The Outcasts of Rosamond

The Outcasts of Rosamond Benjamin

Robert wandered about Castle Rosamond, watching the inhabitants talk about previous battles, and about other happenings in Kingdom Poudre, such as encounters with unicorns and minataurs. This was not unusual, as most of the people who lived in the castle were knights, and there hadn't been a battle in years. King Mason sat at the High Table with Queen Darian, both of who were chuckling. Robert didn't register any of this, though, as he had other things on his mind. He usually sat down and enjoyed the King's Banquet, but after his blunder with a knight from Toltecas, and after his father yelled at him at the top of his lungs about how useless he was, he didn't even touch the cook's luscious Yorkshire pudding.

Robert had been riding nonchalantly when the knight took him from behind. His father, one of the King's royal knights, had gotten about as far as you could get from calm because his son had not been alert. The words he said still echoed in Robert's head.

"You'll never be a knight! I'm surprised the King made you a page!" his father, Sir Roland, had roared so loud that it made the castle shake.

Robert had walked off, steamrolled. He had always wanted to do well by his father, and now, he'd blown it. He was so depressed that he forgot to duck under the 5-foot doorway and bashed his head against the top of it. He collided with the cook on his way to the banquet hall, and jostled some dishes out of the cook's hand.

"Oi, Robert, anything the matter?" the cook had inquired.

"No," Robert muttered.

The next morning, Robert had forgotten to comb his dark brown hair. He put on his untidy clothes that didn't fit him any more, which earned him another barking from his father. This put his mood down even more. Everyone noticed that he wasn't his blissful, carefree self anymore. His best friend even asked him to joust, but he turned the offer down.

"Why not? You always love to," said Peter.

"No, Peter, I'm just too busy," Robert lied.

"Are you O.K.?"

"Yes."

"You sure, Robert?"

"Yes!" Robert replied heatedly.

After dinner, Robert's mood crashed as low as it could get. He rose from the table, and went upstairs to go to bed. When he was on the 6th floor, he dashed down the corridor. He entered his family's stone residence. He heard voices coming from his mother and father's room. Without intending to, he eavesdropped.

"Maybe you could be a little less harsh on him!" said his mother's alto voice.

"I'm not forgiving him for being careless! He was supposed to be on the lookout for strangers! That boy could have been a spy for another country, and now they could be planning to attack us! He was exactly the type of person that Robert was supposed to be on the lookout for! MY STUPID SON WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING!!!" his father bellowed.

Robert winced and then cried, especially at his father's last comment. Robert dashed down the corridor again and sprinted out of the castle. He sat down by a willow tree and continued to cry.

"He-hic-says-hic-I'll never-hic-amount-hic-to anything!" Robert said out loud. He heard a whinny from the stables nearby. It was his horse. "Padma- I never knew you were there!" She seemed to laugh. "Hey- what if we run away?! Away from my father since he's always disappointing me. Don't worry," he added hastily, seeing the quizzical look in Padma's eyes. "We'll learn to survive in the wild." Padma bowed her head in consent. A quarter of an hour later, Robert was checking off the items they had.

"We've got water- I'll fill our canteens in the river, I snuck some food from the kitchens, a tent- I've got father's, and we have your saddle bags- Padma, I think we're ready!" Robert exclaimed. Padma lifted her front hooves up and struck them together. "Oh, armor, but I can't do anything about that. It would be to dangerous to steal some- we'd have less time to get away once they discovered it was gone."

The next morning, they were well away from the castle before they stopped for breakfast. Robert left Padma tied to a tree and went to fill their canteens. Then, Robert sat down and ate some scones. When Padma was offered scones, she gave Robert a look of 'What are you thinking?!' and ate some grass. "We're lucky no one opened their curtains covering their windows last night, Padma," Robert said. She merely bobbed her head up and down.

Soon, the duo set out again. They trekked through grassland, where it looked as if it hadn't rained in days. The sun reached its pinnacle in the sky and beat down on them with its blistering heat. Robert was glad of the refreshing zephyr that passed over him as he and Padma galloped. Before long, there was a pink and orange sunset on the horizon. Padma skidded to a halt. They were at the edge of the Forest of Obliteration and Doom.

"Shall we enter?" Robert asked Padma. She stomped her feet after surveying this dark forest. "Take us away!" They trotted in, instead of galloping. Robert shivered. The forest had an eerie silence that made Robert feel as though they were being watched. He did not like this forest at all. Once or twice, Robert jumped at the rustling of leaves. After what seemed like a couple of hours (but were only half an hour, for being in a dark and scary forest always elongates time), Robert hissed for Padma to stop. He had seen light somewhere- but no, he was just being silly, they couldn't have reached the end of the forest yet. And then he knew that he had seen light- a fire. But it still did not have a welcoming feeling about it. Then Robert knew why. He stood horror- struck, and Padma cowered. A figure barely taller than Robert was lying on the ground.

Robert knew he was dead, and was about to ride on when he realized the person's identity. Now Robert was too dumbfounded to speak. The dead boy was the one who had caused all of this trouble- the Toltec knight.

But Robert saw no blood, nor a weapon, and once he heard the boy's loud snores, he knew that he was not dead. Robert taught himself to breathe again. Then he came up with a brilliant scheme. For revenge.

Robert snuck down to the boy's camp. He made sure the boy was sleeping, then climbed into his tent. Robert gasped. An array of weapons, a suit of armor, and a silver shield hung in the tent. Robert took the armor, the shield and tied the jeweled sword's sheath around his belt. He clambered up the side of the ditch to where Padma was waiting.

"Think you'll be able to carry this?" he gasped. The glint in Padma's eyes showed her determination to, so Robert loaded the armor and shield in the unused saddle bag.

Robert had a second sleepless night, as to put as much space as possible between them and the other knight. Robert was so restless that the owls hooting and the dark forest did not bother him anymore. By dawn, they were at the edge of the forest. Robert was glad of this. He took a nap to compensate for the lack of sleep he'd had over the past two days. He dreamt that he and his best friend, Peter, were jousting. Robert fainted, and Peter was shaking him to wake him up.

"Get up Robert, get up!" Peter said.

Robert rolled over and reluctantly opened his eyes. The rest had been so refreshing, and the dream so comforting, why did he have to wake up now?

"Great Scott!" Robert exclaimed. Towering over him was a slim boy, with bright blue eyes that reflected his green eyes. "What are you doing here, Peter?"

"I should ask you the same question," Peter replied.

"You first."

"Fine. When I heard that you ran away, I went looking for you. Now your version."

"I- er- it's none of your business. O.K., I guess I'll have to tell you," he added hastily, seeing the frown on Peter's countenance. "My father told me to go." He was partially telling the truth, as his father had as good as told him to leave.

"Oh. I thought you did something stupid and ran away in shame- or that's what rumors say, at least."

"I see. I don't suppose you can tell me WHY YOU BELIEVE EVERY STUPID THING THOSE IDIOTS SAY!!!" Robert yelled.

"I told you-

"YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU BELIEVE THEM! GO BACK AND CELEBRATE THAT I'M GONE! FOREVER!!"

"They're n-not celebrating, they're r-really sad, and I was g-going to- going to c-come with you," Peter said timorously.

"Oh." There was a long pause. "Sorry," Robert said. "But I was going to fight, and you need armor to fight." Robert was glad of another person to keep him company, but didn't want to sound so.

"I do! And my own horse, Rippler!" Robert let out a sigh of relief. "My father gave me a suit of armor for my 13th birthday, and a horse on my 12th."

"Your father?" Robert said thickly.

"Yeah! Not to be rude-

"Peter get down!"

"But he's really rich-

"Peter lie down!" Robert hissed again.

"As he's one of the King's Royal Knights!"

"Peter, you idiot, get down!" Since Peter didn't seem to hear Robert for the third time, Robert yanked him down and not a moment too soon. Two foreign men came strolling out of the forest, one with a crooked nose and bony legs, and one with a mustache, who was bald. Peter grasped Robert's arm.

"I keep telling you, sir, that Castle Rosamond is unguarded. Everyone is thinking about that boy that disappeared. They are not ready for attack! This is the opportunity we've been waiting for!" said the bald one.

"But w-we shwood probabably wait a we-e-ek to at-tack." the one with the crooked nose returned.

"The giants and dragons will not wait a week! They will war against themselves! Discord will be brought into our troops! The Toltecs will not bind with us much longer, either!! We need them as an alliance!"

"But-

"I will contact the general. See what he thinks. Meanwhile, you will back me up in my protest for action in a few days. Otherwise- my whip has not tasted human blood for so long!" He gave a cunning, devilish smile.

"Major, no-

Crack! Crack! The man with the crooked nose whimpered. Padma traipsed over between the two men.

"Out of my way, horse! Move!" the man with the whip bellowed. Padma stood still. The man raised his whip.

"No-" Robert's voice was muffled by Peter covering his mouth.

"Stop, you'll only make it worse!" Peter whispered.

Crack! Crack! The whip came down on Padma's shoulders and left two clean lash marks. Before a third lash could be laid, Padma ran away. The two men then strode off, with the one with the crooked nose whimpering.

Peter and Robert came out from behind their hiding spots. Luckily, the men had not spotted their horses. Peter gaped, and Robert choked back tears. Padma trotted over to beside Robert.

"Padma are you O.K?" Robert's tears flowed freely down his cheeks now. "Its all my fault! If I hadn't been so much of an idiot-

"You mean if your father hadn't been so much of an idiot," Peter corrected him. "Listen, there's nothing you can do by crying. We have to do something."

"You're right. Look at me- my father would be ashamed. We can't go back and warn the castle- for it will lose too much time. The only thing we can do now is fight. And I swear on my oath that that man will pay for what he did to Padma!" He was lying a bit about the part that they would lose too much time- he was saying it because he didn't want to go back into the Forest of Obliteration, and because he didn't want to face his father.

"I believe you- so let's go and look for their troops!"

"Good point."

By nightfall, the only traces of them were trails of dust, and their horses' hoof marks. They were miles beyond the forest by then, too. Their horses came to a halt.

"Oh, dear."

Peter seemed to read Robert's mind. "Don't worry about our water, I spotted a river just north of here."

"Thank goodness- how's our food supply?"

"Enough to sustain us for a few more days, I'd say."

"So be it- we'll just have to hurry across this barren desert."

After they had filled their canteens, they planned how they would traverse the desert.

"I say we cross the desert to the north side," Peter commented.

"There's no point! The river ends, and we'd just go off course! I've got a hunch that they're a ways east of here. And even if I didn't, it would be easier to look for traces of the army in the middle of the desert." Robert said.

"But-

"Peter- you heard what I said. If you disagree, you can go back to Rosamond."

"Fine, but first lets get some shuteye." Peter said.

The next day was spent crossing the desert. They had an encounter with a rattlesnake that almost resulted in getting bitten, and also saw a coyote, and some cacti. They made camp for the night by a colossal cactus.

The next morning, Peter woke up before Robert. Peter took out some flint and made a blazing fire. Robert yawned and stretched before he woke up.

"Oh, Peter, thanks," Robert said goggily, as he rubbed his eyes.

"Its robin eggs for breakfast, but if you don't come quickly there'll be nothing until lunch."

"O.K. Where's Padma?"

"Tied to that tree yonder. She's feeling better. Now are you coming?" Peter snapped.

"One second!" Robert strolled over to Padma. She turned her head away from him so that she couldn't see him. "C'mon, Padma, what's that for?" Padma nodded her head towards Peter. "What- he didn't do anything to you!" She grunted. Robert understood immediately. "Oh, ever since he joined us I haven't been paying you any attention. Well, I'm sorry. I'll try harder, though." Padma responded by looking at him with a fierce gleam in her eyes, as though weighing his offer. Then she walked over to him and allowed Robert to touch her in response. "Thanks," Robert replied.

After they had eaten their breakfast of the eggs Peter salvaged, they journeyed on for a few hours. They stopped for lunch around noon, when the sun was penetrating their skin so that they couldn't stand it anymore. Robert jerked on the reins and Peter followed suit.

"Lucky for this aspen grove. I'm thirsty." Peter announced.

"Yeah, well Thirsty, let's have lunch here. This lake will be able to quench you." Robert retorted.

"Yeah- our canteens are empty."

"Welcome to 1453- when humans have learned to walk."

"Will you stop teasing me and just help me lead the horses to the lake?"

After they had eaten their fill, Peter belched and Robert groaned.

"I can't walk." Robert complained. Suddenly- Peter pounced on Robert.

"What in heavens name?"

"Shhh- be quiet," Peter whispered.

"We march tonight." a bass voice said.

"I never knew you were a ventriloquist, Peter?!" Robert cried.

"I'm not- there's someone else out there. And shush!" Peter barked.

"But we're not ready! I was going to march soon, like private Zan told you, but we need at least one more day!" said a different voice, completely in contrast.

"We're perfectly ready! Our troops are 2 hours south of here, so it won't take more than 3 days to reach Rosamond. We can't loose any more time, or they'll know of our plans. We will march tonight!" the first man, who was now visible, snarled.

"Whatever you say, general." Robert and Peter froze when they realized that the man speaking was the major they had seen earlier.

"Good. Now rally the troops. I want them ready to march tonight! Your general has spoken!" The other man bowed his head, then departed.

When the general had walked off, too, Robert and Peter emerged from behind the trees.

"We need to cut them off!" Peter exclaimed.

"The quickest way would be to take the hypotenuse." Robert said after pondering over the situation.

"Yeah, but how far from where they are right now should we plan to end up?"

"I'd say about 70 miles."

"70?!"

"Yes, otherwise they'd overtake us."

"You're right- but we'd better set off now, because they'll be making tracks by nightfall."

"I estimate we should go in about that direction," Robert pointed southeast.

"Yeah, but when do we stop?" "Thank goodness to Pythagoreas." After a couple of minutes of scratching in the dirt and muttering miscellaneous things, Robert replied. "Approximately 76 miles, or 134,024 strides."

"We have to count all of those strides?!" Peter goggled.

"No- Padma will, she's a pretty smart horse."

Peter just stood in awe.

Robert felt like stopping in an inviting field, but he knew that he couldn't, or they never catch the army. They rode on hours and hours, without sleep. They were restless by morning the next day, but they fought against their instincts and rode on. They ate dinner and breakfast the next day on their horses. Robert slouched in his saddle while Peter took first watch. They alternated sleeping and being on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. By noontide, they were feeling a bit more refreshed. They stopped for lunch that day when Padma stomped her feet.

"We there?" Robert asked. Padma walked a yard from where they were sitting, and then stomped her feet again. Robert laughed, and he and Peter moved over to where Padma was standing erect.

Robert and Peter waited for a few hours before conversation broke out again.

"Do you think we missed them?" Peter remarked.

"No, we got a 5 hour head start, and my calculations couldn't have gone awry." Robert observed.

"Well, there's nothing to do but wait. But if we don't see them by this time tomorrow, then we hurry back to Rosamond. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

The pair waited on and on. But no one came. Robert started to wish that someone would come, to eliminate the silence. Even if it meant blood being shed. When the sun sank behind the horizon, Robert began to think that they might have to go back to the castle and endure the criticism by his father, and be dubbed cowards. His heart sank.

Robert awoke in the morning with Peter on guard duty.

"No one here, mate," Peter stated promptly.

They waited on hours and hours. Robert's legs began to ache from pacing up and down. Finally, the sun reached its height in the sky. After they had eaten a lunch composing of bread and honey, Robert spoke.

"Well, we'd best be getting on with plan B. Lets hurry back to the castle."

"Yeah- "

A trumpet sounded. Now the clatter of hooves could be heard. After a few moments a banner could be seen bearing a shield and cross-bones and the word 'Rebellionists'.

"This is them, I suppose," Robert whispered.

"Yep." Peter responded.

"Peter, behind this log!"

Both of them dove behind the log as a mass herd of horses and their riders came charging through the glade. The stampede lasted nearly five minutes! Each of the riders was wearing a red uniform with the same design encrypted on it as the blood red banner. Each of the men was a shaggy unkempt figure about the age of 25. The horses were night black, and each of them was very skinny. The horses also had what appeared to be wings attached to their side. After they were sure that the last of the army had departed, Peter and Robert emerged from behind the tall log, which was exceptionally uncomfortable.

"So, Robert, what do we do?" Peter questioned.

"Follow them. Once they make camp, we sneak up on them." Robert answered.

"And if they don't make camp?"

"We go straight to the castle. Got it?"

"Yeah."

They spent the rest of the day following the army a fair distance behind, so as not to be seen. They were sweaty by the time they stopped. The Rebellionists had already made camp by the time the pair was ready for their attack. They left their horses tied to a tree, and took their swords and shields out.

"Why aren't we wearing our armor?" Peter asked in and inquisitive tone.

"It'll make too much noise and slow us down too much. 'Member all the moves you learned in jousting?"

"Yeah- up, slash, low, up- "

"Good." Robert cut him off.

They snuck across to a grassy area where the bright red army slept. They cautiously crept across to a tent.

"ARRRR! GOTCHA!!!" A fat (in Robert's opinion) guard grabbed Peter on his shoulders.

"Robert!" Peter cried. The guard was attempting to put Peter in a sack when Robert stabbed him. The guard stared dumbly at the sword protruding from his chest. Robert yanked his sword out, and then yelled to Peter.

"No time to loose. C'mon now!" Robert reassured Peter. By now the rest of the troop was roused, and was hurrying out of their tents. Robert impaled a few who were still clambering out of their sleeping quarters, while Peter fought of the ones who were already out.

"Robert, I need help!" Peter yelled above the tumult.

"One- stab- sec- slash- ond- cleave!"

After everyone was either out or dead, Robert rushed back to help Peter. He brought his sword down upon many people. Then he saw a sight that made his mind race.

He saw the English man, who was bald with a mustache, except now he had a scarred face. Robert saw him coming, and boiled over with anger, though he didn't know why. He thought 'Let him come to me so I can kill the vile bully. My oath is to be fulfilled.' The man did find his way over to Robert, fortunately. When they were face to face, Robert hissed a few words.

"You have lived as a bully. Now you will die like a bully!" Robert snarled.

"What- I didn't do anything!"

"I saw you whip a man much lesser than you! Then I saw you lash my horse when she protected that man. I know you have tortured people!"

"I'm so sorry about your horse, and if I had known it was yours- "

"You'd have hurt it even more!"

"No, n-not your horse, n-never!"

"How does it feel to be facing someone with a weapon? Answer me. Now!"

"Please let me live!" the man pleaded.

"No, or I die. Pull out your sword and fight like a man!"

The man did adequately in defending himself from Robert's punctuated blows. But after parrying twice, he was slashed in two.

Peter was doing just as well. There was a pile of a few Toltecs and many English men at his feet. He had just pulled his short sword out of another member of the army when Robert hollered at him.

"Oi, Peter, I see Toltecs but no giants or dragons!"

"That can be accounted for. Look at that hill over there!" Peter pointed to a hill with boulders walking down it. Robert soon realized that the boulders were giants. The giants were getting closer by the minute- by the second. Soon there was a clear pathway for the giants to get to Robert and Peter. Once the giants were a stone's throw away from Robert, the army backed away. Each of the giants was dragging big, heavy clubs behind them with spikes on them. One of the giants brought its club up to full height, and then brought is smashing down. Robert dodged it. Both Peter and Robert rushed up to the giant and slashed its knee. Then Peter did something both brave and stupid.

He climbed up the giant's legs using his shield and sword, and then severed its other leg. The giant fell, and reached for Peter- but it was too late. Peter had already stabbed his heart. The other 20 or so giants were coming up to meet Peter and Robert.

"Robert- I don't think we can hold off them." Peter gestured toward the remaining giants.

"We'll just have to do our- " Robert was interrupted by a whinny.

Rippler and Padma came charging across the grass. The giants screamed (if you could call it a scream- it was more of a loud grunt) and ran back over the hill.

"Why did the giants run like that?" Robert asked Peter.

"We'll get to that later."

Their horses had, it appeared, loosened their saddlebags, and were hurling bits of armor at the remainder of the Rebellionists. Most of the victims were just knocked senseless, but a few got the full blast of a piece and died. By the time the horses' armor supply was fully consumed, there was only half a score of the Rebellionists left standing. Robert rushed to make them meet their ends when he was restrained.

"What in heaven's name- Peter, why are you holding me back?"

"Yeah, how are you doing, sissy Robert!" the person said in a high- pitched voice.

Robert looked behind him and saw that he and Peter were being held back by two men. Then he saw that behind Peter, their horses were tied up.

"Take their weapons." commanded a cold voice.

Their weapons were thrown aside. Robert soon saw the voice's owner- the general he had seen earlier.

"Yes, yes. I thought this would happen. I thought someone was watching me in that aspen grove. Two more slaves."

Robert burst out talking before he could tell himself not to. "You will not take me as a slave! Set me free or kill me!"

"Mmm- a feisty little one. Well- are you sure?"

"Yes!" Robert yelled.

"Please spare our lives, sir," Peter pleaded.

"Peter, you don't understand! I will not live my life as a slave!"

"Very well. Bind him to a tree!" the general barked. "My revenge will take place tonight!"

"If you kill him, you'll have to kill me!" Peter intervened.

"Fine- "

"COWARD!! YOU DON'T EVEN GIVE US A FAIR FIGHT! DIRTY ROTTEN COWARD!" Robert screamed, now breathless.

"A fair fight. Yes, of course. Release them, guards!"

"Robert, we're in this together," Peter announced.

"Peter, please let me fight him alone! What's the good if both of us die?" Robert said.

"No- "

"Peter- yes. I want to die with dignity, or win fairly."

"O.K. Good luck," Peter gave in.

"Give them their weapons!" Robert was thrust his shield and sword. He prayed before returning the general's curt bow.

The match lasted a very long while. Robert would fake thrust his sword and then slash at the general, who ducked and parried. Then the general would get Robert's sword in a lock, and attempt to stab Robert, who would block the blow with his shield. They both ended up with scratches on their faces, and were sweating. Finally, the general swung his sword at Robert, who blocked it with his sword, which was knocked clean out of his hands. Robert dropped his shield. Now the general was upon him. He was wearing a victorious, slim smile. Again, Robert prayed. 'He'll watch over my family and Peter, I know He will. And He won't let an evil, murderous pirate prevail over an innocent boy, either.' Robert thought.

At the last minute possible, a bugle sounded. An army of brown horses wearing blue arrived. Their banner, though, held the words 'Rosamond' on it. Robert's heart leapt for joy. His and Peter's fathers were among the first rank. They closed in on the general, murmured some words Robert couldn't hear, and then Sir Roland impaled the general. The rest of the army pleaded for their lives. They announced that they had mended their ways, and Castle Rosamond's knights took them back as prisoners.

Robert's father ran up to Robert and Peter and hugged them. Robert stood horrified, looking out over the battlefield.

"It's O.K., Robert. I know how the battle shock feels. Had it after my first battle. I know that you don't like killing another man, but they would have killed you if you hadn't killed them first." Sir Roland, Robert's father, said. "And I'm sorry that I yelled at you. It was my fault you got into this mess."

Robert's father's apologizing to Robert for yelling at him made Robert feel much better. They slept for the remainder of the mostly spent night, and then awoke to an early start. Robert questioned his father a bit before he left, though.

"Why did the giants run from our horses?" Robert asked.

"Giants are afraid of horses- an old prophesy was made that horses are lethal to giants- so the giants like to stay away from horses." his father answered.

"And where were the dragons?"

"Ah- well, we convinced them to come to our side. Said they'd be better off with us- y'know."

"And father, why weren't the giants scared of the Rebellionists' horses?"

"You saw their horses- well, if you can call those horrid creatures horses at all- they're not pure horses. Well son, we'd better get going if we don't want to be left behind."

After a few days of trotting, they arrived at the castle. Everyone was eager to see them. Robert's mother embraced him so tightly that he thought he'd suffocate. After a few minutes of chatter and tying their horses up, the King's knights and Peter and Robert entered the castle.

"Robert, King Mason wants to see you. And you too, Peter," Ashton, Peter's father said after the homecoming feast.

Queen Darian escorted the pair to the King's house. Robert was frozen stiff. What had he done that was so bad that he had to see the King? 'It must have been running away.' Robert thought. Darian lead them into the King's royal residence on the first floor then departed. Robert knocked, and then they entered.

"Sit down," said the King's comforting voice. They did. After a long pause the king continued. "I understand that you fought off the army of outcasts that are fighting against the castle they once lived in."

"They what?!"

"Please- no interruptions. Well, this army that you fought against is composed of outcasts of this castle and their descendants. They tried to poison the cook- the same one we have today- who was reprimanding them time after time, so my father banned them from the castle. They were old enough to look after themselves, though. They wanted revenge for being kicked out of the castle, especially their leader, General Sith. So they tricked the Toltecs, giants, and dragons into helping them fight me as revenge on my father. I tried to persuade the giants to come to our side, but it didn't work. I managed to persuade the dragons to come to our side in the short time provided, though. The building of this army has been going on for half a score of years now, but the Toltecs never left the outcast's sides. Therefore, I could not get close enough to them to convert them to our side."

"But how do you know all of this?" Peter questioned.

"I had a spy in their army. The one who attacked you, Robert, before you ran away. I realized this too late- after you two had left. Well, I found out that they were attacking us now just two days ago. Immediately, I sent my knights out to fight them. But you had already done most of the damage we needed. Both of you, I am informed, fought valiantly against the Rebellionists. You have done more than many of my knights have done in their lifetime. For that, I give you both badges of bravery and promote you both to Junior Royal Knights." He hung gold medals around both of their necks that had the words 'Badge of Bravery' engraved on them.

"Sir, your spy might want his armor, shield, and sword back." Robert said elegantly.

"He said that you could keep them, though he was rather fond of the sword. He's found replacements." the king chuckled. "Now off with you two."

They walked back down to the Banquet Hall for dessert, flushed with pleasure.

"Wanna joust?" Peter asked Robert, giggling.

"Sure thing!" Robert responded, now laughing.