On the Island of the Grotesque

By Joel Gillham

A young Knight named Sir Jalsper Ostinbrey is searching for love. To win the heart of the young maiden, Sir Jalsper and his friends will seek wealth and glory on a monster-infested island. What they find will change the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Dec 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781922261182

Book preview

Chapter 1

His armour was largely painted purple except for the blue-eyed white unicorn at the center of the breast plate. A white unicorn on a purple background was the crest of Clan Hastlin. Sir Jalsper Ostinbrey had loyalties to the Hastlin’s, that is to say, The Lords of The Blue Tower and he wore the uniform armour with pride.

He was sparring with a blunted sword with his friend and colleague of the Household Knights, Sir Gatin Kayldan, a red-haired man of twenty-four. He wore his hair long and had a handsome face. He held in his right hand a sparring long sword, identical to Jalsper’s own as was his armour.

They sparred in the courtyard east of The Blue Tower, a colossal building looming over the grounds to the east of the ninety-foot-high fortress wall. The Tower was over three hundred feet high and of a width even greater. The blue marble tower dwarfed the already impressive granite fortress walls, catching the light of the sun in a sparkling glow. Legend said that the First Lord Hastlin, Alidon Hastlin backed the legendary First King of the Taymar Islands in forming his kingdom and was rewarded with Lordship over the Island of Vayin. On his new island, Alidon built the Blue Tower using the ancient magic. That was over 10,000 years ago, and that magic was now lost and there was no carpenter, builder or stonemason that could match the skills of the past.

Though the day was cool, the sun shone bright and Jalsper briefly looked into the heart of the sun, the distraction caused him to miss Gatin’s blow to his side. The soles of his steel boots hit the ground which had been made dry by the steps of the Blue Tower’s inhabitants. Moving rapidly, he blocked Gatin’s next blow. The two blades met, CLANG!

Puffing and perspiring Jalsper pushed Gatin’s sword away with his own, CLING!

The two continued exchanging blows and Gatin’s sword hit the side of Jalsper’s plate armour, BANG! The blades were blunted for practicing and the plate armour was of such high quality that Jalsper was not hurt, though he had lost that fight.

Gatin smiled, ‘Well done Sir Jalsper, except for the end.’

‘The sun is to blame Sir Gatin,’ said Jalsper.

Gatin sheathed his sword and laughed, ‘It would be too late to blame the sun in a real fight, you would be wounded or dead.’

Jalsper also sheathed his sword, ‘In a real fight I would wear a helmet and be less likely to see the sun through a narrow eye slit.’

Gatin smiled, ‘True.’

Nearby Jalsper saw two other knights sparring, one was Sir Tion Vorind. Older than Jalsper, Tion had black hair cut short and close making his head appear round.

Tion’s opponent was a one of the best men Jalsper had ever known. An excellent example of chivalry, Sir Deylan Drast, a handsome man of eighteen. Deylan’s hair was long and blond. He was just and honourable and unlike some of the Household Knights, he never got drunk, never gambled and never slept with whores. Jalsper had never gone to a brothel either though he had made the other two mistakes. Jalsper respected him, he even fights well! he thought.

What irritated Jalsper was that he loved Deylan as a friend and brother- in- arms and yet watching him spar was a young handmaiden, who looked at Deylan with adoring eyes, the same way I look at her, Jalsper thought.

The handmaiden was Lady Ardeya Cayladan, her hair long and golden and her eyes a jade green while her skin was pale as snow and her body a sculpture of beauty.

Every time Jalsper saw Ardeya his heart warmed like butter in a frying pan, as it did now, seeing her in her hand maidens’ livery of Clan Hastlin. She wore the long purple silk gown that flowed from a white fur neckline over her chest and under an outer purple corset made of a stiff pliable fabric that enhanced her perfect shape. The gown fell from beneath this corset all the way to the ground where it ended in another white fur trim, as did her long purple silk sleeves. 

Jalsper was overcome and could barely move focusing on Ardeya.

I adore you Ardeya, thought Jalsper.

Jalsper could only look at that perfect face and the purple, white lined gown and corset that flowed over her perfect body.

Just looking at Ardeya was almost heaven and would be completely heavenly if she did not look upon Sir Deylan with such adoring eyes.

Gatin’s low voice filled Jalspers ears, ‘Stop staring, Sir Jalsper.’

Jalsper exited his world of fantasies and dreams and turned around to face his friend, ‘I don’t imagine that you didn’t spend much of your days staring at Lady Galena before you started courting her.’

Gatin shook his head with a smile on his face, ‘Galena did not fancy a man I loved and respected.’

Gatin’s right, I respect Deylan more than most men alive. If Sir Deylan