The great campaign

a hard day's work

Vesimir didn't need a klok or alarm to wake up early, his body already did that for him, and it wasn't a struggle to rise either. Cause when the darkness of the night disappeared an got replaced with faint sunlight, he'd just opened his eyes and fly out of his sheets with all the energy he needed for the day. It also helped that there was a knight staying in their house and talking to him some more was something he excitingly looked forward to.

Sadly, with a glance around the room he could tell that mister Davil wasn't there anymore. Vesimir's face saddened for a moment then turned neutral the other. He was gone now, nothing to be done about it.

In the corner of the room an almost empty sack of bread lied, that was his breakfast. He ate it while sitting on the chair watching over his mother, remembering the times before she got sick. She was such a lively woman; whenever Vesimir told her his day that consisted of playing outside with the other boys she would listen with such attention. Even if it was about something stupid like finding a weird looking bug or poking a dead bird.

When he was done telling his little story she'd also have a nice moral to it, things that Vesimir could do to deal with the small problems he faced everyday. Vesimir got hurt often and Mary was always there to comfort him, to put a bandage his wounds, to give him a magic kiss were it counted.

Then one day, it started going downhill. First it was small things like her catching a cold more often than normal or her suddenly feeling nauseous. Very soon though, she started skipping work days cause she felt to weak, she wouldn't be able to even lift herself or even talk. She'd just lie in her bed all day in a pool of sweat

Vesimir knew that days like that would keep coming, but as soon as Mary felt better and got out of bed she would tell him not to worry, that things like this happened, and when it did you'd need to tough it out.

That was years ago. Now he was looking at her grey hair that was previously blond, her wrinkled face that was smooth before, her frail body that could lift him in the past. This was a factor of life now for him. When he finished his bread he gently kissed his sleeping mother on the forehead then left the room.

The mines where just twenty minutes away from his house at the outskirts of the town. He arrived there earlier than most of his co-workers. Within minutes had his gear on, that was specially made for mining activity, put on his helmet, and had his pick axe by his side.

At the entrance he saw his boss Steff, that was looking back at him proudly. The boss was a short man for his age, so short that he and Vesimir had a 20 cm difference in height. 'Still hungry for work Vesimir.' Steff said. 'Of course mister.' he responded with the same optimism he expected for the day.

12 hours is how long he worked in the mines were he did nothing more than dig for coal, chalk and other minerals from the earth. As the day went on his friends also started arriving one after the other. On the job there wasn't to much talking between them; once you entered the warm dusty mines it would just immediately put into work mode.

And so the day under the ground went over quickly and Vesimir ran to Steff for this months payment, the mister handed him fifteen copper. 'You've done very well Vesimir keep it going.' the boss said. Vesimir counted the coins in his palm when he saw the difference from his usual payment and asked, 'Only fifteen copper?' while raising one his eyebrows.

The boss looked to the ground and said, 'Yeah I know, the big heads up above are saying we don't have enough ores to justify our usual payment.' He sighed. 'Their right, this mine has been running dry lately, sooner or later we will have to close this one and go for another near Hestia.'

Vesimir gasped then said in a scarred tone: 'Hestia I don't even know where that is!' 'I know kid, it's a long way... to long for you to travel alone. Can your mother leave the house or even walk at the moment?' Steff knew of his mother, as Vesimir told him accidentally when they first met. Since then he had been looking out for the boy as if he was his own kid: keeping Vesimir from telling his story to other coworker when he could, paying him extra when he had enough money himself, Steff did all that was possible for the kid.

'No, it's actually getting worse everyday, her hair turned grey mister Steff. But that's alright,' Vesimir's face brightened as he smiled. 'It will be blond again when I take her to the sage.' 'If only that damn fool didn't charge that much.' The boss hissed. 'Still I have to ask mister,' Vesimir said. 'how long until the mines close of?'

'About a two weeks.' Steff

responded. Vesimir's fell to the ground, looked at his boss and asked if it was true. 'yes, the news came sudden to me too.' The mister went to his knee to look the kid in the eyes. 'look, your a good kid, and they like hard workers like you in the workforce. I can put in a good word for you for one of the farmers outside of town. There you'll make a fine living.'

'I can't mister Steff. It's to far away from home, so if I go work at a farm I have to live there for a long time. Then I can't take care of mom. I'm sorry, but thank you.' Vesimir said. Steff looked disappointed, but then taped the kid on the shoulder and told him it was alright.

Deep inside he wished that Vesimir was born into his family, that he was his son. If he could've he would've adopted the boy a long time ago and taken him right along to Hestia. Though he never asked the boy something like that, Vesimir loved his mother too much to abandon her, it also would have been downright disrespectful to her.

Vesimir said, 'i guess I will just work as a paper boy or something in that direction.' he knew a job like that wouldn't pay enough, Steff also knew but didn't say anything about that. 'I would start looking right now, a week barely enough to find a new job.'

With that Vesimir waved his boss goodbye and left for the day. It was 6 a.m and the boy still has many things to do. So with the copper coins clenched in his fist he ran to his destination's. First he ran to the market place to buy two things: Bread and paste. The two things that filled his belly for the last 10 months alongside water.

He needed to buy them bi weekly or else he would starve. Both of them he could get at the bakery for 3 coppers. Then, with a sack of food on his back he was running to the landlord his house to pay this months rent.

The landlord lived near the edges of block b so it was just a short half-hour into the city. When he was arrived, there was a line of people that went past the gates into the mansion. All with their own coin in hand. Lord Brody owned almost every building from block c- the neighborhood were Vesimir lives-, but it wasn't from hard work. He inherited it. Unlike Vesimir, the landlord got pampered from infancy, therefore he could never relate to the the poor that paid him.

He always threw parties whenever he could and if he didn't have enough money he just raised the taxes. Nothing more than free money that's what he saw them as. At the front of the line you could hear how he harassed the people with every chance he could. If you couldn't pay up to what you owed him, one of his personal guards would chop you down, speak up against him and he would also kill you. Everybody had to take it, cause what choice did they have.

They didn't have guards to keep the justice, those were all preserved for the a and b blocks. What the c blocks had was different, they had gangs to keep the peace.

Vesimir now stood on the front of the line. The landlord sat on a chair Infront of a table where a metal pot lied. It was full of copper and even silver coins, more money than Vesimir ever had. If it weren't for the many guards that patrolled the mansion the landlord would've been robbed and killed a long time ago. Brody was also a fat man that reminded Vesimir of a pig cause of his fat face, and oily skin that scared the boy.

Never had he ever seen someone build like the landlord, everyone in his neighborhood was either skinny or muscled. Brody though, was different, every part of his body was stuffed to the max. It was also the way how he always was sitting, but still looked out of breath.

To avoid as much trouble as he could, he flung his six coppers in the pot and walked away at a fast pace. 'Wait a minute boy!' and impatient tone came from the wooden table behind Vesimir. He turned around and looked with dread to Brody.

'Your Vesimir right, the son of that fine woman Mary.' he continued. 'Yes.' The landlord raised raised his eyebrow and Vesimir got the memo. 'Yes, my lord.' he said in his most graceful tone. 'Tell me, were has she been lately, i haven't seen that girl in almost a year now.' 'Oh wel...' Vesimir paused for a moment, and looked in deep thought as to what he could say.

Eventually he said, 'She wanted to make me have more responsibility, so I come to pay rent now.' The landlord raised his eyebrow again, and Vesimir got the memo again 'My lord.' the boy said. 'Wel a young boy has to learn how to be a man somehow.' Brody said to one of his guards and laughed, he sounded as if he was grunting. Then he faced the boy again and said,

' Address me wrong once more and you'll be killed boy.' Vesimir knew it was true, all it took was a nod to one of his guards and he would be shot down. He gulped and said, 'Yes my lord.' 'Anyways, Mary is such a piece of beauty, when I last saw her she glowed like the sun.'

He laid his head on his hands and looked to the distance dreamingly. 'She promised me that I could take her to Dorsia.' He peered at the kid with a evil glare and continued 'You know what happened of that date,' 'No my lord.' 'Nothing! Absolutely nothing,' The landlord slammed both his hands on the table twice, making the money pot ring as coins flew out.

Brody rose from his chair rather quickly for a man of his size and stamped to the kid. Vesimir tripped backwards trying to escape the persuit. Soon though Brody coming to close that he grabbed the small boy by both of his upper arms and yelled to his face. The landlord howled, 'Months after months she'd tell me, "well maybe we can go on a later date." Or "Sorry I'm to busy at the moment."' he imitated her light voice poorly. Spit sprayed in the boy's face as Brody barked at him. Those tight grips on his arm were also starting to hurt, no not just pain, it was a torturing feeling.

Vesimir schrieked. 'Enough!' A man shouted from the background. Vesimir heard someone behind him step closer, as boots of the man clopped like a mighty stallion. The boy saw a shadow rise over him to the face of Brody.

He turned around to see the man he saw yesterday, with his two revolvers on his hips, and slicked back hair. 'That's not how you treat a child,' The man made clear. 'so you better let go now Brody.' 'Cobain.' The landlord said at a low, annoyed tone as he loosened his grip on Vesimir. 'Are you alright kid?' The man asked with a smile. Vesimir nodded silently as he looked upward to the man. 'What are you doing here Cobain,' The Landlord said. 'You can't just enter my private property.'

'I can go wherever I need to be Brody.' Cobain responded. The landlord laughed out, 'Ha, you and your little group don't have that type of of authority,' he squinted his eyes. 'You aren't even recognized by the king.'

The man was grinning, kept a cool expression, his eyes were relaxed. 'Everybody knows that we are beyond the king,' he said. 'Especially beyond your fake one.' Now, the people waiting in the line, the guards, and even Brody gasped. One of the guards screamed, 'You sunnufabitch,' Loaded his rifle, pointed to Cobain, pulled the trigger. *BANG*the guard fell forward, and facepalm into the ground. On the back of his head you could see a read dot. At that sight everyone from the crowd backed up from the Cobain with their mouth agape, some men even standing Infront of their woman. At the sight of blood spreading on the floor Vesimir also backed away from the man.

Cobain blew the smoke from his revolver and spun it in his hand. 'Who want some more?' he confidently asked. The other five guards all got into a line formation and all pointed their rifles at Cobain. 'Pull the trigger and you'll all die.' The gunslinger warned. Now that they were all in a standoff, Cobain pulled his second gun. 'Stop stop all of you!' The landlord jumped in between them. 'Don't shoot him, I paid alot for all of you.' He said to the guards.

Reluctantly the all started to lower their rifles. 'And you!' He faced Cobain. 'You are standing on thin ice.' 'Just leave the kid alone then Brody.' The gunslinger responded. 'Then WHAT THE f**k ARE YOU WAITING FOR, LEAVE KID.' The landlord snapped at Vesimir. The boy startled, so Cobain said, 'You better say that again Brody, but nice.' Brody grunted, then said in the kindest way Vesimir ever heard from him 'You can leave now boy.' Vesimir heard Cobain say 'Good job.' as if he was talking to a child, but that didn't matter to him anymore. He bowed to Brody twice and said, 'Thank you my Lord, till next time my lord.'

he walked away from the line to the direction of his home. When he was far away from the mansion he heard two people call out his name, those people were misses en mister Calls. They were the parents of his friend Anthony. He saw them often when he went to pick up his friend. He considered them family. They ran and hugged Vesimir with the warmt of two parents almost.

We saw what happened.' misses Calls said, while wiping the spit of the boy his face 'Are you alright.' mister jumped in. The boy only nodded. 'show me your arms.' mister and misses said at the same time. They pulled up his sleeves to see blue bruises on his biceps.

'Oh you poor boy.' Misses said. She hugged him again, this time harder than before. After the second embrace Vesimir said, 'You said that you saw what happened.' it got quiet for a second. Misses Calls looked surprised but then looked away in shame. 'We couldn't do anything against the lord, or else we would've been killed.' Mister Calls said followed by a, 'We are sorry.'

both of them shared a look of embarrassment. 'It's alright, it's not as if something bad happened. I need to get home, it's starting to get dark out.' Vesimir said. The Calls raised their heads to the boy but he was already running away to his home.

later he was back at the rundown apartment were he lived. Later he opened the door to his room but first pulled down his sleeves again. That's when he saw a dark figure that was sitting on the floor. It was Davil, who calmly turned his head to the kid, smiled, and stood up. Mary was still laying on their bed and was probably talking to the man before the boy came in.

It didn't matter to him. Vesimir jumped on the man and gave him a hug. The man flinched, such a reaction he did not expect from 'Davil, I thought you left.' He said. 'Don't just jump on people Vesimir, not everyone likes that.' Mary told the boy in a commanding way. Embarrassed the boy backed away slowly. David still petted Vesimir, the only way he could respond. After everyone had settled in peace, Vesimir started taking care of his mother. She refused, she told him that the man already did that for him.

'Davil is going to take you somewhere for a while. You follow him to were he takes you.' Mary said. 'oh, were will he take me?' Vesimir asked. Mary looked at Davil and he said, 'To were we first met. I am going to train how to be a knight.'

Vesimir eyes glowed with surprised but his lights dimmed quickly. 'How long?' '5 days.' 'Thank you but I can't I have to take care of mom.'

'Don't worry about that, i can do that while we are gone. this is not the first time i took care of a sick person. And you can see her too, it's just an hour walk.'

It was at that moment that Vesimir looked like a bottle of soda that was shook to the max. Ready to burst with energy. Soon the boy was following Davil to that spring, ready to become a knight.