The Knight

The Knight:

The misty fog was just beginning to lift up from the grassy lowlands as the strident sound of horses hoofs began to be heard in the ears of the encampment. Most of the Kings men were still sleeping, weary-eyed from the celebration the night before, even the tower guard high up on the towers were sleeping, still full of new wine. Above them all the rising sun started it progression towards the sky in all of it's glorious majesty.
"To arms ! To arms!" a rather stout man shouted from the top of his lungs, his frosty breath billowing from his mouth like steam venting from a tea kettle. The bell began to sound bringing the men to attention, rushing this way and that, gathering their various weapons. Kind Hazelknot emerged from the archway near the outer courtyard and made his way up the long ascending stairway to the seaward facing wall.
"What do you make of them William?" the king asked.
"It the men of King Oxle, the kingdom of Netherwood and Reed." Willam tightened his sword to his waist and began to tie the leather hand guards around his wrists.
" Oxle..." the king muttered, "What do you think he's up to?"
William stopped what he was doing and looked rather puzzled, "My dear Lord, why he's come for your head of course, why else would he be here with his legions?"
"Legions... Ha!" the king mocked, "Well... he'll be no match for my slings and arrows then, will he?"
Below the wall, King Oxle's Knights spread out in common siege formation as if willing to wait until King Hazelknots food stores ran completely out. A lone rider appeared and came forward under a white flag at waited at the causeway bridge door.
"William, see what that man wants."
"Yes, your Majesty."
Willam descended the stairs and walked across the moat to the bridge door. A small exit in it allowed for only a single man to go through and he did and stood before the horse laden rider. "What is this that you have come here like this?"
"The King demands you bring forth King Hazelknot so we can slay him here and settle this matter."
"Nonesense!" Sir William snorted, we would rather fight you than give in to such a demand."
"So be it them, we will wait you out and starve you till you surrender him." He was about to turn around but then paused and looked back. "There is another way to settle this."
"What would that be?" Willaim asked.
"My king"s champion shall challenge you King's champion on the field of battle."
William understood it would be his life on the line. He nodded and indicated he would relay the message to King Hazelknot. And after some doing, the king relented and gave in to the demand.
"If you lose William, they will kill us all, you do know that don't you?"
"Live long King, I won't lose!" The king watched from the wall as the two champions met in the field just outside the castle walls. Both men, men of valor and courageous in battle. They approached, swrod met sword, blow was answered with blow. For nearly four hours maybe more the two men assailed each other, blood flowing freely from both. William had a deep cut along his eye and two puncture wounds from his opponents short knife, but it wasn't done without a price. His opponent, who called himself Laxen from Lagoinia was badly wounded in his right arm limiting his ability to wield the sword with any force of power. He also had a gashing wound from which blood was noticeably flowing made from the wrist spine that William had, one that none of his enemies ever expected. It pierced deep and did it's work well. The Lagonian Knight took a back step, collapsed and struggled to rise himself up, but a mallet blow to the shoulder and head stopped him instantly and he fell on his face to the ground. William walked over and turned him with his foot.
"You fought bravely Sir Laxen of Lagonia, rest assured, you will be honored this day for your service to your King." With that William thrust him through with his long blade just below the chin killing him instantly, then turning to the wall he lifted his sword and walked over and pulled up his opponent's pennant from where it had been planted before the battle and held it up for all to see. He broke it in two and threw it to the ground and stomped on it. After this the men of King Oxle turned and began to slowly make their way back from where they had come. A rider quickly retrieved the body of the Lagonian Knight and they left disappearing below the hillside leading towards the sea. Above him cheers of praise hailed him as he made his way back into the castle fortress. That evening he and his fellow men celebrated his victory with the King. The sun settled into it's resting place for the night and in the darkness a cool breeze began to blow gently as a misty fog began to roll in from the sea.

Just checking to see if anyone read this yet. carry on........

reply to post by Fromabove


That was really good. I enjoyed the read very much.

thanks for sharing your work
~nat