The Lady in Armour

Chapter 3 - TRUTH

CHAPTER 3               -               TRUTH

“Are you attracted to a man?”

Travis gaped at his older brother. Never had he heard him ask a question as stupid as that one so it caught him a bit off guard. Of all the people to question his masculinity, he couldn’t believe that it would be him. They’d been together for twenty-three years and never did he make anything that could lead his brother into thinking that he was attracted to a man. 

“Well?”

“You know I am not,” he said through gritted teeth. Liam may be a half foot taller and more skilled than him, but if he dared to question again his gender he might consider the tempting thought of punching him in the face through his helmet. “I’m not the one who isn’t dating any woman and never seen with a woman so why ask me that? Shouldn’t I be the one asking that question to you? Are you gay, big brother?”

“Then stop staring at our new prisoner,” Liam said, completely ignoring Travis’ last three questions. “You’ve been staring at him for almost an hour. I cannot see anything special to the boy for you to stare at him like that. In fact, I find him nauseating.”

Travis stopped on his track and faced Liam. “Him? I am staring at him? Who exactly are you referring to, Liam?”

Liam pointed at Jo. “Him.”

“Him?”

Liam pushed his brother and urged him to start walking again agin. “You are losing your mind, little brother.”

A little bit irritated at his brother, Travis looked back at Liam and tried to comprehend what he had just said. “I am not. I think you are the one who’s losing it. You keep calling h –”

“Liam is right,” Sage agreed. “You’ve been staring at the boy with a strange expression on your face. I myself am starting to question your gender.”

“At the boy?” Travis asked, unable to believe what he heard from Sage. Then he remembered Rem’s reaction when the new prisoner showed no respect over their general. And then slowly, everything was starting to make sense to him. “Rem, how many male prisoners do we have?”

Rem grunted “Six.”

“Do you agree, Maki?”

Maki looked at Liam questioningly but Liam only shrugged. “Yeah.”

 “Well I’ll be damned!” Travis shouted, catching everyone’s attention.

Coir stopped walking and so did everyone. “Is there a problem, Travis?”

Liam was the one who answered. “He’s feeling sick.”

Coir looked at everyone and realized that all of them looked too tired and hungry to continue their journey. He wanted to keep moving east but he feared his men won’t be able to continue travelling. “Okay, we rest for four hours. Eat and sleep well to gain more strength for you’ll need it later. Bind the prisoners’ feet and hands.”

The knights sighed in relief for they were all very tired and hungry after a long fight. The long journey wore them out even more and they could only wish for nothing but a little food and a long sleep. The only problem they were facing now was who was going to stay awake to guard the prisoners because no one seemed to be willing to do that.

“I’ll bind them,” Travis volunteered cheerfully. He took the thick ropes from Maki and bound the prisoners one by one. He finished binding the first five prisoners they caught and saved the sixth for last because he did not know what to do.