Chapter 1
The threads of darkness crawled across the starry night. Only the light of the blue moon managed to pierce through the thick fogs of the swamp. Frogs croaked and insects hummed. The crackles of the campfire went well with the ambient sounds of nature. It was peaceful.
Alazhar watched the fire spit and dance. His leg bounced excitedly. Tomorrow all of his dreams would come true.
The campfire rose unnaturally high. The flames split. Fire floated above the fire-pit. It stretched and twisted and rolled through the air.
Alazhar rolled his eyes as his twin waved his hands around and made the fire dance spectacularly. He leaned back against a log and watched his brother lowered the flames back into the pit.
His brother proudly set his hands on his hips and grinned at Alazhar. “Whadd’ya think, Azzie? Think you can top that?”
“I don’t care to.” Alazhar puffed his cheeks and looked away.
His twin ran over. He ruffled Alazhar’s fire-red hair. “Don’t be a Woe-Flower. You should get control of your gift.”
“I’m not you, Kol.” Alazhar shot him a glare. Their violet eyes met. “I don’t want anything to do with magic. It’s not a gift, it’s a curse.”
Kol shook his head. “You’re just mad ‘cause you can’t control it.”
Alazhar jumped to his feet. “I don’t need to! I’ll beat you in a physical match any day!”
“Wanna bet, you skinny ass?” Kol cracked his knuckles.
“With pleasure!” Alazhar put his fists up.
A strapping man smacked Alazhar in the back of the head. “Cool your fire, Alazhar.” The man set down a bundle of dead pigs. He scratched his bushy beard. “That is no way for an aspiring knight to act.”
Alazhar crossed his arms. “Says you.”
Kol began cutting the rope from the tied pigs. “You hunted a lot, father.”
Their father smiled. “I couldn’t help myself. This is the last night we all will be together.” He took a moment to look at them. “Tomorrow, you two will set on your paths and carry the Cobian name on your own.”
Alazhar frowned. “You’ll still visit us, right, father?”
“No. I will not.” Their father helped Kol lift one pig onto a spit. “Tomorrow we all go our own ways. I will follow the path of the knight and join the war between Dagon and Aldruin. You, Kol, will learn from the Druids as you become one with your gift. You, Alazhar, will train at the castle for the next few years as you strive to become a knight.” Their father paused. “Alazhar, while your ambitions are noble, do not neglect the training of your gift. The Goddess does not bless it with just anybody.”
Alazhar scoffed. “I’d rather let it dwindle.”
Their father laughed. “The gift is strong in the Cobian blood. Even if you tried, the gift will never dwindle from us.” His smile faded. “What it can do is corrupt and destroy you. Take the time to learn how to control it.”
“Yes, Father.” Alazhar glanced at Kol. His twin stuck out his tongue at him.
“One day, we will reunite. Be strong in your ambitions and come out righteous men.”
. . .
From the moment Alazhar and his family entered the gates the castle town of Jorikka was alive with bustling residents and deafening festivities. Groups crowded around booths and stores.
Alazhar and Kol walked the paved roads with their mouths ajar. Though their father had said the Cobian name held power, Alazhar and Kol had grown in humble lands. Their small village raised strong horses for the sorceresses of Valhan. It was a fair settlement with no more than thirty families.
Their name had never been mentioned in the village. The twins’ father wanted his family to live a peaceful life and had kept the Cobian name secret. Even when Alazhar would brag to the other children about his father being a knight, they had never believed him. Instead, they teased him for having ambition. Alazhar chuckled to himself. They couldn’t laugh now.
Their father stopped the twins. Alazhar looked up at the towering castle. The castle had been built into the side of a mountain. From the castle walls, Alazhar had counted at least seven levels.
“This is where we part ways, Alazhar.”
Alazhar snapped back to reality. He looked at his father and Kol. “I guess it is…”
“Remember to keep your gift a secret among the knights. You don’t want them thinking you’re cheating.”
“I have no intention to let people know I have the gift.” Alazhar huffed.
His father’s strong hand rested on Alazhar’s shoulder. “Do not fear. You are sure to become a fine knight.”
Alazhar dropped his pack and hugged his father. “I will miss you, father.”
After a long two minutes, Alazhar stepped away. He turned to Kol. Kol exaggeratedly rolled his eyes. “You’re not going to last a day without me. You should just give up becoming a knight and join me in becoming the most powerful mage.”
“I can do without you,” Alazhar said. He turned his back to his twin and crossed his arms. “Go pointlessly study your gift. I’ll get stronger and become the best knight around. You’ll be eating my dust before long.”
Kol laughed. “I’d like to see you try! The next time we meet, I will show you the fruits of my training and prove I’m the best twin.”
Alazhar stuck his tongue out at Kol and turned his back again.
A moment of silence passed. Kol’s voice lowered, “Until we meet again, Azzie. Stay safe.”
Alazhar listened to their footsteps steadily fade. He held a stiff lip. His chin quivered while the tears he tried so hard to control welled in his eyes. Alazhar quickly wiped the tears with his sleeve. He took a deep breath and picked up his bag.
Servants walking down the stone ramp barely took notice of Alazhar unless it was to order him to move. They all were in a hurry somewhere. A plump woman far off to his left shouted and ordered about a group of young girls. Her face burned red and Alazhar was sure he could see her nostrils flaring.
A chuckle escaped Alazhar. In the middle of turning his attention back on the road ahead of him, Alazhar bumped into someone. He looked up at the knight staring down at him. “S-sorry.”
“You should watch where you’re going, boy.” The knight scowled. “What are you doing here?”
Alazhar straightened. “I’m here to become a knight, sir. Today I start my training.”
The knight looked Alazhar over. “You’re awfully small, almost as small as a girl. Can you even hold up a weapon.”
“Of course I can!” Alazhar spat. “Uh, sir.”
“Hmm.” The knight leaned in a little closer to get a better look at Alazhar’s face. “Your eyes… they’re violet.”
Alazhar shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, yeah.”
The knight smiled. He rested a hand on the hilt of sword. “Come. I’ll take you to where the rest of the soon-to-be pages are.”
A beaming smile lit Alazhar’s face. “Yes, sir!”
He followed the knight up the sloped path. “What’s your name, lad?”
“It’s Alazhar. Alazhar Cobian.”
The knight stumbled. He looked back over his shoulder at Alazhar. “The House of Cobian, huh?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Cobain is a strong name. Many knights learn of the Cobian heritage during their time here.” The knight made a turn. “Great things will be expected from you.”
“I expect great things out of myself.” Alazhar bounced his pack back up his shoulder.”
“Today, the newbies will have their orientation. A banquet has been set up so you’ll have plenty of time to eat and relax. Tomorrow you attend your studies. You will learn how to hunt, you will learn reading and writing and various subjects, and you will attend combat practice.” The knight halted at a door. He turned back to look Alazhar over once more. “I am Sir Dalton. My door is always open if you need anything.”
Alazhar bowed. “Thank you, Sir Dalton!”
Sir Dalton gave a slight nod of the head before trekking back down the path. Alazhar took a deep breath before opening the door to the banquet hall.
The roar of laughter and conversation boomed. Hundreds of potted flowers lined the walls. Stained glass windows let in broken light. Two rows of chandeliers hovered over long wooden tables filled with food and drinks. The tables were filled. On one side, the tables were held by the knights and squires. The other side had been claimed by the nobles and young children, around Alazhar’s age, sure to be the new pages.
The squires and young children glanced at Alazhar. They leaned in to whisper. Alazhar heard a couple chuckles under the squires’ breath. He puffed his chest and made his way to the other pages.
“Anyone sitting here,” Alazhar asked. A freckled brunette motioned for him to sit. Alazhar sat his pack at his feet and looked at the others. “What?”
They all turned away and stuffed their mouths. Alazhar scowled at them. He reached for a plate.
Alazhar tensed. He could sense something in the air. His skin tingled with the blasted gift. Alazhar tried to shake the feeling away. He added food onto his plate and smiled politely to anyone who looked at him.
He scanned the people in the room. One of them was planning something sinister. He could feel the malice in his bones. Alazhar took a bite of his chicken leg. He couldn’t pinpoint the source but he did know the target.
Alazhar glanced over his shoulder at one of the squires. A boy of perhaps fourteen laughed wholeheartedly with his friends. His floppy blonde hair flipped back and forth as his friend nudged and poked him playfully. When he leaned in to tell his friends a story, his blue-green eyes glistened under the chandelier light.
Alazhar took a sip of his grape juice. He noticed many of the young noblewomen cast longing eyes at the squire. He supposed the squire had certain features that were easy on the eyes, but he failed to see the attraction.
The squire had surely noticed the stares though. He met their gaze with smile and would return to the conversation. The young noblewomen instantly swooned. Alazhar rolled his eyes.
The squire noticed Alazhar glancing back. He smirked mischievously.
Whatever this young squire had done, he was walking with a target on his back. Someone intended him harm. Alazhar returned his attention to the food in front of him. It could likely have been one of these young noblewomen the young squire had scorned.
Alazhar poured himself a glass of juice. He noticed a shadow approach from behind. He glanced over his shoulder.
The young squire looked down at him. His mischievous smile brightened. “Greetings, soon-to-be-pages. It is a high honor to be here today.” He placed a hand on Alazhar’s shoulder. “Training will be strict and hard. Hopefully some of you will be pair with a kind knight or lord.” His fingers gently squeezed Alazhar’s shoulder. “After all, you don’t want to get stuck with someone who’ll mistreat you.”
Alazhar scoffed and smacked the young squire’s hand off. “You should focus on becoming a knight and not worry about us.” He gave the squire a smirk. “Arrogance won’t save you in battle.”
The young squire looked taken-aback. “A fiery one, aren’t you? Take after the color of your hair, I see.”
“As do you. Not seeing much dirt around here other than you.”
The young squire laughed. “I’m insulted.”
“What are you gonna do about it?”
“Alright then, tomorrow night, I’ll challenge you to a spar. You win, I’ll get you whatever you want. If I win, you’ll be my bitch.”
Alazhar rose to his feet and faced the young squire. “You’re on. I would love to smack that smirk off your face.”
The young squire chuckled. “All right then. I will send someone to get you tomorrow night.” He returned to his table. The other squires stared at Alazhar. Their chuckles bloomed to belly-shaking laughter as the young squire said something.
Alazhar started stuffing his face when a band of trumpets startled the pages. Alazhar choked. He pounded his chest until the burning sensation in his lungs faded. Everyone turned their attention to the lone table overlooking the rest of the room.
An aged man in colorful silk and a crown approached the table of attention. He held himself with the highest of stature. His fingers were bejeweled with extravagant gemmed rings. His white peppered beard had been braided and tied with the red ribbon of nobilty.
Excitement rose in Alazhar’s stomach. He watched the King of Jorikka with wonder. One day he would be the King’s most trusted knight. He swore it.
The King cleared his throat. “Welcome honored guests. Tonight we come together in celebration for a momentous occasion, the Night of Rising. Tonight, we welcome new blood into the fold,” The king held a hand out to Alazhar and the children around him, “and celebrate as they begin their path to becoming a Dagon Knight.”
Applause roared. The King nodded approvingly until the noise settled down. He held up his hand for complete silence. “Today also commemorates the ascension of the pages to squires!” The King proudly glanced over to the squires. “And the day my son, Prince Jaus, begins his journey to knighthood.”
If Alazhar thought the room was loud before, the uproar now paled the previous cheers. Alazhar glanced back to the squires table. Prince Jaus waved his hand. He glanced over to Alazhar and smirked. Alazhar buried his face into his hand. He had challenged and insulted the prince.
The King call for silence. “The path of the knight is one of hardship. A true knight must be strong and just. A true knight must be able to endure pains and suffering for the people he has sworn to protect. Knights must be honorable and righteous.” The King of Jorikka looked at the new squires and pages. “Even in training, you all represent the honor of the Dagon. Go forth and become.”
The banquet hall roared with cheers again. The nobles chanted ‘Long live King Jaster!’ and ‘Long live Prince Jaus!” until the king raised his hands again for the cheers to settle.
“Let us feast!”
Everyone dug into their food. Laughter and merriment filled the room. Alazhar glanced up to see the freckled boy staring at him. His dark hair flopped into his round face. “What are you looking at?”
The boy smiled. “You must be crazy to challenge Prince Jaus.”
Alazhar scoffed. “I didn’t know he was the prince.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I have no choice. I gave my word. I must accept.”
The boy nodded his head approvingly. “I’m Reid, third son of the third generation of the House of Chen.”
“Pleasure.” Alazhar sighed. “Alazhar, first-born of the thirty-first generation of the House of Cobain.”
The table went silent. All of the pages stared at Alazhar with wide eyes. Alazhar rolled his eyes. “What?”
“What do you mean ‘What?’ Your family is legendary!” Reid laughed to himself. “No wonder you challenged the prince. You have nothing to fear!” Reid leaned to the page next to him. “His skills must be off the charts!”
Oh no… Alazhar frowned. “It’s just a name. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“Like bloody hell it doesn’t!” Reid straightened his back. “We’ll be training with a legendary Cobian,” he told the others. His face beamed. “We’ll be the best of friends!”
A chuckle escaped Alazhar’s lips. “Sure.”
The pages drew closer to him. They bound him with endless questions about his family. Alazhar glanced over his shoulder once to look at Prince Jaus. He looked amused to see the crowd around him.
He was in trouble now.
When the feast ended, four attendants approached the pages. They stood in a line before the pages. One attendant stepped forward and pulled out a scroll. “I am Mrs. Auster. The three ladies behind me and I will be showing you all to your quarters…”
Alazhar glanced over at the squires. They headed for the exit. Prince Jaus gave him a small wave before disappearing with the rest of the squires.
“Breklen, to one. Alazhar, to two. Kendall, to three. Henkins, to four. Kal, to three. Reid, to two. Ynair, to one…”
Reid wrapped his arm around Alazhar, “Looks like we’re going to be flat mates.”
“If there are bunk beds, I claim top.” Alazhar playfully pushed him away.
The four attendants lead the group of eight through a hall. The four attendants split down to halls. Alazhar and Reid followed their attendant to the right.
“This is the room you two will be staying for the next six years,” the attendant said. She motioned to the door on her left. “Tomorrow you will receive your list of classes and tutors. You will spend the day gathering your materials, learning the perimeters of the castle, where you are allowed and not, and getting to know your tutors before lessons begin. Then training begins. Next week, you will be assigned to a lord or knight to tend to their every need and learn from.”
Alazhar frowned. He hated the idea of being someone’s bitch willingly. Still, it had to be done if he wanted to be a Dagon Knight.
Reid opened the door and bounced inside. The attendant watched Alazhar expectantly. She pursed her lips when he didn’t move. “Is there a problem?”
“No.” Alazhar smiled. “Just taking it all in.”
The attendant raised an eyebrow. “Taking it in?” Her pressed lips formed a faint smile. “You sound like an old man.”
Alazhar blushed. He scratched the back of his head, “I’ve just been dreaming of this moment for a long time. Now, it’s finally happening.”
“We’ll see how you feel about that tomorrow.” The attendant turned on her heel. “Everyone will be up bright and early. We rise before the sun and sleep long after it sets. I bid you good dream, page.”
Excitement pumped through Alazhar. He couldn’t hide the smile growing. He inhaled deeply to steady his shaking hands.
“What you standing around for?” Reid poked his head out. “Get in here!”
Reid pulled Alazhar into the room. He jumped onto the bed. He watched Alazhar toss his bag onto the bed. The room only had bare essentials: a bed, a desk, a latern, and an empty bookcase. That was fine for Alazhar. They wouldn’t be in the room very long anyway.
“So how old are you,” Reid asked. “I’m seven.”
“Eight.” Alazhar untied the laces to his boots.
“What’s it like being a Cobian?”
Alazhar raised an eyebrow. “Probably like everyone else. I don’t know how I can answer that.” He chuckled.
“Ever been on any adventures?”
“Have you?”
Reid sprawled onto the bed. “No, but I want to. Becoming a knight is going to help me with that.”
“Knights don’t usually go on adventures, though. They go to war.”
“War can still be an adventure.” Reid shrugged. “We got to make the most of what we’re dealt and find a little happiness wherever we can. Momma used to say that to me all the time.”
Alazhar shook his head but he was still amused. He lay back onto the firm bed. He shifted around in search of a comfortable position. “I’ve been on one adventure. I actually just came from it. That’s why I’m starting my knight training at eight instead of seven.”
Reid’s eyes bulged. “You’ve got to tell me everything! Were there dragons? Did you fight some evil sorcerer? Oh! Did you fight the spawns of hell?!”
“No!” Alazhar belted out laughter. “Nothing that grand!” He faced the wall. He closed his eyes. Flashes of his hardships over the last year raced through his mind. “My brother and I went with my father to save a friend of ours.”
“Did you?”
Alazhar curled into a ball. He pulled the second pillow close to him and held it tightly. “Maybe I’ll tell you the story one day.”
Chapter 2
Alazhar! Save me!
Azzie!
Alazhar, don’t!
Alazhar snapped awake. He popped up and held his chest. He could feel the racing beat in his hand. The bed had been drenched with his sweat. He threw the bedcover off and lay back down.
The morning scent of dew wafted through the window. Alazhar focused on his breathing until his heartbeat settled. A soft breeze cooled the sweat beading along his skin. Alazhar exhaled.
He stared at the ceiling for a long moment, lost in the blank space where his mind could wander. It was only until he felt the little ounce of energy in his fingertips did he rise from the bed.
Alazhar approached the creaked window. The view overlooked a lake in deep green rolling hills. A wall of snowy mountains touched the horizon. Alazhar glanced down. The castle town’s borders ended a few yards away from the training grounds. Outside the training grounds lay an expanse forest surrounded by hills only accessible from a large gate.
A pounding on the door startled Reid awake and Alazhar nearly jump out the window. “Wake up boys! Get dressed and be out here in five minutes exact!”
Reid rubbed out the sleep from his eyes while Alazhar stuffed his foot into his boot. “What time is it?”
“The sun has not yet risen although the morning light has come.”
“So what is that? Five hours from midnight?” Reid stretched and yawned. Still half-asleep, he plopped onto the floor sluggishly. “Couldn’t we get another hour?”
Alazhar shook his head. “Come on now, Reid. Today is our first day to becoming knights!”
Reid blinked. A smile slowly formed on his lips. “Yeah!” He jumped to his feet and pounded his chest. “Today is the start of our new adventure!”
Alazhar rolled his eyes. He finished lacing up his boots. “Let’s get out there before we get in trouble.”
The attendant glanced down at them. “Hurry. There is a lot to cover today.” She wasted no time and started walking down the hall. “We must get your books and supplies for your studies and your measurements for your training gear and living attires first. The other pages should be heading down momentarily.”
“What kind of things are we going to be learning?” Reid fixed his loose belt.
“You will be rigorously learning politics, sciences, strategy planning, etiquette, blacksmithing, mathematics, reading and writing, and history.”
“Is there even going to be any time for training?”
The attendant shot him a glare. “There will be five hours daily of learning to hunt, weapons training, hand-to-hand combat, and defense against magicks.”
Alazhar gulped. “Defense against magicks?”
“Yes. In our war against magic, it is imperative that our knights know how to defend against them.”
Reid smiled at Alazhar. “No evil sorcerer will be able to stand against us.”
“That’s the point,” the attendant said. She turned a corner and led them to large double doors. “First things first, we’re going to get you out of those street clothes and into appropriate attire.” She flung the doors open.
A crew of seamstresses and their assistants stood in a semi-circle. The attendant snapped for the two boys to enter. The seamstresses warmly smiled as Alazhar and Reid approached. “Let’s get started, shall we?”
The attendant’s eyebrows furrowed. “The other boys have not arrived yet?”
“These two are the first.” The head seamstress, plump with a gentle touch, led Alazhar and Reid to a group of chairs in the middle of the room. The boys sat next to each other and waited for the women to begin. “That gives us plenty of time to get these two looking like fine men.”
The women pulled Alazhar and Reid away. Alazhar was pushed into a section divided by curtains. Two of the seamstresses pulled his shirt off. A cold chill sent him into a shiver. The seamstresses paused. They looked at the scar across his chest. “You’re so young to have a scar of war.”
Alazhar smiled. “And yet it is so. I am not ashamed of it. I received this scar for a noble deed and so I carry it with pride.”
The women smiled. “He certainly has the mindset of a fool knight already.” They laughed with Alazhar. They stretched their measuring tape.
The head seamstress stepped inside. She glanced down at Alazhar while the two women pulled off his boots. He giggled as they measured his soles and arches.
“He may have the mindset of a fool knight already, but he is still just a boy,” One of the women said. She gave his foot another tickle before rising to hand the noted measurements to the head seamstress.
The head seamstress skimmed over the notes. She looked at Alazhar again. “Such pretty hair he has. A shame it will get dirty; but it will clean nicely for formal events.” She knelt down and lifted his chin with her finger. “Beautiful eyes as well. Rare coloring. And deep.” The seamstress frowned. “You have seen much already.”
“But as far as the rest know, I am but a sheltered noble boy,” Alazhar smiled.
The seamstress met his smile. “They will underestimate your potential and cunning.” She straightened. “He will be our masterpiece for this year, ladies. Let the attendant know I will be spending extra time with this one.”
Alazhar inhaled deeply. The advice his father had given him went nicely. Before arriving, he was worried about his looks and scar. His father had laughed and told him exactly what to say if questioned about them.
“Retrieve black, white, and grey trousers, both for training and formalwear. I want a red formal vest with black embroidery and both a white and grey silk shirt.” She glanced over at him again. “Get a black silk shirt to go with an emerald dinner jacket. Get a deep purple sash too. The boots should be shin high. I don’t want him to have any boots that reach to his knees. As for his training gear, he should have one red and one tan jacket, two white tunics and one black, and one grey and one black set of pants. Get him a black belt with a silver buckle and a red sash. Make it two sets of each. I expect the other pages will be making an extra effort to ruin his clothes. Oh, and don’t forget the bracers. Go!”
The women ran out to fetch the items. The head seamstress crossed her arms. Alazhar blinked. “Why do you think the other pages will be trying to ruin my clothes?”
“Because they will not be getting clothes as nice as yours. Jealousy tends to make boys ruin what they envy.”
Alazhar scratched his cheek. “I don’t want to get on their bad side.”
“Nonsense. It is not their decision nor is it yours.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “When was the last time you bathed?”
“About two weeks. My father and my twin guided me here right after we finished a journey to the north to get me to the orientation in time.”
The head seamstress beamed. “Twin? There is another who looks like you? Marvelous. Why is he not here?”
“He doesn’t want to be a knight. He prefers to be a scholar.” A blatant lie.
“Such a shame. No matter. When I am through with you, you will be the most sought after page in court. The girls will swoon and the boys will rage.”
His cheeks flushed at the thought of girls swooning over him. “Sounds like it will be difficult to make friends.”
The seamstress laughed. “Perhaps at first. But true friends will emerge despite it all. This will make it just a little bit easier to weed them out.” She poked her head out of the curtains. “Get me a bin of soapy water, sponges, a comb, and scissors! And get me another hand!”
Alazhar heard the other boys enter. Their combined whispers and giggles carried through the room. He inhaled deeply. All of a sudden he felt anxious. He rubbed his fingertips along his thumbs.
The head seamstress turned. She placed a hand on her hip. “You may call me Mrs. Rue. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
The two women returned with bundles of clothes in their arms. A third seamstress followed carrying the bin of soapy water.
. . .
The attendant tapped her foot impatiently. She glanced at the other boys, already fitted and ready. Reid sat on a stool near the door. He swung his legs idly and whistled a soft tune.
“Stop that irritating noise,” the attendant snapped.
Reid frowned. He shrugged it off and stared at the floor. He ran his hands along his tan trousers. He clicked his knee-high boots together. The other boys all messed with their new clothes. Most of them were in deep brown jackets, white tunics, and black pants. One or two had white jackets instead. He had been lucky to receive a blue jacket. The seamstresses had liked his look and gave him the blue jacket to contrast his dark hair and eyes.
Mrs. Rue stepped out from behind the curtain. She proudly placed her hands on her hips. “I present my masterpiece this year.”
Alazhar stepped out. He fidgeted with the red sash holding his black trousers. The sleeves of his tan jacket had been tucked into his bracers. His fire-red hair had been cut out of his eyes and slicked back. His violet eyes glistened in the light, catching everyone’s attention.
His assigned attendant raised an eyebrow at him. “Playing favorites, again, Mrs. Rue?”
The pudgy seamstress held her nose up. “My job is to make diamonds shine. It’s not my fault some shine brighter than others.” The other seamstresses came out of the wardrobe area with all of Alazhar’s new clothes in hand. “Take those to his quarters. And the others too.”
Alazhar’s attendant rolled her eyes. “You’ve kept us waiting long enough. We’re running behind schedule now.”
Mrs. Rue stuck out her tongue. “You are not. You know very well what I’m all about. It’s why you came early.”
Alazhar’s attendant huffed and spun on her heel. She stormed out the exit. She snapped her fingers for all the others to follow. Reid stood by the door and waved to Alazhar.
Mrs. Rue put a hand on Alazhar’s shoulder. “Shine brighter than a star, honey.”
Alazhar nodded. “Thank you, Mrs. Rue.” He ran over to Reid.
Reid rubbed Alazhar’s jacket between his fingers. “This is so nice! I thought mine would be the best one but your material is better. And they gave you a complete makeover!” He ruffled Alazhar’s hair.
Alazhar grinned. “Mrs. Rue says I need durable yet stylish clothing.” He tapped Reid’s clothes. “Looks like they did a number on you too.”
“We’re a couple of classy men now.”
“The classiest!” Alazhar and Reid slowed to a walk when they caught up with the others.
The pages were led into another room. Hundreds of books reached the ceiling of the enormous library. Alazhar and Reid’s attendant demanded all pages to take a seat. She approached the librarian.
“Ms. Prune, a pleasure as always,” The librarian greeted. Alazhar noted a tone of sarcasm.
He leaned close enough to whisper to Reid, “At least now we know her name.”
“Suits her, I think,” Reid said.
Ms. Prune glanced over her shoulder as if she heard them. She pursed her lips and gently placed her hand on the librarian’s counter. “A pleasure, Ms. Oldfield. We will be needing the textbooks for the new pages.”
“How many?”
“Eight.”
“The subjects?”
Ms. Prune listed the classes. Alazhar and Reid were the only ones who didn’t groan as they heard Ms. Prune list the eight subjects. The two glanced at each other and smiled.
Ms. Oldfield rose to her feet. “Follow me.”
Ms. Prune snapped her fingers at the pages. The pages scrambled to their feet and raced to Ms. Oldfield.
Ms. Oldfield tossed her pretty gold hair over her shoulder. She smiled at the pages. “Never mind her temper, children. Ms. Prune is an old bat. She means well, but her temper gets the best of her.” She led the children to the history section. “I will be seeing you all here a lot over the next few years. You’ll have much to study and all the resources will be here.” She pulled out two textbooks at a time and handed them out.
Alazhar glanced at the cover, The History of Nacosa. Ms. Oldfield put another textbook on top.
“The Rise of the Dagon Knights?” The boys murmured their excitement.
Ms. Oldfield let out a nasally laugh. “Not all of history is boring, boys. Some is fascinating.”
The boys followed Ms. Oldfield as she stacked book after book into their arms. By the time she was done, they were carrying eleven textbooks each. Ms. Prune nodded her approval.
“We’re not going to have to carry these all day, are we?” Alazhar whispered.
Ms. Prune smirked. “Your training already started, boys. Carrying these books is just the warm-up.”
The boys groaned. Ms. Prune clicked her tongue. She motioned for them to follow her. Alazhar and Reid stifled a laugh as Ms. Oldfield stuck her tongue out at Ms. Prune.
Ms. Prune led the group of boys around the castle. She showed them the pathways to the kitchens where they were expected to wash dishes. She led them down the halls to the classrooms, all while pointing out rooms to stay out of and forbidden areas. The boys’ arms were shaking and aching with pain. A few times the boys dropped their stacks and scrambled to pick them up. Ms. Prune tapped her foot impatiently each time.
They stopped at a classroom with a group of scholarly adults. Each wore Jorikka’s scholar’s scarf, recognizable by the mark of the eagle. Eight scholars looked down at the boys. Alazhar’s eye drifted to one in the back. His dark hair fell over his eyes. He wore a smug smile as the boys entered. The creep sent a chill down Alazhar’s spine.
“These are your tutors,” Ms. Prune stated. She nodded to the tutors. Each introduced themselves and told their expectations. They were mostly the same: stay focused, complete all work, participation is required, attendance is mandatory no matter how little sleep was received the night before.”
The creep was the last. He gave a slight bow in greeting. “I am Salzor, your tutor to the sciences. My classes will go hand-in-hand with the defense-against-magicks training you all will receive.” Salzor’s smirk grew. “I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you better.”
Alazhar frowned. Every fiber of his being screamed at him not to trust this man. The other pages were excited about learning to defend against magicks. Alazhar scanned Salzor a little more closely. He was a lean man. He stood over the pages by at least three feet. Unlike the other tutors, Salzor didn’t wear scholastic robes. He kept a simple shirt and trousers. The only indication he was a tutor was the scarf.
Salzor noticed Alazhar assessing him. He brushed his hair out of one eye. Salzor’s eyes were dark with a hint of blue around the irises. They were cold. Alazhar looked away in cold sweat.
“See you all tomorrow, bright and early.” Salzor gave another bow.
Ms. Prune gathered the pages. “Now, to the training grounds to meet the masters.”
Alazhar glanced back over his shoulder at Salzor. The tutor winked at Alazhar. He shuddered.
On the way to the training grounds, Alazhar didn’t say a word. He focused on keeping his breathing steady.
“Wow, your eyes look like they’re glowing,” Reid said.
Alazhar blinked in surprise. He turned away. “What are you talking about? Why are you looking at my eyes?”
“To be lost in them,” Reid teased. “I can’t help it if your eyes decide to glow. They’re pretty.” Reid sighed.
Alazhar flushed. “Stop it. They’re just eyes.”
“Whatever you say, A.C.”
“A.C?”
“Yeah, short for Alazhar Cobian. It’s your nickname.”
Alazhar shook his head and laughed to himself. “That’ll take a minute to get used to. My brother always calls me Azzie.”
“Want me to call you that instead?”
He shrugged. “I’m cool with either.”
Reid grinned. “Then A.C. it is.”
The pages arrived at a field of rolling hills. Four men stood in front of a wooden shed. Alazhar beamed when he located Sir Dalton. The knight gave a faint smile before returning to a serious note.
Ms. Prune clapped her hands. “Line up. Hurry up. Don’t keep them waiting.”
The pages raced to line in front of the four trainers. Nearly every one of them dropped their stack of books. Alazhar and Reid took their places at the end of the line in front of Sir Dalton.
The four trainers glowered over the pages. One sniffed before taking a step forward. His long silky black hair flowed down to his shoulders. He wore a wolf pelt around his waist. His piercing blue eyes scanned each page. “Welcome, pages. Starting tomorrow you will be training to become Dagon Knights. You will train every day except for Sundays. Your bodies will constantly be sore and bruised.
“I am Master Luctio. I will be teaching you the Way of the Hunt. Today we will find you daggers and bows to master for the next six years.” Master Luctio crossed his arms. Alazhar took notice of the two daggers hanging on his belt.
The next trainer stepped up. His blonde hair had been cut short. He wore a sleeveless black shirt tucked into a green sash. “I am Master Rox. I will be teaching you hand-to-hand combat. I want you to be prepared to learn how to fall, tumble, and get hit. I suggest you get gloves to minimize the damage on your hands as much as possible.”
Alazhar grinned. He couldn’t wait to get into fighting the others. He would prove his dominance in no time.
The third trainer remained where he was. His auburn hair had been tied back into a ponytail. He wore a violet vest over a white silk shirt. A couple of small pouches hung from his belt. “I am Master Stener. I will teach you how to defend yourself from magic.”
The boys got excited. Reid nudged Alazhar’s arm excitedly.
Alazhar forced a smile. He looked Master Stener over. The tutor glanced over at him. Alazhar dropped his gaze to the floor immediately. He didn’t want to bring any attention to himself from this man.
To Alazhar’s glee, Sir Dalton stepped forward. The knight ran a hand through his dark hair. He rested his other hand on the hilt of his sword. “Guess that means, I’m up. I’m Sir Dalton. This is my first year teaching the pages weapon combat.” Sir Dalton scratched the back of his head. “Let’s see, we’ll have to equip you all with training swords, shields, spears, axes, and staves.” He looked at the pages with his green eyes. “The next few years you will be learning basic forms. Once you all become squires, your training gear will be traded for steel which you all will make yourselves.” The boys beamed.
“Enough introductions, let’s get your gear,” Master Luctio said.
The pages followed the Masters to the shed. Each boy was given a dagger, hatchet, bow, wooden sword and shield, and a staff. Their arms trembled with the overload of gear.
Sir Dalton hooked a wooden sword on Alazhar’s belt. “Is this everything you were expecting?”
Alazhar shook his head. “More. I don’t know how I’m going to keep up with all the studies.”
“You cleaned up rather nice. You look more like a Cobian now than when I first met you.”
“Did you know somebody in my family?”
Sir Dalton hesitated before hooking a hatchet onto Alazhar’s belt. “That should be a discussion for another time. For now,” He took a step back and gave Alazhar a quick look-over, “focus on your training.”
Alazhar met Sir Dalton’s gaze. He hesitated before joining the others around Ms. Prune.
Master Luctio approached Sir Dalton as the pages followed Ms. Prune back to the castle. “So that’s him?” Sir Dalton nodded.
“The time has come then,” Master Rox said.
“Keep a close eye on him. Nothing can go wrong.” Sir Dalton gave a friendly wave as Alazhar looked back at them one last time.
Azzie!
Alazhar, don’t!
Alazhar snapped awake. He popped up and held his chest. He could feel the racing beat in his hand. The bed had been drenched with his sweat. He threw the bedcover off and lay back down.
The morning scent of dew wafted through the window. Alazhar focused on his breathing until his heartbeat settled. A soft breeze cooled the sweat beading along his skin. Alazhar exhaled.
He stared at the ceiling for a long moment, lost in the blank space where his mind could wander. It was only until he felt the little ounce of energy in his fingertips did he rise from the bed.
Alazhar approached the creaked window. The view overlooked a lake in deep green rolling hills. A wall of snowy mountains touched the horizon. Alazhar glanced down. The castle town’s borders ended a few yards away from the training grounds. Outside the training grounds lay an expanse forest surrounded by hills only accessible from a large gate.
A pounding on the door startled Reid awake and Alazhar nearly jump out the window. “Wake up boys! Get dressed and be out here in five minutes exact!”
Reid rubbed out the sleep from his eyes while Alazhar stuffed his foot into his boot. “What time is it?”
“The sun has not yet risen although the morning light has come.”
“So what is that? Five hours from midnight?” Reid stretched and yawned. Still half-asleep, he plopped onto the floor sluggishly. “Couldn’t we get another hour?”
Alazhar shook his head. “Come on now, Reid. Today is our first day to becoming knights!”
Reid blinked. A smile slowly formed on his lips. “Yeah!” He jumped to his feet and pounded his chest. “Today is the start of our new adventure!”
Alazhar rolled his eyes. He finished lacing up his boots. “Let’s get out there before we get in trouble.”
The attendant glanced down at them. “Hurry. There is a lot to cover today.” She wasted no time and started walking down the hall. “We must get your books and supplies for your studies and your measurements for your training gear and living attires first. The other pages should be heading down momentarily.”
“What kind of things are we going to be learning?” Reid fixed his loose belt.
“You will be rigorously learning politics, sciences, strategy planning, etiquette, blacksmithing, mathematics, reading and writing, and history.”
“Is there even going to be any time for training?”
The attendant shot him a glare. “There will be five hours daily of learning to hunt, weapons training, hand-to-hand combat, and defense against magicks.”
Alazhar gulped. “Defense against magicks?”
“Yes. In our war against magic, it is imperative that our knights know how to defend against them.”
Reid smiled at Alazhar. “No evil sorcerer will be able to stand against us.”
“That’s the point,” the attendant said. She turned a corner and led them to large double doors. “First things first, we’re going to get you out of those street clothes and into appropriate attire.” She flung the doors open.
A crew of seamstresses and their assistants stood in a semi-circle. The attendant snapped for the two boys to enter. The seamstresses warmly smiled as Alazhar and Reid approached. “Let’s get started, shall we?”
The attendant’s eyebrows furrowed. “The other boys have not arrived yet?”
“These two are the first.” The head seamstress, plump with a gentle touch, led Alazhar and Reid to a group of chairs in the middle of the room. The boys sat next to each other and waited for the women to begin. “That gives us plenty of time to get these two looking like fine men.”
The women pulled Alazhar and Reid away. Alazhar was pushed into a section divided by curtains. Two of the seamstresses pulled his shirt off. A cold chill sent him into a shiver. The seamstresses paused. They looked at the scar across his chest. “You’re so young to have a scar of war.”
Alazhar smiled. “And yet it is so. I am not ashamed of it. I received this scar for a noble deed and so I carry it with pride.”
The women smiled. “He certainly has the mindset of a fool knight already.” They laughed with Alazhar. They stretched their measuring tape.
The head seamstress stepped inside. She glanced down at Alazhar while the two women pulled off his boots. He giggled as they measured his soles and arches.
“He may have the mindset of a fool knight already, but he is still just a boy,” One of the women said. She gave his foot another tickle before rising to hand the noted measurements to the head seamstress.
The head seamstress skimmed over the notes. She looked at Alazhar again. “Such pretty hair he has. A shame it will get dirty; but it will clean nicely for formal events.” She knelt down and lifted his chin with her finger. “Beautiful eyes as well. Rare coloring. And deep.” The seamstress frowned. “You have seen much already.”
“But as far as the rest know, I am but a sheltered noble boy,” Alazhar smiled.
The seamstress met his smile. “They will underestimate your potential and cunning.” She straightened. “He will be our masterpiece for this year, ladies. Let the attendant know I will be spending extra time with this one.”
Alazhar inhaled deeply. The advice his father had given him went nicely. Before arriving, he was worried about his looks and scar. His father had laughed and told him exactly what to say if questioned about them.
“Retrieve black, white, and grey trousers, both for training and formalwear. I want a red formal vest with black embroidery and both a white and grey silk shirt.” She glanced over at him again. “Get a black silk shirt to go with an emerald dinner jacket. Get a deep purple sash too. The boots should be shin high. I don’t want him to have any boots that reach to his knees. As for his training gear, he should have one red and one tan jacket, two white tunics and one black, and one grey and one black set of pants. Get him a black belt with a silver buckle and a red sash. Make it two sets of each. I expect the other pages will be making an extra effort to ruin his clothes. Oh, and don’t forget the bracers. Go!”
The women ran out to fetch the items. The head seamstress crossed her arms. Alazhar blinked. “Why do you think the other pages will be trying to ruin my clothes?”
“Because they will not be getting clothes as nice as yours. Jealousy tends to make boys ruin what they envy.”
Alazhar scratched his cheek. “I don’t want to get on their bad side.”
“Nonsense. It is not their decision nor is it yours.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “When was the last time you bathed?”
“About two weeks. My father and my twin guided me here right after we finished a journey to the north to get me to the orientation in time.”
The head seamstress beamed. “Twin? There is another who looks like you? Marvelous. Why is he not here?”
“He doesn’t want to be a knight. He prefers to be a scholar.” A blatant lie.
“Such a shame. No matter. When I am through with you, you will be the most sought after page in court. The girls will swoon and the boys will rage.”
His cheeks flushed at the thought of girls swooning over him. “Sounds like it will be difficult to make friends.”
The seamstress laughed. “Perhaps at first. But true friends will emerge despite it all. This will make it just a little bit easier to weed them out.” She poked her head out of the curtains. “Get me a bin of soapy water, sponges, a comb, and scissors! And get me another hand!”
Alazhar heard the other boys enter. Their combined whispers and giggles carried through the room. He inhaled deeply. All of a sudden he felt anxious. He rubbed his fingertips along his thumbs.
The head seamstress turned. She placed a hand on her hip. “You may call me Mrs. Rue. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
The two women returned with bundles of clothes in their arms. A third seamstress followed carrying the bin of soapy water.
. . .
The attendant tapped her foot impatiently. She glanced at the other boys, already fitted and ready. Reid sat on a stool near the door. He swung his legs idly and whistled a soft tune.
“Stop that irritating noise,” the attendant snapped.
Reid frowned. He shrugged it off and stared at the floor. He ran his hands along his tan trousers. He clicked his knee-high boots together. The other boys all messed with their new clothes. Most of them were in deep brown jackets, white tunics, and black pants. One or two had white jackets instead. He had been lucky to receive a blue jacket. The seamstresses had liked his look and gave him the blue jacket to contrast his dark hair and eyes.
Mrs. Rue stepped out from behind the curtain. She proudly placed her hands on her hips. “I present my masterpiece this year.”
Alazhar stepped out. He fidgeted with the red sash holding his black trousers. The sleeves of his tan jacket had been tucked into his bracers. His fire-red hair had been cut out of his eyes and slicked back. His violet eyes glistened in the light, catching everyone’s attention.
His assigned attendant raised an eyebrow at him. “Playing favorites, again, Mrs. Rue?”
The pudgy seamstress held her nose up. “My job is to make diamonds shine. It’s not my fault some shine brighter than others.” The other seamstresses came out of the wardrobe area with all of Alazhar’s new clothes in hand. “Take those to his quarters. And the others too.”
Alazhar’s attendant rolled her eyes. “You’ve kept us waiting long enough. We’re running behind schedule now.”
Mrs. Rue stuck out her tongue. “You are not. You know very well what I’m all about. It’s why you came early.”
Alazhar’s attendant huffed and spun on her heel. She stormed out the exit. She snapped her fingers for all the others to follow. Reid stood by the door and waved to Alazhar.
Mrs. Rue put a hand on Alazhar’s shoulder. “Shine brighter than a star, honey.”
Alazhar nodded. “Thank you, Mrs. Rue.” He ran over to Reid.
Reid rubbed Alazhar’s jacket between his fingers. “This is so nice! I thought mine would be the best one but your material is better. And they gave you a complete makeover!” He ruffled Alazhar’s hair.
Alazhar grinned. “Mrs. Rue says I need durable yet stylish clothing.” He tapped Reid’s clothes. “Looks like they did a number on you too.”
“We’re a couple of classy men now.”
“The classiest!” Alazhar and Reid slowed to a walk when they caught up with the others.
The pages were led into another room. Hundreds of books reached the ceiling of the enormous library. Alazhar and Reid’s attendant demanded all pages to take a seat. She approached the librarian.
“Ms. Prune, a pleasure as always,” The librarian greeted. Alazhar noted a tone of sarcasm.
He leaned close enough to whisper to Reid, “At least now we know her name.”
“Suits her, I think,” Reid said.
Ms. Prune glanced over her shoulder as if she heard them. She pursed her lips and gently placed her hand on the librarian’s counter. “A pleasure, Ms. Oldfield. We will be needing the textbooks for the new pages.”
“How many?”
“Eight.”
“The subjects?”
Ms. Prune listed the classes. Alazhar and Reid were the only ones who didn’t groan as they heard Ms. Prune list the eight subjects. The two glanced at each other and smiled.
Ms. Oldfield rose to her feet. “Follow me.”
Ms. Prune snapped her fingers at the pages. The pages scrambled to their feet and raced to Ms. Oldfield.
Ms. Oldfield tossed her pretty gold hair over her shoulder. She smiled at the pages. “Never mind her temper, children. Ms. Prune is an old bat. She means well, but her temper gets the best of her.” She led the children to the history section. “I will be seeing you all here a lot over the next few years. You’ll have much to study and all the resources will be here.” She pulled out two textbooks at a time and handed them out.
Alazhar glanced at the cover, The History of Nacosa. Ms. Oldfield put another textbook on top.
“The Rise of the Dagon Knights?” The boys murmured their excitement.
Ms. Oldfield let out a nasally laugh. “Not all of history is boring, boys. Some is fascinating.”
The boys followed Ms. Oldfield as she stacked book after book into their arms. By the time she was done, they were carrying eleven textbooks each. Ms. Prune nodded her approval.
“We’re not going to have to carry these all day, are we?” Alazhar whispered.
Ms. Prune smirked. “Your training already started, boys. Carrying these books is just the warm-up.”
The boys groaned. Ms. Prune clicked her tongue. She motioned for them to follow her. Alazhar and Reid stifled a laugh as Ms. Oldfield stuck her tongue out at Ms. Prune.
Ms. Prune led the group of boys around the castle. She showed them the pathways to the kitchens where they were expected to wash dishes. She led them down the halls to the classrooms, all while pointing out rooms to stay out of and forbidden areas. The boys’ arms were shaking and aching with pain. A few times the boys dropped their stacks and scrambled to pick them up. Ms. Prune tapped her foot impatiently each time.
They stopped at a classroom with a group of scholarly adults. Each wore Jorikka’s scholar’s scarf, recognizable by the mark of the eagle. Eight scholars looked down at the boys. Alazhar’s eye drifted to one in the back. His dark hair fell over his eyes. He wore a smug smile as the boys entered. The creep sent a chill down Alazhar’s spine.
“These are your tutors,” Ms. Prune stated. She nodded to the tutors. Each introduced themselves and told their expectations. They were mostly the same: stay focused, complete all work, participation is required, attendance is mandatory no matter how little sleep was received the night before.”
The creep was the last. He gave a slight bow in greeting. “I am Salzor, your tutor to the sciences. My classes will go hand-in-hand with the defense-against-magicks training you all will receive.” Salzor’s smirk grew. “I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you better.”
Alazhar frowned. Every fiber of his being screamed at him not to trust this man. The other pages were excited about learning to defend against magicks. Alazhar scanned Salzor a little more closely. He was a lean man. He stood over the pages by at least three feet. Unlike the other tutors, Salzor didn’t wear scholastic robes. He kept a simple shirt and trousers. The only indication he was a tutor was the scarf.
Salzor noticed Alazhar assessing him. He brushed his hair out of one eye. Salzor’s eyes were dark with a hint of blue around the irises. They were cold. Alazhar looked away in cold sweat.
“See you all tomorrow, bright and early.” Salzor gave another bow.
Ms. Prune gathered the pages. “Now, to the training grounds to meet the masters.”
Alazhar glanced back over his shoulder at Salzor. The tutor winked at Alazhar. He shuddered.
On the way to the training grounds, Alazhar didn’t say a word. He focused on keeping his breathing steady.
“Wow, your eyes look like they’re glowing,” Reid said.
Alazhar blinked in surprise. He turned away. “What are you talking about? Why are you looking at my eyes?”
“To be lost in them,” Reid teased. “I can’t help it if your eyes decide to glow. They’re pretty.” Reid sighed.
Alazhar flushed. “Stop it. They’re just eyes.”
“Whatever you say, A.C.”
“A.C?”
“Yeah, short for Alazhar Cobian. It’s your nickname.”
Alazhar shook his head and laughed to himself. “That’ll take a minute to get used to. My brother always calls me Azzie.”
“Want me to call you that instead?”
He shrugged. “I’m cool with either.”
Reid grinned. “Then A.C. it is.”
The pages arrived at a field of rolling hills. Four men stood in front of a wooden shed. Alazhar beamed when he located Sir Dalton. The knight gave a faint smile before returning to a serious note.
Ms. Prune clapped her hands. “Line up. Hurry up. Don’t keep them waiting.”
The pages raced to line in front of the four trainers. Nearly every one of them dropped their stack of books. Alazhar and Reid took their places at the end of the line in front of Sir Dalton.
The four trainers glowered over the pages. One sniffed before taking a step forward. His long silky black hair flowed down to his shoulders. He wore a wolf pelt around his waist. His piercing blue eyes scanned each page. “Welcome, pages. Starting tomorrow you will be training to become Dagon Knights. You will train every day except for Sundays. Your bodies will constantly be sore and bruised.
“I am Master Luctio. I will be teaching you the Way of the Hunt. Today we will find you daggers and bows to master for the next six years.” Master Luctio crossed his arms. Alazhar took notice of the two daggers hanging on his belt.
The next trainer stepped up. His blonde hair had been cut short. He wore a sleeveless black shirt tucked into a green sash. “I am Master Rox. I will be teaching you hand-to-hand combat. I want you to be prepared to learn how to fall, tumble, and get hit. I suggest you get gloves to minimize the damage on your hands as much as possible.”
Alazhar grinned. He couldn’t wait to get into fighting the others. He would prove his dominance in no time.
The third trainer remained where he was. His auburn hair had been tied back into a ponytail. He wore a violet vest over a white silk shirt. A couple of small pouches hung from his belt. “I am Master Stener. I will teach you how to defend yourself from magic.”
The boys got excited. Reid nudged Alazhar’s arm excitedly.
Alazhar forced a smile. He looked Master Stener over. The tutor glanced over at him. Alazhar dropped his gaze to the floor immediately. He didn’t want to bring any attention to himself from this man.
To Alazhar’s glee, Sir Dalton stepped forward. The knight ran a hand through his dark hair. He rested his other hand on the hilt of his sword. “Guess that means, I’m up. I’m Sir Dalton. This is my first year teaching the pages weapon combat.” Sir Dalton scratched the back of his head. “Let’s see, we’ll have to equip you all with training swords, shields, spears, axes, and staves.” He looked at the pages with his green eyes. “The next few years you will be learning basic forms. Once you all become squires, your training gear will be traded for steel which you all will make yourselves.” The boys beamed.
“Enough introductions, let’s get your gear,” Master Luctio said.
The pages followed the Masters to the shed. Each boy was given a dagger, hatchet, bow, wooden sword and shield, and a staff. Their arms trembled with the overload of gear.
Sir Dalton hooked a wooden sword on Alazhar’s belt. “Is this everything you were expecting?”
Alazhar shook his head. “More. I don’t know how I’m going to keep up with all the studies.”
“You cleaned up rather nice. You look more like a Cobian now than when I first met you.”
“Did you know somebody in my family?”
Sir Dalton hesitated before hooking a hatchet onto Alazhar’s belt. “That should be a discussion for another time. For now,” He took a step back and gave Alazhar a quick look-over, “focus on your training.”
Alazhar met Sir Dalton’s gaze. He hesitated before joining the others around Ms. Prune.
Master Luctio approached Sir Dalton as the pages followed Ms. Prune back to the castle. “So that’s him?” Sir Dalton nodded.
“The time has come then,” Master Rox said.
“Keep a close eye on him. Nothing can go wrong.” Sir Dalton gave a friendly wave as Alazhar looked back at them one last time.
Chapter 3
An owl landed on the windowsill. It gave a soft hoot before turning its head one hundred-eighty degrees. The sound of the trees rustling added to the tense silence in the room.
Reid paced back and forth while biting the nail of his thumb. “It’s already midnight.”
Alazhar stared at the ceiling. He rested his hands behind his head and idly swayed his foot atop his knee. “The challenge was probably a bluff then. A prince has to save face.”
Reid shook his head. “I don’t think so. Prince Jaus is known for his combat abilities and courage. I don’t he’d think you to be a challenge.”
A frown painted Alazhar’s lips. “I know you’re probably right, but still not great to hear.”
Reid nervously chuckled. “Still, where is that messenger?”
Alazhar sat up. “Why are you so nervous? I’m the one he targeted.”
“So?! You’re taking on the prince! Who knows what kind of consequences will come from that? What if you get hurt? What if you are sent to the dungeons?”
“I’ll deal with that when the time comes.”
A knock on the door startled Reid. The two looked at each other. Reid opened the door as Alazhar rose to his feet. A small boy of six nervously rubbed his sweaty hands. “Alazhar?”
“That’s me.” Alazhar approached the door.
“Prince Jaus sent me for you. He says to bring one of the training weapons. Your choice.” The boy anxiously glanced down the hall. “Please hurry and follow me.”
Alazhar picked up the wooden training sword. He put a hand on Reid’s shoulder. “Wish me luck.”
Reid shook his head. “I’m coming with.”
“What? You should stay here.”
“You need a witness and I want to see this.” Reid threw on his new warm jacket.
Alazhar shrugged. They followed the nervous child down the hall. The three boys stuck to the shadows. The nervous child pulled them behind a set of barrels as a guard passed by. The torch’s light faded as the guard turned a corner down the hall. All three boys raced to the end of the next hall.
The boy jumped down the stairs to the training grounds. He raced to the trio of squires waiting on the field. Prince Jaus smiled at the sight of Alazhar.
Alazhar leaned on the wooden sword. “For a second, I thought you were going to bail.”
Prince Jaus chuckled. “I’d never back down from a challenge. I’d rather die.” He placed a hand on his hip. “You, however, I don’t know if you’re brave or a fool.”
“Let’s just say we have the same mindset.”
Prince Jaus glanced down at the wooden sword. “That’s your weapon?”
“It’s what I’m better with.” Alazhar gave the wooden sword a twirl. “And yours?”
“Well, obviously I will match yours to make this fair.” Prince Jaus nodded to one of his followers. The stocky goon ran to the training shed. “We’ll make this a point-based match. First one to get five clean hits wins.” The stocky goon returned with a wooden sword. Prince Jaus took the training sword and smiled.
“Fair?”
“Sounds fair to me.”
“Let’s go into the woods. We don’t want any of the guards hearing us.”
“Fine.”
Reid gripped Alazhar’s shoulder. “Can we trust his goons won’t jump us once we get in there?”
Alazhar raised an eyebrow at Prince Jaus. “You seem to be honorable. I can trust we won’t be ambushed in the woods?”
Prince Jaus held up his hands. “On my honor, there are no traps set up.”
“Then let’s do this.”
Alazhar and Reid followed the prince and his goons to the gate leading to the woods. Two guards stood on watch. The six boys hid behind a row of hedges.
“There’s a servant’s door we can use behind the stairs. The gate is too big and loud. We just have to get past these guards,” Prince Jaus said. He picked up a pebble.
Alazhar rolled his eyes. “You’re not going to go with that old trick, are you?”
“Why mess with the classics?”
“Because people learn from the classics.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Prince Jaus gave an amused smile.
Alazhar smirked. He pulled out a small pouch. “This is ground Zoran. The flower produces a strong toxin that puts people to sleep in seconds.”
Reid took a closer look at the pouch. “Where did you get that?”
“I was in the land of Zora for a month last year. The stuff came in handy so I kept a bit.” Alazhar pulled out a flint and stone. “Let’s get this burning.”
“You’re pretty resourceful.” Prince Jaus struck the flint. Small sparks ignited the pouch.
Alazhar threw the smoking pouch over the hedges. The pouch landed in front of the two guards. They drew their spears and stared at the pouch. Seconds later, the guards grew drowsy and collapsed. Alazhar winked at the others.
Outside the gates, the five trailed up the path to the woods only yards away. The light from the two moons broke through the thick darkness inside. The trees twisted into each other. Thick roots peeked from the ground and formed ledges. Loose vines draped off branches and hung over small puddles.
Prince Jaus stopped at a spacious opening. His two followers took their place behind him with their dopey grins. “This should be a good place.”
A faint smile rested on Alazhar’s lips. He stepped to the center of the opening. “Yes. This will do just fine.”
Prince Jaus rested his wooden sword on his shoulder. “Ready to be my bitch?”
Alazhar cracked his knuckles. He raised his weapon. “The only bitch around here is going to be you when you tell everyone in the castle you got your butt beat by an eight year old.”
“Show me what you got then, little man.”
Alazhar sprinted forward. Prince Jaus leaned back as Alazhar’s weapon swung upward. The prince gently swung his sword. Alazhar side-stepped the attack and spun into a fierce attack. The wooden sword struck Prince Jaus’s shoulder. The prince fell to one knee. He blinked back his surprise.
“You’re underestimating me,” Alazhar said. “You’ll lose that way.”
Prince Jaus rose to his feet. His arrogant smile was gone. “Looks like it.” He snapped the wooden sword up. “One point for you.”
Both readied their stances. Alazhar charged. Their swords clashed. The sound of the wood clacking echoed through the woods.
Reid watched with his hands clenched. His eye twitched every time their weapons met. Alazhar looked like he was putting up a good fight. He was certainly more skilled than Reid was.
Prince Jaus knocked Alazhar’s next attack away and thrust his sword into his shoulder. Alazhar fell back. Pain fired down his arm. He jumped to his feet and shook off the pain.
They clashed again. Prince Jaus changed his step. He smoothly dodged Alazhar’s attack and struck his side. He straightened as Alazhar rolled away. “I admit. You’re better than I thought you would be.”
Alazhar gritted his teeth. “Don’t act like you’ve got this in the bag. We’re not done yet.”
“True. The score is two-one.” Prince Jaus stared at Alazhar with a look of fierce concentration.
A smile came to Alazhar’s lips. He was excited to be fighting such a strong opponent. Alazhar charged again.
Prince Jaus readied to strike. A cloud of dust rose from the ground as Alazhar slid by the prince. He quickly jumped to his feet and swung. The Prince barely brought his weapon up in time. Alazhar’s wooden sword nicked Prince Jaus’s and slipped past his exposed back.
Prince Jaus jumped away to recollect. He twirled the wooden sword and charged. He plunged his sword down. Alazhar held his sword up with both hands. He winced as the sound of the clashing wood rang in his ears.
The two tried to overpower the other. Alazhar dug his foot into the ground. He couldn’t match Prince Jaus’s strength. His arms trembled as Prince Jaus used his weight.
Prince Jaus let up. He took a step back and slammed his shoulder into Alazhar. Alazhar went flying back. He rolled back into a tree.
Alazhar quickly scrambled to his feet. Prince Jaus was already upon him. His wooden sword was coming straight for him. Alazhar jumped past Prince Jaus. He rolled to his feet and found his footing.
“Three-one,” Prince Jaus said. “You’re breathing became heavy. You still good to go?”
“I’m not done yet!” Alazhar raised his sword.
“Your stubbornness is certainly commendable, I’ll give you that.” Prince Jaus chuckled. “You should give up. You’re outmatched.”
“We won’t know until the end!” Alazhar charged. He thrust his weapon forward.
Prince Jaus knocked the sword aside. Alazhar spun on his heel. He put all of his weight into the next strike. Prince Jaus side-stepped the attack, “You can’t fool me twice.”
Alazhar spun into another attack. Prince Jaus fell back in surprise. Alazhar slammed his foot down to stop spinning. He threw his weight forward and thrust his sword at Prince Jaus.
A vine wrapped around Alazhar’s sword. It pulled Alazhar off his feet and threw him onto the ground next to Prince Jaus.
Prince Jaus jumped up. Vines wrapped around Reid and Prince Jaus’s goons. “What’s going on?”
Hundreds of vines wrapped around the trees and formed dense walls around the group. A radiant blue aura surrounded the vines.
“Alazhar! Help!” Reid struggled against the vines. They wrapped tighter around him.
The Prince’s goons nodded. “Prince Jaus! Save us!”
Prince Jaus helped Alazhar up. “Magic.”
Alazhar gritted his teeth. “Looks like.” He pulled a dagger from inside his boot. Prince Jaus raised an eyebrow. “What? You never know.”
Prince Jaus laughed. He pulled out his own dagger from his boot. “We may be more alike than we like.”
A doorway formed in front of the boys. A person in a dark green cloak entered. The vines closed the opening.
“Were you expecting company?” Alazhar asked.
“You were the only one I invited to my party.”
“Then who’s the crasher?”
The figure pulled back the cloak’s hood. Dark curly hair draped over a woman’s pale shoulders. She looked at Alazhar and Prince Jaus with eyes black as an abyss. Chills ran down the boys spines.
The woman smiled. Yellow razor sharp teeth clicked together. “Delicious… feast…”
Prince Jaus blinked back his surprise. “Is this… a sorceress?”
“I don’t think so.” Alazhar glanced at Reid and the prince’s goons. “We need to free the others. If this… thing… has magic, we need as much help as we can get.”
“Right. Go save them then.” Prince Jaus tightened his grip around the wooden sword. He twirled the dagger in his other hand. “I’ll take care of her.”
Alazhar scoffed. “If anything you should go save them. The last thing I need is for the prince to get killed to which will lead to MY execution.” Alazhar stepped in front of Prince Jaus.
Prince Jaus stepped around Alazhar. “It’s clear I’m the better fighter.”
“Our fight isn’t over yet! And I had you on the ground before she stepped in!” Alazhar got in front of Prince Jaus again.
The woman lunged at the boys. She tackled Alazhar to the ground. Alazhar held the woman back by her neck as she snapped her teeth at him. Her ragged nails dug into the loosened soil.
Prince Jaus kicked the woman off Alazhar. She tumbled and scurried around on all fours. She let out a screech that sent a parliament of owls to flight.
Alazhar jumped to his feet. “This thing is fast.”
Prince Jaus nodded. He gulped back the rising fear in the pit of his stomach. “Let’s change strategies. Whoever gets to the others first will free them.”
Alazhar grinned, “So even the prince admits he can’t take this thing on.”
“I admit no such thing. It’s just the smarter decision.”
Alazhar picked up his dagger. “You take the left, I take the right.”
“Go!”
The boys dashed to opposite sides. The woman sprinted for Prince Jaus. The prince swung the wooden sword. The woman ducked and grabbed the Prince’s legs. She pulled him to the ground.
“Delicious smell… powerful aura.” The woman licked her lips. “Give to Frida. Let Frida feast on your soul.”
Prince Jaus screamed. He stabbed the dagger into the woman’s shoulder. A high-pitched scream pierced the boys’ ears. He kicked the woman away and covered his ears.
Blood trickled from Reid’s ears. His eyes rolled back. “Al…azhar…”
The woman, still screeching her high-pitched scream, pounced on Prince Jaus again. She clawed at him. Her jagged nails sliced his arms. He tried to knock her away but she pinned him down. She stopped screaming.
Her mouth opened abnormally large. Drool dripped past rows of carnivorous teeth. Prince Jaus tried to squirm away. His feet slid against the loose soil. The woman slammed his wrists into the ground. Prince Jaus lost his grip on the dagger and wooden sword.
The woman’s head was violently pulled back. Alazhar drove his dagger into her neck and twisted. The woman released Prince Jaus and crawled away. She touched the dagger in her neck. She yelped her surprise and touched it again.
Alazhar helped Prince Jaus up. “Now we’re even.”
“Thank you.” Prince Jaus rubbed his throat. “I almost died…”
“Well, you’re not allowed to.” Alazhar smirked. “You’ve got to use those so-called better skills of yours and kill this monster with me.”
“Can’t handle the pressure?”
“You wish.” He pointed to his dagger lodged in the woman’s throat. “I have no weapon.”
Prince Jaus frowned. He inhaled deeply before handing his dagger to Alazhar. “Don’t lose that one. It’s more valuable than you are.”
Alazhar grinned. “Thank you.” He glanced at the captured boys. Reid and the goons had fainted. “That scream of hers is deadly.”
“Hopefully you put an end to that.” Prince Jaus gripped the wooden sword with both hands. He exhaled. “Let’s do this together then.”
Alazhar crouched to a stance. “Fine.”
Alazhar and Prince Jaus sprinted at the woman. Their footsteps dragged her attention away from the dagger. She snarled and rose to her feet. “You injured Frida!” She held her hands at the side. The ground quaked.
Spires broke the ground’s surface. The woman pulled out the dagger from her neck and inhaled.
“Cover your ears!” Alazhar threw his hands up.
Prince Jaus lost his footing. He slipped and fell against one of the spires.
The woman let out her scream. A strong gale of wind tore the ground apart. The scream, powered by the strong gale, threw Alazhar and Prince Jaus back. Prince Jaus slammed into one of the spires. He tumbled down a raised ledge.
Alazhar was thrown into the wall of vines. Thorns ripped into his shirt and flesh. A bushel of vines wrapped around his limbs and pulled him into the wall. He struggled against the vines. The vines squeezed. He yelped.
The woman sauntered over to Prince Jaus. She ran her tongue over her teeth.
“Prince Jaus! Watch out!”
He didn’t move. Prince Jaus had been knocked unconscious. Alazhar cursed the gods. He sniffed. He was the only one still conscious and this monster of a woman was going to eat them alive.
“Damn you, Kol!”
Alazhar closed his eyes. He wiggled his fingers.
The woman glanced back at him. “Power…”
Flames tore through the vines binding Alazhar. He dropped to the floor and rolled to his feet. A stream of fire swirled around his wiggling fingers. “Eat on this!” He threw a small ball of embers at the woman.
The woman fled behind a rock. “Much power! You! You are who Frida was looking for!”
Alazhar started wiggling the fingers on his other hand. More flames manifested at his fingertips. “What for?!”
The woman sprung from behind the boulder. Alazhar threw the stream of fire at her. The woman dodged.
“Stop running!” Alazhar clapped his hands together. A wave of fire burst from his hands. The fire ripped through the air. Everything caught in its way was set ablaze. The fires crept toward Reid and the goons.
“Crap baskets!” Alazhar sprinted toward the others.
The woman leapt from one spire to the next. With a swing of her arm, a flurry of vines shot at Alazhar. They wrapped around his ankles and pulled him to the ground. Alazhar clawed at anything he could grip as he was dragged over the broken and raised ground toward the woman.
Flipping onto his back, Alazhar waved his hand in a circular motion. His back hit nooks and ran over rocks. He cursed the pain and extended his hand at the vines around his legs. Fire leapt from his palm onto the vines. The vines released him and wildly swung around in a pitiable attempt to douse the flames. In mere seconds, the flames ate the vines.
A pained growl came from the woman. She pulled the dagger from her throat and held it at Alazhar. “Frida will be victorious! You do not deserve the gift!”
“You want my gift so badly?!” Alazhar charged at the woman. He tackled her to the ground. Her jagged nails slashed at his arms. Alazhar pulled a fist back. He focused the surrounding fire to his fists and punched with all of his might. The strike broke through her teeth and set her ablaze from the inside.
Alazhar hopped off the woman. He watched the woman writhe and bounce. Her hair set on fire. The pale skin turned black and fire spewed from her mouth with every scream. The flames slowly withered.
Alazhar pried the dagger from the woman’s charred hand. He shuddered at the touch of the burned skin. The smell of burnt hair assaulted his nose. He stepped away.
Breathing heavily, Alazhar made his way to Reid. His body felt heavy. His feet dragged with each step. His stomach turned and a wave of nausea struck him. His legs wobbled. Alazhar leaned on one of the spires. He focused on his breathing and wished away the nausea.
A rock clattered behind him. Alazhar looked over his shoulder. The woman staggered to her feet. She reached out with her singed hand.
Alazhar’s eyes widened. His foot slipped off the edge of one of the raised ledges. He stumbled to the ground. Pain shot through his back.
The woman drew closer to him. Her legs gave out and she fell to the ground in front of Alazhar. She reached for him. Her fingers wrapped around his ankle.
Alazhar tried to kick the woman off but he couldn’t summon any strength. His legs felt so weak. The woman pulled him closer. He started to scream. She wrapped her wiry hands around his throat.
The wall of vines collapsed. The charred woman spun around.
Sir Dalton sheathed his sword. He calmly looked at the woman. “Found you.”
Sir Dalton coolly stepped toward Alazhar and the woman. His hand rested on the hilt loosely. The sound of his armored boots rang through the forest.
The woman pulled Alazhar close. “Soldier should leave or the boy dies.”
“That hardly seems reasonable.” Sir Dalton slowly pulled his sword out. “Why should I leave if you would kill him either way?”
The woman growled. “His gift is mine!” She turned on Alazhar and went to bite his neck.
Alazhar flinched as a spray of blood spurted onto his face. The hand around his throat loosened and he felt the woman’s body plop onto his. Trapped, Alazhar tried to wipe the blood off his face with his shoulder. He felt the dead weight lift off him. Alazhar quickly wiped the blood away from his eyes.
Sir Dalton stared down at Alazhar. He held the headless woman to his side. The fierce expression he wore struck fear in Alazhar’s heart. “Your eyes are still glowing.”
“What?” Alazhar blinked back his surprise.
“Magic is hated in this land, Alazhar. Anyone with the gift is to be executed on the spot.”
Alazhar’s heart raced. His breath caught in his throat.
“If you want to become a Dagon Knight, you must keep your gift a secret.” Sir Dalton extended a helping hand. “That means not letting your emotions get the best of you.”
Surprised, Alazhar stared at Sir Dalton’s hand, dumbfounded. “Sir?”
“I will not kill you, Alazhar Cobian. Quite the contrary. It is my duty to see your safety remains uncompromised.”
“Your duty? What are you talking about?”
“I, Sir Dalton, Dagon Knight of Jorrika, am sworn to protect the blood of Cobian at all costs.” He knelt to Alazhar and bowed his head.
“I don’t understand… who are you?”
A groan came from Prince Jaus. Sir Dalton frowned. He quickly rose to his feet. “I will explain later. For now, we must get you children back to the castle unnoticed.”
Alazhar watched Sir Dalton approach Prince Jaus. The knight helped the prince to his feet and checked for any injuries. Alazhar’s heart was still beating fast. How did Sir Dalton know he held the gift and why wouldn’t he turn him in? What else did he know about Alazhar?
Sir Dalton helped Prince Jaus up a newly-formed ledge. Prince Jaus limped over to Alazhar and plopped down next to him. He glanced at Alazhar. “That monster beat you up real good.” He belted into laughter.
“At least I didn’t get knocked out!” Alazhar shoved Prince Jaus.
“Hey! I’m still a prince, if I must remind you. Any touch could be considered foul play and sentence you to life in the dungeons or death.”
Alazhar pushed him again. “I’ll take my chances.”
Prince Jaus shook his head, “A fool to the end.” His gaze drifted to Sir Dalton. The knight worked at freeing Reid and the unconscious goons. “Let’s say you won this duel.”
“What?”
“You were better than I thought. And you had me when that woman attacked. It’s only fair that you claim this victory.”
Alazhar blinked. “I never thought royal blood had the decency to be fair,” he leaned back, “but you won. I may have had you at that moment, but you’re clearly stronger and more skilled than I am. That likely would have been my last hit.”
Prince Jaus chuckled. “You’re not too bad, kid.”
“You aren’t half-bad either, Prince Jaus.”
“Forget the formality. We’ve already exchanged blows. Just call me Jaus.”
“Alazhar.” He smiled.
Sir Dalton woke the goons. They held their heads in a dizzy state but managed to make their way to Alazhar and Prince Jaus. Sir Dalton carried Reid over.
“Will he be okay,” Alazhar asked.
“Yes. It looks like there was little damage. He’ll be fine in the morning.” Sir Dalton tilted his head down the path back to the castle. “Since most of you can walk, we can head back now.” He started walking.
Alazhar tried to get up but couldn’t. Prince Jaus shook his head. “Larry, Harry, carry him back with us.”
“What? This twerp?!” The stocky goon scoffed at Alazhar.
“Yes, Larry.” Prince Jaus shot him a glare. “And you will give him your respect. He helped save you.”
Larry grumbled as he and Harry helped Alazhar up. With his arm around each of them, the goons dragged him along.
Chapter 4
“You’re kidding?!”
The other pages stared at Alazhar. They fell into their whispers and shot disgusted glares at him. He noted the rolling of their eyes and scoffs.
“Can I refuse,” Alazhar asked.
Ms. Prune laughed. “By the Gods, of course not.”
Alazhar buried his face into his hands.
Ms. Prune snapped her fingers for silence. She shut her small black notebook. “Time to meet the lords and knights you’ll be serving under for the rest of your page career.” She smirked.
Alazhar and Reid followed the other six pages and Ms. Prune through the hall. Reid placed a hand on his back. “It’ll be okay.”
“It’s a nightmare.” Alazhar groaned.
Reid stifled a laugh under his breath. “At least you know what you’re getting into.”
Ms. Prune opened the door to a meeting room. Eight people stood in wait. Four were dressed wealthily in silk and jewels to display their noble status. Despite the arrogant smirks they wore, the four nobles appeared tense. Three of the men were dressed in their knightly armor. Sir Dalton gave a slight nod to Alazhar as he entered.
Alazhar returned the greeting to Sir Dalton. With a heavy sigh, he reluctantly approached his new lord. Alazhar crossed his arms and looked him straight in the eye. “Jaus.”
“That’s Prince Jaus to you.” Jaus met Alazhar’s glare with a satisfying smile. “Looks like you still ended up as my bitch after all, Azzie.”
Alazhar winced. “It will be a dissatisfying honor to serve you… Prince Jaus… for the next six years…”
Jaus’s taunting smile widened. “It’s the best honor you’ll ever get. Many would kill just to be my manservant.”