CHAPTER ONE

Jess automatically stopped as the melody reached her ears, Causing Noah to collide into her from behind.

"What? Why did you sto..." he asked but fell silent as he followed her gaze to the motionless courtyard not a soul was moving except a women singing of home. A look of harmony had reached everyone's faces.

The verse was halted however as another man entered causing people to shout and beckon him over.

Jess turned around to face Noah he had dark curly hair with the hint of blonde from the sun his skin was a light tan color. And his deep blue eyes always looked as if they were laughing at you.

Noah had always been good looking and back at the village the girls were crazy about him he was sweet and courageous and had morals unlike some of the men these days.

We had been best friends since I was 4 and had become like a brother to me when Tristan left. He turned his gaze from the knights to me.

"Shall we?" Noah asked motioning towards the knights who were now in a circle looking annoyed.

I turned and started towards the knights we had gotten a message from the Bishop Germanius nine days ago that some have to go and help the Samaritan knights recover a family from north of the wall. I immediately volunteered because I have not seen my older brother Tristan since he left 8 years ago.

Noah was the only other to volunteer and with him came our leader Hernam. He was the man who taught me to fight. He had a high temper and could get very aggressive. I was too weak in his opinion.

"Knights these people are coming with us on the mission" The leader who I assumed was Arthur said as me and Noah were still walking slowly towards them. They all turned and looked I searched for Tristan in the sea of betrayed faces the knights were obviously still annoyed that they were not free yet.

When I saw Tristan he stared at me with his head slightly tilted to the side as if trying to figure out where he had seen me before. I smiled at him and he realized who I was. Tristan stepped towards me and I wrapped my arms around his neck it had been so long since I had last seen him.

"What are y…why did… when did you? Tristan choked trying to get over his disbelief

"It sounds like English, but I can't understand a word you're saying" I joked.

I let go of him he looked down at me and brushed some of my hair from my face. His eyes gazed past me and settled on Noah. They had been close friends for along time and both thought highly of each other. Tristan was about to move and greet Noah but Arthur interrupted him.

"Ahem" I looked over at Arthur it was amazing how much admiration I could have for a man I hadn't even met.

"Sorry" Tristan mumbled stepping back into line.

"I am Arthur" he directed at Noah who was now standing right next to me.

"And this is Lancelot, Galahad, Gawain, Bors, Dagonet and I believe you have already met Tristan."

"He is my brother" I informed them. The knights all started to smile and look from Tristan to me trying to see a resemblance. There was a small one I had dark brown almost black straight hair that reached to my chest. But unlike Tristan my eyes were light blue.

"Tristan's been keeping you a secret" Galahad said as he clapped him hard on the shoulder.

"It's a pleasure to meet you…?"

"Jess" I explained "and this is Noah"

"Jess I look forward to getting to know you" Lancelot said as he grabbed my hand kissing the back of it. Most of the knights rolled their eyes which gave me the impression that Lancelot was a bit of a womanizer.

"When did you get here?" Tristan asked as he pulled Lancelot back making him let go of my hand.

"There will be time for that later" Arthur interrupted. "Men these two will be accompanying us on our mission." The knights quickly forgot about the surprise they just had in meeting Tristan's sister and a look of bitterness came across all of their faces.

"This is supposed to bring us hope?" Gawain shouted "A boy and Tristan's sister."

I was a bit taken a back by this remark being that me and Noah were both 18 but shrugged it of.

"Please sir we are good fighters and our leader Hernam is also coming" and right on cue Hernam entered carrying some swords. He was about 40 years old with black hair his eyes were grey and serious.

"Arthur?" Hernam asked as he gave me my sword and Noah his. The knights looked a bit confused at this.

"Yes I am Arthur, and this is Lancelot, Trist…"

"Good I have some maps that we will look over" Hernam interrupted rudely gesturing to some maps that he held in his hand. "I will meet you at the round table in one hour. Jess, Noah go to the training grounds. Train for two hours with the swords."

I was not surprised at this Hernam was very strict and me and Noah found ourselves training at every spare moment. The knights looked at Hernam with a confused look trying to tell if he was serious or not. it was already 11 at night and we had to leave early in the morning. Hernam turned on his heel and without another word left.

Noah took his sword out of the hold and turned to me.

"Ready?"

I started to turn but Tristan grabbed my arm

"You can't be serious come and have a drink I want to hear all about home."

"But Hernam said..."

"Forget him" he said and started to lead me over to a table the other knights followed.

I sat down at the wooden table next to Tristan, I watched Noah as he sat next to Lancelot and the two started to size each other up. I kicked Noah in the shin from under the table to make him stop he just shot me an annoyed look. He obviously thought we should be training like
Hernam instructed.

"So, tell me all of home?" Tristan said turning to me. Arthur and Lancelot started to listen.

"Home stayed the same for 2 years after you left." I stated simply I didn't like where this conversation was leading.

"And what of father?"

I gulped and looked down at my hands. "He died……..drowned in the river" Noah shot me a puzzled look he new as well as I did that's not what happened. Saxons had stormed the village killing most of the people. That's when Noah and I left to a different village in the east.

Tristan took it better than I thought, but he always had a different way of showing his feelings maybe he was holding his grief in. I glanced up at him he just put his hand on mine and squeezed it. I realized then just how much I had missed my older brother.

"That's when you left?"

I nodded "Me and Noah left to find a new home and have adventures"

"We should never have left" Noah stated he had always loved the village and was very reluctant on leaving.

"I did not ask you to come with me Noah, you could have stayed if that was your wish."

"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it." Noah said quoting his father who had also been killed in the Saxons raid.

"I didn't need you to come with me I can look after my…." I stopped mid sentence for Noah had suddenly stood up and was looking past me, I turned and looked over my shoulder then quickly got to my feet as I saw Hernam approaching obviously annoyed that we had just ignored his orders to train.

I stepped a few paces towards him.

"Hernam I was just catching up with Tristan we were about to start training"

"Failure is not the only punishment for laziness; there is also the success of the Saxons." Hernam spat at me "I will not have anybody dying because you are 'catching up'."

Noah usually stuck up for me when Hernam became aggressive but because of our argument I doubted that he was even going to attempt to calm him down. In an instant Hernam's hand had lashed out striking me just under my mouth, my face went numb and I stumbled back before a pole broke my fall. Tristan jumped up and already had a knife out to Hernam's throat who didn't look at all fazed. Arthur grabbed Tristan's arm and pulled him back. Hernam looked passed Tristan to me. I stared back at him and then down to his hand which was on the handle to his sword.

"You cannot run away from a weakness; you must sometimes fight it out or perish. And if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?" He shouted threateningly. I was brave but I wasn't a fool.

"Let's go Noah"

I walked past him to the training grounds. As I arrived I drew my sword from its hold and stood in a clear space waiting for Noah to arrive I was angry at him for not protecting me like he usually did even though I always told him I didn't need his help. I felt my lip and it had been split from where Hernam had struck me. I wiped away the blood as Noah entered closely followed by Tristan, and Lancelot.

"I'm fine" I told Tristan who had started to walk over to me. He shot me a concerned look before Lancelot whispered something and they both turned and left.

Noah looked at me a little worried as he drew his sword I had obviously failed in my attempts to hide my anger from him.

"Are you alright?" Noah asked as our swords clashed.

"I'm fine" I said again as I spun around to block Noah's sword. "You were pretty voiceless back there"

"You don't remember the words of Hernam, only my silence?" Noah asked breathlessly as he blocked my sword.

"I find it much easier to forgive an enemy than a friend." I retaliated

"We should never have left home." Noah said for a second time. "Why did you want to leave so badly?" he asked

"Life can only be rightly lived if you take it bravely, as an adventure in which you are setting out into an unknown country, to meet a joy, to find comrades and to win and lose many battles."

Noah fell silent after this remark. Two hours training passed and we packed up. Without another word to one another we headed of to bed.

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