The Dark Knight, Chapter 2
is Chapter 2. I have no idea when I could go further in Chapter 3 but in the meantime, here 2. Thank you in advance for your comments to me are valuable aids.
So we saw our hero, but he would not be fair not to also mention the valiant knight who gives this story its title. For any story worthy of the name must be a knight. A handsome knight, strong and courageous. As one who straddles right now on the road ...
The inn was in sight. And it was not a moment too soon he said, glancing back toward Ruhe who hobbled painfully. He pressed the sides of Dunkenstern for one last effort and dismantled as soon as they crossed the open wall of the courtyard.
- Ali, take care of Stern.
He went immediately to the mule and began to talk gently to convince her to let him get close to him without a helping hoof in the kneecaps as she was too often wont to do .. It took him a long time before he can give an old piece of carrot and go hand in his mane, humming softly. She was still nervous, but eventually put his black muzzle against his shoulder and blow loudly.
- That's Ruhe. All goes well, I'll watch what happens to you and then you will be entitled to hay and water and a long brush ... Shh ... It went
to caress her neck and her sides and finally, he arrived at his front legs. He lifted the right and looked at the damage. If he was the son of Count Traümburg he would have strangled on the spot and forward, whatever the consequences. What kind of son of pork and slug forgot to change the litter of his stables! If it happened to Stern ... It had been three days they had slowed their pace and yet still limping Ruhe. And even if he had lanced the boil and put an ointment sole was still red. Now he must apply a new layer and let it sit the mule all night ... which was not really consistent with his plans.
- The benv'nue to you, Sir Knight.
He raised his head and turned to the innkeeper, who was advancing toward him, rubbing his hands on her apron. A middle mass but formed mainly by fat, red and calloused hands who needed to know and handle the knife surely know more than one way to stop bleeding and a pig ... He turned towards him. Behind the inn, in the doorway he came to see the curious faces of two women and a young boy.
- Master innkeeper. I need to feed and water for my horses and my groom and I needed a meal.
And after he decides what he would do Ruhe.
- Sure sir.
He led the trough until Ruhe and personally attended to ensure comfort and above all to apply the ointment Florentine he had bought the last time he had gone to Augsburg. When he was sure that his only mule had everything she might need it to Ali nodded and walked towards the body of the inn. Before going he turned to glance around it.
His horses were secured, they had water and grain in abundance. The hostel seemed well kept, the hinges of the large external door giving direct access road to the capital and were well maintained even if the wood of the door was a poor protection was better than nothing. The walls were high as a man, in case of siege or attack it would take them back to wooden spears for a defense against cavalry, it was not strong but it was better than nothing.
When they passed the door he swore not even care at all eyes rested on them. He sat at a table against the wall and took out his knife. Girls hostel hastened to bring them their meals.
They began to eat bread relatively white, good meats and cheeses invoice along with a hot soup and a jug of wine mixed with water that Ali made it a pleasure to go down almost immediately.
He felt the few customers and the hostel staff observe more or less, murmuring quietly while they ate. He did not need to listen to know what they were talking about: from abroad with brown skin and clothing unknown and colorful and the knight dressed in black from head to toe with even the knife blade was black. They all
startled when Ali got up abruptly and went to the door that opened onto a large black dog and hungry who threw herself under the table, his tongue hanging out.
- Innkeeper. A bowl of water and what you can find for my dog. He flattered
head of Tod and threw the fat from his ham and a few bad pieces of cheese that's stupid, as usual engulfed in a FPL. He threw himself on the same water bowl and the rest of the stew that was brought to him, punctuating his grunts and other noises of chewing the rest of the meal from his master.
When he had finished eating he laid his head on the black knight's leg and begged a few caresses her hair in mild surprise as ugly a beast. With a slight sigh of exasperation, he gave the dog what he asked while finishing his glass of wine.
One girls hostel went with another pitcher.
- No. We've had enough. How much for the meals and lodging and a night for my squire and a mule?
- J'va ask my father, sir.
The landlord arrived shortly after, still wiping his big hands on her apron covered with large spots more or less brown.
- Well sir, yer squire want to sleep in the barn or the house?
He turned to his squire.
- Ali you'll stay here tonight with Ruhe so it fits his wound. You meet me tomorrow at the castle. You will sleep in the barn?
The squire nodded his head.
He left half a mark of his scholarship money.
- That should be enough. We show you the stables, mestre innkeeper?
Tod on the heels, they were taken to the stables where they took care to install Ruhe. The landlord looked at them but was careful not to make any comment on the abnormal color of this beast, black as a moonless night.
The room had a large wooden door not too rotten and very high, small windows, the straw was clean and with other horses and the huge cow who was also there, Ali should not be too cold and could easily be placed so as to monitor only the front door.
Suddenly a bell rang in the distance, ringing in full peal. The innkeeper turned his head toward the door, terrified.
- Fire?
- Worse! he said as he rushed Attached to the horses in the yard he began to unleash casting anxious glances in to heaven.
Without a word, he and Ali went to second, leading the animals which began to be nervous covered.
- What's going on?
- This is the alarm bell, sir, the dragon may pass-d'ssus us.
He left the horses in the hands of the horseman and the innkeeper and went out into the deserted courtyard where the sound of the tocsin rang again. He immediately found a rather dark corner between the wall of the stable and the wall of the courtyard where he should be able to go unnoticed and looked up. He wanted to see the monster. After all it was for him that he had come all this way.
He did not wait long.
The thing went incredibly quickly, even faster than an eagle swooping on its prey. He was unable to estimate the height at which it evolved, but it was huge, the largest creature that has ever seen and yet he fought his share of wild boar and giant gryphons there ... but something swelled in his chest while the monster away, a feeling which made him shake and tense up against the wall.
Joy. A biting and cruel joy, a desire irrésistible de se précipiter derrière la créature pour obtenir ce qu’il désirait avec une force grandissant à chaque instant le combat contre le monstre, un combat à mort où il devrait tout donner pour ne pas périr et pour terrasser le dragon. Oh comme il avait envie de plonger sa javeline entre les écailles, dans les flancs de la bête ! Le monstre hurlant et crachant alors qu’il chercherait une ouverture pour atteindre enfin le cœur, le sang noir de la bête se répandant lentement sur le sol alors que le combat agonisait…
Il se força à décrisper les mains et à respirer doucement, il ne servait à rien de se mettre dans des états pareils, il devait first go to the king and honor him for the right to confront the titan with shining scales.
- The left?
The tocsin had stopped ringing and the innkeeper had poked his head out of the barn.
- He's gone.
The innkeeper then allowed to go out and put the animals in their place, leaving the squire to look after the mule of the knight who seemed to take umbrage easily foreigners.
- Sir, z'êtes the knight who will go and kill the dragon? he asked when he had finished his office.
- Indeed mestre innkeeper.
- Oh c't'un honor for me to r'cevoir you and yer squire! he said, fumbling for his shoes to find the coin and handed it to the knight.
- The house invites you to r'mercier c'que you f'rez for us.
- Keep the money and if you really want it done so the charity in my name, he said, turning to begin to harness Dunkenstern.
- Z'êtes too good sir, my daughters j'dirai to include you in their prayers.
He refrained from laughing in his face, for what God did for him!
- How long to get to the castle?
- You ys'rez at sunset, sir.
He called Ali for he put his armor. It was out of question to appear in court without the king, especially if he wanted to be sure that the price placed on the head of the beast would be the height ... What he had agreed to do it for free. Fight against a dragon ... what fight, what an honor! But it was not a saint and all the money that the King would give him good to be taken and used.
- The dragon. How long is he here?
- this winter. He burned all his waking Meissenbourg. A c'qu'on said the blazed entire village in the blink of an eye. He let Ali
harness, impassive.
- There have been other attacks?
- The Vistërn burned, but people had heard the alarm and had had the time to run and hide so that the burned houses and the king has summoned the village silk rebuilt. The said that the kingdom s'laissera not make a big beast that flies and spits fire.
- And no one has been confronted?
- The king said he must wait for the knight, you sir, and qu'personne yd'vait make mischief. Ya ben queques Z'Y fools are gone ... But there are never rev'nu. Z'ont probably been too ashamed to say qu'yz'ont not even find his lair.
***
He looked up and heard the cry of the hawk. He barely had time to see the bird as it already disappeared from his field of vision. He looked at the sun's position. According to the landlord is expected to reach Güstrow and the King's castle before nightfall. That still left him three hours to ride ... With nothing but his thoughts to keep him company. Stern was not much talking and Tod who was running somewhere behind him as death on the heels of a dying man had not a most interesting conversation, constantly concerned about his stomach.
He let his gaze rest on the landscape that stretched beyond the road under the pleasant sun of late spring. A green and wooded landscape, well-maintained fields, farms and entire sound he had seen from afar. Adelar King had a beautiful kingdom. A prosperous kingdom and war since taking power from his father the Bloody Hroderich who, after wiping the blood off his half-brother and some friends on his sword had conducted a reign after all very peaceful, although some wags have seen fit to change its name to the Bastard Hroderich have ended very badly.
a prosperous kingdom, but threatened by a dragon.
This was nothing extraordinary in truth. After all that the dragons were terrorizing the Realms apart and make defeat by knights? And this was the strangest. When a dragon began burning villages kings were using a knight, not a mercenary. He did not complain. The idea of fighting against the beast ... Let's say there was little he had as desired before. And if the king preferred to use a renegade excommunicated rather than a knight of the Order and it was clearly a good chance that he intended to seize and especially not let go.
Especially since the money had been promised would be welcome. His second armor badly needed repairs after last winter to hunt the Hydra in Brno and reject evil and that was long since he had not increased its treasure. A perfect opportunity and he would not spoil before arriving at the castle. He
intend to make the best impression possible, it was beyond question that the king Adelar suddenly changes his mind and removes the possibility of such a fight. His armor was still shining despite the ride and even if the heat under the helmet was not very bearable he hoped to keep it until you get to the throne. For the rest, if the king wanted a preview of its value would be more than happy to fight against whom he liked. There was far too long since he had not really fought. After the death of the Hydra he had spent months chasing her cursed offspring who could be lurking in the undergrowth and hide between the rocks of the mountains but were of very poor opponents.
In truth, he would not spit on a good attack by bandits. Arrive in the throne room of the armor splashed with blood and with a small string of heads in his hand was still a more than appreciable effect
... Especially if it could spare him the banquet that would surely follow his arrival. There were too long since he had not fought for it to be really talkative mood or pleasant to eat. This could be really unfortunate because he wanted to impress the king.
If only Ali was there ... There was always one or two idiots for seeking or gossiping about him, his skin, his clothes and he, his liege Lord and was the only way to defend what is mostly concluded by a struggle, not always at first blood.
Decidedly it was time he thinks of something else. Or maybe it happens once and for all destinations.
*** The sky was blood splattered the day when he left the village behind him and finally went into the castle courtyard. Dunkenstern he stopped in the middle of the court, and ignoring all the strange looks he prepared to dismantle the more gracefully as possible while wearing a heavy iron armor and especially without hurting Stern. He succeeded with apparent ease and went to tie his steed to a post not far side of a trough.
- let 'em point there sir.
A boy of twelve years of his face eaten freckles gazed with a smile from the cart of hay where he sat.
- Why?
- The horse of Sir Felix is a true ringworm and you do not like it irritates you.
He handed the reins. The boy jumped off the cart and led the massive palfrey to a black teenager currently busy doing a girl giggle. The boy struck him with all his strength into his shin. The teenager turned furious.
- Hey, Blowin 'in the dragon knight's horse. I thought you might want to avoid that Sir Sieghard know that you do not have your work done. The young squire
opened his eyes when he saw the knight and he finally dropped his sweetheart to fall on Dunkenstern it viciously bit her hand before snorting angrily.
He advanced towards the skinny teenager.
- Show me the stables.
The squire looked at him a moment, aback, before complying with this strange man who had not even removed his helmet. Maybe it was the devil who came to punish him for having committed adultery with Hilda? Or one of those headless horsemen who rode tirelessly plains in search of their soul missing ...
Willy-nilly, the squire was able to bring the horse to its new home and watched with a touch of anxiety the Knight put one knee to bring the straw bedding in his helmet. It began operation in several places and it lifted.
The kid just now was still there, climbing on the beams to contemplate the scene from above.
- Are you satisfied, sir? asked the squire with a voice trembling slightly.
He said nothing and watched the boy whose legs dangled in the air. Not very big but a muscle that seemed solid and strong arms and legs.
- Descendants of the small, take care to take my things and follow me, "he ordered, turning out the stables.
He did not look if the kid was following him and crossed the courtyard of the castle and then crosses the threshold, his boots echoing on the stone. It took a while for his eyes adjust to the relative obscurity of the castle but he continued to advance in the corridor before marking a slight pause before the big wooden door that led into the ornate lobby. The sound of small steps behind him pressed informed him that his order had been fulfilled and he entered the large room richly adorned with tapestries and filled with the king's men.
Law, allowing light from the flames, torches and setting sun licking his armor, he advanced into the great hall, to the throne who had been placed on the dais.
King honored him get up.
He was not very muscular. His hands were those of a warrior, calloused and worn, but his body was too thin to be a real obstacle. However, his sharp eyes followed his every move while he was finishing of reaching him. Without doubt one of those fighters who compensate for their lack of mass agility and intelligence prudent.
- Welcome to you, Dark Knight!
The voice was low, strong and put a voice accustomed to command and to attract attention even above the roar of a battlefield.
He put one knee and finally removed his helmet, sending a few strands stuck sweat behind.
- Hail, Adelar Von Güstrow king of Mecklenburg.
The king was dressed in the colors of the banners hanging behind the throne, a bright blue tunic and gold embroidery and the royal crown that encircled his forehead. His relatively young face was adorned with a beard accentuating her features, making it even more impenetrable expression.
- And I thank you for your invitation and would like to introduce you to present some modest evidence of the high esteem in which I hold you.
He drew from his belt and held out the first present to the king the golden cutlass Toledo guard forward.
The king took it and passed it to his belt.
- Thank you knight and beg you to please stand so that I embrace you as the honored guest you are.
The king held out his hands and then got down from the podium to give her a hug. He had never been treated so well by a sovereign, he must believe that the king had really needed him to stop the actions of the dragon.
The king ascended the podium, he beckoned to the boy to join him and went out of his bag a money belt he presented to the queen. She looked at her husband and never took his hands when it acquiesced with a nod.
- I thank you on behalf of my lady. What name do you wear, black knight?
- I am called Schwarz, majesty.
- Schwarz Well, let me introduce you to my advisors. Meanwhile Thorsten will give your luggage Lady Roswitha who will prepare you a home for the night.
The boy disappeared with his business and the king made a sign to approach and climb the few steps separating them. This time he went along with a huge man who had kept his hand on his sword since that Schwarz had come near the throne.
- Here Sieghard sire, Captain of my guard and my fiance sister Lady Dagmar.
He would make an interesting opponent, his musculature, his long hair, the way he looked, he stood, the sheath used his sword, while he shouted the warrior.
- I'd be more than happy to meet you in a duel, Sire Sieghard.
- I do not joust. It would be stupid to put my life on the line as my king needed.
God spit in his mouth, his blood still boiling over the idea of confronting it. What could he do that would not offend the king, but he would fight?
No, it was not, he would have time to fight against the dragon or later in the Evening cons few drunken idiots can be.
- That's too bad for me.
- For all of us, Sir, "added the king whose eyes passed from one computer to another.
giant cast a glance at his master and bowed his head.
- A word from you and I face it majesty.
King passed his hand over his goatee, smiling.
- No, Sieghard. It would offend God than risk losing warriors like you. And think of what my sister would endure tears and groans as if you were to get hurt. The maiden blushed
, color empurpled his cheeks marked surrounded by the white veil which passed under his chin, holding his cap in place.
The king left his sister and fiancee of his emotions went from one side of the throne where sat the strangest being that Schwarz had never seen. His face was as white as marble and adorned his person more than a shrine, the stones that sparkled in her hair alone worth the price of an imperial princess. It was so still, all his features frozen without even a breath that animates it might be a statue of her eyes looking hematite. For a moment he
was tempted to think it was a woman but it was impossible not to hear that voice so clear in his head which confirmed that it was a man he had in front of him. A man with red lips so that the flood would have bitten the blood, skin so white that a single shot should leave traces in the body so frail that his bones were broken like twigs ...
He clenched his fists and breathed a great blow. He was to resume.
- Knight, let me introduce you to the Grey Witch, enchanting my yard - he said, without raising his hand trembling on the arm of the magician. Schwarz, who will accompany you here Ciarán to slay the dragon in its lair. The statue moved
finally opens his mouth on a ruby inaudible scream. But he did not, too busy to refrain from offending the king, laughing in his face before a stupid proposal.
(Published on 24/10/10)
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