55th Summer 517
Even though this was not the city of Syliras but an outpost of the Order. It was not as heavily manned as the city is, but it was still manned. Granted the Outpost was mostly manned by knights there were still squires... And squires needed training. There was always two or three that were daily spending their days not training but goofing around and were in need of a rude wake up call. Ball sought out the knight in charge of the Outpost and gave him some words from being a long standing squire in the order, “Ser, this is a time in our order's history were the gates of our city is closed. We have squires here that are gallivanting around the yard on their days off playing and providing a ruckus for the knights and squires training. Their knights are off doing paperwork or sleeping off their night's recreational activities in the bars in Riverfall. These squires needed to be taught to be prepared at all times – be it their 'day off' or otherwise. They are the future of our Order. The knights that might well follow in your footsteps in the future. They are not going to be ready if the agents and soliders of our enemy come pounding at our gates and throwing rocks at our walls. What if we were attacked by one of our own? These squires would not know how to handle themselves. Knights will be barking orders and they will be scrambling for cover and running for their mommies.” Attacked by one of our own like during my quest. Ball almost spoke, but held his tongue. That was over a year ago and surely the knights in the Outpost were made aware of the situation.
This statement was not taken well at first but the evidence was there, the senior knight took it with a bit of understanding from Ball's perspective. With calm words the knight spoke in return, “Ser Ball, you are speaking of the sitatuion surrounding the end of your qyest, I have heard about it not long after you were knighted. One of our own. A mage knight, attacked the great hall while you were bring evidence of the hienous activities to light and trying to bring justice to the Order. For that I see your reasoning. Those squires are our future. Training them from our experiences and lessons will better our future. It is their job to train daily in the hopes that in the future they can stand before the Oak and gain their quest, must like you. You are not a long standing knight, so I am not sure what you can provide them in regards to training that a more senior knight of our Order stationed here can provide.” Ball turned feeling defeated but paused and turned back, his temper was already rising slowly.
“You are correct, I am not a long standing knight of the order. I am a knight. Quested and vetted by the Windoak. Deemed worthy by peers yours and now mine alike. I laid my life down to protect the tree and the order as each and everyone of us have done for our brothers and sisters in arm. I watched squires do exactly what those pissants are doing out there while their knight lays in bed from whatever drink they consumed too much of. I trained with other squires, honed my skills and theirs so that when they were ready to confront whatever quest was granted them they could handle it.
I trained as a squire for four long years. Years. Not months, not seasons. Four Years. I had to prove myself as a Pycon that I was prepared for the quest. I cannot carry sword and shield like even the smallest of your child squires. I do not wear armor as it defeats the most racially powerfull trait I have. Every day I have to watch their footfalls, bodies, weapons as they fall and fly through the air. I have to because I am not seen all the time. Those squires are being foolish in a yard full of steel and wood. Dangerous place to be playing in. They want to be out in the yard? Fine. They should be training. The Weaponmasters in the Training Grounds in the city would not condone this kind of reckless abandonment of order and behavior of squires, we should not either. I understand they are children and children play. They are also squires. Squires have a job. A duty. To train and become the future of the Order. Brothers and Sisters in Arms. Even in their play should be ready to defend themselves and raise the alarm of the knights.”
The knight took a hard look at Ball and scoffed almost ready to dismiss the pycon, but the look in Ball's singular eye was a telling sign of the well known reputation the preceeded Ball where the Order was concerned. Yet what Ball spoke of was true. To the senior in the room Ball was the only Pycon Knight to date. It was also true that squires running around playing in the yard was dangerous for both them and those training. “You do not lie there. How do you propose we instill this necessary trait into this squires?” It was a question Ball was anticipating, but he thought that he would never get a chance to answer it. This was frightening for the knight and he almost bolted right then and there but found the courage to speak.
“Tell the squires that they can have the day off from training. All of them. They not to leave the outpost but the grounds is still available.” Ball paused in contemplation he had to word this idea carefully to show he had thought about it for some time. “We only have a small handful of squires here, so at most two squads full I would say from my quick count over the past five days. When they least expect it I would like to give the squires a false drill. Tell them I spotted a party of bandits just east of us and the City of Riverfall a little over a week back before I came into the city. To provide the citizens of Riverfall a chance to prepare themselves we will need to move quickly. Squires will come with me to... scout the area around the outpost in preparation of the knights that will come behind with people from Riverfall, direction will be given to a single squire to send word to a knight here. Just as we get to the gates to head out I will dismiss them. Tell them that it was a training exercise.” The small knight knew he spoke more just then than he had for some time to anyone in the last five years of his life. Yet the knight before him looked as if Ball had spoken some foreign language to him.
It was well known within the order of Ball's methods for teaching were less of the teaching variety and more of the punching bag variety. But the idea did have strong merits and would provide the senior knight a chance to teach Ball a tough lesson for the three inch knight. “I am willing to allow you a chance to teach the squires this necessary lesson. It is one that they will need to remember even as knights. However Ser Ball, you are not lay a hand on any squire unless they provide reason. A weapon must be drawn and the intent of harm must be clearly evident.” Ball understood the reasoning for it, his small hands were capable of damage the squires were not ready to be subjected to. The knight penned a set of parchments quickly and handed them to Ball with instructions to hand them over to the other knights. As Ball took them and went to the door the senior knight called out, as if to make it extra clear to the pycon knight.
“The physical exertion from you shall be delivered with the highest amount of restraint. Your reputation as a squire far reaches before you Ser Ball. I shouldn't have to remind you that you are no longer a squire though.”
Even though this was not the city of Syliras but an outpost of the Order. It was not as heavily manned as the city is, but it was still manned. Granted the Outpost was mostly manned by knights there were still squires... And squires needed training. There was always two or three that were daily spending their days not training but goofing around and were in need of a rude wake up call. Ball sought out the knight in charge of the Outpost and gave him some words from being a long standing squire in the order, “Ser, this is a time in our order's history were the gates of our city is closed. We have squires here that are gallivanting around the yard on their days off playing and providing a ruckus for the knights and squires training. Their knights are off doing paperwork or sleeping off their night's recreational activities in the bars in Riverfall. These squires needed to be taught to be prepared at all times – be it their 'day off' or otherwise. They are the future of our Order. The knights that might well follow in your footsteps in the future. They are not going to be ready if the agents and soliders of our enemy come pounding at our gates and throwing rocks at our walls. What if we were attacked by one of our own? These squires would not know how to handle themselves. Knights will be barking orders and they will be scrambling for cover and running for their mommies.” Attacked by one of our own like during my quest. Ball almost spoke, but held his tongue. That was over a year ago and surely the knights in the Outpost were made aware of the situation.
This statement was not taken well at first but the evidence was there, the senior knight took it with a bit of understanding from Ball's perspective. With calm words the knight spoke in return, “Ser Ball, you are speaking of the sitatuion surrounding the end of your qyest, I have heard about it not long after you were knighted. One of our own. A mage knight, attacked the great hall while you were bring evidence of the hienous activities to light and trying to bring justice to the Order. For that I see your reasoning. Those squires are our future. Training them from our experiences and lessons will better our future. It is their job to train daily in the hopes that in the future they can stand before the Oak and gain their quest, must like you. You are not a long standing knight, so I am not sure what you can provide them in regards to training that a more senior knight of our Order stationed here can provide.” Ball turned feeling defeated but paused and turned back, his temper was already rising slowly.
“You are correct, I am not a long standing knight of the order. I am a knight. Quested and vetted by the Windoak. Deemed worthy by peers yours and now mine alike. I laid my life down to protect the tree and the order as each and everyone of us have done for our brothers and sisters in arm. I watched squires do exactly what those pissants are doing out there while their knight lays in bed from whatever drink they consumed too much of. I trained with other squires, honed my skills and theirs so that when they were ready to confront whatever quest was granted them they could handle it.
I trained as a squire for four long years. Years. Not months, not seasons. Four Years. I had to prove myself as a Pycon that I was prepared for the quest. I cannot carry sword and shield like even the smallest of your child squires. I do not wear armor as it defeats the most racially powerfull trait I have. Every day I have to watch their footfalls, bodies, weapons as they fall and fly through the air. I have to because I am not seen all the time. Those squires are being foolish in a yard full of steel and wood. Dangerous place to be playing in. They want to be out in the yard? Fine. They should be training. The Weaponmasters in the Training Grounds in the city would not condone this kind of reckless abandonment of order and behavior of squires, we should not either. I understand they are children and children play. They are also squires. Squires have a job. A duty. To train and become the future of the Order. Brothers and Sisters in Arms. Even in their play should be ready to defend themselves and raise the alarm of the knights.”
The knight took a hard look at Ball and scoffed almost ready to dismiss the pycon, but the look in Ball's singular eye was a telling sign of the well known reputation the preceeded Ball where the Order was concerned. Yet what Ball spoke of was true. To the senior in the room Ball was the only Pycon Knight to date. It was also true that squires running around playing in the yard was dangerous for both them and those training. “You do not lie there. How do you propose we instill this necessary trait into this squires?” It was a question Ball was anticipating, but he thought that he would never get a chance to answer it. This was frightening for the knight and he almost bolted right then and there but found the courage to speak.
“Tell the squires that they can have the day off from training. All of them. They not to leave the outpost but the grounds is still available.” Ball paused in contemplation he had to word this idea carefully to show he had thought about it for some time. “We only have a small handful of squires here, so at most two squads full I would say from my quick count over the past five days. When they least expect it I would like to give the squires a false drill. Tell them I spotted a party of bandits just east of us and the City of Riverfall a little over a week back before I came into the city. To provide the citizens of Riverfall a chance to prepare themselves we will need to move quickly. Squires will come with me to... scout the area around the outpost in preparation of the knights that will come behind with people from Riverfall, direction will be given to a single squire to send word to a knight here. Just as we get to the gates to head out I will dismiss them. Tell them that it was a training exercise.” The small knight knew he spoke more just then than he had for some time to anyone in the last five years of his life. Yet the knight before him looked as if Ball had spoken some foreign language to him.
It was well known within the order of Ball's methods for teaching were less of the teaching variety and more of the punching bag variety. But the idea did have strong merits and would provide the senior knight a chance to teach Ball a tough lesson for the three inch knight. “I am willing to allow you a chance to teach the squires this necessary lesson. It is one that they will need to remember even as knights. However Ser Ball, you are not lay a hand on any squire unless they provide reason. A weapon must be drawn and the intent of harm must be clearly evident.” Ball understood the reasoning for it, his small hands were capable of damage the squires were not ready to be subjected to. The knight penned a set of parchments quickly and handed them to Ball with instructions to hand them over to the other knights. As Ball took them and went to the door the senior knight called out, as if to make it extra clear to the pycon knight.
“The physical exertion from you shall be delivered with the highest amount of restraint. Your reputation as a squire far reaches before you Ser Ball. I shouldn't have to remind you that you are no longer a squire though.”
