DanMachi Chivalry Of The Hedge Knight

The City Of Orario

The warm weather and the clean night sky, full of stars, and illuminated it by the light of the harvest moon, make Arthur not to light a camp fire.

He was sitting under the branches of an elm. He was putting his back at the tree trunk. "Always have your back at something", that was the advice of his sword master, who trained him at the art of the sword.

Arthur was holding his sword at his armful. That sword have two meters length and it's a formidable wepon. He have it for three years now.

In few steps from him stayed in silence, his trusted companion. His stallion, Avalon. He is a white horse with black mane and tail. A truly magnificent creature.

He took him two years ago, when a Lord organished a tournament at his castle. If somebody could stay at it's back without they fall, would take the horse as his prize.

No one could ride him. Evryone who tried to do, the horse threw him at the ground. All except Arthur. He succeeded not only to stay at his back but even galloped together. The Lord and most of the Nobility didn't like this. Arthur is a Hedge Knight.

A Hedge Knight is a wandering knight without a master. Hedge knights travel the length and breadth looking for gainful employment. They named because most of their worldly wealth is in their arms and horses and they generally must sleep outdoors, often under a hedge. Contrary to landed knights, hedge knights own no land. Most hedge knights travel in search of employment and often attend tourneys to earn money and display their prowess in hopes of being hired and making a name for themselves. Hedge Knights often join the hosts of Lords and the royal processions of Kings. Most hedge knights are younger men.

Although many strive to be chivalrous true knights, Hedge Knights are often mistrusted and considered disreputable. The term "Hedge Knight" is considered disparaging.

With those excuses they want to take the horse from him, but thenks to the intervention of an old and wise man, Arthur cept it. And named him Avalon.

He stand up and move to his stallion. He remove his glove from his right hand and start to pet him. Avalon waek up and whinning with pleser.

He recognise the touch of his rider. He move his haid at Arthur's side. He start to smell him. That man is his rider. Not somebody stranger.

"Did I interrupt your sleep, my friend?" he ask him horse.

Avalon move away his haid from Arthur and shake it.

"That means no?". Arthur ask his horse.

He did the same think evry day all those years. To speech in to his horse. That build a bond between them.

"Tomorrow we will finaly arrive at the city of Orario, my friend". He whispered at the his horse's ear.

"I heard, they have the most delicious apples. You like them. Did you?".

With that word, apples, Avalon start to whinning. Arthur known, his horse love so much the apples. He discavered that some days after he take him, from the Lord, when they stop at a field with apple - trees and Avalon tried even to jumped at the air in order to bite some of them.

"At the morning I'll brush you. I don't want my stallion to looks like as undamaged yak".

The horse snorting. Maybe Avalon was stung by that comment.

"Haha. Don't worry my friend. I just want to make you a good impression at the citizens".

He pet him for one more time at his haid and let him to sleep. Arthur returns at the elm tree. He put his back at the trunk. He look at his sword.