I Will Be the Greatest Knight

"There's something to that child…" Gunnar muttered as he gazed towards the stables where Iro was undoubtedly working that day. 

He had just finished meeting with Duke Arlin about the next couple of seasons in Tenetium. Things were as usual for the knights. They did the same thing each year.

"Iro has been here a day," the Duke responded. "Already thinking of making Sir Arthur's son your apprentice?"

Gunnar smirked and shook his head. 

Even though he was a knight without a formal apprentice because his had passed away a few years before, he wasn't entirely set on appointing a new one. There were still wounds to be healed.

"Sir Arthur is quite protective of him," Gunnar explained. "I don't know if any of our current standing knights would measure up enough for a Litharion."

"Ah…" the Duke waved his hands, wanting to be done with the conversation. "I'm feeling a bit sick again. I ought to retire for now."

The old knight gave his Commander a once-over. His health had been declining for quite some time. It was a good thing Sir Arthur was still active in the knighthood. Would they soon need him to step up more?

"When will Her Grace return from the capital?" Gunnar wondered. "She was the one who said she would find a cure for whatever this is."

"Should be in the next few days," the Duke responded before standing up. 

For a man who wielded swords his entire life, it was a shame to see him declining quickly because of something entirely out of his control. What would happen to the knighthood and the duchy if their heirless leader were to succumb to his illness?

"I will check on the apprentices in the meantime," the knight responded before heading off in the direction of the back entrance to the Duke's Tower. 

As he passed a maid, he met her eyes and nodded toward the Duke's study. She knew right away that he was referring to the Duke and that he might need help. 

The Duke's affairs worked so smoothly because everyone under him had a silent understanding of each other. 

As he exited the building, he wasn't expecting to see the child at the forefront of his thoughts already rushing towards him. 

"There are dire wolves attacking a knight!" she exclaimed. 

The boring day they were having had taken a turn. 

"Go," was all Gunnar said before he himself began to sprint towards the stables. As he went, he held onto his sword's sheath so it wouldn't flap around as he moved so quickly.

Irene took off after the knight. 

When she arrived to the stables, Gunnar was already being loaded onto a horse. He didn't have armor but a weapon was enough especially when another knight was in danger. 

Once Gunnar was on horseback and rushing towards the area, as indicated by the snarling of dire wolves and shouting from the knight, he saw the mess of animals in front of him. 

"Apprentices! Guard this area. Don't allow a wolf to cross onto the Duke's lands."

Even though there were only three of the apprentices at first, soon there were five. 

Since all of them constantly had swords or daggers on their belts, they were equipped for this sort of event. 

Finally, Irene could join the apprentices beyond the stables, but what she saw would be forever engrained into her memories. 

Sir Gunnar's rescue of the other knight was swift but imperfect—although any sort of rescue was better than none. 

He risked his own horse by going towards the dire wolves but it was necessary for him to make sure they didn't lose a knight that day. 

Once he was close enough he grabbed the knight by his shoulder armor and dragged him to his horse. With the knight secured, he used his longsword to take down one of the wolves. 

However, they were far less interested in the knights once they were riding away. Instead, the beasts sunk their claws and teeth into the horse still trying to escape. With teeth as sharp as razors sunk into the horse's back legs, they had all the dinner they could possibly need. 

Of course, there were a few more juvenile wolves that realized possible prey was escaping. One of the younger yet large wolves went to Gunnar while two more started approaching the apprentices once it took note. 

The apprentices realized there was an error in their ways. 

"The doors!" Irene shouted. 

She sprinted towards the stable and went through the entire structure to shut the far doors, ensuring the wolves wouldn't be able to get inside.

As she ran back towards the door she came from, she opened it to reveal a wolf diving towards her. 

"Iro!" Leif shouted helplessly.

Unfortunately, he had his hands tied. 

Rather than attacking her fully, it pushed the door off of its hinges so it was wedged shut regardless. 

There was nothing to prove as her mind went blank and the thrill of battle could be heard by the heartbeat in her ears. She pulled out her dagger and pointed it towards the beast that was righting itself after attacking the door. 

Small enough to dive underneath the animal, she risked it. Even though the sharp claws on the large paws were just as dangerous, she decided cutting upwards was going to be best for her to get out of there unscathed. 

Warm blood fell over her immediately, but the dire wolf wasn't finished attacking. It had become more crazed because of her attack. 

The beast took hold of her boot with its mouth and she flailed for a moment in panic, but soon realized it wasn't harming her. She felt a paw on the back of her knee and that was what she was most worried about.

Her stabbing felt a bit pointless as the animal's strong jaw clenched down on her covered ankle. 

Luckily, the beast flew away and Irene wasn't sure what happened until she saw Sir Gunnar with his beautiful long sword in front of him, although it didn't have a drop of blood on it and, she realized as he placed his foot down, he had kicked the wolf away. 

It was enough that the wolf was down and not getting back up. The damage Irene had done before caused some of its intestines to pour out onto the ground and be covered in dirt and bits of rock. 

Even though it was panting, the beast was done for. 

Gunnar finished the job as he finally dirtied his sword on the animal's heart, not wanting to escalate it further or test the apprentices too much. 

When the knight turned to her, Irene stared up at him expectantly, wondering if she would receive a lecture.

"You're getting far too comfortable in close combat," he observed as he pulled a handkerchief from his belt and offered it to the girl. "Your life is more valuable than that."

As she took the handkerchief and began wiping the dire wolf's blood from her face and neck, she still looked up at the knight.

"Sir?" she questioned.

It was far from the critique she was expecting. 

Considering she was still shaky at the situation that had just finished, she wondered if she was mishearing him.