The man under the mask

It’s been hours since the showdown on the plains, the moon has risen and the tension in the air has silenced. The knights decided to make camp after the long battle, this also gave them time to check their equipment and take note of the men who perished in battle. The number of men lost was ten, and although the casualties are small it still left damage on morale. Their enemy was a group of bandits, just low-level criminals and yet ten of their brothers died. The knights couldn’t hide their frustrations, and could only curse the men that took their friends from them. While all this is happening, a certain someone has decided to have some time alone.

****

Standing on a hill overlooking the plains is the nameless knight, the one who tried to talk to Thief. Needless to say, Thief’s words still echo in his head.

“We true low-lives don’t steal because we have nothing and feel sorry for ourselves.”

“We’re scum of the earth that kill, pillage, and steal because we want to!”

“Because a real thief is in it for the love of the game!”

The poor soldier could only stand in silence, still not able to process the words he clearly heard. Then there was the aftermath, and the verbal lashing he received.

“You think I didn’t see your battle or your conduct today. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING! Your comrades were fighting out there and you couldn’t even kill a single enemy! You could’ve killed that guy, and yet you took mercy on him! Not to mention, you brought my name into it! I wouldn’t have allowed them to live, boy, we are proud knights of the Kingdom of Soleil! What does it say to our enemies if we gave a chance to murderers and criminals! Your father was right to send you here, you pledge! If you don’t learn how to man up the kingdom's future be damned!”

The nameless knight didn’t regret his decisions, that was until he heard Captain Goltas’ reprimands and saw his comrades dead. The captain didn’t forget that fact, and made sure the young soldier heard him.

“Another thing, Marco died because of you! Your vassal had to run off to save you, and because of that Marco had to die! Next time you want to take pity on these bastards, remember these ten faces!”

Goltas’ words haunted the lad, was it really all his fault? Could he have saved them if he chose violence instead of peace? The nameless knight sighed and craved the cool night breeze. He took his helmet off, revealing the face of a young man. His hair was a dark blond hue and his eyes were a beautiful sky blue. The young man stood there and gazed at the stars, and then he inhaled hard only to exhale stall air.

“Why am I even here?”

The young man questioned his place with his comrades, but much more than that was his questioning of his resolve. However, before he could continue his self-loathing, he hears a voice from behind him.

“Prince, are you alright?”

The young man is Prince Aeos, the current third prince of the Kingdom of Soleil. He turns to his vassal and friend, hoping she could alleviate his stress.

“Raine…”

There stands Aeos’ truest comrade, Raine, who ran to his side when his life was almost taken.

“My lord, what ails you?”

“Oh Raine I-Raine, what happened to your face?”

Raine covered her left cheek with her hand, only for Aeos to walk over and remove her hand. On her face was a slight bruise, the mark was shaped like a hand.

“Raine, don’t tell me…”

“You know how the captain is when bandits are involved.”

Aeos could only look down, Raine was scolded harshly for abandoning Marco to his death. In other words, she was hit because of him. Especially since Goltas couldn’t lay hands on the prince, she had to suffer for his failings.

“Oh Raine, I’m so sorry.”

“My lord…”

Raine’s face had a pained expression, and it wasn’t the fleeting pain of her bruise. It was because her cherished prince looked like he was about to cry. In response to that, she grabbed his hand and held it to her face.

“Raine?”

“It’s okay my lord, your kind hand is what heals me. If being struck leads to the calm embrace of this hand, then let my face be beaten black. As long as my lord is there to calm my wounds, I’ll bear anything.”

The words that came out of Raine’s mouth, were they ones of love or loyalty? It didn’t matter to Aeos who began to weep quietly.

****

After treating her bruise, Aeos and Raine began to watch the stars together. It was then that Aeos opened up to his one true friend.

“I was a fool, Raine.”

“My lord?”

“I was raised by my father to always be empathetic towards others, to always see their perspective before passing judgement. However, maybe I’ve been too greedy. Afterall, while I try to grant everyone peace, those who are undeserving slip through.”

He remembered Thief’s words again, and how they shook the core of his being. He then remembered weeks earlier and how this all started.

****

“Is this really necessary father, they just wanted food!”

There was an incident in the lower quarter, a baker was stabbed by a street urchin. After murdering the innocent baker, the urchin stole bread from his shop and ran. The urchin was found at his hut the next day, using the stolen bread to feed his family. Hearing his son’s words, the Wise King Isaac, stopped reviewing the report he was reading and began to look at him.

“Tell me son, where is this coming from?”

“Pardon?”

“Why should the thief’s actions be acquitted?”

“...!”

Aeos looked shocked for a moment, he thought persuading his father would be easy. On the contrary, instead his father questions why he should halt the execution of the street urchin.

“Father, the man had three children and a wife who was pregnant with another. He just wanted to feed his family, what was he supposed to-”

“What was he supposed to do? Simple, he was supposed to clean up his act and get a job. Tell me son, what smart man doesn’t clean up their act when they have kids to leave an example for. I’ll tell you one thing, with the death of this man the number will get one step closer to zero.”

“But Father!”

“Tell me son, you say we should pity this man because he was caring for his family, however what about the baker’s family. What about his eldest son in medical school, his youngest son that wanted to be a baker just like him, or his daughter that loved him very much? What about the love of his life, who is now a widow? You say pity the urchin because he has a family, well the baker did too and now he’s gone. Do you want to deprive them of their justice?”

“What?”

“I’m happy you took my lesson about empathy to heart, son, however it seems I failed to teach you its weakness. Well let me tell you this son, there are times when you mustn’t let empathy cloud your judgement. When you make decisions for the sake of the people, you must act in a way that supports them. Tell me, what happens if the thief walks free?”

“Well, he’d go back to his family. Right?”

“Correct, then his children will know it’s okay to steal, the people who saw what he did will follow his example, the businesses in the area won’t feel protected, and the children will start thinking some sins are permissible. This execution isn’t simply killing a criminal, it's a lesson Aeos. Stealing is wrong and murder is punishable by death, I bet the kids will stop taking wallets now.”

“Father…”

“It appears you need further education, very well. Son, how is your knight training?”

“Under my alias, I’ve worked my way up to pledge father and Raine is a squire!”

“Perfect, train your mind and body. When Goltas returns you and Raine will join his expedition, it’s about time you learn that everyone makes a choice”.

After that time moved fast, Aeos trained his sword everyday but his swings weren’t as strong as usual. He worried about what his father had in store for him, he wanted to know what his father wanted to teach him. Eventually, Goltas returned and the two joined his platoon’s expedition. After watching Goltas and his most trusted men enter a cave of cultist, and come out with some kind of bandaged object, the group camped out and discussed one last job before their return to the capital.

“Alright men, we have one more task before returning to the kingdom. We’re heading into the territory of Lenore Hills, and eliminating the bandits there. If things go according to plan, we may be able to reclaim the abandoned military fort, Fort Lenora. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, we can’t let it slip!”

“YOU HEAR THAT FELLAS, WE GOT OURSELVES A BANDIT HUNT!!!!!!!”

Several of the knights began to hollar, but Aeos sat still thinking of the words he just heard.

“...a bandit hunt?”

****

We return to present day, Raine looking over to Aeos who’s doubting himself.

“When I saw the preparations for today’s ambush, I thought it was too much. I thought that they were just bandits, why go out of your way to throw on a disguise. Then I saw them threaten you and Goltas, and I realized how serious this all was. Before they knew you were a knight, the things they said to you were-Oh dear god!”

“My lord, please calm down.”

“However, despite seeing this I still wanted to give those monsters the benefit of the doubt. Then the battle began and I couldn’t move, at first I just sat still because I was terrified. Then one of our comrades fell, and then another. I never saw someone die before, I was terrified, I thought these bandits were humans too! How could they kill their others so easily, but the same could be said about us for killing their friends. Then it happened, you were about to get shot. My cowardice put you in danger, and I confronted the man that almost hurt you.”

Aeos finally reached the point of no return, he began to talk about the man who made him question everything.

“He was so odd, he missed all his attacks at first. It was like he wanted me to dodge, then I thought maybe he didn’t want to fight. I thought we could resolve things by talking, that maybe all this blood was unnecessary...But I was wrong.”

“Lord Aeos, are you alright?”

“Raine, do you know what he said to me?”

“...”

“*Sniff* He said...He said that bandits are in it for the love of the game. They hurt people because they want to, not because they have no choice.”

“....!”

“That man, no, that thief was clearly playing me the whole time. One moment I had the upper hand, and the next my sword was gone and I was about to lose my neck. Raine, if you didn’t show up when you did. If you didn’t slice his wrist, the blood that sprayed would’ve been-”

“AEOS PLEASE!”

The Prince stopped speaking, because his friend was trembling. As if she was holding back her tears, Raine continued with a low tone.

“Your words, they illustrated a nightmare I never want to see. Please promise me I’ll never have to see that.”

“...Raine, forgive me. However the fact still remains, father was right I’ve been a fool.”

Right when it seemed like Raine was about to breakdown, Aeos beat her to the punch.

“You know what hurt me the most, Raine?”

“Aeos?”

“He mocked me Raine, he looked me in the eyes and told me that I’d probably loved to give him bread and a silver coin.”

“...!”

It was for a moment, but a scene flashed into Raine’s mind. It was of a little girl, in dirty clothes and bruised to the bone. She was beaten for taking old loaves of bread from the trash. As the girl sat there whimpering she heard a voice.

“Hey, don’t cry.”

When she looked up, a boy stood in front of her, he was so clean and beautiful. For a gutter rat like her, he was like an angel. The boy reached into his pocket and got something for her, it was a silver coin.

“I know you can have this, you see this man on the coin. He’s the kindest man in the whole world!”

That moment changed that girl's life forever, and needless to say, Raine kept that same silver coin to this day. She immediately knew why Aeos was hurt, the rogue’s words triggered him because it spat on the friendship he valued the most. Raine didn’t need to hear anything else, she walked over and held Aeos’ arm tightly. She comforted him, it was all she could do.

“Aeos, I am your sword and your shield. Please, don't ever feel as though you’ve gone astray or lose yourself to your doubts and weaknesses. Please for my sake, don’t let my sky be plagued with rain.”

Aeos stopped whimpering and listened to Raine’s words, that’s when he noticed something. The arm that Raine nestled against, was slowly becoming moist. He then noticed the whispered sound of sniffles, from his vassal that didn’t want him to know she was crying.

“Raine?”

“Yes my lord?”

“Please continue to hold me.”

“That goes without saying.”

“And Raine?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for being my friend.”

“...No Aeos, thank you for saving me.”

The two stood there staring at the stars, then after a short while began to head back to camp. Prince Aeos of course put his helmet back on and Raine was back to being calm and calculated. However, on the inside Raine was panicked because she realized how intimate she was with Aeos despite being his vassal. One could only wonder, will Prince Aeos ever notice the maiden in love right next to him?