Beginnings
Cecily Deegan muttered a curse as the branch snapped under her foot. Freezing in place, she glanced around to see if anything had heard her. Grace stood frozen behind her, with her fingers tapping slowly as she counted to ten. As Cecily finished her own count to ten, Grace whispered, “I think we’re good.” Cecily resumed her pace, tightening her grip on her bow. Grace walked next to her, fingers tapping on her bow. The forest spread around them, the trees ablaze in colors, leaves turning red and orange and yellow. Some of the leaves had fallen to the ground, covering sticks and branches that had fallen with them. Behind them, the edge of the tree line was barely visible. Past the tree line sat their village and the castle on the hill past it, a mound of seemingly impenetrable stone.
Cecily led the way to the snare line that Grace had built, following the white marks they had cut in the bark. Approaching the snare line, they could see rabbits and squirrels hanging from the snares. The snares, built with saplings bent down to the ground until something triggered the release, held their victims high above the reach of stray dogs or wolves. Cecily pulled the game bag loose from her quiver, slung her bow over her shoulder, and walked along the snare line. Pulling the rabbits and squirrels from the snares, she counted as she went.
“Looks like seven rabbits and four squirrels,” Cecily called back to Grace, who was resetting the snares.
“We’re going to have to move it again soon. We were getting more last week,” Grace answered, sprinkling seeds to lure the rabbits and squirrels.
“We each get a rabbit and squirrel, so there are five rabbits and two squirrels.”
“Tom is still sick, so we can give Polly one.” She stepped towards Cecily and pulled a leaf that had gotten stuck in her red-brown hair.
“And the Edwards are going to two need two of the rabbits. The oldest daughter had her baby last night, and I could hear them yelling about who the father was when I walked by.”
“So, that’s two rabbits and two squirrels left,” Grace said, helping Cecily hang the game bag on her quiver.
“We can trade them to Fenwick for coppers and get the leather you need for your boots,” Cecily said, pulling her bow free and nocking an arrow.
“You’ll need a few of them to get a new arrowhead for the one you lost.”
“I can deal with a missing arrow for a few weeks. Your boots look like they’re about to fall apart.”
“Okay, so if we get five coppers for the rabbits and three for the squirrels, that’ll be sixteen coppers. You should be able to get your arrowhead for three or four,” Grace started.
“And your boot leather shouldn’t be more than twelve if you find the right merchant,” Cecily finished.
“Going up to the castle for the market will be the perfect opportunity for you to see Ben again,” Grace said, grinning. “I saw them a few days ago when Diana asked me to go up to get some herbs for Tom. The knight training is looking quite good on them.”
“Them? Don’t tell me you saw Marcus too,” Cecily said, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise.
The red flush on her cheeks answered for her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, looking away.
Cecily grinned. “You’re trying to set up Ben and me when I should be setting you up with Marcus.”
“I didn’t mean that.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“I just meant that maybe since you’ve known Ben for forever, maybe you would have an easier time being around him. You’re twenty-three, Cecily. You’re getting to be an old maid.”
Cecily snorted. “Speak for yourself, Grace. You’re two months younger than me.”
Grace looked up at the sky, the sun starting to drift below the trees. “We should probably get back. It’s going to be too dark to keep going soon,” she said, turning towards the village. Cecily followed her, watching for anything that popped out of the bushes.
Cecily suddenly froze, raised her bow, and shot. Not watching Cecily’s arrow, Grace spun to watch Cecily’s back, drawing her bow as she turned. Another arrow already on her bowstring, Cecily ran towards the rabbit and carefully pulled the arrow from the rabbit, using one foot to hold the rabbit still. Grace picked up the rabbit and put it in the game bag while Cecily cleaned the arrowhead on the leaves.
“That should leave us enough for flour too,” Grace said, pulling the game bag shut.
Finally making it back to the village, they walked up the main street, nodding to the people they passed. Nearing Cecily’s house, they looked up as someone opened the door. Cecily grinned and started running as she saw Ben step out. Grace shook her head and followed her friend.
“Ben! What are you doing here?” Cecily asked as she got closer. Putting the arrow that was on her bowstring in her quiver, she hugged Ben quickly.
“I was looking for you two, actually,” he said, nodding at Grace. “They’re picking another round of knights this week and there’ll be a party at the end of it. It’s just in the barracks, but we bring guests. Marcus wanted me to ask you too, Grace. He would’ve asked himself, but he got stuck sharpening the swords in the armory.”
Grace snorted. “What did he do this time?”
“He said something about one of the knights not knowing which end of his sword was the sharp end.”
“And the knight happened to hear him?” Cecily asked, smiling.
Ben nodded. “He wasn’t too happy about it either. He said that Marcus was the one who had the ends mixed up, and that sharpening all the swords would teach him.”
Grace wrinkled her nose. “Is Marcus even going to be able to make the party?”
“He already has plans to sneak out, and if he’s made a knight it won’t matter anyway.”
Cecily turned as someone walked up behind them, and smiled at Polly as she ran towards Ben. “Hi Ben!” she exclaimed, hugging him. Her head only came up to his shoulder, but Ben stepped back as she knocked him off balance. Stepping back, Polly turned to Cecily and Grace. “Can we practice before it gets too dark?”
Glancing up at the sky, Cecily said, “We still have to clean what we got today, and once we’re done, it’ll probably be too dark.” Noticing Polly’s crestfallen face, she added, “We can practice tomorrow though.”
“I could take her to practice before it gets too dark and Ben could help you clean the rabbits and squirrels,” Grace said, smiling innocently. Cecily didn’t have time to glare at her friend before Ben said, “Of course I’ll help.”
Realizing she wasn’t going to get out of it, Cecily said, “Well, Polly, go get your bow and arrows.” She walked towards the back of her house before Grace could suggest anything else.
*****
Leaving Cecily with Ben, Grace walked with Polly to fetch her bow and arrows. Entering the tiny house where Polly lived with her parents, Grace noticed clay vases with sprigs of leaves in them, giving the rooms a bit of brightness even if there weren’t any more flowers blooming. In the kitchen, Diana was making tea. Blond hair in a braid around her head, Diana didn’t look her ten years older than Grace. Hearing the door open, Diana came out of the kitchen area carrying a mug of tea. “Hi, Grace,” Diana said as Polly ran into her room in the back. “Would you like some tea?” she asked.
Grace smiled. “No, thank you. We just came to get Polly’s bow so she can practice for a bit before it gets too dark.”
Diana took the tea to Tom, sitting in a chair in front of the fire with a blanket around his shoulders. “Drink this, dear. It’ll make your throat feel better.”
“Cecily should be by later with a rabbit. We went by the snare line today, and got some rabbits and a few squirrels.”
Diana smiled. “Thank you. You two are too nice. With everything you girls bring in, you could be living in a castle.”
Grace laughed. “I think it would take a bit more than what we bring in to get a castle, and we’d rather make sure no one goes hungry.”
Polly returned, braid stuck under her quiver strap. “Ma, Felicity fell asleep on our bed,” she said. Diana frowned. “She’s got to decide if she’s going to nap or not.” Hugging Polly, she said, “Be safe, dear.”
“Ma, I’ve got Grace with me. I’ll be fine.”
Diana and Grace laughed. “Nice to know she has such confidence in me,” Grace said. Saying goodbye to Diana, they left and started towards the tree line where there were targets set up.
Standing in front of the targets, Polly shot at different targets, always getting close to or on the center. Grace would never tell her, but Polly’s individual skill had surpassed the skill of the archers at the castle, who were trained to shoot as a group. Watching as Polly quickly emptied her quiver into the targets, Grace walked with her to collect her arrows. “You look like you’re compensating too much when you hit the far ones. Lower your arm a bit before you shoot.” Grace said, pulling an arrow out of a target and handing it to Polly. “You’re putting a lot of power behind that arrow, so you don’t need to aim as high to make sure it hits the target.”
Nodding, Polly pulled the last arrow out of the target and they walked back to the starting mark. Polly shot all of her arrows again and Grace helped her collect them three more times. By the time they had collected the arrows the third time, Polly was sore and both of them were cold as the sun fell below the horizon.
Making their way back to Polly’s house, Grace shivered as the wind twisted her cloak around her legs. Noticing Polly had forgotten her cloak, Grace held hers open. “Come here,” she said.
“Thanks,” Polly said as she stepped closer to Grace. Holding the edge of her cloak, Grace put her arm around Polly’s shoulders and held her cloak around the smaller girl.
Walking in to Polly’s house, Polly sat down in front of the fire and held her hands closer to the flames. Diana and Felicity, sitting at the table, were eating rabbit stew. Grace grinned. “Did Cecily come by?” she asked.
“Yes, she and Ben came by,” Diana said. “And I think you had something to do with it,” she added, noticing the mischievous look on Grace’s face.
“Wouldn’t know what you’re talking about. I’ll see you later,” she said innocently, walking out and closing the door behind her.
*****
Cecily heard Ben following her, and she slowed down a bit to let him catch up.
“So, how have you been?” Ben asked.
“It’s been pretty boring here since that break you and Marcus had,” she said, looking at the leaves on the ground.
“Well, we think we’re going to be in this next round of knights, so we should have a break before we’re given our assignments.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine.” Reaching the back of her house, she pulled the game bag off her quiver and dumped it on the rough wooden table that had been built. She pulled a knife from her belt and noticed that the knife on Ben’s belt was too big for the rabbits. Grinning at him, she pulled another knife from her boot. “You get used to the kitchens cleaning all your food for you?” she asked him, handing him the knife, hilt first.
He took the knife from her. “It is nice having all of your meat in a paddock instead of hunting for it.”
“Well, not all of us have huge paddocks for cows and sheep.”
“You could have one with just rabbits, and you could breed them.”
“That requires catching them in a way that doesn’t kill them. Grace’s snares kill them pretty quickly.”
Ben picked up one of the rabbits. “You two are getting good with the snares, aren’t you? You don’t even need to field dress these.”
Cecily took one of the rabbits and used her knife to open the belly. Scraping the innards out, she said, “All I do is empty the belly and let whoever we give them to decide what they want to do with the rest. It’s too much work even if we just joint all of them.”
“Do you do anything special to the ones you keep?” Ben said, copying her.
Cecily picked up another. “No, I normally just joint them. The bones are good in stew, though.”
“No more picking every bit of meat off the bones?”
“No, I haven’t been that desperate in a while.”
“That’s why you do this, isn’t it?” he asked, gesturing to the pile of cleaned rabbits with the knife.
“Yeah,” Cecily said quietly. “No one should have to be as hungry as we were.”
“The castle would have given you a meal if you had gone up there.”
Cecily laughed humorlessly. “I was too proud to. I thought I’d be able to feed us myself.”
“You did, though. And now you’re feeding the village. “
“Grace helped a lot. More than she knows, I think. Her snares are far better than mine, and I feel better having her watching my back.”
“I knew convincing you to go to that party was a good idea.”
Cecily reached for another rabbit, but all of the rabbits and the squirrels sat in a pile, cleaned.
“Want to come with me to give them to everyone?” Cecily asked.
Ben smiled. “Of course.”
They walked around the village, giving the rabbits to the families Grace and Cecily had decided on earlier. The sun was setting as they walked into the inn. Fenwick, the young owner of the inn, was drying mugs behind the counter, and nodded to them when they walked in. “Miss Cecily, did you bring me more of your rabbits?”
“I’ve got two rabbits and two squirrels left, if you want them.”
“Ah, Miss Cecily, you know I’ll take any meat you have left.” He set the mug down and tossed the towel over his shoulder as Cecily pulled the game bag from her quiver. She pulled out two rabbits and the two squirrels and set them on the counter.
“Ah, beautiful, and they’ll go perfectly with the bread in the oven. Two rabbits, two squirrels, sixteen coppers coming right up.” He opened the drawer with the money from the night’s business and counted out sixteen of the coppers. Handing them to Cecily, he said, “Can I hope I’ll see you again soon?”
Cecily grinned. “You know I always make sure to save a few for you.”
“Well, I’ll see you in a few days then.”
Cecily said goodbye as she turned and left, Ben behind her. The sun had set, and the moon was shining in the sky.
“I need to be getting back to the castle by now,” Ben said.
“I’ll walk with you,” Cecily said, turning to the path that went up to the castle.
“I’d appreciate the company,” Ben said, smiling.
They walked in silence until they could see the training arena. “Are you ready for your testing?” Cecily asked.
“I don’t know. A couple months ago I would have told you that I was ready, but now that it’s closer all I can think of is what if they make me a knight and I mess up.”
“Of course you’re going to mess up,” Cecily said matter-of-factly.
“Thanks for the encouragement.”
“Ben, we all mess up. It’s going to happen. But you have to mess up and make mistakes so you can learn. You’ll be perfectly fine if you make mistakes. Just make sure you learn from them and don’t repeat them.”
Ben smiled at her. “Thanks, Cecily.” Standing at the entrance to the barracks, Cecily could hear the twenty men inside.
“Goodnight, Ben.” Cecily said, turning back towards the village.
“Goodnight.”
*****
Twelve Years Ago
“You know, knights use swords.”
“And you know that I’m better than you.”
Two children, armed with sticks, dueled. The girl’s red-brown hair was in a braid that reached the middle of her back and swung as she blocked with two short sticks that she held in a reversed grip. The boy, with dirty blond hair, used a longer stick that he used as a sword. The girl was faster than him, and she darted out of the way as he tried slashing at her arm. They went back and forth, attacking and dodging.
Stopping the boy’s stick with one of her own, the girl stepped forward and tapped the boy’s ribs with her other stick. Grinning, she stepped back.
“You won again, Cecily,” the boy said, looking down.
“Think where I could hit you before you attack,” Cecily said simply. “You’re not thinking before you attack, and it’s leaving you open.”
“But then you can attack me while I’m thinking.”
Cecily grinned. “Get fast at it.”
“Go again?” the boy asked.
“Sure, Ben.”
They dueled again, Cecily going slower as Ben thought through each attack. Finally, Ben managed to tap Cecily’s arm. Grinning, Ben stepped back. “I won!”
Cecily laughed. “You sure did.”
“You didn’t let me win, did you?”
“I went slower. That’s all I did to help you.”
Both children turned at the sound of a horse trotting down the main street, the sound of its rider’s armor clanking. Both children dropped their sticks and ran towards the street where a crowd had already formed around the rider. The rider, heavyset with thinning blond hair, was reading an announcement. “In one week’s time a competition will be held to find suitable candidates to become Knights of Araluen,” he read. “These participants must be eleven years of age, and strong enough for the rigors of knighthood training. They must know their alphabet and their name, although reading is not required.”
Ben pulled on Cecily’s arm as he pushed forward. “Cecily, we’re old enough this year!”
Stopping at the knight’s feet, Ben said, “Sir? Can Cecily try too? She’s really fast and smart and knows her letters.”
The knight looked down at them. Slipping his foot from his stirrup, he planted it in Cecily’s shoulder and she fell, hitting her head on the ground. Ben dropped to his knees and helped her sit up, wiping the tears off her face with his sleeve.
“Your little friend belongs in the kitchens, or someone’s bed. She’s not worthy to be a knight.” Putting his foot back in his stirrup, he kneed his horse and rode away, knocking people out of his way as he went.
Ben turned back to Cecily, who was sitting up and glaring angrily at the knight’s back. “You’ll be the best knight,” he said.
Cecily stood up and said, “No, I’m going to be better than a knight.” She walked off, every line of her tiny body stiff with anger. Ben watched her go to her house, the door slamming behind her. Then he went home.
*****
Present Day
Surrounded by the clanging of swords as the other trainees practiced, Ben dueled Sir Julius. The heavyset, blond knight was surprising fast, and it took all of Ben’s focus to keep ahead of him. Think of where he can hit me before I attack, he thought to himself as he attacked as fast as he could, hoping the whirlwind of cuts and thrusts would be enough. He was fighting to keep his breathing even when Julius called it. “Hold!” he yelled, stepping back. Ben stepped back and held his sword angled down, but stayed tense and ready. He had heard rumors that Sir Julius would start the fight again and count it against anyone who hadn’t been prepared.
“You’re done,” Julius said, sheathing his sword. Ben nodded, sheathed his sword, and walked to where Marcus was standing by the fence.
“That felt awful,” Ben said between breathes, trying to hide how hard he was breathing.
“You looked fine,” Marcus said, handing him a canteen.
Ben took it and drank, relieving his parched throat. “Thanks,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“How do you think you did?” Marcus asked.
“I feel like I was the worst.”
“I watched everyone before you, and you were definitely near the top. You’ll be Sir Ben before you know it,” Marcus said, clapping him on the shoulder before walking up to stand by the dueling circle. When Julius called the match again, Marcus stepped forward.
“Marcus Kendall?” Julius asked.
"Yes, sir,” Marcus said, standing at attention.
“Begin.” Julius said, unsheathing his sword. Ben watched as the sun glinted off his friend’s armor and he dueled for his knighthood.
Marcus kept up with Julius’s blows easily, adding in his own attacks. Ben watched as his friend slowly got the upper hand. Julius called hold sooner than he had for Ben, and both men sheathed their swords. Marcus nodded his head, and walked towards Ben. Ben handed him the canteen. Pulling his helmet off, Marcus drank from the canteen. Handing it back to Ben, he pushed wet hair off his forehead.
“How do you think I did?” he asked.
“You’ll be fine. You were fantastic.”
Marcus looked at his friend and grinned. “We’ll both be knights soon,” he said.
“You think?”
“I know.” Marcus swung his arm over Ben’s shoulders and they walked to the group of other trainees.
“You guys looked fantastic,” Daniel said, noticing them.
“Thanks,” Ben said. “You guys looked good too.”
“Who do you think he’s going to pick?” Daniel asked.
“Well, I think we all did well in the duels, and we’ve all got fine grades in our classes,” Marcus said.
“I guess he’ll decide somehow,” Daniel said. They watched as the last trainee finished, a tall blond man named Corbin. Julius turned to the group as Corbin joined it. Noticing Julius, they all turned and stood at attention, shoulders back and heads held high.
“You will learn tonight who has passed their training. A list will be delivered to your barracks at sunset. Those who have passed will receive their new quarters tomorrow. Those who have not passed may try again for the next round. Don’t forget, the two highest scoring knights will receive an additional assignment, although all passing knights will have teaching requirements. Dismissed.”
The group made their way to their barracks, talking about the party that was being held in their barracks. “I heard the kitchen was doing something special for tonight,” Daniel said.
“Don’t count on it,” Marcus said, laughing. “There’s some noble coming tonight, and any extra food will go to them.”
“I do know that no one will say anything about us having friends in the barracks tonight,” Daniel continued.
“The problem, Daniel, is that I know exactly what you’re thinking, and you don’t know anyone,” Ben said, grinning.
“Hey, maybe I could ask that girl who’s always hunting. What’s her name, Ben? Isn’t it Cecily Deegan?” Daniel shot back, smiling mischievously.
“She won’t go with you,” Ben said quietly.
“Why?”
“Because I already asked her and she said yes.”
“Really?” Daniel seemed surprised.
“Yeah, and I’m going down to the village to walk her up here.”
“Such a romantic gesture,” Daniel said, struggling to keep a straight face.
“Ah, leave him alone, Daniel,” Marcus said, cutting in. “At least Ben can talk to girls without passing out.”
“I’ve said before, it was a very hot day,” Daniel said defensively.
“Yes, and you just happened to be the only one who passed out,” Marcus shot back.
“Uh, I think I need to go sharpen my sword. Julius left some good nicks in it,” Daniel stuttered, walking off.
“Did you really talk to Cecily?” Marcus asked once Daniel was out of earshot.
“I did, and I talked to Grace too,” Ben said, grinning.
“You’re the best. Now, I’m going to go sharpen some swords,” Marcus said, walking off.
*****
Twelve Years Ago
In the shadow of his castle, John watched as Marina planted a seedling. “Please hurry, my love. It’s late, and you know it isn’t safe out here.” John looked at the low
wall between them and the outside, and at the guards standing by the entrance to the castle.
The gardens, surrounded by only a low wall, were the weakest part of the castle’s defense, and John, in his short time as baron of the castle, had yet to build the wall higher. He watched nervously for any sign of movement outside the wall, but the torches on the wall made it too hard to see into the darkness.
“Just a few more minutes, dear. The moonglow must be planted at night.” Marina set down the hand shovel had been using, and picked up the moonglow seedling. Unwrapping the rough cloth from its roots, she gently pulled the root ball apart before setting it in the hole. Using her hands, she patted dirt around it, filling in the hole.
John watched Marina, the moonlight shining off her red hair. Finishing with the planting, she stood up and brushed the dirt off her hands. She looked at John, but the blood drained from her face as she looked past him. He turned and watched as raiders, mounted on horseback, jumped the low garden wall. The raiders, wearing only cloaks and pants, had war paint on their faces and chests. They pulled swords and clubs free as they landed, some dual wielding.
“Guards!” John yelled, pulling his sword from its sheath. Noticing him, one of the dual wielding raiders slammed his club into John’s knee. He cried as he felt his knee give out and fell to the ground. “Run, Marina, run!” he screamed as the raiders rode towards her. He watched through a haze of pain as one of the raiders grabbed her and pulled her onto his horse.
“John!” Marina cried before one of the raiders punched her in the belly, knocking the wind out of her.
“Marina,” John whispered before he fell unconscious.
John walked into the king’s viewing room, a long room with portraits of his ancestors on the walls. Soldiers lined the walls, their ceremonial armor shining in the light from the lamps along the wall. Herbert sat at the end of the room, in a marble throne, red cloak around his shoulders and hanging over the arm of his throne.
He used the cane as he limped to the front of Herbert’s throne. “My king,” he said, bowing as much as he could with his damaged knee. “I request some of the kingdom’s resources to look for my wife and make the raiders who took her pay.”
Herbert looked at him pitifully. “Lord John, I cannot spare soldiers to look for one woman. I am sorry about your wife, and your knee, but we cannot spare anyone right now.”
“What if it was your wife? Your daughter? You would have the men then!” John yelled.
“John, calm down. I’m sorry, but the kingdom as a whole is more important than one person. We’re still recuperating after those skirmishes with the Skandians, and we haven’t made up the men that we lost yet.”
John spit on the ground at the foot of the throne, and the soldiers lining the walls all stepped forward to where they were only a sword’s length away from him. “If you’re so busy recuperating, then you can do it without my fief!” John yelled. He turned and hobbled slowly out of the room, Herbert sadly watching him go.
He stood at the top of his highest tower, rain pouring down on him. “I will find you, Marina. I promise.” John said, looking at the moonglow blossom he was holding. The towers of his castle were high, and the rain was too thick for him to see the ground below.
“I promise you, my love,” he said, rain soaking through his cloak and down to his clothes. “I will make them hurt like I have hurt, and I will make them fear me. They will not fear John, though.”
He looked out at the gray blur that was his lands. “They will fear Occido, and Occido will be their deathbringer.”
He dropped the moonglow blossom over the edge of the tower and hobbled inside.
*****
Thomas stumbled behind his mother, holding onto her hand as he followed her slowly on his three-year old legs. The crowd swelled around them, until there were so many people he couldn’t see where his father was. His mother stopped, and he pulled on her skirts. “Where papa?” he asked.
“Papa will be here soon,” she said, watching the balcony of the castle for movement. Thomas looked up as someone came out and yelled, “All bow for Lord John!”
Thomas’s mother pushed him to his knees as she fell to hers. The people around them fell to their knees too, and Thomas stood to see if he was taller than them. His mother grabbed him and forced him to his knees again, hissing, “Be still, Thomas!”
He stayed on his knees this time, not looking up at the man who had walked out to the balcony. “All rise!” The new man yelled. Thomas watched as the new man started to talk about being their own kingdom and building an army. The man said something about all the boys becoming soldiers and Thomas’s mother picked him up, whispering into his curly hair, “Please don’t leave me.”
The man said that the damaged would be weeded out and Thomas’s mother gasped. Thomas realized that his father, with his twisted foot, could be called damaged. He looked around, but saw no sign of his father. “Papa?” he called out. “Papa?” he cried again, louder.
“Hush, Thomas,” his mother whispered.
“I want papa,” he cried into her shoulder.
“I know.”
Thomas fell asleep in her arms and woke in their house, with his papa nowhere in sight.