Unafraid; Leon's Son

By Phillip Meyer

Just imagine for a moment if the earth was not really round, like everyone thinks. Imagine if you sailed west, and eventually, you would sail off the edge and fall for miles until you suddenly, in a bizarre moment, landed unhurt on a completely different planet. In this new world, there are creatures, people, and landscapes that are only legends on the earth above. This is the world of Athnan, and this is the story of the greatest king Athnan has ever known, and how he grew from a young child to a brave warrior. Growing up in a dangerous world, young Leo must learn quickly that being a king means serving his kingdom by battling trolls and wild animals, as well as living up to the honor of his great ancestors. Yet his strength is tested when he must choose between loyalty to his father's wishes and his true love, and after it seems he has at last conquered his fears, he is destined to fight the most terrifying enemy Athnan has ever known. Filled with knights, monsters, and dragons, Unafraid: Leon's Son will be sure to give you a thrilling nonstop adventure of courage, love, and forgiveness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645599333

Book preview

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Unafraid

Leon’s Son

Phillip Meyer

Illustrations by Andrew Meyer

ISBN 978-1-64559-932-6 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64559-933-3 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Phillip Meyer

All rights reserved

First Edition

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. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Epilogue

About the Author

To all who have lost family

Acknowledgements

Thanks to my parents Mark and Mary, and to my brothers, Wid and Andrew. I could not have done it without your help.

Chapter 1

If you have ever held a real sword, you know the feeling; not one of those cheap replicas but a battle-ready weapon, sharpened and cold as death. Back in the Middle Ages, this was the weapon of choice. Knights would keep this weapon close, not just physically but also in their ideals. They considered their sword an extension of their arm, and with good reason, too, for if their weapon failed them in battle, they would not live to fight another day. It was a terrible time, many will tell us, with all the wars, deaths, and tragedies, yet there was no greater time in history than the so-called medieval days. The great days when men were tougher than iron and lived for more than themselves. Days when the world was greener and simpler, and honor was more than a word. Times were harder, yes, yet often, easy does not fulfill, and never was there a time of greater self-sacrifice, loyalty, and respect for those held dear.

The Middle Ages are thought of as a time of knights in shining armor, riding on great horses, slaying dragons and their wicked foes, but there was more to being a real knight than that. There was a big difference between a knight and a solider. A solider is someone who fights in an army for a living. A knight was supposed to be a shining beacon of chivalry and loyalty to lord and land. This is quite different than just fighting physical battles or wars. Rather, they must be strong in the ways of the heart, mind, and soul, along with their bodily strength.

Many knights throughout history have done great deeds, while others misused their power and were wicked. Then there were those who, while they never did anything of great historical importance, were heroes in their own right through simple acts of kindness and love.

This is a story of all three kinds. It started in 1066. The sound of steel clashing, horses’ hooves, bows twanging, and men shouting was overwhelming. The Normans and the Saxons were engaged in battle. The prize: England. The Duke of Normandy and King Harold Godwinson both held claims. I could give a detailed description of the terrible conflict, but in short, the Normans won the battle. The Saxons fought bravely, but the Normans had the deciding factor: horses. The Norman spearmen riding their horses crashed through the Saxon lines, inflicting numerous casualties. Still, the battle was extremely close. After the Duke of Normandy took control, peace was not completely reached, and for many long years, there was great tension between the Normans and Saxons.

Now it happened that on the first crusade, a group of Normans and Saxons went together to fight and take back Jerusalem from the Saracens. On the way, a quarrel broke out between them. Soon it turned violent, and there was a battle, which the Normans won. However, not all the Saxons were killed, and those who escaped returned to England. There, they rallied their countrymen, swearing to avenge their kinsmen.

When the Normans retuned from the crusade, they quickly found trouble. Everywhere they turned, they came across danger from the Saxons. They finally decided they would have to flee England. First, they went to Italy, where some got married and, for a time, lived in peace. However, a group of Saxons bent on destroying them stalked them there and planned to kill them and their families. They were warned just in time by a Saxon bishop who put his own life on the line to save them. The Normans barely escaped once again, this time by ship, with their wives and children. The Saxons pursued them, not wanting them to escape.

The Normans sailed west through the Mediterranean into the ocean, knowing little of navigation but with one thought on their minds: to shake off their pursuers for good. After they had sailed for weeks and their food and water ran low, they were sure they would starve to death. Then they did the unthinkable: they sailed right off the edge of the world.

They fell for miles in their ship after they went over what seemed like a giant waterfall into an abyss until they suddenly found themselves slowing down and landing on a pool of water. They were all miraculously unhurt though very frightened. Soon they realized the pool was a sea of water into which the ocean drained, and they were dumbfounded that there was a dark shadow that covered everything to their right. Soon, to their horror, they recognized it was the shadow of the earth above. There was a current slowly pulling them to the left, away from the shadow, and for days, they flowed with the current with fear in their hearts. Then, unexpectedly, they saw something that made their hearts leap with joy. In the distant horizon was land, and as they got closer, they could see green shrubbery and trees. The current continued to pull them until the ship grounded on the rocky beach of the strange land. Then they disembarked, and all, grateful to be alive, prayed in thanksgiving. They found water and soon were surprised the land had much wild game, most of which they were familiar with, although some of the animals they did not recognize.

I will not dwell much longer on this part of the tale, although it is worth telling. The story I am writing takes place much later. Therefore, I will tell this part as more of an introduction than anything.

In time, the Normans went farther inland, eventually established a small settlement, and soon discovered they were not alone on this world under the earth. There were large groups of desert people who had been living there for many hundreds of years. How they got there was a mystery, although more than likely it was the same way—by falling off the edge of the earth some forgotten time older than legend. The Normans feared them, as they were a terrible people who loved battle and would often fight over small matters that could easily be settled peacefully. All the same, the desert people had something noble about them, and they showed a great respect for those whom they found worthy of it.

Over the years and generations, the Normans broke off into different territories, establishing kingdoms, building cities, and eventually spreading far and wide in the mysterious land the natives called Athnan.

Now the land itself, in many ways, was similar to the earth above. The weather was slightly colder but not frozen terrain. The north was the coldest and full of mountains and volcanos. The most diverse thing about the land were the creatures that lived there—trolls, dragons, and many other fabulous beasts—along with many of the same creatures we have on our earth, like deer, wild cattle, horses, and almost any other animal you can think of.

Now it happened many years after the Normans had come to this place that the town of Goodwood was established by a group of woodmen. There they lived for a long time in peace. However, as threats from trolls and nearby southern nomads grew, they set a king over themselves and established a feudal kingdom they named New Normandy.

Their first king was Joseph, who slew an enormous dragon, delivered the kingdom from its terrible wrath, and built a castle near the town on the shores of a great lake, the only one in the realm. The lake itself was gloomy and dark, and men feared it, for some of the woodsmen in years past had heard the legends from the southern people of a great monster that lived in its black waters. Joseph’s son was Henry, whose son was Leon. Leon was around twenty when he began to rule New Normandy. He made alliances with the nomad kings, and some he even taught the language of his kingdom. He converted many to Christianity, and there was great peace and prosperity in his reign.

And that is where our story will begin. Leon had many brave knights and a son named Leo. Ever since he was a small boy, Leo wanted a sword of his own. Once his father nearly let him have a small dagger, but the queen would not have it. So his father promised him a sword of his own when he was ten.

The life of Leo was sheltered. He was ordered not to go near the lake or far from the castle, and was not often allowed out of the castle at all without soldiers or his father. This was because he was his father’s only child, and Leon knew too well the dangers of the world beyond the small kingdom. Leo was quite curious, as all young children are, but could not have wished for a greater childhood. He was not treated like most young princes of kingdoms who were often, at a young age, made to train in swordplay, go to extreme study, and spend little time with their families. Nonetheless, he did have studies and sword practice, but not to excess. As a result of his sheltered upbringing, he spent quite a bit of time with his parents.

One early autumn day, when he was eight years old, Leo was spending the morning inside the castle courtyard with Sir Wolf, the oldest knight of Leon’s kingdom. His real name was not Wolf but Otto. He was called Sir Wolf because he had supposedly killed a wolf with his bare hands in his younger days. He was now old, shriveled up, and fat, and his dreadful complexions matched his crusty voice. Looking at him, it would be hard to believe he had fought in any battles at all, let alone be the hero of one, or many, as he would quickly and assuredly claim. Sir Wolf was supposed to be teaching Leo, but instead was having a brag-fest about himself. He told Leo how he had slain many dragons in his younger days but had officially retired. This gives the younger knights a chance to win fame. It may be too late for them, however, because I probably got all of them or at least most of them, he said in a conceited voice.

As you can see, Sir Wolf had a high opinion of himself and was more than a little bit senile. Most of all, he was a real first-class storyteller, although there was a grain of truth to everything he said. Leo, who was young enough to believe Sir Wolf, sat in respectful silence of the old fossil. Just when Sir Wolf was almost done with a story, a better and more exaggerated falsehood or fantasy would pop into his arrogant mind. Did I ever tell you of the time I saved a princess from a terrible monster? The old man smiled.

No, please tell me, said Leo excitedly.

Don’t interrupt, snapped Sir Wolf. Have you ever been told, be seen and not heard?

I am sorry, said Leo.

That’s all right, said Sir Wolf. But don’t do it again, or I will speak to your father and he will give you a good whipping. Now where was I? Oh yes, I saved a princess from a snake. Yes, a big snake. Cut the brute’s head clean off. She was so grateful she wanted to marry me, but I was too good for her.

Finally, Sir Wolf was tired of his own stories and wandered off to the kitchen. He