Well, as a third chapter ready. In fact, I thought to mention that Ignatius is based on to one of the actor, whom I admire deeply. Somehow, it was only then that Ignatius was a bit like him.
My story will flash to a second character Luukas, based on another actor, which is also admire deeply. So my thanks to them.

A very big thanks goes to the second writer, who was also writing this chapter, as well as part of the future chapter.
Thank you so very much Mustang

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And here is the music that I chose to this chapter.

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The years passed and Erik traveled here and there. He tried to get a job now and then, but no one wanted to take him to work, not even the lesser work, most of which were the work of slaves.

So, he confined itself to to beg or dig up heaps and ate what he get on his hands. While he was in the woods, he enjoyed the gifts of the forest, but with caution, as the ruler of the kingdom is hardly liked that someone to hunt his prey without permission in his forest. So he preferred to just small prey or just berries and mushrooms, if they are found or the fish if suitable water hit the a position.

His place to sleep was usually under the open sky, because no one was willing to give place to stay during the night to beggar, who had a sign of shame on his arm. The clothes were already so torn that was almost impossible to hide that mark from people to, even he tried it very much. So he stayed away from other people and lived a lonely life, without any friends.

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It was Christmas Night and snowflakes floated down slowly and covered the small village under the white envelope. The windows shone with a welcoming light that told the warmth and joy. It was just the kind of evening, when families and a little bit of the unknown people were together, shared their gifts and enjoy table offerings.

All had welcome, except for one young man, who at this very moment walked out in the cold night, and was looking for a sheltered place where to spend the night.

Erik shuffled forward shoulders down and wrapped rags more tightly around him, even they didn't warmed him at all. That young man, hardly fifteen years older, had lived his life on the streets. He was not popular, even beggars and other poor people who lived in the streets, and did not even get in to the poor shelter at the night.

He could not remember his own parents, just a woman who had raised him as her own, until he had reached the age of ten. Then, for some reason, she was arrested, and he had not seen her again. Erik knew he was different, because his left hand was a sign on the upper arm. When people saw that mark, most of them either were terrified and fled or then angrily ordered to him to get lost, and sometimes even beat or kicking him or throwing him to stones or roe vegetables and fruits.

He also had a different mark in the right arm. It was a small footprint of a bear-like birthmark, which he had not dared to show anyone. It was now hiding under a thick layer of dirt. That second one as shameful and seemingly scary mark again had such that it had concealed properly and not even the rags covered it properly.

A deep sigh escaped from Erik's lips and he looked sad, small windows and the wonderful welcoming light. He wondered what it was like to be there with others like a normal human being, with no worries and sorrows.

Slowly, he turned his eyes away from the windows and continued to walk towards the village church, hoping to get a place to sleep for the night, even indoors, as the night was coming to the coldest in many years.

Cautiously, he walked up the steep stone steps and he felt a cold on his bare feet. He pushed the heavy door open and stepped into the church, where the only light came from the candles on the altar.
He walked along the aisle and stopped in front of the altar and looked at the crucifix hanging on the wall above. He knelt before the altar, cross bony fingers and looked beautifully done crucifix again.

"Lord, if hear me, so I only wish that I could spend the night in your room. That's all I want. "He whispered softly and leaned his head down and hot tears roll silently on his skinny, pale cheeks.

He read a silent prayer, and drew a sign of the cross in the air, and then walked right in the back of the Church. Erik settled down on a hard bench to rest on a, just his own rag.s for blanket. After all, the bench was not a particularly good place to sleep, but it was still a better option than sleeping outdoors.

Erik doesn't even have time to close his eyes, when he heard the smooth steps with an echo bouncing dreary in the stone walls. Cautiously, he sat up and saw a man dressed in threadbare costume steps from the mark along the aisles. He stood up and slipped out, because he knew he was not welcome to anywhere, so why even this would have been an exception.
He went away willingly, before evicted, because he didn't want to pick a fight with anyone, especially at Christmas.

The cold wind was ravaged by Erik's jagged, dirty rags, who did not like the cold chilling away. He shuffled forward shoulders slumped and shaking cold in the dark. Eventually, he snuggled up to a sheltered corner. After all, it wasn't warm, but offered at least some protection.

Bitter salty tears roll on his dirty cheeks and frozed in the cold. He glanced again lighted windows and hoped and hoped that he could have been even a one night inside warm and maybe get something to eat.

Erik finally bowed his head down and wrapped rags more tightly, around him even if they aren't banished the cold off. He knew that if he froze to dead now, no one would miss him, no one. He even didn't have food, as he had donated the last piece of bread two days earlier to two hungry infants, who were in his opinion, needed it more than himself.
Erik felt a strong sense of despair and exhaustion, and thought that maybe it was, after all, better to just die away, so he wouldn't bother anyone any more. After a while, he didn't felt the cold anymore and tiredness caused his eyes to settle on.

"There you are." There was a dark, warm and friendly voice that made Erik's cringe awake from its lethargy.
He looked at the man frightened and tried to escape, but her body was numb with cold.
"You're just frozen", he said kindly, and landed right in Erik's level, looking at this gentle look in his hazel coloured eyes. Before Erik could do anything, the man began to rub his numb hands and feet.

"Don't you... don't you chase me out? "Erik asked quietly, and looked at the man confused, as he was not used to getting friendly treatment from anyone.

"Why would I do that?" The man asked, puzzled and looked at Erik corners a little wrinkle.
"I do not know", Erik said quietly, his and pressed his eyes down, "because everyone is doing it", he went in the end.
"But that is what I don't do", man answered and looked Erik gentle face serious.
"Thank you." Erik said, and looked at the man gratefully.
"Well, then, can you stand up?" The man asked kindly.
"I do not know. Maybe", Erik said while moving slowly his benumbed feet, and stood up.

"Well, then, and now we are returning to the church, there is warmer than out here", he said cheerfully, and then asked, "do you have a name, son?"
"Yes", answered Erik, and almost tell the man about those the numerous nasty names which he often was called and shouted after, but then he decided to tell his first name. "Erik."
"Erik", he said, as if probing the name and looked smiling to,Erik, "I am a Brother Ignatius and I belong to a nearby monastery brotherhood", he said then.

"I will stay eternal debt of gratitude to you Brother Ignatius", Erik said gratefully, "that was long ago, when no one has been kind to me", he said and lifted rags out of the left arm, so Ignatius could saw the burning mark, which was many years old.
"Where did that mark come from?" Brother Ignatius asked, and added, "it looks pretty old."
"It's ... it has been with me for as long as I can remember", Erik said, looking away in shame, and weighed his eyes down.
"Well now, let this be, and think of that later," Brother Ignatius said and looked at Erik warmly, "because first we managed to fix few things, starting from the bath", he added.
"Why are you so kind to me?" Erik asked, confused, "I'm not worth it," he said miserably.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Brother Ignatius asked, and looked gently Erik, "Our Lord has said that we all are his children and we have to take care of them. And I don't want, that no one is forced to be alone outside in this weather at Christmas", he continued looking to Erik, warm twinkle in his eyes.
 

Erik followed Ignatius slightly guarded, it had all his life been forced to flee the country people, who viewed him as a pestilence and evicted out of the vicious insults after the shouting.
Ignatius led by Erik to monastery the context of the Church. Erik was there to wash and eat, and then Ignatius led him to a very small barren room, which had only a bed and wooden cross on the wall above the bed. Room was a luxury to Erik, compared to where he usually spent the night. He looked at the smiling Brother Ignatius, who stood still in the doorway.

"Thank you so much," Erik said, "I wished for just a roof over my head for one night and I got a lot more," he said and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
Erik pressed against the bed, which was softer than any berth, where he was received to spend the night in the years.
He felt clean and comfortable, and he felt a great gratitude to produce that friendly monk. Happiness tears dried up in his red, warm, glowing cheeks, when he pleased to fell asleep to velvety darkness.