Post by Lisa on Dec 25, 2009 4:41:49 GMT 10
Title: Prelude
Rating: G
Prompt: #14 - Surprises
Summary: Owen prepares for his Ordeal of Knighthood
Owen paced nervously in his room. He could see Lord Wyldon’s face twitch in annoyance; he hated pacing. He sat on a chair with one leg crossed over the other. Occasionally he would shift, or run his right hand over the edge of his boot, brushing off imaginary dirt. Owen admired a person who could be so calm and collected, even when he knew that he was feeling stir-crazy on the inside. Yes, even Wyldon could be tetchy and nervous, he had learned over the last three years. Most people couldn’t see the signs, because they just shrugged and commented on how cold and heartless their commander was. But Owen knew he has neither. Wyldon’s form of pacing was to frown, and to rub his arm, or run his fingers over the scar on his temple.
Today he frowned. A lot.
“Are you sure he’s coming?” Owen asked. They were waiting for the other knight who would instruct him the Code of Chivalry with Lord Wydon during his bath. “Maybe he’s backed out.”
“Nonsense,” Wyldon snapped. He looked as if he were about to continue, but a knock interrupted him.
Owen jumped to open the door, finding Keladry of Mindelan waiting there, her full lips twisted into a wry smile. “I’m here to instruct you, Squire Owen.”
He launched himself at her, wrapping his arms around her and thanking her. “I was hoping it would be you, but I figured my lord would choose one of his friends.”
Wyldon pried him off of Kel. “Knights often try to choose someone who is opposite in nature. I am an older knight, and Keladry is a younger knight. She’s a Progressive whereas I am… more conservative.”
Owen noted that his knight-master did not call himself a Conservative, as he would have years before. He knew that fewer knights considered him truly conservative, since he showed clear support for Kel. Maybe there were other things that had opened his eyes in recent years, too.
“I’m sorry if I made you worry,” Kel said, ruffling Owen’s hair. “The roads were worse than I expected, so I didn’t get to the palace until an hour ago.”
The bells announced the eighth hour, and Wyldon nodded to Owen. “It’s time,” he said softly.
Owen nodded and gulped; he followed Kel and Wyldon to the baths. They waited in a nearby chamber while he scrubbed himself. He couldn’t help but remember his ma’s words from childhood: If you’re going to meet the Black God today, Owen, you’re going to be clean and fresh when it happens. He didn’t often smile when thinking of his mother, but this memory always made him laugh a bit.
Even over the sound of the water running off of his hair, he could hear the low murmur of Wyldon and Kel conversing. He wondered if they worried. Did they think him incapable of surviving the Ordeal? Did they discuss where he would be placed once he was knighted?
He washed himself quickly and efficiently, then dried off and donned the rough cotton garments he would wear during his ordeal. Stepping out into the chamber, he shivered once and nodded to the knights. “I’m ready.”
“If you survive the Ordeal of Knighthood, you will be a Knight of the Realm,” Wyldon said seriously. “You will be sworn to protect those weaker than you, to obey your overlord, to live in a way that honors your kingdom and your gods.”
“To wear the shield of a knight is an important thing,” Kel went on. “It means you may not ignore a cry for help. It means that rich and poor, young and old, male and female may look to you for rescue and you cannot deny them.”
Owen could not help but smile, knowing how seriously he and Kel took this particular notion to heart.
“You are bound to uphold the law,” Wyldon reminded him. “You may not look away from wrongdoing. You may not help anyone to break the law of the land, and you must prevent the breaking of the law at all times, in all cases.”
“You are bound to your honor and your word,” Kel said. “Act in such a way that when you face the Black God you need not be ashamed.”
“You have learned to laws of Chivalry,” Wyldon said after a heavy pause. “Keep them in your heart. Use them as your guards when things are their darkest. They will not fail you if you interpret them with humanity and kindness. A knight is gentle. A knight’s first duty is to understand.”
Years ago, Owen would not thought of Wyldon as a gentle man who was understanding, but the previous spring had taught him something new. He had disobeyed and broken his faith, yet Wyldon had come to him that evening to discuss it with him. There were no harsh words spoken; he said he understood what motivated Owen and could not wholly blame him for his actions. And then, after a brief lecture about disobeying commands, he said what Owen would have never expected: I truly think you will be a great knight, Owen, if you continue to follow your heart.
Owen followed Wyldon and Kel to the Chapel of the Ordeal. Wyldon turned to him, about to issue the command that he could not speak from that moment onward, but Owen held up a hand to stop him.
“I know I’m supposed to be silent soon,” he began boldly, “but I can’t continue without thanking you both.” He turned to Kel. “You had faith in me from the beginning, and were the first one to offer friendship. You also helped teach me what it is to be a knight – not in theory, but in actual practice.” He kissed her cheek and then pulled away from her. “Thank you, Kel.”
“And you,” he said, turning to Lord Wyldon. “I don’t even have the words to tell you what you mean to me. You gave me a home, a mount, my armor – everything I have and everything I am belongs to Cavall.” He gazed unabashedly into the older knight’s stern face. He really had no words to describe his gratefulness, so he did the only thing he could do: he hugged Lord Wyldon.
And Wyldon wrapped his arms around Owen’s shoulders, squeezing him for the briefest of moments before pushing him away.
“Jesslaw, you must make no sound between now and the time you leave the Chamber of the Ordeal,” he said, clapping one hand on Owen’s shoulder. “Mithros guide you.”
Rating: G
Prompt: #14 - Surprises
Summary: Owen prepares for his Ordeal of Knighthood
Owen paced nervously in his room. He could see Lord Wyldon’s face twitch in annoyance; he hated pacing. He sat on a chair with one leg crossed over the other. Occasionally he would shift, or run his right hand over the edge of his boot, brushing off imaginary dirt. Owen admired a person who could be so calm and collected, even when he knew that he was feeling stir-crazy on the inside. Yes, even Wyldon could be tetchy and nervous, he had learned over the last three years. Most people couldn’t see the signs, because they just shrugged and commented on how cold and heartless their commander was. But Owen knew he has neither. Wyldon’s form of pacing was to frown, and to rub his arm, or run his fingers over the scar on his temple.
Today he frowned. A lot.
“Are you sure he’s coming?” Owen asked. They were waiting for the other knight who would instruct him the Code of Chivalry with Lord Wydon during his bath. “Maybe he’s backed out.”
“Nonsense,” Wyldon snapped. He looked as if he were about to continue, but a knock interrupted him.
Owen jumped to open the door, finding Keladry of Mindelan waiting there, her full lips twisted into a wry smile. “I’m here to instruct you, Squire Owen.”
He launched himself at her, wrapping his arms around her and thanking her. “I was hoping it would be you, but I figured my lord would choose one of his friends.”
Wyldon pried him off of Kel. “Knights often try to choose someone who is opposite in nature. I am an older knight, and Keladry is a younger knight. She’s a Progressive whereas I am… more conservative.”
Owen noted that his knight-master did not call himself a Conservative, as he would have years before. He knew that fewer knights considered him truly conservative, since he showed clear support for Kel. Maybe there were other things that had opened his eyes in recent years, too.
“I’m sorry if I made you worry,” Kel said, ruffling Owen’s hair. “The roads were worse than I expected, so I didn’t get to the palace until an hour ago.”
The bells announced the eighth hour, and Wyldon nodded to Owen. “It’s time,” he said softly.
Owen nodded and gulped; he followed Kel and Wyldon to the baths. They waited in a nearby chamber while he scrubbed himself. He couldn’t help but remember his ma’s words from childhood: If you’re going to meet the Black God today, Owen, you’re going to be clean and fresh when it happens. He didn’t often smile when thinking of his mother, but this memory always made him laugh a bit.
Even over the sound of the water running off of his hair, he could hear the low murmur of Wyldon and Kel conversing. He wondered if they worried. Did they think him incapable of surviving the Ordeal? Did they discuss where he would be placed once he was knighted?
He washed himself quickly and efficiently, then dried off and donned the rough cotton garments he would wear during his ordeal. Stepping out into the chamber, he shivered once and nodded to the knights. “I’m ready.”
“If you survive the Ordeal of Knighthood, you will be a Knight of the Realm,” Wyldon said seriously. “You will be sworn to protect those weaker than you, to obey your overlord, to live in a way that honors your kingdom and your gods.”
“To wear the shield of a knight is an important thing,” Kel went on. “It means you may not ignore a cry for help. It means that rich and poor, young and old, male and female may look to you for rescue and you cannot deny them.”
Owen could not help but smile, knowing how seriously he and Kel took this particular notion to heart.
“You are bound to uphold the law,” Wyldon reminded him. “You may not look away from wrongdoing. You may not help anyone to break the law of the land, and you must prevent the breaking of the law at all times, in all cases.”
“You are bound to your honor and your word,” Kel said. “Act in such a way that when you face the Black God you need not be ashamed.”
“You have learned to laws of Chivalry,” Wyldon said after a heavy pause. “Keep them in your heart. Use them as your guards when things are their darkest. They will not fail you if you interpret them with humanity and kindness. A knight is gentle. A knight’s first duty is to understand.”
Years ago, Owen would not thought of Wyldon as a gentle man who was understanding, but the previous spring had taught him something new. He had disobeyed and broken his faith, yet Wyldon had come to him that evening to discuss it with him. There were no harsh words spoken; he said he understood what motivated Owen and could not wholly blame him for his actions. And then, after a brief lecture about disobeying commands, he said what Owen would have never expected: I truly think you will be a great knight, Owen, if you continue to follow your heart.
Owen followed Wyldon and Kel to the Chapel of the Ordeal. Wyldon turned to him, about to issue the command that he could not speak from that moment onward, but Owen held up a hand to stop him.
“I know I’m supposed to be silent soon,” he began boldly, “but I can’t continue without thanking you both.” He turned to Kel. “You had faith in me from the beginning, and were the first one to offer friendship. You also helped teach me what it is to be a knight – not in theory, but in actual practice.” He kissed her cheek and then pulled away from her. “Thank you, Kel.”
“And you,” he said, turning to Lord Wyldon. “I don’t even have the words to tell you what you mean to me. You gave me a home, a mount, my armor – everything I have and everything I am belongs to Cavall.” He gazed unabashedly into the older knight’s stern face. He really had no words to describe his gratefulness, so he did the only thing he could do: he hugged Lord Wyldon.
And Wyldon wrapped his arms around Owen’s shoulders, squeezing him for the briefest of moments before pushing him away.
“Jesslaw, you must make no sound between now and the time you leave the Chamber of the Ordeal,” he said, clapping one hand on Owen’s shoulder. “Mithros guide you.”
]
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!