The Journey

The Tale

On a clear sunny day, with a nice spring breeze, Sir Henry was walking through the city streets and alleyways, protecting the people as usual, when Pete, one of Henry's most trusted squires came to speak with him.

"Sir Henry, Sir Henry," called Pete.

"A yes, Squire Pete, what be the word on this beautiful day in Warwick," Henry said.

"The King, he requests your presence at once," Pete exclaimed. Henry could tell it was urgent, because Pete frantically ran up behind him and almost nocked him over. Without any more conversation Henry ran as fast as he could to King Jones's chambers.

"What is it your majesty?" Henry exclaimed.

King Jones answered, "Henry, as you know 'tis the spring time, and in this season we have increased dragon problems."

"Yes, and, what be the matter?" asked Henry.

"Well, there is one dragon to the north that has been causing an extraordinary amount of trouble for our friends to the northeast", said the King. "This is why I have called you here, to tell you that your mission is to eradicate this evil beast at all costs." This was said with a small, but unnoticed, devilish grin.

Henry, being unaware of this fact, said "I will not fail you or our wonderful kingdom."

So as Henry left the chambers the King said quietly to himself, "That's what you think."
When Henry had left the King's chambers, he went to his personal wing of the castle to
acquire his, expertly crafted, sterling silver chainmail. Along with, his full body steel armor that was near impenetrable. Accompanied with his perfectly tapered long sword, nothing could stop Henry from completing his mission. There was only one more thing that Henry needed, and that was his trusty steed Charley. Charley was the best horse that a knight could ever ride. Pearl white, strong, and had the loyalty and trustworthiness of a brother in arms. When he arrived at the stables Charley was already waiting for Henry to saddle him up for their long and perilous journey to kill the dragon.

Before Henry started on his journey, he told Pete, "Keep the kingdom safe. And Pete, don't let me down." With that, Henry whipped the reins on Charley and he was off on his great adventure. As soon as Henry left the kingdom of Warwick, Pete walked back to King Jones's chambers.

"Henry just started out, your majesty."

"Yes, I am aware Pete," said the King. "I hope your plan works, and if it doesn't..."

"Don't worry, your majesty, it will", said Pete. "When Henry gets to, what he presumes is the dragon's cave, the bounty hunter we sent after his head will prevail. Then he'll finally be out of our way."

"Agreed", said King Jones. "I'll make you head knight, and then there will be no more opposition to my throne. Everything will go back to the way it was, and I won't have to worry anymore."

"Indeed", Pete said.

With that, Pete and King Jones started to laugh simultaneously, thinking of the ways that Sir Henry would perish.

After a few weeks of riding, Henry started to think this mission was all a hoax and that he had been betrayed. Just as he was about to turn around for Warwick, he saw the cave. It was a perfect match to his mission descriptions. A remote cave, in the bitterly cold snowy mountains, with the look of a skull as the entrance. Henry then got off of Charley and started walking slowly to the entrance of the cave. Just then an arrow, that seemed to be flying a million miles an hour, flew by Henry's face. Henry, out of shock, fell backwards, but he was back on his feet in no time. He noticed a warm flowing sensation on his cheek and realized the arrow had grazed him. Along with this, the arrow had struck a fatal blow to Charley. Henry now threw himself over his fallen comrade with angered tears.
He yelled out, "Who has done this!" Fallowed by, "Show yourself!"

Just then a shadowy figure emerged out from the mouth of the cave and said "Sir Henry of Warwick, I have a bounty set upon your head, issued by your king, King Jones!"

Henry was then stunned with disbelief. With blind rage he started to dash towards the bounty hunter. The hunter shot another arrow, and Henry, in an instant reaction, drew his sword and deflected the arrow hurling towards his head. Stunned by how fast Henry had deflected his arrow, the hunter paused a moment. Realizing that Henry was still barreling towards him, he quickly drew another arrow and shot again, but it was too late. Henry rolled, letting the whizzing arrow pass over head, stood up, swirled around, and swung the mighty sword through his enemy. The hunter's head hit the ground with a thud, which was soon fallowed by the bloodied body.

Henry, now on his knees, sat in the snow and thought to himself. Why would King Henry do such a thing, I've never wronged him before. This is an injustice that cannot stand. With that thought Henry got up, went into the cave, and just like he had presumed, found the horse that the hunter had rode. Henry then sheathed his sword, mounted the midnight black stallion, and started off thinking simply. Why?

After the few weeks journey that it took Henry to ride back to Warwick, everything seemed quieter. There were no children playing in the streets. No church bells rigging their song, no peasants wandering the towns market, not even one merchant in the town square trying to
acquire a pretty penny.

Henry then said to himself. "What happened?"

A local boy then called out, "Look everyone, look, it's Sir Henry." "He has returned, come everyone, Henry is back."

After the little boy said that, all the things that made the town great started to come out again. The children crowded Henry, the merchants started selling, the people were comfortable with walking around the town, and the church bells seemed to play louder and better than ever. Everything seemed to go back to normal, but Henry knew he had a job to do. So he politely moved the children out of the way and headed towards the castle were he would meet his King.

King Jones and Pete were in the Kings chambers when they realized something was a miss, as they heard the church bells start to ring. They both, simultaneously, looked out the window. What they saw was their death, and the face of their death was Henry.

A few minutes later Henry bashed trough the door yelling, "How could you have betrayed me, after everything that I have accomplished for you."

Pete remarked, "It was quite easy..."

"Be quiet Pete, I'll handle you later, you low class present rat!" said Henry.

"Look Henry", said the King. "I didn't want to do it, this was Pete's idea and I went along with it." "This was not my doing Henry."

"You're lying", said Henry. "You're lying!"

With that Henry drew his sword and lunged at the King, but Pete blocked his charge. Swords clung metal for what seemed like hours. It was a battle that should have ended much sooner, but didn't. Pete, on one stride, made the fatal mistake of swinging high. Henry then ducked while moving forward, and thrusted the tip of his sword backwards penetrating Pete, and ending the fight between knight and squire once and for all. At this point King Jones tripped over a small table in the room, and was sitting where the wall meets the floor. Henry then stood up, and looked into the Kings eyes with his now enraged eyes.

Henry then said to King Jones, "No mercy shall be given to the false rule", while
holding his sword under the King's chin.

King Jones said, "Please, I'm begging you, don't..."

Before the king could finish, Henry slashed the throat of Jones, and the tyranny of the King of Warwick was finally over. Henry then, by ancient rule, became the new king of Warwick. Henry vowed to protect the people of Warwick as their new King, and the kingdom of Warwick lived happily ever after from then on.

The End