No Hero may bare any titles beyond that of Hero. Should any other titles be bestowed, the Hero will be released in good standing from the Guild.

Hero’s Guild Book of Rules

Rule #93

Skemm’s left arm rested in a sling to help prevent her from using the muscles damaged by the arrow, though her chest still ached with every rise and fall of the horse she rode. That said, she wasn’t about to complain. For one thing, riding a horse was not only less painful and tiring than walking, but the offer of a horse from the King himself was not something she could turn down.

She and Riven had set out early that morning to meet up with Feral at Lord Fesser’s castle but had run into the King’s army almost at once. It was a little tense at first, with the army suspecting they may be spies for the Western Realm, but as soon as Princess Yaria caught sight of them she spoke up and marked them as some of her rescuers.

Upon hearing Skemm’s report, King Yarin had Riven explain her and Feral’s role in all of this, leading up to when they joined Skemm. While Skemm’s report had been factually correct, it had been given, as she imagined Feral would describe it, without much flavor. Riven’s telling of events brought more than a few laughs to the King and his men and after Riven had finished answering the King’s questions they passed much the time on their march talking of various travels they had had through the country.

The trees finally opened up to reveal Lord Fesser’s castle and Skemm was shocked by the amount of smoke rising from within the walls. They’d smelled the smoke, of course, but had expected it to be from campfires.

“Hurray for Feral!” Princess Yaria cried out at once but her father quieted her with a wave of his gauntleted hand.

King Yarin turned a puzzled look toward Skemm and Riven.

“It seems,” King Yarin said in uncertain tones to Skemm, “that my daughter may not have exaggerated her accounts, if this is in fact the work of the man, Feral, and your apprentice.”

“I would still be cautious as we approach,” Riven said, and then added hastily, “Your Highness.” Riven’s eye’s flicked meaningfully to the princess and King Yarin nodded.

“My dear,” King Yarin said, turning to his daughter, “I need you to go ride in the carriage now with your guard.”

Princess Yaria, who had been positively brimming with excitement up until this point, wilted slightly at her father’s command. However, she did not protest and turned her horse back towards the well armored carriage that followed not far behind the King, Skemm, and Riven. Several soldiers followed the princess and one of them accompanied her into the carriage itself.

The castle walls were still a good distance away and the King signaled for the army to halt before they could come within range of any archers who may be atop the walls.

Skemm and Riven waited while the King met with his Lords and captains, discussing the situation. From what Skemm could hear, the main concern was if this could be a trap. Riven had apparently heard them as well and she chuckled quietly to herself before spurring her horse over to them.

“Forgive me for intruding, Your Highness,” Riven said awkwardly, making it clear she was not use to such formalities, “but if I may, I would like to volunteer to approach the walls and see what has happened within.”

King Yarin stared at her for a moment. Skemm had been given sufficient instructions in etiquette to know that such a brazen interruption of the King’s counsel was not something generally tolerated.

However, after some time King Yarin said, “So be it. Take a horn to signal if you are attacked,” and waved Riven on.

As Riven left, having taken a horn from one of the nearby soldiers, King Yarin approached Skemm.

“Your companion lack’s decorum,” he mused good-naturedly.

Skemm kept herself from laughing and instead settled on replying with, “She and Feral are both somewhat unschooled in manners, but are nevertheless true and faithful.”

King Yarin nodded and together they watched as Riven reached the castle wall. She rode along it until she reached the gate, which was open, and went inside. Several minutes passed while everyone waited for either Riven’s return or for her to sound her horn.

Skemm wondered how long they would wait, and if Riven even knew how to sound a horn. Many people thought it was nothing more complicated than just blowing into it but that wouldn’t accomplish much of anything. Fortunately, they didn’t need to wait terribly long and Riven was soon riding back to them, the small figure of Will running along beside her horse, a huge grin on his face.

“Impressive,” King Yarin muttered, more to himself than to either Skemm or his soldiers.

“MASTER SKEMM!” Will shouted out as he drew near.

Skemm dismounted from her horse and beamed at Will as he reached her.

“I’m so sorry,” Will began crying at once. “I should have listened to you but I was just so angry and stormed off and then went looking for the Western Realm and got caught and–

Skemm pulled Will into a firm hug, “Shh, all’s forgiven.”

King Yarin clapped a hand on Will’s shoulder as soon as Skemm released him from her hug. King Yarin had also dismounted and he turned Will around to face him. Will flushed and then paled as he came face to face with the King.

“I, uh, we,” Will stammered before dropping to one knee, bowing his head, and falling silent.

“It’s alright young man,” King Yarin said kindly. “Rise and receive my gratitude for bringing my daughter back to me safely.”

Will rose shakily to his feet and the King clapped him firmly on each shoulder once more.

“You came and left so quickly last time,” King Yarin went on, “that you were gone before word had even reached me that my daughter was returned. But she has told me all about the part you played in her rescue. While formal rewards have yet to be determined, in the mean time I offer you my heartfelt gratitude.”

Will was speechless and bowed again, though he didn’t drop to his knee this time.

Skemm stepped forward and helped brace Will up since he looked like he might faint.

“On behalf of my apprentice,” Skemm said, “your gratitude is most graciously received. It was, and continues to be, an honor to serve Your Majesty and the Kingdom.”

King Yarin nodded and then turned to Riven. Skemm hesitated. Riven was still on her horse, and with King Yarin now on foot it would be incredibly improper for her to speak with the King while mounted.

“What is your report?” King Yarin asked before Skemm could signal to Riven that she must dismount.

“The inner and outer courtyards are in ruin,” Riven replied at once. Several soldiers shifted uneasily and Skemm felt helpless while she watched. “The surviving soldiers of the Western Realm, as well as those of Lord Fesser, are disarmed and standing ready to surrender themselves and to face judgment for their crimes against Your Highness and the Kingdom.”

King Yarin frowned and Riven looked uncertainly from Skemm to the king and then back. All Skemm could do was to mouth the word dismountwithout drawing attention to herself. Riven’s eyes widened with dawning comprehension and she began to struggle to dismount. Her injuries were still quite painful, however, and it made it difficult for her to get off the horse.

“You may stay mounted,” King Yarin said coolly after watching her struggle painfully for a few moments, though his narrowed eyes were on his Lords and captains rather than on Riven. Sensing that the King was about to address them, they all dismounted from their horses. “I see you are all uncomfortable with her speaking to me while she is mounted and I am on foot.”

“A grave impropriety,” one of the Lords murmured.

“A grave impropriety indeed, but not on her part,” King Yarin growled and his men glanced uneasily around at one another. “This woman has never had the opportunity to learn courtly etiquette, and where that is the case we cannot expect otherwise. Furthermore,” King Yarin’s voice rose in anger, “Had one of my scouts returned from such a foray, wounded and unable to dismount on their own as she clearly is, you all would have aided him in dismounting so as to avoid such embarrassment as this. And yet you all sat there in your saddles and refused to acknowledge her need for help. And why? Do you think her unworthy? To that I say she has done more for this Kingdom in the past few days than many of you have accomplished your entire lives, and here she sits, wounded yet still willing to serve her King and risk her life.”

King Yarin turned back to Riven, his expression softening somewhat though still looking stern, and he offered her his hand. Riven took it uncertainly. To Skemm, it looked as though Riven would much prefer staying on the horse, but Riven didn’t dare refuse the King’s offer.

“Bring up the Royal Carriage,” King Yarin commanded and he helped support Riven once she was down off the horse. “Riven,” he went on courteously, “I express my gratitude to you, yet again, for your services to me and my Kingdom. I would that you should now rest yourself and your injuries in as comfortable a manner as I am able to supply at this time.”

With that he opened the carriage door and motioned for the soldier within to vacate so that Riven could more comfortably join the Princess.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Riven blushed, surprising Skemm, and climbed into the carriage.

“A token,” King Yarin added finally and held out a small kerchief for her to take.

Riven, now looking utterly confused, accepted his token and King Yarin closed the carriage door behind her. Skemm was speechless, as were the Lords and captains. Such tokens were generally given as a sign that the person giving the token intended to court the person receiving it. It was common knowledge that Queen Versal had died years ago but King Yarin had never expressed much interest in remarrying and with Princess Yaria as his heir, there was no need for him to remarry either.

King Yarin mounted his horse, a subtle grin in the corners of his mouth, and signaled for his army to advance once more upon the castle.

Skemm wondered how much of King Yarin’s token had been for show and how much had been real. Perhaps he was just driving home his point with his men. Either way, Skemm was interested in seeing Riven’s reaction when she learned the significance of the King’s token.

All of that was pushed out of her mind, however, when they passed through the gate of the outer wall. As Riven had reported, there was ruin everywhere they looked. Smoldering piles of ash marked where store piles had once been and the stone outbuildings were tumbled down, their mortar having given way before the heat of the fires that had previously raged through them.

“Tell me, Will,” King Yarin said as they walked, “What happened here?”

“After Feral and I crushed the castle entrance,” Will said in a rush, looking at his feet while he spoke and seemed to still be overwhelmed by the fact that he was speaking with the King, “We were trapped inside the castle with about half of the army. We needed to keep the half outside busy while we dealt with the half inside so I used bits of cloth and lamp oil to make burning arrows that I could fire at the roof tops and supplies. The buildings all had wooden rooftops, so they burned really well.” Will finished somewhat lamely.

“And so while everyone out here was dealing with the fires,” King Yarin pressed, “You and Feral dealt with the rest of the army inside the castle?”

Will shrank back slightly but nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”

“I don’t think I’d believe it if it weren’t for the fact that we’re here seeing it,” King Yarin exclaimed in wonder as they entered the inner courtyard and saw the ruined castle entrance, though enough stones had been shifted now to allow for passage in and out of the castle. “And all without being injured!”

“Oh no, Your Majesty, we’ve both been injured” Will corrected him and he held up his shirt to reveal a tight bandage around his side, “but my injuries are slight compared to Feral’s so that’s why I came back with Riven.”

Skemm was shocked to see Will’s bandage and to hear that he had been injured and she stopped him at once to inspect it.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d bee injured?” Skemm demanded, trying to pull away the bandages so she could see how severe the injury was, but Will pushed her back.

“Please don’t, Master,” Will plead and for the first time he showed some of the pain that he’d been concealing, “I caught a glancing blow near the end of the fighting. It isn’t terribly deep but it hurt and bled plenty when it was fresh.”

Skemm stopped trying to examine his injury, knowing it was best to leave it alone, but still worried for her apprentice.

“And what of Feral?” King Yarin cut in. “I had assumed he was managing the surrender and had sent you in his place but now you say he’s too injured to come to us?”

Will nodded and gestured towards the castle. “He’s been placed in the Main Hall, along with General Jernagin and Lord Fesser.”

“Is he likely to die?” King Yarin asked Will gravely.

Will looked as though such a thought hadn’t ever occurred to him and his eyes widened.

“I don’t know, You Highness,” Will gasped. “Though he’s certainly lost a lot of blood and he’s very pale.”

“Send for my surgeons!” King Yarin barked out and a squire turned and ran off at once. “Let’s go and see this Feral at once then.”

Will hurried his pace now and led everyone into the castle. A few of Lord Fesser’s soldiers were still busy moving debris away from the entry and they fell to their knees when they saw the King advancing. Skemm wondered what he would do, but for now, it seemed, King Yarin was content to leave them to their business and he strode right passed them as he followed Will.

The smell of smoke was even stronger inside and Skemm gazed in wonder and amazement at the charred furnishings and blackened walls and ceiling.

“The fire spread to the castle, I see,” Skemm remarked.

“Oh, right,” Will said as though only just remembering, “we also lit the castle on fire to help distract the soldiers in here.”

Skemm shook her head and would have asked more questions but the King held up a hand to silence her. Questions would have to wait.

At last they came to a pair of large wooden doors. They were badly burned but still serviceable and Will gave a series of knocks. A moment later they heard the sound of a heavy bar being lifted and the door opened. Skemm was surprised to find more of Lord Fesser’s soldiers within, looking as though they were standing guard. In the middle of the Main Hall, three beds had been set up and a man lay on each one. They had blankets pulled up to their chins and so nothing of their bodies could be seen

“…should have guessed it was you,” one of the men was saying. “Even if I didn’t recognize your face, I should have recognized your fighting.”

“Yes, well,” came Feral’s voice and though it had his usual casual tone, it was also incredibly weary, “I knew you from the first. So you should know you can’t expect any mercy from me.”

All three of the men looked up from their beds as Will approached, leading Skemm and King Yarin, along with a significant contingent of the King’s soldiers. Feral, his face pale and his expression tired, grinned broadly at them. The other two men, General Jernagin and Lord Fesser respectively, nodded solemnly.

“You know him?” Skemm asked Feral, pointing to General Jernagin, before she could stop herself. It really should have been King Yarin who spoke first. “My apologies, Your Highness,” Skemm quickly corrected herself.

“You’re forgiven,” King Yarin said with a curious expression of his own. “But I too would like to know the answer to that question.”

Feral let his head rest back down on his pillow and he breathed deeply a couple of times before answering. “King Yarin,” he began and then nodded to Skemm, “and Skemm, may I introduce my former Master, disgraced Hero of the Guild, Jernagin. After abandoning his apprentice and the family he’d been hired to protect, leaving them to die in the woods at the hands of thieves, he was captured by, and then turned General for, the Western Realm.”

General Jernagin gave a wan and somewhat mocking smile. “I expect my execution will be carried out shortly?” He asked.

“Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re of such great importance,” King Yarin chided him and then turned to Lord Fesser. “What of you, Fesser? I see some of your men here standing guard. Did you have a change of heart as my armies drew near? Did you think that would save your title and your life?”

Lord Fesser stammered wordlessly and both Feral and General Jernagin laughed.

“He can’t answer you, Your Highness,” Feral said. “General Jernagin cut out his tongue.”

Skemm and King Yarin looked at one another and then to Will who shrugged.

“I was being tended to when Feral went up to the top of the tower,” Will said. “And Feral didn’t want to talk about it until you all got here.”

“Wait,” Skemm said, “Who was tending to you if Feral was in the tower?”

Will pointed to the soldiers in the room.

“These were the last of Lord Fesser’s archers in the castle,” Will explained. They’d survived because they never fought us. They were never intending to fight against the King’s army but hadn’t had a good opportunity to either turn against Lord Fesser or else desert to the King’s army. We met them near the top of the tower and they shot the rest of the soldiers we were fighting. I had just been injured so Feral left me with a few of the archers while he disguised himself as one of them and went up with the rest of them. He stuffed a couple of broken arrows into his bandages to explain his bleeding. But other than that I don’t know what happened up there exactly.”

They all turned towards Feral who was smiling in his bed.

“Not much to tell really, we got up into the tower, took up our positions, and then fired on General Jernagin’s guards. Lord Fesser was too stunned to do much, and General Jernagin was too injured from our last fight to do much so he just tackled Lord Fesser and carved out his tongue. They were both peppered with arrows after that but, sadly, survived. There was one of General Jernagin’s captains who refused to surrender and he got me pretty good in the side before the archers brought him down. After that, the archers set us up in here and they’ve been acting as messengers and helping direct the surrender and disarmament of the army, as well as preparing for your arrival.”

King Yarin massaged his chin while he took in the news of these few loyal soldiers as well as the rest of Feral’s tale. It was at that moment that a small group of surgeons came hurrying into the Main Hall and King Yarin motioned to Feral. They moved over to his bedside and pulled back the covers. Feral’s leg was still bound fairly well and as they pulled back the bandages, the skin around the injuries looked healthy and there wasn’t too much bleeding. Feral’s left arm and side, however, were ragged and the bandages looked nearly soaked through with blood.

“Let us leave them to their work,” King Yarin said and he directed Skemm and Will to follow him out. He left his soldiers behind in the Main Hall.

Once back outside in the inner courtyard they were greeted once again by Princess Yaria and Riven who, now that it was clear they were in no immediate danger, had left the carriage. Upon seeing King Yarin, Princess Yaria rushed up to his side. Riven followed somewhat behind her, still limping on her injured leg and King Yarin offered her his arm which she accepted somewhat uncertainly.

The King’s army was busy taking in the prisoners and there was a general sense of activity all around them. Even still, the King pulled his horn from his belt and sounded out a signal and his army began to form up at once within the inner courtyard.

“I owe you a great debt,” King Yarin said softly to Skemm as the soldiers assembled. “You have rescued my daughter, and brought not only an early end to this war, but one that has not cost my kingdom a single life.”

“Your Highness,” Skemm said, hoping to ensure that the King didn’t think that she had born primary responsibility for those deeds, “Feral was—

King Yarin held up a hand and Skemm fell silent. The soldiers had assembled and King Yarin turned to address them.

“You have marched long and hard to defend your country,” King Yarin cried out in a strong, loud voice that carried through the courtyard. “And now that we are here, we find our work done for us! Such a miraculous accomplishment, along with the safe return of my kidnapped daughter, cannot go unrewarded. I give you, Skemm, Hero of the Guild!”

The soldiers clapped and cheered along with their King and Skemm raised her sword aloft in token of their praise.

King Yarin held up his had once more and the soldiers fell quiet.

“But praise and cheering are not enough, and with Lord Fesser’s betrayal I am in need of one whom I can trust to guard and manage this stretch of the Northern Realm.” He turned to Skemm and she realized he was about to grant her the title of Lady and she wasn’t sure if she was going to faint or throw up at this sudden turn of events.

“Hero Skemm,” King Yarin went on. “For years you have served this land as a Hero, but now I ask of you an even greater service. I grant unto you the lands, titles, and privileges previously entrusted to Lord Fesser. May you govern in these new responsibilities in wisdom!”

Another cheer rose from the gathered solders but this time, Skemm just stared at King Yarin in shock.

“But Feral and Riven,” she began to say but was cut off, this time by Riven.

“You’re the Hero,” Riven said with a wry smile that Feral would have been proud of, “We’re just the hired help.”

“Precisely,” King Yarin said with a knowing grin of his own, but then added, “although I do intend to reward everyone accordingly.” He waved to his men who returned to their labors and the King guided Skemm back inside the castle, Riven still holding his arm, Princess Yaria and Will following behind them.

Once they were back inside the castle, a messenger arrived to inform them that refreshments had been prepared for them in a dinning hall not far away and King Yarin motioned for them to lead the way. The hall wasn’t terribly fancy but neither was it burned. The food and drink weren’t very extravagant either but given the recent events that had taken place, and the fact that there didn’t seem to be any cooks in the castle, it wasn’t a bad spread of food.

As they ate, Skemm kept trying to come to terms with the abrupt change the day had taken. She had expected a fight of some kind, perhaps a siege, but now she was a Lady of the Kingdom, no longer a Hero of the Guild.

“I’ll see to it,” King Yarin said, breaking the silence of their meal after some time, “that you’re given materials and workers sufficient to repair the damage done to your castle. These lands are rich and fertile but I’m not sure what state Lord Fesser has left your holdings in.”

Skemm nodded wordlessly, almost choking on a bite of food when she realized that this was now her castle.

“You’ll need to select captains and perhaps a few knights to serve beneath you,” King Yarin went on, “I’d suggest starting your selection among those archers who helped Feral and Will.”

“And may I ask,” Skemm said at last, “what will be done for Feral and Will, Your Highness?”

King Yarin raised an eyebrow at her. “Will was your Hero’s apprentice,” he replied, “and as such any elevation you receive is shared with him. You may name him as your heir if you so desire, in which case he would be granted the title of Lord. He may serve as your page, or you may knight him instead if that is your pleasure. Otherwise, if he is determined to become a Hero, he is free to seek another Master of the Guild to instruct him.”

Will’s eyes widened as he heard this but he looked too shy to speak up just yet.

“As for Feral,” King Yarin said, “there are any number of honors and titles I could bestow upon him but I feel he is one who needs such things to be offered slowly. Depending on his eventual disposition we will see what he will accept. In the mean time, I am giving him the services of my best surgeons and hope that he makes a full recovery.”

They again ate in silence for a short time but again the silence was broken. This time, much to Skemm’s surprise, it was Will who spoke.

“Wait,” he said as though coming to a sudden realization, “What about Riven?”

Skemm had intentionally left the subject of Riven untouched ever since she saw the King give her his token. Princess Yaria would know what it meant, and it was entirely possible that she had seen it and explained it to Riven. In any case, it wasn’t Skemm’s place to poke questions at such a situation.

Princess Yaria confirmed Skemm’s suspicion that she knew of her fathers token and she began clapping her hands eagerly. Riven looked somewhat uncomfortable but not unhappy and the King turned to face Will.

“I intend to offer her much the same as I will to Feral,” he said, “although first, I admit, I have asked a boon of her and until I have received her word on whether or not that boon will be granted I must postpone granting her the full reward.”

“Well surely she won’t refuse your request, You Majesty,” Will said at once. “What is it you need of her?”

Skemm, King Yarin, and Riven all looked somewhat awkwardly and it was Princess Yaria who spoke.

“Daddy’s asked her to marry him!”

Will gaped but King Yarin quickly corrected his daughter.

“I have done no such thing,” he said and his face flushed with color. “I have offered her a token, a sign that I would court her if she is willing. It is up to her if she is open to that offered token and it is well within her right to return it to me at any time if she decides that she would not like to be courted.”

King Yarin turned to Riven and for the first time he seemed to be somewhat more humble and less imposing.

“I know my offer was rash, Riven,” he said, “and for that I am embarrassed for placing you in this uncomfortable situation. I want to assure you that if you return my token, I will understand and harbor no ill will for you. However, there is something to your wit that has drawn me to you in ways I have not experienced in many years and I would deem it a great honor if you would give me the privilege of courting you.”

“What about Feral?” Will cut in, looking hard at Riven. “I thought you and Feral were…

Will’s voice faded away as he noticed all of the eyes were turned on him and his naturally shy nature overwhelmed him once more.

Riven laughed and helped break away some of the uneasy tension that had built up.

“Feral and I are good friends,” Riven assured Will and gave King Yarin a glance. “But nothing more.” She turned to King Yarin again and pulled out his token from her belt pouch. “I’m honestly not sure I would be a very good match for Your Highness,” she admitted, “but I will accept it for now.”

She put it back into her pouch and King Yarin nodded.

“Your Highness,” Skemm said tentatively and King Yarin turned, a look of slight surprise on his face and perhaps a touch of weariness at all of the questions this small group kept fielding at him. “Before we get too far along with any of these new plans and titles and so forth, there is one last thing that Feral, Riven, Will, and I need to do.”

“What is that?”

“We would like to see to the return of the cattle to their village.”

King Yarin took a moment and then he gave her a curt nod of approval before turning back to his meal and they all tucked in.