The Soldier Of Sins | ✓

[8] Becoming a mess

The enlightenment came to him with a stab of regret as he stared at the soldiers with his handsome eyes. The brown in them engulfed the longing for joining the fighting pit to prove his strength yet the dilated pupils tamed the emotion, telling him that the day would come when he would recover from his injuries and join them soon.

"Hey! It's good to see you here, Hampton."

Samuel smiled at one of the colleagues, Jeffrey and joined him but made sure to glance at the Lord Commandant who was assigning the team of eight warriors again, to look out in the woods.

"It's convenient for air to pass through you, having so much holes." He laughed along his friends while Jeffrey added, "Though, I am glad. You managed to fill them again." He patted his shoulder.

Sincerity shown on his face as he gave his friend an obedient nod. "Blame my Hamptons," he grinned.

Suddenly, Jeffrey's eyes shifted to his shoulder. "Rodwin, is it?" He asked Samuel who immediately turned his head to check.

Wild hair messed up in dirt, Rodwin patted his butts to wipe off the sand. Samuel's eyes zoomed on to him as he focused on the soldier's height.

"Rodwin has been doing really well. He has beaten Dorian, Felix, Philip and Lord Commandant is watching over him," said Jeffrey while noticing how the bald man gave a pat on the young soldier's back. "It would have been clear if Davis was here. We would have known, who's the strongest. His strength was defined already, until Sherfield happened."

Samuel's eyebrows raised but relaxed when they caught Logan who was approaching Rodwin with a laughing face. "He will be fine. But what about that fucker? I heard, Swanson's daughter is after him."

Jeffrey grinned, "I am fine as long as it's not my woman. You should too. Though, we can't blame him. He has always been the one doing the task where communication is needed. He is always in sight and it's the attention that seeks him. He was the one who passed wounded ones with the horses. Day before yesterday, he went to the castle to inform the shortage of wood."

Surprise caught his face yet Samuel nodded in agreement. But suddenly, he looked back at Rodwin and Logan, his eyes narrowing. "Did he inform the castle of murders happening?"

Jeffrey nodded. "The King has only blocked his decision by ordering for the searching party. Will see to what comes next. Two murders have happened yet a village whose largest section of population is in army, hasn't found the killer."

Samuel's eyes lowered in thought and suddenly, they stoned when he realised Rodwin was looking at him only, followed by Logan.

No glint of friendship, not even the likeable pretending exterior covered their eyes. But all the blankness of those brown orbs gone and were coated with acceptance and encouragement for the little victory when Rodwin gave a polite nod at him.

Samuel nodded back.

"You can practise the archery till you get well," suggested Jeff making him scoff.

"I would have. But limbs to limbs tear up when I stretch my arms," he explained.

Jeff scratched his head. "That is bad, Hampton. Heal yourself or you might lose the chance of getting the rank."

Samuel breathed out and started walking along with him as they sat aside, joining others to watch the second group training.

"It's easy to heal the wounds," he said while grunting as the muscles of his arm filled with excessive blood when he leaned. Immediately, he sat down and held his arm stable, positioning it near his chest. Feeling someone's gaze on him, he looked back at the boys and caught Logan staring at him.