Where it all began...
Where did it all begin?
Can I remember?
"Have at you!"
"Argh!"
I panted. I just finished up one of the trainees in
the Knight Training Area. He fell to the ground. Soon enough, a cleric came and picked him up. He
carried him away deeper into the Training Area.
Pity they didn't heal me. I could have really used
it. I've been close to death here already.
"Knight!" a voice shouted from behind me.
I turned, my sword drawn on whoever was there.
In a blur, I could feel the sword elude my grasp.
Something hit it with a lot of force. I watched as my sword flew through the air, stopping when it
crashed along the wall.
"Oh god! Sorry." the person said. "I kind of get
jumpy about swords being drawn on me."
I looked at the person in front of me. They were
decked out in full armor, metal covered all areas of the body. In their right hand, there was a
large battle axe. I couldn't see the face, as a helmet covered it.
"Umm...well, yeah." I didn't know what to say.
"So, you said my name?"
The person in the armor laughed. "You don't who
I am?" The person began to remove the helmet off their head.
As I was pulled off, long hair fell across the back of
their body armor. And I could easily put the face to memory.
"Oh! It's you Saria." I said, partly embarassed. I
probably should have knew it was her.
Saria? My god. I haven't seen her in ages.
The reason I remembered Saria so well, was that she
was one of the first people to help me. Probably to her, she didn't even remember helping. But it was
forever in my memory.
Sadly, she went the way of the three knights I looked up
to. Pity. She was nice.
"Ah, I guess you just needed to see me." Saria smiled
at me. She poked me playfully. "Beating up on the easy guys here I see?"
I snickered. "Hey, I get my experience however I want."
"You should go out and actually fight something real!
There's a whole world of stuff to beat up on."
"And I'm sure you've fought them all?"
"Hey! I'm higher up than you, ya know!"
"Rats. That's true."
Saria patted me on the head. "Darn right!" She smiled at
me again. "Sorry about your sword though. Didn't mean to break it."
"You broke it?" I walked over to where it landed. As I
picked it up, the wooden sword broke into pieces.
"Yeah well...I'll pay for it."
"Nah. No need. But why are you here anyway? I thought only
Knights in training were allowed here?"
"Heh! No guards can stop me! I am all mighty!" Saria
started giggling, and I couldn't help but join in. "Really though. Just wanted to say bye. I'm going out
on a campaign for awhile, and I might not be back."
"Darn! It'll be lonely around here. Your the only one
who'll talk to me."
"What! You haven't hit on the cute knight girls yet? Gosh.
Your a slow study!"
"Give me a break! I'm not even a Baron yet."
"Oh, one thing at a time. You worry about fighting, then
you worry about rank."
"You would know, you Countess!" I mockingly bowed to her.
While my head was bent down, Saria hit me on the head.
"Eh, you needed that." I rubbed my head as I stood back up. "I guess I'll be going then. Wish me
luck!"
"Like you need it! Good luck. Come back safely." I waved
at her.
Saria started walking away. But she stopped right before
she left my sight. "Hey Knight! Think fast!" Saria quickly threw her helmet at me.
I dove into the air to catch it. And I missed completely.
The helmet landed right in front of me.
Saria started laughing. "We'll work on that when I come
back. Keep it and use it well!" Saria stepped out of my sight.
I picked up the helmet. It was heavy. Or maybe I was just
too weak. I put it on, so I at least I didn't have to worry about carrying it.
I started hunting for a new sword to use, but the
Knightline decided to perk up with activity.
I listened to the messages. Most of them went over my
head. But one stood in my mind.
"Would someone please come to the manor sleeping room?
Anyone please."
Huh? Why? I sent a message over the Knightline.
"I need someone to be a witness for my wedding."
A wedding. I guess I didn't have anything to do here
anymore. I said over the line that I would be there soon.
"Thanks." I could even feel her smiling at me.
I started walking on the way to the manor. From Nepeth,
I was a bit of a walk, but I made it to the manor in a few minutes. The wonders running can do for you.
I stepped into the manor bedroom. I saw a female knight
surrounded by two orcs.
My first reaction would have been to draw my sword out
and attack. But common sense went into my mind. I had no sword. So I walked in cautiously.
"Hello?" I said, making my presence known.
"Oh, hi." The female knight said. She smiled at me. "Are
you the one who talked to me over the line?"
"Ah yes. The name is Knight. KnightRC." I bowed to
her.
"Nice name. My name is Kushana."
Kushana.
The first time I heard that name. But far from being the
last.
"And these two...gentlemen?" I said, referring to the
two orcs. They were quiet, only staring at me.
"Oh! I'm having a hard time."
I imagined that she was talking about a fight. Maybe
she was having a hard time taking them on.
I prepared to fight, but what she said caught me off
guard.
"I'm having a hard time, picking which one to marry."
Of course, I was a new Knight, so I was taught that orcs
were always the enemy, no matter what. So, a Knight marrying an orc? That was out of the concept.
"What...what? Your going to marry one of these orcs?"
Kushana smiled at me. "Well, yes. That's why I called you
over here. You are going to help me, right?"
"Uhh...I guess so." I was quickly flustered. I looked at
the two orcs in question.
They both stared at me, gazing. They looked stronger than
me, but I was a poor judge of strength back then. But truly, most anyone was stronger than me back then.
I only manage to stammer out a few words, but it got nowhere.
Kushana nudged me. "Ahem. Pick please."
I was about to say something, but one of the orcs spoke
up. "I need some money." he said. I was glad to help, just in order to get him out of the room for
awhile. I took out a few coins and handed it to him. He left the room without a word, money in hand.
The other orc still stared at me. However, another orc
came into the room, a different one. He called the other orc in orcish (I had no grasp of the language
then) and the two of them left.
Kushana was still in the room, wondering. I went up to
her. "Kushana, I honestly can't pick."
Kushana looked at me and groaned. "Big help you are. I'm
sorry. I guess it is hard. They both are two good choices." She sighed.
"Permission to ask a question?"
"Huh? Sure. Go ahead."
"Why do you want to marry them anyway? Isn't it a bit
quick?"
"Yeah, I guess it is quick. Still though, I want to get
married now, so I won't have to worry about it in the future."
"Your thinking about your future now? My gosh, your still
young. Why worry now?"
"I don't know. I guess I just want to be married."
"Just for the heck of it?"
Kushana thought to herself. "Yeah, more or less."
"Well, don't rush things. I'm sure you'll find someone
better later on. Your a cute person, you can get anyone."
Kushana smiled at me. "You honestly think so?"
"Yeah. Besides, you shouldn't marry an orc. It wouldn't
look good in the guild. Ya know, the whole "hate orcs" things and such."
Kushana giggled. "Another good point. Fine then."
I nodded at her. "Well, I guess i'll be going, I don't
think i'm needed."
"Ooh wait! Hold on!" Kushana ran up to me.
"Yes?" She was excited about something.
"Why don't you marry me?" She pointed at me for emphasis.
"Huh? What? You want me to marry you?"
"Sure! Come on! Let's get married!"
"But but...we don't even know each other."
"Pshah. Who cares? We'll get to know each other
afterwards!"
Well, in front of me stood still cute knight, asking me
to marry her. I guess her looks had something going for her. She did look very pretty. I questioned her
personality, but it seemed nice enough. Odd tastes though. Orcs and people she hardly knew.
But call me old-fashioned. I think you should get to know
people first. "I'm sorry. You are cute, but we have to get to know each other first."
Kushana grumbled. "Your no fun. But I guess I can wait
as much as the next person."
I smiled at her. "Good then. I'll be seeing you?"
"Yeah, i'll make sure of it."
I just remembered something. "Oh here! Have this." I
threw her the helmet that Saria gave me.
Kushana caught it easily. She looked over it for a few
moments. "Really? You don't need this? It looks good."
"Nah, you can have it. I've got no need for it. Just
think of it as a little gift."
That was the past.
This is now.
"Kushana! Let her go now!" My sword was drawn out.
Kushana had her rapier pointed towards somebody. "Why?
She had the nerve to come and rescue you. And then she wanted to come and face me? Me, of all people?"
The girl was backed up against the wall, Kushana's
rapier pointed at her chest. She couldn't escape, so she stood there, most likely afraid.
"She has nothing to do with this! This is between you and
me!" I screamed at her, trying to get her attention.
"No! This girl must die! You could been out of my way
back then. She has to pay for that!" Kushana prepared to strike at her.
In a flash, I leapt in between them, and knocked the
rapier out of Kushana's grasp with my longsword. The rapier flew to the other side of the room, and I
pointed my longsword at Kushana. The bystander was behind me, still against the wall.
Kushana slowly backed away. I kept pace, my sword still
pointed at her. "Fine fine. The girl can live. I don't care. I just want you anyway." Kushana turned
from me and walked to pick her rapier.
"Drop it!" I warned her. It was of no use. In a quick
motion, Kushana brought the rapier from the ground, and knocked my sword away from my hands. Now she
had the advantage.
Kushana started to walk away from me. Throwing caution
into the wind, I ran after her, in hopes of tackling her. But she quickly turned towards me and threw
something at me. It was big and heavy. I wasn't prepared, and the object hit me in the chest and brought
me to the ground.
I looked at what hit me. It was the helmet. Saria's
helmet, the one she gave to me. And Kushana had given it back. Not the way I expected.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you. Yet. Enjoy your few
moments." Kushana again turned from me and talked in a low voice. I couldn't hear what she was muttering.
I found out soon enough. She finished her chant and a shimmering door appeared. She stepped through it
and went into the other side.
The glow from the door lightened the room. I picked up
my longsword and put it away. I went to talk to the girl, who was still shaken up by the whole ordeal.
She stared up at me, with her eyes trembling.
"Thank...thanks."
"What happened? How did you get involved with her?"
The girl took deep breaths to calm herself down. "Well,
lemme introduce myself. I'm Hikaru. Member of the Black Bear."
"Yeah, I noticed, you wear the Bear claw."
"Oh yeah, duh!" She looked at her Bear claw, worn on her
hand. "Never mind. Anyway, I guess I'll tell you what you want to know."
"Yes, I'd like that, thanks."
Hikaru started to talk, like a storyteller would to their
audience. "It's pretty easy to explain though. I was hunting in the forest. Trying to find some pelts to
bring back to camp. But I found you and some other person in a clearing."
"Was the other person's name, Tigerlily?"
Hikaru thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think so. Anyway,
I came up, and asked if you needed help. Tigerlily, she just asked me to stay with you, while she ran
off to get something. I don't know how long I stayed though, but it wasn't that hard. You just were on
the ground, asleep I guess."
"So when did Kushana come into it all?"
"Oh, her? That crazy person? She just came out of
nowhere, and she was like "What are you doing here?" and "Why isn't he dead?" She was about to kill me
there, but for some reason, she just stopped and instead just took me here, until you came.
"Basically a hostage, huh?"
"More or less." Hikaru sighed. "Doesn't matter though.
I'm okay, and your okay too. You should go after her!"
I stared at the shimmering door. "Yeah...maybe I should.
You best go back and recover from this."
"Ah! I'm fine!" Hikaru tried to jump up, but instead
groaned in pain. "Natch. I'll be fine in awhile. Hurry up! Just go!" Hikaru nudged me.
I stood up and looked into the shimmering door. On the
other side, I could make out a church.
A church?
