14 Knight Errants

He mentally ordered the Golem to go get chains in the Manor to tie up this large beast. He knew it was still alive but just terribly weak, so he sat nearby on a boulder in the hill watching the rest of the peasants clean up the struggling enemy. He could see some of the captured innocents free themselves as they freed others. As they passed by him they bowed and thanked him profusely. Mark waved his hand in dismissal as he rested there but he called over for some peasants.

"What do you ask of me milord?" the peasant woman said.

"Tell the others if they could capture the enemy they shall, I have uses for them. Anyone who could bring me one will be given a gold coin." Mark said as he found an opportunity to gain slaves. He knew how cowardly these Ungors are and can be used as extra man power in his Island. Also the Minotaur could be used as an extra muscle.

Mark sat there for half an hour until the golem arrived with a large bundle of Chains, no wonder they took long as the Golem chose the large heavy duty chain he made with alloyed steel. Mark was about to tie the minotaur up but a sound caught his attention as a thundering rumble was felt by the ground. He looked at the horizon and saw a large smoke of dust being made by a group of horse riders.

Mark frowned at the sight of probably a group of Knight Errants following behind what he could deduce to be a Paladin. If he was not here the Beastmen would have already ravage the village and left before this group of knights arrive. He also saw another group with them which only numbered over a dozen, he was not sure who they were but he heard the sound of annoyance from the one handed old man who came near him.

"It's that bastard of a town lord. How great is his timing, it was just a twenty minute ride here towards Castle Rachard. They could have arrived much earlier but it seems he didn't care if we all die as long as he has a town to own." The Old man said to inform Mark who the Fat dude besides the Paladin was. Soon they arrived in front of the town looking surprised that the battle was already done but it was not the beastmen lurking but the peasants cleaning up.

"You said there were hundreds of beastmen, how come they are all dead in peasant hands?" The Paladin who looked like a middle aged man with a well-trimmed beard asked the fat ball of grease besides him in disgust.

"I-it was hundreds lord Paladin! I-I…" The fat Town lord was stuttering as he never thought he would meet a platoon of Knights Errant on their way to Castle Rachard. He was so unlucky as he just wanted to leave the peasant to die and act like he lost a lot so the Castle Lord would give him lots of money to rebuild. But he met this Paladin along with the fifty Knight Errants and was asked why he was with his personal guards.

Afraid of lying and tricking the Paladin, the town lord spoke of what happened in his town which made the Paladin ride here but he never thought that the hundreds of Beastmen were already gone and replaced by this scene in front of him.

"You there peasant! What has happened here? Speak!" A impatient Knight Errant rode forth and addressed Mark as such as he looked like a peasant with his tattered clothing and mud covered appearance. The one handed Old man looked furious and the peasants suddenly stopped working and looked towards Mark. The Paladin noticed this but the town lord did not as he thought his towns men were humiliating him for not answering.

"You useless peasant! Others work while you just sit there and do nothing! Maybe that's what you did when the beastmen attacked did you! Twenty lashes shall be your punishment!!" The fat of the town lord jiggled as he tried to gain trust from the paladin by acting like a responsible leader but the heavy atmosphere changed after he finished his sentence.

The knights were stunned at the actions of the peasants who suddenly picked up spears and stout shield as they dropped what they were doing. They started to gather as their eyes finally realized that the town lord who abandoned them has comeback. And he even threaten their savior, even the town guards who were left behind looked unkindly towards their town lord.

The Paladin noticed this but as he was about to stop anything from escalating his Knight Errants reacted first. He had realized that the man sitting on the boulder was not simple and his mud covered visage was quite different as it looked like it was mixed with blood.

"You all dare raise weapons against his lord the Paladin?! Rebels the lot of you!" The impatient Knight was the one to say the words as he drew his sword ready to attack. They all stopped when the man sitting in the boulder speak in a very cold tone.

"My Ancestors didn't ride with Landuin just so you could call me peasant boy. So before your stupid head gets lopped off your neck you better think carefully before going to conclusions." Mark's hand was already in his sword handle as he was ready to fight. He was already pissed off and cranky of how his day was chaotic on his supposed to be vacation.

"You how dare you speak back! Men hold his hands so he could receive the lashing!!" The town lord was still oblivious of the atmosphere and thought the peasants would not fight back as he had ruled over them for a decade. His men also went forwards not realizing the situation and rode towards Mark.

"Try it and let's see what will happen." Mark was pissed off at the arrogant attitudes these people were showing when they didn't even help a bit in the battle and only arrive very late. The even dared look down on him, he was then reminded of the stares of the Elders in his past family. Thus he was pissed off more and drew his sword ready for a fight.

"EVERYBODY STOP!!!" The Paladin had enough as he saw the situation was not what it seems to be and he heard the man in front say his ancestors were knight that rode with Landuin. This meant the man was no commoner and was a noble of birth.

"B-but sir they were raising their swo…" The young knight was about to speak further but the glare of the Paladin made him quiet. The town lord also picked up on the situation so he too signaled for his men to stop. He also looked carefully at Mark who stood there like a pine oak undeterred by the winds.

"I will have my talk with you later." The Paladin said to the impetuous Knight, he then turned his attention towards the man covered with red mud. He can see from the stance that the man was no push-over, this meant he was trained formally by a great teacher. He glanced subtly at the town lord and only saw incompetence which he thought was given since this was inside the Accursed land.

"Please forgive me for my rash subordinates, how may I address you sir?" The Paladin got down on his horse which was followed by the rest of the Knights. The Town Lord also got down as he felt uncomfortable being ignored by Mark, he thought that even if you are a noble you should still pay respect to the town lord. But an idea suddenly struck his mind as he looked over the battlefield.

"Mark, just call me that. But I am no sir for I have not been knighted yet." Mark said as he really didn't want to become a knight of Bretonnia even if it sounded cool. These people care for Honor so much that they disdain using long ranged weapons and prefer go melee against their foes. Stupid pride is what that is in Mark's mind.

He could also see the disdain the young knights have in their eyes when they heard he was still not knight. He scoffed at their reaction deep inside as he knew they would die if they face the Minotaur alone. They would like even piss themselves if they face the hulking mass of muscle.

"I see, Lord Mark. It has come to my attention that the town lord said there were hundreds of Beastmen attacking the small town? Are these words true Lord Mark?" The Paladin looked at the battle field and could see the marks of hooves on the ground. He could already tell there were hundreds but what he wanted to know was how could the small town survive even if they have this skilled man with him.

Mark also noticed his intentions so he said " There was indeed hundreds, but they routed because I killed their leader."

"Leader?" The Paladin looked at the Town lord curious as he never spoke about the beastmen being led by something.

"I have no clue Lord Paladin, I went to ask for help immediately when I saw the numbers of the enemy." The Town Lord lied as he never cared for the people here at all but he wouldn't say that. Instead he wanted to put himself in a good light in front of the Paladin.