The Knight and the Peasant [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 2

Three days into the week and Salvador was having the best time of his life.

For three days he had gone to Fachonlugar, to visit Sir Gerard Elwyn. The knight told him stories of all the places in the Kingdom of Sersalvon he had been to. He told Salvador another term for freelancer. Mercenary, or sellsword. Sir Gerard personally preferred freelancer to those terms. He would give his services to any Sersalvon lord that paid him the most money. He had gone to many of the hundreds of Sersalvonian islands. He had fought in skirmishes and disputes between lords. He had even gone so far to go overseas to Evrúopa and fought in their constant wars. He'd visited Nyove Royna, the northern continent of the western hemisphere.

Sir Gerard had to explain lots of the things he told Salvador. He had never heard of Nyove Royna and only rumors about Evrúopa. He was fascinated at how large Arkenheim truly was.

Sir Gerard Elwyn himself was from the northern islands of Sersalvon. Only a few miles away from the island kingdom of Barbaruda, which Sersalvon had been at war with fifteen years ago. His father had been a simple farmer, unable to make much of a living. Gerard had gone to Lady Florjes of Veroña, the Mercenary Lady. Renown for training the best mercenaries in all of the Caraíbes Isles. Lady Florjes had knighted him and given him the title of freelancer knight. Since then, Gerard had made a fortune fighting in petty squabbles between the dysfunctional Sersalvonian lords and ladies.

Late at night once he was in bed, Salvador would imagine himself in Sir Gerard's shoes, fighting with valor and chivalry. Gleaming in shining armor and his sword a constant storm. With every story, his hunger for adventure grew and grew.

Coming back from the Fachonlugar, Salvador was lost in his thoughts. The cool river breeze and the birds' song only helped fuel his imagination. In his mind, he was not in Sapinsville, but on a foreign battlefield. He was about to face off against the enemy commander, his troops parted for him. The fighting stalled as the two leaders were about to enter single combat.

He was oblivious to the sounds of snickering behind him.

It was only when someone yelled, "Hey, star-boy!" and grabbed him, shoving Salvador in the alley between two buildings.

Salvador felt his heart race and his breath became coming in short, quick bursts. It was them. Again.

"Seems like you've yur just a simple peasant boy," said one of his kidnappers. Salvador could've picked out the voice in the midst of even the loudest clamor.

It was Horden.

His torturer, his enemy, his bully.

Maximil. He had gathered his friends and they had come to harass Salvador.

Salvador slowly stood up and regained his balance. "What do you want?"

"Just wanted to keep yur head from reachin' the clouds," Maximil taunted with a smirk on his face. He was a paler boy, indicating his heritage to the northern islands of Sersalvon and the Caraíbes Isles.

"My head ain't in the clouds," Salvador protested, although he knew that was a lie.

"Then why were you wanderin' around the streets lookin' up at the sky? You almost hit half of them people out there on the road."

Salvador had no words for that.

Maximil cawed in laughter and his friends joined him. "Looks like seein' that knight has gone into yur head. Gonna have to remind ya that yur just a peasant boy." And with that, he punched Salvador in the abdomen.

Salvador keeled over and received a punch to the jaw. He fell onto his back and felt the air rush out of his lungs. All of Maximil's friends joined in the beating. Their pounding and kicking relentless.