A Mentor's Struggle

Chapter 1

I stared over at the king of Sirona, a look of excitement on my face.

"Sir Benedict, join me!" He commanded.

I rushed to my King's side at a quickened pace. As his second command, I was often near him at every moment. Not only was I his second in command as a knight, but I was also the court physician. As a fourteen-year-old, I enjoyed my life as a squire and anticipated becoming a knight with each day. However, the number of children my age were quickly dying. 'The Plague', as we called it, often killed many of peers and children my age.

Most illnesses prevented most teenagers and adolescents to become adults. The former court physician was practically on his deathbed, dying of old age. The king at the time ordered him to take on an apprentice.

Luckily, he was smart enough to choose me. At the time I was furious I would spend all-day smelling herbs and being surrounded by people with deadly diseases. I didn't realize at the time how useful a profession it would be. Not only did the king allow me to continue my training as a knight during the day, but I had saved the lives of countless knights on hunting trips and journeys to other kingdoms.

Even in battle, I could defend myself and my patients if we were attacked. During the day, I trained as a knight and advised the king. During the night, I gathered herbs and delivered medicine concoctions to the sick in my kingdom.

Yes, I hardly slept, no I did not have free time. Granted, the satisfaction I gained from saving others was worth the little time I got to myself. Yes, I was thin from lack of time to eat, but the king always made time for me to eat at least a couple of times a day.

I was also muscular from my title as a knight. The king was only three years older than me, so we were rather close. We even grew up together as children. The king had only just received his title since his father died only a year ago.

He had night-black hair that shone in the moonlight and his brown eyes shone with compassion for the kingdom he helped his father build. He had a muscular frame, like me, but he had more time to eat than I so he was not as thin.

He was extremely tall, towering over most of his knights but never held that against them. He was a great king, and each of us would undoubtedly die for him.

I like to think we looked nothing alike. Whilst he had black hair, I had auburn hair that shone like fire in the sun, as my mother used to claim. I had blue eyes that sometimes appeared green in the sunlight.

I raced my horse beside the king's riding beside him.

"You called for me, my lord?"

"Ben, please. You're the only person who I'm convinced knows my name. When we were alone you don't have any need to call me by my title," he scolded.

I snickered at the nickname he had given me from age five. He claimed Benedict was too long and said that Ben was more fun.

"Of course, Lief. why did you call for me?" I questioned calling him by his name this time.

"There is a stag fifty yards ahead. Think you can hit it?"

"Is that a challenge, Lief?"

He lifted his eyebrows mischievously and handed me his crossbow. He leaned over to me and whispered in my ear quietly,
"Fifty gold coins if you make a clean hit."

I smirked and raised the crossbow, pointing it steadily at the oblivious quarry at the end of my cross bolt. I released the trigger and it pierced cleanly through the chest. I glanced over at King Lief and shot him an innocent smile, knowing I had just gained enough money to last me a year.

He sighed but I could tell he didn't regret the deal. He was happy to find an excuse to help me out. He already paid me for being the physician, but he argued it wasn't enough.

I raced my horse to collect the stag. I reached out to grab it's leg and flung it on the back of my horse. Lief smiled and rode beside me, eager to get a better look.

"That will be excellent for the feast tomorrow night!"

"There is a feast?" I asked, confused.

"Yes! You, of course, will be attending?"

"I'm unsure, Lief. I have a patient that needs a potion for her rash before dusk."

"Come on, Ben! I'm sure you could sneak out and give it to her during the dancing. We both know you have two left feet anyway!"

I laughed at his comment and pushed my horse harder, desperate to get home quickly.

"Are you busy tonight, Ben?"

"I suppose I can stay up a couple more hours to delay my herb gathering if you need me. What is it, Si- I mean, Lief?"

"I was hoping you could take a trip with me to the tavern, to celebrate your kill!"
"Who will be attending?"

"Just us! You've been quite busy this week I thought me and you could use a drink. Besides, I intended to go anyway and I can hardly go alone, can I?"

"No, of course not. But you know I don't drink. My occupation requires me to remain sober."

"Fine. you'll still come though, right!"

"I think not, sire. I must gather more wolfsbane tonight, while it's freshest."

Lief pouted at me and didn't speak further on the ride back to the castle. I smiled at the pout on his face knowing Lief was trying to make me feel bad for not going to the tavern, but he of all the people I knew understood I couldn't be guilt tricked or pressured into anything.

Finally, when we arrived at the castle from our hunting trip, Lief looked at me with a resigned expression and handed me a pouch that contained fifty golden coins. I smiled wearily and took the pouch from his hand and walked back to my chambers in the palace.

In my chambers, there was a ladder that leads up to a loft where I slept. Below, two cots lined the back wall for patients and the walls had shelves stacked neatly with herbs, all organized alphabetically.

Another wall was covered with cabinets containing empty bottles and leaves and flowers used for concoctions. Above the shelves were stacks of countless books containing every medical resolution to mythical creatures and types of poisons. I laid my sword on a table at the center of the room that I used for mixing and creating solutions.

I begin to strip off my chainmail and put on my regular green tunic with deerskin breeches. A loose belt hung around my waist made of leather and I wrapped a cloak around my shoulders that was a dark shade of red, a gift from Lief. I collected a small dagger I had the royal blacksmith create for me especially and attached it to my belt.

Often, when I went to collect herbs, I had to cut the stems off certain sections on some plants. Not to mention would be alone in the woods at night and there was honestly no telling what I would run into. I quickly left the chamber at nightfall, in a rush to get the herbs quickly so I could get some sleep.