Friday, February 1, 2008

Squire’s Tale by Jasen O.

“Grandpa, Grandpa! Could you read me a story, please?” Tommy asked his grandfather as he walked into his bedroom. “It’s way past your bedtime, sonny,” Tommy’s grandfather said. “Please? I’ll get to sleep right after it,” Tommy pleaded. “Well, alright, I guess it couldn’t hurt,” Tommy’s grandfather replied. “Way back when, a time when people believed magic and monsters still existed,” Tommy’s grandfather started. “Do monsters still live now?” Tommy asked with a fright. “No, no, not anymore, sonny, but before, many people believed they did,” Tommy’s grandfather explained. “Are you going to read me a story about back then, grandpa?” Tommy asked with glee. “I sure am, and it’s a good one, indeed,” Tommy’s grandfather said with a chuckle.

There was a young man training as a squire under the great King Arthur, who was destined to become his best knight. He wanted to become one of the twelve Knights of the Round Table. But the requirement seemed impossible for any normal man. Many tried; none were fit to be one of the greatest knights on Earth. This young man, had potential, not only physically, but as soon as the King set his eyes on this man, he knew he would be the right man for the job. Though the king had barely been wrong, he had to test this man nonetheless.

“Boy, these tests within the palace have been nothing compared to what you have to do in order to become a true knight,” King Arthur stated with authority. “I’ll gladly accept any challenge you wish to bestow upon me, sire,” The young man said. “Very well, then. Boy, state your name so I may show you the supreme challenge to test not only your body and mind, but to test yourself as one who had entrusted loyalty to not just me, but yourself, and your country. So come forth and state your name!” “Jacob sir, I am a squire of your army, and a loyal soldier to everyone in Britain! I willingly accept any challenge you wish to set upon me, your majesty!” Jacob said with pride. “Splendid! Here is your assignment, Jacob. What I want you to is to take the life of one the most ruthless, vile, and despicable Knights of this continent. Sir Allen Ordell under King Worshak of Turkey,” the king stated. Now son, this will be no easy task, for this is King Worshak’s greatest knight, his best fighter. Poor preparations will result in your death. If you truly wish to accept this path, I will allow you three months to train yourself for the ultimate battle between knights,” The king said. “I will accept, for a knight of your kingdom will not stand down from the task that has been laid upon me. I will go forth, knowing that my life may end there,” Jacob stated with pride in his eyes. Very well, off you go son! And may the gods watch over you in your quest for victory!” The king gladly stated.

The three months were grueling. Jacob trained himself far beyond what he believed his limit was, strengthening himself to the point where for a moment he thought he was invincible. Jacob reported to King Arthur that was setting off. “Good luck and Godspeed to you,” The King said as he sent off Jacob. Jacob started his quest in a small field outside of London, traveling quickly to the dock outside of the field. He was planning on taking a ship to Germany and then he’d figure out what he would do from there. He recalled the king’s words as he thought in silence. “Poor preparations will result in your death,” began Jacob as he spoke to himself. “I must be careful from here on out” Jacob added as he proceeded. He made it to the dock, and purchased a ticket for the ship.

The trip didn’t seem to take that long, it was a two night trip, as Jacob’s excitement and adrenaline made it seem like a couple of hours. When he arrived in Romania, he purchased a weapon there, a nicely made steel bladed long sword. He also made a disguise as he took another small boat over the Black Sea into Turkey, where his enemy was.

It didn’t take long for Jacob to arrive in Turkey, and about a day of traveling brought him to castle. Jacob knew he wouldn’t make it alive if he just rushed in, so he devised an all-or-nothing plan. He was to be taken in as a squire for the king, and then assassinate the great knight. It didn’t take long to trick the king and his underlings to him being one of their own. He was around a seemingly friendly environment; it was kind of hard knowing they are the enemys. The time Jacob spent went by slowly, as he thought he would never get a chance at his enemy. Until one day he overheard the king speaking with him. “Sir Allen, I am afraid that one day a spy from our enemy kingdom may come and try to assassinate one of us. I fear that this day draws near, so as a direct order I wish for you to resign early this night, as tomorrow I want you to set out and kill their king before the same fate comes on one of us, understood?” King Worshak stated. “Understood, sire,” Sir Allen replied.

Later that night Jacob set his plan in motion. He crept with care as he made his way toward the room of the great knight. He carefully opened the door, peeking in to see if the knight was asleep, surely enough Jacob saw him in bed. Jacob quickly came into the room, spinning around a few times; making sure a trap wasn’t set. He approached the bed with caution; he drew his sword and trusted it through the lump on the bed. Just then Jacob knew something was wrong. All of a sudden a dark figure rushed at him, pinning him to the wall. “You believed it would be that simple to assassinate me? I knew I didn’t like you the second you walked into this kingdom! And now I can-,” The great knight started as he then fell to the ground, holding onto his leg, a knife was impaled into his leg. “That knife is poisoned, you won’t last much longer now,” Jacob stated. “Looks like you’ve gotten a little careless,” Jacob added. He tied up the knight, also tying his mouth shut, assuming he’ll be dead by the morning. Jacob quickly gathered his things, making sure not to leave a trace as he escaped the kingdom. As he made it back to Britain, the kingdom greeted him with open arms, as he returned a hero.

“His statue stands tall today in the town square, sonny,” Tommy’s grandfather said. “Wow grandpa, is that a true story?” Tommy asked. “Yes it is, sonny, anyway it’s really late you should get right to sleep,” Tommy’s grandfather said. “Do you think he’s still alive grandpa?” Tommy asked. “I still believe he’s out there, sonny, and he may be closer than you think. Goodnight,” Tommy’s grandfather said. “Goodnight grandpa!”

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome story, Jaysen!
I like how you made it a story about a story. You made the story of the story worth reading. I could almost feel myself egging the main charactor on. Nice touch, with the coy in the bed and the poisoned dagger. Way to go!

Anonymous said...

Good Story. I liked how it's told as a bedtime story. I liked how such a long story was condensed to be smaller. The main character did not change. It was important that he stay focused and not give up. My favorite part of the story was the climax. "As he made it back to Britain, the kingdom greeted him with open arms, as he returned a hero." was a good ending. I think the stories best quality was how it's being told as a story.

Anonymous said...

(Dang, forgot to put it as nickname. Anyway...)

Good Story. I liked how it's told as a bedtime story. I liked how such a long story was condensed to be smaller. The main character did not change. It was important that he stay focused and not give up. My favorite part of the story was the climax. "As he made it back to Britain, the kingdom greeted him with open arms, as he returned a hero." was a good ending. I think the stories best quality was how it's being told as a story.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and to improove future stories, asside from fixing grammer mistakes (I noticed some occasional camma misplacement), I would give a little more information about the characters and their motives/ feelings, so as to make a greater attachement to them so the reader cares about them more.

Anonymous said...

Wow, Jason, very good story, I thought of many different outcomes. I would have never thought that Jacob would have used a poisoned sword. A very well thought-out story, and well constructed story. In my thought, Jacob did change overtime in the story, because he got smarter on how to defeat his enemy and he used a quote from the king to defeat the knight. My favorite part of the story was when Jacob learned that the king’s quote would help him to defeat the knight. I think this was part of the rising action. The tales best quality is the word choice of the tale. It is also the quality to the dialogue that makes it good. The only thing I would suggest is when you have one person talking, and then another person is going to talk, you need to make an indent into a new paragraph. Very good story Jason, jeep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Hello Jasen! I really liked reading your short story, I think it was realistic. Eventhough it was a fairytale being told. The main character didn't change, which made your story more believeable. The character didn't give up and fought for what he believed he had to do. Your story remined me of war type movies. I also liked how you kind of clued that the grandfather was the fighter.

My favorite quote was, "“Do you think he’s still alive grandpa?” Tommy asked. “I still believe he’s out there, sonny, and he may be closer than you think. Goodnight,” Tommy’s grandfather said. “Goodnight grandpa!” " I thought this was a good quote because it was a great closing phrase. I don't think there is anything I would change, like I said, I enjoyed reading your short story. Great job Jasen!

Anonymous said...

Jaysen, that was a very enjoyable and well-written short story. It felt like a real English legend while I was reading it. The only way the main character really changes over the course of the story is that when he trains he becomes a better knight than he ever thought he could be, and grows from a squire to a knight, fulfilling his dreams.
My favorite part of the story is when Jacob finally confronts Sir Allen. "The great knight started as he then fell to the ground, holding onto his leg, a knife was impaled into his leg." is an example of the action that occurs in this part.
I thought that overall Jacob's character was the best part of the story. His character feels very developed, and he is easy to relate to. The plot faltered a little bit at the end, but otherwise I thought that this was a great story.