Hynes Family/Alois/Crusade/RP4

Alois sat high atop Traveller, watching as the Army spread out along the rode ahead of him like a giant snake, spearpoints and polished armor and helms glistening in the sunlight. Beautiful, brightly colored banners emblazoned with the Arms of Itorunt and the individual sigil of the house of the Knight-Commander's fluttered in the breeze at the head of each company, separating each unit.

He felt the tightness in his chest, the breathlessness that came with the excitement of campaign. Beside him rode the boy, dressed in fresh, shining maile and a steel greathelm with the visor raised. He still looked pale, sickly, and in shock. Their undead encounter in Ejarr Puttl had jarred him slightly. Alois knew he had wanted to run, to bolt away from the action, but he hadn't.

"Pate," he called, reaching across and handing the squire a half-chewed crab apple, "Take it. Settle your nerves a bit."

Nervously, with a shaking hand, the Squire took the crabapple and bit down on it where Alois had stopped.

"He died last night," Alois said suddenly, "That other volunteer who got hit in Ejarr. Went peaceful like, asleep. Infection, healer's say."

Alois had stopped to pay his respects before giving the order to make camp. The body lay covered in the middle of the healer's tent, but the sickly sweet, sour familiar smell of infection hung thick in the air as he approached.

"I don't think I'm cut out to be a Knight," Pate said suddenly.

"We're not born with the stomach for death, Boy," Alois said quietly, "It's something that you acquire. Something you will acquire by the time we get where we're going."