A Knight's Story

[AroaraAngelwolf]

His rage left his defense shotty. He tripped and stumbled over a rock. Distracted, his grip slipped on his sword and in a defensive strike from Alex, his sword flew from his hand. The metal was loud in the silence that followed. Zane looked shocked, panicked and white as a sheet. If his father heard about this... he'd be on the streets dead to his line.

 

He went from standing there stunned to sprinting away through the training fields to a ruined bunker that was his and cody's training place and hide out where they vented about their pushy families. He ran in and started pacing before repeatedly striking the wall until his fist was bloody before sitting on a flat stone trembling and started to sob. He was done for.

[SkySong278]

((sorry for the wait. I just needed a bit more time to think up a reply but I really was going to post; I swear))

 

Alex was surprised when her defense strike ended up knocking Zane's sword out of his hands because she didn't expect to actually do that. She was even more surprised when he suddenly took off running away towards a shelter of some kind and couldn't help but feel bad for making him do that. She looked at Cody with a shocked expression on her face and he looked at her with a look of gentleness and a small smile before he looked around at all of the other onlookers that also had shocked expressions on their own faces.

 

"None of you mention this to anyone and spread rumors that will reach outside the castle and towards his father. If I catch any of you doing this or hear that you're doing this, I won't hesitate to beat you a little," he said to all of them with a look of pure seriousness on his face as he looked at each one individually. They all nodded even the one that had originally dared Zane to spar against Alex. "I'm going to go after and talk to him while you guys can go get ready and eat dinner. Alex you may want to go to the clinic and get your foot looked at first," he said to all of them before walking towards his and Zane's secret hideout where he found him sobbing. "Zane, are you okay? I talked to everyone at the training yard and they're not going to say anything about this so your father won't know," he said as he sat down beside him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

 

Alex and the others left the training yard to go into the castle to get ready for dinner like Cody suggested they do but Alex headed towards the clinic first because of her injured foot. She was given ice to put on it and was instructed to do that every night before bed as well as every morning. She nodded before heading to her room to get ready and then went to the mess hall where the rest of her fellow trainees were to get her food, sit down, and eat.

Edited January 27, 2023 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"He has ways of knowing things. He doesn't have to talk to the others. " his voice cracked. "His punishments are harsh I told about the time ran off to the spring festival and he dragged me back by the ear making me plow the fields by myself with no horse or ox to help. I had to pull the plow myself!" He sniffed. He looked at his hand. "He's coming here in a week. I got the letter last night. What am I going to do Cody? He almost put a hot coal on my tongue the last time I told a lie.. I'm sure we can figure out something... I should get this looked at. I may have broken a couple fingers."

[SkySong278]

"Well you could always tell the truth or just stretch it a bit. We'll figure something out before next week and maybe we can ask Alex if he has any ideas because he might know what we can do or have some other ideas that we haven't thought up yet," Cody said in reply to Zane's first couple of statements and question before hearing the last few statements. "Yes I think you should and I also think that you should apologize to Alex for stomping on his foot. You'll be lucky if it didn't break," he said in reply to them before getting up. "We can walk together to the infirmary before we go to the mess hall for dinner."

Edited August 26, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Zane nodded and rubbed his eyes dry before heading into the infirmary. He did indeed break his ring finger and dislocated his middle finger, got his wounds bandaged and went to eat dinner. He was almost the last one to leave. He muttered an apology to Alex when he sat down, trying to keep his "tough guy" appearance up.

 

 

 

Avery arrived at the convent and wrote two letters to be sent with the morning post. He sent one to his sister, and another to Cory. In his sister's, he explained that his travel was uneventful, unless you count the horse being spooked by a harmless snake as an event. He took her the letters worked, and he was in. He convinced the nuns that he had nightterrors if he slept in the same room of anyone beside his "brother" or his servant. They accepted this and allowed him to have his own private room. It asked how was her first day was and if she made any friends yet.

 

In the letter to Cory, he wrote he arrived safely with a slightly skittish horse. He described the convent, and said that the nuns here where strict and he had his hands whacked for arriving a day late and making them worry about the trolls around the mountains may have gotten "her". Otherwise it was comfortable, however he couldn't wear "her" favorite dresses for they were too colorful and filly to be of any practical use and distracting to the ladies less fortunate. He asked about what really happened Alex's first day, and if her brother was okay, having heard stories about how grueling the training was for knights.

[SkySong278]

"It's okay. It's part of the training of sparring so it's fine," Alex said in reply before having her attention go back to her food and then starting to eat it again afterward. "Are you okay?" she asked after she had swallowed a bite of her food so that she wasn't talking with it in her mouth and being rude.

 

Cody followed after Zane to the mess hall before getting his food and then sitting down at the same table as Alex and the former. As he ate, he thought of Avery and wondered how she was doing and couldn't wait to get a letter from her and to also send one in reply.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Yeah. Hand hurts but I'm fine. I'll live." He muttered and was the first to leave, handing his still full plate to a servant before heading to the room he and cody shared and plopping on the bed, staring at the wall until he fell asleep.

 

 

Avery was writing in his journal about the day's events before blowing out his candle and falling asleep.

 

((Skip a few weeks? Should Zane find out during a privet sparring session so she can catch up on the moves she missed? ))

[SkySong278]

((sure but how will he find out? I guess he can accidentally cut open her tunic to see the cloth she's wearing to conceal her chest but other than that, not sure))

 

A few weeks have passed since Alex's foot had been injured due to Zane stomping on it and it now felt much better and better enough for her to commence with her training again. She had gotten the okay from the nurse at the infirmary and had also asked Zane if he could catch her up on what all she had missed while not being able to be at the training field. Also during that time, she had sent a few letters to her brother which included the one he had sent a couple weeks ago to see how her training was going. She had written that it was going well although she had gotten a few scratches and an injured foot that weren't serious enough to worry about and that she had made a few friends writing that their names were Zane and Cody. She had also said that she was glad that he had gotten there safely although Lilly had gotten spooked as well as glad that he was able to get a room to himself. After she had sent another one in reply to a more recent one he sent, she headed off to the training field to meet Zane so that they could start her catching up training.

 

Cody was at the training field as well but in another spot that wasn't close to where Alex and Zane would be practicing and was up against two other trainees. He had also written a few letters himself in reply to what Avery had sent to him requesting a lot more information on how Alex's training was going in case the latter didn't go into much detail about it as well as replying to what she said about life at the convent and wished her well on her continued training to be the most well-mannered and beautiful one there. He also promised to get her some of those more colorful and frilly dresses for her to wear for when she would be at balls and other events that might call for such dresses.

Edited July 29, 2020 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((Even with a chest binder, a woman's chest isn't exactly flat. ))

 

 

Even with a broken hand, Zane still trained with the others, practicing his single hand sword play. His father came and went, but leaving those able bodied, sore with the vigorous exercise he made them do, with Zane having the brunt of it. He limped for a few days afterwards, and refused to see the nurse again during that time.

Even though his pinky finger wasn't healed yet, it was fine enough for him to show the moves Alex had missed during his time out. "Just so you know, getting injured is a part of training. It prepares you for real battles. Others will not fight fair. Now let's start with the first move." He showed her the position and used the flat of his training blade to adjust her position. This went on for a while.

"Now, put those new skills to use. Attack me." He instructed.

 

 

 

 

 

Avery sent back a letter to both his sister and cody. He thanked cody for the sweet complement and modestly said their where girlier girls than "she" was there. He told them both how he advanced faster than the others, and was already in advanced classes and organizing the library. He went on to describe in colorful detail about the many books and scrolls they had. It amazed him and often spent his free time there. He also told cody he hoped there would be a ball soon so he can wear the dress he would have gotten him and told cody that his favorite colors where royal purple and lavender.

[SkySong278]

((okay ))

 

Alex paid attention to all that Zane taught her by way of the skills she had missed while being injured and heard everything that he said. "I know. Those were one of the first things that my uncle and Grandpa taught me while helping train me to come here to complete my training," she said before being told to attack him with the skills that she learned from him. She nodded before doing so while lunging her sword towards him while also in the position that he taught her. She had gotten her brother's return letter but was going to reply to it later after her training session with Zane.

 

Cody wrote back that he was glad that she was advancing quickly and that she also seemed to enjoy being in the library while reorganizing it. He also thanked her for telling him her favorite colors and that he would possibly be going into town later that day to find one for her. Once he had gotten that written, he sealed it in an envelope, gave it to the messenger after addressing it, and then went back to the training yard to watch his friends train.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Zane blocked with another move he showed him and attacked with the same move so he can learn how to block too. He did this exchange for a moment or two before mixing it up and trying to trip him up at the same time. "Try to knock me down on my back. Once there you have the advantage over your opponent. Feet apart more, otherwise good form...." He said as they fought. However, he wasn't going to lose this time around. After a while and Alex had started to correct the mistakes in position and footwork and had started to push him back, Zane narrowed his eyes before tripping him up. However, he lost his footing as well dropping his sword before he hurt anyone and landed half on top of Alex. "Sorry man, couldn't let you beat me again... urk..." Zane's eyes widened when he sat up realizing his hand was on his-no her chest and not on a lost sponge on the ground. On hot days the boys would soak them in a spring and throw them at each other so it was common to find a few here and there sometimes. His face turned scarlet as he jumped back. "Ah.... um....you're.. " He suddenly seemed very interested in a moss covered rock beside him.

 

((Sorry for slight power play. I tried to leave wiggle room for you in there. I just thought that'll be hilarious if he found out that way.))

[SkySong278]

((it's okay ))

 

Alex watched carefully as she learned the blocking move from Zane as he attacked her with the same move that she had used on him earlier and made sure to use it when he made the move before she heard what he said about trying to knock him down. She nodded and then heard everything else he said regarding where her feet were supposed to be as well as the compliment on her form. She nodded in thanks before they continued and she improved her footing and attacks before he tripped her and she fell on her back. "It's fine and I understand," she said before he trailed off and she felt where one of his hands were. She blushed a dark red color on her cheeks before he jumped back and started to stammer a bit as well as stared at a moss-covered rock nearby. "Yes I am and I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone. Just treat me like you did before and everything will be fine," she said as she looked up at the sky.

Edited March 2, 2021 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Meep..." He made a sound and bit his lip. "U-ah- okay... but.. ah.. is it impolite for me to ask... why?" He asked then looked panicky. "I mean, I'm all for you learning how to defend yourself, I don't understand why it isn't taught to more... you know, 'cuse there's a lot of creeps out there, but... why a knight?" Although a woman, she had a sword and knew how to use it. Then it occurred to him..... He had said on her first day that he was attracted to girls who speak their minds and pack a punch. This woman was exactly that. He spun around, his back to her as his tanned skin turned as dark as his eyes, all the way to his ears. "I swear on my life I will not tell a soul, no one, not even Cody." He muttered rubbing the back of his neck

[SkySong278]

"Well if you remember I said that my dad, uncle, and Grandpa were knights and the latter two trained me when I was younger. I wasn't lying when I said that and I want to be the first female knight in my family," Alex said in reply to his question before adding a few minutes later, "Fencing and archery have always been interests of mine but my dad wanted me to go to a convent to learn how to be a lady as well as learn manners but I wasn't interested in that." She then nodded when she heard what he muttered about him not telling anyone, not even Cody before she dusted off her pants after she got back up from being on the ground. "So are we done for now or shall we continue with what we were doing?"

Edited July 29, 2020 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"First female knight ever. To be more exact. I um... think you have everything down just fine... that would be it for today..." He said getting up and brushing himself off. He took several breaths before he turned to face her, his own was as stoic as ever. "You are dismissed. " He said softly.

 

 

The nuns where planning a trip to a dutchess' home so the girls may learn how to entertain the noble Lords and high society folk better with on hand training. Avery wrote this to his sister and to cody, telling them it's a two day journey and he'd send a letter right when he arrives. The house isn't to far from the castle so they should get a note by nightfall that very day. He also said they depart tomorrow.

[SkySong278]

((aw Zane is cute when he's embarrassed ))

 

"Oh I didn't realize that I'll be the actual first female knight. Okay then I'll see you again later this evening at dinner and tomorrow at training," Alex said in reply to everything that he said before giving him a slight bow as a sign of respect and then walking away to head back into the castle to her room to get ready for dinner.

 

Cody had been a bit curious as to what Alex and Zane had been talking about while on the ground and after they had gotten back up but didn't interrupt their conversation. When the former left, he went up to Zane and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder with the curious expression still on his face. "Hey man. What's up? You looked a bit flustered for awhile and you kind of still do," he asked and said with a bit of concern in his voice.

Edited March 2, 2021 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Zane blinked at Cody, until the connection between his eyes brain and mouth had completed. "Oh, that..... He's good for a beginner, almost beat me again. " he rubbed the back of his neck. "I got flustered when we tripped because I made a rookie mistake and almost impaled us booth on our swords with that move. I lost my cool again and got embraced. It's all cool now though." He explained. That was the most believable story and as close to the truth as he would dare to go. "How's the others? Jo looks like he's struggling with move twelve. I need a drink, can you help him out man?" He asked his friend heading to a table and pouring himself a cup of water. On the table was the letter from Avery to Cody. He smirked. "Yo Cody! When you're done, there's another letter from your girlfriend!" He called to him.

[SkySong278]

After Alex had taken a bath and had changed clothes, she went into the market area to see what dresses they had for her "sister" and for herself in case she wanted to dance with a boy or was expected to dance with one. She was never a huge fan of them but if she needed to keep up appearances later as a girl from the convent, she would be expected to be seen in one. She looked at a few of them and bought three; two for Avery and one for her. Hers was a pretty navy color and the ones she got for Avery were two shades of purple because she knew that purple was his favorite color. After she had them in hand, she headed back to the castle and to her room to put the dresses away before heading back outside to see if she had any mail. On the way back to the training area and the mail table, she was told by a stablehand that she had two pieces of mail and she thanked him with a nod before seeing the pieces of mail in question. She saw that one was from Avery and the other one was from their dad. She paled when she saw that and her hands started to shake a bit. Her attention was so focused on the letter that she didn't notice that Zane was there, drinking water.

 

((^just to add a bit more drama^ ))

 

"Oh okay and it happens to the best of us sometimes," Cody said in reply to what Zane said regarding him making a rookie mistake before hearing the rest of what he said and asked. He nodded before going over to where Jo was and then started to help him with the move that he was having trouble with as what was requested of him. He then froze a bit and blushed a tomato red on his cheeks when he heard what Zane called to him about another letter from Avery. "Okay thanks and I'll get it after I'm done here!" he called back to him before going back to helping Jo.

Edited October 11, 2017 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Zane laughed at his friend and put the letter down after teasing him that if he doesn't hurry up, he'd read it out loud for him. Zane looked around spotting Alex pale and trembling. He walked up behind her. "Hey, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost..."

 

 

 

Avery's group decided to stop in the shadow of a cave that afternoon for lunch and where quickly apprehended by those who dwell in the darkness.

[SkySong278]

Alex jumped a bit when she heard Zane's voice come from behind her before turning a bit so that she could see him then said in reply to his question and trailed off statement, "My and Avery's dad sent a letter here to the castle for me. I'm worried that he knows that I came here instead of the convent where I was supposed to go and that he's going to punish me for it. I think there's going to be a ball or something coming up so that's why he probably sent it but the fact that it's addressed to me with the castle's address is still a bit worrisome." She then laid it back down on the table before picking up a letter from Avery. She had just opened the envelope and was starting to read it when a messenger came running towards them but more specifically their teacher. She looked up from the letter long enough to see their faces and they both looked a bit grim.

 

Cody blushed even more when he heard what Zane teasingly called to him before also looking towards their teacher and the messenger talking, but something about their conversation didn't seem right. He went up to his two friends just as Alex walked a bit closer to where they were to see if she could hear them talking and find out what they were talking about.

"A group of girls left from the convent on a trip of sorts through the mountains and were captured by some trolls that live in the nearby caves," she heard the messenger say. "A small group of knights, or rather knights-in-training, are required to rescue them."

Alex then stepped back to join her friends and told them about what she had heard while looking worried while still a bit pale, but not as much as she was earlier. "I'm going to go and help rescue those girls," Cody said a few minutes after Alex was done talking and the latter nodded in agreement because she wanted to help save her brother before looking briefly over at Zane to see if he'd say that he'd go as well and then she looked away again so that she wouldn't seem to be staring rudely at him.

 

((I hope what I had the messenger and their teacher say is okay ))

Edited August 26, 2022 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((Perfectly fine!))

 

"Well, if you two stood together I couldn't tell which one is which. He probably got confused from you two being twins and all." He muttered to her. After hearing what happened Zane stepped towards his trainer and the messenger. "I and two others, Cody and Alex volunteer for this quest!"

 

The teacher looked at him. "I will decide who goes or not boy!"

Zane didn't stop nor flinch at the instructors glare as he walked right up to him, standing toe to toe with the man. "Cody and I are the best you've got. Alex may be new, but he's a fast learner. I believe that if you dare try to keep him here he'll go against your orders and leave anyway."

 

"And what makes you think that?" Asked the messenger. "He better follow orders or I'll send him back home." Snarled the teacher. "Alex stays, Jeremy would go with you. He's the eldest."

 

"And loudest, clumsiest, and worst fighter here!" Shouted Zane. "Alexander's twin sister is in danger and you dare try to keep him here? If it was your wife out there and your commander said to say, would you? How about your niece?" Zane argued. The instructor was silent for a moment. Zane drove the hammer home adding; "You need stealth, skill and a small party that can get in and save the girls before they get hurt, send Jeremy and you'll kill us all. And I highly doubt you want Cody's father and mine breathing down your neck ready to remove it from your shoulders the instant you slip up again?"

 

The man turned white. "Alex, Cody, go pack your things you two leave with Zane as soon as possible. Go.. now! Terry not a second, there is none to lose!" He called and Zane ran over to them with a nod. "Lets go get your sister, and Cody's girlfriend from those nasty trolls. "

[SkySong278]

((okay ))

 

"Um actually there is a way to tell us apart," Alex started to say before Zane went over to their instructor to persuade him that she needed to go with them. She then nodded in reply to what he said after he came back and went back to the castle with Cody to pack the things they needed for the rescue mission. When Alex got to her room, she got out her bag and put a few clothes in it for the trip. She had made sure to bring her sword inside with her in order to have it be with her bag and then once she was ready, she headed back outside to the stables to saddle her horse. She had just put the saddle on Spot when Cody joined her to do the same thing and she nodded to him in acknowledgement before finishing up with what she was doing and then got on Spot shortly afterward. She had also made sure to bring a canteen down with her from her room as well as close the door behind her before she headed outside. As she was waiting on the other two, she rode Spot over to the well and filled up her canteen.

Edited November 9, 2017 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Zane came out and saddled a pure white charger in a deep red metal breast plate and and a black metal sword with a gold enamel hibiscus flower on the hilt. "Is everyone all set? I got food rashions from the kitchen for all of us." He said getting on his horse. "Alex... I want you to be careful. Watch your back. You should read that letter maybe he just wrote down the wrong name..... "

 

once on he looked at the both of them. "We need to get their fast so minimal breaks. we eat on the road. Everyone set? Then lets go."

Edited March 15, 2017 by AroaraAngelwolf

[SkySong278]

"I will be and okay although I doubt it. My dad never mixes up our names but I guess there's a first time for everything," Alex said in reply to what Zane said to her about her being careful and reading her dad's letter before nodding in reply to what he said about the food rashions and getting there quickly as well as what he said about eating on the road and Cody did the same after arriving beside them a few minutes after the former did. She then started to lead with Spot galloping although she had no idea where she was going. As she rode, she still couldn't help but feel a bit worried about what her dad had written her but she would read it nontheless later just to see what it said as well as to see if it would lessen her nerves just a little.

 

"What letter were you guys talking about?" Cody asked Zane after Alex had gone first just before following after him on his own horse that he named Chestnut. A weird name but he had come up with it when he was five because it was easy to pronounce. He's called his stallion that ever since. He had gotten the letter off of the table from Avery on his way inside the castle to pack his things and it was in his bag to read and reply to later.

Edited November 9, 2017 by SkySong278

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"His father, Alex has another sister named Alexandra who cut her hair short and ran away. He got a letter from his dad with her name on it, and he's worried that his sister was here before him. It's been a few years, and they haven't heard from her. So they don't know what exactly happened to her. You know how we're not able to interact with the servant ladies.... She might not be there, just looking for her. " He explained to Cody smoothly, moving closer to spot until the horse turned the right way. "As for you Cody, you should read that note, I'm curious, and when I get too curious I just might take that from you and read it myself. " He joked and patted his horse. "If he hits me Toro, go ahead and bite him. "