I Will Be the Greatest Knight
Chapter 202: Night Watch Begins

Chapter 202: Night Watch Begins

As the others returned to the barracks for firewood and more supplies, Irene and Leif stayed behind and began to build a large pen for the horses. It would be safer if they could have them all in one area rather than scattered through the plains.

On the likely chance that goblins would go after them eventually, they didn’t want the horses to get spooked and then lost.

All they were able to manage was a shabby sort of structure where taller boards were put into the ground to block the wind for the horses. Otherwise, the rest of the fencing was done with shorter posts dug into the ground and horizontal ones nailed into the tops of those to keep the horses in one spot.

While the structure wouldn’t take much more than wind, and the horses could certainly get through if they used small effort, it was still better than having to tie them up. There was also plenty more room for more horses in case more knights brought them in.

When the others returned with another cart full of supplies, their efforts then went to building tents so they could try to stay warm at night.

They decided to put the first large tent up in the lee of the wall segment, which would break the wind for them and have less likelihood of blowing over. It would also ensure that they had the wall between them and the Duke’s Tower in case more monsters came rushing out of the structure.

It also implied that they would have to have someone on the wall, watching at all times. As long as they had eyes on the tower and the mountains, they would never be caught off guard.

The tent they built had six posts holding up white canvas material. These six posts were holding up the edges as well as smaller branches that had been fitted into the tops of the posts and used to hold the tent into its rectangular shape.

Luckily, Sir Gunnar led their efforts in tent building because he had been on the front lines in one way or another multiple times in his life. Tent living while facing a possible battle wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to him.

There was also a flap towards the center of the tent that was opened up so the fire in the center of the room wouldn’t smoke out the area entirely. They had to dig down half a foot to put down rocks and logs so that they could actually start a fire that would be ongoing for as long as they were required to live there.

The next efforts went to setting up cots that were wooden along the edges with leather stretched along the middle. It wasn’t the most comfortable bed, but they were better than sleeping on the cold ground.

Each apprentice, knight, and squire chose their own spots. The only requirement was that they sleep next to their partners since they were still in charge of making sure the other one was safe.

Since they were all an equal distance from the fire, it didn’t matter to Irene where they slept. She was simply excited to have a place to go to get away from the frigid winds that would only get worse as autumn ended and winter drew near.

That was the worst part of Chemois. The autumn and spring seemed fleeting while the winters lasted forever.

It was merely another test put in front of them. If they could weather the storms, they would outlast the goblins.

When everyone was finished with as much as they could do for the time being, the group gathered in the late afternoon just outside of the tent’s main opening.

They looked to Sir Gunnar for what they were supposed to do next.

"Today we will have to begin night watch," he explained. "I need knights and apprentices to be always active at a minimum. There will be two shifts for now until there are more people lending us a hand."

"I will volunteer myself to night watch first," Irene said instantly. "I give my arrows to our efforts. I will stand on the wall and watch the tower all night."

Even though Leif had more resistance, he knew that since his partner was going to do it, he ought to as well.

"I will go with him," Leif volunteered. "After all, who else can bear his complaining of being exhausted all night long?"

His joke was a surprise, even if it was a nice surprise that seemed to alleviate some of the tension. All Irene could do was elbow him and raise her eyebrows in shock.

"I appreciate the tenacity," Gunnar complimented the two apprentices. "Which means I will also volunteer to stay out tonight. Elon, are you up for night watch?"

There was a newer apprentice that Gunnar had been looking after while they were kicked out of the Duke’s Tower. Since he was less experienced and had only just moved from squire to apprentice, Gunnar decided to attend to him since he had a lot to teach and the others were more established.

"Yes, sir!" the apprentice responded. "I will do whatever is asked of me."

"Good," Gunnar stated. "Now, all of us will attempt to rest until nightfall. Let us know if anything happens while we rest. "Sir Eitan, Sir Sven, I leave it to you for now."

For the time being, the others decided that they would organize their supplies and keep a lookout until the others would be woken up.

Irene lay down on her cot and pulled the blanket from her mother over her body. She stared at the ceiling for a while but couldn’t get to sleep just yet.

As she glanced around the room, it seemed the others were already sleeping.

"You need to rest."

She heard a whisper from a couple of feet away and turned her head to see Leif staring at her. A small smile pulled at her lips.

"Fine," she uttered.

At least if she stayed beside Leif, there was some gentleness left in the cold reality they were being forced to face. There wasn’t really a word to describe their relationship. It was more than the brotherhood she felt she had with the others.

He was her best friend. That much she knew.