Prologue:
Laguna Kimsteed yawned and stretched. Shaking his blond hair out of his blue eyes, the tall, well built young man sat up in his bed. Blinking to clear the sleep from his eyes, Laguna tried to figure out the time. —Oh, crap! I'm late!!— Rising, the paladin-in-training washed and dressed quickly. Stomping down to the kitchen, he kissed his mother's cheek before inhaling his breakfast.
As he went to bolt out the door, his mother said, "Laguna? Don't forget to feed the horses before you and Furret go see Lord Gerek!"
Laughing, the twenty-two year old replied, "Yes, mother!"
In the stable, he rushed through feeding the other horses so that he could groom his own mount, Furret. Less than an hour later, he and his horse were on their way to Gerek's manor house. The retired knight was Laguna's teacher, and her had asked Laguna to come by for a special reason today.
* * * * * *
"Master?" Laguna called into his teacher's study.
"Come in, my boy," the older man replied. "I have something to speak with you about."
Laguna swallowed a lump in his throat, suddenly nervous at the seriousness in Lord Gerek's voice. Walking in bravely, he shut the door and sat in the chair his master indicated.
"What is it, Sir?" he asked.
"Well, Laguna, simply put, I can no longer teach you—"
"What do you mean, Master? Did I do something wrong?!"
"No, Laguna. Relax. I can no longer teach you because I have taught you all that I can. To progress further, you must gain experience on your own." Lord Gerek smiled at the sudden joy that appeared on the young man's face.
"Really? You mean--"
"Yes, Sir Laguna. You're officially a paladin now."
Laguna Kimsteed yawned and stretched. Shaking his blond hair out of his blue eyes, the tall, well built young man sat up in his bed. Blinking to clear the sleep from his eyes, Laguna tried to figure out the time. —Oh, crap! I'm late!!— Rising, the paladin-in-training washed and dressed quickly. Stomping down to the kitchen, he kissed his mother's cheek before inhaling his breakfast.
As he went to bolt out the door, his mother said, "Laguna? Don't forget to feed the horses before you and Furret go see Lord Gerek!"
Laughing, the twenty-two year old replied, "Yes, mother!"
In the stable, he rushed through feeding the other horses so that he could groom his own mount, Furret. Less than an hour later, he and his horse were on their way to Gerek's manor house. The retired knight was Laguna's teacher, and her had asked Laguna to come by for a special reason today.
* * * * * *
"Master?" Laguna called into his teacher's study.
"Come in, my boy," the older man replied. "I have something to speak with you about."
Laguna swallowed a lump in his throat, suddenly nervous at the seriousness in Lord Gerek's voice. Walking in bravely, he shut the door and sat in the chair his master indicated.
"What is it, Sir?" he asked.
"Well, Laguna, simply put, I can no longer teach you—"
"What do you mean, Master? Did I do something wrong?!"
"No, Laguna. Relax. I can no longer teach you because I have taught you all that I can. To progress further, you must gain experience on your own." Lord Gerek smiled at the sudden joy that appeared on the young man's face.
"Really? You mean--"
"Yes, Sir Laguna. You're officially a paladin now."