Hey everyone, mine is a little long, but I hope someone likes it.
(oh BTW, sorry for the closet thing, I only read your story afterwards timmo) Here you go:
I heard screams coming from the streets. The village guards ran to the source of the noise, but the only thing they found was their death. Bandits. As brutally as possible, they cut themselves a way through the town. My mother ordered me to hide in a closet, under the staircase. I asked what would happen to them, but I only got a smile as answer. A smile I'll never forget. A smile so sad, you would rather classify it as a sob. I was only young then, but I already knew it wasn't a good sign. A few minutes later, when I was safely in the closet, I heard loud footsteps and screams coming from ahead. Considering the fact I heard 3 screams, my father managed to get a bandit down, before his own blood was spilled. My mother kept screaming, and I don't even want to imagine what they did to her. That uncivilisized scum. I sat down, and cried softly. My parents were gone. At least, I thought that my mother was dead as well, but I was too frightened to take a look. After 10 mintues of scaring silence, I heard voices. They sounded concerned, so it coudn't be bandits. I looked through the keyhole, and saw it were guards from Arndan, a city not far from here. I stepped out of the closet, and ran to the remains of my parents. The guards took my mother with them, and when they saw me popping up, one of them pulled me with them. I was scared and happy at the same time, and this strange mixture of feelings seeled my mouth. They put me on a horse, but I must've felt asleep, because I can't think of a journey behind an Arndan guard.
I remember that, when I woke up, I wasn't in our house, nor in my town, or any other place I knew. Looking to the walls, I recognized the Arndan banner again. Some nuns ran around in the corridor. It was my firsth time in a hospital. Some 10 beds were on both sides of one corridor, mostly with 2 persons per bed. Many wounded faces I saw, were familiar. Somewhat half of the villagers were lying there. I was happy that many survived, but I was more concerned about my parents. I couldn't see any sign of my mother anywhere. I feared she was gone after all, but only being 5 years, I couldn't imagine something that cruel. When I asked any bypassing nun “do you know where my mother is?”, they only smiled at me, and continued their 20 meter run through the coridor. Usually they returned with aweful smelling herbs or potions, or some bottles filled with pills, and other medical stuff. After some boring hours, I finally saw some nuns bringing my mother. She was in a very bad state, but the nuns said she would get over it. “We will pray for her” was all they said. She died anyway, a few days later. Since then I avoid any type of religion.
4 years later. The nuns made me a new home in their hospital, and taught me reading and writing. But they threw me out because “I behaved bad”. They didn't care for me anymore, didn't even try to find a family to adopt me. I managed to survive by running errands, but it was still a harsh existance. I made some friends on the streets, but they weren't around much.
After half a year, an old woman picked me up from the streets. She would care for me, she said. “I am so lonely since my husband died”. She was approximately 40 years old, I think. It was another new home for me, but not for long. She died a year later. Another loss in my life.
I decided not to stay on the streets any longer. I snuck into the castle of Arndan, and hid me a while in the stables. The stable boy, Chronag, found me soon though, but he was only 12 (one year older than me at that time), and he promised me not to report me to the landlord. He brought me food and water every day, and I could sleep in some hay. I was happy, and I soon became best friends with Chronag.
I would've continued to live like this for a while, if there wasn't Derwen. Derwen was the daughter of the kitchen servant. She must've spotted Chronag taking food, and followed him to the stables. When I came out, she made a typical “oh, no!” look, and ran away that fast, Chronag had no time to do something. Llewelyn, Derwen's mother came looking. She was friendly, but she wanted that I introduced myself to landlord and his wife. If I was lucky, I would be able to stay here.
And I was. The landlord thought I would do well as a squire one time. As if he could know that then. Anyway, I was very happy that I could stay in the castle with the landlord's permission. I could help Chronag in the stables.
Another 4 years past. I had a good time with Chronag, and I became best friends with Derwen as well. She seemed friendlier then I thought at first. We secretly met in the kitchen in the evening once in a week, if I remember correctly. Now I'm 15. Old enough to learn my future profession. Squire. With Chronag I practiced with wooden swords already, but now it was time to get serious. Many others of my age arrived at the castle, and all of them came to learn. Although, they didn't have such a tragical past as I had, and most of them were “well-fed”, so to speak. Some of their were the sons of nobilities, but they didn't came to challenge me for a sparring fight. They were busy with thier private trainers, and I was sure that those would be knight one day. And maybe, I'll be the squire of one of them, I thought.
I was correct. 2 years later, I had the great honor and pleasure to become squire of Dhoran, a selfish and self-proclaimed “knight”. He only got on his spirited coarser with my help, and pushing his weight up wasn't what you would call
easy. When we went out training, he kept shouting at me, as if I was his slave. He looked like a cooked meatball that fell into a basket of blood. His face could've exploded any minute, if I didn't ran back to the castle to get some food for the nobility. I had to call him Sir. Sure, Sir Meatball would fit, but I didn't risk it to call him like that. Although, that was how everyone called him when he wasn't nearby.
A year later, I had enough of Dhoran. He still didn't explode, but I'm sure I would have because of his endless shouting. I couldn't bear it any longer, and decided to leave. Forever. Derwen tried to convince me to stay here, but I didn't listen. I told Chronag to ready a saddle horse while I packed my food and clothes. I also stole a sword out of the armory and put it on my belt. A quiver with bolts on my back, and a crossbow in my baggage. Derwen absolutely wanted to come with me. Nothing was a good argument for her to stay in Arndan.
I rode away an hour later. I rode to the sea, in the far south. Three hours later it was too dark to continue, so I decided to rest under a tree and make myself a fire and eat a little. Not much later, I heard the sound of a horse at full speed, carried on the wind. I already had a feeling who it could be, but since it could be a guard looking for me as well, I put out the fire quickly and waited behind the the tree. Of course, I forgot to push the horse of the street. “Lhorkan, I know you're here somewhere!”. Derwen. I was mad at first, but actually, I was very relieved I had someone for company.
The next day, we departed. It was a whole week riding untill we came near to our goal. A very tiredning week, for sure. But it was worth it. Great Sir Ball sure screamed his lungs out when he noticed I left. Chronag didn't have a very good time, I suppose. Well, he still has his job.
Now we're here, in Zendar, a small town next to a river, and near to the sea. I wanted to write down my past life before I go to bed, because I'm sure I'll be very busy tomorrow. But for now, the only thing I need is rest.
EDIT: Skree, I love your story.
Really good.