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Haha , it does sound a little bit like cheese doesn't it ? XD
It's weekend already!
Get working!
haha I am I am XD
Chapter II: Elidio
The young man looked into the dirty mirror with a discerning pout. His chin was held high and his fingers moved coarsely against where a small tuft of hair was being cultivated. It was a messy black mass under his lower lip: as if a congregation of spiders had colonised the area between his mouth and neck. His digits tended to each tendril and straightened them out with the care like that of a seasoned gardener. He twisted a few right and left musing which way would make him more attractive.
A knock interrupted his vanity play and he trudged over to the heavy wooden doorway to see who it was. “Brother Julien,” the young man greeted the monk with some surprise. Usually the friars rarely made their way through the dormitories: that task was oftentimes deferred to the volunteers working at the buildings. Indeed, one might only see the brothers during mass and classes.
“Elidio, do you have a moment?” the monk asked quickly with a familiarity that disarmed the student.
“Of course, sir,” Elidio replied instinctively. Almost immediately, Brother Julien turned and began walking away towards the exit. Elidio was quick to grab his coat and chase after his instructor.
Elidio followed Brother Julien down the stony, earthen corridor of the dormitory a few paces behind in due reverence, but kept his eyes on the back of the monk's tonsured head hoping to gleam some clue as to the visit through the little patch of skin. He couldn't be in trouble, Elidio thought to himself. Despite being a rather energetic young man, he had always strictly adhered to the rules of the Academy. His studies should not be in question either, he calculated. Although he was not the most shining example of academic excellence, he was intelligent enough to have learned just as fast as the other candidates.
“Sometimes you think so loudly,” Brother Julien chuckled ahead of him.
As if the friar had invaded his mind and silenced his brain, Elidio could only react by ruffling his brow in confusion. “What do you mean, sir?” he asked.
“The way you're walking so slack and unevenly. You seemed quite distracted,” the monk replied without even turning around or changing his pace. “You should relax, I promise this is nothing bad.”
The words encouraged the young student, but at the same time it tightened a kind of anxiousness in his chest. Then is it something good? he asked himself with a sudden rush of glee. “May I ask where it is we are going, sir?” was his meek question.
“Just to the gardens in the back,” the monk replied casually.
The gardens in the back? Elidio's curiosity now grew even more. He had rarely been that far away from the dormitories and usually his classes were in the buildings closest to the town. The gardens in the “back” could be more properly coined the open French country since it was there that pastures and hills began and the monestary-school ended. He had only seen the area once before during the tour the new students received, but even then it was only a passing glance. All he could remember was a low stone wall dividing the garden proper from the hill downward.
When they made the turn out of the final courtyard and into the rear of the compound, Elidio could see the small stone wall he remembered and the garden covered in snow. There was a gentle slope that led down to a shallow dale before it broke off into hills once more. All of this as well was covered in snow although there were various portions that were hinting at the dormant green grass below. The serenity of the scene was not what accosted Elidio's attention, however.
Behind the low stone enclosure, Elidio noticed several of his classmates—although he could not claim that any of them were “friends” quite yet considering how recently they had all met—huddling for warmth beside a small bonfire in the middle of the desolate garden. When Brother Julien and Elidio approached, the small gang of perhaps twenty young men straightened themselves out in attention and turned towards the cleric.
“Brother Julien,” one of them stepped forward as the monk eased his way over the low stone fence. Elidio followed behind the friar curiously. “Brother Jean told us all to come out here and wait for instructions, but that's been almost an hour ago...”
“Don't worry, Juan, I’ll take over from here,” Brother Julien had a paternal smile on his face as he approached the young man. The warm welcome the friar gave to the students around him melted their concerned expressions. “I'm sure you all remember Elidio from your classes,” he introduced Elidio while bringing him forward. Everyone gave a nod to their Portuguese classmate. “Today we're going to do a unique but dangerous exercise.”
The young men looked at each other with some consternation. “Dangerous?” one of them asked out loud. This pupil already knew the answer, however. The Academy was not just about books and learning: they have already had their fair share of fencing and sports on the field that sought to discipline both mind and body. What bothered them was that this was not in the schedule of classes... They had no idea what this “exercise” would be about.
“There is a band of men somewhere in those hills. Before sundown they'll be coming up here and will try to chase all of you off,” the friar explained as dispassionately as one of his lectures. “Some of you might be injured or some may die.”
The silence among the young men was taut and breathless like the arid winter wind. None could completely vocalise what was going on in their minds and Elidio could only stare, once again, at that tonsured portion of the friar's head with the kind of horror that mirrored the faces of the twenty young men in front of him.
“Who are these men?” Elidio finally managed to say out loud. His voice nearly had no tone to it as the air was quick to swallow up his confusion in its own swirl of air.
“You'll have to figure that out, I suppose,” Brother Julien replied with a grin to the twenty while keeping only the back of his head towards Elidio. “Brother Jean, please bring out the supplies!” the friar pre-empted any more questions with his shout.
The heads turned to where the command was directed towards and Brother Jean walked towards the group with a small horse behind him saddled with several bags. He made his way to the centre of the group of men and parted them by his mere presence. Many were still attempting to make sense of what was just told to them and walked backwards from the incoming friar with a kind of passivity. “Here are you supplies, gentlemen,” Brother Jean announced with his own distorted grin. He did not wait for any acknowledgement from the group before he started to unload the material from the animal.
The bruises and cuts on Brother Jean's face were not lost to the crowd and they watched him in awe like some prophetic vision was unfolding in front of them. Some couldn't help but wonder if Brother Jean had anything to do with these men who were to come up to the hill. It was this particular thought that sparked another question in Elidio's mind.
“Why are they coming up here?” Elidio asked. “Are they going to try and rob the school?” This time Elidio walked a little bit forward so that Brother Julien could see him out of the corner of his eyes. The friar hid a smile from the young man.
“Brother Jean is providing the reason,” Brother Julien raised a finger to his colleague who placed a heavy chest down at the center of the garden.
“What's that?” another student from the crowd asked.
“Treasure,” Brother Julien replied simply, “something precious enough for them to want to take: and for you to protect.”
“And we have to risk our lives protecting it?” Elidio spoke up again taking yet another step into the friar's field of vision.
Brother Julien paused before nodding his head slowly, “that is an excellent question,” he said in reply. His head turned upward to the clouds and his hands folded into his sleeves like an iconic vision of Saint Francis contemplating in the wildnerness. “Men are often asked to fight for gold or treasure or nation,” he began. “He is a wise person to ask if the risk in lives is worth the sacrifice of the object. Especially if one continues to live a normal life afterwards. That is why each person must come to that conclusion himself.” Brother Julien turned to Elidio. “Sometimes, however, we are not given the privilege of knowing what it is we're protecting.” His eyes bore into Elidio's troubled expression.
“What do you mean?” Elidio pressed his teacher.
Brother Julien took a moment to give him the answer: “Sometimes what we're trying to protect is something we can't understand. All that we do know, at times, are the consequences and rewards of protecting it. To that end, what's inside the box is a good enough sum of money that the men who are going to try and get it from you will want it. But it's not the money that's going to matter: today is a test. Succeed and you will receive a week off of dormitory duties. Fail... and the local farmers who entrusted us with that money will go through this winter without any gold for food.”
Without any food? many in the group asked themselves. These 'consequences' were almost as shocking as the task itself. The questions swirled in the heads of the young men, and these questions began to paralyze them against the bitter cold. The young men looked at each other and more importantly looked towards the friars who simply gave them smiles. “Get to work, gentlemen,” Brother Jean said before walking off to the consternation of the congregated young men.
“There are a few other rules,” Brother Julien said. The others immediately turned back to face Brother Julien. “You cannot go back into the school nor can you utilise any aid from the city or from the campus. You must use all that you have here with you and that is all. You have provisions to last you the night and enough firewood should you need it.”
“You really can't be--” one of the boys tried to say, but he was met with Brother Julien's smiling face.
“If any of you do not wish to participate in this, you can leave now and we can find something else for you to do.”
Although the students who were now faced down with this task had not known Brother Julien for all that long, they still could detect that tone of voice in the friar's statement: a tone of... disappointment that any self-respecting academic would recognise. It was the tone that really said “if you can't do this, then we must find you a different school; a different vocation. If you cannot do this, Spain does not need you.”
Everyone stood their ground. Elidio especially stepped firmly across the small expanse of white from where Brother Julien was standing to his comrades. He would share in their task as well. “Will we have weapons at least?” Elidio spoke up with a part of him
“A few; they are in the packs. Oh, and one more thing: Elidio, I’m appointing you commander of this little troupe.” Elidio was about to speak up but Brother Julien raised his hand. “You all will follow what Elidio says as he is the oldest,” Brother Julien added although he knew that Elidio was older than the others perhaps by only a few days. On paper it only lists him as nineteen instead of eighteen due to his December birthday. “You will all follow his orders and he will have to enforce discipline.”
The young men looked at each other but it was Elidio that looked straight at Brother Julien. “I’ve never had any training—”
“We would not have picked you if we had not thought this over, Elidio. You and your men are running out of time and I have a class to get to. Get to work.” With his smile, Brother Julien climbed back over the stone fence and left the young men stunned and dumbfounded.
Miguel, the one who had spoken from the group before walked up to Elidio’s side and looked at the young Portuguese man with some worry. “Are they serious about this?” Miguel asked Elidio lowly.
Elidio was still contemplating what was just placed on his shoulders and looked up at Miguel with a start. “They told us that there would be unexpected things…” was the only thing Elidio could say before he turned around to face everyone. “I know that all of you are committed to doing this and that this is something we must do to become who we wish to be—” Elidio knew his words were grating against the ears of his comrades. Even he was not making sense to himself. Nonetheless, he looked each in the eye. None were squinting in the wind and all were looking back at him.
“They chose you for a reason,” one of them spoke up.
“We can’t waste time…” another said from the back.
Elidio looked to his classmates again: a second survey of their eyes. Eventually he cast his eyes on Miguel who stood next to him. He recognized many of the faces from his classes although some better than others. He knew Miguel the most, he recollected, and Miguel’s intelligence and energetic spirit was well known in the freshman class. Perhaps because Miguel was a Spaniard from Alcalá de Henares, but also perhaps—if the rumours are true—because he was a wanted man who had a father stuck in debt and the authorities sent him off to the Academy instead of prison. Either way, Elidio now placed his hand on Miguel’s shoulder and then looked out to the others. “Let’s look at our supplies then and prepare.”
The small troupe nodded and moved to the packs. Miguel moved with them a step before Elidio’s hold on his shoulder kept him back. “Miguel,” the Portuguese ‘commander’ said quietly.
Miguel turned his face and he could feel the young man’s grip on his shoulder heavily. “What is it?” he asked.
“We haven’t known each other long, Miguel,” Elidio said lowly, “but I need to know I can trust you.” Elidio’s eyes bore into Miguel’s face as he spoke and the words became heavier the longer they lingered in Miguel’s ears. It was then that, like a pop, Miguel seemed to understand what that expression meant.
“What are you planning?” Miguel asked with a delicious mixture of dread and excitement.
Elidio began to show his teeth and looked upward to the sky showcasing his grisly proto beard at his classmate. “I have a special mission for you, Miguel. The friars won’t like it, but that is why we cannot let them know. Can I count on you?” Elido’s eyes descended from discerning the heavens to looking at Miguel’s visage again.
“Yes,” Miguel said slowly and intently, “Yes you can.”
Chapter III: Miguel (coming soon)
The young man looked into the dirty mirror with a discerning pout. His chin was held high and his fingers moved coarsely against where a small tuft of hair was being cultivated. It was a messy black mass under his lower lip: as if a congregation of spiders had colonised the area between his mouth and neck. His digits tended to each tendril and straightened them out with the care like that of a seasoned gardener. He twisted a few right and left musing which way would make him more attractive.
A knock interrupted his vanity play and he trudged over to the heavy wooden doorway to see who it was. “Brother Julien,” the young man greeted the monk with some surprise. Usually the friars rarely made their way through the dormitories: that task was oftentimes deferred to the volunteers working at the buildings. Indeed, one might only see the brothers during mass and classes.
“Elidio, do you have a moment?” the monk asked quickly with a familiarity that disarmed the student.
“Of course, sir,” Elidio replied instinctively. Almost immediately, Brother Julien turned and began walking away towards the exit. Elidio was quick to grab his coat and chase after his instructor.
Elidio followed Brother Julien down the stony, earthen corridor of the dormitory a few paces behind in due reverence, but kept his eyes on the back of the monk's tonsured head hoping to gleam some clue as to the visit through the little patch of skin. He couldn't be in trouble, Elidio thought to himself. Despite being a rather energetic young man, he had always strictly adhered to the rules of the Academy. His studies should not be in question either, he calculated. Although he was not the most shining example of academic excellence, he was intelligent enough to have learned just as fast as the other candidates.
“Sometimes you think so loudly,” Brother Julien chuckled ahead of him.
As if the friar had invaded his mind and silenced his brain, Elidio could only react by ruffling his brow in confusion. “What do you mean, sir?” he asked.
“The way you're walking so slack and unevenly. You seemed quite distracted,” the monk replied without even turning around or changing his pace. “You should relax, I promise this is nothing bad.”
The words encouraged the young student, but at the same time it tightened a kind of anxiousness in his chest. Then is it something good? he asked himself with a sudden rush of glee. “May I ask where it is we are going, sir?” was his meek question.
“Just to the gardens in the back,” the monk replied casually.
The gardens in the back? Elidio's curiosity now grew even more. He had rarely been that far away from the dormitories and usually his classes were in the buildings closest to the town. The gardens in the “back” could be more properly coined the open French country since it was there that pastures and hills began and the monestary-school ended. He had only seen the area once before during the tour the new students received, but even then it was only a passing glance. All he could remember was a low stone wall dividing the garden proper from the hill downward.
When they made the turn out of the final courtyard and into the rear of the compound, Elidio could see the small stone wall he remembered and the garden covered in snow. There was a gentle slope that led down to a shallow dale before it broke off into hills once more. All of this as well was covered in snow although there were various portions that were hinting at the dormant green grass below. The serenity of the scene was not what accosted Elidio's attention, however.
Behind the low stone enclosure, Elidio noticed several of his classmates—although he could not claim that any of them were “friends” quite yet considering how recently they had all met—huddling for warmth beside a small bonfire in the middle of the desolate garden. When Brother Julien and Elidio approached, the small gang of perhaps twenty young men straightened themselves out in attention and turned towards the cleric.
“Brother Julien,” one of them stepped forward as the monk eased his way over the low stone fence. Elidio followed behind the friar curiously. “Brother Jean told us all to come out here and wait for instructions, but that's been almost an hour ago...”
“Don't worry, Juan, I’ll take over from here,” Brother Julien had a paternal smile on his face as he approached the young man. The warm welcome the friar gave to the students around him melted their concerned expressions. “I'm sure you all remember Elidio from your classes,” he introduced Elidio while bringing him forward. Everyone gave a nod to their Portuguese classmate. “Today we're going to do a unique but dangerous exercise.”
The young men looked at each other with some consternation. “Dangerous?” one of them asked out loud. This pupil already knew the answer, however. The Academy was not just about books and learning: they have already had their fair share of fencing and sports on the field that sought to discipline both mind and body. What bothered them was that this was not in the schedule of classes... They had no idea what this “exercise” would be about.
“There is a band of men somewhere in those hills. Before sundown they'll be coming up here and will try to chase all of you off,” the friar explained as dispassionately as one of his lectures. “Some of you might be injured or some may die.”
The silence among the young men was taut and breathless like the arid winter wind. None could completely vocalise what was going on in their minds and Elidio could only stare, once again, at that tonsured portion of the friar's head with the kind of horror that mirrored the faces of the twenty young men in front of him.
“Who are these men?” Elidio finally managed to say out loud. His voice nearly had no tone to it as the air was quick to swallow up his confusion in its own swirl of air.
“You'll have to figure that out, I suppose,” Brother Julien replied with a grin to the twenty while keeping only the back of his head towards Elidio. “Brother Jean, please bring out the supplies!” the friar pre-empted any more questions with his shout.
The heads turned to where the command was directed towards and Brother Jean walked towards the group with a small horse behind him saddled with several bags. He made his way to the centre of the group of men and parted them by his mere presence. Many were still attempting to make sense of what was just told to them and walked backwards from the incoming friar with a kind of passivity. “Here are you supplies, gentlemen,” Brother Jean announced with his own distorted grin. He did not wait for any acknowledgement from the group before he started to unload the material from the animal.
The bruises and cuts on Brother Jean's face were not lost to the crowd and they watched him in awe like some prophetic vision was unfolding in front of them. Some couldn't help but wonder if Brother Jean had anything to do with these men who were to come up to the hill. It was this particular thought that sparked another question in Elidio's mind.
“Why are they coming up here?” Elidio asked. “Are they going to try and rob the school?” This time Elidio walked a little bit forward so that Brother Julien could see him out of the corner of his eyes. The friar hid a smile from the young man.
“Brother Jean is providing the reason,” Brother Julien raised a finger to his colleague who placed a heavy chest down at the center of the garden.
“What's that?” another student from the crowd asked.
“Treasure,” Brother Julien replied simply, “something precious enough for them to want to take: and for you to protect.”
“And we have to risk our lives protecting it?” Elidio spoke up again taking yet another step into the friar's field of vision.
Brother Julien paused before nodding his head slowly, “that is an excellent question,” he said in reply. His head turned upward to the clouds and his hands folded into his sleeves like an iconic vision of Saint Francis contemplating in the wildnerness. “Men are often asked to fight for gold or treasure or nation,” he began. “He is a wise person to ask if the risk in lives is worth the sacrifice of the object. Especially if one continues to live a normal life afterwards. That is why each person must come to that conclusion himself.” Brother Julien turned to Elidio. “Sometimes, however, we are not given the privilege of knowing what it is we're protecting.” His eyes bore into Elidio's troubled expression.
“What do you mean?” Elidio pressed his teacher.
Brother Julien took a moment to give him the answer: “Sometimes what we're trying to protect is something we can't understand. All that we do know, at times, are the consequences and rewards of protecting it. To that end, what's inside the box is a good enough sum of money that the men who are going to try and get it from you will want it. But it's not the money that's going to matter: today is a test. Succeed and you will receive a week off of dormitory duties. Fail... and the local farmers who entrusted us with that money will go through this winter without any gold for food.”
Without any food? many in the group asked themselves. These 'consequences' were almost as shocking as the task itself. The questions swirled in the heads of the young men, and these questions began to paralyze them against the bitter cold. The young men looked at each other and more importantly looked towards the friars who simply gave them smiles. “Get to work, gentlemen,” Brother Jean said before walking off to the consternation of the congregated young men.
“There are a few other rules,” Brother Julien said. The others immediately turned back to face Brother Julien. “You cannot go back into the school nor can you utilise any aid from the city or from the campus. You must use all that you have here with you and that is all. You have provisions to last you the night and enough firewood should you need it.”
“You really can't be--” one of the boys tried to say, but he was met with Brother Julien's smiling face.
“If any of you do not wish to participate in this, you can leave now and we can find something else for you to do.”
Although the students who were now faced down with this task had not known Brother Julien for all that long, they still could detect that tone of voice in the friar's statement: a tone of... disappointment that any self-respecting academic would recognise. It was the tone that really said “if you can't do this, then we must find you a different school; a different vocation. If you cannot do this, Spain does not need you.”
Everyone stood their ground. Elidio especially stepped firmly across the small expanse of white from where Brother Julien was standing to his comrades. He would share in their task as well. “Will we have weapons at least?” Elidio spoke up with a part of him
“A few; they are in the packs. Oh, and one more thing: Elidio, I’m appointing you commander of this little troupe.” Elidio was about to speak up but Brother Julien raised his hand. “You all will follow what Elidio says as he is the oldest,” Brother Julien added although he knew that Elidio was older than the others perhaps by only a few days. On paper it only lists him as nineteen instead of eighteen due to his December birthday. “You will all follow his orders and he will have to enforce discipline.”
The young men looked at each other but it was Elidio that looked straight at Brother Julien. “I’ve never had any training—”
“We would not have picked you if we had not thought this over, Elidio. You and your men are running out of time and I have a class to get to. Get to work.” With his smile, Brother Julien climbed back over the stone fence and left the young men stunned and dumbfounded.
Miguel, the one who had spoken from the group before walked up to Elidio’s side and looked at the young Portuguese man with some worry. “Are they serious about this?” Miguel asked Elidio lowly.
Elidio was still contemplating what was just placed on his shoulders and looked up at Miguel with a start. “They told us that there would be unexpected things…” was the only thing Elidio could say before he turned around to face everyone. “I know that all of you are committed to doing this and that this is something we must do to become who we wish to be—” Elidio knew his words were grating against the ears of his comrades. Even he was not making sense to himself. Nonetheless, he looked each in the eye. None were squinting in the wind and all were looking back at him.
“They chose you for a reason,” one of them spoke up.
“We can’t waste time…” another said from the back.
Elidio looked to his classmates again: a second survey of their eyes. Eventually he cast his eyes on Miguel who stood next to him. He recognized many of the faces from his classes although some better than others. He knew Miguel the most, he recollected, and Miguel’s intelligence and energetic spirit was well known in the freshman class. Perhaps because Miguel was a Spaniard from Alcalá de Henares, but also perhaps—if the rumours are true—because he was a wanted man who had a father stuck in debt and the authorities sent him off to the Academy instead of prison. Either way, Elidio now placed his hand on Miguel’s shoulder and then looked out to the others. “Let’s look at our supplies then and prepare.”
The small troupe nodded and moved to the packs. Miguel moved with them a step before Elidio’s hold on his shoulder kept him back. “Miguel,” the Portuguese ‘commander’ said quietly.
Miguel turned his face and he could feel the young man’s grip on his shoulder heavily. “What is it?” he asked.
“We haven’t known each other long, Miguel,” Elidio said lowly, “but I need to know I can trust you.” Elidio’s eyes bore into Miguel’s face as he spoke and the words became heavier the longer they lingered in Miguel’s ears. It was then that, like a pop, Miguel seemed to understand what that expression meant.
“What are you planning?” Miguel asked with a delicious mixture of dread and excitement.
Elidio began to show his teeth and looked upward to the sky showcasing his grisly proto beard at his classmate. “I have a special mission for you, Miguel. The friars won’t like it, but that is why we cannot let them know. Can I count on you?” Elido’s eyes descended from discerning the heavens to looking at Miguel’s visage again.
“Yes,” Miguel said slowly and intently, “Yes you can.”
Chapter III: Miguel (coming soon)
Growing a beard is easy.
Growing a beard that's not embarassing is less easy. But it helps if you are Spanish.
Growing a beard that's not embarassing is less easy. But it helps if you are Spanish.
A portugese in command? Things are sure to fail now!
Though I must be honest, at I first I thought that Miguel was going to steal the money to pay off his dad's debt, but if Elidio has something special in tow...
Things are sure to fail now!Though I must be honest, at I first I thought that Miguel was going to steal the money to pay off his dad's debt, but if Elidio has something special in tow...
You are gonna pay for this you know
Also, Comagoosie, I'm not impressed at your xenophobic comment
Anyway, nice update, you took a bit long though, didn't you?
Also, Comagoosie, I'm not impressed at your xenophobic comment
Anyway, nice update, you took a bit long though, didn't you?
Haha , does it now ? XD I wonder why .
j
Yep
A portugese in command?
Though I must be honest, at I first I thought that Miguel was going to steal the money to pay off his dad's debt, but if Elidio has something special in tow...
Haha , from the farmers ? How terrible would that be !
:rofl: Verry correct, sir!
Nice work, canonized, nice work!
Thank you , sir XD
You are gonna pay for this you know
Also, Comagoosie, I'm not impressed at your xenophobic comment
Anyway, nice update, you took a bit long though, didn't you?
Haha I thought you would enjoy this chapter ! XD
Hmm, interesting... I wonder if there's gonna be any name-copy of my nick going to appear
And for the rest, I think elidio wants to 'bend' the rules of this little game
And for the rest, I think elidio wants to 'bend' the rules of this little game
Hmm, interesting... I wonder if there's gonna be any name-copy of my nick going to appear
And for the rest, I think elidio wants to 'bend' the rules of this little game
Haha , name copy . You want a cameo shot too , eh ? XD
lolololol.
How special?
XD Your sarcasm is as always biting XD
Oh goodness XD
So.. update tonight?
Working on it right now actually
His picture with his terrible looking beard inspired me XD har har har
I could get you banned for that! Personal offenses and all that.
You're hurting my feelings