The Savior

By Brian K. Graunt

Carmen was on the run everywhere she turned it seemed someone was trying to kill her. An assassin had crept into the Palace and murdered the Royal family, her family! She was in tears for they had murdered her mother, father and brother as they slept! Never would she see them again. Her mother would never again brush away the tears as they ran down her cheeks. She could never hug her father, never would she be able to tease and play tricks on her older brother. Why, why would anyone do this?
She dropped her head crying who, who can I turn to in this my hour of need?
The Princess didnt realize it, but Fate sometimes is a fickle thing for it can bring two peoples from different worlds together to aid and comfort the other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483668352

Brian K. Graunt

Brian Gaunt was born in April of 1958 in Cadillac Michigan. He has a Vocational Technical degree and an Associate’s degree both in marketing. The Savior is his first novel.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

On the Run

Carmen was on the run everywhere she turned it seemed someone was trying to kill her. She had been visiting some friends when she heard the news about the shocking, despicable deed that an assassin had crept into the Palace and murdered the Royal family.

She was in tears for they had murdered her mother, father and brother as they slept! Never would she see them again. Her mother would never again brush away the tears as they ran down her cheeks. She could never hug her father, never would she be able to tease and play tricks on her older brother. Why, why would anyone do this?

Her only protection was her personal Paladin Lord Phillip and several of his brother Paladins. The Princess Carmen, now lawful Ruler of the Land couldn’t even mourn her family as was proper for she was too busy trying to stay alive.

They were once more set upon by bandits. This was the second time in the last ten days. The Paladins had a reputation as legendary fighters they defended her Highness against all threats. The battle was short and savage as they butchered the attacking bandits.

They weren’t very good fighters and smelled of cheap wine. Looking closer they looked like commoners. Phillip dismissed that idea for all in the Kingdom knew that the Paladins were legendary fighters and no one in his right mind attacked them especially commoners. He couldn’t help but wonder why they would attack them.

They searched the body’s and found that all of them were indeed commoners. Why, why would any commoner be so foolish as to attack them? One of the Paladins brought a note to Phillip upon looking and reading it he discovered it was not a note but rather a notice of a bounty.

My God he thought Twenty thousand gold shillings to the one that killed her Highness. He was shocked this was why they were being attacked so often! He had to keep this secret from the Princess.

The note unfortunately didn’t say who was paying the bounty.

Show me the one that had this note they took him to a big burly man. His armor was a little better than the others but he was still a commoner Phillip looked at the man again, my God I remember him I killed him he handled a sword better than the rest and he obviously was the leader. Phillip also remembered seeing him as they went through the last village. Phillip knew they had to find a place to stay that no one knew of for at this point he trusted no one, not Lord or commoner. They made camp and as they rested Phillip went to buy supplies. He started to leave when he overheard several villagers talking about the best place to go to hunt for deer. The older man laughed and told the other that he could always hunt in the Dark Woods that there was lots of game there.

"You know I won’t hunt there! The other declared.

Phillip looked at them why won’t you hunt in this Dark Wood? The old man looked at him you’re not from around here are you?

"No one goes in the Dark Woods if they can help it, sure it’s great hunting but it’s so heavily wooded and dark that if you go in those cursed Woods you’ll get lost and die there! There are a very few people who know the secrets of those Woods and of them only a few are stupid enough to go in there. So I shouldn’t go in there?

The old man looked at him seriously son I’ve lived in this village my whole life and I won’t hunt there! Where is this Dark Woods so that I can avoid it? Phillip asked. The old man waved his hand it’s over there." He had gone into the village alone to get supplies and information he had removed his armor but still didn’t look as if he belonged there he looked more like a trader. He gathered the supplies he had purchased and rode out of the village and back to the camp.

Thinking and weighing the dangers he came to the conclusion that they had no choice but to go into this Dark Wood. If no one would go in there then they would be safe there they would have to mark their way into the Wood so they could find their way back out again. Breaking camp they rode in the direction the old man told him and after a good two hours ride he saw some woods near a small village. They rode around the village and they came upon the Woods and Phillip saw no one was around and they entered the Wood marking the way that they went by cutting some of the dank dark moss off of the trees.

The Earl Byron slammed his fist on the table once again those stupid commoners didn’t kill her! He should have known that these drunk incompetents would fail to kill the Princess she was still alive and the bounty of twenty thousand gold shillings was still there for anyone to collect but he needed her killed and quickly so he could destroy the Regent and the Lord Reynaud. He had to destroy them to get the Crown but he had to do it before they could expose him.

The Regent was no problem he had been too stupid to understand that if you really wanted something done you didn’t make enemies at the beginning. Instead you made allies and then have those same allies turn on each other and destroy them. Leaving him in a position to step in save the Kingdom and take the Crown.

The plan was brilliant but it needed the Princess to die and immediately. The Regent did however have control of the Royal army and they were a very sizable force indeed.

The Lord Reynaud however was going to be a problem for he had a very sizeable army not as large as the Regents or as large as his own but large enough. The Lord Reynaud also was completely ruthless. He had to think about him and what to do to him for a while. The Earl did have an informer in Lord Reynaud’s private guard so he did know every move he made. That however wasn’t enough he needed more.

He had tricked the Regent into killing the Royal family but the fool didn’t have the brains to wait till the entire family was there. Now he had to deal with the Princess himself and the Bounty of twenty thousand gold shillings to anyone that killed her was ingenious for everyone would be after her commoner and noble alike. In the end she wouldn’t stand a chance. Carmen did unfortunately have some Paladins with her only six or seven but that was still a formidable force. Eventually they would be worn down and killed due to the sheer number of attacks that they were going to face. He poured himself another glass of wine and sat thinking, pondering his next move.

Darien and his folks lived in a small village named Tor close to the Dark Woods. My father taught me how to track game, fish and hunt. My best friends were Mark and Jordan. Mark and Jordan both of them were well known to the girls and the girls liked them as well especially Jordan.

Jordan was definitely the ladies’ man for if he wanted to get a girl to take a walk with him any of them would take him up on it.

There was another boy their age named Jory in the village. No one cared for Jory he was always picking on people. He was arrogant and thought he was better than anyone. He also had a wild almost insane look in his eyes. Everyone avoided him for everyone considered him a bully and no one liked him. The three of us constantly competed with each other hunting and seeing which was the strongest and which one of us was the best with the bow we were constantly on the training grounds practicing to see which one was best.

I was good at the bow but not as good as the others. Mark was the best it seemed he could look at a target and draw his bow and let his breath out slowly and beat both of us he even scored some bulls eyes! I was watching as several men were practicing with their swords and they would go through various moves with each other slowly of course so neither would get hurt.

I had taken one of my grandfather’s old swords and had gone to one of the practice dummies and was trying to do some moves that I had seen the men on the practice field doing. The one thing that I dreamed of and wanted was to be as my grandfather was at one time.

One of the Royal Guard, the Guard only took the very best swordsmen. But I wanted to be as my grandfather had been, for he was one of the personal guards of the King that was the ultimate honor for in order to be assigned to the King you had to be an exceptional swordsman!

The Paladins were master fighters for no one was better than a Paladin they were legendary fighters. I hadn’t seen one yet it was said that you could tell they were a Paladin because of the silver sheen their armor had.

No one and I mean no one wore the silver covered armor of a Paladin!

Now my grandfather had been one of the very best swordsmen in the Royal Guard when he was younger. It was said that he was the best Guard ever! There was a rumor that he had a friend who was a Paladin and in his spare time he trained him.

Grandfather admitted to having a Paladin as a friend but would not talk about where he received his sword training which was odd.

He had been given the honor of being the personal Guard of the King. He served in that position for more than twenty years and the new and younger Guards could still not beat him. Only two Guards were ever assigned to the King and he was until the day he retired always one of the two. He was not in the Guard of this King but rather his father. He had also been rumored to be a close confident of the King.

The Crown had given him a pension to live on so that he would not have to toil for his food. That was unheard of for no Guard was ever given a pension. They were when they retired given a purse of one hundred gold shillings for their service.

But never a pension!

He was watching his grandson as he saw him fumbling trying to learn how to use the sword. Finally as he saw me drop the sword once more he started laughing and trying to keep his laughter under control.

He walked over to me Darien he smiled do you want me to teach you how to handle a blade how to move and become one with it. I of course said yes come see me tomorrow. I showed up but he had no swords with him, first you must listen and do any and all things I tell you I know you’re only fifteen and think you know everything because when I was your age I thought I did to."

CHAPTER TWO

The Training

I was wrong as are you he looked at me "so I must have your promise to do absolutely everything without question or we stop right here and now do you understand?

Yes Sir

First you must understand above all know what sword fighting means it is not a child’s toy it is a weapon and if used properly a very deadly weapon. He looked at me fighting is to be avoided at all costs. I started to look away. Listen to me! If you remember nothing else remember this Darien, fighting is a last resort for you use a sword to protect yourself or others only. It is a weapon of war and a real fight is bloody, messy and deadly if you are not prepared to use it as such then you must quit now for if you cannot kill someone then I will not teach you. Go home think about it tonight and give me your answer tomorrow."

Remember you must be ready to kill with it! Think hard on that and give me an honest answer.

That night my father saw that something was troubling me and he knew what it was. He took his sword and strapped it on and asked me to come with him. We went to the practice field it was almost dark and no one else was around. We stopped in front of a dummy that was used for practicing.

He turned to me Darien I know what it is that’s bothering you for your grandfather also taught me and like you I had to make the same choice.

He drew his sword and handed it to me it was heavy, perfectly balanced and very sharp. He took it back a sword is not something to be taken lightly for it as I’m sure he told you very deadly. He asked me to step back and he stood before the dummy and his reflexes and swing were very quick as he swung he severed the head of the dummy and it rolled away. He turned to me as I was stunned at what he had done.

Do you now understand?

This son is what he means by deadly? I looked at him my eyes wide yes sir very well take the sword" and he handed it to me and I started to take it and he stopped me.

Son once you take a sword in hand it is for your defense and the defense of others only you must never use it in anger for if you do you will make mistakes and you will die and all those you love will die.

Now take it, but carefully. I took the sword by the grip and held it. Thrust it in the middle and he pointed to the dummy. I did and thrust the sword in deep as he asked me to and he took the blade away from me and turned to me after putting it back in its sheath.

Son you’ve just killed a man, think of that this is what a sword is made for, it has no other purpose than to kill with, when you defend yourself or others you must be able to kill them. If you are not ready to kill then you never will be.

This, my son is the question your grandfather is asking.

Learning to use a sword carries with it a heavy responsibility and that is to do what is right and never to kill just to kill.

However it is you who will ultimately make that decision for you must be able to live with your actions whether they are good or bad for the rest of your life. Remember what I say for if you choose to learn the Art of the Blade as he calls it then he will teach you all he knows and that is considerable.

He looked at me very seriously but remember what I say for you and only you must be able to live with your choices and actions. You cannot say that someone told you to do it for that is not true.

When you kill a man and feel his wet slippery blood on your hands and you see him die before your eyes.

No one and I do mean no one, but you are responsible and you must be able to learn to live with what you have done for the rest of your life.

He turned and we walked home quietly.

The next morn I went to see my grandfather I looked at him I have talked to my father and he showed me and told me exactly what it means to use a sword. I have thought long and hard and I am willing to learn and take responsibility for my actions. I wish you to teach me the Art of the Blade.

He had a sword strapped on the sheath was incredible and he drew the sword. I gasped as I saw it was gorgeous it was engraved with his name and a symbol of two swords crossed and a Word below that and his name. It had a steel mesh for the hand guard. The grip was made of silver and the engraving was also made of silver I went to touch it, No! It was made specifically for me and no other. I looked at him perplexed "why haven’t you worn it before now?

He looked at me this is not a training sword but a very special sword and is to be used in combat and in a very special type of training.

He put his sword back and set it aside and strapped on a plain long sword Very well we went to the practice field.

He looked at me there are certain rules to sword fighting that must be learned and obeyed.

The First lesson: a fight is to be avoided at costs.

The Second lesson: never fight when you are angry you always make mistakes.

The Third lesson: never overextend yourself for if you do then you lose your balance and can’t recover.

"The Fourth lesson: never try to shove your sword completely into someone because if you do your sword will hang up and you won’t be able to defend yourself or attack your next opponent.

"The Fifth lesson: never hold your sword to loose or too tight for it can be knocked out of your hand or it can knock you off balance and if that happens you’re dead.

"The Sixth lesson: and the most important lesson is that when you take up a sword it is for your defense only and the defense of those you love.

He started to teach me how not to overextend myself. That it was critical because one always had to be able to instantly recover. I of course learned the lesson the hard way as he let me make the mistake of doing just that and he then knocked me into the dirt.

When he said that I didn’t have to shove my sword all the way through someone to kill them for that it unbalance me and leave an opening for my opponent. We practiced all the time I had a wooden sword he showed me how to use it. When I did something wrong I felt myself in the dirt then he would show me again we went through it again and again he kept knocking me to the dirt. I finally started to catch on and he said that I was starting to get the hang of it but I needed to be much better.

Mark and Jordan were jealous for they had no one to teach them.

I gloated that I was the best now and constantly teased them. Grandfather saw what I was doing and decided to do something about it. When it was time for our next private training session I went to meet him at the practice field. I stopped dead in my tracks I saw my friends Mark and Jordan there smiling from ear to ear.

I demanded to know what they were doing there when my grandfather looked at me smiling.

Darien I realized that you really didn’t have anyone to practice with but me so I’m going to train your friends also he said.

The next day Jory walked onto the field with a sword in hand and went directly to my grandfather while he was talking to us. He looked at my grandfather with that sneer. "You will teach me to use a sword old man so I may kill my enemies with it!

My grandfather looked at him and in a very cold voice.

"No!

"What do you mean No?

"You will do it or