Priest: Taking the Hood

Tough Love

Alexander was walking down a dark corridor that was only candle lit as he heard a few of the boys running up behind him, sounded like they were roughhousing with each other, so he stepped aside - one of them jacked him in the gut.

He crumbled to the ground as another boy kneed him in the head. Blood erupted from his nose. The third boy kicked him in the chest and the boys took the turn in tearing into him.

Aden was coming to the rescue as a large hand grabbed him up from behind and slammed him into a door. Aden struck back when he was directed to stop by Max.

"We need to stop them," Aden said in protest.

"Not yet."

Aden shoved Max as Max knocked him back into the room.

"Why are you so cruel to him?"

Aden was getting ready to give Max all he had to protect Alexander.

"I am not being cruel. I want to give the boy a chance to find his heart, and to realize this world can be a cruel place."

Max now holding his hand up to stop Aden from running in to save the day. 
Alexander got a shot in below the belt to one of the boys and then knocked one in the eye with his elbow. As he was turning to hit the third he felt himself being kicked in the back of the head, sending him tumbling, to be kicked in the ribs just as he found his footing.

"Stay here!" Max demanded as he rushed in to slam the leading aggressor up against the wall. "Think your tough, three on one?" He growled into the boy's ear.

"No, no Max, but he is not one of our own."

"His mother was one of the greatest warriors I have ever seen. His grandfather was a Priest, so how is he not one of us?"

The boy was trembling with fear as he was locked in Max's grasp. "Get out of my site!" Max snapped.

The boys fled as fast as their feet could carry them.

"Alexander don't you ever let me catch you letting someone beating on you again."

"I wasn't I was fighting back." 
He wiped the blood onto his sleeve.

"Bullshit! You were acting half-heartedly! Your mom would never have..."

"My mom would never have what? She was a housewife, not a fighter."

Aden interrupted, "Max, he doesn't know his mother as we do."

Max nodded his head in understanding the underlining meaning of Aden's words. He motioned for Aden to take off as he was helping the boy to his feet.

"Let's get you fixed up... Then we are going to have a little heart to heart."

In many ways this bothered Max: Why would she hide who she was from her son? More than that: Who was the Lycian that smote one of the best killers he had ever known?

***

Alexander was patiently tolerating Max checking over his bruised ribs.

"Good news is that it seems you can take a beating... Next time, I expect to see you dishing out the beating."

"But... they have years of training on me."

Max shook his head, "And you have your mother's blood running through your veins... Listen, I know that you don't know, but the only person in this place that even had a hope and prayer for your mom is Griffen."

Alexander had a look of shock on his face, 'My mom?"

"It's sad that you have no idea. Your mom was one of the best warriors I had ever seen. She got that from your grandfather."