A Hero's Journey: Squire

      “You are a disgrace to the Wincott name,” a royal Usul snarled as he slammed his fist down onto his desk, sending a few sheets of paper fluttering to the floor. “Don’t you understand? You are our only hope of keeping our riches alive!”

     “I’m sorry, Father,” Cavall babbled, bowing low. “I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again…”

     “No more excuses. Take your work seriously!” a Royal Cybunny chimed in. Arms akimbo, she glared down at her son. “Do you want the knights to come and take everything we have? Everything we’ve worked for? Everything we’ve worked hard to give you?”

     “Your accounting is dreadful. Abysmal.” Lotham stressed those words as he pointed to Cavall. “Go back to your room and don’t come out till you’ve got it right!”

     The young Blue Cybunny swallowed hard and blinked back tears. Quickly he turned away so Lord Lotham and Lady Elesia would not see him cry as he ran out of their study and back to his room. Halfway down the corridor he could not help but sniffle and rub his eyes – hopefully his parents did not notice, or they would find another reason to yell at him again.

     But as Cavall reached his bedroom door, the floor beneath his feet lurched, and suddenly he was falling.

     Then he woke up.

     When Cavall opened his eyes, he saw the inside of the cabin he shared with Rohane, the shelves and racks overhead for their things, a small closet, a door leading to a small bathroom, and an empty bed on the opposite side of the room, neatly made. Cavall noticed that both Rohane and his sword were gone; the White Blumaroo had probably gone to find an ideal spot to perform his morning exercises even though they were on board the Belonthiss, headed south toward Meridell Castle.

     The Cybunny groaned softly as he got up, tossing aside the thin blanket as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It was only a dream, yet, it had been so real that his ears were still ringing from the sounds of his parents yelling at him and treating him like a failure.

     He bit his lip. Sir Rohane doesn’t think I’m a failure. At least, I think he doesn’t. Clutching his stomach, he leaned against his bed, which was bolted down, for support as the ferry swayed. As his dream slowly evaporated into the morning air, new thoughts flooded into his brain, jolting him awake. Olivia the Lupe seer, who was aware that he kept a secret; the new smallsword he was now carrying with him back to Meridell Castle, lovingly made by Rohane’s older brother; their night at White River, where Cavall had heard, with his own ears, that Rohane did not regret selecting him as his squire.

     As he brought his hand away from the bed and began to get dressed in his squire’s gear, Cavall’s mind wandered.

     Maybe…maybe Sir Rohane has earned it. Not that he ever needed to earn it, but he deserves to know the truth about me. But where do I even start? How do I tell him? When? If I do it here, someone might hear, and if my father is really still alive and finds out I’m still alive…

     Knuckling his temples, he stepped out of the cabin without even bothering to arrange his bed – or picking up the Wincott medallion that was still under his pillow.

     ”Sir Rohane, there’s something I need to tell you.” No, not like that. “I’m really sorry, Sir Rohane, but that seer I met at Trestin? She said something about me…” “That seer was right, she knows I’m lying.”

     Ugh, why is this so hard?

     He walked along the deck of the ferry, feeling the warm morning sunshine on his face and a light breeze rippling through his fur. Cavall wanted to figure out how to tell his knight-master the truth, but at the same time, he wanted to shelve that matter for the time being and just enjoy the sight of the gentle river, the houses and forests decorating the opposite banks, and of course, the mess hall, since he hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

     * * *

     “Cavall?”

     Normally Rohane expected his squire to be up at this hour, beginning his training exercises. But considering they still had a two days’ walk to Meridell Castle once the Belonthiss made port, he had decided to allow Cavall to sleep in.

     And normally, whenever Rohane called him, Cavall was out in a flash, stumbling over his feet, asking the White Blumaroo what he needed, if his armor needed polishing, if his sword needed cleaning.

     This time, there was no response. And there was no one in Cavall’s bed, either. The morning sunlight streaming through the only window of the cabin reflected off something partly buried beneath Cavall’s pillow, which had been bunched up to one side.

     Rohane crossed the cabin toward the head of Cavall’s bed. The flash was gold, and came from a medallion with an elaborate, cursive “W” emblazoned over a diamond and a sword down the middle. He turned the trinket over and over in his hand and stared at it.

     Cavall was not known as a thief, and he had not grown up with much. Rohane knew that Cavall was an orphan taken in by a kindly Elephante who worked as a castle cook, but little else was known about Cavall’s life before Theodosia.

     This is the Wincott emblem. But it can’t be. Lord Lotham and Lady Elesia died in a fire and did not have any children…or did they? Wait, if I remember correctly, the Wincott manor fire…what date did they say it was…

     He gasped softly.

     That was the time when Theodosia said she took Cavall in. Then, it’s possible. Cavall could be related to the Wincotts. But why hasn’t he told me? Is he afraid…

     After letting that thought hang in the air, Rohane immediately replaced the medallion in what he hoped was the exact same spot from which he had picked it up before leaving his cabin to look for his squire. As he emerged on deck, an Orange Yurble saw him and waved excitedly before fumbling through his pockets and bag.

     “Sir Rohane! I had hoped to meet you in person – I thought the captain was pulling my leg when he said you’d be here, but…wow!” He finally pulled out a pen and what looked like a pocket planner. “Um, if it’s all right, can you sign on this page? To ‘Connac’, with a ‘c’ and two n’s and another ‘c’…I’ve followed your adventures since you first made the Neopian Times, I’m a big fan. Thank you so much, for everything you’ve done for Neopia.”

     “Oh…er, you’re welcome,” the White Blumaroo answered as he took the pen and signed the page neatly. “It’s the least we could do. By the way, Connac, right?”

     “You even spelled it right! Some baristas can’t even get it right!”

     “Right. Have you seen a young Blue Cybunny? About this tall. He’s my squire.”

     Connac’s eyes lit up. “Pretty sure I ran into him in the mess hall. I didn’t know he was your squire!” He beamed as he clutched the planner and pen to his chest. “Thank you, thank you! Wait till my friends find out I was on the same ship as the legendary Sir Rohane!”

     As the Yurble strolled away, Rohane made his way toward the mess hall. The morning crowd and the breakfast buffet were both thinning out, but there was still one short Cybunny sitting by himself at a table, chewing on the last of his buttered scone.

     “Cavall?”

     Cavall perked up at the sound of his name and jumped up from his seat. “S-Sir! I’m sorry, I woke up late and went to have breakfast, and I didn’t realize you were back!” After stuffing the rest of his scone into his mouth, he tried to wash it down with a glass of milk.

     “Calm down,” said Rohane. “It’s okay. I just went back to our cabin to see if you were awake – “

     After slamming his empty glass down onto the table, Cavall took a moment before picking his glass up again along with his plate, fork, and spoon. These he carried speedily toward the Nimmo already cleaning up the buffet table, who nodded her thanks and couldn’t help but steal a glance toward Rohane before taking the tableware into the kitchen.

     “Cavall, be careful. Why are you in such a hurry?”

     “D-do you need anything, sir? Your sword cleaned? Your bed was already made up…”

     “I don’t need anything. I just wanted to see where you went. And I already polished my sword last night, remember?”

     Cavall’s ears drooped. “Oh. Right.”

     “We don’t make port until tomorrow morning, so why don’t we work on your swordsmanship with your new smallsword?”

     “O-Okay. Can I just get my smallsword from our cabin?”

     “Of course. How else will you practice?”

     Cavall grinned somewhat awkwardly as they walked back to the cabin. However, his grin instantly faded when he entered their room and remembered that he had not made his bed…or put away the Wincott medallion hidden partly under his pillow.

     “Aaaaah!”

     Nearly tripping along the way, the Cybunny made a beeline for his bed to fix it, placing his body in front of the place where his pillow was and trying to furtively shove the medallion into his pocket.

     “What’s wrong?” Rohane looked up from where he had retrieved his own sword.

     “Nothing!” Cavall clapped his hand over his mouth. “Nothing, sir! I…” He paused and took a deep breath, slipping his hand into his pocket with the medallion secure inside. “I thought I saw an Aboogala.”

     The Blumaroo arched his eyebrows. “You weren’t afraid of Aboogalas when you found a web full of them back in Trestin. You even called Darel over to show him.”

     “I…I was surprised.” Cavall scrambled to pick up his smallsword with a nervous laugh. “B-But that’s okay! It was only one Aboogala. So, where are we training?”

     “We’ll have to keep away from where the passengers usually pass so we don’t hit anyone by accident. The captain was kind enough to allow us to use one empty dining hall.”

     Normally, Cavall gave anything Rohane said his full attention, but this time, the squire was half-listening, or perhaps less, while inspecting the contents of his travel pack. Sir Rohane probably didn’t notice the medallion I left behind. He’s not saying anything about it. But what if he’s waiting for me to say something? What if he already knows? And he’s making sure I don’t know that I know and then he’s going to suddenly tell me he’s always known that I’m -

     “Let’s go, Cavall…uh, Cavall?”

     “Sir!” Cavall snapped to attention, gripping his smallsword so tightly that his knuckles went white. “Yes, sir!” I hope that’s a sign he doesn’t know.

     * * *

     The Belonthiss docked at a small port village that served as the starting point for the final leg of Rohane and Cavall’s journey back to Meridell Castle. After stocking up on supplies and a brief rest, they set out on a hike through lush plains dotted with trees and shrubs, with a well-worn path traversed by generations of travelers to guide them.

     “Please, let me carry your sword,” Cavall pleaded.

     “Cavall, you’re already carrying enough. You said you wanted to carry the tent and our bedrolls, and you wouldn’t stop begging me…” Rohane sighed. “It’s okay. I know you want to help, but you seem to be really…insistent today, and nervous. Is everything all right?”

     The Cybunny made a small noise in his throat. At first, he looked like he was about to shake his head, but he promptly turned that into a nod. “Yes, sir! I…like I said, I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me, so I want to help you in any way I can.”

     “But I don’t need help right now. In fact, if the tent starts getting too heavy, just pass it back to me.”

     “It’s…” Cavall’s steps slowed, and he was already beginning to heave. Rohane reached out to take the pack from his squire. “No! Ah – I didn’t mean to shout, I’m just…”

     Rohane looked up at the darkening sky as the splashes of red and orange began giving way to purple, blue and black. “Hmm, why don’t we stop here for the night? Let’s bring out the bread and I’ll heat up our leftover lunch over a fire.”

     “I’ll gather the firewood!” Cavall gasped. “No, wait, first I’ll pitch the tent, then I’ll gather the firewood.”

     “There’s two of us. Choose what you want to do, and I’ll take the other.”

     “But don’t you want to rest?” Cavall pointed to a log lying on the ground and trotted over to it. After dropping his pack, the tent and the bedroll with an audible sigh of relief, he immediately cleared the log of any twigs, dry leaves, or any other forest debris. “You can sit here…and…well, order me around. I mean, that’s what I’m here for, right?”

     “No, Cavall. You’re here because I promised to teach you everything you need to become a knight. I know I can ask you to do things for me, but…” Rohane put down his own things and began unpacking the tent canvas, cord, and pegs before Cavall could. “If I can do something on my own, I don’t need to ask you – “

     He paused when he saw the crestfallen expression on the Cybunny’s face.

     “What I mean is…I appreciate your help, but I don’t need to be waited on hand and foot. So, do you want to set up the tent, or gather the firewood?”

     Cavall gave this some serious thought. “I…I want to gather the firewood, sir. I won’t go far.”

     “Good. It shouldn’t be hard to find good kindling anyway.”

     After Cavall walked away to pick up some dry sticks, Rohane watched him for a moment before getting down on his knees to set up their tent. Admittedly, the ensuing silence without Cavall begging for something to do was a breath of fresh air – and it allowed the White Blumaroo to ponder how his squire had gotten even more nervous than usual.

     Was it something I said? That night, when he listened to me and Reuben, we never said anything bad about him. And when we got on the ferry…oh. Rohane stood up as he erected the tent pole and the canvas, and stepped back to see if they would hold. Does he know that I know his secret? Is that why he has gotten jumpier? I know I put that medallion back exactly where I found it…I never mentioned it…

     “I’m back!”

     Dried leaves and stones crunched under Cavall’s feet as he returned with an armful of firewood, which he arranged neatly in front of the tent before taking out matches to light the fire. Once that was done, he approached the tent.

     “Okay, Cavall, thanks for getting the fire going. I’ll start heating up our food – “

     “No, let me do it! I mean, sir, you put up the tent…”

     “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

     “Then – then let me polish your sword – “

     “It still doesn’t need polishing.” Rohane raised his eyebrows. “Cavall, why don’t you sit down and rest? We had quite the long walk.”

     The Blue Cybunny pouted but did as he was told. “So did you…”

     “I’m used to walking. Walking, then settling down to put up the tent and get a fire going…it brings back memories. Take a break, then we’ll eat.”

     Mechanically, Cavall sat on the log, hands on his lap as he tapped his feet on the ground, watching Rohane create a circle of stones around the firepit and prop up a pot into which the leftovers went. As smoke rose from the cooking pot, the knight sat down beside his squire, next to their tent. By now the sky was a dark shade of blue, a beat away from real night, and the stars were coming out. Spyvens leaped from tree to tree while Vullards fluttered about in search of food.

     Cavall had his sheathed smallsword in his lap and was fingering its hilt silently, not even looking up at Rohane or starting any new conversation.

     “You know,” said Rohane, “you can tell me anything. I’m your knight-master; I’m responsible for you.”

     More silence, as Cavall put his weapon away and twiddled his thumbs.

     “You think I can’t tell whether something’s on your mind? If you don’t tell me, I can’t help you.”

     At first, the squire said nothing, preferring to stare at a Mortog hopping away into the bushes. Then he took a deep breath and met Rohane’s eyes at last.

     “I lied. I lied to you, I lied to everyone in the castle, to my friends…even to old Theodosia. That’s what I wanted – no, needed to tell you.”

     “What did you lie about?” Inwardly, the Blumaroo was impressed at how he sounded genuinely clueless about what Cavall had said.

     “I’m not Cavall,” the Blue Cybunny said. He stood up from the log and stepped forward to check the pot, but Rohane placed an arm in front of him so he could do it himself. Nevertheless, Cavall continued. “My real name is Cathton Wincott.” The Blue Cybunny pulled the medallion out of his pocket and held it up. “Yeah, the son of Lord Lotham and Lady Elesia Wincott. Everyone thinks they didn’t have a child, but that’s because they kept me locked away in the manor for ten years. They taught me taxes and accounting, all so I could be their perfect heir.” He spat the words as though they were disgusting poison. “When our manor burned, I escaped, believing they had died, found Theodosia, and decided to live with her. I never told anyone else. See? I lied, I deceived everyone into thinking I was just some orphan she picked up from the streets. No – I’m Cathton, heir of the Wincotts!”

     Gritting his teeth, Cavall flung the medallion into the dirt as Rohane lifted the pot of food. At the sight of Cavall’s eyes brimming with tears and his hands trembling with anger, the knight set the pot aside to sit back down beside his squire.

     “And I’m just like my parents. They lied and cheated to get rich. I lied for four years. I covered up who I really was. All that time, I was so scared someone would find out, and either kick me out of the castle, or take me back to my family, or worse…if my parents really are alive, bring me back to them.” The Cybunny shuddered, his tears spilling onto his cheeks, his hands, and his lap. “I was so sure no one would know, until Miss Olivia back in Trestin told me…she knew my secret, knew that me being at the fire matched up with the time Theodosia adopted me, even had a prophecy about how I’m a lost child wandering…and I wondered who else would know, and then I left that stupid medallion in my bed back at the ferry, and I didn’t know if you already knew or not, but it doesn’t matter. You can’t trust me anymore!”

     His last words echoed in the wilderness, sending two disgruntled Whoots flying into the night sky. The only sounds that ensued were the crackling of the fire and the rustling of the branches overhead. In the light of the flames, Rohane saw tear streaks on Cavall’s cheeks.

     “You can’t,” Cavall whispered hoarsely, sniffling. “You’ve been too kind to me, and all I’ve ever done is mess up. I’ll never be as good a knight as you, but…I just…I just wanted a new life. I wanted to see the world. I knew the world was not all bad like my parents told me, and you, and Theodosia, and my friends, and Reuben and the rest of your family…they proved that to me. And this is how I repaid you.”

     “Cavall…”

     “I’m sorry!” the Cybunny cried. “I’m sorry, but I can’t be your squire anymore. I feel so bad that I’ve never told you, I was just scared that my old life would come back to haunt me, because the time I’ve spent with Theodosia, being a page, and then being your squire…that was the best time of my life. But instead, I was terrible, I was a liar and a – “

     Rohane stared at him. Finally, he took a deep breath, leaned forward, and gathered Cavall into a hug.

     “I think you’ve proven yourself trustworthy enough.”

     “Huh?” Cavall looked up at him, tensing in the White Blumaroo’s arms. “But I lied to everyone! How can you say that?”

     “You are kind, hardworking, and nothing at all like your parents,” Rohane answered. “Like I said, I don’t regret choosing you as my squire.”

     Cavall blinked furiously, his entire body trembling. He opened and closed his mouth before settling for burying his face into Rohane’s shoulder, sobbing as he returned the hug as the fire flickered and the stars appeared in the sky, the only other witnesses to Cavall’s revelation.

     “W-Wait.” The Cybunny suddenly spoke up. “Sir, back at White River…someone said they saw my father.” He swallowed hard and shuddered. “If that’s true…if he and my mother are still alive…I could put you and everyone else in danger.”

     “If your parents turn out to be alive, I won’t let them take you back, I promise.” Rohane let him go but placed his hands firmly on Cavall’s shoulders. “This is the life you wanted after all those years, isn’t it? And to have made it this far on your own…you are much stronger than you realize.”

     “I…I am?” The Blue Cybunny goggled at him.

     “Yes, you are. But strong squires also need to eat, so let’s have dinner before it gets cold. And we’ll be walking back to the castle tomorrow so get some rest when we’re done.”

     The castle. Cavall straightened up, his eyes hovering over the Wincott medallion forgotten on the ground.

     “W-wait, sir…Sir Rohane, will you tell…”

     Rohane shook his head. “Not if you don’t want me to, Cavall. Your secret is safe with me.”

     To be continued…