him with her eyes wide.

“I know you’re an adulterer. Are you going to show me that you’re a lying a whore too?”

Elizabeth gripped his arm with the remaining strength she had. Alexander finally faced her, and their eyes fixed on each other’s.

“Don’t you dare,” she growled, “I never loved you, Alexander. And you don’t really love me too. It’s all an obligation to you. You did your role and so did I. You do nothing but imitate your father, always boasting about yourself, it’s all about you, and your honor, and you glory. Since you want to be him so much, then you deserve to have an unfaithful wife too. You’re not heart-broken, you’re humiliated because a knight like you, an arrogant noble who knows nothing else, had been cucked by a commoner that makes women’s clothes for a living.”

“Are you done?” Alexander asked calmly.

“No! Unlike you, he made me feel I was desired for who I am, he did not see me as some baby-making ornament or a bar-maiden to pleasure yourself with. We made love, Alexander! Here! On this bed! On that one night, he satisfied me as a woman more than you ever could in our whole marriage!” Elizabeth breathed heavily, her teeth grinded, and her eyes red with bitterness.

“Very well, now I shall confess to you too,” Alexander said flatly.

His wife was speechless. Her anger was replaced with shocked and curiosity.

“When I fetched the tray of potions and concoctions that the midwife asked for,” Alexander continued, “I replaced one of the potions you must drink with a blood thinner I had bought outside and poured it in one of the bottles from the laboratory. I took the bottle from the laboratory before our previous alchemist had an unfortunate accident, so her replacement does not know that I have the same type of bottle she used.”

“You murderer!” Elizabeth pulled herself towards Alexander and grabbed on his black robes but immediately released it. She sunk back to her bed, her breathing worsened and her cheeks and lips became paler, but her eyes remained fixed on Alexander.

“Now I shall have the satisfaction of watching you die, Elizabeth.”

Alexander watched his wife’s eyes dilate and slowly roll-up and her eyelids shut. He listened to her breathing slowdown until it stopped. It was as quiet as the southern battlefields after the slaughter, he thought. Yet again he found himself watching over another corpse drained of its blood, and it was blissful.