The Alora and the Knightlys Trilogy: Books 1-3

by A. J. Medina

  It seemed like I was being chosen to go first a lot lately. I hadn’t even noticed Ser Hector was around, but like the wizard himself would usually do, he appeared out of nowhere.

  “On guard!” Ser Hector yelled, a split second after I returned his salute.

  Our swords clashed and he forced me to the ground. I rushed to my feet and sliced at his torso. He jerked his body back and my sword missed him entirely. He took the opportunity to try and sever my arm, but I was too quick. I summoned a second sword and blocked his attack. Dispersing the sword as quickly as it had appeared, I slid my fingers into his chest armor plate, and pulling towards me, punched him in the face with my sword hand.

  When I released him, he turned his head to the side and spit—staining the dirt with his blood. “Well done,” he said, and then circled around me with his sword aimed in my direction. I could see him targeting me, trying to gain the advantage. He paused, squatted slightly and then lunged forward. I summoned and then threw my shield at his legs, causing him to trip. I stepped to the side and he landed on his face. A knight wielding two swords is much more dangerous than one, he told me once. I’m sure he was regretting those words now.

  I summoned my second sword and swung it. Ser Hector deflected it from the ground. I thrust my other sword into that small space between his helmet and his chest plate. I didn’t want to hurt him, but even though I pressed lightly, I could see a small stream of red dripping to the ground.

  “I yield!” he shouted.

  I removed my sword from his neck, dispersed the other one and held my hand out. He gripped my wrist and regained his footing.

  “Well done, Alora.” He dusted himself off. “But it’s never a good idea to get rid of your shield. What if another knight attacks from behind?”

  “Maybe I would’ve had time to pick it up after running my sword through his neck.”

  “Perhaps, but hold onto it next time just in case.”

  “Aye, Ser Hector.” We saluted each other.

  “Lucah, you’re next,” Ser Hector said, waving his sword in a come hither motion.

  I took my place in the circle and watched as Lucah prepared to take him on. I hadn’t said a word to him since the day he left me waiting on the balcony, but I’ve watched him practice—he wasn’t any better than me. I would say we had equal abilities. I practiced and practiced to make sure of it, but somewhere in the back of my mind a voice whispered... and it asked... What if he is better than you?

  Lucah started off on the defensive, merely blocking and avoiding Ser Hector’s assault, but with every attack Lucah became aggressive and much more enraged. He didn’t hold back, and when he summoned his battle axe, wielded it like he was bent on destroying Ser Hector. Their swift movements kicked up the dirt and a dust cloud formed around them. Lucah swung low and Ser Hector jumped to the side just before the battle axe made contact with his leg, diminishing some of the impact. It was a good thing too, otherwise he would’ve lost that leg.

  Lucah didn’t stop. With Ser Hector on the ground, Lucah brought the axe down onto Ser Hector’s chest with such force I thought he was going to split his armor in half. He swung it overhead once more and Ser Hector cried out, “I yield,” but Lucah brought it down again. The wizard yelled for him to stop, but it appeared he was in a daze or chose not to listen.

  Ser Hector rolled over at the last second and Lucah missed. He prepared to swing the axe again. “Father!” the princess cried. The king commanded Lucah to halt. He didn’t. When the axe came down again, just before it was to make contact, it vanished, along with Lucah’s armor. His chest heaved as he studied his empty hands.

  The wizard jumped off the balcony and landed in the courtyard, his eyes still glowing with a fury I hadn’t seen before. “Alora, tend to Ser Hector. Ser Erwin escort Lucah to the king’s court. Wait for me there.” Ser Erwin nodded and before Lucah left, he turned and met my gaze. He held it for a moment and then looked at the ground in front of him.

  I rushed over to Ser Hector. “Ser Hector are you hurt?”

  He sat up. “My pride more so than my leg.”

  With his arm around my shoulder, I acted as a support and helped him onto his feet. He thanked me and balanced on his good leg.

  The wizard came to his aid and placed Ser Hector’s arm around his shoulders. “Ser Hector, are you ready?”

  “Aye, Wizard.”

  The wizard turned and scanned us. “Knightlys... free time.”

  “Aye, Wizard,” I and the others said.

  “Lucah must’ve lost his mind. What was he thinking going after Ser Hector like that,” Ryanne said to Aednat.

  “I wonder what’s going to happen to him,” Tessa said, standing at my side.

  “I have no idea,” I lied. I knew what was going to happen to him. The same thing that happened to any knight that didn’t follow orders. I heard what Ser Hector said to the wizard as they walked out of the guard’s wing and into the city. “Maybe we shouldn’t have had them sharpen their weapons just yet.”

  And the wizard responded with one word. “Aye.”

  After a bit of practice and eating my midday meal, the rain had let up so Silas thought it would be a good idea if he escorted me around the castle city. Each time we passed another merchant in the square, they offered us some of their wares. First it was the fruit merchant, offering us her apples and berries. Next, it was the baker. “Fresh bread,” he offered. I shook my head and smiled.

  Silas led us past the square and back behind the baker’s home. Since he was in the square, his home stood empty as usual. Behind his house was a quiet area where Silas liked to take me so that we could be alone.

  We dispersed our armor, removed our sword harnesses and he laid his cloak on the damp ground so that we could sit with our backs up against the city walls. Taking my hand in his he asked, “Are you sad about Lucah?”

  “Nay,” I said, avoiding his gaze.

  He turned my chin so that I was facing him. “It’s fine, I know he’s your friend.”

  “I was his, but he didn’t seem to want to be mine.”

  “His loss.” Silas touched his lips to mine.

  I pulled away when I heard her voice. “Have you heard?” Tessa asked, pausing to catch her breath.

  Why did I ever tell her about this spot? “Heard what?”

  “The king has dismissed Lucah. He’s being sent home in a carriage right now.”

  I snatched my sword and sprinted at top speed towards the city gate. “Out of the way!” I yelled speeding past the city folk. I stopped at the stables to catch my breath and looked around. He wasn’t there. I scrambled past the castle’s main gate and onto the bridge landing.

  “Lucah!” I called out to him. He was sitting in an open air carriage, the driver making his way onto his seat. Lucah turned, met my eyes and then turned away. The carriage lurched forward and disappeared past the bridge gate. He was gone.

  Silas and Tessa arrived on the landing. Silas bent over and placed his hands on his knees, inhaling rapidly. Tessa didn’t stop and continued running towards the bridge gate. My sadness turned to bitterness and then turned to rage. Why had he been so stupid? Why did he attack Ser Hector so unmercifully? And why did he leave without saying goodbye?

  Chapter 15

  We had been instructed not to leave the guard’s wing at all today so we filled the morning with dueling and target practice. I felt like doing something different and summoned my battle axe. I lifted it overhead and swung, releasing it at the last moment. It only made it half way to the target and lodged in the dirt with a thud. It caught the attention of the others and that became the new challenge of the day.

  Everyone tried it and everyone failed. The farthest to throw it was Aednat. She boasted loud enough for all to hear. It was exhausting and after our midday meal, the others went right back to throwing battle axes, intent on reaching the targets, while Tessa and me returned to our chambers. I told her she didn’t need to keep me company, but she wanted to anyway.


  I sat on the floor watching Lucah leave over and over, in my mind. He could’ve at least waved goodbye, at least once. Tessa was busy going through her slow paced movement drills when the horn sounded three times. “Come on Alora. We’re being recalled to the courtyard.” Tessa tugged at my arm and we dashed down the steps to the courtyard. Neither the king nor the princess were on the balcony as we passed from one turret staircase to the other.

  When we entered the courtyard we were the last to arrive and the wizard waited patiently on the stage. “Knightlys, you have a mission to complete. You can imagine this as sort of a game.” Tessa elbowed me, her usual giant smile stretching across her face.

  “Your task is simple. The king’s guard are acting as knappers and they have taken the king. They have left the city walls and are headed towards the drawbridge to Ry’uet. You need to rescue the king before they get away. You are all to work as a team with Alora as your captain. You will follow her commands. Understood?”

  We all shouted, “Aye!”

  The wizard continued. “You must rescue the king and return him safely to the castle. Alora, the knightlys are yours.”

  I saluted and then shouted. “Form up!” The knightlys formed a tight circle around me. “Let’s have a little fun. We’re going to head to the stables and each grab a horse. Next, we’ll head to the drawbridge as fast as possible. Silas, you said you knew these lands. What’s the fastest way to the bridge?”

  “Hmm. Let me see—”

  “Can’t we discuss this on the road. We’re wasting time,” Aednat interrupted.

  “Aye. To the horses!” I yelled.

  So that we could run faster we all dispersed our armor. As we ran through the city, the citizens paused and I could hear their concerned mumbles. “What’s happened...” they cried out, “what’s happened?”

  But we didn’t answer. It was a game, they needn’t know and there was no time—we had to save the king. I hadn’t anticipated that the horses wouldn’t be ready for us. I grabbed a saddle pad and threw it on my horse. Next, I lugged the saddle over and onto him and cinched it tight. The bridle was next and just my luck, this horse decided to fight me. I stroked him on that space between his eyes to relax him and then slid it on. It would’ve been nice if we each had our own horses because I know I wouldn’t have picked this one as my own.

  Once the delay was over, we rode out of the castle gate and onto the bridge. I couldn’t let the height bother me now. I focused on Silas’ horse and kept my eyes on his back. He glanced over his shoulder, riding low on his horse to help increase his speed. I held my reins tight and stayed on top of him. The thunder from all our horses easily drowned out the falls and I forgot they were even there.

  When we crossed the bridge and hit the main trail, Silas slowed up and came to my side. “Which way?” I asked him.

  “The easiest way for them to get to the drawbridge is by going south, around the mountains and then back north. The terrain is easiest that way, but there’s another way.”

  “Is it faster?” I asked.

  “Aye, but when we get to the mountains we’ll have to leave the horses.”

  “Leave the horses?” Aednat sounded annoyed.

  “Aye. We can soar up the smallest mountain and come down the other side. We can do it. I’m sure of it. We’ll get there much sooner and we’ll catch them by surprise.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that, but we had to save the king. Nothing else mattered. “Lead the way,” I commanded.

  Silas kicked his legs into his horse and turned off the main road. The grass was untouched, proving that no one traveled this way.

  When we arrived at the mountains we were by the river side. Silas peered upwards, searching for just the right place. He pointed. “There! That’s the best way.”

  The mountain he chose appeared to be more of a rolling hill that rose up towards the sky. We tied our horses to the trees and I let Silas go first. He soared to a ledge, got his footing and then soared again to the next. I copied his exact path and the others were right on my tail. Don’t look back, I kept telling myself... don’t look back.

  When we reached the top, I was pleased to see the drawbridge, but wasn’t pleased by how little it appeared. We were too high for my liking. There were currently two knights guarding the bridge and I wanted to get their attention. I summoned my bow and shot an arrow at their feet, but it didn’t make it that far. “We’re too far, we need to get their attention. They can help us,” I said.

  “Follow me,” Silas said, and then soared down the side of the mountain. He landed on a small ledge and then moved on to the next. I focused on the task at hand. Just make it to the next ledge... and then the next. I soared down the other side of the mountain and when I reached the bottom the guards shouted, “Who goes there!”

  “Alora and the Knightlys!” I proudly answered.

  They came to attention and saluted. I filled them in on what had occurred. “The king has been taken. The knappers are headed this way. We need to get ready.”

  “The king has been taken? By whom?” the bridge guard asked.

  “It’s a game the wizard has created. He hasn’t actually been taken, but we can still use your help?” Silas added.

  The concern slipped from their expressions. “We are at your disposal.”

  “Give us your helmets,” I said, sticking my hand out. I took one and asked Silas to take the other. “We’ll take your post at the bridge.” I looked into the woods the knappers would emerge from. The path cut right through the middle of the trees. “Tessa, take the knightlys into the trees. Allow the knappers to pass and then take them from behind.”

  “Are we supposed to kill them? Our weapons are sharpened remember?” Tessa inquired.

  I hadn’t thought about that. I doubted the king and wizard would want us to kill the king’s guard. “Stick to bows and nothing else, unless they come at you. We were commanded to retrieve the king safely. If we must fight them, then we must.”

  “I don’t know about this,” Aednat said.

  “Me neither,” Ryanne added.

  “She’s in command. Do as she says,” Silas barked at them.

  “Aye!”

  They sprinted into the woods with the two bridge guards following close behind them, while Silas and me took our posts by the bridge entrance and waited.

  The sound of hooves speeding across the ground grew closer. “They’re here,” Silas said, with an ominous tone.

  “Are you ready?”

  He nodded.

  The knights came out of the trail between the woods and their bodies were surrounded by shields. “Now!” I shouted.

  At once we summoned our bows and fired. When a knight was hit, he acted as if he was injured and slumped over his horse. The knightlys flanked from behind and took out the rest of the knights. When they all lay slumped over their horses, the king alone remained.

  He sat on his horse with his hands bound in front of him and met each one of us with his gaze. “Well done, Knightlys! You have all done well.” The king raised his hands and I drew my sword. He placed his bindings against the blade and in one swift motion cut through them. I handed the bridge guards their helmets and thanked them for their assistance. They said it was the most fun they had all watch.

  “Where are your horses?” the king asked.

  “On the other side of the mountain.” I turned and pointed over the mountain we had scaled.

  “Oh my. Well then. I suppose it is best if you wait for us on the main road.”

  “Aye, Your Majesty.”

  “You can stop feigning dead now,” he announced to his guard. Their shields clanged as they sat up. “Lead the way, Ser Erwin.”

  “Aye, m’lord.”

  Their horses protested as they yanked the reins, turning them around. The king and his guard rode off and disappeared into the woods.

  Inside the city walls, the wizard was waiting for us by the stables with the princess at his side. Upon seeing her father she played alon
g. “Father! I was so worried. I thought I would never see you again.”

  The king dismissed her glee. “Hush, daughter,” he said, and then dismounted his horse and headed in the direction of the square.

  The corners of her mouth turned down, her facial expression changing from one of joyfulness to one of disappointment.

  “Well done, Knightlys,” the wizard greeted. “Leave your horses and report to the square. The king and I have a surprise for you.”

  Princess Evelyn’s eyes glimmered when she saw me. She hurried over, lifting the front of her dress so that it hovered over the ground. “Alora! Thank you for rescuing Father.”

  Her spirits were already crushed once. I wasn’t about to do that to her. After handing the reins of my horse to the stable boy, I dropped to one knee. “My lady, it was my honor.” When I lifted my head, she appeared delighted and her hands were covering her mouth.

  She composed herself by standing straight, tilting her head back slightly and then flicked her hand. “Lady Alora, please rise.” With an uncontrolled giggle, she wrapped her arm around mine and escorted me to the square.

  “Were you afraid?” the princess inquired.

  “Only when we had to scale the mountain. Oh, and on the bridge a little.”

  She paused and stared. “You scaled a mountain? You must tell me everyth…. Nay. Let us take a walk in the garden when you are free and you can tell me everything then.” The princess changed the subject and began discussing the surprise that was to come. She explained as little as she could without giving it away. Simply stating that I would be thrilled.

  When we arrived at the square, there was a small stage setup from where the king could address his citizens.

  “Knightlys on the stage—face forward, single file,” the wizard ordered.

  The horns sounded, playing a tune that called the entire city to the square—the king wished to address the people. The citizens all dropped what they were doing and rushed to the square. Some of them I recognized, like the merchants who waved. I waved back.