I began my slow march towards the Kingdom. I wouldn't be sneaking in or trying to make my way inside under cover. I would march loudly through the Realm destroying any Raider I would come across.
I had cleared every village within the vicinity of where I made my camp for the last few years. It was a long journey before I came across a single person let alone a Raider. A lone wanderer was traveling the trail in tatters that could barely be called clothing. He was too tired to even raise his head or run off the trail to avoid me. He was broken.
"Where is it you are coming from?"
"Please Sir, do you have any food or water you can spare?"
"I do, but I need you to answer my question first."
"I was a captive of the Mudwood. I managed to escape when they were allowing us to relieve ourselves. I ran as far and fast as I could."
"How far away are they now?" I threw the man a water skin as I asked the question.
"I don't know. I have been walking for days. They must have decided that I would simply die and left me to my own demise."
"Have you altered your direction since leaving them? Have you stayed on this trail the whole time?"
"No, I turned off the trail I was on a day ago. It was leading towards the Kingdom."
"Where were you heading towards?" I tossed him some dried berries and vegetables to eat. "Make sure you eat that slowly otherwise you will get yourself sick and have to start all over again."
"I am from a village near the desert lands. I was hoping I could find my way back there."
"You are heading in the right direction, but there is little there for you. The Raiders destroyed everything, before I could destroy them. There is one small area that you could go. If you follow this trail, you will run into the area I was camped. I lived there for several years as I rid this area of the Mudwood. There is a small hut and a garden, with some horses roaming free. There is no live stock but there is a steam of clear water. It offers little in protection of the Raiders return, but I'm going to do my best to see that they don't do that."
"Thank you, I promise I will keep it in good order until you return."
"I will not be returning, but maybe someday, the people will return to their homes. Consider that your home for as long as you want it."
"Thank you again. Did you say that you rid this area of Raiders?"
"I did."
"Are you...are you The Patchwork Knight?"
"That is a name I have been called."
"You are a hero to the people. Your name is spoken in quiet by us, but we have shared your tales. The Raiders speak your name loudly, and with pure hatred. You have made a mess of the Mudwood's plans."
"How do you hear these tales?"
"The villagers that you have saved, not all of them have made it to the Palace. The ones who have been captured along the trail have told of how you saved them and defeated entire armies with your twin blades."
"They aren't twins?"
"What?"
"The blades, they aren't twins."
"Oh. The Raiders get reports from their scouts of areas that were supposed to be occupied but have been empty of everyone and everything. May I ride at your side? I can handle myself with a weapon, not as well as Knight, but well enough to keep myself alive. I would be honored to help you rid the Realm of the Mudwood."
"I believe every word you say, but I do not ride with others anymore. I would much rather you rest in that small hut and regain all of your strength. Live your life as free as you can without having to fight. Be there to help the people reclaim their lives when they return. If you can handle a weapon, you can handle tools, and you can build s new village. There are several villages within a few miles of that hut, you can explore them for tools and supplies."
"But, you can't take on the whole of the Mudwood by yourself."
"I don't plan on it. It is my hope that by the time I reach the Kingdom, that they rest of the Targen Knights will meet me there as well, and we will all rid the Realm of the Mudwood once and for all."
"We have heard no word of the Knights or the King. It is only tales of what you have done to save the Realm. I think the King is happy living in his hidden Palace."
"Watch your mouth. I know the King, and it pains him every day that he is there and not in The Kingdom. It pains him every day that his people are in peril and not all safe. I have been to the Crystal Palace, and have seen how it is overcrowded with the people of the Realm that the King has given sanctuary to. The King wants nothing more than to ride from that hidden palace and drive his blade through the ruler of the Raiders. He would fight through every one of them if his men didn't stop him on a daily basis from trying to do just that. It may seem like he is sitting pretty, but believe me, he is in turmoil over the loss of life in the Realm, not the loss of his Kingdom."
"I'm sorry. I never heard it told like that. The people ask constantly what has the King done for us, but since we don't see the action we don't, well we don't know what actions are being taken. The people know what you have done, and since they don't hear of the Knights anymore, they believe that the King has given up on us."
"He hasn't. He is desperately trying to build his army larger, and training the Knights better, and adding to their number as well. The Mudwood greatly outnumber the King and all his men, but they aren't trained as well as the King's army and his Targen Knights. This will end by the King's hand, it will just take time. The King is on his way, and I will meet him at the walls of the Kingdom to help take back all that is ours."
"I hope that is so. I would still ask you if I could ride along with you?"
"I would still deny you that death sentence. Take care of that hut, and those horses. They were not wild from the start, so they will need care from time to time."
"Here, take this extra water skin and small bag of food. I can find more along the trial as I ride. You only have a day maybe two of a walk ahead of you to get to the hut. It is at the end of this trail."
"Thank you Sir Patchwork Knight. I will do as you ask, and I will tell the tale of how I met The Patchwork Knight when he was on his way to free the Realm of the Mudwood."
"See you well sir. I will tell the tale of the lost wanderer who told me the way to go, so that I could fight for the Realm."
"I turned on my horse and rode off at a gallop. I had some Raiders that I just needed to meet, and they were a few days away.
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