The Reformation Wars: A Hero's Peace

Chapter 5

A quintet of candles cast an unsteady orange glow over the desk in Manfred's study that evening, upon which sprawled a dozen sheets of parchment and a leather-bound volume held shut with an elegant clasp of polished bronze. He let out a deep sigh as he glanced over the writing on the sheets, much of which had apparently been written in a hurried hand. The task at Manfred's fingertips had become obvious, though he harbored doubts he would be sufficient for it.

The materials before Manfred were all iterations of the knightly code of conduct written up by the late, great Sir Thomas Holt, who had preceded Manfred in leading the new order. A few of the sheets of parchment also contained amendments written up by Sir Holt's advisory council, attempting to improve a document written in haste.

Manfred rose and stepped a few paces over to a bookshelf built into the wall beside his desk. He reached for the third lowest shelf and found himself with a trio of additional sheets. These were further amendments added by Manfred and his advisory council upon the untimely transferal of leadership three years ago.

The number of additions, subtractions, and substitutions in the code hadn't ended yet, and Manfred had come to see that state of affairs as a problem. After all, the knightly code of conduct should ideally be easily memorizable, swiftly coming to mind during a crisis, yet full of insight and simple clarity. And to Sir Holt's credit, he had done his best to produce such a document. But the stresses of building a new knightly order while also gearing up for an inevitable war had understandably taken a toll and shifted his focus.

Manfred well understood it was his duty to start over—make the code more concise and comprehensive. At the same time, the spirit of Sir Holt's original document would remain, and his vision would be seen to completion.

He sat back down and picked up the largest sheet of parchment on his desk, thumb brushing over its tattered edge. Manfred pulled his back straight and read over the opening paragraph to Sir Thomas Holt's original knightly code.

"In the interest of true justice are these words penned, and for the purposes of moral clarity among Monterayne's knights, those men entrusted primarily with the upholding of said principles of virtue and equality. Away with subjective morality and arbitrary rulings based only on the urges of the heart rather than the moving of the Spirit. In recent years, it had been made abundantly clear that our knights have at times been the most unjust of all; cruel, corrupt, inept. But listed below will be a list of rightful principles, a code of knightly conduct all may refer to and maintain good standing, both in the sight of God and in that of his fellow man.

-Thomas Holt"

Manfred's head bobbed up and down, weighing the wisdom of Sir Holt's words, and his clear insight that had been ignored in the old order for so long. What if the High Council of the old knightly order had heeded Sir Holt's words from the beginning? How much injustice would have been shoved away before it could take hold? In fact...indeed, would Andre Feliz have ever strayed from the right path, had knightly authorities uncovered his father's corruption instead of young Manfred?

His eye dropped down to the first two principles Sir Holt listed in his original document, clearly not written in order of importance, but merely that in which Holt had thought of them.

"1. The striking down of one who has not the ability to defend himself, even if a vanquished foe, is morally reprehensible and is essentially no different from intentional murder. A true knight has no need to slay the defenseless.

2. Foundational to a knight's proper morality is the fact he wages war not only physical, and not even primarily so, but spiritual. A knight superior in morality yet weak of body is much more to be praised than a master swordsman who cares not for those he protects."