Knight of Thieves

Chapter 5

“What are you doing?” asked a gentle voice. “Do either of you realize your training starts today? You will have more than enough time to train during training.” Princess Rosaline, Will’s younger sister, glided through the training fields, making her way over to her brother and James Heczah, who were sparring. Rosaline stopped at the fence and leaned against it, a book firmly clasped in her hands.

Will sheathed his sword. Panting, he and James strode over to her, Will wiping the sweat on his forehead, banishing it from his brow. Rosaline’s long dark hair fell into her face, covering one of her chocolate brown eyes. “Will dragged me over here when I arrived.” Will glared at his friend.

Rosaline raised an eyebrow at her brother. Will rubbed the back of his head. He had barely slept the night before, his mind stuck on Emberly and what it would be like to see her again. All morning, nervous energy consumed him. He needed to think about something else. Hence the excessive training with James.

Rosaline bit her lip, a habit their mother had tried to correct since her infancy. “Are you certain you should return to training?” Her voice was deeply troubled. Had she been wanting to say this all summer?

“Father has already voiced the family’s concern to me,” Will said. He kept his voice hard to show her his seriousness. He did not want her stating all of this again later on. “I will not be the first King of Etrusca to forego knighthood.” He was going to be a strong leader.

“There are many kinds of strength,” Rosaline said, not meeting his eyes. “And the people of Etrusca would rather you were alive.”

James threw an arm around Will’s shoulders. “No need to worry, Rosie. He’s got us to protect him.”

“Us?” Rosaline had a frown etched into her features.

“The other squires, the knights-in-training. I think we have proven we will protect him.”

“He was abducted, you realize.” James always seemed to draw out the sassiness in Will’s kind, sweet sisters.

“We still saved him,” said James, somewhat petulantly.

As James and Rosaline quibbled about Will’s return to knight training, Will scrutinized his friend. When had James decided to trust and rely on the other squires?

It was this question that took precedence in his mind, wiping away Emberly Dern for a short time as they returned to sparring.

All day, Will did not see Emberly, keeping to the training grounds in order to avoid her as long as possible. When she entered the Great Hall that evening, he was already seated there. For a moment, he seriously wondered if it was Kyler after all, not Emberly. Did they decide to switch back? But then the figure fiddled with her hair and Will knew it was Emberly after all.

Regardless of the fact she was dressed as her brother, Will’s heart still raced with the knowledge that it was Emberly Dern who entered the room. The perfect and beautiful woman he had gotten to know during the Winter Festival. Looking at her now, Will was transported to that night with an intangible vividness. He remembered looking over at her table, plotting Kyler Dern’s humiliation, only to find the most beautiful woman he had ever known.

He loved her in that look.

He flushed in embarrassment when he remembered the conversation he had with James at the time. “James,” he had said so quietly, emulating a whisper more than anything else, “who is that woman sitting beside Earl Dern?” James glanced over at Emberly’s table, as well, a sigh escaping his lips. Why had Will even asked? He should have known just by the look of her.

“That’s Emberly Dern,” James informed him. “Can’t you tell? She looks just like Kyler.”

“She is infinitely more beautiful than Kyler Dern.” All the while, it was Emberly. She was the one who was constantly covered in dirt, the one who trained harder than anyone else in their year.

No matter how much he hoped his feelings dissipated over the summer, his heart still fluttered when he recalled the way she glanced up at him, her beautiful eyes meeting his for the first time. He thought she was magnificent and he was proven right.

Now, she was dressed in a blue training uniform, explicating to everyone she had passed the first year of training and was beginning her second year. Will wore the same training gear as well as the majority of their class, except for Keenan Taylar, who still wore the clothes of the first years.

Emberly’s eye met Will’s across the hall. He could see his letter written there, everything he had said, wanting her to understand his actions over the summer. She gave him a small, hesitant smile. She’s nervous. Will, sympathizing with her, gave her a large, inviting smile. She started to make her way over to him but was interrupted by the arrival of Arran Anson.

Emberly raced over to him, a large, happy grin spreading across her face. She threw her arms around him, embracing him. Will shook his head in exasperation. How did he believe for an entire year she was Kyler? No gentleman he knew whole embrace another in this way. It was just not their nature. He was glad he knew now. He could council her, help her hide the truth.

Emberly talked with great animation to Arran, gesturing to the open seats beside Will. “Please tell me they’re not sitting here,” James said, a slight whine to his words, annoyance dripping into his speech.

“They are my friends,” Will said. “Besides, I thought you and Kyler were on better terms now.”

“Do you know what that imbecile spent the summer doing? Writing to my sister, nearly every day. He’s basically asked her to marry him.”

“What’s so wrong about that?” Will asked.

“Olivia would probably say yes,” spat James. “He’s not even considered asking my father’s permission. And knowing Dern, he would probably die in the war. I don’t want her getting her hopes too high.”

“Olivia is capable of choosing for herself. Besides, Kyler is an Earl’s son. There are few that could do better than that. That would be a rise in status, you know.”

“I suspect my parents are still holding out hope for you,” James said. “She was in love with you for years.”

“She’s good for Kyler and I—“ Will was saved from trying to finish that sentence by the arrival of Emberly and Arran at their table. Emberly looked up at Will as though she had a million things she wanted to say, and Will wanted to hear them all. But this was not the place or time for their much needed conversation.

“Hello, Kyler, Arran,” Will greeted, kicking James’s leg when he said nothing, granting a glare at the arrivals.

“Dern,” said James, “Anson.”

“Hello, James, Will,” said Emberly. “Have a nice summer?”

“I may end your life this year, Dern,” James said, but it sounded more like a warning than a threat.

“What else is new?” Emberly said. Will snorted in laughter. Arran sighed beside her.

“I thought we were done with that,” Arran muttered.

Before anyone had the chance to answer, the room fell into silence. Two men entered the room, causing everyone to surge to their feet. The men ignored the squires as they made their way to the long table at the head of the room which was reserved for people of high station.

What is he doing here?

The first man was a tall man who strode with determination and deliberately placed steps. He demanded respect. A sneer was plastered on his face as though he were disgusted with the whole situation. He was not without flaws, of course. This man had seen the horrors and terrors of war and battle. He returned with a resounding knowledge he wished to impart to the future knights. He was missing a foot, replaced by the constant thud of a wooden leg, reminding the squires he knew what he was talking about. A reminder reinforced by the scars covering every inch of his left arm.

Sir Wylan.

Beside him strode a man who had little to do with the squires the previous year. A man who walked with dignity and pride, a man whose presence caused the surrounding public to fall into a respectful bow to him. Will knew him well. After all, they had the same eyes, the same hair, and facial structure.

This man was King George, Will’s father.

What is he doing here?

When they reached the table, he turned to take in the numerous squires. While Sir Wylan glared at the audience, King George granted them all a kind smile.

“Please, be seated,” says King George. The room filled with the scrapping of seats and everyone quickly sat down, eager to hear what the king had to say. “Thank you all so much for your dedication and service to our great nation. Your hard-work does not go unnoticed, so thank you.

“Would Kyler Dern and James Heczah please stand?” Emberly clambered to her feet, a look of fear flashing across her face. Will longed to reassure her. His father had asked for her and James. If this was about her secret, he would not have asked both of them to stand. “During their first year of training, these two brave squires saved my son, the Crown Prince of Etrusca, from barbaric Cyrans.” King George paused, allowing the squires to applaud Emberly and James. “Let them be your examples. This is what you are all working towards, the protection of Etrusca.” King George’s eyes met James’ and Emberly’s. “Thank you both for your work for the crown.

“It is true, as I am sure you have heard, Prince William was taken from the castle grounds. I have decided to increase the number of guardsmen in the castle as a precaution. The castle is not weak. We are safe here.”

William knew his father had dealt with the rumors which circulated following his a*******n. The people were claiming Etruscan was weak. His father must have been there, talking to them, to squash those thoughts.

“I have nothing more to say. Again, thank you all for your service to Etrusca and to the Crown. Now, without further ado, I believe Sir Wylan has something to say.” King George took a seat at the long table, his attention turned to Sir Wylan.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Sir Wylan’s voice was a deep, raspy sound. He bowed to the king before turning his attention to the squires, his respectful attitude dissolving into a sneer. “From this day on, you will sit with the members of your same year. Meals are not a social time, they are a time for sustenance. I do not care if your brother is another year. You will sit with your year and your year alone.” Will nearly laughed, knowing how little this rule was enforced.

“Yes, Sir Wylan,” rang the chorus of voices. Save for Keenan, not a single first year joined them.

“To those of you who are new, I will say this: when I give a direct order, there will be only one response. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Sir Wylan,” said the squires.

“Good. There is a reason we have this program. You will learn what it is to be a knight. It is the highest honor anyone can achieve in their lifetime. Do not dishonor the name of the King’s Knights.”

“Yes, Sir Wylan.”

“To be a knight is an honor, not a right. It takes hard work. Tomorrow you will work harder than you ever have in your entire life. You will do this for the only reason one becomes a knight: to serve our great king and our valiant future king.” Will felt his peers’ eyes fall on him.

“Yes, Sir Wylan.”

“Those in training uniforms around you will fight beside you. You must trust them explicitly. When one knight fails, they all fail. From today on, each of you will be at meals by the third bell. No one will eat until each and everyone of you has entered the room. Is that understood?” Will could have sworn he saw Sir Wylan glance over at Arran while he said this. Arran’s face burned bright red.

“Yes, Sir Wylan.”

“There are only two days per week that you will be left to your own devices. The weekends are yours to do with as you will. These are the only days you will not be required to attend mealtimes and will be allowed to go into the city. You will be expected to work hard each following Monday. No matter how much ale you have the night before, you are required to be ready for breakfast the next morning. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir Wylan.”

“Any form of violence against another squire outside of the reasonable restrictions of the training fields is strictly prohibited. The squires among you are your family. If you want them to die, leave them for battle where they might be of some use in destroying the Cyrans. Do not leave them in the middle of nowhere because you simply do not like them.” Will stiffened, knowing this part of the speech had not been included the previous year. Will glanced at James, who looked equally dismayed. Was Sir Wylan speaking to them?

“Yes, Sir Wylan,” chimed the squires.

“Should you fall ill at any time in the next nine months, you will be responsible for seeing the court physician yourself. Should you die, I will let your parents know how weak you were to die of a silly illness.” Will thought of only two years ago when he laid on his bed, dying because of a “silly illness.”

Will expected his father to chide Wylan for his words, but he did not.

“You will stand when I enter the room,” continued Wylan, “as a sign of respect to your superior. Understand this, squires, you are nothing until I decide otherwise. There is no one here to coddle you when you chip a nail or fall down. There is no one to baby your feelings. If you cannot last through training, you will not last a minute in war.”

“Yes, Sir Wylan.”

“Well then, squires, it seems it is time to eat.” Sir Wylan sat down beside the king, his eyes on the squires as the maids appeared to bring food to the tables.

Will turned back to Emberly beside him, wanting to say a multitude of things. In the end, he gave her a small smile, telling her quietly so as not to be overhead, “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Me, too.”