Blog Archives

Sir Owen & Sir Kyle

4/30/2023

It had been several days since the attack on Baron and Rex, when Lawrence summoned Sir Owen and Sir Kyle...

"Your Majesty.... you sent for us?"

"Yes, I did. I'm sure that you've heard about the attack on the Winter Patrol?"

"Yes Sire, we have. How is Sir Baron? Has there been any further news?"

"Unfortunately there hasn't been much change in Baron's condition, although he does appear to be stable. Which brings me to why I've summoned you here. The Winter Patrol is very important to the people in the far northern reaches of the Kingdom, and they have come to depend on it.""

"But with Baron incapacitated, and Rex staying with him to hopefully bring him home when he recovers enough to travel..."

"I need to send someone up there as their replacement. So I'm appointing the two of you."

"It would be an honour, Sire."

"Commander Jude and his Special Forces Team left a few days ago, to hunt down those criminal mercenaries, and return order to the region."

"So, by the time you get up there, it should be safe to finish what Baron and Rex have started."

"Yes Sire. Thank you Sire!"

"Here are your orders."

"Best of luck gentlemen. Our people are counting on you."

Some Comfort

4/29/2023

Monica and Miho were trying to comfort Naomi...

...when Dominic came in. "I heard we had visitors."

"Your Majesties...!?!?"

"What is going on?"

"They are here....unfortunately.... to deliver some bad news...about my son."

"He has been severely wounded in an enemy attack."

"How bad is it?"

Miho had been trying to stay strong, but was in shock...."He may not make it..."

"The Doctor who treated him says it's too soon to know...."

"...and the next few days will be critical...as we wait to see how he recovers from his surgery."

Miho finally broke down, as Dominic took her in his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Lawrence was having a hard time too, after holding it together all day. Seeing the reaction his news had on the two women was almost too much. Baron was like a brother to him, and he was as shocked by the news, and worried about Baron, as they were.

Monica sensed that it was time to go...
"We will be leaving now, and give you some privacy. We are so sorry to have brought you such terrible news. Unfortunately, now we need to go home and break the news to the children. They love their Uncle Baron, and deserve to know."

"Thank you for coming, and delivering the news in person."

Monica hugged Naomi...

"We'll all be hoping and praying..."

"...that he will recover quickly, and make his way back home to you."

"I will send word as soon as I hear anything."

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

"Yes, thank you for coming. We'll be anxiously waiting to hear any further news.."

Lawrence took Naomi's hand, "Take care of yourself. Baron faces a lengthy recovery, and you need to keep up your strength, for Baron...and your child."

"Hopefully it won't be too long before he recovers enough to come home."

"I will send word and let you know as soon as I hear anything."

Breaking the News

4/28/2023

"The Winter Patrol was ambushed yesterday. Rex escaped with minor injuries..."

Monica sat down and took Naomi's hand, as Lawrence passed Rex's letter to Miho, so she could read it herself.
"Unfortunately Baron took the brunt of the attack."

"How bad... is it?"

"It's very bad...."

"Baron was severely wounded. Thankfully help arrived quickly, and he was lucky the nearby village had a very skilled surgeon...""

"The Doctor did the best he could with Baron's injuries, but he's in critical condition."

"..and they don't know if he's going to make it."

Naomi struggled to take in the news...

"The last thing Baron said before he lost consciousness, was to tell you that he loves you."

"I'm so sorry..."

Miho could barely believe it either, and read the letter from Rex again.

"Rex writes that the next few days are going to be critical."

Lawrence tried to offer some hope. "Yes, they are waiting to see how he recovers from the surgery, and hope he doesn't develop an infection. But Baron is young and strong. If anyone can survive something like this, he can."

"I've asked Winston to keep us informed about Baron's condition. He's agreed to fly back and forth every day to let us know about any little change."

"And we'll let you know right away."

A Surprise Visit

4/27/2023

Naomi happened to be looking out the window just as Lawrence and Monica arrived.
"The King and Queen are here."

"That's odd. Are you sure?"

"Yes. They just rode in together. You weren't expecting them?"

"No, I wasn't."

"I wonder what they are doing here?"

The maid showed Lawrence and Monica in...

"The King and Queen are here, my Lady."

"To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?"

The maid took their cloaks...

"Unfortunately... this isn't a regular social call."

"A letter from Rex arrived this morning...."

"Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not."

"You may want to sit down."

Heading Out

4/26/2023

Lawrence was getting ready to leave.

"I have to go deliver the news to Miho and Naomi before they hear it from someone else. They deserve to hear it from me."

"If you wait a minute, I'll come with you..."

And she quickly got ready to go with him.

"I really appreciate you coming with me."

"Well, Miho and Naomi are my friends too."

"...and I want to be there for them."

"They are going to be utterly devastated."

"I know I would be...."

"If anything like that ever happened to you."

So they headed out together...

The burden weighed heavily on Lawrence, as he considered exactly how he was going to break the news.

"I hate this part of my job."

"This is going to be very difficult, and I'm thankful that you are coming with me."

Monica knew that Miho and Naomi weren't the only ones who were going to need some support.

Her husband would need it too.

Sending Jude

4/25/2023

Lawrence was trying to address some paperwork in his office...but he was distracted, thinking about Baron...

"Commander Jude is here, your Majesty."

"You sent for me Sire?"

"Yes, I did. I have an assignment for your Special Forces Team"

"We have a situation in the far north."

"I received notice this morning that a group of outlaw mercenaries have apparently been terrorizing the countryside up there. And now they have also made a brazen attack on the Winter Patrol."

"Are Rex and Baron okay?"

"Rex sustained some minor injuries..."

"..but Baron took the brunt of their attack..."

"...and he's been severely wounded."

"They don't know if he's going to make it."

"The entire situation up there is unacceptable......all the pillaging and burning, and now the unprovoked attack on two of my knights."

"So I'm sending your team up there to regain control."

"Hunt down those terrorists."

"Your orders are to use any means necessary. Do whatever it takes to return peace and safety back to the region."

"Yes, Sire."

"Consider it done"

Bad News

4/24/2023

Monica was with Lawrence in his office...

...when Narin came in. "Excuse me for interrupting, Your Majesty..."

"Winston is here, and he says it's urgent that he see you right away."

"What is it Winston?"

"I have an urgent letter for you Sire."

"It's from Rex."

Lawrence opened the letter and started to read...."Rex writes that there's a group of mercenaries who have been terrorizing the countryside in the far north. They've been pillaging and burning...."

"...and...they have attacked the Winter Patrol, leaving Baron critically injured.....and fighting for his life. Oh no! This is terrible!"

He turned to Winston, "Did you have a chance to see Baron when Rex gave you this letter?"

"How bad is he?"

But Winston couldn't hold it together any longer, and broke down..."He looks terrible!

"I don't want him to die!"

Monica went to comfort Winston, as Lawrence read the letter again. He could barely believe it...

Baron had been his best friend ever since they were both little, and he couldn't wrap his head around the thought of losing him.

"Winston..."

"...maybe you can do something for me?"

"Would you be willing to fly up north every day to check on Baron..."

"...and then report back to us on how he is doing?"

"I...could.... do that."

Lawrence had been in shock at the news, and the seriousness of the situation was finally starting to sink in.
"This is all my fault. I should never have sent him."

Monica tried to reassure him, "This is not your fault. How were you to know?"

"He's been going up there for years, and nothing has ever happened to him before."

"'We can only hope and pray that he's going to be okay."

"Sire, I'd be happy to go check on Baron every day for you...."

"So, I'll be back again tomorrow. Maybe there will be some good news."

"Thank you Winston. I sure hope so."

Prognosis

4/23/2023

The Doctor had done all that he could...

"So, what are his chances?"

"It's hard to say. His injuries are very severe, and he's lost a lot of blood."

"He was lucky the arrows didn't hit any of his vital organs."

"But he also sustained some wounds to his head, and he has a concussion, and a broken arm."

"But he's young, and healthy, so now we just wait and see.....and hope that infection doesn't set in."

Rex went to sit beside his friend...

"I need you to fight this....to fight this, and get better....."

"Naomi needs you....and your baby needs you. So you need to fight this."

Surgery

4/22/2023

Help arrived quickly, and they rushed Baron to the village Doctor, who just happened to be a very skilled surgeon.

The Doctor removed all the arrows, cleaned and closed the wounds.

"There. I've done all that I can."

"Now it's up to him."

Baron started to come to...

"Take it easy, son...."

"You've just been through an awful lot."

"In fact you are lucky to be alive."

Ambushed!!

4/21/2023

The attack came out of nowhere! Baron, Rex, and Fenwick had just left a small village, and were headed through a wooded area, when they were ambushed by a group of mercenaries. Baron bore the brunt of their attack, and as suddenly as they had appeared they were gone, leaving Baron lying mortally wounded, bleeding in the snow...