Tes4Mod:Order of the Dragon/Hinrich the Lion, Book III

Hinrich stood before the captain and tried to act as seriously as possible. He found it incredibly stressful, since he was young and the fire in him burned any serious composure to ashes.
But at least since the last meeting with the abbot, he was more than aware of what happened when he stoked the fire inside. The captain, the one reverently named Captain Bear Neck in the city, had a thick black beard that covered more than half of his furrowed face of scars. He wore bright polished silver armor, although there was no reason to protect against blows. At least, young Hinrich was puzzled as to why Bear Neck wore such uncomfortable apparel in this stuffy place.

They were in the inn "The Howling Wolf" in Blacklight, in a separate room with meager equipment and no conveniences. There was only a table and a rickety wooden stool. No window, but a half-used candle in an unadorned tin candlestick sat in the middle, lighting up the room and compressed the tension of the situation.

Bear Neck wrinkled his nose and finally began to speak: "Well, my boy, I have just received news from the honorable abbot of Raven Branch and he seems to think much of your respect for the authorities. However, Aldrecht spoke of your talent in handling a weapon; he says you're highly capable, and I know the difficulties in questining opinions with abbots. All due respect to your. You've still made yourself guilty to Akatosh and you shall expiate that with us. Then you shall get the opportunity to join our Order. You'll learn tomorrow what your punishment will be. Now you can go, maybe to your quarters in the barracks and go to bed early."

And so Hinrich found himself the next morning in a pit in front of the Blacklight city walls, holding a jagged spade in both hands and regret with all his thoughts. For it was his idea to connect the south gate with the west by a moat. He looked at the south gate in front of his nose and turned his gaze to the horizon, at the indistinct apex, a sewing needle where he guessed the outline of the west gate's location. He set his spade down and began his work.

A week later, a peasant's hut, as they could be found back in the poor areas of Morrowind, would have disappeared into his trench. Many of the people who passed by were laughing; some even came only for this purpose and remained there to see the unfortunate fool who had now become the main subject of the urban gossip. Hinrich ignored these people and focused on wearing his punishment like a knight and to pay off the debt he had to pay towards his God as humbly as possible. From the first to the last day Bear Neck did not appear a single time in order to assess Hinrich's bravery and effort. Certainly that was part of his rigor, thought Hinrich. He was sleeping at that time in a wooden shed at the south gate and got the buildings the Knight of the Order of Akatosh did not even have to face. Food and material were brought to him by maids and kitchen boys. He was able to work at his own pace, but he allowed himself no rest during the day. Only to sleep did he put down the spade, and just for eating did he open his mouth.

But at last, when the moon had reached its fullness for the seventy-first time, Hinrich put his shovel away because his trench had reached the western gate. He put the tool out of his hands and sat down on a large stone, which he had just rolled out of the way. 
For the first time in weeks, he was aware of the clear air, which he tried to breathe with all the fervor he could muster. He had just started to enjoy the moment, when a Bear Neck suddenly appeared, with fists on his waist, stood before him and said: "Well, Hinrich, you have atoned for your sin; you have demonstrated obedience and tested your faith. It's time to replace your tool. Throw away the spade and receive your sword!"

Bear Neck pulled a vile one-handed sword from a sheath that was hidden behind his back and handed it to Hinrich. It seemed like the most precious thing in the world toi his eyes and it was placed in his unworthy hands. After all the troubles of the past many months, he was not ready for this honor and did not feel worthy. He held this thing in front of his eyes and looked at it with sudden pride and saw it as the key to the new world that was now open to him.

Hinrich was Aldrecht's squire, who took the place of the box-carrying man who had accompanied Aldrecht to Raven Branch. But he had other tasks; even before the first ray of sunshine, he began his service in the stables, where he groomed the horses and supplied them with water. He changed the hay in the boxes and examined the quality of the fence stuff. At lunch time, he found himself with Aldrecht and the other knights of the Order in the great hall of the main building and ate mostly mutton and bread. Right after that he went with the knight to the training ground, where he perfected a his one-handed techniques. Later in the day he was sitting in a saddle, and practiced riding and mounting a horse in full armor. After he spent the evening learning the proper way to clean and polish his sword, he fell tired onto his straw mat.

So grew and prospered the heart of a true knight in Hinrich's chest, and soon his sword was like the best friend who watches over his life.