"You'll be a good boy won't you Jake?" His mother's voice quavered she spoke. "I will mother." Jake replied in the same tone. He had been looking forward to this day for as long as he could remember, yet in his childish excitement he had not anticipated that this day would also involve a painful farewell. despite the sadness of separation and trepidation of what was to come Jake was nothing short of thrilled that this day he had been preparing for was finally here.
He held his mother's hand as they walked only letting go when they approached the front doors of the manor not wanting to appear to be a scared little boy in front of the squire who had come to fetch him. Outside waited his Uncle and the squire who was already on horseback with Jake's horse was ready and waiting beside him. His Uncle gave him his familiar disapproving glare as he spoke. "Now Jacob you will behave yourself and do everything you new master orders you to do without your usual cheek. You will work, and train hard do you understand me?" Jake bit his lip fighting back an angry retort. "Yes Uncle." He replied sullenly. Jake could tell that his Uncle really wanted to reprimand him but felt that it wouldn't be a very politic thing to do in front of the squire so his simply grimaced at Jake before turning on his heals and strolling back into manor.
Jake turned to his Mother her eyes were filling with tears. "I know that you will make me proud." She said her voice trembling as she spoke. "Remember that whatever happens I love you so very much." "I love you too Mother." Jake said choking back tears of his own as his mother hugged him.
With great effort Jake broke away from his mother's embrace and mounted his horse then he rode away with the squire. Jake turned his head back to get one last look at his mother she was not even trying to hide her tears as she waved him farewell.
Jake turned to the squire. He was a large black boy in his mid or late teens Jake couldn't quite tell with no hair on his head and a friendly smile on his face. "It's natural to be upset leaving your Mother for the first time." The squire said kindly. "I'm not upset!" Jake retorted, wiping away his remaining tears. The squire chuckled, Jake shot him a reproachful look and the squire straitened his features. "My name is Squire Terrance Jeffords but please call me Terry." Terry said. "Unless Sir Holt or any other senior knights or nobles are around then it's Squire Jeffords."
"Page Jake Peralta." He introduced himself and as he did he felt his anxiety evaporate and his excitement return in full force. He was a Page now, he was finally beginning his training to become a knight. It was all he had dreamed about ever since he was a small boy and his mother told him stories of their adventures and heroic deeds, he was confident that would soon be following in their footsteps.
Terry noticed the pride in his voice and gave him an amused look. "You've got many hard years ahead of you boy before you become a Knight. The trainings tough and few who start it make it." Jake was unperturbed by the squire's warning. "I've already received weapons training from the Captain of my Uncle's household guard and I am already a skilled horseman as you can see." Jake did not mean his words to come off as braggingly as they did, he could see Terry's increased amusement.
They turned out of the gates of the estate onto the highway, there were only a few other travellers on the road mostly carts from the nearby farms and villages taking their wares to be sold at market and a couple of errand riders bearing the King's sigil. The trees along the side of the road shaded the travellers from the early autumn sun.
"We should arrive at The Castle by tomorrow evening." Terry informed him. Jake nodded. They rode on in silence the scenery seldom changing as they travelled.
They reached The Castle on the eve of the next day as Terry had predicted. Jake's body ached from the long ride and he was drooping in the saddle by the time they reached the stable yard. Terry gave him a sympathetic look as he attempted an elegant dismount which turned out be more of a tumble off the horse.
A stable-hand came out of the stables and Terry gave him two coins. "Normally you would be expected to tend to your own horse after a ride." Said Terry "But this evening I'll make an exception as it's your first evening and you look like your about to faint." Jake let out a moan of gratitude as he followed him into the castle.
Terry lead him down a corridor to a large room filled with tables and benches occupied with pages and squires enjoying their evening repast. Jake served himself a large bowl of stew from a caldron at the hearth with some bread and hard cheese then Terry lead him over to a table in the corner of the room where four other pages were sitting. They turned to look at the newcomers as they approached. "This is Jake Peralta." Terry announced. "Jake these are your fellow pages: Charles Boyle." He gestured at a small plain faced boy with short black hair. "Rosa Diaz." Gesturing at the only girl at the table, she gave them a scowl then returned to her meal. "And these are." Terry let out a groan. "Hitchcock and Scully." gesturing at the two large and obviously much older boys who did not even look up from their dinners.
Jake sat down on the bench next to Charles, he seemed to be the friendliest of the bunch and mumbled a thanks to Terry. Terry smiled back at him. "No problem Jake. I've got to go and report to Sir Holt now, I'll see you all tomorrow at dawn." He waved at the group before he strolled out of the mess hall only stopping to grab a slab of bread and cheese on the way.
As soon as Terry was gone Jake began to wolf down his stew, he hadn't eaten since midday and he was ravenous. He gave his fellow pages a nervous glance, he had not been around children his own age in a very long time, not since Gina and her mother had been banished from the estate after his grandmother died. "So how long have you guys been here?" He asked conversationally. "Rosa and I came about a week ago." Charles replied eagerly. "But don't worry!" he said quickly in response to Jake's anxious look. "We are not due to start training in earnest till tomorrow. Sir Holt wanted to wait until everyone was here." Jake felt relived. At least it seemed he hadn't missed out on much.
Another boy a few years older than Jake approached the table. He had a cocky grin on his face and a glint in his eyes that gave Jake an immediate sense of foreboding. "What's up Dingdongs? The boy sneered. He flashed a taunting smile at Jake who felt a simmering anger burn though his veins. He stood up and tried to make himself as tall as he could. He heard Charles let out a gasp as he spoke. "Who's asking?" He hoped he had sounded braver than he felt, the other boy was bigger than him. Pages and squires from the other tables started to gather round in anticipation.
"Squire Pembroke." The boy responded. "So, you're the latest loser to join the losers' squad. What are you, a bastard like Diaz, a runt like Boyle or an idiot like those two lumps or are you all three?" "I'm not a bastard!" Rosa snarled. Jake felt his indignation grow. "My name is Jake Peralta and I would appreciate it if you did not talk to my companions like that!"
The crowd let out a collective gasp, Pembroke seemed to be briefly taken aback then he recovered himself and gave Jake a sneer so nasty that it almost made him recoil. "Your Roger Peralta's son. I now see why you are in the loser squad; no other knight would take on a disgraced whoremongering hedge knight's brat whose greatest achievement was crawling into the bed of a duchess's daughter!"
The whole room went eerily silent. Pembroke had gone too far. Jake had never been so furious in his entire life. He had heard all about the circumstances of his birth many times from his uncle who viewed his existence as a stain of dishonour on the family, but to hear it from this arrogant cockheaded stranger was too much. Jake pulled back his fist and plunged it with as much force as he could muster right into the middle of Pembroke's smug face.
"What is going on here?" A deep male voice bellowed into the silence. Everybody in the room turned towards the doorway where the voice had come from a Large black man with greying hair stood there his face livid. "What it going on here? He repeated. "Someone answer me now!" eventually Rosa spoke. "Sir Holt, Squire Pembroke came over to our table and insulted us, Page Peralta stood up to him and Pembroke insulted Peralta's parents, so Peralta punched in in the face."
"He didn't have a choice Sir. If Peralta hadn't done anything everyone here would say he was a coward and it would have ruined his reputation." Boyle said in a trembling voice. Jake felt a rush of affection for them, they barely knew him yet there they were defending him against their master. Holt strolled towards them. Jake felt like a pit had just opened in his stomach, this was not how he had imagined his first meeting with his new master and he could tell by the way Holt was looking at him that he had made an appalling first impression.
"Squire Pembroke is what Page Diaz said true? Holt asked. Pembroke shifted his feet and averted his gaze from Holt's. "Yes Sir." He mumbled. "Apologize to Peralta." Holt Ordered. "Then you may leave. I will be informing Dame Wunch about this."
Pembroke turned to Jake. "My apologies Peralta." He said in a tone that sent shivers down Jake's spine, then he stormed out of the mess hall.
Holt then turned to Jake, who quaked in his boots.
"You have managed to make a spectacle in front of your peers on your first evening here. Everything you say or do now has consequences, often those will be far deeper than you first imagine. You would all do well to remember this: the consequences of your actions not only affect you they also have ramifications for your masters and on your fellow pages. Now go to your dormitories you all have a hard day ahead you tomorrow."
"Thank you for sticking up for me." Jake said to Charles as they climbed the stairs to their dormitory. Charles looked back at him confused. "You stuck for us, it was only fair." Then his voice took on a more serious note. "I should warn you Pembroke is a dangerous enemy. his family are extremely wealthy and have a lot of sway in the inner circles at court.
Jake scoffed. "I'm not scared of him." Charles looked both awed and concerned as they entered the dormitory. The dormitory contained four pallet beds two of which were already occupied by Hitchcock and Scully who were already asleep still wearing the same clothes they were wearing at dinner. One corner of the room was closed off by a set of screens Jake barely had time to wonder at this when Rosa stormed into the room headed strait to the closed off area. Charles Called; "Night Rosa!" After her. She only grunted in response.
Jake went over to his pallet his pack lay beside it, he opened it and pulled out a night shirt deciding he would unpack tomorrow he was exhausted; the long ride and the excitement at dinner had worn him out. He climbed into his bed and immediately feel asleep.
Author's note: This is my first story ever so please be kind and make all criticism constructive.
Thank you