Everdog: Tale of the First Female Knight

Chapter 22 - To the Northern Borders

"Move the sword before you move your body!" Sir Williams instructed the lad.

"Yes Sir!" Everin replied and continued practicing the oberhau, a simple strike from above.

To avoid any injuries, Everin was using a practice sword made of ash wood. She was using a replica of a longsword, a two-handed sword that was straight bladed and double edged. There were different types of swords and their characteristics lend to different fighting styles. A one-handed sword was designed to be used with a shield whereas a two handed sword didn't necessary have a longer blade, instead it had a longer grip to give room for the second hand.

"Step out of your opponent's line of attack!" The knight yelled at the lad.

"Yes Sir!" Everin shouted.

Having two hands on the sword meant that Everin could not hold a shield. It also meant that her sword was her shield. Everin leaned back and stepped to the right out of Sir Williams's line of attack. Their swords met and while applying pressure to the knight's blade, Everin reoriented the tip of her blade to it face her opponent. She thrust forward aiming for the throat executing a zornhau, or a wrath strike. Sir Williams displaced the lad's thrust by changing to a thumb grip and bringing the blades to the upper left to finish off the lad.

After taking a strong thrust from the knight on the shoulder, Everin was gripping her right shoulder in pain. Never underestimate wooden practice swords, they hurt.

"Hey, you did not teach me that yet!" Everin said holding a grudge against the knight.

The knight lowered his weapon. "I will now. Absetzen, a counter to zornhau."

Sir Lee leaned over the second-floor ledge watching Sir Williams and the lad sparring. Sir Lee didn't know what made the knight change its mind, but he was delighted to see the knight and the lad on good terms.

"Sir Lee, good day." Kevin said greeting the baronet.

"Ah, good day,...Kev...," The baronet paused for a second. "How should I be addressing you? What is your name?"

"I was known as Greg when I work for Lord Bullock. But after Everin, Sir Williams, and ye rescued me, Everin told me that my real name was Kevin Park. Ye can call me Kevin, everyone in the residence already does." Kevin answered the baronet.

"Kevin Park..., Park...," For some reason, the family name sounded so familiar to Sir Lee. "I heard of your situation from Everin. You lost your memories at young age and Lord Bullock took you in."

Kevin nodded. "Yes, Sir, that is correct."

Sir Lee smiled upon remembering that at one point the lad was going to break into Lord Bullock's castle in order to save Kevin. The lad was reckless, but it was that recklessness that save this servant's life. "I know that it is strange to suddenly leave Lord Bullock's castle and become Sir Williams's squire, but you are in good hands. Everin is a loyal and trustworthy friend. It was because of him that Sir Williams and I decided to rescue you out of Lord Bullock's castle."

Kevin knew. He knew that it was because of Everin that he was able to be freed from the shackles of Lord Bullock. He was grateful for that and he will never forget Everin's kindness.

"I am grateful to have met Everin." Kevin said. "To have someone remember me, to have someone to remind me that I was loved, it made me realize what it meant to be alive."

The baronet was glad that Kevin was adjusting well to living at the residence. Soon Sir Lee and Sir Williams were heading to the northern borders to see the situation up north. They planned to take Everin and Kevin along as translators.