The stone floor was cold but still Tobias knelt, as a boy and as a recruit. Soon, he would rise as a knight. He would stand alongside nobles and holy men beneath the High Priest's eye and hand. All who stood against the Gods would fear his blade. Any blasphemer would think twice about crossing his path...

...at least, that's how he was supposed to feel. Instead, he was just happy to be making a decent amount of coin and have a secure roof over his head. He focused on doing what he had to in order to keep his family fed and warm.

Speaker approached, one of the men who could purportedly commune with the Gods. His robes were long and silver, his head shaved clean and shined so his mind was exposed to the divine word descending from above. Speaker stood above Tobias and did nothing for a while. Tobias didn't need to look up to know that he had his eyes closed and palms upturned, apparently receiving messages from Qinos, the God of Laws. Possibly Hivlotyl, God of the Hunt, as well. Maybe throw in a little Ledenar, God of Chivalry, for good measure. He wondered if even the men who devoted their lives to the church could actually keep track of all the different names and blessings.

The church was enormous and the smallest shift in movement could send an echo hurtling across the cavernous room. Groups of people stood behind Tobias, a crowd of cityfolk who arrived to witness the coronation, as well as his fellow trainees who would become knights someday after him. Among those trainees, his friends. Stephon, the lanky goofball, was the quietest Tobias had ever heard him. Warren, heavy-set and modest, was silent as always. And all the others, the people he'd spent an entire year alongside watched him approach the next step. It was supposed to be emotional. He wished he was doing this because it was his Dream or his Purpose, like the rest of them. Even though he had a different path than they all expected, and he had grown attached to them all, he just couldn't get into the moment. He would have to leave it all behind soon enough.

Speaker lifted the jug at his feet and slowly dripped warm water over Tobias' head, not a lot, just enough to keep the "bond". Water was the bond between the divine and the mortal, of course. Anyone who didn't have their head shaved, spent their entire lives being whipped for wrong answers on tests and having naughty thoughts about a woman needed a little extra help to be connected to those merciful Gods.

Tobias wondered how many scars were on that man's backside. He wondered if what Speaker and all these religious men of the city had chosen to go through was worth never being able to touch a woman.

"Tobias," said Speaker, his voice low and slow, "You kneel before the Church, the Knighthood and the Gods as a trained warrior. Now, under the eyes of Qinos, Hivlotyl, and Izesus--"

Izesus, Tobias thought, That's a good one too.

"--you will rise as a Knight. A loyal Knight to the High-Priest and servant to the Gods, forever bound by their judgement... and forever gifted a seat in their Kingdom for all eternity... Rise, Tobias, Knight of Shieldhome."

Tobias slowly stood and was promptly cloaked by two knights in a cape of silver with golden markings. He turned around to the Knights, his friends, and the citizens of Shieldhome, and they all bowed low before rising again to clap for him.

He stared at Stephon who held a serious face while he honored Tobias formally, two fingers saluting, a firm, straight posture. Then they both broke into wide smiles unable to contain themselves any longer. Tobias trudged down the steps to the space before the sea of pews leading toward the tall church doors and the two of them embraced.

"A knight who can't even beat a lowly recruit in a duel?" Stephon joked.

"More like a knight who had the best time of any of you rookies in the trial race."

"Ah, yes," Stephon said as they released, "Fastest to run away from battle. A very interesting technique."

The two laughed, no strangers to expressing their love through berating. Warren approached Tobias and they hugged without a word.

"Thanks, buddy," Tobias said, and Warren smiled back, patting Tobias on the arm.

"This calls for some ale? Yes? I believe I heard someone mention it?" Stephon said.

"Disrespectful even beneath the feet of the Gods," said a commanding voice, and the three young men visibly stiffened. "Stephon, I can read you like a book." The Captain of the Fourth Company of the Royal Army, Sandon Storr, approached them, his war armor magnificent and powerful. All knights wore that striking, notable steel armor for these divine occasions, shined and practically glowing.

"Captain," said Tobias and Stephon. Warren saluted along with them.

"Tobias," Sandon said, "You will make a fine Knight. I'm looking forward to remaining in your company."

"Thank you, sir. As will I."

Sandon smiled. His face was harsh with stubble of hair across his face and on top of his head. "It appears you have someone waiting for you, however. Don't let us all keep her waiting." the Captain said.

The church doors had been opened, bleeding in bright light, as some people had left for the markets or to the altars around the outside of the church to place offerings or recite prayers for the new Knight who would protect them all. Within the light was a small shadow. Tobias didn't need to look too hard to recognize Kip's typical relaxed standing position. He could pick the curl of hair that stuck out of her head out of a crowd of people too.

"Ahh," Stephon said. "Love makes me sick. Go on then."

Tobias punched him in the arm, saluting to them and the Captain once again before walking off toward the doors.

Along the way he was greeted by citizens of Shieldhome. They offered him their quick prayers and trust in his strength. He nodded politely and told them he would do his best.

Kip was clapping slowly, looking him up and down, a smirk on her face. He hurried his pace.

She gave him a funny look. Tobias broke out into a run.

"What are you doing?!" she shrieked with a laugh as he ran through the doors and he scooped her up, trodding down the stairway as she smacked him on the head.

"Heya Skipper," he said. She tugged on his curly brown hair.

"I thought you were going to tackle me down the stairs," she breathed, "Good to know you haven't gone mad from all your new divine power."

When they reached the bottom of the stairs he put her down. "Yeah, all that power," he said. "I'm just a glorified mercenary. Getting paid to bully people the High-Priest doesn't like sure is power."

The court of Shieldhome was bright and built of stone far below them. A platform before the church stood high on a hill, looking out on the city and the hazy blur of the defense walls in the distance.

"It's money," she said. "You think I want to be working over a hot stove all day, do you?"

He thought for a moment. Then said, "Actually, yes. Yes, I do. I've never seen a blacksmith happier, melting away next to those fires and coals. I don't know how you do it."

She straightened her back and smirked, always confident in her skill with metal-crafting. "Someone's gotta do it, you know. 'Best blacksmith in Shieldhome' I hear them sayin' these days."

"Yeah, well," Tobias said, "Just. You know. Be careful."

He felt her urge to protest. But they both knew what he meant.

"Always," she told him. She wrapped her arms around his and he placed a palm on her belly, feeling the small protrusion, reminding himself it'll all be okay as they descended the rest of the stairs, through the markets.

It was night and outside the city gates, Tobias admired the cloak he received within the dim light of his and Kip's bedroom. The golden markings were in the divine tongue - he should have guessed. As far as he could tell, it read "For the One Light" or "One Light Over Us" or something along those lines.

He left it to see to the remaining food he was preparing for when Kip got home from the smithy. As he cooked, he thought hard over their decisions. Shieldhome wasn't as safe a home as the name might suggest. But, the plan was going well. Tobias worked hard to make it into Knighthood. Kip was making a name for herself as a blacksmith. Money came in and the time to leave soon approached.

He squeezed the handle of the wooden spoon as he stirred the stew. They've come so far and a new life was just on the horizon. He wasn't about to let it all die now. Only a few more steps.

The afternoon was a chilly one. He sat out on the porch as the food stayed warm on the stove top and took the time alone to recline in the wooden chair outside and smoke. He and Kip had inherited a house from Tobias' deceased parents. As far as the church knew, they were soon to wed one another, but these things had to be planned in advance. Now that they both had secure positions in society, the wedding papers would be filled out by the priests and a ceremony would be held. Two months from now.

The plan was to run before then. But to do that, they needed the right connections and the right supplies. Luckily, that process was almost over and completely settled.

As Tobias thought this, almost on cue, the silhouette of Cade was seen trudging up the path. The house stood on a small hill, a modest patch of land far from the rest of the avenues in the commons, still within the defense walls but outside of the city proper. The dirt path wound its way to the downtown area, through some patches of trees before reaching the farmlands and neighborhoods outside the city gates.

Cade stood tall holding a lantern illuminating his front as he trudged up the hill, dressed in his brown robes, his head nice and bare.

Tobias packed his pipe full and lit a match, enjoying the crackle of burning tobacco as Cade stepped onto the porch. Tobais took a deep inhale, held it with eyes closed and exhaled, sinking deeper into his chair. He looked up at Cade and held out his pipe.

Cade scowled. "I am a representative of the Gods," he said. "What purpose would I have with this?"

Tobias smiled. Cade couldn't keep a serious face on for long and snorted, placed the lantern down and took the pipe. He sat down in the chair next to Tobias and took a healthy inhale of the unhealthy smoke.

"Fuck," Cade said, and the curse made Tobias flinch, certainly not at all used to a priest using such language, no matter how long he had known Cade for. "This is the one thing I look forward to with our visits," Cade said. He handed Tobias the pipe.

"You mean you don't look forward to our riveting conversations?"

"I don't," Cade said bluntly, his voice crackling like the fires in the pipe. The man was much older than Tobias, his eyes tired. The man had seen and done many dangerous things. Things that should have killed him by now.

"I suppose that's fair," Tobias said, inhaling from the pipe.

There was silence for a while, the only sounds being Tobias smoking, followed by Cade. They both watched the stars above them. Tobias considered the existence of the Gods, as he usually did at night watching the stars. He wondered if Cade did the same, or if the priest was dead-set on his secret rebellion against the church.

"How is her health?" Cade asked, reclining into the seat. His robes were golden as well as brown as shown now beneath the torch lights on the porch walls, many layers to protect him from the chill of the night. A large hood that could cover his entire face, was off his head sagging far down his back.

"I'm no alchemist," Tobias said, "But she seems completely fine. It won't be long before she starts showing. But I'm assuming..."

"...that your contact is prepared? You would assume correctly. What do you take me for?"

"At least not a senile old man - yet."

Cade snorted, shaking his head. "I owe you, don't I? I'd be a sinner to go back on a promise."

Tobias decided not to mention that Cade helping him was also sinning in the eyes of the church... but he assumed the man was already aware of that and didn't take much meaning to the concept of "sin".

"In one month I will contact you again," Cade said, handing him some papers and a small map from the inside of his robe. Tobias took them carefully, not looking, intently listening to Cade. "It won't be me in person who contacts you however. It will be a man named Swift. Your first mission as a knight will be carried out on the twenty-sixth of next month. You will leave two nights before that. Swift will come to you in the night, be on the lookout for him, and you two will follow him to horses that will be prepared for you. Bring nothing but a pack for food and water and your sword."

Tobias' heart skipped a beat, the exhilaration of this news and the fear overwhelming.

"You never know what could go wrong. Kip can fight, yes?"

"Yes."

"Good. You will both ride with Swift two towns away with only one rest. The horses I've prepared for you are strong and agile. On that top sheet of paper is written the name of the tavern and who you'll speak to there - a woman named Tat. If all goes well..."

Tobias hated the word if.

"...the documents and identifications will be signed and passed through the proper channels. You will be officially outside of the Kingdom's jurisdiction and hold different names in the Scarred Lands. You will be, legally, completely different humans. And because of that, the church cannot touch you for the crimes of Tobias and Kip, as they will no longer exist."

"Thank you," was all Tobias could say.

"Don't mention it," Cade said. "Ever, in fact. This is the last time we will see each other, Tobias." He sighed. "Damn, I'm going to miss smoking."

Tobias laughed, and he was pleasantly surprised to see Cade smile softly over at him.

"I do hope our paths cross again," Cade said. "But I doubt they will. You understand."

"I do," Tobias said reluctantly. He wasn't sure what to say. He had known Cade for years and now that it was finally coming to an end, he felt as though there needed to be more happening, so the man knew how grateful he was. "Cade, I really do --"

"No," Cade said, "No need for all that," he said. He rubbed a hand down his long bead which only hung from the bottom of his chin and he grinned at Tobias with his naturally crooked smile. "One last smoke, eh? That'll do."

Tobias stood and watched as Cade finished the pipe off with a deep inhale. Cade's eyes were closed, seemingly enjoying every second of the burn and taste. He held it as he returned the pipe to Tobias, then exhaled a white puff of smoke into the night.

Then, he broke out coughing - hacking, wheezing. Tobias laughed and supported him, patting the larger man on the back. "Lost a couple final years with that one I think," Cade managed to say through immense heaves of breath.

He recovered himself, wiped his mouth and stood tall again, eyes watering. Tobias assumed it was from the coughing attack he had, but there was a certain sadness in his eyes.

Cade looked him up and down, said "Right then," and squeezed Tobias's shoulder before stepping off the porch and throwing up his hood, heading back to the church.

But he stopped. Paused. Then made his way back to the porch. It wasn't like Cade to second guess anything or forget to mention something. Tobias swallowed.

"I didn't want to give you this..." Cade said, "But under the circumstances it might be worth thinking about."

"What... what is it, Cade?"

Cade handed him a small glass vial. The liquid inside was as black as night. Cade didn't release it when Tobias grabbed it.

"One sip of this," he told him, his eyes stern and steady, "And no more child to worry about."

Tobias released the vial but Cade was still holding onto it tightly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tobias asked.

"Exactly how it sounded. This is forbidden alchemy. The church, as I'm sure you've guessed, isn't full of people devoted to the divine order. There are dark practices within. But there are also more people like me who help sinners like you."

"Kip would never agree to such a thing," was all Tobias could say. He could never bring that up with her. They were in trouble, sure, and if she wasn't pregnant they'd certainly have a lot less to worry about. But Kip was overjoyed when Cade's alchemists confirmed her pregnancy. Despite the peril, she was happy.

Cade put the vial into Tobias' shirt pocket despite Tobias' flinching away.

"Pour it into her food. Some soup, perhaps. It's tasteless, completely odorless."

Rage sparked within Tobias. "You... You son of a--"

Cade jabbed his finger into Tobias' chest, shutting him up with the force.

"Listen to me. I'm here for you kid, but not every plan is perfect. You two get caught having conceived before marriage, your wife goes to jail and when she gives birth, the child is owned by the church, and will be forever branded a plagued soul, spending its entire life making up for your mistakes."

Tobias trembled.

"You get caught trying to cross the border? You both get jailed for unauthorized departure, and potentially hanged for the additional sins you've committed. And my connections... well they'll receive their own form of punishment. Everyone's in danger here."

Cade relaxed and took a breath.

"I'm not saying you have to do it," he continued, calmer. "You're my friend, Tobias. I'd never force you to do anything. You can smash that poison on the ground after I leave for all I care. I'm simply giving you options. Kip ingests this? She gets sick for a day or so and the child forming inside of her is liquified and purged. Completely painless aside from some sickly side effects."

Tobias felt the vial inside his shirt pocket.

"Goodbye, Tobias. I'm sorry to end it this way. I just figured I should give you every option available."

Cade left. Tobias watched him go until his body vanished among the shadows.

He promptly seized the vial from his pocket, squeezed it and reeled back to shatter it on the porch. He stayed tense and didn't follow through. His hand relaxed and he sat back in the chair once again. He considered the stew simmering away inside.

Then, he shook his head and stuffed the vial into his pocket, in disbelief that he was considering it. Kip would be devastated. He would never be able to go back from that decision.

But, still, he didn't destroy the vial. He kept it in his pocket.

He remained in fear over the outcome of whatever he chose to do. Destroying it or using it. Either path forward seemed to end in potential misery.

Then, he noticed a figure making its way up the dirt path. Kip with her usual cloak and walking staff. For a moment, he forgot about it all and went inside to prepare a bowl of stew for her.