Onward brave knights

Well first things first and let me thank once again those who commented/liked/loved my post on Facebook. Thank you Anna, Louise, Lisa, Liz, Mandy and Susie for reading.

Today, I did a little bit of reading about the Knights Hospitaller, it's a fascinating piece of history and certainly worth a good read. It makes a lot of sense of certain things that I've been looking into with past life issues and thought, well, you know what, let's do a spot of writing. So below, is a piece of pure fiction inspired by those souls back in the 1100's. I do hope you enjoy the yarn.

New Faith

The awful smell got him first. Raymond pushed through the acrid wasteland, his eyes fell upon a butchered land. The fallen lay washed in grime, blood, offal and waste. He heard several plaintive voices mew for aid. Raymond ushered his retinue to follow him to administer what meek assistance they could offer.

Two titans adorned in full plate mail barred his path with long-swords drawn. The stench of death mixed with sadism lay deep in their metallic eyes.

“Go back.”

“We are men of peace and come to offer succour to those in need.”

One knight spat. Raymond blanched at the globe of displeasure nestled in the dry grass next to his boot.

“They only need to die. Anyway, the birds need to feed and those bastards have defied us long enough.”

Raymond glanced upon the ravaged form of a headless woman of little age in the midst of the carnage. Next to her lay a broken boy robbed of life by a swing of axe. Beside him stood a poor wretch of a girl calling for her mother. Raymond pushed forward and found a sharp blade raised to his throat.

“One more step hospitaller and your head falls.”

“Have mercy man, she is but a girl.”

The knight’s gaze fell upon her. He whistled twice and two arrows sang in response. Raymond failed to stop a scream when they found their mark.

“Not any more,” jested the dark guardian.

Raymond turned back to his men. Rage plucked at his pious heart whilst the cries of the fallen grew fainter with each passing breath.

“We can do nothing more today, but I swear to you all this must never happen again.”

He led his followers away from the massacre. Raymond drew back to his keep and his eyes alighted upon a suit of armour and sword from his days in France. His hands gathered up a pennant of red with a white cross and he offered a silent prayer before turning to his faithful silent friend beside him.

“Durand, to protect those in need we need more than devout words.”

Durand nodded.

“When shall I start the training, Lord?”

“Right now, right now,” said Raymond.

He marched outside. His monks stood in silence with their heads bowed in silence. Durand would train them hard but well. He vowed never again before heading to the chapel in grim contemplation. Soon, all would know and respect the Knights Hospitaller.