From Death, A New Beginning

The two men returned to the courtyard where Father Gideon and Hanna finishing cooking.

“Ah Commissioner Mansfield. You’re still here. Would you like to eat with us?”

“It’s just James, please. You sure it will be alright for us to join?”

Gideon nodded, “You are more than welcome. We have plenty, the recent years have been prosperous.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Alex said with a grin.

Hanna then waved her hand and summoned the children to the bonfire. They lined up in an orderly queue for a plate of grilled beef, potato, and vegetables.

“Look at that, a whole line of smiling children and they are being orderly. My sons would never would have been this well-mannered.” James said as he rubbed his chin.

Hanna grinned, “well it’s because of my dad. Maybe you should have been a better parent yourself there, James.”

“Damn. She really did call you out like that.” Alex said while chewing on his food.

“Would you please refrain from insulting our guest, Hanna.” Gideon said with a sigh.

James let out a chuckle, “she does have a point. I could have been a better father.”

It was Gideon’s turn to frown, “don’t be like that James. There is no such thing as a perfect father but if you love your children. That’s what matters in the end.”

“I suppose you are right.” James said. He then took a bite of the beef. It was quite tasty. The rich beef juices filled his mouth as he chewed. James had always enjoyed his meat rare.

He wiped his mouth and noticed that Alex was looking back at the castle and its surrounding area with great interest.

“What are you thinking about Alex?” James asked.

“Oh, nothing really important.” Alex replied as he leaned back, “I was just thinking about our time here in the north. I’ll admit it’s been a bit wild. I was told that the north was going to be a culture shock when I left Strausehaven. But sitting out here like this. It’s not so different here after all. It’s actually pretty peaceful.”

James tilted his head, “you never know what lurks beyond the horizon. There is always a storm on the horizon. Maybe not today or tomorrow but sooner or later it will come.”

Alex chuckled, “well there you go again James. Always thinking about the worst possible scenario. From here it just feels like the conflict between the northerners and the rest of the kingdom just seems far away now compared to how things were before.”

“It’s just never that simple. The next war with the north is inevitable. I saw in their eyes at the end of the war and to this day. They never gave up on the fight.”

“So that’s it huh? We are just doomed to repeat an endless cycle of violence and hatred? Fuck that. I refuse to let this be this way. Call me stupid and naive but I will bridge the gap between north and the south. I’ll do whatever I can to stop this madness and this needless conflict.”

“Easy kid, that’s a bit too ambitious for a lone knight.” James replied

Alex folded his arms and shook his head, “it’s not. One person can all the difference my dad taught me. That you will not fail if it worth it. I’m not alone either. People who fought in the war, people who lost friends and family to the war. There has to be people on both sides who want to see an end to see a true peace.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Excuse me?”

“Listen I’m sorry to you. All of you have to clean up the mess my generation created. Bitter old men sending the young to fight their conflicts.”

James doesn’t even really know what he was even saying anymore. The stress was getting to him. He was there through the war and the confusing and painful years after.

He wished he could see his boys again.

Before Alex could reply to James. The girl with ginger hair and the boy from earlier came up to Alex with a football. “Come on let’s play, Alex!”

“Alright, Alice I will!” Alex said as he stuffed the rest of his food in his mouth.

He clasped the boy with scars, "you going to join us too William? Good on you! I'm actually decent in football."

William grinned, "well I'm amazing at it."

They both chuckled. then rushed out with a group of children playing football.

“Oh, Alex is playing now I definitely have to join.” Hanna said as she leapt into the game as well.

James couldn’t help but to laugh. He finished his meal and watched as a couple of guards came out with a flute and a lyre and started playing.

Their music was lighthearted and energic as the children played their ball game with Alex, Hanna and a couple more guards who joined in.

James looked to side to see Father Gideon come and sat beside him.

“Youth is a wonderful thing, no?” Gideon said as he sat down by James.

James looked back over to the kids running around and laughing.

“Yeah...it’s a wonderful thing.”

“You have children James?”

“I have two sons. They are about Alex’s age, Jaime and Hans.”

“You must be proud of your boys.”

“In a sense. I miss them terribly. I wish I got to see them more often. I regret not spending more time with them, I was too distant. Let work take priority.”

James smirked as he kept watching the children play,

“I hoped with my work I would be making Lyris safe for my children and all other children in the kingdom. A foolish dream perhaps. I see a younger self in Alex.”

“Why don’t you go back to see them? Go back home.”

“Want me out of the city, eh?” James raised his hand before Gideon could reply.

“You are right, I should. But there isn’t a place for me back home. I been divorced and separated from my wife. My children have their own lives to live. It’s a bit too late, what’s been done is done.”

Gideon shook his head, “nothing is ever just set in stone. As long are still alive you have a chance to change.”

“Maybe...I don’t know. Can I ask you something personal, Gideon?”

“I am a priest of the Goddess Herta. You can ask me anything.”

“What happened with your family?”

Gideon looked over at Hanna and the children playing. He sighed, “you have a keen eye, James. I had a son, Samuel. He was a herbalist and loved plants. He was a good boy and we were all so proud of him.”

“So, what happened to him?”

Gideon went silent for a moment.

“My son, Samuel would go out traveling and provide his services to heal the sick and wounded. He left for Gdanskig, he been there a few times before. I never learned what really happened to him. Was he aiding rebels by merely trying to heal the wounded? Did he just stumble into a bad situation? I just don’t know. The military hung him. The royal army was stamping out some of the last holdouts from the civil war outside of Gdanskig.”

James looked away from Gideon,

“I understand why your wife acted the way she did. If something like that happened to one of my sons, I wouldn’t be able to forgive. I’m sorry Gideon. I truly am.”

Gideon gave James a small smile, “it took a lot of time for the wound to heal to the point I could forgive. But now I can live with it. There is no point in holding onto what’s been done. When there is so many people that need me in the present. I have to live for them and carve out a better future for them.”

James nodded and patted Gideon’s shoulder. “Yeah...I understand.”

James then had to react quickly as the football flew towards him. James bounced it off his head and it soared high in the air and then landed in front of him. James put his foot on top of the ball.

“My bad!” Alex called out.

“Nice going, dork.” Hanna commented and punched Alex in the arm.

“Why don’t you go play with them?” Gideon asked James

“No, I’m too old and besides I haven’t played since the war.”

“Come on just give a try.”

James sighed and started dribbling the ball over to the players, “you don’t get to laugh at me, Gideon.”

“You get to join the eagle team there, James.” Alex said with a huge grin.

“What team are you on?”

“Wolf team, bark bark!” And the children behind Alex started barking too.

“You put us on opposite teams? Cute.”

“Always wanted to beat you.”

“Well keep on hoping then. Not happening today.” James said as he kicked the ball out.