Once Upon A Time

Chapter 6

The two knights and the bard stood next to a tall horse, which was decked out in chain mail. Shawn smiled.

"Well, kid, you got the look of a knight, but can ya fight like one?" He asked, steadying the horse. Sean looked at it warily, then finally nodded, and Shawn's smile broadened. "Good. Then mount the horse." Sean glared at him.

"How...how on Earth am I supposed to mount a horse this huge?" Shawn shrugged his shoulders.

"That's for you to figure out, kid. Besides, it's just like a normal horse, except you just have to give yourself more of a boost than usual." Sean heaved a sigh, then squatted slightly, jumping up and actually OVER the horse, landing in the dirt on the other side. Helmsley burst into laughter as Shawn's smile grew ever brighter. He walked around to the other side, lifted the dazed and dizzy Sean to his feet then to the other side of the now disgruntled horse. How DARE they treat him like that? He was a noble warhorse, and he'd make it an interesting trial for this young bard. Shawn shook his head slowly, arms folded across his chest.

"No, no, kid, you have to mount it gently, like a normal horse. Don't be nervous, don't let it scare you, just do it." Sean took a deep breath, then hooked his right foot in the saddle stirrup, pushed off with his left foot and hefted himself onto the horse's back. Of course, it would have been better had he actually stayed on the horse, but that's just a detail. Sean let out a small yelp as the horse bucked, bending him over backwards to the horse's other side.

"Help!" He shrieked, flailing his arms about wildly. This was too much, Hunter realized as he fell to the ground in a laughing heap. "I'm stuck! Shawn, c'mon, help me out here!" He screamed, trying desperately to lift himself back up but failing miserably.

"Sorry 'bout that," he said sheepishly as he walked over and tossed the saddle over the side, sending Sean crashing to the dirt again.

"Thanks," he muttered, still on his back as he saw the blond-haired face looming over top of him. Shawn extended his hand, lifting the bard to his feet.

"I forgot to tell you that old Lillian here doesn't take kindly to strangers," he said, brushing off Sean's back. "There we go...good as new." Sean glared, brushed off his backside, then sighed as they walked past the horse, shooting it a dirty look.

"You'd be sitting in a butcher's pantry if the matter were up to me, you evil heathen," he muttered to the horse as they walked over to where the other knights stood. No sooner had they arrived than Vince's emissary, sir Patterson, came running as fast as his chubby legs could carry him.

"Knights! Knights, we need knights!" He shrieked wildly. Helmsley put his hands on the man's shoulders.

"Whoa, calm down!" He yelled, trying to get his attention. Patterson stared at him blankly, then finally agreed.

"We need an army! We need-"

"An explanation," Shawn muttered, walking back up to join Helmsley, Sean tagging close behind. Patterson regained his breath.

"Princess Stephanie has been kidnapped!" The three knights exchanged glances, then immediately followed the bustling man back into the castle.

"Stephanie?" Kaitlin asked, turning a strand of hair around her index finger. "She's nice to me....I hope she's okay," she muttered. Sean heaved an exasperated sigh.

"They're not real people, babe, just characters." Kaitlin giggled.

"Yeah, whatever, daddy," she replied as Sean went on.

"You brought me THESE?!" Vince roared, gesturing angrily towards the small assembly before him consisting of Knights Michaels and Helmsley, the bard dressed in knight's armor, and Kane.

"I want a virtual ARMY to go in there!" Michaels, being the one in charge of the troops, took a step forward.

"Sire, we know you're concerned, but it's just Turnerville...Helmsley and myself could take them!" Vince's eyes narrowed.

"And that will be your undoing, knight. You underestimate your opponents. I did that once; the mistake will not be repeated." Shawn sighed.

"Well, we still need a plan." Vince tossed his hands in the air in frustration.

"You don't understand, Shawn. I don't care WHAT plan you come up with, I don't care if you have to go and blaze the place, but I want my daughter back without so much as a SCRATCH. If she even has a hair out of place, I am going to hold each and every one of you responsible. Understand?" Shawn gulped, nodded, then motioned for the others to follow him out of the castle to the horses sir Patterson had rounded up by the front gates. After Sean successfully mounted the horse after the third try, the quartet bounded off to Turnerville.