The First Summer
As a page training under Lord Wyldon you would think that I would be prepared for just about anything. I thought I was. I didn't take into account that we may actually have to fight immortals. Well we did, and it had to be one of the most terrifying creatures in Tortall. Spidren.
I hate Spidren.
Fortunatley we were working with the Kings Own, made of mostly big fellows who have seen a week or two of hard work. I looked at them, then I looked at the pages I stood with. As well trained as we were, my bet was on the Kings own. Not my scrawny arms. Of course I wasn't given any time to point this out as they put a spear in one hand and a torch in the other and then a whole pack of torches on my back. The insructions for us younger pages was simple, yet important.
We would be sentries.
The Own placed us along the boundries of the Spidrens nest just above the valley, giving us strict instructions to keep our eyes on the trees.
I would like to say that I performed my duties well and sufficiently... I would be lying if I said that. On more than one occasion I would turn to the battle below me, and get so lost in it that Kel would have to yell at me to get me to focus. I was able to, after a Spidren and it's friends flew out of the tree's above us.
Yummy. Scrawney pages for supper.
I'm not sure what happened next. I fought a Spidren. I'm pretty sure I won. I fought another spidren, maybe. It all happened so fast I didn't have time to think, only time to survive. Before I knew it, we had won. Kel was smiling, I smiled back.
Then I collapsed.
Yes, I collapsed. I let my knees give way and I sat down... Laid down. Seaver was next to me, then Neal joined us, then Kel. We just laid there, happy to be alive.
Then Wyldon snapped at us to get moving and help get everything in order.
Clean up was simple. Mostly because I didn't have to do it. I just made sure the horses were ready and that my weapons were clean. The other pages had to do the same thing.
In no time we had delivered the news to the village that they wouldn't be bothered by Spidren again. They were quite happy about that. Then we were on our way back to the palace. Along the way, we talked. That is, Kel, Neal, Seaver and I talked. About what? I don't know. We just talked. Maybe it was to distract us from the nightmare we had just gone through.
I think it was because we were tired.
Back at the palace, on the last day of my first year, I looked around my room and knew I would miss it. I would miss my new friends. I would miss getting broken fingers and toes. I would even miss that grumpy ol' gelding Kel loved so much.
No I wouldn't. Not that evil thing.
I gave my room one last sweep to make sure I didn't miss anything. Then I closed my trunk and let the servants take it away. My father and mother were waiting in the courtyard, ready to take me back home.
That I missed.