Chapter 1 The Knight
On a road that leads east from the capital city of Arkam, a knight was on horseback riding alongside an open wagon carrying a mother and her children.
“Have you been a knight long Sir Beret?” the mother asked. Beret shifted his gaze from the road to the family he had met along the way. The ride from the capital had been a solitary one. The plains were vast and lonesome. When he came upon these folk in a wagon headed his way, he decided to join them so they could keep each other company. Though Beret wore no armor, the sigil of the crown and the sword on his vest identified him as a knight. The family was more than happy to have him accompany them. It was a rare occasion for common folk to meet a Knight of the Royal Order. For centuries, the Royal Order had been tasked with the safety of the King of Arkamas. And the knights could only be seen within the castle’s great halls.
The citizens of the Kingdom of Arkamas all knew of the history of the Knights of the Royal Order. The strategy and bravery of the Order led to the eventual victory of its armies against Qorath’s forces during the Time of Despair. Every child was told stories of the feats of the knights in their many campaigns. Although prestige followed a knight wherever he went, abiding by the Code was foremost on every knight’s mind. Their deeds which people marveled at were but consequences of following the Code.
The children inside the wagon looked at Beret with eager curiosity. Since their journey together began, the children would stare at him or play sword games with their sticks. The sight of them amused Beret. It brought back memories of his own childhood in Torinth playing sword games with Kort and the others back when they all pretended to be knights.
“Not long,” he replied as he smiled at them. “I had just been knighted by our King twelve days ago.” The past three years had been a painstaking struggle for Beret. Most of the men who finally gain admission into the Royal Order grew up in Arkam. Having come from a fishing village did little to help Beret in his quest for the knighthood. He had to prove to them that even the son of a fisherman could be found worthy. And so, he had to be better than most other squires who trained with him. But more than proving himself, the rigorous training kept his mind off home.
The pace with which they traveled was slow but comfortable. A cool afternoon gust was blowing from the east. One of the children was trying his best to touch Beret’s sword with his small hand. Upon seeing this, the mother had to pull her son’s hand away looking embarrassed as she did.
“Is it true Sir Beret that a knight is forbidden to take a wife?” the mother asked. Beret’s smile disappeared briefly. It was widely known that knights swore an oath to remain unmarried so they may remain faithful in their service of the King. Perhaps the mother was just trying to make polite conversation, he told himself. After all, he was probably the first knight she had met in person. Still, her question stirred in him feelings he tried so hard to bury these past three years. Before, his mind could wander. He forced himself to smile and said simply, “It is.”
Apparently sensing the awkwardness that her question created, the mother tried to shift the conversation and stated, “We are on our way to visit relatives in Gelut.” Gelut was a farming village near Torinth. “Are you visiting relatives of your own, sir knight?”
Beret’s smile disappeared entirely. “I will be paying my respects to a friend whose father had just died,” was his reply.
Beret did not expect he would be coming home so soon right after his knighthood. He was fortunate that the Captain of his detachment was an understanding man. It was an age of peace for the kingdom and there were no pressing matters for their Order at the time. So, when Beret asked for his leave to return to Torinth, the Captain agreed without question.
He had lost touch with the friends he grew up with back home, all except for Durem. Apparently, Durem was the only one who did not leave the fishing village. The letter that arrived bearing the news of the demise of Durem’s father came six days before. This was now the fifth day of his journey. Tomorrow, he would again see Durem and the others. His feelings were mixed as he thought of home. He longed to relive all their memories together. But Beret also knew Misara would be there. As his return drew near, it seemed as though the years did little to erase his feelings for her. He tried his best to push these thoughts from his mind.