There's No Joy

The Squire of Eraklyon

Sky's Pov
I was walking through the woods when I heard rustling noises like from a giant animal. I stopped and stood still for a moment not daring to let anyone know I heard something following me. I turned around and looked towards the bushes and part them with ease. A lion track had been left behind but it didn't stay a full lion footprint at all. I let the bushes retouch against each other and back off and continued walking towards the Captain of the Guard's house. My friend was out in the garden with his Mother who came straight up and curtsies in front of me and stated in deep concerned exclaimation. "Good heavens! Sky what were you thinking about coming through these woods on your own. The Lionpeople are not on good terms with your Father."

"My Mom said I was fine, Ms. Dells, but she made me bring my sword."

"You need more than a sword to fight those things," stated Captain Alois Dells. "The guards run out of moves to teach ya? Isn't that why you're here, Princely boy?"

"You should not encourage them to walk right up into danger." His wife goes on a rant.

"Lovely lass, I know what you're going to say, you have said it a million times." said Alois. "But nothing can teach them anymore than being in the thick of the action. So let's get thick into the action. Brandon you too grab your sword and shield. I will teach you to track and startle on the job."

"Captain Dells get back here right this minute! The King is so going to have your Head for this!" exclaims his wife.

"Stop being such a worrywart Mother. Everyone's respectful of Daddy they know not to upset him." Brandon called back. "They won't dare to get passed him. Don't become like our King overprotective and selfishly clingy. And you can't teach us everything especially if we're confined to indoors."

"You're reading too many Tritonia legend books, Brandon." scolded his Mother immediately right now from miles off in the distance.

"Tritonia Legends weren't those myths burned?" I asked.

"No. It's not a Myth, Prince Sky, but King Erendor won't talk about it because he was once an honorable ally to another realm aside from Domino the realm of Tritonia where everything but the insides of buildings hangs in grey twilight. Recently people who go there don't come back. And many Eraklyon realm have done that and never returned home." Captain Dells responds. "Even my brother who was co captain of the Guard took a squad of Red Fountain specialists to Tritonia none of them returned. Co Captain Fells thought he knew what he was doing, but he didn't, my Prince. Your Father's become more bitter since that time. They were quite close they both had seen a lot of damage and darkness destroy many realms."

"Dad, do you hear that?" asked Brandon.

"I heard it, Lionfolk we wish to have a civilized warrior duel with your King's most deserving man."

"There no kings here just chiefs, why do you cross our borders and destroy our lands with your dragons?"

"My Father's doing that?" gasped Sky.

"You are lucky you came with your royal Guardsmen otherwise you might be dead, Prince Sky." speaks the lion man. His lion mane hair folded down around his neck and a cloak wrapped around his body as the giant muscles disappeared as well as the tail. There was a bit of a growling essence to his voice whenever he spoke.

"Show us what your folk have suffered because of us." demands Captain Dells. "I would like to see the grievances upon your people with my own eyes, sir."

"Very well, I shall and will take you to our home and main camp the worst of it is there, my lads. Keep your swords sheathed though you may however keep your shields on." He insists. I sheathed his sword. The lion patrol man rose a white flag and the three other lion folk entered the rear of the group.