Hero of the Western Shores

Copyright 2023 Cal ClementAll Rights ReservedThe characters and events portrayed within are fictitious.Any similarities to real persons, alive or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without express written permission of the author.ISBN-978-1-7376655-5-7Cover Artist: Juan PadronPrinted in the United States of America This book is dedicated to my sons. Tracer, Hunter and Cooper.Don’t fear what lurks within the shadows, go forth and slay your dragons. Hero of the Western Shores CHAPTER ONEThe training yardThe clatter of swords colliding echoed off stone walls surrounding Valriden’s training yard. A cool bright morning had given way, and the sun grew hotter as it peeked its face over the wall’s battlements. Sir Kellor faced his third opponent of the day with a blunted training sword in hand. Beneath layers of quilted doublet and boiled leather, he could feel the perspiration gathering around his neck and running down his chest and back. He was weary after being tested by two opponents before this match, but he refused to show any sign of weakness. Sir Tangen had been dispatched easily enough. He had clashed with him first and though the knight was younger than he by nearly four years, Sir Kellor managed to outmaneuver him and score a series of hits against his arms and torso that left the knight barely able to lift his training sword. Sir Legan had been next and a more challenging match for Sir Kellor. When the two knights first began their clash, Sir Kellor found that his attacks were consistently blocked or parried by his opponent. Sir Legan was a fine swordsman and had been in the service of King Tarren’s court for years before Sir Kellor had been raised to knighthood. After a series of long clashes back-and-forth, Sir Legan began to tire and Sir Kellor was able to slip in a few blows against the older knight’s chest and shoulder, causing him to yield. Now he faced Sir Grinden.Raised to knighthood at the same time as Sir Kellor, the two knights were near enough in age and size as to not give one advantage over the other. But while Sir Grinden was trained in a castle by a lord’s master at arms, Sir Kellor was raised as a squire and trained by the legendary Sir Alishane. The two men had become fast friends during their service to the king and near inseparable during their time spent in the neighboring kingdom of Ubecki, where a select handful of the great knights of Valentia must spend a year serving and studying in the court of the ancient seat of Elven power. But in the training yard, a knight has no friends.Sir Kellor raised his sword and attacked with a series of slashing blows that drove Sir Grinden back on his heels. The knight’s sword rang and clattered with each clash while Sir Grinden kept his arms tight and managed to parry away Sir Kellor’s attacks. The defending knight managed a well-timed counter and Sir Kellor was barely able to block the wheeling attack before it landed against his side. For a long moment, the two swordsmen took stock of each other, circling while they caught their breath.“Quit dancing around and hit the bastard!” a voice called from the edge of the training yard.Sir Kellor knew better than to look for the source of the taunt, but Sir Grinden’s head turned just a fraction. Taking quick advantage, Sir Kellor raised his leg in a thrusting kick that landed on Sir Grinden’s chest, sending him stumbling back several paces. Sir Kellor pressed his advantage and raised his sword in an overhead arc that met Sir Grinden’s sword. Another attack found steel meeting steel while Sir Grinden regained his footing. Sir Kellor wheeled his sword around for a third slash but readjusted after a feigned overhead attack and doubled his handhold on the hilt of his sword for a high lunge. The point of his training sword stopped a finger width from Sir Grinden’s neck.“Yield!” Sir Kellor demanded in a shout.Sir Grinden rotated his sword point to the ground and held his offhand up. “I yield friend. Yet again.”Sir Kellor smiled and lowered his blunted training blade. “You have bested me before, and you will again.”“Not recently.” Sir Grinden replied while shaking his head, “Do you ever tire? Your last strike felt stronger than your first.”Sir Kellor laughed and clapped a hand onto his friend’s shoulder. “Every man tires, my friend.”The voice from the edge of the training yard sounded again. “Well? Do you plan to spend your afternoon grabbing at each other’s arses? Don’t tell me this is the famed training that occurs in King Tarren’s own yard!”Sir Kellor searched for the source of the voice and found a tall, broad-shouldered man in a fine woolen doublet of deep green trimmed in red. Sir Kellor knew him to be Lord Edgar Fellsworth, a wealthy and reputed lord of the north country along Valentia’s border with Ubecki. Lord Fellsworth was a guest of the king and had come with a handful of his household knights to take part in the day’s training session before making an appearance in the king’s court. Sir Kellor had met Lord Fellsworth before, though the encounter was brief enough he could not claim to know the man, but his reputation preceded him. As had a messenger from the lord’s own court. He had come to the capitol to petition the king for relief from some grievance. Sir Kellor did not involve himself in such affairs. He only paid attention so much as that the arrival of a noble lord meant the addition of fresh swords to the training yard. Inevitably, a challenge would be issued.“Lord Fellsworth, it is good of you to visit us in the king’s training yard.” Sir Kellor offered in greeting, “Will you be joining