The Knight of Chivalry

Chapter 43

Over the next couple of days Simon spent a lot of times with his friends, they spent some time on the training field, in the taverns and on one day they rode out of the capitol on their horses for a good ride and they raced against each other. He had a lot of fun with them whilst doing all of these activities and they talked and joked a lot between each other. They would eat most meals together at the tavern or at their lord’s estates but one night Simon went over to Sir Rodgers house again and ate with Amber and they talked a lot that night. She offered him the best advice so far for the kings’ offer and then they discussed a lot of other things. During all this time he thought a lot about the kings’ offer and he had a list of pros and cons for accepting it and not accepting it and with all this in mind he finally had made a decision.

            One day whilst he was ate breakfast a messenger came and summoned him again for an audience with the king. He finished eating and dressed in some smart clothing and then walked to the palace. Once again a steward and some guards showed him to the kings’ room and when he entered he saw that the king was writing on his desk. He looked up when they entered and he smiled when he saw Simon.

            “Ah good to see you again Sir Simon” the king said.

            “You as well sire” Simon said with a bow.

            “Did you enjoy the feats I laid on?” The king asked.

            “I did indeed sire, you laid on great food and entertainment for both feasts” Simon replied.

            “That I did and they were indeed very enjoyable, it is good my son is married, I believe you are not married?” The king asked.

            “I am not, I haven’t met the lady yet, perhaps one day” Simon said.

            “Winning a tournament will no doubt help you in this, I saw you dance with a few ladies at the wedding feast” the king said.

            “There were a few who danced with me indeed and that was very fun” Simon replied.

            “I’m sure it was but I didn’t ask you here to talk of that, so you have an answer for me?” The king asked.

            “I do indeed sire, I have thought long and hard about your offer and it will be an honour to serve you, I accept the position” Simon replied.

            “Good, I’m glad you have, I shall be busy for a few days but I shall send for you again to tell you more about it, in the meantime I suggest you find a place of your own to live” the king said.

            “I will sire, like you said before I shall spend my winnings very wisely” Simon replied.

            “Good, I’m glad to you will, I shall see you in a few days then sir, you may leave” the king said and Simon bowed to him once more and left the room and was guided by the steward out of the palace. He then walked back to the lord’s estate and went and told the lord that he had accepted the kings’ offer and that he would be staying here. The lord was saddened by the news but he said it was not unexpected and he wished Simon well. The lord said that Simon could stay in his estate until he find a place of his own and he would make sure the servants fed him and such. He then told Simon that he would be leaving to go back home the next day and he hoped that Simon would come and see him off and Simon said of course he would. Once Simon had told the lord he left and sought out his friends to tell them, he found them in their usual tavern and told them he had accepted the kings’ offer. They said that he had made the right decision and they were happy for him, they gave him a drink and a slap on the back and he spent the rest of the afternoon with them.

            The next he was true to his word and rode out with the lord and his party to the gates of the city and wished them a fond farewell. He shook the lords’ hand as well as the other knights and he hoped he would see them again in the future. They all wished him well in his new position and said they hoped he would write to them so they could hear all about his adventures and he said he would. Once all this was said they rode off with all their men following behind them and he was left behind looking after them and waving until they went out of sight. He spent the rest of that day looking around the city and eventually found a nice house in the fourth tier that he could afford. He talked to the owner and made him an offer, the owner said he would think it over and that he should come back tomorrow to hear his decision and Simon said he would. He returned to the estate which was a lot quieter now that there weren’t so many people in it. He went down to the kitchens and ate some food there before going to his room and thinking and then sleeping. The next day he went back to the house and the owner agreed to his offer and over the next couple of days had the deed draw up for Simon and Simon paid him the money he offered. He moved in a few days after he found the place and bought a few things from market to make it more homely.

            During the time that he was sorting this house out his other friends left the capitol as well and he went out to the gates with each of them and said goodbye with them. The first to leave was ginger as he wanted to get back to his wife, he wished Simon luck with his new duties and Simon wished the same for him on his journey and said he would return soon enough to see him. The twins and dwarf were next as they lived in the same area and they too wished him well and Simon returned the favour. The bear and the prince were next and their farewell was a little sadder even though both of them tried to put on a cheeky face for it. They made some jokes about Simon and he gave as well as he got and then they rode off with their lord. The last to go was the silent knight and though she did not say a thing when the rode out together as they had their farewell the night before in private it was still the hardest one as she was the greatest friend he had and they had grown a lot closer in the last couple of weeks. She merely nodded at him when he said farewell and the rode of and waved back at him once. He returned back to his house alone and he knew he would be summoned by the king soon enough to start his new duties but now he had no friends in the city. He drank a mug of ale and raised it to his friends that night and thought of them and the adventures he was going to have next serving the king and he smiled. He would see them all again, this was not the end but another beginning.

The end