Chapter 12
It was a night much like any other in the capital city of Jeru. The taverns were alive with drunken reveling and gangs of criminals roamed the streets looking for the few decent citizens that were not locked up safe in their homes at night. No one seemed to take notice of the lonely knight riding his massive tan colored warhorse down the middle of the dirty street. Man and horse were fully adorned in shiny metal armor that glistened by the light of the few torches on the city’s main street. Logan was doing the same thing he did every night in this crime ridden city; he was praying for the people. He had long ago stopped trying to change Jeru for the better. There was a time when he would have tried to stop the robbers from stealing, or the immoral gangs from violating innocent women, but there were simply too many of them now for one Knight to deal with. In any case, the Magistrate had recently forbid him from policing the city, saying that it was not the responsibility of a washed up knight to do so. So Logan was doing the only thing left to him that would bring about a change, prayer. He prayed for the people and he prayed that one day the Eternal Ya would raise up someone who could bring healing to this dying city. Having prayed for the last hour and a half, the knight finally arrived back at the broken down cathedral that was his home. At one time it was a glorious landmark in the city, bustling with priests and worshipers, but now he was the only occupant. Logan dismounted in the stable behind the building and tended to his horse. Although there was little reason to follow all the protocols of his former knighthood, Logan was still a man of duty. With great care he took off the horse’s trappings and brushed him off with long gentle strokes. “You are getting a little fat Abishai.” he teased the horse. “I will have to take you out for a good run tomorrow.” When he had finished with his faithful steed, the lonely warrior went in through the back door to the temple barracks. As he began to unhook the large breastplate from his stout chest, he thought he could hear a clattering sound in the kitchen two rooms over. With lightening speed he swiftly drew a dagger from his belt and quietly crept down the hallway to greet this intruder. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, a small dark figure burst out of the room and ran past him down the hall. “Halt!” he yelled out and gave quick chase. Logan was a muscular man but very quick on his feet also, so when the intruder stumbled around the first corner, he was quickly overtaken. Logan grabbed the trespasser by the scruff of the neck and soon found out that it was a young boy. He was a skinny little stick figure with dirty blond hair and a dirty face to match. The little thief tried his best to kick and wiggle his way out of capture but it was to no avail; the knight was too strong for him.
“What do we have here? I seem to have caught myself a little weasel trying to steal my food.”
“Don’t kill me sir.” the young boy cried as he continued to struggle with his captor.
“You will not see death this night my son. You have had the good luck of being captured by a knight of the thorn. I have no intention of killing you.”
“Let me go then sir. I never took anything I swear.”
Logan did not let go, but rather dragged the boy over to a chair and sat the would-be robber down roughly.
“I will speak with you first son. Why are you here?”
The boy finally stopped squirming and answered, “I’m real hungry sir and was trying to get some food is all. I haven’t eaten in days.”
Logan was not a man who would usually let an offence pass, but for some reason he felt compassion for the boy.
“Do you not have food at home boy?”
“I have been on my own for many years already mister. My parents were killed when I was 7 years old and I refuse to live in the orphanage. I have heard lots of scary stories about what happens to kids there.”
Logan could not relate to this story because he still knew that his parents were alive and well in a small farm town to the west of the capital. Still, the thought of living without that loving influence made his compassion well up for this poor orphan.
“What is your name son?”
“Jerhard sir, but most people just call me Jer.”
Logan thought quietly for a minute then came up with a wild idea.
“Well Jer, I have a proposition for you. I have need of a squire. If you will agree to help me with my duties as a knight then I will in turn agree to withhold my judgment.”
Jer thought about it for a moment and then asked, “What kinda duties would that be mister? I don’t wanna be cleaning up your messes or anything like that.”
“You will find that I am not too hard a taskmaster, but you must do whatever I tell you. At least you will have a warm bed and food in your belly. The only other option for you is the local jail. Make your choice.”
“It’s not like I have any choice then. You have a deal mister.” With that, the boy got up from the chair and grabbed the nearest loaf of bread to start eating. Logan shook his head, wondering what he had got himself into.
“Tonight you can have a break from your duties but come morning, they will start. Eat well son for on the morrow you will need much energy.”
Logan sat down at the table with the boy and they both ate in silence, glancing up at each other occasionally, as if to size each other up. When they had eaten their fill, Logan showed Jer to his room, and retired to his own room just across the hall. After changing out of his armor, he dropped to his knees at the side of his bed to pray before sleeping, as was his custom.
“Eternal Ya, thank you for the lessons thou hast taught thy servant this day. I have been asking of thee to send me more of thy servants to help me do thy holy work, and you have sent me this young boy. I know not why thou hast chosen him, but I will not question thy judgment in this matter. Please give me thy strength and wisdom to do the task set before me.” Finished with his prayers, Logan crept over to look in on Jer to see if he had run away yet, but much to his surprise, the boy was already sleeping soundly. “Ya bless you son.” he said softly, then turned back to his room to find some rest as well.
The next day, Logan rose with the sun and crossed over to Jer’s room to wake him. To his surprise, the boy was already up and in the kitchen.
“Good morning to you Jer.”
Jer just waved back, not able to talk because his mouth was stuffed with bread.
Logan continued, “When you are finished with breakfast, it will be your duty to clean up in the kitchen. When that task is finished, meet me in the stable out back for your first lesson.”
“You got it mister.” Jer answered glibly, still chewing a large chunk of bread.
“You will address me as Sir Logan from now on please. It is out of respect for my rank, and I will in turn treat you with the respect you deserve.”
“Sorry sir Logan. I ain’t never had to talk with a knight before.”
“All is forgiven. I fully understand that you will need instruction. If you do your best to heed my words then things will go well with you. However, if you choose to rebel against my authority, you will soon find yourself in jail.”
“You can relax already Logan. I may not have good schoolin’, but I’m no dummy either.”
“Call me SIR Logan please,” the knight said with a stern expression. “I am glad to hear that you will be doing your best. Now finish up and get to your duties. I expect you to be out in the stable in short time for your first lesson.”
With that, the knight stepped out of the kitchen, leaving Jer to clean up the mess he had just made.
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