Disclaimer: I don't own Sims medieval though technically all the character are mine I guess…

Anyway on with the story!

Summons

Trenton POV

I moaned and held my face in my hands. "Ow." I muttered weakly as my headache pulsed and opened my eyes. I quickly scrunched them closed again as bright morning light from my open windows slanted across the room straight into them. I'd forgotten to draw my curtains before I'd left for the evening, yesterday.

Great.

I rolled over onto my left side away from the window to stop the sun from succeeding at blinding me while I continued to wake up. I slowly inched over to the other side of my double bed and succeeded at the tricky manoeuvre of getting out with a hangover and managing to keep your stomach contents. I stretched as I went through my morning routine. I hummed to myself as I looked through my knapsack for my cooking ingredients. The tune was from a play my good friend Bard Arsleif Summerbird, had invited me to the night before. Hence the hangover. It was a brilliant play, with a bit of everything. Daring sword fights, corrupt Kings, virtuous heroes and beautiful, kick-arse heroines. I'd loved it.

I smiled at the memories of my five good friends. Spy Cale, Blood-letter Cameron, Arsleif, Prince Consort Lyon and Amy the Queen of Hearts.

I realised I had gotten distracted and quickly resumed a fruitless search. I'd also forgotten to restock my cooking supplies.

Great. My memory loss was astounding.

I had to settle for a plain bowl of gruel. "What a thoroughly uninspiring meal." I commented aloud as I stared at a spoonful of the grey sludge. I almost gagged as it slid down my throat but I had to eat it. I didn't want to starve after all. I'd do anything for a bag of spices or some honey though.

I let my thoughts wonder while I ate my breakfast as I watched the capital get started. I could see people going about their business but could not discern friend or foe from this distance. The barracks where I lived was situated on a steep cliff, and the only way to get inside was through the front door. A strategically sound position.

I was just finishing when I heard a flurry of wings and the loud "Coo." of a pigeon. I stared at it through my window before getting up and gently bringing it into the room. A small letter was attached to its leg. A message for me.

My eyebrows rose in surprise at the contents, and it threw me into a whirlwind of movement and thought.

Sir Trenton,

I require your presence in the throne room immediately.

Amelie the first, Queen of Graza

A royal summons? I hadn't had one of them in a while! Not since the gangs of Arbbyville had tried to take over the land. Of course, Arsleif had stopped that little problem for me. A summons like this was worrying. It could mean war. Or trouble I hadn't heard about. I hurriedly pulled of my night trousers (It had been too warm for a shirt, as was the norm for Grazian summers) and pulled my brown leggings on and my tight, red shirt. I settled my mother's necklace around my neck and after doing up the buckle of my sword belt, and attaching my cape I was ready to go.

I pulled open the door and stopped in my tracks. There, standing right in front of the door with an arm raised as if about to knock, was quite honestly the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

He was slim with a well cut form and a posture that oozed confidence. His left hand was resting on his sword hilt that hung at his waist. He had knapsack over his shoulder and two holdalls either side of his legs. His leggings were similar to mine, but he was wearing a white shirt and a red waistcoat over it. My eyes drifted back up to his face and I felt sparks fly in my veins as our eyes met. My brown connecting with his azure blue.

I realised we had been standing like this for a few minutes so I shook myself and held out my hand.

"Hi I'm Sir Trenton."

"Oh!" he exclaimed in recognition, and smiled. It was like a sunrise. "I'm Eli your new squire."

Oh dear God no! What had I done to deserve THIS! It would be intolerable, working side by side with somebody so… appealing.

You might think that a knight wouldn't need much politics. That my day consists of hitting people with sticks and I have no need of it. Well, you'd be wrong. I often get involved thus my poker face is very advanced. He saw none of my dismay.

"Would you like some help with your bags?" I asked reaching out to pick one up.

"No thanks. Weren't you going somewhere?"

Oh Shit! Already the boy was a distraction, I thought.

"Ahh yes." I stepped past him. "Your right, I better be going. Your room will be up those stairs there." I pointed haphazardly toward the corner and practically ran from the room.

This was going to be fun, I just know it.

Eli POV

Sir Trenton hastily departed, the door banging shut behind him. I stared for more seconds then were called for before heavily flopping down on a nearby bench.

My heart was thumping faster then I'd ever thought possible and large butterflies were running rampant in my stomach.

I let out a shaky sigh as my heart rate calmed down. My nerves, of course, were understandable. I'd just met my employer for the first time after all, and he was gorgeous.

He was much older than me, twenty-nine I'd been told. There was an age gap of seven years. That alone should deter me but well…

Those brown eyes, the black silky hair and sweet Watcher those muscles! It wasn't hard to imagine the defined chest that was hidden under the knightly garb…

No. Stop thinking about it. Having those kind of thoughts about your boss could only go badly.

I sighed again, picking up all my bags, and wishing selfishly that I'd taken him up on his offer. They held all my worldly possessions in and were very heavy. The only reason I hadn't was foolish male pride. I knew I was very lanky, with zero body mass and not very impressive to look at. Unlike Trenton with his strong arms and-

No. Do not complete that thought! I chastised myself as I shoved the heavy door open with my shoulder and for the second time that day ran into a different knight.

This one smiled and said "Hi! Your Eli right? The new squire? Your rooms there." He pointed and resumed speaking. "I'm Darren, I'd stay and chat but I'm on duty at the village gates and Trenton will have my hide if I'm late."

Did he not pause for breath? I marvelled as he pulled the door open and disappeared. I shook my head and felt a light grin creep onto my face as I pulled open the door he'd indicated.

The room was small, as expected. In the centre directly opposite the door was a single bed which had a plain trunk at the bottom. There was a large wardrobe, a washstand and a chamber pot on the left side and a very welcome bookcase on the other. I loved books, the majority of space in my bags were filled with all my precious volumes.

My thirst for the written word was just one of many reasons why I'd never fit in in my home village. Other people preferred to gossip with neighbours, or play games with children in their free time. The idea of staying indoors with a good book and no company was as ludicrous to them as the idea of spending the whole day talking to your neighbour about how somebody had allegedly been caught kissing so-so was to me.

I left my bags by the trunk and threw myself onto my new comfy bed. Finally I was here, after five long days of travel on blistered feet, and months of planning. The capital city, Forres, was all around me and it was just as beautiful as the books had promised. I was glad I hadn't been duped. Crawling back to that little scornful town with my tail between my legs would be intolerable. I'd rather die than do that. My pride again.

My mind began to wander while I rested and found its way back to the very interesting man I'd met. The 'he'll have my hide' comment from the other knight Darren suggested that Trenton was a slave driver. That idea rubbed me up the wrong way. It wasn't that I was work shy, more that I had my own pace and I preferred to work at it rather than someone else's. However the impression that I'd gained of him was of a much more laidback character, if a tad forgetful. You had to be to forget you were going somewhere like he had.

Of course, a small voice suggested, he could have been distracted by you. Maybe he found you attractive?

A nice pipe dream but that was all it could be. I was barely out of my teenage years and emotionally scarred, if he had any sense he'd run a mile. He probably would too. I had no clue how to deal with this.

I hadn't had an awful lot of experience in that area you see. The village I came from was just small enough for everyone to know each other but not small enough for everyone to know each other well thus the rampant gossiping. One small mistake, one involvement in a scandal and you were forever marked. A social pariah talked to only by family.

Forres seemed a much more welcoming, warm place and already I could see myself living a happy future here and if Trenton wanted a part in it… well that would be perfect.