Knight with no Eyes
Chapter 1:
Servants looked on as the two children walked out of their father's library. They both were short, had flaming red hair, and brilliant, although unnerving, violet eyes. Their reactions to their father's wishes were dramatically different. The boy was upset at the thought of becoming a knight. He had no talent for the craft but wanted to be a mage, tears crept out of his eyes as he faced the inevitable. The girl, walked silently, with nothing to show of her feelings but her eyes snapping violently around with every bit of anger in them that she felt at being denied her dream.
As they neared the steps to their main home, the girl reached out and grabbed her brother's arm and set off on a different path, pulling him behind her until they reached the orchard. Once there, she pushed her brother up into a tree and climbed up after him.
"What Alanna?" growled the boy.
"We'll go any way. I'm becoming a knight, I don't care what they say, you're a pitiful excuse for one, and you don't even want to be. They'll only gain by our decision." Silence met the girl Alanna's words, and she reached up to feel the boy's face to find it creeping into a smile. "What do you say Thom?" All hopes resting on the boy's guts.
"I'm fine with it, you know I have no desire to be stabbed by swords every day for the rest of my life. Any day for that matter. What draws you to it I have no idea. But, how are you going to do it, being blind and all?" (A/n: GASP! How could I do such a thing? Don't worry this'll be good.)
"The same way I get around here, Coram will come with me. He'll help me around the first day, and then I'll know it like my own home here, and don't say I won't be able to fight, I can, I beat you at it all the time. Besides, I can't just give up."
"We still have to get Coram and Maude to agree then, -"
"So, Coram will do anything if you just threaten him with magic, and I am willing to use it if it gets me to the palace. And as for Maude, we can talk her around. Come on, let's go down to the village and convince her." With that the girl got up and jumped out of the tree, her brother following suit, and began running down to the village.
The day finally came for Alanna and Thom to go their separate ways. They each got on their pony's (Thom with more difficulty then Alanna.) and rode dejectedly through the gate, keeping up the show, for all the servants wishing them good bye. Once they had past the village, to the point where they were to split up Maude took Alanna to the side and cut her hair to look like Thom, saying their goodbyes as she did. At last with that completed Alanna got up to say her parting words to Thom, but Maude grabbed her arm.
" A moment please, Alanna, promise me this," her voice quivering slightly at what she was about to tell the girl. "That you won't turn down your healing gift. Few can heal as well as you and if you're to take this dream of yours seriously you have to realize you have to give back for the lives you take. Did you ever think that they're would be more to the guys' life that you would be chopping down? He could be a man with a family, or loved ones, he could have a part in someone's destiny and you just take him away from all that with one cut of your sword. Promise me you won't turn your back on your healing skills."
The girls eyes snapped up to Maude's face as she said this, eyes alight with fury. "Maude, you know that I hate magic, I can't,…I won't use it. Too much of it can be used for evil."
Maude sighed. "Think about it, would you?" and walked over to say her goodbyes to Coram. Alanna stood frozen until Thom came up to her.
"What did she say to you?"
"Nothing," she turned to "look" at her brother. "Nothing, I'm going to miss you." Her hand reached up to memorize his face one last time before going back to Coram.
They reached the palace two days later around lunchtime, Alanna followed Coram's mount to the stables and waited for the hostler to come and gather her horse. She couldn't focus too much on the excitement she was feeling but rather on making sure she knew her way around the places without having to crash into anything. Coram would help her some more that night, but one never knew how soon, she would be separated from him. She looked up as she heard the hostler come and direct them to the awaiting training master, Duke Gareth. She followed Coram out of the stable doors, following the slight footfall vibrations he made as he walked, until they reached the Dukes' office.
Coram stepped forward and rapped on the door. Waiting for the man, he offered her an encouraging hand. He knew how worried she was that she wouldn't fit in and the task that she would be taking on by going after this dream, although she would never admit it. In his own mind he was actually excited that she had threatened him with magic if he didn't help her. Had Thom come, it would have been horrible. Coram was respected by many here for his own fighting skills and Thom could barely lift and draw an arrow, and a light one at that. His thoughts were interrupted as the door opened and the Duke invited him in. The man looked familiar and it took him a minute to realize that this was the man's life he had heroically saved years ago by taking an arrow to the heart that was meant for him. They healed him but he had never been completely the same since. It gave him constant grief and couldn't handle all the exercise he wanted to. He walked in and pulled out a chair, scraping it slightly as he did so, making sure that Alanna would hear where he placed it. Then pulled out his own chair, as Alanna sat down beside him.
"So, Alan of Trebond, you wish to be a knight?" The man's voice was kind and gentle, and slightly husky.
"Yes, your Grace."
"Will Coram, be staying with you?"
"Yes, your Grace. Pardon my asking, but will he be able to stay around the practice courts for the first couple days for moral support until I get used to the other boys?"
"Well, I'll have to talk it over with him privately, but for now, we need to go over the schedule in rules. In the morning you will go to all the academic classes. You will, talk with respect with each of your teachers, and perform the allotted assignments. If you do not, then the teacher is free to punish you as he sees fit. You will have meals in the mess hall with the rest of the pages and squires. Then in the afternoon, you will have you're fighting arts class. If you perform your duties here well without slacking off you will sometimes be awarded with days off to go to the city. You will start of your knight training, by being a page. If, in four years, we feel you have progressed sufficiently enough then you will be allowed to advance to the title of Squire, where hopefully you will be taken on by a knight, to have as your knight master. This is not an easy task to undergo. So I hope that you are more whole hearted about it then your father, who was always about his books."
"He still is your Grace."
"Hasn't changed yet? Huh. Well, welcome to the palace young Alan of Trebond. Now, if you will wait outside, I will have a quick word here with Coram, and send you two on your way." He smiled at her without knowing that it would have no affect to her sightless eyes.
"Thank you, your Grace."
Alanna got up and went to the door. Opened it and walked through. She sat against the wall next to the door frame, thinking about the meeting. It had gone well. He said he would think about letting Coram stay near the first couple days. She strained her ears to listen, but she couldn't hear anything. No doubt they had placed listening spells on the room to prevent just such a thing, but it was driving her insane. People rarely couldn't be heard by her, and it was extremely annoying when it did happen. At last, the doorknob creaked and the door swung open. Alanna scrambled up, waiting to see where Coram would go.
"Come on, Alan." He headed off in the same direction they had come from, and she set off following him, jogging slightly to keep up with the fast pace his long legs set.
"So? What did he say?"
"He wanted to offer me a post with my old friends up on the watch."
"Oh, is that it? You're not telling me everything, I can feel it." Coram chuckled.
"Only you would be able to tell that just by a voice. Ok, well, he told me I could stay by you in the practice courts, if I stayed out of the way, AND silent" Alanna visibly paled.
"Silent, as in no talking?"
"Aye, la-, lad. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, we knew it would end up happening some time or another.-" She cut off as his footsteps slowed, to turn the corner. "Where are we going?"
"Your rooms, then stop for a bite to eat, once we get everything settled in there."
They walked in silence the rest of the way. Clearly filled with anxiety, Alanna's brows were furrowed as she thought her way out of her current problem. They entered the room, and Coram shut the door behind her as she walked around feeling out the furniture. A bed, a desk, a dresser, just the necessary items, and another room with a washtub, and curtain to change behind. There was also a smaller room off the side for Coram, but they decided to switch rooms. After putting their stuff away the met back up in Coram's room.
"Are you going to be alright here?" He asked.
"Of course ,Coram. Would I say so otherwise?"
"Yes," Alanna glared back at him. "And don't deny it, it's true."
"You know me too well, Coram." She smiled. "I don't know if we can have that." Coram laughed at this slapping his big hand on her back. She waited for him to stop before continuing. "Will you be there for the first couple practices, anyway?" Her voice was firm, and unwavering, but her eyes showed her true anxiety.
"Of course I will, I couldn't have you looking stupid could I?" She laughed at this.
"No, that would be plain awful." Alanna agreed. "After all, you are held in high esteem here, you wouldn't want that to go away would you?"
"No. Now come down to the mess, and we'll meet the other pages."
They walked outside and into the mess. Immediately her arm flung out to Coram and he grabbed it. Leading her through the tangle of people, she accepted everything he handed to her and followed him to the place where the pages most likely sat. Once there, she sat down, only banging her knee once.
She was introduced to the many pages and squires around her, although she couldn't remember all their names. Of course, she remembered the Prince, Jonathan. Along with his cousin Gary, and their close friends Francis, Geoffrey, Alex, and Raoul.
The Prince's voice was commanding and sure, while Gary was quiet and reserved, his voice also had a bit of rasp to it like his father, as though he had been exercising too much. Alex spoke very little, but his voice made her think of a cat, gentle and soft, but could be harsh and demanding if he chose. She liked Raouls' voice most of all, it was the deepest, and kind of came out in a soft comforting rumble. They offered to show her around and Coram accepted for her before she could open her mouth to object. Saying he had some business to attend in the meantime. If the boys noticed the frantic look she sent him, they said nothing. After that, she found she had all the food she could handle and waited for them to finish.
"So, Alan." The voice was easily recognizable as the Prince. "Anything you're particularly interested in seeing?"
Alanna burst into laughter, "everything," she gasped through her fit.
The guys looked at each other, clearly thinking the same thing: 'Is he crazy?' But they got up and led him to the library. Alan stopped a moment before running over to a shelf and thumbing his fingers over the binding. The fingers flying over the lettering. The boys watched in fascination as Alan did this over the entire shelf. It was as if he was familiarizing himself with the very feel of the books. The watched as he stopped at one book, colored a brilliant purple. His hand resting on the bind, a tear falling down his face, before he furiously wiped it away. He turned to look back at them and they guarded their eyes quickly, so he wouldn't be embarrassed that they had seen his tear running down his cheekbone. He turned around.
"You've a beautiful library Prince."
"Jon," the Prince grimaced. "Thank you, but it's Jon to my friends."
"Am I your friend?"
"Of course you are. So, where do you want to go next?"
"Any where Jonathan."
The Prince exchanged an eye roll with the others, but left it alone. They walked out and gave her a tour of the rest of the palace before bringing her out to the practice courts, where clanging and distracting snarls abounded.
"Up for a small bout Alan? We can see what you know, and maybe teach you something before tomorrow."
"No, not yet. I'm still slightly worn from traveling here."
" Alright. Gary? Raoul? Anybody?"
Raoul hopped into the court. "Since when can I turn down a bout?" he growled. "Gary, you're our ref."
"Okay"
Alanna walked up to him. "Gary, I'm going to catch up on my rest, see you at dinner." She waited a moment before adding. " Call out to me, when you see me? I would never be able to find you with all the people about."
"Sure"
The fight began, and Alanna walked back on her own to her room, a smile on her face. But that was wiped off when…