Under Fallen Stars

Ty

"I won't fight you," Jherek said calmly, not believing things had spun so wildly out of control.

"Then you're an even bigger fool than I thought. I'll cut you down where you stand!"

"No," a calm, stern voice filled with thunder interrupted. "If you try to touch that boy again, Captain, you'll deal with me. And by Lathander's sacred covenant, you'll not find me an easy man to deal with."

The speaker sat on a horse just beyond the treeline that surrounded the riverbank where they stood. The horse was a large, handsome animal covered in copper-colored barding. The man was in his middle years. A bronzed face, framed by a short-cropped black beard, peered through the visor opening of his helm, and his plate armor held the same copper color as his horse's barding. A scarlet cloak flared out behind him, flowing out over the horse's rump. A shield bearing a scarlet hawk in mid-flight hung over his left arm.

"Who are you?" Ty

"You can address me as Sir Glawi

Reluctantly, Ty

XIX

10 Kythorn, the Year of the Gauntlet

Jherek stood in the cool shade of an elm tree and looked back at the sparkling blue River Chionthar snaking through the hilly terrain. Breezeru

He was dressed in his leather armor, which stank badly. He hadn't been able to care for it while in Breezeru

"You'd be better served taking those things off, young warrior," Glawi

"I don't know that I'd be much more comfortable out here without armor," Jherek said, turning toward the paladin.

Glawi

"It's a wise man who plans for tomorrow while taking care of today," Glawi

"Meaning you think I should take the armor off?"

Glawi

"No disrespect intended," Jherek said, curbing his anger and surprised at his own impertinence, "but I hardly think you're in a position to tell me what to do."

Glawi

Jherek swallowed hard. "I'm sorry. I was out of line. After all, you've been nothing but generous with us."

Glawi

"We didn't mean any hardship for you," Jherek quickly said. "If we're imposing, I know we can make it on our own."

After the paladin had intervened between Ty

"Nonsense," Glawi

Jherek sat across the campfire from the man and lifted an eyebrow in doubt. "Leaving a woman out in the forest to fend for herself? That doesn't seem very knightly."

Glawi

"And what would you know of knights, young warrior?" Glawi

"I've read about them in books."

"What books?"

Jherek named some of the books Malorrie had given him to read over the years. For a phantom, Malorrie had always seemed to have an extensive library.

"Ah, the romances," Glawi

Jherek nodded. That had been one of the first things Malorrie had put before him. "It speaks about the virtues a paladin should have."

"Yes, and it's a very concisely written piece, with some practical information on the care of weapons and animals, and a few of Quentin's own adventures." Glawi

"Aye."

Glawi

Jherek gri

"No worry, young warrior, there's no shame in holding to an ideal. I just hope that you aren't too disappointed by the things you see outside those books."

Jherek nodded. "I know the difference between the books and real life." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Almost everything in life was different than what was shown in those books.

"I can tell by the markings on your face and body that you've been traveling the rougher side of life for the last little while."

"Aye. I was at the battle of Baldur's Gate."

"Baldur's Gate?" Glawi

Jherek glanced toward the copse of trees not far distant from them where Sabyna had gone to study her spellbook. He'd been hesitant about letting her go off but in the end he hadn't had a choice. She'd been adamant about not missing her studies, though Jherek also thought she wanted to be alone to deal with what had happened with Ty

"The sahuagin are uprising?" the knight asked when he finished. "Does anyone know why?"

Jherek shook his head.

"Surely no one believes these are unrelated events?"

"I don't know," Jherek answered. "Sabyna and I were kidnapped from Baldur's Gate the night of the attack."