A/N: Hey everyone, this chapter is longer as promised! it's not too too exciting mostly just setting up the characters and who the Young Knights are. Thanks to ageofaquariusstudios, Riley-the-Sadist848 and penguinsrpals for their reviews!!! i hope everyone keeps reading and reviewing, i love to hear from you! i own nothing but the plot idea and the made up characters
IMPORTANT: LANCELOT AND ARTHUR ARE NOT THE SAME LANCELOT AND ARTHUR IN THE ARTHURIAN LEGENDS, I JUST NEEDED KNIGHT-SOUNDING NAMES!!
I heard more rustling coming from the bushes. I am not a patient person so I waded across the river and called out, "show yourself." Then I realized my voice still sounded like girl's voice so I deepened and call out again, "Show yourself!" This time three young men emerged from the bushes. They were laughing and joking with each other. I didn't feel as though they posed a threat but as a reflex I gripped my knife tighter. The middle one noticed me and nodded to his companions. They all turned to look at me, "who are you?" I asked suspiciously.
"Relax your stance and we'll tell you, " the tall stocky one said nonchalantly. Although they were armed and they were not, they didn't seem very concerned. I put my knife in my belt and asked once again who they were. "I'm Gareth, this is Lucan and this is Lionel," the tall stocky one said introducing himself and his friends.
I looked them, they were strong and stood with confidence and their clothes were not those of noble men or farm boys. "You're Young Knights aren't you?" I asked.
"Yes, yes we are," Lionel said proudly.
"But who are you, I have not seen you around these parts?" Lucan asked/
"I am…" I trailed off, I had yet to choose a boy's name for myself, "I am Michelson, yes Michelson and I want to join you, the Young Knights." They looked me up and down and burst out laughing.
"You," He laughed between each word, " want to join us?" Lionel asked doubling over in laughter between each word. I glared at him.
"How old are you, ten?" Gareth chuckled to himself.
"No I'm 15 and I have to join you. You don't understand, I must take revenge on the Saxons. They deserve to die!" I said stonily, the images of my father flashed through my head.
"Look boy, if anything we understand that. We all want to have our revenge on the Saxons but we need real fighters." Gareth said to me.
"I can fight, I was the best in my village!" I said raising my voice. "I must take revenge, please let me join you," I said through clenched teeth. I picked up my knife, "I'll demonstrate my skill!"
"We will take you to our camp but frankly you're too small for a Young Knight," Gareth said, feeling slightly sorry for me.
"You'd be killed within moment of the battle's start," Lionel said with no sympathy.
"Take me," I demanded, ignoring Lionel. Gareth nodded. I quickly brought Bayard over and followed the Young Knights into the forest. For the most part we walked in silence until Lionel muttered something under his breath to Lucan. Lucan laughed and elbowed Lionel. I figured he said something about me and my size maybe I should say I'm younger then my size would be more believable.
"You have a nice horse," Gareth remarked.
"Thank you," I responded.
"Keep him close, or he might end up stolen," Lionel said and Lucan nodded in agreement.
When we emerged from the trees we stood looking over the campsite of the Young Knights. It was relatively small camp, only about one hundred tents. It was still early morning and knights were starting to emerge from their tents.
"Here we are," Lucan said gesturing to the campsite, "This is one of the smaller more elite campsites of the Young Knights."
"Which lowers your chances of getting in even more," Lionel said, I was getting the feeling he did not like me. We walked slowly down the hill into the campground. We walked past rows of brown tents and tethered horses. People called out their hellos to my three escorts. They seemed very popular here. The campsite was clean compared to what I had been expecting. All the young Knights were healthy and looked happy. I knew I had to join this campsite; it was the only way I could get revenge on the Saxons. We approached a larger tent that I assumed must belong to the leaders of this branch of Young Knights.
"Shane, Arthur, Lancelot, get out here, I've someone who wants to join us!" Gareth bellowed. I was shocked; this was how he spoke to his superiors. Sure, Gareth had taken down a whole band of Saxons singlehandedly but he shouldn't talk to his leaders as though they were his equals.
"Damn it, Gareth!" The middle one said, not looking the least bit mad. My jaw dropped, Gareth's superiors were three boys of about 18 or so. I had been expecting three older men heading the group of young men not three teenagers.
"Lancelot, Arthur, Shane, this is Michelson," Lucan said introducing me to the three leaders. "He want to join us," Lucan continued.
"He's too small," the handsome one named Shane said, disregarding me completely. I glared; Shane was talking about me like I wasn't even present.
"I am a good fighter," I said already not liking the Shane one, how dare he try to take my dreams of revenge from me.
"Michelson, I am sorry but Shane is right, " Arthur said kindly. Lancelot nodded in agreement.
"Please sirs, I must join you!" I said desperately. I had never once believed that the Young Knights would not accept me.
"You cannot be a knight," Shane bluntly said.
"I will do anything, just let me stay," I pleaded. If I could at least secure a place here then eventually I could prove my warrior skills and become a Young Knight. I would not give up my revenge so easily.
"Well we could use someone to take care of our horses." Lancelot suggested.
"Of course, I will do it," I said immediately.
Shane seemed less certain, "How can we be certain, you are not a traitor and a spy for the Saxons?"
I shuddered at the thought of ever working for my sworn enemy, "I swear to you, I would never work off vile beasts. I will do anything to rid us of them." I said angrily that they would even suspect me of being a Saxon spy.
"He seems loyal enough, Shane," Gareth said in my defense.
"Fine you can tend to our horses, but if you mess up you're gone," Shane grudgingly said.
"I will not disappoint you, Sir," I said. Though I was not a Young Knight, this was my chance. I just had to find the right opportunity to show my strength.
"You'll start right away, Nate will teach you," Lancelot said and then called Nate over. Shane, Lancelot and Arthur returned to their tent and Gareth, Lionel and Lucan left, leaving me with the Young Knight called Nate.
"You're new? I'm Nate," Nate said smiling sweetly at me; he looked to be about my age.
"Yes, Sir and I'm Michelson," I said. My father had always told me you must address knight no matter the age with utmost respect.
"Nice to meet you Michelson and don't call me sir, I'm Nate!" He said grinning, his curly hair flopping into his eyes. I smiled and nodded; Nate made me feel more comfortable then the other Young Knights.
"I doubt Shane has given you a place to bed, so if you don't mind you can share my tent," Nate offered.
"Thanks," I said gratefully. We walked over to Nate's tent, which was very close to Shane's Lancelot's and Arthur's suggesting he was high in rank here. But if he was high in rank why was he showing me around.
"I'm Shane's younger brother," Nate said as though he could hear my thoughts. I tethered Bayard next to Nate's pretty mare.
"Oh," I said wondering how such a nice boy could be related to Shane.
"You're going to be in charge of Shane's and Lancelot's horses, Arthur takes care of his own," Nate informed me. "They'll also most likely want you to pick up their tents and such."
"I understand," I would do anything to prove I could be a Young Knight.
"I have training twice a day at 9 in the morning and at 5 at night, in between we clean and sharpen our weapons and ride and go out to gather food. Also if you get tapped you go out on small raids on the Saxons with Shane, Lancelot, and Arthur. I got tapped last time and it was a successful raid," Nate said proudly.
"What do you do on these raids?" I asked curious, this sounded like the kind of thing I need to be a part of in order to take revenge.
"We attack small outposts of the main Saxon army in order to weaken them and we take their supplies," Nate told me.
"But what about real battles?" I asked.
"You're overtly concerned about fighting when the only battle you'll seeing is the one with Shane's tent," Nate said laughing. I laughed along half-heartedly and didn't bring the subject again. I would just have to figure out how to become a Young Knight on my own. Nate was a nice guy but he didn't understand how much I needed to become a Young Knight and I couldn't explain it to him.
"Where are you from Michelson?" Nate asked trying to restart the conversation.
"Caldor," I said and not offering any more information.
Despite my one word response Nate kept talking, "what about your family?"
I choked up and then spit out quickly, "They are…still in Caldor," I said, it wasn't a complete lie, my father was still in Caldor, and though I still prayed every night my mother and sibling had escaped. "We had an argument, I'd rather not speak of it."
Nate nodded and changed the subject considerately, "How old are you?"
"15," I answered, Nate gave me a strange look.
"Sorry, it's just you look and sound much younger"
I cleared my throat and lowered my voice slightly, "I just…" I trailed off I had no excuse. Then a bell rung, saving me from coming up with an answer.
"I have to leave you and go to practice, will you be able to finish on you own?" Nate asked.
I nodded and watched as he ran off to the training field. I quickly finished up and started to head over to the training field. I did not have a plan but if I could at least watch, I could figure out a way to impress the young knights and hopefully become one.
When I reached the field the Young Knights were engaged in combat. They seemed to be practicing how to fend off attackers with their swords. I didn't have a sword or an opponent so I improvised. I picked up a stick and imitated the moves Shane was showing the Young Knights. I knew I looked ridiculous but I needed to practice. I thought I was strong but seeing the Young Knights, I quickly realized I had a lot of catching up to do.
Before their training ended I ran back to the stables and started grooming Lancelot's horse, Wren. I had made it back just in time because moments later Nate came and told me it was time for mid-day meal.
The Young Knights had built dozens of tables and benches to sit at during mid-day meal and supper. Nate and I shoveled the food onto our plates and I followed him to the head table and then stopped. Nate realized I was no longer with him and turned to look at me, "Aren't you coming?"
"But this is the head table," I whispered, "I can't sit there."
"Why not," Nate asked puzzled.
"It's for the Head Knights, I'm not even a Young Knight!" I admonished.
"We are all equals except for in battle and training," Nate said. I was surprised things here were a lot different then what I had been told about the Young Knights but I guess it made sense after all most of them were still teenagers. I sat down next to Nate and began eating quietly, while the others laughed and joked around me. They all seemed so carefree, did they not care that Saxons were invading small tows and killing people's families and destroying their land.
"Nate your friend is very quiet," a Young Knight I did not know remarked.
"Drem, leave him alone," Nate said quietly.
"He is kind of girlish, is that why you're helping him out, Nate?" Drem asked winking suggestively. My face burned with anger, Drem had no right to speak to Nate like that.
Shane laughed and Nate glared at him. "Leave Nate alone," I said angrily to Drem and Shane.
"Look Nate now your little boy is protecting you!" Drem said laughing along with Shane. Nate stood up in anger.
"Nate let's go," I said not wanting Nate to get in a fight because of me. I tugged on his arm and he reluctantly walked away with me. As we retreated we could hear their laughter.
"I'm sorry," I muttered.
"It's no problem, Drem is always an ass and ever since," Nate trailed off, I looked at him questioningly, "just Shane has been one too recently. They are just anxious for another raid, we've been sitting here in camp for a couple weeks now and everyone is getting bored."
"You don't have to make excuses for them, they're just asses." I said feeling bad for Nate.
"Shane isn't an ass, its just… never mind. Just give him a chance, everyone becomes like brothers to you after you've been in battle with them." Nate said.
"If I ever see battle," I said disheartened.
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