William found it hard to believe, that nobles were allowed to capture any lady they so fancied. Of course she had to come in rags and from nowhere, but still?.. Where was the respect? Shouldn’t they at least buy her a drink first or something?.. Although in some inner corner of his old soul he also felt slightly jealous… For regrettably he died a virgin.

Thinking about this William had to cross himself as he whispered. “I’m sorry little Will… Maybe in the next life you’ll get to play at least once…”.

Rex who saw these strange hand signals, thought the servant girl was a bit odd. He commented, “I see that your also close to the point of exhaustion?.. Although I calculated that the other lord’s would try to tempt Brice, the clock is many… I’ll try to persuade him to leave”. And so he did. He went over equipped with his kindest demeanor and questioned, “Are you soon ready to leave, my lord?”.

The young men surrounding his master, were rather uptight and didn’t need a party pooper, so they ordered Rex to scram. Brice heard all of the bickering and merrily agreed with these troublemakers. For he was already smitten with this servant girl, who had every intention of charming her way into his life.

Brice half-shouted, “Go on, Rex! I can take care of myself for one evening at least!..”. Rex hesitated but didn’t want to be on Brice’s bad side again. The reminders from last time were only now beginning to shyly sprout out of his skull. So he rounded up William and the servant stationed outside, whose job was to provide Brice with additional protection.

They all left groggily towards their tent.

Night passed swiftly and the young master wasn’t seen again, till the morning dawned. The moment he entered the tent, he flopped his belly onto a makeshift bed. His whole being reeked of alcohol and across his skin were hickeys, planted like dandelions on a field. Rex tried his best to salvage Brice. He needed to look presentable for lord Blaise, later that day. Thus, Rex ordered William to; “Fetch some hot water… Our young master desperately needs a bath!”.

After much scrubbing and strong whiffs of brewed herbs, the trio could return to the arena. Again the grounds were filled with cheer and screams. Like it always would be at this time of year... But unlike the arena that continued to stay the same, Brice was forever changed by last night’s heated encounter.

He had gotten the taste of something that could heighten his existence once again. A suitable pastime it was indeed… 

During their last days there, Brice was nowhere to be seen. Yet, Rex was as calm as an ancient well.

William had just finished his morning workout, delighted by his growing results. After wiping of his accumulated sweat, he went to report in with Rex. Seeing the supposedly clingy servant sit all alone with not a care in the world, perplexed William. He asked the calm servant, “Wha-... I thought you would be with Brice?.. Why are… Where is he?”.

Rex turned his head and gave William a nice plastic smile, “Ah, he left to say goodbye to his new fair friends… We’ll start packing soon… I’m sure he’ll be back at our camp by then”. William folded his hands together, as the next move he was going to make made him nervous. He muttered, unsure of himself, “I was just wondering… This kind of behavior... Doesn’t it bother you?”.

Rex truly didn’t seem afflicted at all, as he smoothly answered, “Not at all… This only makes it easier...”. As soon as those words left his mouth, he seemed to have regretted it. Suddenly Rex started to fidget, then, when the timing was right he ‘fled’ the location.

William stood left on the spot, a bit baffled as to why the calm servant had such a sudden change in mood. Why did he act like that?.. Did he perhaps say something that should never be heard?...

****

Heavy footsteps and noses breathing in the familiar air of home, arrived at the land string. The people who had been gone on a long journey, could once again take in the view of the giant lake and the island housed within it. Their surroundings seemed ordinary and peaceful. Yet, what met them wasn’t a passionate welcome.

Instead, they found it lukewarm. Something must have happened. Something that shouldn’t have taken place...

Lord Blaise was fuming. His nostrils were the first ones to express his anger, by repeatedly expanding in an impatient rhythm. Then his arms began to shake, while his forehead flared red. His lungs expanded, before they exploded with an overwhelming roar; “WORTHLESS!”. It made the knees of the lord’s brothers quiver. Including the knees belonging to William’s father’s.

“You’re truly WORTHLESS! How can it be!? What do you think a castle is for?.. Perchance a place to host mindless scum!?”. The youngest of the lord’s brothers went forth to apologize and beg for mercy, “I’m truly sorry my dear brother! My lord!.. But don’t you find it odd?.. They chose to strike the moment the castle was defenceless!.. To us, it can only be the work of someone with a small heart… Som-”. The lord interrupted him ruthlessly, “You suggest that a traitor is among us!?”.

Both brothers nodded. One of them laid out their case; “We have been vigilant my lord!.. We have each divided the hours to be on watch both day and night, accompanied by a troop of skilled guards! Unfortunately, there was a day where a slight miscommunication made a hole in our plans... And exactly on that day they came and left like the wind! Taking one of our castle servants with them!..”.

The other brother took over as he sneered, “They must be mocking us! They must!.. To come all the way here solely to infiltrate our castle and then slip away with something so meeker!? A taunt it is! Right beneath our noses!.. I tell you dear brother, my body cannot be more filled with rage!.. I want them caught and hanged!”.

Their lord had become more collected after hearing their begging howls. He tugged at his beard in a serene manner in an attempt to calm himself. At first, his focus was solely on his prostrating brethren but his eyes soon found a new target... William’s father stiffened the moment their eyes met. Lord Blaise frowned upon asking the fool, “And what about you, my knight?.. Did they manage to slip under your nose as well? Or did you manage to get some clues that could lead us to their location, from this pompous theft?”.

William’s father gulped a few times, before answering, “My lord… I-... I’m afraid they are seeking refuge in the forest and lesser villages around castle Talcan… We’ve tried to venture in… Unfortunately those who did, fell in battle when encountered by their border guards… Even I barely escaped death that day…”.

“Hrmf! And you think that’s good enough!?”, lord Blaise huffed. Then his hand went back to fiddle more with his splendid beard. A memory that he had tried to lock away, was beginning to resurge from the murky waters of his mind. This glimpse of the past, thawed the stiff frown on lord Blaise’s lips.

Without mercy he asked the father, “... Do you remember what I told you before we left?”. William’s father couldn’t gulp anymore. His throat had gone so dry that it was starting to itch horribly. “Yes?..”.

Lord Blaise seemed tired and frankly, this meeting was something he wanted to continue some other day. So he left nonchalantly with the words, “Excellent!.. Then we’ll meet again this spring, I suppose… But only IF you can survive this winter without a shred of clothes covering that pathetic body of yours... As promised”.

The doors slammed behind the red lion. Leaving behind his sheep to quiver in fear…

Especially the father who was beginning to contemplate whether or not he should jump into the lake and just give up.