A Hero's Journey: Squire

     Jeran smiled as he and Rohane walked into a hallway full of portraits of knights long since immortalised into Meridell’s legends. “The magistrates have sentenced Lotham and Elesia Wincott to lifetime imprisonment in the dungeons. They have been stripped of their titles and properties, which were granted to Cavall, now the Lord Wincott.”

     Rohane chuckled. “As if having a noble boy for a squire wasn’t enough, now I have to teach a little lord…with quite the fortune.”

     “He’ll have a smaller inheritance than before, I think, not that he cares.” The two knights stopped in front of the portrait of Sir Reynold. “Cavall agreed to deduct all his family’s debts, unpaid taxes, and other charges from the Wincott fortune. What’s left is still enough for him to live a comfortable life. He’s a good kid. He’ll go places someday, I know it. You should have seen him testify against his parents with all the evidence he gathered from the ruins of their mansion – he’s no longer the timid little Cybunny who wasn’t getting picked as a squire.”

     The Lupe inclined his head toward the image of Sir Reynold, a Yellow Blumaroo clad in full armour, wielding a sword and a shield. “Your father would be proud of you, just as you’re proud of Cavall. And…looks like this all worked out!”

     “What do you – “ Rohane paused and remembered their last conversation in the shadow of Sir Reynold. He blinked, then shook his head. “I can’t believe you were right.”

     “Hey, I’m right sometimes, you know.” Jeran lightly boxed him on the shoulder. “But seriously, I’m glad you found…well, being a knight is already your calling, just like me, but I guess you found your next adventure. And…thanks for taking Cavall as your squire. So, once his training is over, does this mean you’re open to take another squire?”

     The White Blumaroo stared at him. “How about you ask me later, when Cavall has been knighted?”

     “’When’, huh? You’re confident he’ll complete his training.”

     “Of course I am.”

     “Because the great Sir Rohane, son of Sir Reynold, is his knight-master?”

     Rohane rolled his eyes. “No, because he’s always had the potential, from the very beginning. He faced his past even though he was afraid of it, and that takes more courage than most things we’ve faced.”

     * * *

     “Are you going back to being Cathton now that everyone knows who you are?” Will asked as he and Cavall sat side by side, overlooking the training grounds. They watched as Mulligan and Joanna played a casual game of catch on the field with a leather Yooyu replica while Philip had a sparring session with Jaco, his knight-master.

     “No,” Cavall replied. “From now on, I’ll be Cavall Wincott.”

     “Even after all your parents did?” Will gaped at him. “You still want to be called a Wincott?”

     The Blue Cybunny shrugged, pulling out his Wincott pendant. “I don’t know, it doesn’t feel right to renounce or change my family name. Maybe I’ll keep it as a reminder of where I came from…and how I’m going to change it, so I can be a Wincott who isn’t like Lotham and Elesia Wincott. Not everyone in our clan is like them. Aunt Yvi went underground for a long time, but she taught me – and taught me about the outside world. Well, whenever my parents weren’t listening.”

     The Purple Bori nodded slowly. “So, Lord Cavall Wincott?”

     Cavall winced. “Please, don’t call me lord. Besides, I’m not lord of much now…I paid for all my parents’ crimes with a good chunk of the Wincott fortune. Aunt Yvi came out of hiding after she found out they were imprisoned, and she’ll be managing the fortune until I turn eighteen. But…” His ears flopped against the sides of his head. “Doctor Morti, my doctor…I won’t be seeing him again. During the trial, the magistrates discovered that my parents…killed him because he knew too much about me. About our home.” Cavall shuddered but his face was a picture of baleful resignation. “I’m happy Aunt Yvi is still alive, but…poor Doctor Morti…”

     Will reached out and closed one claw over Cavall’s trembling fingers. “Your parents won’t be able to do anything bad to you, or to anyone, ever again. And it’s all thanks to you, and Sir Rohane, all the knights…”

     “Thank you, Will.”

     “Huh?” The Purple Bori blinked but didn’t withdraw his hand.

     “Thanks, for being there for me. I don’t think I could have done all of this, if you weren’t there to support me along the way.”

     “But I didn’t do anything!” Will complained. “All I did was bump into you in the corridor, and I guess I still stayed friends with you even after finding out you were Cathton Wincott…” He looked down at how he was already squeezing Cavall’s fingers tightly, relaxed his grip, and smiled sheepishly.

     Cavall reached out to take Will’s claws in his hands.

     “It’s because I had this new life, with my new family and friends, that I was determined to fight for them. For four years, I was afraid my past would catch up with me and pull me back into that old manor and my old life, but then I realized…I had to stop it, from doing that. From pulling me away from what I have now. There was you, and the other squires, and the knights, the teachers…and of course, Sir Rohane, who’s more like a father than my own father has ever been.”

     “Heh, I guess he is gonna be like your father, at least, while you’re his squire.”

     Cavall smiled softly, but that smile flickered like a candle going out.

     “Cavall? Are you okay?”

     The Cybunny blinked. “Oh…uh, I’m okay. Sorry. I was just thinking of a lot of things. So much has happened to me since I…since I became a squire.”

     Will stood up, consulting a silver watch. “And even more is gonna happen! But…oh no, I gotta go, if you’re sure you’re okay. I have an etiquette lesson with my dad.” The Purple Bori’s mouth puckered in distaste as though he tasted a lemon. “See you later!”

     Cavall watched as Will took off and ran down a hallway. After some time and consideration, Cavall also got up from the bench and walked away toward the opposite direction. He passed through several corridors until he arrived at a large, imposing oak door reinforced with steel.

     There was no sign on the door, but he knew where it led to – the dungeons. His heart felt as though it was gripped by ice and his right hand twitched. He could open the door…see how his parents were doing, for the first time since they had been thrown in there…

     “Cavall, what are you doing?”

     The Blue Cybunny whipped around from where he had been staring at the door to see Rohane standing behind him.

     “Ah…um, n-nothing.”

     “You know that leads down to the dungeon,” said Rohane steadily. “Were you thinking of…” His voice trailed off; the expression on Cavall’s face told him everything.

     Cavall confirmed this by nodding. “I…you remember how I testified again, for the magistrates, right? About my parents. D-Don’t get me wrong, I know all the crimes they did, and they should pay for them, but…but…” He grimaced. “They locked me in our mansion for ten years, but they always gave me food, my own room, all the books I wanted…I got classes, even if they taught me accounting and taxes on top of everything…” The squire lowered his head. “And now that they’re in the dungeon, everything they had, everything that wasn’t turned over to the Crown, passed to me. It…it feels…I don’t know, am I really ungrateful for everything they did?”

     Rohane’s brow furrowed, but he placed a hand on Cavall’s back gently.

     “You did what you believed was right, and even if Lotham and Elesia provided for you…they did not provide for you the things that really matter. That’s what you told them, the day we tracked them down. That they were never your parents, and your house was never your home.”

     “That’s true…” The Blue Cybunny tugged at the hem of his shirt before turning away from the dungeon doors. “And maybe they were good to me, but they were horrible, to everyone else…”

     The White Blumaroo hummed pensively as they began walking together. “It was only a matter of time before they were exposed and punished for their crimes. I understand that it wasn’t easy for you, to make that decision, but…it was the most just. You acted the way a true knight would have.”

     “I think it’s also because I missed them,” Cavall whispered, digging his fingers into his ruff. “I never wanted them to find me while I was in the castle as a page, and then as a squire, but deep down in my heart…I just…wanted to see them alive again and know they’re okay. Despite everything. Ugh, it’s all confusing. It’s why I was wondering if I should be visiting Mother and Father in the dungeon.”

     Silence. Rohane glanced at him as they continued to walk.

     “It’s your call,” he told Cavall. “It’s up to you if you want to visit them, or if you’d rather not. You were the one they hurt the most. And as I said…it was about time they got what was coming. They broke many laws, they imprisoned you in your own home, they fed you lies about the outside world. Do you want to see them, or…”

     Cavall looked up and shook his head resolutely. “No. Maybe not now. Because for the first time…I don’t have a secret identity to hide. I’m Cavall Wincott, your squire, and everyone accepted me for who I am. Including you. And…um, since Theodosia died before I moved up to being a squire…whenever I’m with you, it feels like…uh, it feels like…”

     “It feels like what?”

     “Like…I have a real father. Theodosia showed me what a real mother was like. And now, you’re like a father to me. Since my real father…”

     “Was a jerk,” Rohane finished, before he paused. “Wait. You really…you think of me, as being like your father?”

     “A good father. Not like Lotham Wincott!” Cavall clarified, waving his hands. “You’re nothing like him. You accepted me for who I am, you keep me safe, and you teach me all sorts of things. And…” He sniffed. “I’m glad. I’m thankful you picked me, to be your squire.”

     At first, Rohane looked awkward and rubbed the back of his neck. Finally, he took a deep breath and squeezed Cavall’s shoulder gently.

     “And it’s my honor to be the master of such a courageous, kindhearted squire. As I told you, this is an entirely new adventure for me, but I’m glad I’m on this new journey with you, Cavall.”

     The End.