A Knight's Path (The Path of Cinder Book 1)

by Nathan Grafton

  The young men stepped into the ring as Enzo slid his helmet on. The blonde was wearing full plate armor like Warren’s and Alden knew that he would be hard pressed to find an opening. Alden gave a short nod as Sergeant Hunter looked at him. Enzo grunted in response to the implied question and held his shield up. Sergeant Hunter inclined his head, “Begin.”

  Alden didn’t rush in like Enzo expected and the blonde tensed, waiting for the blow. When it didn’t come he started to relax and glanced passed his shield at the green eyed teen standing across from him. That was the moment when Alden sprang forward and rammed the edge of his shield into Enzo’s.

  The blonde’s shield snapped back and he nearly hit his own forehead. Alden pulled his shield back and darted back as Enzo’s axe came around in a wide arc, creating space. The green eyed man swung his sword toward Enzo’s shoulder, hoping to catch him off balance but the blonde let his axe carry him backwards. The blonde choked up on the axe and stepped back into Alden’s guard. The padded blade came down as Alden’s shield snapped up and intercepted the blow. It was still enough to make Alden’s forearm erupt in pain. He grit his teeth as Enzo pulled the axe back and swung it down again, this time with the leverage of the handle behind the blow. Alden turned his shield and let the blow glance off but the impact pulled his shield down with it. Both boys stumbled and Alden lunged with his sword, overextending himself as he moved.

  Enzo managed to catch the rushed blow on his shield and the pair separated and studied each other for a moment. Alden lunged back in refusing to admit defeat. He feinted forward with a over hand blow and when Enzo swung his axe to parry the blow Alden snapped his shield forward instead. Enzo absorbed the blow with his shield and Alden rammed his own shield forward again, driving Enzo back. The young man brought his sword down in a over hand arc but Enzo deflected the blow with a sloppy parry. Alden let the blade’s momentum lower it to his side and then he lunged forward. The shield was in the way again so Alden simply let his weight carry forward and hit the steel wall with his shoulder. It hurt but the blonde stumbled back out of the ring.

  Alden stepped forward to continue his attack but stopped as Sergeant Hunter thundered, “Enough, Alden!”

  The green eyed teen took a deep breath and sheathed the wooden sword. Enzo clapped him on the back and the two returned their practice weapons to the table.The blonde man cleared his throat and whispered just loud enough for Alden to hear him, “Take care of my sister. If you hurt her I swear I’ll make you regret it, Flint.”

  Alden belted his regular sword back on as he replied, “I understand. I’ll keep her safe and do whatever I can to make her happy.”

  The blonde boy grunted and Alden moved to take his place by Warren again. The Sergeant and Captain didn’t waste much time as Fox called out within thirty seconds, “Reginald, Elise.”

  Chapter 57 A Foolish Move

  Warren forced down a scowl as Reginald stepped away from the line. The big man considered saying something but decided against it. Alden snorted, “Kick his ass, Elise.”

  Sergeant Hunter looked up, “Flint. Uncalled for. Knock it off.”

  Alden inclined his head to the man as Reginald scowled back at the young man. The green eyed teen smiled back at him and Reginald tossed his longsword onto the table.

  Warren shook his head, “You just have to poke at him.”

  The smaller man shrugged with one shoulder, “He started all of this. I’ll let it go when he grows a brain and deflates his ego.”

  The big teen smiled glumly and turned his attention to Elise and Reginald as they dropped their helms into place and hefted their practice weapons. Reginald had a shield and a longsword, identical to the gear Alden wore but Reginald wore full plate to accompany it. Elise had a smaller, dome shaped shield and a scimitar. The weapon required precision to use against heavily armored foes but it was light and fast. Warren hoped she had the skill needed to wield it.

  Alden crossed his arms and leaned back as Sergeant Hunter asked both fighters if they were ready. When both said they were he let the fight begin. Reginald struck first, lunging forward like a viper. Elise tossed the blow aside with her buckler and then let Reginald’s weight carry him towards her. She punched forward with the dome shield and slammed it into Reginald’s chest. The young man gasped inside his armor and Elise pulled back and punched with the edge of her shield this time. Blackfeather took the blow on his shield and stepped back out of range.

  Elise’s scimitar leapt into motion at that point. She slashed at his neck, elbows and shoulders. All were places where there were seams in his armor but Blackfeather parried once with his sword and blocked the other two blows with his shield. The blonde refused to relent her assault and stepped in, pushing her shield forward and trying to catch him off guard but Reginald was ready this time and he punched back. Elise stumbled backwards from the blow and Reginald swung his longsword. The blonde deflected the blow with a clumsy parry and reset her stance.

  Reginald charged in, shield up and tried to knock her down but Elise whirled out of the way. Her shield arm extended out and the momentum of her spin brought it down into Reginald’s back. The young man fell to one knee and then the wooden scimitar flicked out and wedged under his helmet.

  Sergeant Hunter cleared his throat, “That’s enough. Thank you b-”

  The Sergeant was cut off as Reginald violently swung his elbow back and into Elise’s knee. There was a hard clang followed by a sharp crack and Elise collapsed. The blonde hit the ground and her breath came out in a low hiss as she gnashed her teeth together.

  Sergeant Hunter was surged towards the field, “BLACKFEATHER! Are you deaf!? I said that was enough! Explain yourself and this had better be good!”

  Reginald pulled his helm off as he stared at the man and then snorted, “I didn’t hear you. My ears were ringing. It was an accident.”

  The Sergeant’s face turned red as Captain Fox placed a hand on his shoulder, “Medics. Take care of Elise.”

  Warren was grinding his teeth together as Reginald stood looking at Sergeant Hunter and Captain Fox. The Sergeant opened his mouth, closed it and then opened it again. Alden moved before Warren could think to act.

  The green eyed teen darted across the field and tossed his gauntlet against Reginald’s chest. Everyone went quiet and the Sergeant went even redder, “FLINT! WHAT IN DAMNATION DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!

  Alden’s eyes never left Reginald’s, “I challenge you by Rite of Arms as laid out by King Lance, the Founder.”

  Reginald started to laugh, “Do you really think you can beat me?”

  The Sergeant broke free of the Captain’s grip and surged into the ring. He grabbed both of the young men and slammed their foreheads together and released them both. Both stumbled backward and fell to the ground as the Sergeant started to bellow, “JUST SHUT UP! BLACKFEATHER, GET YOUR ASS UP AND FOLLOW THE CAPTAIN! FLINT, GET YOUR DAMN TEMPER UNDER CONTROL AND STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD!”

  Both young men were quiet as the enraged Sergeant studied the assembled Cadets. There was silence until the Sergeant took a deep breath, “Dismissed. Flint, don’t move a muscle.”

  Chapter 58 Depths Of Stupidity

  Alden sat on the ground as the others left. The Medics put Elise on a stretcher and carried her away as Captain Fox led Reginald off. Warren offered Alden a sympathetic look as he turned to go and the green eyed teen replied with a smile that said he knew how stupid he was.

  Sergeant Hunter paced back and forth for another minute before letting out a long breath and started, “Alden, you amaze me. You’re a talented fighter, a good man, and dedicated to those who win your loyalty. You can also be a colossal dumb-ass.”

  The young man stayed silent as the Sergeant rubbed his forehead. “ I.. admire… your urge to protect and defend those close to you but at a certain point you have to put your temper and personal feelings aside and le
t things be settled by those who are supposed to settle them. I understand that Reginald and you have a problem with each other. All of the little stunts you two have pulled against each other in the last few months have made it back to me. But what you did today crosses a line. Giving each other black eyes in one thing. The Rite of Arms is a death match that hasn’t been used in a hundred and fifty years, Alden.”

  Alden opened his mouth, some spark of anger flaring to life but the Sergeant cut him off, “Shut it before you dig the hole any deeper, Flint.”’

  There was silence for a minute and the Sergeant shook his head, “You still intend to go run Reginald through.”

  The young man knew there was no sense in denying it so he just nodded his head and the Sergeant looked up at the sky, “What am I going to do with you?”

  The older man closed his eyes and then reopened them a moment later. He paused with his mouth open for a moment and asked, “What will killing Reginald gain you?”

  Alden thought about the question for a moment before he answered, “Some peace and not havin’ to look over my shoulder all the time. He wouldn’t hurt any of my friends again.”

  The Sergeant nodded, “Alright. How do you think his family would respond?”

  The young man thought about all the petty things that Reginald had done and then realized he had been doing it with a small piece of his father’s fortune and power. If somebody killed his son, even if it was justified, odds are Alden would want to kill them. The green eyed teen sighed, “They’d make Damnation look like a vacation.”

  Sergeant Hunter nodded, “Good. Now, are you going to let this go or keep pushing it?”

  Alden grit his teeth, “I’ll let it go. Unless he does something else.”

  The Sergeant narrowed his gaze, “No. You’re letting it go. Period. This grudge between you and Reginald ends now. You don’t have to like each other but I’m done letting the two of you squabble like children over who’s spoon was shinier. You hear me?”

  The young man nodded, “Yes.”

  Sergeant Hunter grunted, “Good. Go get your head checked by a Medic. You’re bleeding.”

  Alden touched his hairline and then looked at the blood smeared across his fingers. Sergeant Hunter had bounced his skull off Reginald’s pretty hard. The young man rose to his feet and strode back to the hall, passing Hawkes on the way. The anger in his gut hadn’t slowed at all. Alden set his jaw and began to think of a way he could get back at Reginald once and for all but first he had to go to the Med Wing.

  The young man weaved his way through the Wall and bumped almost directly into Isaac. The Knight frowned down at him, “You again.”

  Alden managed an embarrassed smile, “Me again.”

  Isaac sighed, “Follow me.”

  The Knight Medic led Alden deeper into the room and Mason smiled at the pair as they walked by. He was standing on his own feet although he was doing it with the help of hand rails and a Knight Medic stood nearby. Alden smiled as the injured Knight took one shaky step and then another. It was still a long way from where the man had been but it was improvement.

  Isaac flowed past the room and into a small examination room where he directed Alden to sit down in a chair. The young man reached up and felt the wet edge of his hair. The bleeding had already stopped but like all head wounds it left Alden’s face a bloody smear from him wiping the sticky fluid away from his eyes. The sight was one Knight Medics were used to and most of the time these little accidents were nothing in reality despite all the blood.

  Alden bit the inside of his cheek as Isaac examined the wound and muttered a few words. Golden light billowed out of the Knight and into Alden’s head and a moment later the dull throb in the young man’s head subsided.

  Isaac grunted and tilted Alden’s head back, shining a light in his eyes and asked, “Do you feel dizzy or unsteady?”

  The young man replied easily, “I feel normal.”

  The older Knight grunted, “Go wash your face off then. The healing wasn’t perfect this time and it left a scar behind.”

  The green eyed teen nodded in response and stood up out of the chair and stepped over to the too familiar wash basin. He had been in this room a few times. After he had been arrested, a standard examination upon his return from each of his Trials. He had dropped by after each of his various fights and they had helped him along. Although they rarely healed all his bruises and injuries. They would touch upon the ones that might keep him from training properly and let him deal with his aches and pains. Maybe it was there way of teaching him to not get injured.

  The young man shrugged his thoughts aside and began to scrub at the dried blood on his face as Isaac drifted out of the room and Alden looked at himself in the mirror. Alden reached up and traced a finger over the pale scar on the left side of his hair. His nose was crooked and a small line traced over the right edge of his lip. None of them were large flaws. A smile formed on his lips and Alden shook his head. He had changed so much since he had left home but he was still the same, just better.

  Alden stepped away from the mirror as he toweled his face dry and drifted out of the room. He strode down the hallway, looking in each of the small rooms until he found Elise. She was sleeping and her leg was set. There was little Magic could do for bone beyond jump starting the process and speeding it up. It would still be at least a week and a half before the young woman was healed. He reached down and brushed a few strands of her hair back behind her ear and smiled before turning and walking out of the room. He would see her later when she woke up. When a Knight Medic made someone sleep it took an hour or two for the power to wear off.

  Chapter 59 Truth Of The Matter

  Warren sat beside the bridge and waited, hoping Victoria would show up. It had been a few days since Alden had revealed that they knew exactly who she was. The big man was worried that she might not want to see him because now he had to treat her as Princess Victoria Cinder and not his friend Victoria. Or did he have to treat her as the Princess when she didn’t want to use the title? Was it actually an obligation to treat her as a Princess when she didn’t want to be treated as a Princess?

  The large Knight didn’t have long to wait because Victoria appeared fifteen minutes later and stared down at him. He managed a smile, “How are you?”

  She shrugged, “Depends. How long have you known who I am?’

  Warren let his smile falter, “Alden told me who you were the night we met after our dance. When you wanted to meet he informed me that you wanted to have someone who did not see you as the Princess. And saw you as a friend instead. So I thought I would try.”

  Victoria crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, “Are you sure this wasn’t just an attempt to get closer to my father?”

  The big man rose to his feet, “Please believe me when I say that is not what I wanted. I just thought you were smart and so alive and usually Alden is better with people then me and I just thought I would take his advice and be a friend to you and I honestly enjoy being your friend and I do not want that to end and this is not some gambit to earn favor with the King and I just want to go read and learn about the world before this one came and here I am ramblin’ because I’m nervous and now I’m startin’ to sound like Alden ‘cause I talk with his accent when I get worked up and I’m just gonna stop talkin’.””

  The Princess frowned at him and her eyes seemed to pierce the very fabric of his soul as she stared into his grey eyes and finally she let out a breath and uncrossed her arms, “I think you’re telling the truth.”

  Warren let out a breath but sucked it back in as she held up a finger, “I believe you didn’t spend all this time with me just to get close to my father. I’m not sure that your motives are entirely pure either though.”

  The big man frowned as he studied her and then his eyebrow went up, “No, no no. I’m just trying to be your friend, Victoria.”
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  She smiled at him and Warren let out his breath again. Only to have her arm fly up and smack him across the face, “I know you better then that. And that was for making me worry you were nothing but another kiss up for my father. Let’s go, Warren.”

  Warren reached up and rubbed his cheek before smiling weakly at her and offering her his arm, “I’m hoping this means we’re still friends.”

  Victoria looped her arm through his as they walked into the city, “I hope so to, Warren.”

  The pair weaved through the crowded streets to one of their usual spots. A small diner next a library near High Town. They sat and chatted quietly about nothing but Warren started to worry about a tension he felt in the air. Something didn’t feel right. The big man scanned the room, wandering where the prickle in the back of his neck was coming from. He wished Alden was around. It always helped to have someone watching his back.

  The Princess stopped talking and hesitated before asking, “Is something wrong?”

  Warren narrowed his eyes and sighed through his nose, “I’m not sure. Something feels off to me.”

  Victoria glanced around the room and then Warren locked eyes with Reginald. The smaller teen glanced between Victoria and Warren before he scowled and left the room. The big man relaxed as Reginald disappeared and smiled at Victoria, “We’re fine. It was just someone who cannot take a hint.”

  The Princess made a sour expression, “Who was it?”

  Warren shook his head, “Reginald Blackfeather. He likes to think the world orbits around him.”

  Victoria let out a breath, “I know the type. My father wants me to pick one of them out of a dozen to marry me off to. I suppose I should be grateful I have any choice in the matter.”

  The big man felt something inside of him go cold but he dismissed the feeling. It wasn’t like he could do anything to stop the King’s will. The Knight bowed his head and let out a breath, “I’m sorry, Victoria. If it were my decision you could live as you wish but I do not wear the Crown, I only serve it.”