[Mkguild] Patrol VII

[Jack Moore]

AN: Next part of my story, please give as many criticisms as you can. It's
largely unedited

Patrol VII

May 17th, 697
"He doesn't like me." I said. My arm was straight out and utterly rigid.
"He doesn't know you well enough yet." Sir Tallis said. "Would you trust
someone you barely know?"
"I wouldn't be a wild animal." I said. The Harris hawk on the end of my arm
glared at me. I tried to take a step back, except my arm went with me so
the hawk did also. Around his left leg were little bells, they jingled
every time I moved.
"James all you want to do today is get the bird used to being perched on
your arm." Sir Tallis stayed behind me at all times, watching and never
touching. Further behind him were five knights who watched us.
My father had me watched at all times. Despite being only twelve I had
nearly been assassinated three times already. When you're in any position
of authority in the Empire (or could be) everyone want to kill you so THEY
can be the target of assassins.
Life is funny like that.
"He's a beautiful bird isn't he?" Sir Tallis asked. I swallowed. "James, he
won't hurt you."
"I know." I said. "It's just...I was hoping to spend more time with him
before doing this." Sir Tallis laughed.
"James starring at your bird while he is in his mews is not spending time
with him. My arm by now was beginning to throb and sweat was rolling into
my breeches. I flexed my fist.
"It's almost spending time with him." I said. The hawk turned his head to
match my gaze. His eyes pierced my skull. I closed my eyes but I could
still feel him starring at me. My skin began to crawl. "What if he flies
away?" Tallis snorted. "What?"
"I expect him to fly away." Sir Tallis said. "Every bird will try to fly
away no matter how well trained they are. Especially when they aren't well
trained. But that's why we have the bells."
"Right, right the bells." I stammered. "Well I've had him out for a while,
why don't we put him back in his mews?"
"Because you told me you wanted to be trained in falconry." Sir Tallis
said. "I will train you James, but it will take time." I glanced back at
the other knights. Of the four knights there, at least one was a mage.
"James do not take your eyes off your bird." My head snapped back.
"Sorry sorry sorry." Sir Tallis gestured at the bag tied around my waste.
"Take some food from your bag. We're going to try feeding your hawk." Of
course we were. I gingerly reached into my bag.
"Kay, don't move." My hawk cocked his head. "Please don't move!" Now my
guardian was laughing at me. "Shut up!"
"I'm trying." Sir Tallis said. His face was red with mirth and his body was
shaking.
"I'll have dad put you in stocks!" I snapped.
"No doubt. Now please James pull out one scrap of meat." I swallowed and
stuck my hand into the pile of greasy scraps. Cold, squishy and all of it
very greasy. Now my hawk turned his gaze to my eyes.
"Tal, he's looking at my hand!" I cried. The knights behind me hid their
laughter as best they could.
"Of course he's looking at you." Sir Tallis said.
"He's going to claw my face off!" I stammered. "He's gonna kill me!" Sir
Tallis didn't even bother hiding rolling his eyes. The little hawk had
actually turned his gaze to the hand in my bag.
"James, he's interested in what you have." Sir Tallis said. "That's a good
thing; you need to hold your birds interest." I nodded. Gingerly I removed
the chunk of meat.
"Skreeeee!" My hawk fluttered his wings and my scream matched his.
"James!" Sir Tallis brought me back to reality. "You said you wanted to
learn falconry, you have to learn this way."
"What way?" I whined.
"The same way I learned. I promise you my liege you will be just fine." Sir
Tallis raised a hand as if to clap me on the back. To do such a thing would
mean to lose the hand.
My father made it a rule; you were only to touch his wife, his sons or his
whores if protecting their lives. Sir Tallis realized this and lowered his
hand but he kept smiling at me. I grimaced.
"I just...I don't want to hurt him. But I don't want him to hurt me!" Sir
Tallis shook his head.
"James he won't hurt you, he's scared of you." I nodded. He's scared of me.
He's scared of me.
I raised the chunk of meat again and my hawk cocked his head. I held it
forward, just on the tips of my fingers. He reached down and snatched it.
"Yowch!"
"Something wrong?" Sir Tallis asked.
"He pecked me!" I tried shaking the pain out of my fingers. "I told you he
was going to hurt me." Now my men were laughing at me, even Sir Tallis was
failing. "Quiet! I'm gonna have you thrown in jail!"
"We don't doubt it sir." Sir Tallis said, wiping tears from his eyes. "You
need to relax James. You're fine but your bird will hurt you the first
time. That's natural."
"It is not!" I said, my arms shaking. "I should never have to be in pain!
I'm gonna be your lord!" Now I was whining so hard that I couldn't pay
attention. If I had been I might have noticed Sir Tallis pointing.
"Uh James? Your arm?"
"I can have you sent to jail!" I yelled at them. Now I began to gesture,
causing my hawk to screech. Sir Tallis began to yell at me.
"Arm James! Arm!" I paused just in time for my hawk to screech at me and
take off like a bolt from a bow. We stood there as my bird flew straight to
the roof of the manor and clenched down, glaring at us.
At this point all of the knights fell to the ground laughing. I glared at
them as fiercely as a twelve-year-old can. This naturally made them laugh
harder.
"Stop this!" A voice rang out above the laughter. We all looked up to see a
lone figure marching towards us. I sighed.
"Enfer!" Sir Tallis greeted the approaching knight, "What brings you out to
our young lord's lesson?" The new visitor was perpetual sour puss and
lieutenant in the Noble Guard, Sir Enfer.
Like Sir Tallis, Enfer was tall but much thinner. His red hair was falling
out, what wisps and clumps were left stuck straight up. His body swayed as
he moved, his arms leapt around whenever he talked. His eyes were a weird
shade of brown, almost orange.
"I'm not coming here to watch this foolishness." Sir Enfer said. "Our young
lord was supposed to be at his next lessons." My head sunk.
"My next lesson is dance!" I whined. "Don't make me go."
"Sir Enfer is right." Tallis said. "You have to attend your lessons,
knowing how to dance matters when you are a Lord. You will host balls
events here one day and attend many more." My hawk punctuated this with a
screech. Sir Enfer glanced up at him.
"Why is their a hawk up there?"
"He tried to attack me!" I said. Sir Enfer just rubbed his temples and
nodded.
"You men" He pointed at them, "I expect you to get that bird down. And Sir
Tallis, I will be escorting you and our lord to his next lesson."
"Yes sir boss!" Tallis said, mock-saluting. He gestured and I followed
behind, my head down the entire time. "I'm not trusted to look after my
charge?"
"I don't trust you to, Lord Leontes should not either." Sir Enfer kept up
pace on my other side. I looked up at them.
Could one of them be a mage? I thought to myself. Dad has mages hidden in
the knights and that would be cool. Wish I had magic... We entered inside
the manor and made our way through the winding maze of corridors. I wonder
where grandpa hid the secret passage. I know it's somewhere.
We came to the ball room doors, two massive oak slabs. Engraved on them
were the family crest over and over, even on the door latch. Enfer nodded
at Sir Tallis.
"I will relieve you of our young master."
"I stand relieved." I let out a cry.
"I hate dance!" I whined. "And I hate you!" I grabbed onto Sir Tallis. "I
want you to stay here."
"Sorry my friend." Sir Tallis smiled but didn't touch me. "I've got a wife
and boy of my own to return home to." He disentangled himself from my
little arms. I watched him walk away.
"I wish you wouldn't dislike me so." Sir Enfer said. "I have your best
interests at heart."
"No you don't." I snapped.
I forgot how young I was then; I couldn't see what was obvious. I'll get
into it soon though.
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