3 Another Morning

"HA!... HA!... HA!..."

Early morning, but in this world is wrong if address this time as early morning because the sun already raises. if there a clock, it'll show us that the time is 06:00 am. but people on this world will waking up before the sun raises and starting their duty. mothers and their daughter already wake up and prepare food for their breakfast, some male that doing night watch will get home and got their rest.

A beam of light can be seen from the window slits. glasses widow is uncommon in remote area like a village, so their window just made from wood. at winter cold wind will slipped into house through window and door slits. so people will nailing another wood board into window that'll blocking freezing wind. but today was early summer that why owner of this house left the window like that.

Inside the room you can see a bed that was made from wood and straw. straw was covered by wool, so it'll make you comfortable when you sleep on it. on the bed we can see small body sleeping there. of course it was small child, from it body size the child just 4 or 5 year old. if we meet him, our eyes will get focus on the child hair. because the child has unusual shoulder length silky silver hair, it really match with beautiful feature of child face. the combination make all men with same age nervous around him, make all girl with same age jealous to him, and make all pedophile will crazy about him.

Yeah it is a him. the child was male, even if his face was so beautiful, his body look like a female child, and with combination of shoulder length silky silver hair, he is still a boy. at first met, every people always thinking that he is a girl. even some adult still treat him like a girl, sometimes that make him angry to them. and his name was Amber.

he got that name because when he was born. his parents see red bright eyes that look like eternal fire. then they decided to name him Amber.

Amber body was moving in the bed, look like the noise around him make him awake. he can hear some noise from dinning room, look like his mother finishing their breakfast for today. usually he already wake up before sun goes up, but last night he was sleep so late. that's why he wake little late today. the noise that make him awake was unusual voice and sound. the voice look like someone repeating shouting and the sound look like someone swinging something. but with that voice his body jolt out and wake his body excitingly. because he know whose voice was that.

"Uncle Bruno!"

a boy with a bright red eyes and silver hair excitingly greeting middle age man with sturdy body that was swinging a great sword in the courtyard. the middle age man didn't look like very sturdy when we see him , because his right leg was a wooden leg that look like pirate wooden leg in the movie.

Amber was so excited looking at his uncle, he was sleep late because he waiting for his uncle to come. but he still falling a sleep before his uncle arrived.

"Uncle! teach me swordsmanship again!"

Smack!"Ouch!"

a smack was coming into his head from behind, Amber was suprised and looking at the source of smacking. but before Amber can say anything a soft voice can be heard scolding him.

"Amber! like i said before, greet your uncle properly! your uncle is noble now!"

"yes mom. welcome lord uncle. can you teach me some of your swordsmanship?"

The woman who smacking and scolding Amber is his mom. she is young mother in her 20. a young mother is not uncommon in this world, because some people already married on their 15 year. and Amber mother was one of them.

"just let him, Martha. he just a little boy, and he is my cute nephew. so i will not let him treat me like a stranger."

looking at mother and son pair, Bruno can't help but smiled.

"Amber you don't need to be polite to me, ok?"

"Really? yay!"

"Mou. Lord brother, please don't spoil Amber like that! he couldn't conduct himself, if someday he really meet another nobles!"

Bruno only smiled with the remark of his little sister. It's true that commoners must behave them self in front of nobles. because in this country noblesse was special existence. not only they are ruling over commoners, in this kingdom noble has responsibility their subject live and prosperity. Corrupt nobles not only their status got ripped if they'll guilty in some extent they'll got executed by king or by higher nobles that had responsibility on them. but some consequences and responsibility always come with some power. that's why commoners can't do what they want at will on the front of nobles. commoners can be executed if they insulting or humiliating nobles. that's why Martha was so strict to Amber about nobles.

"now now dear sister. iam just nobles in name. i can't even do any administrative job, the true nobles is my wife. and she did everything that i must do as a lord of town. you know that already, aren't you?"

"huh? you still leave everything to lord sister, i thought you came here to doing her administration job? isn't she still pregnant? i can't believe you leave her alone and come here! first you make me surprised when you marrying girl younger than me! and now not only you left all your responsibility to her but you leave her when she is pregnant! this stupid big brother!"

Hearing a word from her useless big brother, Martha became so angry. She has never thought that his stupid big brother will left his wife alone when she is pregnant.

Bruno is knight type in 8th century of earth. He can read and write, but he don't understand how to manage territory or administrative it. when Marquis Carmen appointing him as Lord of Wales town, he didn't know what he must do. at first he tried to refused it and say to marquis that another people was better than him. but marquis insist him and make him hopeless.

Marquis Carmen is a wise man, he is an old fox in the nobles world. he already foreseen that Bruno can't manage a territory. so he has secret weapon and it was Rosa Heimnar, third daughter of Baron the lord of Heimnar town from same faction of Marquis Carmen. She is talented young woman, but unfortunately she is just third daughter of baron. so she won't get any good position if she didn't get married with another nobles. Baron Heimnar has plan to marry off his daughter became third wife of some viscount from same faction to get more support in the faction. but marquis think that'll wasted her talent, so he matching her with Bruno. who knows that Rosa is fan of Bruno, when Bruno still serving marquis as his guard, that make marquis plan goes smoothly.

"oh, young miss finally awake huh?"

"report ex-captain we done our morning exercising"

"stop calling that Max! my lord! our morning exercising are done, and i finish make report about village situation. but i know you won't read it because you want to hear it yourself from Ricky, isn't it?"

Three knight was walking over Martha house and greeting them. they are Ricky, Max and Ray. loyal subordinate of Bruno.

"i am not 'young miss'! i am a man! i'll learn swordsmanship and became strongest knight someday!"

"Ray, still strict like always huh? so Ricky, how the situation these day?"

ignoring Amber angry word because of Ricky comment. Bruno asking Ricky situation about forest near Osina village. If you looking at this bunch of knight, they are missing two people. Bruno has set two other his loyal subordinate as his wife assistant and guard. after two year Bruno subordinate has grown strong, they already strong enough to became captain of knight team under Bruno lordship. even if all of them already a captain the other two subordinate still working like assistant and guard of his wife. same think happen to Max and Ray, even they already had their own team. they are still acting like Bruno guard.

Except Ricky, after accident of 'Savage Boar' two year ago. Ricky felt so guilty about his carelessness. when marquis heard that Bruno was got hurt two year ago, he was so panic and sent best priest to healing Bruno. but Bruno already lost his feet. after the beast was attacking village again. but they succeed to repel him with group of knight. but they failed to capture the beast when they tried to enter the forest. after some little skirmish with the beast, marquis tell Bruno to make observer guard in this village. Bruno agree with it, and Ricky was assign himself to be captain of this village guard. Ricky knew that Bruno doesn't blame him about the accident two year ago, but he must pay his carelessness. so Ricky devote himself to killing the beast.

"ah before you guys start talking, come in the breakfast is ready! you three come join us to breakfast."

before Ricky can start his report, Martha stopping him and ask all of them to get their breakfast.

"we'll pass ma'am. we already got breakfast, some roast barb that Ricky caught last night."

"i think i'll pass either. i already got my breakfast on sentry post."

"we will just wait here and waiting for our Lord finishing his breakfast."

"okey then, i'll make some tea for you guys. and Amber don't forget to wash your hand first before eat."

"yes mom."

three of them declined properly to Martha, then Bruno and Amber got into the house to get their brakfast.

.

.

.

.

after breakfast Bruno get out again, he saw three subordinate waiting for him in the terrace. but before he can said anything a small voice can be heard behind him.

"Uncle! come on, teach me some sword technique!"

"Hey, hey lad. let Ricky do his report first. i'll teach you some of sword skill"

"Don't wanna! i want to learn sword skill from my uncle! 'Great Sword' of the west!"

it was Amber, who was stopping Bruno before he can say something. usually Amber is smart child that can understand the situation, but now he was so happy when his uncle is a great man, every child in this Maquisdom know who is 'Great Sword of the west'. it was Bruno tittle, he don't when he got that tittle. but he knew one think about that tittle, because he usually using great sword, and area his serve is Marquis Carmen dominion that located on the west of kingdom territory, people start to call him with great sword of the west. that's why Amber act like an fans that meet their idol, he can't control his boiling spirit and emotion anymore.

"AMBER! GOES TO ANYWHERE ELSE! DON'T DISTURB YOUR UNCLE WORKS!"

"now, now Amber. don't be like that. uncle has something important. please play over there with max, i'll see your progress letter. so wait patiently ok?"

"really!? yay!"

Looking at his sister rage, Bruno patting Amber head. he promise to Amber that he'll teach the little nephew letter.

"So Ricky, i'll ask you again. how the situation of forest these day?"

"report my lord! this month is safe, there is no sight of the beast. we just got some normal barb two day ago that eating villager farm. and this morning was so calm either. we got some barb last night that got grilled by Max and Ray this morning."

"good work. please don't push yourself too far."

"of course! i'll do everything what i can."

every time looking at Ricky, Bruno can't help smiled bitterly. He don't want Ricky to blame himself for what happen to him. but he can't stop Ricky that devote himself for sake of him. Bruno just arrived here last night with Max and Ray. After raid of savage barb that was called 'Forest Nightmare' he came here every month to checking safety of the village. sometimes he'll come in rush with horse when he heard there was emergency call from the village.

Bruno leave at noon from Wales town yesterday. although using a carriage, he still arrived at night. these day forest nightmare rarely appear, so they are more relax. but they can't let their guard down, because everytimes they try to catch it or killing it, forest nightmare always got away. it's feel like forest nightmare can learn from his own mistake, and learning habit of human. but if he thinking like that, it'll make situation worse for the people that live in this village.

"it's already eight month since it in sight! is it dead with fight of another beast?"

"we can't assump it like that captain. if he fought with another beast inside the forest, some animal will make racket and escape from forest. but past eight month everything was so calm."

saying it calm are not right either, because some animal still entering the farm and stealing some food. but Ricky who live here since two year ago think that situation is normal and calm rather than fought forest nightmare.

"but after exercising this morning, some of my man claim he saw strange movement in the forest."

"oh that's new, did it finally make some movement?"

"we don't know, usually when forest nightmare want to make havoc here some animal will evade this location. but now we can see some animal that usually in the deeper of forest like world and tiger moving away. it's look like they afraid of something and evading something that appear in the woods."

even if they don't know habit of forest nightmare, they know habit of animal that usually came to farm of village. so Bruno was trust his subordinate judgement.

"then i'll trust you judgment. keep observing the forest. and prepare horse for emergency call to Wales when something bad happened."

"Yes my lord!"

after Ricky left them, Bruno look his back with teary eyes. and then he closed his eyes steeling his heart and looking at another direction.

"what's wrong my lord?"

"no, looking at Ricky right now.. make me little lonely. usually he'll crack a stupid joke like Max. but now he became serious man."

"yeah, i feel that too"

"oh surprising word came from you Ray. isn't your job became easier when stupid guy decrease?"

"please don't tease me, my lord. even if Ricky is stupid and careless sometimes, he still man that hold his responsibility. that why he blaming himself when he knew you lost your leg."

"that's true."

Bruno eyes that was still looking at courtyard frowned. looking at his lord was frowned, Ray look away where to Bruno was looking. He don't know since when people was gathered there. but he knew the reason, it was his lord. not just his lord, they are became special existence to this village. everytime they came to this village, youngster and children always swarm them like a bee swarming into their nest. they are like a hero, the figure that everyone want to became.

"what are you doing Amber? be careful of incoming attack."

"Ugh~"

Amber got pushed back after receiving Max attack with his wooden sword. both of them was sparing using wooden sword in the courtyard. they don't know why suddenly the place was so packed.

"Kyaa.. sir Max~"

"sir Max please look at this way~"

"sir max i am ready to bear your child~ will you came to my house?"

clamorous sound of young woman and village girl were heard when Max starting to make a move. there were carnivorous mixed in that saying weird things.

"what is it little lad? that's all what you got? and you want to learn something from ex-captain with puny strength like that?"

"don't underestimate me!"

angry with Max provocation, Amber running with all his strength and hold his sword high. the wooden sword was come to slashing Max, but he just evade it easily to left side. Amber who lost sight of his target opened his eyes wide, his body lost a balance and momentum because he just swinging his sword all his might without thinking.

"crap!"

"too bad~"

Amber want to move aside and take some distance from Max. but his bold movement already anticipated by Max. before Amber can do anything a wooden sword hacking into his wrist.

"ouch!"

and then the sword move was so fast it was move in front of his face when he tried to looking at Max.

"where your head lad~ what are you an angry bull?"

"shut up!"

"kya~" "sir max so cool~"

Amber was so frustated because he was lost. he knew he can't win against Max the loyal surbodinate of his uncle. but he never thought that he'll lost so easily.

"splendid at always Max. and amber did you learn something from Max?"

"but that provocation isn't necessary, Max you must explain to our lord nephew properly!"

"look it chevalier Wales and Sir Ray!" "ah true~"

"They are so handsome" "is lord chevalier looking for second wife?"

Bruno and Ray that watching the match from side was start to tell their opinion. Bruno knew that Max is great knight, but he is bad at teaching another and always come with provocation word. so he can't helped but smiled when he saw his nephew was so frustrated.

"yes uncle! i need to get stronger!"

Bruno shake his head, of course Amber doesn't undestand what Max intend to say. before he can explain it, Ray was saying something to amber.

"no Amber, what your lord uncle mean is you need to calm yourself first when you facing this idiot. don't stand provocation of your enemy. even if you are angry, your mind must be calm so you can take right decision and didn't make mistake."

Amber was dumbfounded when he heard explanation from Ray, then he looking at his uncle who only give him a nod. He look like someone who just realized something. then he walking to Max with guilt on his face.

"i am sorry sir Max. i didn't realized that you were teach me something."

"don't mind it lad~ it's good that you learn something. here your sword~ wanna try again?"

"Yes! please!"

Amber is smart kid, he quickly apologize after aware his mistake. he is smarter than any kid on his age, but regrettably he don't know that he didn't have talent in swordsmanship. His body is smaller than any boy in his age, his arm and leg is look so frail like a little girl, but he has unyielding spirit. after coming here every month Bruno, Ray and Max was aware of this, especially Ricky. Ricky who live here sometimes will teaching village boy swordsmanship, he'll recommended them when he found talented boy. but amber, even after training every day, his progress was slower than any other kids.

Amber is like normal boy in this village, they are inspired by story of 'Great Sword of the west' Bruno. Bruno who was a commoners seeking his way out of village, by some chance he save young Marquis Carmen live without knowing his identity. young marquis and young Bruno soon became a friend. after that his tale was started until he became best knight in marquisdom. and finally his heroic tale facing Forest Nightmare make marquis appoint him as lord of wales. he was first commoners that became nobles in these territory.

after watching Amber training, the suns start to raise high. Amber was out of breath, he can't even land a single hit on Max. Some kid who got agitated after looking at Amber match start to ask for guidance. so Max and Ray alternately facing them one by one. until someone coming over in rush.

"move away! move away!"

"what wrong?"

Bruno who heard someone in panic start to asking question to his subordinate.

"i'll ask"

"move away! move away! i need to tell something important to lord Bruno! this is emergency!"

a man with leather armor finally got his way after he was shouting to that there some emergency situation.

"what wrong? you are Ricky man, aren't you?"

"YES! i am captain Ricky subordinate! Salute to Sir Ray!"

a man that was panic before, start doing knight salute when he saw who was asking to him. he can't forget Ricky strict teaching, don't respect to someone who got higher rank than you.

"left the formality. just said it, what wrong? why are you so panic?"

"Yes Sir! captain order me to report the situation to Lord Bruno, but.."

the man was looking around after saying that. Ray who understand the situation, clapping his hand.

"attention everyone! please return to your home. look like we got situation in the forest. don't panic and don't need to rush."

everyone who curious about what happened look little disappointed, but they knew they can't refuse knight order, particularly a Captain that got "Sir" tittle. they knew that what the knight doing was for their safety. slowly the crowth was leaving the area.

"Amber, get into the house and tell your mother to close the door and window"

"Ah, yes uncle"

Amber who tried to stay and eavesdropping, got spotted by his uncle. get into the house with disappointed face.

"so then, tell us what going on over there?"

"yes sir! the situation got worse in forest border. many wild animal got out into forest and wreaking havoc into the farm. Captain evacuate some farming and tell them to got home. at start we can handle the situation, but the animal the got out from forest was increase at rapid pace. Captain ordering me to report last situation to three of you, and then he tell me to get a horse and goes to wales town to prepare worse situation."

Three of them nod with the report. they understand why Ricky was choosing his man. not only he make report splendidly, he was aware if he just report something like that when there are many people here, it'll start a massive panic of villager.

"Great! what your name?"

"Niko my lord!"

"Niko, take this badge and bring this to Wales. report what you got to my wife. if the guard prevent you to meet my wife, show my badge and look for Krum or Melky. they are same rank as your captain."

"Yes my lord!"

Niko hurrying his leg into stable horse when he got the order. looking at Niko back, Bruno change his look into two subordinate.

"I knew you won't listen to us, even if we drag your leg. so i'll following you."

"this time i agree with Max, but i suggest you are stay in safe place my lord!"

both of them knew well the character of their lord, so they just give their best opinion after looking at their lord eyes.

"No, i'll come with both of you to help Ricky."

""as you command!""

and three of them will be surprised, when they arrived to where are Ricky at.