"Sir Stanton! It is good to see you again, I assume you are well?" Will, the blacksmith said to me as I entered his shop.
"Ah, Will! Yes, yes, I am well," I said as I pulled my sword out of its hilt at my side and laid it upon his table. "My blade needs sharpening." Typically I would have sharpened it myself but I found myself bored and having wandered into the shop.
"I will fix you up just right, it will be finished in a few hours," Will said as he tapped on the table with his fingers.
"I thank you," I said as I nodded curtly and left.
I stepped out into the bustling town of Somersham and scanned the crowd. My eyes narrowed as I saw a figure that sparked a flare of recognition in me. She looked like that woman, Rebecca I had had an encounter with earlier.
I winced as I remembered how I had spoken to her. I did not mean to be so cross with her, but I was greatly on edge because of the news the King had given to me just that morning.
"Sir Stanton, I thank you for meeting on such a short notice," the King spoke as he welcomed me into the war room.
"It is no problem at all," I said as I stood over the large wooden table that had maps and orders lying upon it.
"Now, I believe you know that you are my most trusted knight and dear friend. Which is why I have something rather personal I'd like to ask of you."
"Of course, Your Majesty. I will do anything you ask of me," I said as I nodded. It was surely something to do with the raiders that had been troubling many of the villages to the east. He had been contemplating initiating war against the stronghold of the vagrants.
"Please, do call me Charles," the King spoke with a wave of his hand.
"As you wish...Charles," I said, awkwardly. What was this about?
"It has to do with Philip. He will soon be reaching his twentieth year and he has never properly been trained with arms. The boy will be king someday and he needs to know how to protect himself as well as his future family. Not only that, but he has been disappearing for long amounts of time and I'm sure he is up to something. I want for you to train him and be his guide for a while," he said as he ran his hand over his forehead.
"Oh...but, the men, I have been preparing them for a possible battle against the raiders, how am I to ready the men and train Philip as well?" I asked. I could not abandon my men now, they have been under my hand for many months.
"Somebody else will be able to handle the men until you are finished with Philip," he said confidently.
"But, I have been with them for months, some for years, many of us trained to be knights together, to abandon them now would be an insult to us both," I said strongly. I was their commander, their leader...and the King wanted me to drop them to train his son, who had no experience what so ever, at an age that most men have already gotten their first blood. He would learn slowly and be awkward. Most knights and warriors have been wielding swords since they were young, because it is what they want to do. You cannot make a man a fighter who does not wish to be one.
"You will do this for me. You do want your title and your estate do you not?" The king said as he eyed me, his facial expression stern.
My eyes opened wide. The king had promised me he would award me the title of Duke and my own estate, with many acres of land and a village to look over. He would take that away from me if I refused to train his incompetent son? It was not my fault that he had neglected his son while he was growing up as a boy.
"Of course. I told you I would do anything you asked, I will not go back on my word," I said, straining to get the words out.
"That is wise of you, Sir Stanton. Your dukedom will be ready for you when I deem you competent enough to acquire it and run it successfully," the King said as he sighed wistfully.
"I thank you," I spoke smoothly. "Is that all?"
"Yes, that will be all. You are excused," he said as he leaned over the table, looking over the maps.
I bowed quickly and walked out of the room, for fear that if I didn't, I would wring the man's neck. He did not know the loyalty I instilled in my men. He did not know what it was like to have the same commander over you in battle as in training. He did not know well the ways of war and the close knit community you became as an army.
I scoffed. He had taken me from what I had been born to do, which is fight. I was a born warrior. It was what I was made to do, that much I knew. He was taking me from this and making me train a pampered teen who had not seen the daylight of what it was like to fight.
If I was lucky, it would not take more than a few weeks to get the boy to the point where the king would be satisfied.
I shook my head, removing the memory from my mind. It was not something I would dwell on. Sulking over something was a waste of time. I could not help but feel bad for the way I treated the woman, but if I ever saw her again, I would apologize and act the way any respectable man should.
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"Rebecca?" I heard Amelia ask from outside my door early the next morning. I rubbed my eyes and slowly climbed out of bed, my feet treading quietly on the cool floor.
"Yes? Do you need something?" I asked as I opened the door to her, still blinking the sleep from my eyes.
"I need you to do me a little favor," she said as she walked in my chambers and swiftly closed the door.
"What is it?" I asked, wrapping my arms around myself.
"I need you to find Philip and give this to him," she said as she held out an envelope to me.
I took it in my hands delicately.
"I would do it myself but I have somewhere I must be today and it needs to get to him right away," she said quickly.
"Of course, I will see to it right away," I nodded.
"Thank you! I will come find you later, perhaps we could go to the marketplace today and see if we can't find you something nice?" she asked with a smile.
"Oh! Yes, I would like that," I smiled back. I had yet to see the market place. Actually, the only thing I had seen so far was where I explored to yesterday and the inside of the palace.
"Thank you! I will see you later on," she said as she hugged me quickly and left. I staggered forward, regaining my balance after her embrace.
I couldn't help but be curious to where she would be going.
After bathing myself and dressing, thankfully no need for corsets, I took off to find Philip. How was I supposed to find the man when I hardly had any idea of the palace and surrounding areas? I sighed. I would have to ask around if anybody had seen him.
I had just started walking down the hallway when I saw a maiden lady walking towards me.
"Excuse me," I said quietly. "Have you any idea where Prince Philip is? I have something to deliver to him," I explained.
"I just saw him exit out towards the palace flower gardens, I believe he will be training again" she chirped.
"Where the large fountain is?" I asked, hoping it was true, it was one of the few places I would actually be able to find.
"That is right. It overlooks the fruit trees and the meadow as well," she nodded.
"Thank you!" I said as I smiled and strutted quickly down the hallway.
A few short minutes later I was greeted by a bitter chill as I stepped outside. I looked to the sky in disappointment, dark rain clouds loomed over. I rubbed my arm with my hand as I looked out upon the gardens. I frowned as I couldn't see anybody and then I remembered the previous afternoon. My feet hurriedly took me to the place where I had seen him with Stanton. I cringed, I did not look forward to seeing that man again. I have a reputation for not being able to hold my tongue back home and I hoped it would not get me into trouble during my stay here.
I squinted my eyes as I passed the paddock that contained the young foal. I walked up to the tree where I had seen the two men earlier and was greeted by nothing but emptiness.
I huffed in annoyance. Now where would I go? I looked around me again and seeing a figure farther off in the distance, I smiled. It was Philip, and even better, he was alone.
I hurried over to where I saw him, calling out.
"Philip! I have something for you," I said as I held out the letter.
"Oh, hello Rebecca. Who is this from?" he asked.
"Amelia, she asked me to give it to you earlier this morning."
"Thank you, probably a notice from my tutor. Her session takes place prior to mine each morning," he sighed, sticking his sword into the dirt. I noticed that it was now a wooden sword, I smiled to myself.
"You are in training?" I asked.
"That's correct. My father's idea. I have no interest in it, but I cannot refuse him," he said, seemingly frustrated.
"I know nothing!" He said as he tucked the letter into the inside of his tunic.
"Well first, you need to start with your stance," I said as I picked up the wooden sword, plucking it from the dirt. I immediately noticed how Philip's facial expression changed to one of pure shock.
"Please, just bare with me. If you have the proper footing, you will do much better. I don't know what Stanton has told you, but spread your legs apart," I said as I tapped the inside of his foot until I was satisfied with his foot placement.
"Just about there. Distribute your weight evenly and when you lunge, use your back foot as your anchor," I said. He nodded.
"Excuse me? What's going on here?" I heard a voice behind me, causing my stomach to sink.
"I'm sorry, I was just showing him a few things," I said as I shifted the sword to my other arm.
"And what of sword wielding and fighting would you know? You are a woman?" Stanton asked, obviously mocking me.
"Enough to feed my family, protect my cousin and fight off raiders from my home village," I said sharply.
"Well you would do well not to teach him with falsities, I do appreciate the good intentions but it is not necessary," he waved me off.
"You must start with fundamentals. It does not matter how well he can swing a sword if he cannot properly distribute himself," I argued.
I could see Stanton's face begin to crinkle in annoyance. I jumped as a large boom of thunder cracked above us.
"Will you do me the pleasure of talking to me for a moment?" He asked as he nodded over his shoulder.
"I don't see why that is at all necessary," I said, appalled.
He just stared at me, his hand outstretched.
"Fine," I said, knocking his hand away with the wooden sword I still held tightly in my right hand.
I followed him as his long legs strode quickly away. Once we were obviously out of earshot of the prince, he turned to me.
"I think you would do well to stay away from the prince during this time," he said quickly.
"What?" I said, taken completely off guard.
"The prince. He needs to focus on his training so he can finish quickly and efficiently."
"I do not know what you are implying, Sir, but I assure you I am not of any distraction," I argued.
"Hah!" he scoffed, obviously amused now. "I know about girls and their foolish fantasies of the prince."
I could feel my entire being fill with anger as his words sunk in. My hand tightened around the handle of the sword, my arms tensed and ready.
"I beg your pardon," I said, trying to remain polite. "But you do not know what you're talking about."
"I believe I do. All of you maidens, ladies in waiting and women of court are all trying to woo the prince in hopes of having a title," he said as his eyes narrowed.
"I do not care about a title. I am here for my family, I'm doing what I must do to take care of them!" I wailed. I could feel my entire face turning red with heat.
"You would have done your family better to stay home, instead of come here with ill intentions," he said, turning away and strutting back.
I could not believe he would say that, my entire body filled with rage and I could hardly control my actions. The next thing I knew, I was strutting quickly right after the knight before me. I struck him hard on the back of the knees with the wooden sword. I heard him grunt in surprise before his legs buckled. I brought my foot up and pushed on his back and since he was now kneeling, he fell forward but quickly rolled over. I instantly put the tip of the wooden sword to his chest. His face was shocked; his eyes wide and mouth open, ready to protest.
"Excuse me for my rude actions, knight," I spat, "But you would do well not to speak of my family, my intentions, or anything else that has to do with me in fact. You better shut your mouth, because I do not wish to hear your sickening voice speak another single word to me. And now, I'll take my leave," I said viciously as I now threw the sword down on his chest, the "clank" sound it made against the breastplate he was wearing today incredibly rewarding.
My adrenaline was rushing and my mind was racing. I could not believe I had just done that. I had attacked a knight. Given, it was a wooden sword, but still. I welcomed the smile that creeped upon my face. From now on, he would know that I am not a push over. He would not speak foul words to me and get away with it.