A/N: Hope you liked the prologue. This story is coming along slowly
because of school and all. I want to thank youdontneedtoknow(the
spellchecker went crazy after that one) for reviewing. You are alone at the
moment, but I'm sure that can be remedied. I most certainly intend to
finish my story and I will keep your suggestion in mind. SO ENJOY THE
RIDE!
Chapter 1: Invasion
The Carthaki emperor, along with the rulers of the Copper Isles, Tusaine, and Scanra, had mounted an invasion of Tortall. I immediately joined my king in his efforts to expel the invaders. The army rode hard to meet the enemy at the border and engaged them in combat. The battle was long and fierce, but we fought hard in defense of our land. Near the end of the day, despite our prolonged resistance, Agramant's combined army forced us to retreat.
As the rest of the army was retreating, I was engaged in single combat with a knight from Tusaine. While we were fighting, an honorable enemy knight interrupted our combat.
"Knight of Tortall," he shouted," your king is retreating. If you wish to overtake him you must leave now."
I was surprised and disappointed that Tortall's forces has not been able to defeat our enemies, but I certainly wanted to catch up with the rest of the army.
"I would like to finish our contest, sir," I cried to the man I was fighting," but I must follow my king."
"Only one of us will leave this battlefield alive, coward," the enemy knight cried, brandishing his mace above his head.
"Halt, sir." The other knight came to my aid once again. "I will take up this knight's challenge if you will not let him leave the contest undecided." I did not like the idea of leaving this young man to fight my battle for me, but I knew I must rejoin my king as soon as I could.
"I am willing," my assailant cried.
"I owe you much for this, sir knight," I said as I wheeled my warhorse around and galloped off the battlefield. I charged across the field and plunged into the forest at its edge. I hoped that if I rode hard, I would be able to catch up with King Jackson. No matter how hard I pushed my weary steed, however, I could see no sing of others from the royal army. I pulled my horse, Venture, to a halt to allow myself a moment to think. If I could not reach the rest of the army, I thought I should return to the battlefield to take up my combat from the brave knight who had taken my place. Pulling on Venture's reigns, I wheeled him toward the field once more.
As I neared the lone pair of fighters on the field, my unknown champion struck a terrible blow to his assailant. The foreign knight nearly fell from his horse; he dropped his sword in his attempt to remain on his steed. I spurred Venture on to stand beside the honorable knight.
"Sir knight, I was unable to catch my king, and I will no longer allow you to risk harm on my account. I thank you for your bravery; I will take up my fight now," I said. I could tell he was about to answer, but the other knight spoke before he was able. "No, neither of you needs to fight any longer. You could have killed me, sir knight, while I was unarmed. I will leave our contest undecided with your permission," he said. The last part, we all knew, was spoken to me. I wanted to refuse to let him leave just as he had done to me, but I knew that would have been unwise. "You may go, sir," I called. He turned his horse and charged toward the opposite side of the field. I suppose he was afraid that I would change my mind and try to follow him. The valiant knight who had come to my aid turned his charger to face me. "You were unable to rejoin your king, and I owe no real allegiance to any of the invading kings. Perhaps we could ride together, at least until you can find the rest of your army?" He sounded unsure of himself, but I preferred to travel with a companion than travel alone. "I would be honored to ride with you for a time, sir knight," I replied. With that, we turned our horses away from the battlefield and headed into the surrounding forest.
Chapter 1: Invasion
The Carthaki emperor, along with the rulers of the Copper Isles, Tusaine, and Scanra, had mounted an invasion of Tortall. I immediately joined my king in his efforts to expel the invaders. The army rode hard to meet the enemy at the border and engaged them in combat. The battle was long and fierce, but we fought hard in defense of our land. Near the end of the day, despite our prolonged resistance, Agramant's combined army forced us to retreat.
As the rest of the army was retreating, I was engaged in single combat with a knight from Tusaine. While we were fighting, an honorable enemy knight interrupted our combat.
"Knight of Tortall," he shouted," your king is retreating. If you wish to overtake him you must leave now."
I was surprised and disappointed that Tortall's forces has not been able to defeat our enemies, but I certainly wanted to catch up with the rest of the army.
"I would like to finish our contest, sir," I cried to the man I was fighting," but I must follow my king."
"Only one of us will leave this battlefield alive, coward," the enemy knight cried, brandishing his mace above his head.
"Halt, sir." The other knight came to my aid once again. "I will take up this knight's challenge if you will not let him leave the contest undecided." I did not like the idea of leaving this young man to fight my battle for me, but I knew I must rejoin my king as soon as I could.
"I am willing," my assailant cried.
"I owe you much for this, sir knight," I said as I wheeled my warhorse around and galloped off the battlefield. I charged across the field and plunged into the forest at its edge. I hoped that if I rode hard, I would be able to catch up with King Jackson. No matter how hard I pushed my weary steed, however, I could see no sing of others from the royal army. I pulled my horse, Venture, to a halt to allow myself a moment to think. If I could not reach the rest of the army, I thought I should return to the battlefield to take up my combat from the brave knight who had taken my place. Pulling on Venture's reigns, I wheeled him toward the field once more.
As I neared the lone pair of fighters on the field, my unknown champion struck a terrible blow to his assailant. The foreign knight nearly fell from his horse; he dropped his sword in his attempt to remain on his steed. I spurred Venture on to stand beside the honorable knight.
"Sir knight, I was unable to catch my king, and I will no longer allow you to risk harm on my account. I thank you for your bravery; I will take up my fight now," I said. I could tell he was about to answer, but the other knight spoke before he was able. "No, neither of you needs to fight any longer. You could have killed me, sir knight, while I was unarmed. I will leave our contest undecided with your permission," he said. The last part, we all knew, was spoken to me. I wanted to refuse to let him leave just as he had done to me, but I knew that would have been unwise. "You may go, sir," I called. He turned his horse and charged toward the opposite side of the field. I suppose he was afraid that I would change my mind and try to follow him. The valiant knight who had come to my aid turned his charger to face me. "You were unable to rejoin your king, and I owe no real allegiance to any of the invading kings. Perhaps we could ride together, at least until you can find the rest of your army?" He sounded unsure of himself, but I preferred to travel with a companion than travel alone. "I would be honored to ride with you for a time, sir knight," I replied. With that, we turned our horses away from the battlefield and headed into the surrounding forest.