My Medieval

"Oh dear, why did I ever think of doing this?" the last words I said before the battle. What seemed like days, was only minutes, and that was how long before the inevitable happened.  Out on the battlefields, men all around me, falling, their screams ringing throughout the air. Moving was slow, as it seemed to me. The trollocs were swarming around us with their huge bodies of thick fur or rough scales, long snouts or short beaks, and always the talons that were as sharp as the bloodied fangs. My helmet flew off as I ducked a blow that would have torn my head off, no bother, though, the thing was too big for me anyway. The men, who stood behind the cannons, the men who were corrupted with greed and power, lit the fuse and my eyes caught it. It was the only object my eyes held onto, the only object my legs froze to, and I could do not a thing. Three months before, the King’s Legion marched the streets, soothing the rustle in the people’s hearts. They could not help but have a bit of fear in the back of their minds, the small shadow of fear in their eyes, nor on the tips of their hearts. Raids were occurring in the night and the battle for the life of good was near. Just after seeing my 16th birthday, I was out with my mother to watch the procession. We sat in our carriage, she in her dignified way, myself in as stiff a position as possible. The style of dressings my mother adored were the kind that forced young ladies to sit properly and not dirty it up. As many times as I can, I dress in clothes I had tailored. Still, she had me dress for balls that I never attended. Down the street the procession proceeded, a tall, lean man on a horse led the way through the mass of people. He sat tall, his eyes in front and a face as blank as stone. At his temples, his black hair was pulled back into a small tail at the back of his head and didn’t stir when the wind whipped the cloak on his back. This was my proud father; his features only show a little in myself, the black hair and ice blue eyes are mirrored with his. Enduwhe was my proud father, and the people’s proud general. The boys could not wait ‘til their time came to be men and join the Legion. They wished to be like their fathers. This is where my mother betrayed me. She birthed me, not a man, but a woman, and women do not take part in the battles and wars. Like the people of Haeins, I wished to be a part of the Legion, wished with all of my heart. That was when the day came. Walking about near the barn, I heard the most beautiful music. Investigating into it, I found two men dancing to it music, they were moving as if not touching the ground, one motion flowing into another. The beat was the clashing of their swords and the dance was the movements of each swordsman. They looked as if they were going through some training and not actually fighting. Hiding in a horse stall, I watched. The two men were of equal height that would tower over me, but opposite features. One man had black hair, dark eyes, and a face that would nearly mirror my fathers. The other had blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and the kindest face ever have I seen. Swinging from their hip belt were the hilts to the metal weapons, the patriotic ribbons spiraling. Red and white were the colors, but you had to be careful with how you put them in the spiral. The white is first, it represents how our country was the purest of all, how we helped all who asked of it; then the red is spiraled over the white, it is remembrance of the King and Queen of the beginning, how they went to the battle which ended the Fourth Age, may their spirits rest in the Heaven’s above. A faint voice pulled me out of the rambling of the Ribbons, it was my Nanny-- why I had one at the age of sixteen is beyond myself—she was calling me from just outside the barn. The two men had stopped in their fresh shoeprints to see what the matter was. My Nanny walked in and as all attention was to her, I fled out of the barn through the back and walked to right behind her. She told me that my lessons were to begin in five minutes time. Rushing in, I had one last glance at the men standing in the opening of the barn. Every day I went back and continued to hide in that one stall, unnoticed by all. Watching every one of the motions, a few I picked up on. In the late of evening, sometimes even the early of morn’, I would practice with a wooden short sword. Making sure that my feet were moving all the same as my teachers. During the day, I would go through my lessons in the manor, but during my small free time, I would take my leave to the barn and continue with my sight teachings. On and on this went until my father spoke to me at dinner, and said to me, “Daoine, I know how much you honor the Legion. The Inspection is to begin in the morning, two days time. Would you like to join me at this rally?” my eyes brightened, while my mother’s darkened. I was told to leave, as they discussed the words that came from my father’s mouth. I could not think straight anymore. /Two days time/, I thought to myself. The Legion is having the Inspection, as well as bringing new soldiers in! My father just made the worst mistake of his natural being by telling me of the Inspection. It was now or never, I was to become a part of the Legion of the King. Taking only a few minutes of scribbling, I wrote to my mother and father that I would be gone, that I would have left forever by the time they received this note, I signed and placed it in visible sight. I moved quickly, so as not to be caught, room-to-room, between my mother and father’s, to my own. A sword I needed as well as breeches and boots and a shirt, I found all of it in my father’s room. In the manor’s barn, I stole my horse and rode into the night. I rode into the city I was almost never allowed to go near, especially alone. The middle of the night was close and I needed a place to rest. Finding a barn away from the main part of the city, I climb the loft and stay there, while my horse is beneath in an empty stall. Lying in the hay, thoughts filled my mind and would not let me surrender to sleep. Awake I lay, thinking about the motions, the swords, the battles, but most of all, the Legion of the King’s Inspection that is to come in a short day. Never have I ever attended one, but now I shall be in it. My excitement has me conscious the entire night. The crisp air and light sky broke me out of my half sleep and that was the time I was going to take to leave. Climbing down, I heard a peculiar sound. A sound like someone was beating a pole with a stick. Rounding a corner, I saw a man. He looked older and yet younger at the same time. I could not stop myself from giving a small giggle at his swording form. A bit clumsy he was with the steps that he made, a bit unsteady with holding the long sword, too. Swinging around the man looked straight at me. Boy was more he than man though. He looked only a year or two older than me, with blonde hair stained brown and green eyes that held me in place. He was handsome and lean like a blacksmith. His shoulders were a bit broad for his age, but fit him still. “Who are you?” he asked with a deep voice, “What are you doing here?” Stumbling for words, all I could do was say a pitiful, “Hello”. I felt the fool after opening my nervous mouth. He stared at me with an intrigued expression. “Your name is ‘Hello’ then now is it?” he said with a smile, finding no threat in me. “No, it’s, um, Daoine. Sorry, I was a little nervous about whether or not you were going to try and run me through accidentally with your sword,” my mouth blubbered, and his expression changed from smiling to blushing from embarrassment. “You have been standing there long then I suppose?” “Long enough. Are you going to the Inspection tomorrow?” I asked as I walked to my horse to brandish my father’s old sword from the hilt attached to the saddle. “I am going to be in the Legion, whether it kills me or not.” My new friend looked at me with a confused look. He went from dress, to sword, then back again. “Women aren’t permitted to be in wars. You’ll get hurt, and instead of fighting, we’ll spend our time protecting.” Holding my sword at the ready, I challenged him to a small fight. He looked as if he were going to laugh, but that look was cut short when I swung the sword to meet 2 inches away from his throat. Taking a step back, he looked at me, startled more than anything. “You almost cut me!” he sort of yelped. “Just a small sword fight, proving who is the better, the man, or the woman?” I said with sword back at the ready. “Fine, my name, by the way, is Saon,” he said pulling his sword into the ready position. First strike it looked as though he gave to me, and I surprised him with the force I put into it. Motion through motion I went and he just barely was able to block the thrusts. Sweat poured down both our faces as we went, sword hilts became slippery, and, with one last thrust, hours what it seemed from the beginning, I had him. We didn’t fight to kill, only to put someone in his or her place. On the ground he had fallen and my sword would have pierced his heart if real, this fight had been. “I stand corrected, my Lady. I have a question, though, where did you learn your movements? No swordsman would teach a woman,” he said, nearly crossing that border again. “I learned from watching two men practice. Everyday, for weeks, I watched and every night I practiced.” “Would you teach me?” and at those words I was surprised. He looked at me with a hopeful smile and I could not help, but smile and agree to help him. “My father has wanted me always to show an interest in the Legion. Never have I because I apprentice a blacksmith. My apprenticeship is what I love more than any Legion,” he told me. “We must get started then, we have all day today, and maybe even well into the night before the Inspection that it tomorrow,” his words biting at me. All day I worked with him, motions we went through, holding our sword, I gave him every bit of knowledge I could, before the day was done. We ate dinner without his father’s knowledge of me, and again we had a small fight to see the improvement made. Motion through motion we went, as half an hour passed. No victor yet as hour and half passed. No strength was left in either of us, as, by two hours, there was still no victor. We called a truce and sat down to rest. There was time to sleep but only a little, and anxiety held us awake. Conversation started when he asked why I wanted to be in the Legion. “I was a little girl, about nine, when my father returned from one of his many battles and I watched as mother helped heal his many small wounds. I’ve for ever since then, wanted to be like my father, brave and very much a hero,” I responded. “Is your father still in the Legion?” Saon asked, wanting to know as much as he can about me. “Yes, he still is, but that’s enough talk. We must sleep to have some resemblance of energy to make it through the Inspection,” I said as I rested my head on my straw pillow and was swept off into a dreamless sleep. The next morning I awoke to a breakfast that smelled delicious with fresh clothes and shoes near me. He had fixed a breakfast and found smaller clothes that I can wear. I heard a shuffling of feet and saw Saon round a corner and head to where I was sitting; he had a pail of water in one hand and his horse’s reins in the other. “Good morning!” he said seeing me eat the food on the plate. “You can change into your new clothes in one of those horse stalls over there” and he pointed to and empty one in the center. Empty was the description of almost all of the stalls. I really hadn’t noticed anything in the barn; there were only 3 horses, the hay that was up in the loft was the only hay, it was just a little bit too. Looking up, I saw a few holes that were patched and a few that weren’t. A small barn it was, but still bigger than some I had seen two nights before. “We need to be leaving soon if we are to get there on time,” I said and I grabbed my new garments and headed to the stall. They fit perfectly, the shoes he had for me were past my knees and wonderful. Stepping out, Saon’s reaction was exactly what I needed. He, surprisingly, gives me courage I never would have had. We packed our things and headed for the town. It was still early in the morning, the sun was nowhere in sight, and we saw the bakers preparing their sales, the windows being opened by the early risers, and the day starting with it’s usual bustle. We were out of the city and down the road when the sun was finally rising. Catching sight of other men on horseback, I hid the feminine features of myself behind my helmet. The night before, after Saon had left, I had cut my hair from just above my waist, to barely touching my shoulders; it was a bit of a surprise when he saw me earlier. We joined the other men, hanging back a little so we could talk and the disguise not fall, and went on for a mile or so more to meet with the rest of the Legion and newer faces at the camp. The Inspection was all day training. The general, my father, will be walking about watching the men and myself as we fight on foot, on horseback, and try our luck at arrows. There was no sign-in, we only group together, they give a speech and we get to work. Looking about, there were hundreds of men, I couldn’t believe my eyes. We were in a valley and were gathered at the base, awaiting our general’s command. He started the Inspection with his arm raised high. Sword fighting was where I was with Saon. It was like a tournament and we fought every one of the other men. In the finals, it was Saon and myself in the ring fighting. We held swords at the ready and the Lieutenant in charge gave the command. We fought; I blocked everything out of my mind and focused, dancing between the motions our swords met at each thrust. Minutes went by before I heard the crowd that had gathered. Harder I pushed myself, to only knick my dancing partner with the sword, and then I saw it, a tall man, standing in the midst of the crowd. I knew whom he was, that black hair shown in the sunlight somehow, and it broke my concentration. Glancing, I saw my father, and I felt the sword of my partner graze my shoulder. The fight was over, I had lost because the fear I had of being caught, held my attention. Clapping was all around us as we saw the crowd. My father and his lieutenant were clapping he hadn’t recognized me. Saon helped me up and also clean the cut after leaving the ring. He splashed water on it and wrapped a rag over it as I sat there telling him that I had seen my father and that was why I had broken my concentration. Horseback riding was always really easy for me I had picked it up naturally. After ending that course, I finished in the top three, and we moved on to the arrows. Those were a little more difficult than anything else. My placement in that training wasn’t as high as I had hoped for, but I still made it through. The general had been keeping an eye on me the entire day, he was everywhere I turned, everywhere I was, and I kept hiding from him. He would clap when I would finish my round and follow a little behind as I went to the next. By midday everyone was at the base of the valley once again, awaiting the General to make the announcement everyone anticipated. He held his hands up for silence and called out to the men, “My men! You have completed the training of the Inspection, we have watched you with our eyes that are both visible and not. You all have proven to be great soldiers!” with that, all of the men were cheering, the General raised his hands again for silence and spoke, once again to the crowd, “We are leaving in the morning for our first battle, we are leaving in the morning for this World’s Last Battle!” there was only a little confusion, but was gone in an instant when a few men were cheering and yelling with all their might. Later that evening, Saon and I had a discussion of how we were to stay together throughout the fight and after. It never showed really, but looking at him now, I see a man. A man who attracts me to him with his courage and his high spirits, this man. The evening progressed and became late night; Saon and I were still talking about the day and the battle tomorrow. Then, slowly, we fell asleep. Fell into a dreamless, deep sleep. The early morning was up and the Legion of the King was on its way to the Battle. A little past midday it was when we found our destination. We were on the Battlefields of old where my father had his first fight. They called this land the Havens and forever has it been known by that name. In the distance, there was a low rumbling. Looking to the sky, there were no clouds. What was this raucous from then? Two men on horseback were riding their steeds hard and approaching my father, the General. He sat atop his horse calmly as could be, awaiting these messengers. In rows, we were standing, rows by different standings. The archers were three rows behind the lancers in the first two. Then there were the men on foot who did not have horses, and finally the men on horses. There were close to a thousand men here, the veteran Legion came and met with us and we marched to this clear area. Several rows of the footed soldiers and several rows more of the horse soldiers. The enemy was fast approaching; it was soon, our time to begin the fight. Minutes had passed before the enemy came over the first foothill. There were several more. We were at the base of some mountain and the enemy could either be surrounding us, or no. There were hardly any trees, the ones that were there, had no leaves or any sign of coverage. A cloud passed the sun and many more were coming. From the enemy’s position, they would reach us in ten minutes time, and the storm that fired them toward us was everything I dreaded. On the horse, I could see farther than the men on foot, but with every small step the horse made in place, had my helmet falling over my eyes. Finally, only one hundred yards away I could see the enemy stopping. The battle was about to start and there wasn’t one person breathing. The first row of lancers drop to one knee and balance the lance on that propped it, while the second row of lancers hold theirs at their sides. My father sat atop his horse in the front of everyone. He was calling orders out, but I could not hear his voice. Our eyes met briefly, but I doubt he was looking at me. A horn blew deep in the enemy’s rows. A deep sound from an ivory horn, that sound brought hope to the creatures that roared in front of us. The beasts raised their weapons to the skies and began their run. Only fifty yards from us and my heart felt as though it was going to burst from nerves. They were in range and the archers let loose their arrows. The first beasts to fall and brought down, also, some from the second and third rows. They were closing faster and faster, by ten yards away, the archers let loose their third set and the trollocs were still running. They closed those ten yards fast and were on us, tearing at our armor. "Oh dear, why did I ever think of doing this?" the last words I said before the battle. What seemed like days, was only minutes, and that was how long before the inevitable happened.  Out on the battlefields, men all around me, falling, their screams ringing throughout the air. Moving was slow, as it seemed to me. The trollocs were swarming around us with their huge bodies of thick fur or rough scales, long snouts or short beaks, and always the talons that were as sharp as the bloodied fangs. My helmet flew off as I ducked a blow that would have torn my head off, no bother, though, the thing was too big for me anyway. The men, who stood behind the cannons, the men who were corrupted with greed and power, lit the fuse and my eyes caught it. It was the only object my eyes held onto, the only object my legs froze to, and I could do not a thing. The cannons blew.1