The Brave Men of The Kingdom of Somon

The days started to grow longer, and the eager leaf or two started to break through the surface of the lingering white sheet of snow. In the heart of the Kingdom of Somon, high up in the northern mountains, the first rays of sun landed on the great stone wall surrounding the king’s castle. What would normally be a peaceful, quiet time of the morning was a chaotic scene as the king’s knights rang bells of alarm that shook the walls of the small thatched, stonehouses that encircled the king’s residence.

Knight’s guilded in the King’s armour, banged on the doors of each house and breaking down any door that took it’s time to open. To the commonfolk of Somon, who had been rudely awakened by the alarm bells, all they could tell from the shouting and loud footsteps outside was that the knights were frantically searching for something. In each home they entered, they would yank the men from their bed and hold torches so close to their faces that were they not in such a rush, they might have burned them.

They tore through the homes, opening any doors, lifting any tables or chairs to the walls, anything that could serve as a hiding place was torn open or thrown to the wall until it’s contents were revealed. The kingdom was in chaos, bells ringing, the sound of the king’s men tearing the town apart. The bridge leading out of the castle rattled, and it seemed even the whole mountain was on the verge of a tremour as the King’s mounted infantry on their massive battle stallions crossed over, leaving the walls of the castle to begin the descent down the mountains. They covered ground, with ease, their unwavering strong hands, masterfully gripping their horse’s reins while their battle-worn, scarred faces remained fearlessly stoic behind their heavy iron helmets.

The kingdom was in chaos, but inside the walls of the castle, there was a chilling silence that seemed to dull the sound and flurry that had fallen on Somon that morning. Of the two hundred knights who we were permanently stationed inside the castle, only eight remained. The rest had been deployed with the to turn every last stone in the kingdom and beyond, what they sought, or rather whom they sought had the power to destroy the kingdom - he couldn’t be allowed to go far.

The last remaining eight knights, perhaps the king’s bravest, were braced in the small courtyard that led to the iron mouth of the dungeon. All eight of them stood en garde with their swords raised toward the gates of the dungeon. Not a single one of the men dared, lift a finger to wipe the cold sweat dripping down their foreheads. For at any moment, something that had lay hidden in the dark for half a century would emerge, a creature that had been chained for what should have been an eternity.

At the gates to the dungeon, stood a young servant not a day over twenty, wearing only dirty, ragged clothes, that barely covered his smooth, taut chest.

“It’s coming, it’s coming,” the young man shouted as he held the wheel of the gates in his hands, while readying himself to run for his life as soon as the creature had crossed through the barrier. He looked towards the King’s strong men and realised it was each man for himself that morning.

The brave knights threw nervous glances at each other and quickly turned their eyes back at the mouth of the dungeon, tightening the grip on their swords. The young servant started to turn the giant wheels that almost seemed too heavy for his skinny arms- but he was much stronger than he looked. And after a couple of turns the gates of the dungeon started to creak open.

The knights threw more glances at each other. Until finally one of them stepped forward.

“Boy! If you move that wheel another inch, I’ll make you regret the day you were born.” His voice boomed.

“B-b-but.. the P-P-Prince said..” the servant stuttered, his body shaking, as he continued to turn the wheel, by now the heavy gates were open enough that the creature would be able to squeeze through unless it had grown even larger. The boy tried to muster his remaining strength to turn the wheel one more time and widen the gap between the gates but they would not budge. The wheel was stuck!

Suddenly there was a growl from the dark passageway into the dungeon. The young servant was so startled he fell on his back and before he knew it a burst of flames shot through the dungeon gates and almost engulfed the servant. The poor boy ran out of the courtyard to towards the living quarters and didn’t dare to look behind him.

The eight knights looked at each other contemplating following in the boy’s footsteps. But they were the King’s brave knights. Nothing could sway them from protecting their King and his kingdom.

There was another growl and this time, the creature emerged from the depths of the dungeons into the morning light. It stood on it’s hind legs, spread it’s wings to cover almost half the courtyard and then with a loud thud, it brought it’s forelegs back onto the ground, lowered its head and started inching towards the knights, sniffing one knight after the other.

With their hearts pounding, and their swords raised, clearly too small to do much damage to the creature before them, the knights began to take slow steps backwards, knowing full well, they couldn’t outrun the dragon. The dragon seemed to choose the man he wanted to taste first. He licked the scales around the lips of his mouth and braced himself to toast his breakfast.

But then the doors to the King’s quarters opened with a bang and Emkhar the crown prince of Somon walked through into the courtyard with his big chest puffed out in full armour.

“Reior! No!” The prince shouted at the dragon in his deep, sonorous voice and the dragon pulled his head from the knight immediately.

The prince sauntered toward the knight and then stood just inches behind him.

“Reior, this one’s mine to play with,” Prince Emkhar said as he wrapped one arm around the knight’s sturdy chest from behind.

The knight felt the prince’s hard armour against his body and when he felt the prince’s codpiece rubbing against his buttocks, his legs almost turned to porridge.

“Your highness!” The knight muttered under his breath as he realised the prince codpiece kept moving closer and closer and was inches from taking the his virtue.

The knight stepped forward away from the prince but as he did, he dropped his sword with a lound clang onto the courtyard tiles. He instictively dropped down to pick it up only to find himself facing the prince’s groin, clearly protruding through the chainmail his dropped to the stoned courtyard tiles. Suddenly he realised he was staring and he shot up to his feet.

“I’m terribly sorry, sir.”

There clearly wasn’t enough distance between him and the prince because he could feel the heat from his body even through his armour. He realised he was still staring at the groin so he looked up but then now he was staring right into the prince’s eyes, those beautiful, hazel eyes.

“I don’t know what came over me,” the knight said and turned back towards the dragon and away from the prince.

Prince Emkhar, playfully slapped the knight’s behind then walked toward the dragon and gently stroked his snout before turning back towards his men.

“Knights of Somon! The King’s crystal has been stolen. The man who stole it left three words written on the walls of the King’s chambers. ‘Prophecy of Ainken’.”

The prince paused as he revelled in the fear that the brave knights were trying to hide on their faces.

“This kingdom will surely fall if that crystal is not returned. All the nights of the kingdom are out there searching every home in the kingdom. The King is leading the rest of his men down the mountains to the southern kingdoms. If the prophecy is to come true, as you all know there will be no kingdom left for him to return to.

“You, brave men, have been chosen to watch over the people of this kingdom until the king and I return with the crystal. If we are not back by winter, it’s already too late. And the prophecy will surely be fulfilled.”

“What’s your name, sunshine?” The prince asked the beautiful stud of a knight who was trying to avoid looking him in the face.

“Ziegrey son of Keirlon the Ironsmith,” the knight answered, this time he looked at the prince’s face and couldn’t help but smile at his handsome, playful face.

“Ziggy and I will ride my dear dragon and scour every last corner of the earth for clues to the thief or thieves. Isn’t that right Ziggy?”

“Yes, sir. And it’s Ziegrey, your highness.”

And with that the prince leapt onto the dragon’s back.

“Hem-hem.” The prince cleared his throat, casting an eye at the knight. “Are you coming Ziggy?”

“Me?” The knight mouthed quietly pointing at his chest while looking around at the others.

“I’m going to give you the ride of your life,” the prince said and he held out a hand to the who took hold of it and was hoisted onto the dragon’s back, and immediately wrapped his arms around the prince.”

“Time to find out how good grip is.” The prince said and the knight felt his cheeks burn up for a moment and hoped the prince couldn’t read his thoughts.

The prince gave the dragon a gentle tap with his foot and the dragon flapped it’s wings and the prince and the knight were thrust into the air over the towers of the kingdom and in a moment.

As the dragon swept past the steeple of the castle’s chapel, Ziegrey looked down and for the first time in his life, he was in the sky! He could see the castle grow smaller and smaller and before long, the remaining seven knights were barely visible in the courtyard.

The dragon swooped down and back up rapidly and Ziegrey felt dizzy as though he would fall right off. He immediately tightened his grip around the prince and rested his head on the prince’s shoulder.

“Hold on tight, Ziggy. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Suddenly, the height wasn’t so scary and Ziegrey wished he could stay up in the sky with the prince forever and ever.

“Are you ready to see the world, Zig?” The prince shouted and he motioned for the dragon to go even higher.

Ziegrey looked down at the Kingdom of Somon and he saw it all, the burning warning fires that the King’s knights had set alight at the peaks of the highest mountains all the way down to the lower mountains. He could see the nearest kingdom in the distance but no matter how high the dragon went, how would they ever find the man who had stolen crystal?

He gently placed his head against the prince’s neck and hoped the prince had a plan.

“You worry too much, Ziggy! Everything is going to be alright.” The prince said in his deep voice, just loud enough for Ziegrey to hear him.