16:13:05, Saturday, 27th May 1329.

Eve of the Feast of Pentecost.

Town of Douglas, Scotland.

As the boy left to attend his new station, James Douglas turned to his wife and gathered her up to her feet. She nestled into his arms. Sighing as she looked down at the mix of mud and blood that marred her dress, then winced in rebuke at her selfishness as she looked over at the forms of her fallen guard. Their bodies lay where they fell, growing cold in the mud and viscera of the ambush site.

The normally radiant blonde hair now lay in a tangle, mud smeared her high cheekbones, her almond-shaped sapphire eyes were red-rimmed from crying, and her nose dripped from the cold. To the Lord, however, his Star of Douglas was as radiant as ever.

“Dinnae fear, Tatania.” James said gruffly, seeing her gaze linger on the fallen guards. “The first three horns have sounded and assuredly they are in a better place.”

She gasped and looked at him with fear in her eyes.

“THE horns?” She asked pointedly.

“Aye love, I suppose our sins were too great to enter heaven! Or perhaps God hasn’t sent riders for us yet?”

She giggled and slapped his chest. “Maybe you are secretly a Jewish tribesman, and we still have a chance?”

“We both know the scriptures, and we are not of the twelve tribes who ascend to heaven. Anyway, don't you know a bit of their bits is cut off when they're young? You bear witness that innae so with my bit. It’s full and without compare.” He tried to lighten the mood, seeing the worry in her eyes.

She reached out and slapped him gently on the cheek. Her hand remained there. “You dare speak of such things? I am a Lady of virtue, Milord!”

James chuckled as he said, “Aye, you are! But not overly virtuous, as I can attest!”

She howled in protest and whacked him harder this time, causing his weight to shift on his injured leg, and he winced.

Immediately, Lady Tatania started a fuss over his wounds, much to his pleasure.

Becoming serious once more, he spoke. “The Horns are God's will, and if the angels' trumpets are sounded, it is long too late to join those chosen. All we can do is await word from King Robert and keep the faith with our Lord and Saviour.”

She shivered, thinking of what the Horns meant. “Then the second part of the apocalypse has begun.”

“It has,” he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “But we are together and will follow God's will for us as best we may. Only through him can we reach the Kingdom.”

“The first trumpet is the grasses and trees. Why are they not burning?” She asked, remembering a sermon from long ago.

Immediately beside the road, the tall trees swayed in the gentle breeze, unaffected and indifferent to the Horns.

“I do not know, love.” He said. “But with three horns blown, we should stockpile food. The next shall bring darkness, and soon shall come the Tribulation of the beasts. We must all prepare!”

“Mebbe Scotland is not to be harmed by our Lord’s wrath?” He suggested. “Mebbe there are people somewhere that are!” He winced and thought of a prayer for their souls deliverance to God.

A message in Latin filled his vision, which he translated in his head.

Fidem Auctus per 1 (Faith Increased by 1)

“And these messages,” he frowned, as the message disappeared, “have you received them too?”

She nodded, becoming serious. “I did,” she paused, trying to think how she should say what came next, “I received a dream while I was faint.”

The lord glanced at her. "A prophecy?" he asked.

“I saw an Angel who stood before a crowd of people. Hundreds of us stood in confusion. The Angel spread his wings, and a great calm came over me. He told us his name was Metatron, and that we appeared in that place to receive a message to spread to God's faithful. The great angel told us that the Tribulations had begun. He said that God was granting mankind a last gift through His Word.”

She shook her head. “It felt so real. As I woke, I saw a first message telling me I was a seer.”

She paused, remembering the vision.

“Metatron told us that the bargain struck between God and the Devil would allow us this boon. It would change the course of the Apocalypse from what they were,” she looked at her husband, worried he would react badly to her claim.

"The angel explained God has changed His design. The prophecy of John in Revelations is no longer true.”

She looked into his eyes, seeing his shock.

“We are now part of the 'Tribulation System' and must fight for God against the Devil's hordes. God’s gift to us is access, for now we fight the hordes of hell alone!”

The Lord was silent for a long moment as he considered this news. The implications were unclear, but he knew people. And what she had told him was dangerous. Not only to Tatania, but to anyone she told.

“Hmm, we will always fight for God, system or no.” James said, trying to comfort his wife. “But I ask ye. Keep that dream between us, the King and the Earl Moray. I fear what people may say if we question the Word of God as it is in the Bible. Worse, I fear what they may do.”

Then she remembered something else. “James, I thought I saw that boy glowing! And I could swear I heard the angels singing through him! Did you see it too?” She asked.

He nodded affirmation. “Aye. He glowed, and an angel seemed to sing. It caught me off guard so much I forgot I was in battle. Perhaps these visions we are seeing in gold text are the system God gave us, and Liam…” His voice trailed off, unsure what the truth was.

“Do you think he might have a gift from the system too?” She asked, hope filling her voice.

“God alone knows, beloved. But we should consult the priest, and if he does not seem sure, the new Bishop.” He said. He hoped the priest would say something vague, thus giving him an excuse to write the Bishop. “The Church warned us to beware false messengers. So, we must put our faith in the Mother Church as best we may.”

Lady Tatania nodded.

Lord Douglas continued. “But whatever Liam's gift is, it seems clear to me it comes from God. He saved us from a dreadful death today. More, he did so while still a child. That alone is a good enough reason for me to raise him to service. It is something I should have done anyway, given what we owe his father.”

She nodded her agreement and held her husband close. “Keep him close, James. We owe Lambe…” she cut off as Liam returned.

****************************

It took Liam only moments to find the horses, as they remained together in a clearing just beyond the thicketed eves of the road.

He looked around nervously. The last of the ambushers had run in this direction.

Fortunately, the fleeing brigand either did not seem to know how to ride, or had fled in terror and, in his haste, left the horses behind. Liam was wary in case he returned and approached the horses quietly, looking through the deep shadows and leaves of the ground cover.

He saw nothing but forest, and so turned to his task.

The first horse to notice Liam whickered loudly and caused four of the remaining five steeds to move to the other side of the small clearing. It was not far away, only about 30 paces, but if Liam kept spooking the horses, the sun would long be down before he gathered them all.

The problem was that he did not know how to get the horses to follow him. He remembered that getting behind and pushing was a terrible idea, as he’d once seen a man kicked by a surprised horse. The man died the same night from the wound.

Gathering the reins of the largest stallion in one hand, he tried pulling it along behind him. It dug its hooves into the loamy ground, whickering loudly in protest.

Liam turned, and with pleading eyes, pulled more gently. The horse took a step and stopped, watching him warily.

Putting out his hand and slowly approaching the horse, Liam grew even more nervous. It snapped its teeth at him, and Liam retracted his hand hastily. He desperately thought of a way to get the beast to move.

Liam didn’t want to spook the horse and have it run off. To the young boy, this was not merely a horse, but an absolute fortune in coin. Horses were a rarity that only those with significant wealth could attain and keep fed.

Thinking of the sum that this mount was worth made him queasy. Liam only earned a shilling a week, or nearly two pence per day, for his labour at the carpentry, meaning he barely made over four pounds a year.

All of that went on his food and clothing. A warhorse like this would cost at least twenty years of work, if it were all saved up and spent in one go. Liam dreaded having to return to Lord James with the news his steed had ridden off somewhere because of Liam’s incompetence.

The young boy’s heart sank as he considered the kindly promises of his Lord. He knew Lord Douglas honoured his word, but there was no way it could be.

A no-name orphaned carpenter boy becoming a Page for a Lord of Scotland? He’d be the talk of the town for even saying it was possible.

But his Lord had given Liam a task, and he would see it done.

He paused, thinking to see if his hands were still bloody, knowing the smell would make the horse skittish and may cause it to bolt.

Looking at his hands, he saw that whatever the powers that covered him in light were; they had cleansed his body of any grime or blood from the day. His calloused fingers were as clean as they’d ever been.

So, Liam thought to the horse. It isn’t because I’m dirty, it’s because you don’t know me.

He decided on a trick he’d seen a stable boy use on one of the shire horses in the area.

He’d needed to calm it to inspect an abscess in its hoof.

Liam had watched in awe as the stable hand murmured softly to the horse while looking away from it. The man had gently reached out a hand, and after a moment, petted the beast on the neck. Spending some time soothing the horse, he had moved to its face and began gently scratching its ears and face. Soon enough, it seemed to be comfortable with the stable hand, and work on its hoof proceeded without further delay.

Liam began speaking soothingly. He spoke of his hopes, of how he’d love to one day be a knight, to be important to other people, to be valuable to them and protect them.

He spoke of his fears, of how he’d frozen in terror for the first time in his life only moments before when he saw the Archer glow with an evil dark light.

He spoke of his shame, of how he’d killed another person, and how he hoped God would forgive him.

Without conscious thought, he rubbed at the horse’s neck as he spilled his mind. It simply listened and soon nuzzled at him in order to receive more targeted scratches.

Liam giggled in excitement as he noticed the tactic had worked. After a few more scratches, he turned and once more gently pulled on the reins.

The horse responded more readily now and soon he had reached another horse. This one saw that the first horse trusted Liam, and so came along with merely a quick petting and a gentle pull on the reins.

Now understanding what he needed to do to get these giant four-legged fortunes moving, he recovered the other horses and led them back towards the roadway.

Proudly arriving with the five horses in tow, he gave a clumsy series of bows that looked more like a hen-pecking grain than a courtier greeting his lord and lady.

“Milord, here are the horses.” He offered the reins of one to James and another to Tatania. “I’m afraid I never learnt how to ride Milord. Would ye like me to walk these back?”

James shook his head and reached out, taking the reins of the other horses and tying them to the saddle of another mount. The Lord let out the reins as much as possible to give the three hitched horses room to move with some freedom. Then he reached down and with surprising strength, the Lord of Douglas lifted Liam bodily into the saddle.

Liam beamed with awe. His first time riding a horse! And it was with the Lord and Lady of Douglas! Duncan and the other lads would burn with jealousy, he knew.

“Do not worry about the finer art of riding just yet, Liam, just set your feet here! And here!” He moved Liam’s feet into the stirrups, adjusting them so the boy could stand slightly in the saddle.

“And take the reins like so! Dinnae move them mind, the horse will follow us.” He said, putting the reins into Liam’s hands. The Lord looked at his wife as he stepped back from the horse.

“He is not yet ready for the gallop, or to ride a quintain, but he seems to sit a horse with a straight back.” He said, satisfied Liam would not fall off the beast.

Liam looked dubiously at the horse, flinching as its ears twitched. He wasn’t so sure he’d be happy with it moving at all. If they’d asked him, he would have been content to sit upon the standing horse for the rest of the night.

Lady Tatania noticed Liam’s nervous glances at the pair of nobles.

“Never you worry. These beasts are trail trained! You shouldn't need to do much.” She said, giving Liam a stunning smile.

Lord James mounted his steed and reached down to swing his wife into a side-saddle mount on his lap.

She smirked at her husband. “Not too bumpy a ride please, husband. I do not wish to arrive bruised.”

The comment passed unheeded by Liam, who lacked the worldly knowledge to comprehend the outrageous flirtation between the Lady and her Lord.

Lord Douglas, however, chuckled, muttering something about wicked women, as he gave a small nudge to the horse's flank, turning it and guiding it back down the road towards Douglas.

To Liam's immediate but easing shock, his horse turned to follow their lead without command or guidance. In silence, the survivors of the ambush began the brief journey home.

****************************

As the trio rode through town, Liam sat upon his horse, amazed by this new perspective. He was almost as tall as the eves of most of the surrounding homes! He could see so much more than when on foot.

Liam grinned as he rode, spotting places where he and Duncan had played childhood games.

Further ahead, a crowd was gathering. They watched in shock as Lord James approached. He said nothing to the crowd but rode past, head high. The gathering fell in behind the trio, a chorus of mutters and comments at the state of their muddied attire filling the street.

Liam and the other horses followed immediately behind the Lord, his mount deciding on the speed and direction on its own.

Passing the bakery, he spotted Duncan and waved. Duncan was staring open-mouthed at his friend, who was presently riding on a grand horse and being brought into the town in the company of the Lady and Lord!

He began motioning frantically that Liam should meet him as soon as he could, and Liam nodded, grinning. Turning in his saddle slightly, he saw Duncan join the crowd behind them.

The trio soon approached the local parish church, where a much larger crowd of worried townsfolk gathered at the doors.

From inside, Liam could hear the local priest conducting an impromptu service for his flock.

Liam had always liked the church. It provided him a place where he could think without the noise and commotion of the town. Sometimes he felt a need to separate from people and quietly contemplate his life.

The priest, however, thoroughly annoyed Liam. Often when seeking solitude, the priest would harangue visitors to the church for their manifest sin of sloth, or some other nonsense.

Full of self-importance, mercantile piety and pomposity, the priest turned every sermon into a discourse of his own role and the need of the church for more taxes.

The Priest provided very few funds to the poor from this parish. It made many in the town more grateful that Lord Douglas was not only capable in the land's administration, but in giving regular alms.

Lord Douglas stopped at the church where a fuss of noise arose, as the congregation paid their obeisance, many bowing low or kneeling. They soon began muttering worriedly as they saw the state of the Lord and Lady. Coated in mud and blood, the party was a sight to behold. The Lord's shield - battered beyond repair - provided proof that more trouble than the Tribulations had come to Douglas.

Duncan’s father stepped forward. "That looks like the work of that Demon-Boar!" He shouted. Muttering in agreement, the crowd stared at the state of their liege and lady, seeking answers for their dishevelled state.

Liam had heard the story of the Boar. Recent tales of a giant hog within the forest had been the talk of the village. It was likely that the Lord would soon call a hunt to deal with it.

If the townspeople knew the truth, however, they would have fled to the keep.

“We have dealt with the threat,” Lord James calmed the crowd. “And we shall send men into the forest to deal with any other attacks.”

He neither confirmed nor denied the baker’s words, seeking to soothe rather than explain.

For the Lord and Lady to be attacked by bandits on their own land was a direct threat. Mere beasts would not come into town to burn, seize and pillage. For now, it was better for the townsfolk not to know of bandits in the area. At least for now.

The apocalyptic signs already had the townsfolk badly shaken. If a more direct threat came upon them, they would likely fracture. For now, Lord James needed the unity of his people more than they needed the truth.

The more observant townsfolk spotted Liam sitting atop a guard’s mount while holding the reins of three more. Some, recognizing him gossiped furiously until their more respectful neighbours shushed them

He heard someone mutter. "Isn't that the carpenter's boy? Why's he sitting all high and mighty?"

Ignoring the comment, Liam looked over the crowd into the church. Through the open doors, the priest droned on in his sermon, intermittently anointing one after another of the townsfolk’s brows with fingers dipped in a bowl of holy water at the altar.

As the priest clearly had no intention of stopping, Lord James spoke to a trader who had been late to the congregation. The man quickly explained to the Lord that the Horns had caused a panic in the town. Fortunately, the Seneschal had sent men from the Keep to restore order and avert unrest.

After a quick search, two townsmen brought the Priest from the tavern and paid him to conduct an impromptu Mass. Many knew the book of Revelations from the readings of the bible. They hoped that by receiving a blessing so soon after the sounding of the Horns, they could avoid worse Tribulations to come.

Lord James nodded and asked the trader to send the Priest to the keep when he finished with the sermon. Then he addressed the crowd, his voice far stronger than that of the droning priest. "People of Douglas! You have heard the will of God today! Soon we shall face trials greater than any we have borne before. But we shall prevail! Why? For we are Scots! And if those English Bastards cannot defeat us, then we shall also cull the hordes of hell from our lands like the summer harvest!"

A mighty cheer rose from the gathered townsfolk.

"God save King Robert! And God Save Scotland!" Lord James called out and turned his mount away to the inspired cheers of the gathered congregation.

With those words of reassurance, the Lord and Lady moved on, Liam following in their wake as they wound their way towards the Keep.

****************************

As they reached the Keep, Men at Arms and archers began rushing out of the barracks, pulling chainmail and what little plate armour they owned into place. Lord Douglas’ Squire ran up, his thick chain mail clinking gently as he gave a brief bow and helped Lady Tatania to the ground. Lord James dismounted immediately, and the gathered troops quietened.

The Lord of Douglas spoke. “Squire Iain! Comyn’s bunch ambushed us just outside of town in the woods on the North Road. Ride out with a party of 15 men and retrieve our fallen. Take them to the Church when you've returned. There will also be some bodies of raiders. If their comrades have not claimed them by the time you arrive, burn them.”

The Lord of Douglas grasped the squire’s shoulder as he slid awkwardly from the saddle. “Also, take the dogs and track down any survivors of that bugger Comyn’s band and bring them to justice.”

He was turning away as a thought struck him. “If you find their camp and they have more than your own number of men, come back and inform me. Then we shall ride out with the garrison. Now be on your way!” Lord James dismissed him.

Liam noticed that the Lord of Douglas gave his orders confidently and without undue emotion. The response was immediate.

The Squire bowed to his Lord and turned to the men. “You heard your Lord, gather the horses and dogs!”

The men scattered and began preparing mounts for the fifteen who would accompany the squire. The rest of the guard took to the walls as the Seneschal approached and began fussing over Lady Tatania.

Lord James smiled and beckoned Liam to follow them into the Keep.

*************************

Liam waited just inside the doors of the Keep for a long time, expecting to be sent back to the carpentry with nary a word of thanks. It soon surprised him when he found a messenger had summoned Colm to the Keep at the Lord's bidding.

As Colm entered through the doors of the Keep, the Seneschal met with him, and Liam stood nervously as the two spoke.

“Master Carpenter, thank you for coming. The Lord is currently busy with other matters, yet he wishes for you to know that this young gentleman will no longer be in apprenticeship to you.” Colm’s brows furrowed and he looked askance at Liam.

“The Lord has created him a Page of the Lord Douglas. From what I heard; he rose on his own merits.” The seneschal confirmed.

Colm’s’ eyes bugged at that news. Liam could see he had flushed with embarrassment on seeing his apprentice, thinking the boy had somehow gotten himself into mischief.

That he had indeed done!

Colm smiled proudly at Liam as tension left him.

“Sir Keith, please send my thanks to Lord Douglas for seeing the young gentleman’s merit. I am sad to see him leave the workshop, yet I know he shall be of valuable service.” Colm bowed to the seneschal and then gave a much smaller bow to Liam.

Then he smiled and bent his head to Liam.

“You owe me an axe lad, but I am proud of you, however you managed this!”

Liam’s eyes teared up a bit, but he nodded and patted Colm on the shoulder in the manner he had seen men doing as they left each-other's company after a night drinking, as friends and equals. “Thank you for your care and training, Master Carpenter.” Liam said earnestly. “God be with you and keep you!”

The seneschal curled an eyebrow at the mature display of thanks and farewell the boy gave. To treat the carpenter as an equal was now an honour to the old master, giving him the respect of a lower noble.

The seneschal eyed Liam in a calculating manner. He had seen him occasionally out in the town and had never considered him anything but a lanky and somewhat bothersome lad. Taller than the other children around him, but still crude in manner.

Now he reconsidered the young man he saw before him. Perhaps he was a more capable individual than the old knight thought.

The Seneschal explained to Colm that Lord Douglas thanked Colm for his care of the Page, producing a small bag of coin for: “... his service to Douglas”.

As the steward handed over the pouch - the contents of which would surely compensate the carpenter for losing an able senior apprentice for a few years - Liam watched Colm struggling to hold back tears.

“Thank you, Master Colm,” the Seneschal dismissed him, turning to Liam. “You are to wait here for me or one of the other Page boys to return.” He said. Liam bowed and watched Colm retreat through the gatehouse of the curtain wall.

Colm had looked as shocked as Liam at the confirmation of his new status, as Liam had assumed that the Lord was merely being kind at suggesting he become a Page.

The people in town would see an elevation to the role of servant as a worthy reward and social advancement for a young boy giving his Lord vital aid. Yet to be elevated to the lowest gentlemanly rank of Page and have it confirmed?

Liam still didn’t understand the reasons behind his great fortune. Regardless, he was beyond grateful for it and swore to throw himself into any task offered with a fervour of focus and attention.