The Paladin Order Reformed - Chapter 5 Seasoned

I stand breathlessly on the familiar path I run every morning. I pushed myself this morning hoping it would take my mind off of what happened last night, but to no avail. I shake my head trying to clear my muddled mind, also to no avail. I start walking to the weapons yard for my daily weapons practice, hoping that will be able to distract my mind.

When I arrive I find it to be strangely….empty, which is odd because Sir Richard has always arrived at the weapons yard before I do. As long as I’ve trained under Sir Richard he has never been late, not once.

This is probably because if I do happen to be late, then Sir Richard doubles the intensity of training. Or if I make a comment he doesn’t appreciate, or if he’s in a bad mood, or if he just feels like it. On second thought, that might just be the regular level of training. Anyway, I walk to the weapons rack to do some technique practice while I wait.

As I reach for a wooden practice sword, I notice a piece of parchment tacked to the side of the rack. It read.

“Christian I’ve gone off to the capital to visit some of my friends I haven’t seen in a while, I know without me there to kick your butt, you’ll slack off to no end. So I’ll cut out the middle man and let you enjoy a few days to yourself. Just know we’ll make up for the lost time when I get back. -Your most beloved Sir Richard.”

I crumple the parchment in my hand and think. “Of course he would go off to party at the capital and punish me for it when he gets back. I should have expected him to pull something like this.”

I act aggravated, but in truth, I’m worried about Sir Richard. I know his trip has something to do with the meeting that he had last night. I pray he doesn’t do something he’ll come to regret for my sake.

I forbid myself from worrying about it or dwelling on it any longer it since it’s completely out of my control. I do some technique training before I go back to my room to do some language study.

The world we live on has three main continents, the human continent, the demon continent, and a continent that hosts the rest of our world’s species.

Actually let me rephrase that, the continent we live on that has the four kingdoms has a population mostly comprised of humans. Before the First Demon Crusade, the population was filled with a plethora of different species like elves, dwarfs, hafling, centaurs, dryads, nymphs to name a few. However humans were the most common species usually and due to living in human countries, most races adopted English as the common tongue. Because of this, it’s not that uncommon for a person to speak two or more languages, especially if that person belonged to another race.

Around the same time as the First Demon Crusade, a new continent was discovered. This surprised many people because it was thought that there was nothing else to discover. All races first originated at the demon continent, but as the population grew and demand for resources grew with it, all the ancient civilizations began to fight over these limited resources.

The demons, beast kin, lizardmen, orcs, goblins, and a few other “monster” races formed an alliance that would conquer the others. The other ancient races would also form an alliance in hopes of destroying the demon allied races, but were unable to defeat them. As a last-ditch effort, the ancient allied races built an armada of ships in hope of finding land that they could colonialize. Luckily they were able to discover the continent we live on today. The humans with the assistants of the other races were able to establish the first kingdom, blandly named the First Kingdom, that would eventually become the four countries that we have today.

Going back to the third continent that was discovered during the demon invasion, the reason that it would become important lies in what happened when the demons invaded. See when the demons invaded, they didn’t discriminate between races, they killed every person they came across. So when the kings did nothing to help protect the people of their kingdoms, many of them decided to flee to the third continent to escape the fate that awaited them if they stayed.

It wasn’t a particular race that did this, entire groups of people fled to the other continent seeking asylum, but when the Paladin Order was created and the people saw that there was a group opposing the demons, people rallied to their banner, becoming inspired by their bravery.

Unfortunately, the other races were crippled by the initial invasion, many of them were on the verge of extinction, they then decided to only support the Order from the third continent by means of food and supplies. All the humans that were on the third continent left to reinforce the Order, while the other races stayed trying to regain their crippled population. After the Order drove back the demons, the other races would found their own countries instead of returning the human ruled countries they came from. That’s the reason for a lack of diversity amongst the population on the human continent. As well as the reason for most races are able to speak English since many see it as being the common tongue.

The reason any of this has anything to do with my language studies is that most of the species from the demon continent cannot speak English. Instead, since most races on that continent are ruled by the demons, they view the demon tongue as their common language.

Sir Richard hasn’t told me to study the demon tongue, it’s actually quite a discouraged practice in the Order because they view it as a corrupt language. Sir Richard doesn’t really care what the order encourages or discourages since the scriptures say nothing about it being corrupt or uncorrupt.

Sir Richard, for all his faults, is an extremely intelligent person, even if I poke fun at his intelligence declining. He, like I, understands the importance of knowing an enemy. If I surround an enemy but don’t know how to tell him to please put down his sword and surrender, then I would be leading a few soldiers to their death because of my incompetence.

Being able to understand what someone else is saying is an extremely important thing to know when you’re trying to negotiate terms or “ask” for information. So I’ve been learning the demon tongue for a couple of years now, in the case that I need it in the future. I’ve already learned how to speak the demon tongue fluently, so I’ve decided to also learn some of the other sublanguages that are on the demon continent. This would include the Beast tongue and Orcish, which surprisingly has a great amount of depth and artistic expression.

Did you know that there are 27 ways to say love in Orcish, it’s quite romantic if you think about it, but that’s if you exclude the fact that there are 341 ways to say kill in Orcish.

I’ve studied quite a few different languages including, Elvish, Orcish, Halflinguish (which is weird to speak), Demon tongue, Beast tongue, Dwarven tongue, and of course English. I’m fluent in all of them, I can even hold a conversation in Gobish.

It may seem like an impossible amount to learn, but once you become fluent in either common tongues, then the corresponding languages aren’t that difficult to learn. Meaning Elvish, Dwarven, and Halflinguish share quite a few words with English and Orcish, Beast tongue, and Gobish shares many with the Demon tongue.

Although spending all my time training and learning languages is probably the reason I don’t have a girlfriend. “Nah that can’t be it.” I think jokingly to myself.

But I’ve spent almost all of my day learning languages and I’m pretty mentally tired. I look over to the wall at the corner where my mandola rests. Playing my mandola is one of the few hobbies that I use to relax, it and the temple bath are really the only things that I use to relieve stress. I decide that I’ve spent enough time studying, I grab my mandola and head outside towards a secluded part of the woods near the village, a place I often use when I need to be alone or when I want to play.

I walk through the serene forest enjoying the chorus of nature’s song as the birds and wind greet me with their melody. The falling lights of the sunset momentarily settle in the leaves and branches of the forest bringing a mystical cascade of beauty, the kind only nature could ever create and no one could hope to replicate.

In this mystical space, my mind’s troubles are forgotten, my body becomes refreshed, and my spirit cannot help but be lifted. There is no one that could forsake this boundless beauty that I’ve found. Only in this space, in this time, there is no one that has been blessed with this beauty but me, it is my solemn treasure, a sanctuary for me and me alone.

I allow myself to take in the scenery as I travel a beaten path until finally, I arrive at a boulder the overlooks a cliffside. The cliffside overlooks a valley plentifully filled with vegetation which is painted gold by the setting sun on the horizon. I give a silent thanks to god for allowing me to see such a glorious sight, I marvel in his creation. “It’s a fine place for a concert.” I think wistfully, I sit on the rock overlooking the valley as I tune my mandola.

I give my mandola a few strums, tuning it slightly until I’m satisfied with it. I try to think of a song sufficient enough to repay the forest for allowing me to witness its beauty, only one comes to mind. It’s the song that I treasure most or the one Sir Richard and I treasure the most. It’s a song that he and his companions would sing before a battle, a song he would sing after a battle, a song he would sing it to himself often when he thought I wasn’t listening. I surprised him one day by putting the tune to paper and playing it for him, its the only time I’ve ever seen him cry.

I strum a few chords for the intro, then I allowed my voice to be taken by the flow of the instrumentals, letting my words float atop the melody of my mandola.

Capo 4

[Strum pattern –rest of song]

[Intro]

Emx2

[Verse 1]

Em

Beauty I’ve heard

G D

Yes, the beauty I’ve seen

Em D

Bestowed only by nature’s queen

Em

Roads have been hard

G D

Yes they have been long

Em G D

The ones I’ve been traveling on.

[Interlude]

Em GDEm x3

Em GDC

Emx2

[Chorus]

Em

god as my witness

G D

god as my might

Em G D Em

Evil ones I will smite

Em

Listen oh dear ones

G D

Listen to me.

Em C D Em

Heaven’s gates we will see

[Verse 2]

Em

If I die brother

G D

Don’t you cry

Em G D C

We’ll meet on the other side

Em G D C

I’ll meet you on the other side

Em D G Em

Em GDEm

The last chord fades into the night’s sky, carrying off that final promise. It seems like such a sad song, even if it’s promising something wonderful. I notice a stary vail enveloped the sunset while I lost myself in my music. “I probably should get home.” I think to myself. I get up from the rock to follow the familiar route home until I notice lights that shine all around the rock where I sat.

I smile, “I didn’t know that fireflies were out already.” I think to myself, but then I notice the lights aren’t flickering, moreover they’re brighter than regular fireflies would be. Before I can question it further one of the brighter lights comes closer to me.

At first, I was startled, feeling dread that prepares your body to run or fight, but it fades as the light comes closer and that feeling is replaced with a curious fascination. When it came closer, I understand what it truly is, it’s a small girl with the wings of a butterfly that’s somehow illuminating. “A faerie,” I think, one of the few species that didn’t flee during the First Crusade. I look closely at the small girl and notice a small circlet made of light upon her head, which means….

I quickly kneel while extending my arm to the ground while I bowed my head in reverence. That circlet is the sign of a Faerie Queen, I hope I haven’t invaded her territory. How many times have I entered her territory without realizing it? I can only hope that I haven’t displeased her. Faeries are beings that can collect the mana particles within the air, allowing them not to need food or water, and a Faerie Queen is capable of absorbing much more mana than a regular faerie or even a human is capable of. If I had to rank the power their spells are able to produce, I would say their Magecraft potential, would probably be somewhere between Lv.5 and Lv.6. She could turn me to ash in a moment if she wished, I stay completely still holding my head in submission hoping she will overlook my transgression.

I feel a tiny pair of hands try to lift my chin, I look up and see the small girl smiling at me. My mind races through my memory, I try and think back to when I was studying the fae language if I remember correctly they speak the same tongue. I say earnestly. “Dal’ntr btyta goreau [Please forgive my rudness].”

She responds with an inquisitive look and says. “I’m sorry human, I but have no knowledge to where the closest lavatory is.”

I stare at her dumbly then ask. “You can speak English?”

“Yes, and you can speak fae, we are both full of surprises, aren’t we?”

I’m dumbstruck, I can only reply. “What did I say exactly?”

She smiles mischievously. “Please forgive my rudeness.”

I momentarily forget who I’m speaking to and yell “You…You little deviant, do you understand how dumb I felt.” practically fuming.

She falls backward midair kicking her feet while holding her side, roaring laughter. I can only sit there and pout until she composes herself. She wipes an invisible tear away and says.

“I’m sorry human, they call this humor in your tongue, yes? Its been too long since I’ve meddled with one of your kind, I couldn’t help myself.” She finishes and finally seemed to compose herself.

“We have witnessed your music for many years now, your songs have always been pleasant melodies, ones that we all enjoy hearing.” She eludes to the other sparkling lights that encircle us.

“Tonight, however, was especially enjoyable and I wish to reward you for humoring us with your songs all of these years. My name is Queen Aliece of the Faeries, Please Human, tell me your name so that I may remember it.”

I incline my head placing my right hand on my heart. “I am Christian, squire of Paladin Knight Sir Richard.”

She nods respectfully at this. “Then Christian, squire of Paladin Knight Sir Richard. Tell me of your desire and I will do all that is within my power to fulfill it.” Her eyes hold true, I know she means what she said.

I think for a second, what could I ask for that Is befitting of a queens request? An idea pops into my head, I smile even at the notion.

I stand and look squarely into her eyes and ask “Queen Aliece I have no request befitting of someone as great as yourself, I only humbly ask that you would allow me to continue to play for you and your court. This would be my greatest pleasure.”

Her smile lights up her face, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say that she even glowed a bit brighter. She flew excitedly around my body until settling in front of me, grabbing my face with her miniature hands.

“Sir Christian your request has pleased me greatly, I grant your request and bestow upon you this small boon. She flew to the left side of my head and planted a kiss on my cheek, my first kiss. I reddened slightly, but smile gratefully at the queen.

“You have earned my favor Sir Christian, I would like you to come to know me as your friend, your earnest heart has already earned you that title within my own. If there is anything that you come to desire, I will give it to you without hesitation and If you ever should need someone’s assistance, then I shall be here awaiting you.”

My smile broadened and I bowed again. “Your generous words are too kind for someone as humble as I, your highness. Only know that you have my eternal allegiance as well as my friendship.”

At this, she could hold her excitement no longer, she flew quickly around my body, too excited to be able to sit still. She stopped and grabbed my index finger with both arms pulling me towards the rock I was before.

“Please Sir Christian, play us another song, this would please me greatly.”

I chuckled lightly at the surprising strength of the small faerie dragging me along. “Yes, my queen, whatever you would like me to play.”

I played late into the night. When I finally was released from my duties, I silently thanked god for allowing me to have the next day to sleep in.