Once Upon A Time

Chapter 4

Prince Shane and Sean walked side by side onto the training field, Shane searching for something he wouldn't say. Finally he spotted them, and he smiled as he tugged on Sean's sleeve, then the two headed over in the other direction. They came to stop before two armored knights, helmets and all. The one on the left, the shorter one, spoke first.

"Hey, it's the boy wonder! Whatcha want, kid?" He asked, lifting his visor to reveal two piercing blue eyes; Shane hated those eyes. Why did HE always get all the girls? Of course, it never made a difference anyhow, considering his father never approved of the girls he chose to court...he still had nightmares of the one that was put in the Iron Maiden. Coming out of his thoughts, he shook his head and gestured to his right.

"Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to Bard Sean." Now the guard on the right raised his visor.

"Sean what?" The bard shrugged.

"I go by one name, as do all worth-while musicians." The guard on the right heaved a sigh, then looked over at Shane.

"You brought us a bard? What, is he supposed to serenade us into battle?" Shane shook his head vehemently.

"No, no, no...this," he started, putting an arm around Sean's shoulders, "is your new trainee." The two knights looked at each other, then burst into laughter, making Sean grow angrier.

"What's wrong with you?" The guard on the left finally got ahold of himself and yanked his helmet off, shaking out his shoulder-length dirt-blond hair.

"What's wrong with US? YOU'RE the one on a suicide mission, boy." Sean arched an eyebrow.

"Boy?" Shane smiled to himself.

"Well, now that we're all acquainted, I have some business to take care of. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me...." With that, he left Sean with the other two knights as he walked victoriously back to the castle's side doors. If anything, they'd get bothered with him and trample him with their horses...well, if he was lucky they would, anyhow.

"That's mean, daddy," Kaitlin muttered into her glass. Sean smiled softly at her.

"But it's just part of the story, Katie, relax." Kaitlin heaved a heavy sigh and agreed.

Sean stood in the field, looking from one of the knights to the other, then put out a hand towards the knight on the right.

"Now that I've told you my name, who are you?" The knight reached behind him and unfastened the latches on his helmet, then held it beside him as he extended his other hand.

"Knight Helmsley. And this is Knight Michaels. We're the commanders of this scraggly group of...uh...warriors..." Sean nodded, looking behind them to the knights who were still practicing, then back to the knight on the left side, who had finally calmed himself. Suddenly, he walked over to Sean.

"So, little boy, I hear you want to be a knight...how cute! Have you wanted to be one since you were eight? A whole two years ago?" He finally let out the laughter begging to be released, then literally laughed in his face as Sean felt his anger boil. He walked back up to the knight.

"You can laugh all you want, but at least I'm taller than you." Shawn looked at the bard across from him, and sure enough, he had a good two inches on him. Knight Helmsley snorted.

"Sorry, kid, but that's not a big accomplishment. I mean, not many are actually SHORTER than Mr. Michaels here..." He reached over and slapped his comrade's back, laughing as Michaels turned and glared at him. Sean looked to Helmsley and smiled.

"I might get to like you." But Michaels was beyond laughing now. His pride had been insulted, and NOBODY insults Shawn Michaels's pride and lives.

"Listen, you little gnat, I have bigger fish to fry here, and I have much larger and probably much more talented knights to train. So if you'll just run along home to mommy, I'm sure you can get there before dinner, and then we'll all be happy. Okay?" Sean couldn't take it anymore, and finally wheeled around and hit the knight with a spinning heel kick that knocked him to the ground. He looked up, dazed at the man standing over him, then to his fellow commander that was grinning broadly. Helmsley held out a hand to Sean.

"And I might get to like you. Call me Hunter. You're aboard," he said, shaking Sean's hand. Michaels rose to his feet, angry.

"What was that? What, you have some kinda super powers?" Sean shrugged his shoulders.

"Just something I learned a long time ago. Comes in handy sometimes, too. You'd be amazed how angry people can get when a bard comes by," he muttered, shaking his head slowly. Michaels rolled his eyes and then pulled Helmsley off to the side, whispering to him.

"And just what do you think this little runt can do? Sure, he can take out the horses at the knees, but-"

"Look at this group of knights, Shawn. Tell me we couldn't use another one. Strength is in numbers, not necessarily power." Shawn rolled his eyes again.

"That stupid saying of yours has no bearing if we run into an enemy with catapults or molten lava or what have you. I'll not have that...that KID in my army!"

"YOUR army?"

"Okay, our army."

"Shawn, he took you out, and you're the head commander...I think we could stand to gain someone like him." Shawn looked over at the bard, who had his arms folded across his chest in impatience, and finally nodded.

"Okay, fine, we'll take him in. But he's YOUR troop, Hunter." Hunter smiled and the two walked back over to Sean. Michaels watched for a moment before holding his hand out. "Knight Michaels at your service, Sean. Now come on, we need to go get you some armor."

"Daaaad..." Jesse moaned. "This is getting boring."

"I know, I know, just hold on. It gets better, trust me." Jesse raised a skeptical eyebrow, then nodded as he leaned back up against the wall.