Knight Fall (The Champion Chronicles Book 1)

by Brad Clark

  Hollin was almost a knight. It would only be weeks before he would don the white surcoat that signified his knighthood. He had trained for many years, since a boy, and the rippling muscles in his arms and shoulders showed it. He was strong, one of the strongest squires. He also knew how to use his sword as well as any other. On several occasions they had been matched up in training, and Conner had always ended up on the ground, dirtied and bruised. He was just doing his job, Conner realized. Doing his duty in protecting the princess. Conner felt low, about as low as he could get.

  There was nothing for him to say, so he just sat on his horse, unmoving. Hollin pulled his horse away and sheathed his sword, and gave Conner a sly grin. He joined up with Franken and urged the girls to continue with their ride. With a deep sense of despair wafting over him, he watched them take a wide game trail deeper into the forest. He sat there until he could not see them anymore.

  He would leave. Return to the woods. He would go back to his aunt, who probably didn’t realize that he had been gone. He would bring a doe, or maybe a buck. They would gut and clean the deer and then maybe she would finally make those boots that she had been promising to make. He would be a hunter again, and he was okay with that. Or maybe he would settle down and find a young woman, marry her, and have a bunch of kids. He chuckled to himself at the thought. His mind flipped through the available girls in the nearby villages and none of them really appealed to him. There were lots of other little villages throughout Karmon. There had to be at least one with a young woman that would appeal to him.

  But his mind’s eye couldn’t shake the image of Elissa. He knew that they were meant for each other, and he hated how he had failed her. He had tried so hard to be there for her, but he just didn’t fit. He could never be a knight because he didn’t have the pedigree. Maybe he could join the royal guard, but those were mostly seasoned soldiers, who had cut their teeth on border conflicts with Thell. He didn’t have that kind of experience, and he really didn’t have the kind of skills that a royal guard needed. He couldn’t fight with a halberd or longsword. Sure, he was good with the Sak’turana, but royal guards didn’t carry the light sword that he was learning. He was just a farm boy. A peasant from a village far from the hustle and bustle of the city. He was a hunter who needed to live and breathe amongst the trees.

  He would say his good-byes to Goshin as soon as he returned, and then he would be gone. Hopefully it would be before the princess returned to the castle. He turned his horse back towards the way he had come, and kicked into a light trot. With each passing heartbeat, he felt his heart break apart. He was turning his back on Elissa, but it was a silly promise that he had made. He was not a champion of anything. He was just Conner, the simple boy from the forest. She would understand and eventually, she would forget him.

  ***

  “You have said nothing since he left,” Melanie said, glancing back at the hulk of a squire who was following him. Hollin did not bat an eye or appear interested in any way. It made Melanie smile.

  Princess Elissa followed her friend’s gaze back to the squire and rolled her eyes. “You need to stop flirting with our escorts.”

  A wry smile appeared on Melanie’s smooth, round face. “Soon he will be a knight, and having a knight for a husband will suit me just fine. Especially one as strong as Hollin.”

  “His father is lord of the whole eastern forests. He owns much land and is very, very wealthy. I think that appeals to you more than his looks.”

  “And if you had your way, you would be married to a farmer living your life smelling like pigs,” Melanie retorted.

  ”You make presumptions,” Princess Elissa said, nose high in the air.

  “You cannot hide it. The way you look at him, even when you don’t want to.”

  “He is a pig,” Princess Elissa said sharply. “I do not like him.”

  Melanie laughed and said, “The look on your face, when he showed up here in the forest was precious. Your face blushed and I could see your heart beating right through that dress of yours.”

  “He made a promise that he never intended to keep," Elissa said. "I do not care for him at all.”

  “My ladies,” Hollin interrupted from a discrete distance away. “Nightfall will be upon us before too long. It is time to return to the castle.”

  Melanie turned toward the squire and batted her eyes. “Why, we just started our ride.”

  Hollin averted his eyes from hers and a slight hint of red appeared from his neck and slowly spread up to his cheeks.

  "I think we should ride a bit longer, don’t you agree, Princess?" Melanie flashed a smile at their escorts and continued to bat her long, dark eye lashes.

  The blush on Hollin’s face grew, and his voice changed to a slightly higher pitch. "Yes, milady. As you wish.”

  Melanie kicked her horse into a trot, giving Princess Elissa an evil smile. Elissa smiled back, shaking her head. She followed her friend along the trail, with their two squires in tow.

  ***

  Conner arrived at the castle gates as the sun was making its way down towards the Gulf of Taran to the west. It was a horrible ride back. With each passing moment, he regretted leaving the princess. He knew that she was in good hands. Hollin was a capable squire and as long as they weren’t attacked by a squad of Thellian soldiers, he would be able to handle anything. But he at least thought that Elissa was his friend. They had spent much time together, talked quite a bit. At least until lately. She had her own things, whatever they were. And he had his training. Between the sessions with Goshin, and the squire training, he had little time to eat or sleep. He should have stayed there, ignoring Hollin. But he could not forget the look that Elissa had given him. It was not the look that friends gave one another.

  By the time he left his horse at the stables, he had finally convinced himself that he did the right thing. He had left her to more capable hands, and that was all that mattered. She was protected and he didn’t need to be that protector. As he walked down the last hallway towards the squire’s living chambers, he was feeling pretty good about himself. He actually felt relieved at no longer having the pressure of the duty of being Princess Elissa’s champion. No more training. The farm life and the forest was looking pretty good. He strode through the doorway of his chamber thinking only about packing up and leaving the castle for good.

  At one time the chambers that the squires slept in served as prison cells. Gone were the bars, but they were still cold and damp. There was little more than a bed in them, but in reality, only his sleeping hours were spent there. Every other waking moment was doing something else. It was too early for other squires to be around, so he was a bit surprised when there was a light tapping on the wall.

  Conner’s heart skipped a beat when he saw who was standing there. It was the last person he wanted to see right now.

  Master Goshin stepped into the room and said, “You were missed today.” The anger was clear in his voice and on his face.

  “I went…” Conner started to say.

  “I know where you went,” Goshin snapped back. “Your duties are here. And you have failed today. It can never…never happen again.”

  Conner thought he would be angry at the way his teacher was talking to him, but he wasn’t. The decisions had already been made, and he really didn’t care what the old, short man thought. He wanted to say that, but he still held much respect for him, so he kept his mouth closed.

  “We will train," Goshen said, his voice calmer, but still firm. "Now. Gather your swords.”

  Conner shook his head.

  Goshin took a deep breath and let it out quickly. “I have spent much time teaching you the ways of the Sak’hurai. It will not be wasted. You cannot miss one day.”

  “I am done,” Conner said softly.

  “No,” Goshin said. “You will train now. Sleep comes later.”

  “No,” Conner said, raising his voice slightly. “I am done. For good. I am going home.”

  Goshin slapped the wall s
harply with his palm, startling Conner enough that he flinched. “This is your home.”

  “My home is my village," Conner said. "In the forest. It has been and always will be. This place here is not for me. I don't belong here.”

  Goshen let out a grunt and was silent for several moments. Then he asked, “You did not find your princess in the forest?”

  “Uh, no,” Conner replied with a puzzled look. "I found her."

  “You found Princess Elissa in the forest, but you did not find your princess,” Goshin said. The blank look on Conner's face put a smile on the old sword master’s face. “She is growing up and will have less and less time for her friends. Even those that she likes.”

  “She did not even act like she liked me," Conner said. "I thought we were friends.”

  “You must understand that she is a princess which is much more than a name. She has duties to perform and she must uphold her status to the kingdom.”

  “But I am also her champion,” Conner argued.

  “She has no need of a champion," Goshin declared as softly as he could. "Every knight in the kingdom would give their life for her. The royal guard as well. There are more than enough swords in this castle to protect her. And soon, a husband will be found for her, and he will become her true champion.”

  An anger began to grow from deep inside. “But I am her champion!” Conner exclaimed loudly. “We made a promise and the king even declared me her champion!”

  Goshin stepped forward and gripped Conner by the shoulders. “Then be one!”

  Conner shrugged the hands away. “I cannot be her champion when I cannot fight! You make me use my left hand, and I cannot fight that way. I have trained and trained with my swords, and you will not let me use them!”

  Goshin took a step back, and looked over his pupil thoughtfully. He saw the anger that was still inside. He saw a young man desperately trying to break out of the shell that he was in. He trained him as he knew how. As he knew best. As a Sak’hurai. But Conner was not Sak’hurai, nor would he ever be. He could be better, though. But only if he was allowed to be.

  “You are right,” Goshin said. He bowed his head in shame. “I was wrong.”

  Conner, sensing that maybe he had come on too strong and was too harsh with his master, said. “No, you were right to teach me to use my left hand. It is just time to show everyone. To show Princess Elissa that I can be her champion. That I am worthy.”

  “You do not need to prove your worth. Your worth is from who you are and what you do. The moment you try and prove your worth to someone is the moment that you tell them that you are better than them. Do not do that. Do not be arrogant in your worth.”

  Conner smiled a wry smile. “Are you still trying to teach me ways of the Sak’hurai?”

  Goshin’s face was hard as a stone. “No. That is more than Sak’hurai. That is the way of being a man. You must choose now. Go now or stay. But if you stay, then you cannot choose to go again when things don’t go your way. That is also the way of being a man. You must be committed regardless of what happens.”

  Conner nodded. “I will stay.”

  Goshin gave Conner a quick bow. "Yes. Of course. But you must still train."

  Conner let out a moan. He was beat. He could barely stand. Longingly, he looked at his bed.

  "Very well," Goshin said. "You may rest. But tomorrow, you work twice as hard."

  Conner gave a slight nod of thanks before dropping onto his bed and falling into a deep sleep.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Marik gently touched the rocky path, his hands scanning the stones and rocks scattered about. There were a couple deep gouges, which could have been anything. But his trained eyes told him that they were caused by the struggle of a horse trying to keep from falling into the deep chasm. A stream had cut itself a path deep into the mountain, creating the deep chasm that seemed to be bottomless. But Marik knew better. He had spent many long months in the mountains scouting and doing…other things. Right here, next to the trail, the drop-off was steep and deadly. If anything fell here, it was a long way down with seemingly no way out.

  Although it was steep, if one knew how to maneuver down the side of the cliff, it was not difficult. Marik had done this before, many times. Keeping his feet in front of him, and his weight as far back towards the cliff face as he could, he started sliding down. It was mostly loose gravel, making the going fast, but not too dangerous. He used his hands to control his descent, digging into the cliff face when he felt himself going too fast. Before he expected it, his feet struck the ground, catching himself off balance. He tumbled forward, face first into the slow running stream that had spent an eon cutting into the mountain.

  The smell hit him first and he had to force himself to keep from throwing up his lunch. Covering his face with the crook of his elbow, he looked over the dead horse. It had certainly once been a knight’s mount. But now the poor beast was half devoured, its entrails strewn across the ground. The saddle was still in place, but there was nothing else. No body, no sword, no armor. Starting at the carcass, Marik scouted the area in an expanding circle, looking for any sign of Brace. He finally found one on the other side of the bank. A small tree had been cut down, its branches cut off from the main trunk and left on the ground. There were some dark stains on some of the larger rocks that could have been blood. After another hour of searching, he finally picked up the trail. It led upstream, deeper into the mountains, and towards the northern border of the kingdom.

  He touched a partial boot print and said softly into the wind, “I am on your trail, my friend, and you are alive. I will catch up to you. I promise you that.”

  ***

  Brace jumped down from the embankment. He had been slipping and sliding most of the last ten feet and rather than fall on his face, he jumped. Although he tried to land only on his good leg, he still came down on his bad leg. He let out a sharp shout as the pain shot up from his foot and through his spine. He hopped for two steps, trying to maintain his balance. But the pain was too much and he collapsed to the ground. Brace wanted to cry. It was a pain that he had never experienced before, far beyond any of the slices and stabs that he had endured during his tenure as a knight. He tried to let the pain go away through willpower. With eyes closed, he slowed his breathing, trying to calm it away. But it would not go away.

  Finally, he slammed his fists on the ground and let out a loud shout.

  Mirfar had been leading the way, and at the sound of Brace’s outburst, he turned. “We will rest here,” the Thellian nomad declared.

  Bellock was still at the top of the last hill, trailing them with the pack of food and supplies on his back. He easily slid down the embankment into what had once been a stream that ran at the base of the mountain. He dropped his packs onto the ground and started to unpack some of the supplies to prepare their lunch.

  Mirfar leaned down and studied the leg. “It is not swollen,” he said with an encouraging smile.

  “What does that mean?” Brace asked.

  “If it were swollen and red, hot to the touch, then infection would have set in, and death would soon follow. The wound is healing, but the leg, the bones, I am afraid, are not healing well.”

  “I can stand the pain,” Brace said. “Until it is fully healed.”

  “You are a brave man, Brace Hawkden," Mirfar said. "But I wonder if some of the bravery is really stubbornness. We have been traveling for two days when you should have been resting.”

  “I will rest when I am dead,” Brace retorted sharply.

  Bellock said a few words and handed Brace a chunk of bread and piece of dried meat.

  Mirfar smiled and said, “Our big friend says that if you don’t slow down, then you will indeed be dead.”

  “The leg will be fine,” Brace said. “I can handle the pain. It is only temporary.”

  “The good news is that our path will be much easier. We have climbed out of the mountains, and now the land slopes down towards the northern steppes of Thell. If Ki
rwin and Lillimar were able to find horses for the return trip, we should be meeting up with them sometime today.”

  Brace looked back at the mountains. It was hard for him to imagine that they had made it as far as they did. His leg was in constant pain and he couldn’t walk very fast. Mirfar had cut a thick walking stick to help him walk. It had taken some getting used to, but as long as they were on flat ground, he could make decent time. But most of the past two days hadn’t been flat ground. It had been uneven, rocky terrain. There had been no path to follow. The footing was treacherous with two good legs. With only one, Brace was simply thankful to the gods that they had seen him through.

  He then looked out away from the mountains. It was different on this side. Trees were not as abundant. Unlike the grand forests that were pervasive throughout Karmon, Thell was mostly flat with smaller clumps of woodsy areas. They were still up in the mountains, but they were well below the steep, rocky parts. It looked like the entire kingdom of Thell was laid out in front of them. They were high enough still to see for miles and miles.

  Brace squinted his eyes, trying to find a break in the flat land where a city might exist. “Where is Thellia?” he asked.

  Mirfar raised an eyebrow at the question. “You do not know? You were to deliver a message to the king and you do know where the city is?”

  “I know where it is, just not from where we are now. I had directions through the White Mountain Pass. Directly north, follow the first river that I came across and that would lead me directly to the city gates.” Then he added with a slightly irritated tone, “I do not normally spend much time north of the mountains.”

  Mirfar seemed to ignore the tone and answered, “We are some miles to the west of the pass. The river that you were to follow, the Jorgan River, as we call it, meanders quite a bit. Following the river would take you an extra day to get there. Now, since I know exactly where the city is, I have taken us in a direction directly towards there.” Mirfar finished by pointing directly towards their destination, a spot on the horizon a bit west of north. His eyes following his hand, but the surprise at what he saw kept his arm suspended in air.