Guard

Chapter Ten: Courage

XANDER

I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand, blowing the hair out of face that had decided to fall down as I worked.

The head of the blacksmiths in Celia, Leon, had all of us working more than normal as an important person of high authority was coming to visit and check on the work we were doing. Judging from the amount of stress Leon was placing on all of us, that person was coming today.

As I sat down to rest, I closed my eyes as I allowed the cool breeze coming from the open window caress my face and cool my body. My body dripped with sweat as we worked since the sun had arisen, heating huge amounts of iron and steel in a furnace until it was soft, before taking it out hammering them into shape.

I looked at my hands that had turned black from the firescale, bending my fingers to relieve the tension. This line of work was similar, yet also different to the training we receive as guards. As guards, upper arm strength is vital; to yield a sword during combat but also to keep it in the grip of your palm. Strength also had to come from the lower body, to pursue your attacker and stand your ground.

As a blacksmith, I needed to rely on my upper body to continuously carry and hammer the metal into shape, but I also need to reply on my lower body to keep me on my feet the whole day. This was another level of endurance. One I was slowly beginning to master.

"Less rest and more work Xander!" Leon yelled from across the room.

I shook my hands, and tilting my head both side to stretch my neck muscles before standing up. Taking the long piece of iron I was working on beside me, I placed it back into the furnace to heat it up.

"No rest for the wicked," Kade, a fellow blacksmith, told me with a playful smile.

I chuckled and shook my head, taking the now glowing yellow-orange iron piece out, placing it onto the face on the anvil and hammered it into shape.

Shadows suddenly blocked the light entering the shop. I looked up to the direction of the window to see multiple figures walk past.

"Speak of the devil," Kade muttered.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Lord May and his guards. He's in charge of collecting tax money from the people of Askaria." Kade explained, also watching the figures walk past. "He says it's for the good of the kingdom, but I think the demand is too high. We all barely have enough as it is."

I knew about this Lord May. He was known as Lord Richard May of St Tunmer. Back at the castle, when someone was to have a meeting with the Queen, I was the one who was told about who was coming; and then I would send a few guards to meet them at the castle gate and escort them in.

Lord May had come to the castle a few times, but I had never met him in person, nor had he met me. From the way the other guards at the castle spoke about him, they didn't like him very much.

At that moment I heard a small scream and some yelling. I turned my attention in the direction I had heard it from and ran to the door. The guards surrounded Lord May but were spread far enough apart for me to see what was happening.

The mailboy had bumped into Lord May, and was sincerely apologising, his head bowed low either out of respect or fear, only to be pushed down to the ground by one of Lord May's guards. The people in their stalls were yelling at the guards for to stop, but no one had to courage to actually step forward and help.

The boy's mail spilled out of his bag as he fell to the floor. Lord May circled him, his coat blowing in the wind, and his gold jewellery glinting in the sun. He kicked some of the mail already on the ground further out of the boy's reach. My blood started to boil as I watched him treat an innocent child so harshly, I took a step forward but a strong hand on my arm held me back. I looked back to see Kade who shook his head at me.