When Pacts Fail

Prologue

The sound of clattering armor and chainmail echoed through the valley of the rural village like the church bells signaling the death of a hanged man. The once lively village was dead silent and the residents were hiding away in their homes, peeking out windows to see if the raggedy group of knights passed their home.

A boy with obsidian hair peaked through the broken window of their cabin to see the knights pass through town. He looked down at his grimy rags, then back to the dull armor of the lead knight parading with the Kingdom's flag and missing an eye.

"Damien, get out of that window!" a harsh whisper cut through the silence in the home. The little boy's mother was hiding behind the curtain of the window. She grasped his arm and yanked him down from the window frame. She pushed him to the other curtain hanging on the opposite side of the windowsill and gave him a stern look. The clattering stopped and a loud knock pulsed through their bodies.

"Open up!! This home is in ownership of a young man. The King requests his presence to fill the knight's order!" His voice seemed to match the leader of the group of knights.

His mother took a deep breath and took slow steps to the door, signaling for Damien to continue hiding. Her face was cold, but Damien could see a hint of concern. Perhaps she was afraid of losing the only help she had around the house so she could laze about. Her knuckles turned snow white as she pulled the door open and met the eye of the large leader of the group.

"Kindly ask his majesty to leave my boy here. My husband is gone and he is my only helping hand around the home." She pleaded and fell to her knees.

"The boy has been requested. This manner is not up for debate or discussion. You will be compensated for the loss of service." He grumbled, "Along with a portion of his pay to continue your services to the kingdom."

The boy's mother bounced up and shook the man's hand. She grinned from ear to ear.

"Thank you, kind sir. It is an honor for my son to serve the king. Damien, come out now" she called, "You are going with this man to serve the king!"

Damien pushed the curtain open sheepishly, feeling under dressed in his rags compared to the armor the knights wore. The leader of the bunch grabbed and squeezed his wrist. He nodded towards his mother and pulled the boy from his home. She waved with a tear in her eye towards Damien until she assumed she was out of his sight, but he could still see her as she grinned turning back into the home. Most likely, counting the new earnings she was about to make by willingly letting the King take her boy into servitude. The lead knight helped the boy into the back of a cart, already loaded with other young men of various ages and emotional standings with the news they had just received.

Some were beaming, some inconsolable, but Damien just felt numb. Just another new home, but at least this time, maybe he could make something of it. If he became a knight, maybe someone would finally see him for what he really was, a young man longing for a purpose of his own choosing. If he got high enough in the ranks of knights, maybe he could live comfortably away from everyone. He was tired of being betrayed and belittled.

"That's all, Sir!" a small framed knight yelled, "Let's get a move on!"

The cart lurched forward as the horses began to move with the crack of a whip. As the cart traveled out of town, he could hear the bells of the church ringing. He wondered if they were in celebration or mourning, but only time would tell.