Beyond Valor

By Sherry Jenkins

In Beyond Valor lies the truth. In the city known as Etin, people come to be at peace and make an honest living under the queen’s rule. At the edge of this city, in a tavern deep in the forest, the queen sets an appointment with one of her loyalists: Bandit Shadow, known to many for his skills in battle. His name comes hard earned, even stolen from some of his victims. This meeting produces two more knights, Exo and Strawberry, and together they hunt for the elusive Templars to help restore the kingdom to its former glory. But this journey to find the most elite of knights is anything but smooth sailing. Betrayal, love, and other obstacles must be overcome on their way to the palace of the king. Many do not want the Templars resurrected, but these brave knights would give their all, if needed, to be of service to their queen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Feb 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781645366539

Book preview

Beyond Valor

Sherry Jenkins

Austin Macauley Publishers

Beyond Valor

About the Author

Dedication

Copyright Information ©

About the Author

Sherry Jenkins is a retired mother of three boys living in Indiana. She had always wanted to write and, with the urging of a good friend, decided to give it a try. After 30 years of being a semi-truck driver and traveling the United States and Canada, fiction seemed to be the way to go. She has always been fascinated with the time when knights rode in and saved people from the overbearing lords and mean ruling kings and when queens believed in what was true and right, which gave the birth to Beyond Valor.

Dedication

To my son, Patrick, for all of the support. To Ludd Holleman for pushing and guiding me to write what I love. To my sister, Sharon Lawson, who has supported me in whatever I set my mind to.

Copyright Information ©

Sherry Jenkins (2021)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person, who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication, may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Jenkins, Sherry

Beyond Valor

ISBN 9781641829625 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781641829632 (Hardback)

ISBN 9781645366539 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020920828

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published (2021)

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

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Bandit Shadow was a faithful follower of the queen, but did not have that much faith in King RIP, who had so far proved he could not rule on his own, but had to have help from a few other lords, who only had their interest first and did not care what happened to the king. The queen was a good and fair ruler and had many followers, which were loyal to only her. Bandit was one of the trusted ones and the queen decided it was time to show the king the error of his ways and chose Bandit for the job.

The queen had sent a dispatch to Bandit outlining what she wanted him to do and the names of the ones she trusted to help Bandit get the job done right. The queen needed to find a chosen few who would make sure the king was well-guarded and only the faithful could stand with him. It had been some years since the queen had summoned the Knights Templar, but knew the time to call them back to duty, was at hand. The message to Bandit explained each Templar’s name and where to search for the ones the queen had chosen for this job, since they had to go into hiding, because the kings they were protecting had lost their throne, along with their life, and each Templar had their alliance destroyed. There were still many who only wanted these trusted servants dead, but the queen knew the ones she chose were good men and she trusted them with her life. There was going to be a battle, which would set things right again, even if it meant seating a new king and it would be one the queen trusted completely. The queen knew Bandit had received her dispatch and was already where he needed to be to meet the first two of her chosen ones. The queen trusted these knights and knew they would do what was necessary to ensure the throne was protected.

Bandit had traveled for quite a way in order to get to Etin. He did not mind the distance, but hoped he would be able to convince the knights he was to meet to join this journey. He knew he would have to do his best, because he did not want to let the queen down. He knew the two knights had received correspondence from the queen, also. The queen did not tell him the identity of who he was to meet at the tavern, just that there would be two knights there to meet him. There was much more in this correspondence, which the queen asked Bandit to keep secret, unless his death made it necessary to pass the information on. The queen had assured him he would not be disappointed with her choice.

In front of the tavern, Bandit walked to the entrance and hesitated for a half second, then entered to take a seat at a round table, where a candle dimly lit the room as he crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for the ones who dared to come in. His waiting was short for a female knight from one of the friendly alliances came walking in, her armor shined as red as her hair by the candle light, as did her eyes behind her visor. Her armor indicated she was a potentially higher rank in the alliance and was made for the offensive. She took her seat at the round table and nodded a hello to Bandit. Bandit knew this knight did not use her given name, so she would have an upper hand when doing battle, because no one would expect her to be such a fierce warrior. They waited; minutes turned into hours, without anyone else entering. It was almost closing time, when the door opened and this time, it was a man who entered in full black armor, unfortunately, no one could tell which alliance he came from. As he sat next to the female knight, his armor making a metal sound as he put his sword and shield on the table in front of him. She knew he was as ready to talk, as she and both knights looked over the candle at Bandit.

Who are you? Bandit asked of the female knight.

My name is Strawberry; I serve our youthful queen in the alliance known as ‘The Knights of Valor Alliance,’ she spoke with a strong defiant voice.

Bandit turned to the male knight and asked, Who are you, sir?

I am Exo, was the reply, And I, too, used to be in The Knights of Valor Alliance and was expelled for disobedience, now I work for the right price, he spoke with a soft, almost silent muffled voice.

Bandit turned to Strawberry. Thank you for coming, he acknowledged, You will be of good use here.

He turned back to Exo, Thank you, also.

Consider this half of your payment, as Bandit threw a sack of gold and silver coins to Exo and one scroll stamped by the queen to Strawberry.

Exo exclaimed that this would do for now, as he thumbed one coin into the air. Strawberry opened the scroll and saw a promising promotion to be a leader for her alliance.

Bandit looked at both and stated, Listen to what I have to say, he explained.

Now, he had their full attention.

Bandit knew he had to impress these knights quickly, in order to enlist their help with finding the Templars. These were proven warriors and could deny helping him with this task. He had kept track of both of these knights since their first meeting. He wondered if they would remember him and if they would have given him any thought, over the years? He was glad it was these two knights the queen had sent to him.

The queen gave me an order to seek several of the Knights Templar and take them to the religious King. We need to convince the king the orders he gives his armies are in vain. We must make a lot of progress to get to the Templars, since they are in hostile territory. We must not speak of our journey to the king to anyone. Tomorrow, we will set out on our journey. Is there anything you need to wait for he asked them?

Exo spoke up, I need to get to the smithy and add extra layers to my harness, as I buy a long sword and thicker shield and this should only take a couple hours to accomplish. I shall also sharpen my tools and fix my crossbow. It will not take me long to be ready, Strawberry added that she was ready.

Bandit looked at Exo and Strawberry. They looked expectantly back at him. Bandit spoke, There have been sightings of people, who have been killed and have strange markings on their bodies and some have even gone mad. Our primary mission will be to change the mind of the king and nothing else. Once we have done our work, the king will need new assistants, who may have the same beliefs as the king himself. This goes for the Templars as well. The king needs help with his wealth and riches. So, now, you both know what is at stake here. We cannot fail. If we do not do the task at hand, it will have a gruesome outcome and there will be more than just a civilization lost. This is what has been told to me by the queen, because she does not like what is going on there. It is her hope that many people will join the fight in her name once we get to the palace, but as I see it, we are the only ones here that need to bring enlightenment with the Knights Templar to the king. Any questions? Bandit asked. Both knights shook their heads no. This discussion is now closed and we will meet tomorrow at the gates of the city, after we secure the items we need for the journey, Bandit added. Bandit blew out the candle as he, Exo, and Strawberry left the tavern.

Both, Exo and Strawberry, stood outside the tavern together and grasped for each other’s hands. A firm squeeze could be heard for the two, who once met as alliance members of The Knights of Valor Alliance where one, once served and the other, still served.

We have much to do before we leave tomorrow, Bandit said to Exo and Strawberry.

Bandit explained to Exo and Strawberry that he would secure the traveling staples, Strawberry would secure the food and other staples they would need for meals for at least a month. After that, they could pick up the supplies, as they went on their journey. Exo was to secure the armor and needed fighting materials which all would need; this included what they would need for their other weapons, if their swords and other armor were not of use. Exo would also pick up some special shields, which he knew could be of good use. Exo excused himself, so he could begin to see what interesting things he could find. Strawberry also bid Bandit goodnight, so she could begin working on her supplies.

Exo found many good items, which would serve them well on their journey as well as any battle they might have. Exo dropped off what needed to be repaired at the smithy and went in search of what else he might find interesting, which could be useful on their trip. Once Exo was satisfied with his choices, he went to rest, until the time to meet Bandit.

Bandit found four good solid horses and one good pack horse, which could carry more than just the rider, the saddles he chose were also capable of carrying much more than the rider, and Bandit also bought sacks of grain, which would add to the horses feed, if there was not sufficient grass for them to eat. Bandit chose some apples and cubes of sugar, which would be used as rewards. Now, Bandit would rest until the time to leave in the morning, because his task was complete and he was satisfied he had chosen well.

Strawberry found much of what she needed in the local store and even found a few things which would complement the meal or just a snack, if they did not have time for a complete meal. She also chose certain items which could make a good cold meal, if a fire was not possible. A coffee pot, skillet for frying, and a pot for fixing antelope stew, among other things; if they were fortunate to kill one. Water was another concern, but Strawberry found a way to ensure they had the water they needed with the pouches the store owner had shown her. She could rest until morning with her task complete; Strawberry was satisfied with her choices.

Morning came and Bandit with the other two knights, finally, set out on their journey to gather the Templars. More information had reached Bandit of the king’s misdeeds. It seems like Lord Maddie was continuing to feed the king wrong and misleading information. She only wanted to protect her friends and farms from being plundered, while other loyal and faithful lords suffered because of her lies. Her ally, Dimas, was always vouching for Maddie’s decisions and information, no matter if it was true or not.

On their way, they would pick up another female to aid them in finding the other Templars. Hopefully, it will be Verrina, Bandit told them, as she is a fierce fighter and will only add to our cause. This made Exo happy, but he was not exactly sure why.

The three knights were well on their way to search for the other Templars, each having their own thoughts as to what they could be facing in the coming days, as they rode their horses across the tundra. The land stretched out flat in all directions but in the far distance, the mountains loomed over the valley like a huge protector. Here the grass grew to about knee-high and swayed, as the wind softly blew, and the trees lined the shore of the small stream winding its way through the land. Bandit decided to get their minds off what they could be facing tomorrow.

Bandit asked Exo, How do you feel about this undertaking you have chosen to be a part of?

Quite frankly, I do not know what to expect, answered Exo.

Too many variables to predict from day to day, but not that I mind just looking at all angles, for once, Exo explained.

What do you think, Strawberry? Exo asked.

Strawberry shook her head, her thick red hair shining bright and blowing from the breeze. It seems our work is cut out for us, with the Templars being scattered like leaves in the wind, she replied smiling.

It seems we will need more teamwork than one on one quipped, Bandit.

Bandit decided he needed to see their face in order to fully see the true meanings in their eyes, so he urged his horse to take a few extra steps, which put him where he could look at both knights and turned to face them. Bandit looked first at Exo and felt a jolt, when meeting Exo’s eyes for the first-time face to face. Bandit knew, then, he could trust him completely. He saw the warrior, the knight, and the man. He saw the hesitancy, the fighter’s courage, and the strength of his convictions; Bandit liked very much what he saw and knew he would not be disappointed with this knight. Smiling slightly, Bandit shook his head and told Exo he was glad it was him the queen chose for this journey. Exo grinned back at Bandit, as he saw a warrior, legend, a friend, and both shook hands as a friendship had been born in these few minutes.

Bandit, then, turned to Strawberry and smiled to try and put her at ease. As he looked into her eyes, his whole body tensed and shook at the same time. Bandit had not expected to see and feel these strange feelings. He looked a bit longer and saw the defender he had hoped to be there. Bandit also saw the warrior and the gentle heart of one who suffered for the lost soldiers, who had fallen from the battles with her. Strength, justice, and a sense of duty were sought and found in her eyes and something else he had not expected in any other female. He felt a closeness to this red-headed knight that was not supposed to be there. Bandit was completely taken by surprise by this feeling, so he smiled at Strawberry and exclaimed that she would make a good addition to this journey and he was glad she had chosen to accept the queen’s decree. He held out his hand to Strawberry, hoping she could not see what he was thinking in his eyes at this time.

As Strawberry took hold of Bandits hand, she felt something she had not expected to feel, a slow heat coming from this man’s hand slowly spreading to other parts of her body quickly. As the two shook hands, Strawberry also felt the strength in this knight that she knew she could trust explicitly in anything they would encounter. Strawberry knew she would not be let down and wondered what else she would trust him with. Bandit’s eyes went suddenly dark and she could no longer read them. Was he hiding something from her? Strawberry wondered, but then what had her eyes said to him as she was feeling something she did not know if she was ready for so, she smiled at Bandit and got his smile in return. They, again, began the trek to find the first knight.

It would be dark, before long, and they could get some much-needed rest. As the edge of night fell, Bandit looked for a safe place to stop for the night, so they could have a warm meal and a safe place to bed the horses down. A little further, he found a stream with trees and brush enough to cover the three for the night. Bandit went to feed and care for the horses, while Exo scouted the surrounding area to ensure they had not been followed and to see if there were any roving patrols to worry about. Strawberry prepared the meal, while the others were away from camp. As she put the coffee on the fire, the other two knights walked back into camp. Each knight enjoyed their meal and coffee, as they politely talked of the road ahead and what could be there for them when they entered Wao. Each knight was ready for their rest, as the fire was extinguished and Bandit checked and watered the horses again. As darkness closed around the knights, they were dropping off to sleep because they knew their sleep would be a quick one.

Morning came without the knights being disturbed. Strawberry fixed breakfast and it was enjoyed by all. Bandit opted to care for the horse and make sure they were ready for their riders. Exo made a short trek around the camp to see if there were any sign of anyone coming close to their camp and to make sure nothing was going to interfere with their approach to Wao.

After making sure no one could tell the knights had spent the night, Bandit brought the horses and the three knights began to maintain their approach to Wao. It was quickly approaching noon and the knights were very close to the city.

Bandit wanted to know more about each of the knights, so he turned to Exo and inquired, Have you had much time fighting this enemy of the king, Exo?

I have had some engagements with this enemy and also other enemies, who seek to rob farmers who only want peace, Exo explained, It seems that there more who want war than peace right now Exo put in.

Yes, I have to agree, Bandit replied, So, you and Strawberry know each other then? Bandit asked.

Exo looked at the red-head and smiled remembering their past. Yes, he softly replied, We became good friends when we were in the alliance together. We fought some heavy battles and sometimes, we just annoyed a couple farmers and our leader, Exo added.

Bandit looked at Strawberry and could not imagine this warrior ever just doing something to annoy someone. Maybe, he should get to know more about this person. It is always good to have a friend you can count on, Bandit told Exo. There are times when one by themselves is not enough. Thank you for talking with me, Bandit told Exo.

He, then, turned to Strawberry.

So, tell me about some of your past battles or how you defended your alliance, he asked of Strawberry.

She blushed, thinking of the times when there was no battle and she and Exo were just having fun at a farmer’s expense. She turned her head to Bandit and