Original Stories Fan Fiction / Fables/Fairytales Fan Fiction ❯ Sword of the King ❯ Sectets Unknown ( Chapter 1 )

~ Chapter 1 ~

Mary pulled the hood of her cloak down a little further, the last thing she needed was for the King's Elite to find her. She had heard the rumors that someone had told the King that her family was plotting to kill the King and take the crown. She had even seen the posters that had been put up. She was chocked to read that the reward was her weight in gold, and that was alive.

Mary steered the old cart horse she had bought into the front gate of the Capital only to be confronted with a swarm of people going to and fro. Mary put her head down and tried her best to not draw attention to herself. Mary was able to find the church quickly enough and dismounted and knocked on the door.

To Mary's relief it opened to reveal a small and extremely round priest, “Can I help you my child?”

“I was wondering if I could stay here a few days Father.” asked Mary as she tried to sound like a boy.

The priest looked at Mary and after a few seconds said, “Follow me, you can stay for three days. You will be provided with one meal each day. And the third day you must leave.”

Mary followed the plum priest down a hall that had doors on both sides. At last the priest came to a door and opened it. “This will be your room. Today dose not count as one of your three days.”

“Thank you Father.” said Mary as she walked into the room. It was a small room with only a table two chairs and a bed. Mary closed the door behind her and walked over to the table a laid her saddle bag on the table. She had made it. Now she had three days to find a way to talk to the King.

Mary started to pull out the contents of the saddle bag until she came across the letter her brother David had sent her. She remembered reading the letter, grabbing her brother Ray and hiding in the hills for two weeks. And when David didn't come to get them she took Ray to a school for children in the mountains and set out to come here to the capital to inform the King about why her brother died. Mary shivered at the memory of walking into the first town and seeing her face on the wanted posters. That's when Mary cut her hair and hid under the clock until now.

Mary walked over to the bed and sat down, it wasn't a hard bed but it wasn't soft either. As she lay down she could feel all her muscles start to relax. Mary whispered a payer before she fell to sleep for the first time in days.

~*~*~

Sir. Peter was sitting in the chapel praying when he felt a hand land on his shoulder. As he looked up he saw a frightened look on the priest's face. “Sir. Peter, may I have a word?”

Peter got up and followed the priest out to the stables. “Yes?” he asked as he watched the priest compose himself.

“A boy just arrived, Sir. Peter it looks just like David the day he was brought before me the day he was allowed to become a squire” chocked the priest as he twisted is hands.

“So, what do you want me to do Father?” asked Peter as he leaned on the wall.

“Someone should go talk to him find out who he is. I can't do it, it would not be right.” whispered the priest.

“Fine I'll go get Sir. Andrew and have him talk to the boy. And Father while I'm gone keep the boy in his room and pray for him.” Said Peter as he walked towards his horse and got on. Never could Peter remember a time when he had seen the small priest afraid, but there was a first time for everything.

~*~*~

Sir Andrew walked down the caldron towards the room that the priest had pointed out. As Andrew knocked on the door, he could hear movement from behind the door. When the door was finally opened, Andrew saw a boy that was the spinning image of David when he was first brought before the king. The only difference was that this boy had green eyes that froze your soul.

Andrew slowly pushed the door open and slowly walked towards the boy and was not surprised when the boy dove for the sword that was on the table. But the boy was not fast enough.

~*~*~

Mary dove for the sword on the table, but could not get her hand around the hilt before if went flying across the room. Mary glanced at the man as she slowly backed herself in a corner. She could tell that this man was not the kind of man that would play around.

“This man was probably sent by the person who killed my brother. I have to get away and get to the King!" Mary frantically thought, as she tried to find something to defend herself and to get out of the door.

~*~*~

“I didn't do anything wrong.” stuttered the boy in front of Andrew.

“Who said that you did anything wrong?” said Andrew as Sir. Peter came into the room. But as Andrew looked away he was knocked off balance as the boy shoved past him. “GET HIM!” ordered Andrew.

Andrew heard a cut off scream before he ever made it out of the door. As he stepped in to the hallway he saw that Squire Skilf had the boy up against the wall with a knife to the boy's throat. “Squire, we wish the boy alive.” said Andrew as he walked up to them. “Now be so kind and take the boy back in the room and make sure he can't get out of a chair.”

“Are you sure you want to do this Sir. Andrew?” asked the priest. “I would prefer…”

“Either we question the boy here, now, or we take him back to the castle were he will be questioned by the King's Elite. You make the choice.” hissed Andrew as he walked back into the room.

All three knights and the squire looked up as Andrew closed the door and locked it. He then turned around and walked up to the boy tied in the chair. Andrew placed a hand on either side of the boy and leaned down to the boy's ear. “Why are you? And what are you doing in the capital?”

“I'm not telling you anything!” whispered the boy.

“Really.” said Andrew as he stepped back and flicked his hand. He watched as Skilf slapped the boy across the faces. Andrew could already see the boy's cheek turn red from the blow. “Now, let's try this agine. And understand this, anytime you don't answer a question, or you lie, you will be punished.”

The only answer Andrew got was a glimpse of a tear in the boy's eye.

~*~*~

As Sir. Peter rode back to the castle he couldn't help but look at Andrew. Everyone but Andrew could tell that he had changed; he had become the meanest knight in the garrison since David died. And today had just confirmed it, true they had found out who the boy was, but Andrew had never used torture before to get what he wanted.

Peter looked down at the small boy in his arms, true the boy looked like a very young David; but not enough to be considered a twin. Peter shook his head in shame. He had never in his four years of knighthood ever helped hurt a child, and now he could never say that. He had hurt this small child in his arms for nothing but a name and a reason for being here.

Peter sent a prayer to the heavens as they crossed the draw bridge and entered the court yard. Peter was halfway threw the prayer when he looked down to see one green eye looking in to his. All he could do was smile and dismount.

~*~*~

Mary woke up to the sound of a medal door slamming and the smell of death. She slowly cracked open the only eye that was not swollen to find herself in a small stone room with a medal door at one end and a window at the other. Mary slowly tried to sit up only to fall back on her back in a daze. Slowly her brain started to work and take in her surroundings. Mary looked up when the door to the room was opened and a tall man walked in followed by two huge men in black.

“Are you Deke?” asked the man as he slowly walked towards her.

“Yes.” croaked Mary as the man knelt by her. “Who are you?”

“I am Sir. Peter.” Said the man as he slowly raised Mary's head and helped her drink come water. “I was in the group that went to the church to get you.”

At those words Mary tried to get up and move away but was stopped by one of the guards who rushed over to place a large hand on her shoulder. “Deke, we are not here to hurt you.” said Sir. Peter as he slowly started to unlace the front of her jerkin.

Mary started to struggle once she realized what Sir. Peter was doing. She could not let this man find out her true identity.

“Deke, stop moving.” ordered Peter as he motioned the other guard over. “I just want to make sure that you don't have any broken ribs after what happened.”

“STOP!!” screamed Mary as she tried to kick Sir. Peter in the stomach. “LEAVE ME ALONE!!” Mary was disappointed when Sir. Peter was able to avoid the kick but was happy when she was able to punch one of the guards in the jaw.

All of a sudden Mary could not move, she was held down by two extra guards that were not there before. Mary closed her eyes and felt a tear ran down the side of her face as she laid there and felt her jerkin slowly being raised up.

~*~*~

Peter looked down at the boy and saw that there was a tear rolling down his cheek. Peter took a quick breath and slowly started to raise the boy's jerkin, but stopped when he felt how the boy was shaking. With out a word Peter relaced the jerkin and felt the boy's ribs threw the fabric. When he could feel nothing broken he motioned the King and the healer into the cell.

“So this is Deke?” asked the king as the healer rushed over to the boy.

“Yes, your majesty.” replied Peter as he watched the healer look at the boy's swollen eye.

“Andrew was not lying when he said the boy looked like David was he?” smiled the king as walked to the boy's side

“No, your majesty.” Peter said as the boy tried once more to move. “What is going to happen to him?”

The King looked up at Peter, “He will be trained as a squire here under Sir. Andrew. That will be punishment to Andrew for what he did to the boy. He will also pay for the care of the boy. Do you think that is fair Sir. Peter?”

At Peter's nod the King left the cell. Peter watched the healer pour a potion down the boy.

“The potion will help the boy sleep for awhile but try to make sure he dose not move around to much.” said the healer as he shuffled out of the cell.

“Captain,” said Peter as he followed the healer out. “When the boy falls asleep, release him, but keep a close eye on him.”

~*~*~

Andrew sat on a large rock next to the stream staring at the rushing water. He could sill see David's body in his mind, lying in water mixed with his blood. David was too young, he should not have died.

Andrew looked down at the letter in his hand. One of the last letters that David has wrote. Andrew carefully unfolded the letter and reread it for the 100th time that day.

“You shouldn't be out here all by your self, Andrew.” said a voice behind Andrew's shoulder. Andrew turned his head to see King Peter leaning on a tree.

“Neither should you.” replied Andrew as he watched Peter walk over to him.”How's the boy?”

“Nothing was broken,” answered Peter as he sat down by Andrew. “But he is extremely skidish now thanks to you.”

“So what happens now?” asked Andrew.

“You my friend will train the boy as a squire, with the help of Peter.” said King Peter as he watched Andrew's face. “Plus you will pay the boy's medical attention until he is fit enough to stat training. Understood?”

Andrew looked at Peter and nodded. At that Peter got up and walked over to the horses, “Come on, let's get you and the boy better acquainted?”