The two boys walked quickly to the barracks, as Marco shouted out orders for the other warriors to continue their training. Shade and Marco stood together as they watched the two young boys head for the barracks.
It brought back memories for both of them, when they trained together as children in this same camp. Shade threw his arm around his oldest friend’s shoulder. "Reminds me of the old days. There’s nothing like working your ass off all night, then being too damn tired to even bathe, just dropping on your bunk and falling asleep."
Marco laughed. "Hell, brother, it’s still like that for me. You are getting soft in your old age. But you always had the castle to go to if you wanted."
Shade smiled, remembering how he’d sneak away to Castello, and the comfort his mother provided, but with time, he preferred being here with his brothers. Changing the subject, he turned to Marco. "Not liking what I see here, Marco, no females. I know damn well they apply. Want to explain that?"
Marco stood with his hands on his hips, scowling. "Look, you gave me this fucking job and I’ve done it well. What I get and what I can work with is two different things. But as soon as I find one who can perform to the likes of Fiamma, she will be inside these walls. So, deal with it."
***
Lorenzo had to walk twice as fast to keep up with Alfie’s long stride. They entered the barracks to find rows of beds lined up side by side. Alfie walked halfway down the row and plopped down on a bed. “This one is mine."
Lorenzo looked around the sparse quarters. He’d seen the bunkers at Bel Rosso, and they looked nothing like this. He knew the warriors all shared a space, and Marcello had told him it built the camaraderie and sense of brotherhood between the warriors, but Lorenzo was wondering if he’d have his own room, like Marcello and Marco. He was the prince, after all. He’d ask his dad about that.
Lorenzo sat down on the bed next to the boy. "Do you like it here? Do you miss your mommy?"
"Yes, I love it here. I’m very proud to be here, so is my family. It’s a big honor to be a Medici warrior. I miss my family a little, but I get to visit. Are you coming here soon to train with us?"
Lorenzo looked back at the boy. He had a wide grin on his face and seemed genuinely happy to be living here. "My daddy says I’ll come here for short periods until I am ten, and when I’m ten, I’ll come here to live and train under Marco. I train now at the camp in Virginia, but I don't live in the camp. Do you know Marcello? Or Skelk? And Uncle Luca? They all teach me stuff, along with my daddy."
Alfie nodded. "I know Marcello, and I’ve heard of Luca. He’s one of the best warriors around. Our King, I know of his legend. Your father is the best warrior there ever was. They call him the Warrior’s Warrior. Are you excited to come here with us? I wish I could visit your new camp in Virginia. They say it’s the finest camp in the world. It’s my dream to go there, and one day be like Marcello."
Lorenzo perked up. "You want to come to Virginia? You could live in the camp there. We have bunkers there too, only..." He looked around the bare room. "Only nicer. We could train together, and you could come play in my tree house. We have a pool and we could swim. Do you have a dog? I have a dog named Warrior, and my mommy has lots of animals that must do what she says. I have a teepee in my room. You want to come? I'll ask my daddy!"
Alfie sat back on his bed as his Prince went on about the luxuries of his life. Alfie had dreamed, all his life, of getting into this camp, and training to be a Medici warrior. Standing up, he stretched his legs and looked at Lorenzo. "I don’t think you understand. You’re royalty, a prince. I’m just a warrior. I don’t wish to disrespect you, but the camp in Virginia doesn’t have the means to train the young warriors like me. I don’t play in tree houses or teepees. I use swords, bows and arrows, and shuriken’s. I attend class every day. We don’t play or have time for such things. We don’t have pets. That’s not allowed. I want to be here, I want to learn and be the best warrior I can be, so I can be SIC someday. You can’t do that if you play so much."
Lorenzo blinked his eyes at him, taken aback by the boy’s response. He felt tears sting his eyes, but he knew his father wouldn’t want him to cry. Lorenzo nodded. "Yeah, I knew that. I was just testing you."
He swallowed his disappointment and puffed out his chest. "I train too. I train every day. Just because I don't live inside the camp doesn't mean I'm not a warrior. And I have classes too. My teacher is Enzo. He lives at Bel Rosso and I have a classroom in our house. I have to go to class every day. My daddy says I’ll be as great a warrior as he is, and he and Marco will make sure of it."
Alfie could see he’d hurt the prince’s feelings, but he was here for one reason. If he could be the best, if he could earn the respect of his master, then maybe, one day, he could be a protector or SIC. It was the job they all strived for, and it would bring honor and respect for his family.
"I’m sure you train really hard, Prince Lorenzo. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. You’re very fortunate to have such great warriors around to train you. Maybe someday I’ll be able to come to your home in Virginia and then we can train together, but it will be a long time yet. We should be getting back outside. I have a lot to do tonight. Thank you for coming inside and meeting me. I’m honored."
Alfie bowed his head in respect and went down on one knee. "You will be a great warrior, Lorenzo of Medici."
Lorenzo had seen the warriors kneel before his father, but this was the first warrior to kneel before him. The seriousness of the responsibility he’d someday carry settled over his young shoulders as he started to realize all these warriors would, someday, look to him for guidance, and he must be ready to lead.
"Rise, Alfie. I am honored to lead you. You’ll be a fierce Medici warrior one day, and I hope you’ll come visit me. But Florence is where I’ll eventually live and rule. Castello will be my home, not Bel Rosso. That’s what my father has told me."
He slid off the bed and tapped Alfie on the shoulder. "Come on. We can go outside. Maybe we can train with swords."
As Lorenzo ran back to his father, Shade crouched down to greet him. "It is a little different than Bel Rosso camp, si?"
Lorenzo nodded and Marco spoke up. "Alfie, rejoin your warriors, get your ass back to work."
As Alfie ran off, he waved to Lorenzo, then picked up his sword and jumped back into the fray.
Marco redirected his attention to Shade. "Hey, old man, come back to my bunk, need to show you and Lorenzo something."
As the three walked together toward Marco’s bunk, Lorenzo didn’t take his eyes off the field of warriors. Shade knew the feel of that pull calling to his son even now, and he knew his son wanted to join this life. As they entered the bunker, Marco walked to his bed and knelt down. Reaching beneath the bunk, he pulled out something wrapped in a blanket. He laid the bundle on the bed and unwrapped the burlap, revealing a short sword.
Shade gasped and his mouth hung open. Marco walked forward, holding the sword as if it were the most precious thing he’d ever held. "Prince Lorenzo, your padre didn’t know I kept this, but it was his first sword, when he was just a boy. Your grandfather had this made especially for him."