What is the definition of innocents?
For some, it is those who are not guilty of a crime.
What if you aren't found out for that crime?
Say you murder a man, and aren't caught?
By that definition. You're innocent.
But then, what if the crime you're doing isn't called a crime?
Such as war.
People aren't arrested for murder during a war, they're rewarded. So, in war do only innocents die? Or are the men guilty? Let's say they are guilty, what if they killed to defend a family or a child. Are they excused?
In war, innocents die.
Merek was innocent in everyone's eyes, he'd never been arrested nor accused of murder. Merek didn't view it this way. He was as guilty as the men he'd cut down.
Which makes killing easier for him, soon enough in this world once you've been out long enough the world changes you.
No one is innocent.
Merek was surprised when the bard announced to the room that he was looking for men. In a matter of seconds, ten able men had lined up. All had gear, swords, armour the lot.
"Any of you been in a fight?"
A few announced they had or simply put their hands up.
"And as for horses, any of you rode or own a horse?"
One of them put their hand up, incidentally, he was the most armoured one and clearly had the more comfortable sword that didn't seem stolen.
"You, what's your name?"
The man bent his knee.
"I am Sir Tranos Hope".
"Don't bend your knee, Sir, I do not come here as a Lord or a Knight"
"Do ye wanna know our names, Master?"
One of the others bickered.
"Not yet, finish your drinks we will meet in the morning in here, Tranos come here"
The knight moved forward towards Merek, the others went back to their tables.
"What is a Knight doing out here?"
"I heard you were here, everyone back at Kent knows, may I ask what are you doing here? Why the need for us?"
"We're going against The Ancient King, have you ever been in a war?"
"Yes, I have, as for the others. I'm afraid I doubt they'll get very far"
"Wars only require minor skill, most wars are won via numbers and luckily I have sent two envoys out, they will bring back one-hundred and fifty-six trained and fully armed soldiers, maybe even more.
The only thing I'm worried about is these men dying.
If I end up getting men from this region killed, this region will soon enough hate me and I may have even whipped out an entire generation here"
Tranos nodded in agreement.
Experience.
He had experienced, this was clear to Merek.
He studied Tranos, vibrant blue eyes, young and handsome, a well-kept pencil moustache and goatee, blond hair in a neat ponytail.
A Knight.
He had full plate armour on, it was of clear quality clearly not as much as Merek's but would still deflect a thousand swords.
The others all had the odd combinations of breastplates and mail, or gambesons and chain-links. Two had halberds, good. The rest had arming swords and shields.
"Tranos, stick with me you can be my, hm I don't know bodyguard"
Tranos gave a small nod.
"Innkeep! I need a room, do you have one spare?"
"Aye I do"
After Merek had paid and had been shown his room he began to undress.
The bed was warm, the hay soft and a fire bellowed and spat.
The door creaked.
Merek instinctively darted for his sword but instead saw the innkeeper's daughter at the door.
"What's your name?"
"Carol my lord"
She had a sweet voice, innocent too.
Merek wasn't going to complain about being called a lord.
"What are you doing here Carol?"
"I'm 'ere for you master crow, but don't tell me father"
She slowly began to relieve herself of her robe to reveal her young petite body.
She moved and wrapped herself in a warm embrace around Merek.
"You ever done this before?"
Merek moved his fingers through her ruff brown hair.
"No"
"You sure you want to?"
Her fingertips followed the curves of his abs and soon found themselves untying his briefs.
Their lips met.
Merek's hands met her soft thighs pulling her closer.
Falling onto the bed.
His lips met her pigment areola. Her gasps of air were consistent. Her moans quite.
Soon, the girl slept silently.
Merek rolled his hand through her hair whilst glaring at the ceiling.
There was some crying outside but Merek ignored it, he didn't want this to end.
He hadn't been in a bed for weeks.
A cry again. A woman, Merek thought. A scream, an unnatural scream; this sufficiently woke the girl.
"Don't worry"
Merek reassured her.
"Merek, my father wanted to tell ye somethin', 'as he?"
The little girl perked up, clearly trying to place her attention on something other than the noise.
"No? What did he want to say?"
"I dunno, when you lot 'ad left he rode after ye, saying somethin' about 'warning them' whatever that meant".
Warning them? That made little sense to Merek. If he wanted to warn him about something he would have done it when he arrived back at the tavern unless...
The thought passed through Merek's head.
It all made sense.
He went to warn The Ancient King, that's how that hoard of cavalry knew they were coming.
The scream again. The girl bolted up.
"Don't worry I'm sure it's nothing".
As soon as the words came out his mouth the door swung open; a man in black entered with a dagger in hand, Merek went to move, he went for his sword but before he could reach it a wail came from the direction of the man.
He turned to see a blade poking out strangers chest, it retracted through his body and out his back and the man fell to the floor, behind stood a half armoured Tranos.
"My Lord there is something happening outside, come, quick. Forget the armour you don't have time just throw on your gambeson and some briefs."
Merek turned to face Carol who was clearly petrified. He then darted for his sword, hauling it out of its scabbard.
The night's air was harsh, it's bitterness stung on any exposed skin. A group of villagers mobbed together, all surrounding the source of the crying women; in the far off distance, the unnatural scream could be heard. Men came running out of huts with candlesticks trying to light up the place, a group of resentful villagers rode off towards the screams with pitchforks and spears.
"Over here, Master Crow!"
One of the villagers who he'd recently recruited beckoned him over.
There was some form of post which was placed in the middle of the road; from Merek's recollection, it hadn't been there before.
Hanging from it was a corpse, Merek could not see the face however, he began to shove past members of the mob and soon he stood near underneath it.
A constant, narrow stream of blood leaked off the boots, the entrails had been torn out of the stomach exposing the intestines, then his eyes reach the face.
Finch.
The eyes had been gauged out, the mouth broken by what seemed to be a punch, clearly, he fought back; and the crying women, his mother on her knees.
Merek was filled with dread, disgust, everything.
To the right, he saw the Innkeep.
He used the pommel of his sword on the side of his face.
The innkeeper fell to the ground, blood trickled down his cheek.
"You did this you bastard!"
Merek punched him with as much force as he could cumber up. Some of the crowd spat at the innkeeper, some looked away, some didn't know what to think.
"You warned them! You fucking warned them we were coming and now you got an innocent man killed!"
Another punch.
The innkeeper's face was unrecognisable due to the amount of blood.
"I-I didn't know! I didn't know they'd d-do this!"
"Shut the fuck up! Of course, you did! You told me about what they did to Oliver!"
Another punch.
Then another.
Then another.
Merek's fist went up for another until some force stopped him,
pulling him back.
"Merek stop! Stop it!"
Merek was filled with a rage, a rage only known to beasts with no mercy, he wanted nothing more than to drive his sword through the innkeeper's heart.
Carol was viciously tugging at his arm.
His eyes met hers. The same eyes as her fathers.
Merek looked around the crowd, he saw Tranos with the men he'd recruited.
"Tranos! Seize this girl! And the Innkeep!"
The crowd gasped.
The girl's eyes filled with tears as two men grabbed her and dragged her away.
"Don't hurt her! She is innocent she is! I swears it! She did nothin' wrong!"
Merek turned to see the Innkeep begging.
"You beg for her life?"
"Aye master I do! Please!"
Merek knelt face-to-face with his bloody face.
"Do you think Finch begged? Begged whilst they gauged his eyes out? Begged whilst they beat him, broke his jaw? Begged whilst they cut him open?"
"I did it for us! For everyone! If I 'adn't that'd be all of us up there!"
"You only lie to yourself, get him out of my face"