Chapter 2

"Are you not mad at me? You are a fool. Don't you also want to cut me down to pieces?”

“Angry: No, I'm disappointed because you gave me food and a place to sleep, but you left me with nothing but my tools, which I made sure to hide because they are my most valuable possessions.

"What do you conceal with iron tools? Why would you conceal tools but leave a valuable shield and sword for the taking?

When they got to the stables, Alex said, "You’re no fool, your mad in the head," "Say what you think," and "But I will live my life the way I feel is right." "They are of less worth to me, I only have them as a last resort for defense, and I will get them back, but I’ll do it honestly."

James began to scoop and scrape the muck from the stable floors after Alex instructed him to sit on a stool in the corner of the stable where he could keep an eye on him. Alex noted how poorly the horses were cared for in such filth, and the work was repugnant.

James observed Alex as he diligently scrubbed the filthy dirt and old hay from each stall and replaced it with fresh soil.Alex buried all of the filth from the stable, making them look clean and brand-new after long hours of work. Alex jolted James, who had fallen asleep, awake as the stable owner approached.

"I'd say you've earned ten coins off your debt, this is good work," "Ten!" James yelled, "This ought to pay off fifty!In that state, cleaning your disgusting stables took hours. "Ten will be fine," Alex said. "You fool!You've worked hard for five men, and he only pays you a pittance for it!

Hold your tongue thief, please! “Like you know anything about an honest day's work!?” shouted the man.

"You lazy swine, I know that even a servant would be paid twice as much as this man, and a servant wouldn't let his master's stable in such a shabby state in the first place!"

“James!” Alex scolded him, turning to the man and saying, "You will hold your tongue from insults, I have agreed to the amount, now to work off the eighty more."

"I plan to present my horses to the royal family for purchase, so they need to be groomed," "It will be done."James, come.

James followed, but he was enraged. Why would you concur?! You crazy fool, you know that your work was worth a quarter of my debt!

Alex merely grinned. Before going back to the stable, he went and got a bucket and a brush. He cleaned the dirt and grime from the thick coat of the first horse with the heavy metal brush. He continued to clean and shine each horse's coat as he groomed them. James tapped his foot impatiently while waiting for him to finish. The horses were elegant when the chore was finished, their coats shining in the setting sun.

James got up when the man came back. Another ten coins, these are good.

James made a loud grunt.

As Alex and James made their way toward the hotel, Alex said, "Till morning," adding, "Come back tomorrow and I'll have more work."Since the previous night, Alex had not eaten anything, which made his stomach rumble. James's followed suit. The innkeeper gave Alex a handshake upon entering. How did you make that roof completely waterproof? It has never looked better.

The keeper then looked at James and asked, "Isn't that the thief from earlier?" "I once learned from a man skilled in shipbuilding that if you flip a boat upside down it makes a great roof," he said. "I’ll remember that, help yourself to a room and a meal."

"He is; would it be okay for him to spend the night in my room? And eat with me?”

"Why would you believe a thief?"

“I would,” “You may do as you wish, but I’m holding you accountable if anything of mine goes missing in the night,” and “Agreed” are all responses. After that, a bartender brought him and James their food to a table.

Alex said politely, "Thank you miss," as James began to eat everything on his plate. With his mouth full of meat, he noticed Alex praying with his hands clasped and eyes shut. The idea made James look embarrassed as he looked around.

Alex began to consume the bread on his plate after he finished.Is that the reason why you do what you do?” With a full mouth, James inquired, "Because of some deity you've never seen? You will have a place in heaven for your deeds?

"Fair," "I won't, but I expect the same tolerance from you for my beliefs," "I'll have you speak with reverence when referring to the Almighty," and "Fine, fine, just don't expect me to bow my head to something I don't believe in" were some of the responses.

After eating together in silence, the couple went to bed. James fell asleep almost immediately after Alex gave him the bed and dropped to the floor on his quilts from exhaustion. James was lying in bed and looking up at the ceiling. He was enraged, but he had no idea why. He detested the horseman because he had abused Alex. He almost laughed at himself after that. When he stole his belongings, he had done the same thing. He picked up the bag and set it down by Alex's feet.

After that, he slipped out of the hotel and into the darkness by quietly opening the door. He started walking after giving the village's boundaries a glance. He slowed down with each step until he stopped, his heart heavy. He was about to do worse, but he resented the horse owner for being unfair. He planned to leave the man with an unpaid debt.

James bowed his head in shame as he looked down at the ground. He was overcome with guilt like he had never experienced it before. He couldn't even move because he had taken weapons, coins, gold, silver, and any other form of wealth throughout his life without giving it a second thought. His face was wet with tears, which fell to the dirt road.

He turned around and went in the direction of the blacksmith shop. He entered the locked shop by lifting the inner latch with his own dagger. As he went behind the counter and pulled out the sheath-shield with the sword inside, he could hear the smith snoring in an upper loft. He carried it on his back and returned to the hotel.

Alex expected James to have vanished when he awoke, but to his relief, the young man was still asleep in the bed. He then noticed that his shield was affixed to the door. By looking for his family's name engraved on the hilt, he verified that it was his own by getting up and inspecting it. It made him smile to know that the young man was attempting to compensate him for his wrongdoing. He left the inn and headed toward the blacksmith's shop after grabbing the shield.

As he held it up, Alex said, "I believe this was stolen from you last night," "Yes, it was, where did you find it?"

"My friend was attempting to return it to me in my room to pay back his debt for stealing it in the first place," "So it's yours?"

“I’ll talk to him about it,” “You’re an odd one, it’s a miracle how you’ve survived this long with your naivety,” “I know well the ways of the world and was not always as I am now, but I am happier for it,” “If you say so, have him return my money and the shield is yours,” Alex returned to the inn and woke James up.You're awake when the sun hasn't even reached the top of the mountains. "And both are hard workers for their livelihoods as we must be, now follow me to the river," "Why the river? Only bakers and smiths use the darkness of the morning. "Are we moving on?

James got out of bed and asked, "Ugh, where's the shield?" "No, I need to bathe and you could use a good wash yourself from what I smell," he replied.I gave it back to you," "Yes, and I gave it back to the smith," "What!?" You own it, so why did you return it?

“But... You... Ugh!” "He paid good money for it, it would be wrong to leave him empty-handed, "He let out a groan and stormed out of the hotel and down the street. As they entered the smith's shop, Alex smiled as he followed him. The coin bag was slammed against the counter by him.Here!” "Fifty-five coins for the shield-sheath!" he yelled.

After counting them out, the smith took the bag. He gave the weapons to them and gave a nod to the amount. I have paid you back my debt?”

"Yes, fully compensated with the satchel," "And the quilt?"

You are free to keep it; I can always make another. Come on, we still have some work to do.

James followed him back to the horse master's residence. The sleepy man responded when he knocked on the door. He was surprised to see Alex and James standing there while still dressed in his nightwear.

"What do you need right now?"

"I've arrived at work, sir; what should I do?"

"Yes, sir," I replied, "Go wash my clothes in the river, just don't disturb me again until the sun has passed over the mountains."

Alex started walking toward the river after grabbing the basket of filthy clothes on the house's side. James demanded Alex carry half the weight and grabbed the handhold, despite Alex's ease of lifting the basket. With the basket in the middle, the two walked side by side. Alex started singing:

“That’s a strange song for you,” said James, "It sounds like a battle hymn," "It is," said Alex, "Now let me sing:" "For our land of Korryn we will give out our lives, Giving blood to the rivers and shouts to the skies, Let all heed our warning in lands near and far, Korryn is our home and we’ll never depart." "That’s a strange song for you," said Alex. "It sounds like a

"Our enemy is not of flesh or steel; evil we'll fight with our might and zeal." "Our kingdom is just and our warriors are true." "With us the proud and the valiant stand, To help and guide us we'll defend our land. Ne'er shall we conquer, but with steadfast hearts, We'll banish the evil that greed would impart." Let Heaven guide us with the view of the Almighty."