The White KNight

[WOLFGIR]

Well, not to you BK! hehe, this is about another knight..
A little story for you to read. It is in a working state as of now so, well excuse some typos and some passes that feels to short.. they might be edited!

Here it comes And well, big big big thanks and Hugs to Bili for the help!

THE WHITE KNIGHT

The moors of Erelament were a grim passage before you reached the lovely lands of Sweetnoon, a nice and green country full of farms and a kingdom with a gentle and nice king. The moors however where cast in fog and the mountains were a grim mark of the old ways of war and destruction. Here lay the dead kings of the grim past of many bordering kingdoms, the fights the battles for ideals, money grief and revenge.

In these moors, before a great sepulcher, a white knight stood, silent and ever vigilant for all those that came close to the resting ground of King Leneard. Agreat King that almost made the five kingdoms cornering the moors into one. 150 years, no matter the weather, he stood there on guard over his king. Many were the heroes, adventurers that had come to fight the white knight, all of them had spread their bones before the resting place, the white knight had never been defeated.

One day a noble Paladin had visited Sweetnoon and had heard the tale of the horrific white knight, judging that the white knight was a creature of evil and probably an undead, the Paladin charged his horse to the moors. He fought his way through kobold and goblin raiding parties, battled trolls and lost his horse to a mighty griffon.

One evening in the gloom of a nearing night and a mist that lay low over the moors, the paladin climbed up the last rock and stood before the white knight.

The paladin straightened and came close to level with the white knight’s dull red eyes. He stared back, preparing himself for the fight. Drawing his longsword, the sound as it left his scabbard rang out in the night..

The white knight leaned heavy on his greatsword, still not moving.

-Have thee come to fight me? he finally asked the paladin, his voice tired.

-I have come seeking the evil that haunts the moors, the Paladin said aloud to bolster his own morale.

-So, you seek evil and not the treasures or the glory then?, the white knight almost sighed.

The paladin, lost his momentum, - I came here partly for the glory to do a deed in my god’s name, he finally said.

-Take a look around you, the white knight said, his arm going out in a wide arc. They were all adventurers seeking fame, glory and treasure, but I stood in their way, am I evil?

They had priests with them calling to their gods to aid them in my killing to be able to get to the treasures behind me, he gestured to the tombs entrance behind him, a dark and gloomy entrance showed a heavy stone door.

-You admit to having killed a man that served the gods?, the Paladin burst out.

-He tried to kill me and to enter what is the resting place of my late king, they try they die!, the white knight boomed! None shall pass me and make me a liar and betrayer of my word! He raised his sword and stood ready.

The paladin thought for awhile and lowered his sword, -Nay, I will not fight thee until I have heard thy story.

-My story?, the white knight said, lowering his sword and rested on it once again, a sigh and then he started...

When I was 19, I joined the armies of King Leneard. I started out as a squiire but soon rose to the position of knight and then to be in his majesty’s own personal guard. I had the fortune to serve with him for ten years before he died. On his deathbed I promised to secure his resting place and safeguard it from intrusion. Well I have stood here since then, not letting one soul enter his place.

-My god, the paladin said, that is over 250 years!

-Time lost its meaning to me many years ago, the white knight said.

-I see that I have been wrong to come here trying to challenge you, the paladin said and sheathed his sword. I will leave you to your duty and tell the people of Sweetnoon to leave you alone.

-Thank you Paladin..

The Paladin climded down the rock into the fog and started the long journey home, on his way there he met a man that were dressed as a fool.

--How many laughs before you die noble paladin. the jester said.

-I beg your pardon? The paladin answered puzzeled.

-Ah, sorry, the jester said, I´m just teasing you a bit. Hehe, he laughed.

-Begone from me fool, unless you make sense, the Paladin said, somewhat annoyed with the Jester.

-Ah, a fool I may be, but the fool is the one to see me as the fool, the foolery is to not be a fool, because then the fool you be, the jester said with a too large smile.

-Ah, you make no sense!, the paladin said, and started to move on.

-Well then visit your new friend soon, the jester said and moved on.

The paladin thought that a very odd suggestion and made an early camp to ponder the idea and the meeting with the jester. The day after he decided to travel back to the white knight.

That very night the white knight heard yet another person entering.

-Ho ho, there white knight of noble deeds and undying devotion.

-Who be there?, the white knight answered.

-Ah, such a shame, don´t you remember me?, the Jester asked and appeared in front of the Knight.

-You!...

The white Knight hunched forward, gazing at the odd jester standing in front of him..

-So why have you come back here? he asked, to taunt me more?

-No friend, the jester said, you remember when we met first? It was on the very same night you let your honor rule you instead of your heart, you let your young wife stay at home while you went to your king to stand guard during a meeting.

-I remember, the white knight said.

-Ah, do you also remember the man that came to see you too? That very night when you stood guarding outside the tent?

-I do, the white knight answered.

It had been a damp and cold spring night, not a night you generally thought evil lurked in, rather that all creatures would stay home in front of a fire and sit down with their loved ones close. John, however, walked the area around the tent to his King. Janira was probably in their tent now, sleeping. The thought gave John an urge to leave his post and run home to her, that hair, like silk to his chest, those bright brown eyes looking at him like he meant the world to her...

She could never do that to John, he had sworn to keep the king safe, no matter what the consequences. This night was cold though, and he would rather be beside his wife..

This night, was such a night when evil was stirring and the king had ordered to have John and his men stand guard by his tent since he was discussing a campaign against the orcs in this region, and he had gathered all commanders and the townmasters from all the cities in the region. One strike against this tent and the whole campaign was at an end before it had started.. He could not allow it..

Just this night, the orcs had planned to do this strike, the capturing of a scout earlier this night had showed them of a way to hit their enemies where it hurt the most.. A large troop of veterans looked at the camp, a large number of orcs were preparing.

John came to a halt some 30 yards from the tent door, he looked over the silent tents and the pallisade not far away, something caught his eyes and he saw that someone was nearing the tent!

-Halt!, he cried, who goes there?

-Just a jester on a busy night my ... knight?, A colorful and odd figure said, and came into clear view of John.

-I can´t let you come any closer!, John said, you are close to the King. He emphasized his meaning by readying his spear.

-So intent to save the King?, the man said, what if I told you that your wife is in danger? That you all are in danger Knight. The jester asked, and sat down on a rock and lit a pipe.

-Is my wife hurt?, John asked.

-No, she is fine, surely asleep but trouble walks in this cold night. The jester took some long breaths of the tobacco. You are choosing the rule before the laugh friend, and thus you might know that this night may steal your laugh and smile forever. Take care and think hard. With those words he stood and began to walk away.

-Wait, John said, what are you telling me this for? Are we in danger? Is my wife in danger? The king??

-Let me say this, your laugh forever is in danger., The Jester took some more steps and disappeared into the night.

John stared into the dark after him, took some tentative steps but refrained from leaving his post..

Seconds later the orcs welled in over the pallisade and killed many men. John’s wife included. John then understood what the Jester had said, and he knew that his laugh was gone. Since than he had kept his king safe in all battles, people stayed cleared from him because, as they said: John has a cold fire burning inside him.

-I remember, the white knight said.

-And do you also know that your guile and curse over life also stole your life?

-What?, the white knight said.

-Ahh, but you are over 300 years old now.. Surely you most have noted that your flesh fell of and that beneath the shadow and armour their is naught but bone left..

-The white knight removed one of his gloves and strared at his hand, before his eyes his skin fled from the bones of his hands. He frantically tore at his mail and saw that even his arms were just bones..

-What has happened to me?!, he screamed, a long and veiled sound. Why? By the gods why??

-Ah my friend, the gods aren´t lenient and nice, they sometimes don´t take lightly to be cursed, the Jester said. I have come here to once more offer you the chance to smile again.

-How, what are you talking about?, the white knight asked with annoyance in his voice.

-Just walk beyond that portal if you like what you see, the Jester said and motioned to a portal that came shimmering out of the night.

The white knight moved with heavy steps to the portal, beyond it he saw just enough to break his undead heart.

-Janira... Who will guard the king?

-Oh, don´t you worry, he will be able to guard himself from now on, the Jester said, but the White didn´t really liked the tone of his voice.. Go, or your laugh is lost again, and someday you will fall when someone with compassion strikes your heart and kills you..

The white knight looked towards the sepulcher entrance and at Janira, she was smiling and looking at him with sad eyes..

-Janira.. Forgive me.. The white took some steps toward the sepulcher, but inside him he felt that he couldn´t move..

-Come to me my love, Janira said, it is time for you to be with me, time for you to leave that sword and join me in the afterlife. Come to me love..

The white knight took his sword and rammed it down in front of the sepulcher and broke the blade.

-This has come to an end my King, more than four man lives have I served you, and it took everything from me. Now it ends. He walked into the portal, his bones covered themselves with flesh and his eyes hurt from the light, he felt dizzy and in the next moment he felt the smell of grass, he heard birds in the sky, he wore no armour only a shirt and trousers, but more important, he felt that feeling of silk on his chest and when he looked up he saw into Janira’s eyes. John smiled again...

-Nice trickery from a fool, the Paladin said and entered the ground in front of the sepulcher.

-Hah! I thought that you would come back. The Jester laughed. So have you brought a shovel?

-A shovel?, the Paladin asked.

-Yes, to bury one of the most loyal men that walked these lands, of course. The jester looked at the Paladin. Have You learned anything Knight of Holy Light? The Jester pointed at the paladin.

-I don´t know, but I will go and visit home after this, he said and whistled to his new steed.

The steed trotted up to him and the Paladin took out a shovel from the packings and started to dig and move some rocks. It took hours to make a decent grave but in the end with a blessing the paladin and the Jester had given John a grave.

-So what did you mean with "the king can defend himself from now on"?, the paladin asked the Jester.

-Oh, only that he, the Jester stated, is now walking back and forth down in that sepulcher, making his grounds safe by himself. He craved for safety and now he has it.. The Jester laughed and brought a pipe to his lips. Only as long as the spirit remains with agony or with doubt it stays here. Hopefully he learns soon enough.


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Yawning lazywolf dreaming about nice little fairies...zzzzz
Wolfgirs lair
once-upon-a-paper

[demus]

Hey, Wolfgir, That's a Brilliant story , but one bit of advice, put more Speech marks in when people are talking cos it gets a bit confusing in places, for example:
'The paladin thought for awhile and lowered his sword, -Nay, I will not fight thee until I have heard thy story'

Would probably be a bit easier to read if you put in Speech Marks eg:
'The paladin thought for awhile and lowered his sword, "Nay, I will not fight thee until I have heard thy story." '


But you deffinitely don't have to take my advice, Its fairly easy to read without the anyway . And anyway, I don't really have any idea when it comes to writing stories, I'm terrible at it

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Nicodemus Deathslayer, Paladin and Undead Hunter of the Order of the Holy Flame

[Redblueflare]

Great story Wolfgir. I loved the ending!

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Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I just don't have to listen.

[Lioness]

Good job!
bumping

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Official teaser and ranger of the HADB Clan
"I am great...start bowin'"
heeheeheeheehee

[bilqis]

bumping for Wolfie

I, personally, like this story.