Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 23:15:07 -0800 (PST)
From: Robert <robertx5sf@yahoo.com>
Subject: The Squires of Telisan Keep - 1

This is a work of fiction.  All characters portrayed in this story are
fictional and representative of anyone living or dead.  Copyright 2010 by
robertx5sf@yahoo.com, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced in any
form without the author's consent, with exception of license granted to
Nifty.org per Nifty's terms of use.


Author's Note: This is my first serious effort at writing this story which
has been percolating inside my brain for a few years.  It is fairly light
on the sex in the early chapters but picks up a bit as things develop.
Although sex is not the main focus of the story.  All constructive comments
are appreciated but please no flames.  If emailing please put something in
the subject line regarding the story, as I usually delete all emails with
no subject line.  Thank you, robertx5sf@yahoo.com


The Squires of Telisan Keep - 1

MIKEL

     Mikel stood at the edge of the valley looking down upon the castle and the
small nearby town, here he thought to himself was where his destiny would be
made.  It was hear he would get the training to avenge his family and best
friend.

     The road to Telisan had been crowded but Mikel had been able to pick his
way through the slower moving families and merchants easily.  A chatty merchant
had told him that normally only a few hundred people or so lived in town, with a
couple hundred more living a mile away at the Telisan Keep, but that tomorrow
there will be closer to two thousand here for the quadrennial King's Day
celebrations.
     Upon arriving in Telisan proper, he went to the fairgrounds and entered the
Squire Games, which would be held on Mid Summer's Day, the day before King's
Day.  By tradition every year at the Mid Summer's Day Festival, the young noble
boys of age eight and twelve would compete with each other in the Page's
Tournament and the Squire's Tournament.  Then that evening they would be chosen
by Knights or the Lord to serve as a Page or Squire.  There would also be a
ceremony in the morning where those Squires that had served their Knight well
for the last four years would be Knighted by the Lord.  Then these new Knights
would get to compete with the rest of the Knights in a Jousting Tournament.  But
this year was King's Day and instead of taking place on Mid Summer's Day, the
tournaments would take place on King's Day, which took place every four years as
sort of an extra day.  The Priestesses had told Mikel that it helped to better
keep the calendar matched to the seasons and was thought up by King Selarn the
First.  It became known as King Selarn's Day and over the centuries was
shortened to King's Day.
     Since the Tournaments were taking place on King's Day this year, the Mid
Summer's Day festivities consisted of various games and contests for the
peasant's, merchant's, and men-at-arms.  The highlight of which was the
competitions for peasant boys and youths called the Page Games and Squire
Games.  The winner of each tournament was allowed to compete in the Tournaments
with the noble boys the next day and earn the chance to be picked by a Knight to
become his Page or Squire.  This was the only way a common boy could become a
Knight without the personal intervention of the King.

     The annual tournament for the Knights on Mid Summer's Day was replaced by
the Lord's Tournament on King's Day.  The Champion of the Lord's tournament
would earn the title of Lord's Champion and have the responsibility of defending
and fighting for the Lord's honor for four years until the next King's Day.  The
position of Lord's Champion was the highest honor a landless Knight could
obtain.  Also, the Lord's Champion could compete in tournaments held by Dukes
and the King.  Success there and a Knight could earn a grant of land and the
title of Lord from a Duke or the King.

     After entering his name on the list for competing in the Squire Games,
Mikel wandered the fairgrounds taking in the sights.  His stomach growled as he
smelt the aroma of roasting pig coming from one of the open air taverns that had
been set up.  He stood staring at the roasting pig when he felt a hand on his
shoulder, "Excuse me lad, could you grant this humble musician a few moments of
your time?"

     Mikal looked back to see a handsome young man, perhaps twenty years old.
By his dress and the lute across his back, he was a minstrel.  He had shoulder
length brown hair and piercing blue eyes that made Mikel feel that the man was
looking into his soul.  "The name's Durren," said the young man.  "I'm a
traveling bard and I am working on composing a song about boys competing in the
Squire Games.  I notice you signed up for them and I was wondering if I could
ask you some questions over lunch and a beer, my treat," he explained as he
guided Mikal towards the tavern.  The offer of food and a drink were more than
enough to win Mikal's favor.

     The tavern was nothing more than rows of tables under a large tent where
you could get some food and a cheap beer or ale from a hastily constructed tap
house.  Durren bought Mikel a beer and a plate of roast pork.  After the hungry
youth had finished the meat and was starting to savor the beer, the bard started
in on the questions.

"Did you compete in the Page's Games four years ago?" he asked.
"No," replied Mikel.
"Why Not?"
"My folks needed me to work at the farm and didn't let me come."
"And they let you come this year?"
"No, they were killed two years ago by orcs. The farm we worked was near the
swamp and one night an orc raiding party slipped past the Lord's patrols and
attacked," explained Mikel, doing his best to keep the pain of the memories
bottled up.

"How did you survive?" asked Durrin.
"One of the horses was due to birth, so I was sleeping in the stable to keep an
eye on it.  When the orcs attacked I hid." A tear started to leak out but Mikel
brushed it away.  He started to say more but stopped.

"Where have you been living since then?" asked Durrin hoping to prompt the boy
to continue on a less painful subject.
"With the Priestesses of the Temple of the Harvest.  They didn't approve of me
coming to the Games and wanted me to stay and serve their order.  They told me
if I left for the Games I could never come back.  So if I don't win..." said
Mikel as he fought to retain his composure.
     Durrin got up and quickly made his way around the table sliding into the
seat next to the boy.  He wrapped his arm around him pulled him tight.  "Don't
worry boy, just try your best and never give up.  I am sure a fine young man
such as you will land on his feet no matter happens.  Now relax and enjoy the
fair!"
     After they finished their beers, Durren invited the boy to spend the night
with him at the Inn, where Durrin was going to be performing.  It would give him
a place to get a good night's sleep before the Squire Games as well as a proper
supper.  Mikel thanked the bard and told him that he would see him at the inn
that evening.  Mikel spend the rest of the afternoon hiking up to Telisan Keep,
the castle that watched over the town from a hilltop about a mile away.

     Later that evening at the inn back in town Mikel ate dinner and had a glass
of wine with Durrin.  After they had finished, the bard was pressed into service
by the innkeeper.  Durrin sang while accompanying himself on a lute.  During his
breaks he would sit by Mikel, drinking some more wine and answering the boy's
questions.  He told him of meeting Lord Velarik and how the Lord was a very good
man with a kind heart.  The boy asked if any of the Knights would be willing to
pick a commoner for a Squire, his voice fraught with worry.  Durrin told him to
concentrate on winning the Squire Games before worrying about impressing a
Knight and that if he were to win the Squire Games he would certainly capture
the fancy of one of the Knights for he had certainly captured his.

     Mikel eventually fell asleep in his chair by the fire while Durrin sang for
the crowd.  After he was done singing for the night he picked up the boy and
carried him to his room.  Mikel stirred a little as the minstrel laid him on the
bed and climbed in next to him.  He felt Durrin stroke his hair and thought he
heard him whispering something into his ear but in his dreamlike state he could
not quite make out the words.

     As sleep reclaimed him he dreamt of the night his family was killed.  He
had told Durrin about being in the stable, but what he had held back was that he
was there with another boy, Wilric, another ten year old boy from the
neighboring farm.  Wilric had come to keep Mikel company that night.  The boys
were best friends and whenever they got the chance, they liked to sneak off
together and pretend they were a couple.  Having been raised in large single
room houses, the boys were used to seeing their parents coupling.  The boys very
much enjoyed imitating what they had seen.

     This dream felt different to Mikel from other dreams.  He was looking upon
it as if watching strangers in a play.  He saw himself lying under Wilric as the
two boys rubbed their crotches against each other.  The two boys looked similar
even to Mikel's eyes, the main difference was Wilric was a few pounds heavier
with slightly lighter hair, a dark brown to Mikel's black.  As Wilric was
approaching a dry climax the door to the stables slammed open.  Wilric jumped up
as Mikel, thinking it was his father or one of his older brothers, sat and
covered himself with his hands.  He looked at the door and was shocked to see a
pair of orcs lit by the moon.  Panic gripped Mikel and he scooted backwards
through the hay.  His mind raced, 'Don't see me, don't notice me, I'm not
here.'  Wilric bolted towards the door trying to race past the orcs to freedom.
The orcs were not surprised though and the one on the right quickly lashed out,
striking the boy in the head and knocking him out.  He then reached down and
picked up the limp boy.  The other orc walked through the stable peering around
and Mikel froze as the orc seemed to look directly at him for a moment before
moving on.  The two orcs spoke to each other in a language Mikel did not
understand and then left.

     As the dream ended, Mikel became aware of the room coming into focus, for a
brief second he thought he could see an image in the mirror across from the
bed.  It looked like the backs of the two orcs, one carrying Wilric, as they
left the barn.  But before he could be sure of what he saw he felt Durrin's hand
stroking his hair again, this time he recognized the word the bard whispered
into his ear, "sleep".

     When Mikel woke up the next morning on Mid Summer's Day, Durren was gone.
He had left a note, suddenly Mikel was grateful that the priestesses had be so
insistent that he learn to read.   "Mikel, I am sorry that I had to leave
without saying goodbye. Duty calls and I must answer.  Unfortunately my song
will have to wait.  I hope our paths will cross again.  There is breakfast on
the table.  Good luck in the games, trust your instincts, DO NOT GIVE UP NO
MATTER WHAT HAPPENS and everything will work out as the Gods have planned, but
it never hurts to ask The Gambler for a bit of his luck! -Durren"