The Reformation Wars: A Knight's Trial

Chapter 7

After stopping Peter's bleeding, Tom and Juan had created a poultice from their store of hesparia and bound it around his forearm. Even in his weakened state, he'd attempted resisting their efforts to take him back to Monterayne, but ultimately to no avail. Since he'd refused to tell the other knights where he'd left his horse, they put him on Verity's back and galloped off. 

Five or so hours' travel later, they had come to a spot a few miles from the first foothill of the Monteraynian ring. There, they'd set up camp. After nibbling on a biscuit for a few minutes in front of the fire, Peter had declared he was sleepy, so he'd set a bed-roll down and commenced his slumber. 

Now Tom and Juan stooped a few paces off in gathering new wood to refresh the fire. Picking dry pieces out from the midst of their drenched counterparts proved a tedious process. As they worked, they conversed, the subject matter mostly concerning the question of the unmarked swordsman's training. 

"So," Tom began, "you truly believe Sir Raska is guilty of training that murderous bastard, even despite the raging hatred he showed towards him?" 

"That could very well all have been an act on his part." Juan replied, "You can see for yourself that he holds to radical opinions and has no problem disobeying orders. I would put nothing past the man." 

Tom frowned as he kicked a soggy branch out of his way. "I suppose you have a point there, but their styles hardly match. This unmarked swordsman has a distinctly acrobatic twist to his fighting that Sir Raska displays no trace of." 

Juan shrugged. "Peter's not as young as he used to be. He could very well have secret techniques he holds in his head, but can no longer perform with his own body." 

"That's true, but I still found his vehemence a bit too extensive to be merely an act. One can only stretch fakery so far before it grows thin." 

"Oh, believe me, Tom, I've seen deception stretched much farther than that without snapping." 

"Even if I concede that you have, there's still more evidence to the contrary than for it." Tom asserted as he hoisted a dry bough over his shoulder, "You and I both saw his railing against the swordsman before he could even see us. So how could that be an act, if he had no clue of our coming, and why would he go so far?" 

"You only assume he didn't see us. And why did he go so far, you ask?" Juan paused for a moment. "A man terrified at the thought of discovery will stop at nothing to save himself. Besides, Tom I'll ask you this: Who else could do this thing?" 

"Why, any other Raskan warrior could have done it!" 

"You even consider me a suspect?" Juan asked with an amused smirk. 

"I consider it highly unlikely, but not impossible." 

"There aren't many of us Raskans, remember, and all of us learned directly from Peter himself. So I hardly consider it likely that a second-tier fighter could—" 

"That's no proof!" Tom snapped, "What prevents...Sir Cornelius, for instance, from acting as a traitor, merely because his skill isn't as extensive as his teacher?" 

Juan snorted. "Cornelius would sooner give himself up to a lion than betray his countrymen." 

"I was only trying to make a point. My main assertion is that we should refrain from passing judgement until all have been examined." 

"I must respect that." Juan said thoughtfully, "Most of us would do well to emulate your spirit, slow to judge, quick to think well of others, and wholly dedicated to others' welfare in all. In fact, I just realized something, Tom."