Thy Code De Chivalry (Edit/Update) by Alasdair Mackenzie (speld decodable readers .txt) 📕

As soon as all the people are mounted on their horse, they all shouted their good-byes and galloped away on their long journey towards the kingdom ahead.

***

As night begins to fall, thre group of men settled down in the forest, they are not far long to the castle, half day's ride. The Laird invited Christian to join him for hunting game to see if his archery skills were just as fine as his father's. They returned with a large stag filled with juicey meat inside and laughter.

"Ye should have seen this lad!’Tis the best archer I have ever seen. A fine bull's-eye indeed, just like his father. He would have been proud of you just as I am" Ewan exclaimed as he and Christian demonstrated what they did a little further away and back in the forest.

Garret and Paul already had titles as Lord and Count as well as being good swordsmans, Christian had Scot's blood and archery due to his father, but Terence on the otherhand, had a mystery, a mystery everybody wanted to solve, including Terence himself.

"Well I don't know about the lot of you, but I am going to wash up," Sir Kayden said as he got up from his spot, but before he could make it to the river, an arrow went flying and landed right in front of him. His eyes widen as he turn to his group, "We're under attack!"

Prince Thomas, Laird Ewan, Sir Lucas, and Sir Kayden drew their swords as Christian ready his bow and arrow.They all wait edfor the next attack in silence until a knife went flying but no one knew by who, the knife came directly towards Paul. Using quick instincts, Terence pushed Paul away who collided with a surprised and wide eyed Garet, the two fell onto the hard dirt wrinkling their clothes.

As the two complained about being dirty in thier fine clothing, Terence looked down at himself to see where the knife landed and fell on his knees, not uttering a single word. The commanding voice of Garet was dying down as the world began to spin and blacken Terence's eyes.

Before he knew it, shouts were flying as if in a distant and the mysterious boy collapsed.

***

"Is he alright?" Terence heard Christian ask. He wanted to answer to his friend but his eyelids felt too heavy as well as his body.

"The knife's plunged deep within his back. Poor boy. We must ride fast but must keep on our guard. Our attackers might attack any time of the day." Sir Lucas said, picking up Terence and gently handed him to the Prince.

They all rode hard and fast toward the castle walls were a small village was along with the castle and keep itself.

"Summon the healer now!" Prince Thomas commanded in a booming voice. The little girl curtsied quickly and dash off to find a nearby healer of the kingdom. The Queen and her daughter, Zoe, showed up as her other son, Zoe's brother, the second prince of the kingdom toward the group of men who have the near unconscious boy on the Thomas' horse.

"My lord above. What happen to the poor boy?" The Queen asked, her tone concerned and worried for poor Terence.

"Some bandit attacked us milady mother. We are in need of a healer stat. One girl has rushed to find a healer but I'm 'fraid he is dying most too quickly from all the blood lost." Prince Thomas said as they rush a dying Terence towards the Prince's bedroom.

The healer finally arrived and shooed everyone while she did her work.The Queen became the first to notice the look Ewan had on the healer when she came to the rescue. It was not like any other, she wonder, if the healer had captured the Laird's heart so long ago.

***

Terence woke up with a massive headache. He touched and rubbed his temples as if a great headache formed which it did. The rest of his body ached from the long journey and encounter but none is worse than the headache.

"Wh-where am I?" He ask weary, the King chuckled. The King!

"You are in my son's chamber, Prince Thomas but you have yet to meet my daughter, other son, and the rest of the people." The King said with a smile.

As Terence began to sit up and address to the King with respect he is suddenly pushed back down on the soft bed gently. The feeling of a soft bed is nothing compared to his old bedding of hard good back at "home".

"Rest, you've had a hard day coming here and nearly died. Once you have been well rested, my servant will dress you and take you down to the dining hall son we may all have supper." The King said with a smile as he got up to leave Terence alone to rest.

***

Waking up once again, Terence could feel the energy in his body once more as he got out of bed. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned, got himself all dress up and head down the stone stairs of the Keep.

As Terence entered the dining room where everybody was, the other prince saw him as Terence was walking in. His eyes glue upon on how magnificent the new squire is. The second prince of the king had seen nothing like him, there was something about him that made his heart jump like the last woman he met.

"Father, who is that?" The prince asked, pointing towards Terence who went to sit by his best and only friend. This cause a bit of jealous among the prince but he cooled himself as he sip his wine.

"That my boy is Terence. No one knows if his father is dead or alive," The king replied, looking at Terence noticing the pants he wore were a bit too big for him. He cleared his throat and clapped his hands a couple of times, preparing his meal speech. "It gives me great honor, to welcome Garret, Paul, Christian, and Terence into our humble abode. Soon we will hear from my son, Thomas, about the Code of Chivalry, but now, let us feast until we fall."

As soon as the king sat in his place, the servants came in with plates of food and whine glass containers to pour in their goblets.

***

"The meal was just terrific your majesty, thank you ever so much." Paul praised, bowing to the king but not before sending a sly smirk to Christian who silently scoffed in secret.

The king bowed his head in returned and motioned with his hand for Paul to rise. "I am pleased to have satisfied your appetite. My servants shall now show you each of your rooms, you all may wash up then have a tour around the castle grounds before we meet back here, at the dining area of the Keep."

All four bowed their heads then all separated with a servant along to show them the way to their chambers to ready themselves for the night.

Terence followed the servant who was assigned to him toward his room, to his surprise, he saw it to be decorated with such fine fabric silk. Pure gold and silver with emerald jewels, diamonds and sapphires as well.

"I hope this room will be to your liking master Terence, there is a hot bath awaiting for you at this very moment, I would suggest you take it now while it is still steaming."

Terence thanked the servant with a bow and waited for the other to depart so he can undress himself and bathe while it was still steaming hot.

Climbing in slowly, Terence let the hot water sooth his aches and pains as he slid down further until his body was invisible due to the smoke. He found the soap and began to scrub himself, getting the dirt from under his nails and between his toes.

***

Prince Phyllis, second son of the king made his way to the dining hall along with his siblings and the rest of the kingdom to hear his older brother speak of the Code to all the newcomers.

His brother had once been the heir to the throne but in moments time after he had fallen for a farmer's girl, he stepped down to let Phyllis himself rise to become heir after their father's pass. In truth he had never imagined himself being an heir after father.

He admired Thomas but also envied. Yes he had women swooning over just like his older brother but what Thomas had what Phyllis didn't was blessings. No matter what he did in his past life and now, it was never good enough; he had never received any blessings from father, the king.

He felt ashamed and took his frustration out in hard swordplay. No one except Valmont liked to hard duel with the young prince, it gave them both great satisfaction, pleasure, and release.

Prince Phyllis stopped in his tracks when he heard the sound of the water being drained. He stepped aside to take a peek at who was at the other side. He opened the door slightly and silently to peek, what he saw, he believed was sent from God himself.

***

Terence had just finished drying himself when he thought he had heard a gasp. He shrugged and continued to dress himself. When he finished with the pants he went for the shirt, he slipped it on and looked at it as if something was wrong. He was right.

While wondering about the shirt, he heard a chuckle then footsteps approaching towards him. He looked up at the mirror and saw a young man with royal clothing and dirt blonde hair. He walked high and with posture, never slouched, never below.

"You've got it on backwards boy. Here, let me help you place it on properly." Prince Phyllis said taking the shirt off from Terence and turned it around to place it back on and tied the laces. The prince finished helping Terence dress then together; they escorted each other to the dining hall.

"I thank you my prince for helping a poor soul dress." He said as the prince nodded with a broad smile.

***

When everyone arrived back at the dining hall, all were seated and all waited patiently for the royal family to arrive. They talked amongst themselves and a few soon-to-be chivalry knights to keep each other company until the royal family presented themselves to the people

The king rose and clapped his hands a couple of times as a way of silencing the people. All turned their attention to the king then to Prince Phyllis and Terence.

"My son has arrived and so has the newcomer to the kingdom. Please, take your seats and we shall begin the feast. My son, Thomas, shall present the Code of Chivalry before he fulfills our famished stomachs." The king said as Thomas rose from his seat to take the center.

Thomas stood tall as any prince but his poster was of both royalty and a famer's. He had grown to love the farm-life as his wife had grown to love a royal's life; both had managed to work things together. A castle was built on her father's land and flowers forever bloomed her mother's grave. It was perfect for the two.

"I will now present the Code in which will be and shall be in first and foremost forever in our minds and hearts as well as the souls of each and every one of us. Let us began," Thomas said as his wife gave him a scroll tied together with a golden string. The eldest prince untied the string and unscrolled the scroll. "To fear God and maintain his church. To serve in the liege of the Lord in valour and faith. To protect the weak and defenseless. To give succour to widows and orphans. To refrain from the wanton giving of offence. To live by honour and for glory. To dispise precuniary reward. To fight for the welfare of all. To obey those placed in authority. To guard the honour