It was only a week after the harvest, whilst I was walking through the village square on the way to the tavern for a feed, that I heard a commotion in the alleyway. I should have known better, but my curiosity got the better of me. It was in a small recess of the alley that I saw Kilander raising his huge fist about to lay another blow on Jandoram.

“Well, what have we here Kilander, are you about to hit Jandoram again, even after the village elders had warned you against it?” He stops mid swing and glares at me, hatred in his eyes, and even though it wasn’t quite noon I could smell the liquor on his breath. “You stay out of this Sire, it’s between me and my son.” “Come Kilander, If his real father was alive today, you would be the last one to raise a hand to the lad.” By this time I had edged him out into the alleyway, giving Jandoram room to scurry past his demented tormentor.

It seems that the reference to him being less a man than his predecessor seemed to infuriate the man and he charged me. Unfortunately for him I knew what to do with a bigger opponent. As he came at me I grabbed the scruff of his shirt with both my hands, rolled backwards pulling him down onto my feet and using his own momentum I straitened my legs and thrust him behind me. Such was the force that he flipped into the air and landed on his back in the village square itself. Even though the force of the landing knocked the wind out of him he still managed to get up. He came at me with a round house punch that had it connected would have ended the fight then and there. As I saw it coming I ducked letting the momentum expose his his torso where I landed a well aimed punch just over his kidney. I was pretty pissed off by this time, so as he double over in pain I kneed him in the chest, and then instantly brought my hands, which I had clasped together, into the back of his neck, bringing the fight to a end.

By this time a little crowd had emerged clamoring as to what was going on. After my explanation, which was collaborated by Jandoram, they carried the limp body to the building which on occasion acted as the jail. I decided then and there that it wasn’t safe for Jandoram to stay in Hahndorf any longer, so I made arrangements for him to become my apprentice. The next day we left on our journey to see what adventure we could find.

Jondoram had never left the village before and even though he was exited atfirst, as soon as dusk arrived and the forest took on an eerie presence I could see that he was starting to get nervous. As it was to early to make camp I decided to distract him with a story.

Did you know Jandoram, that right throughout the ages, many a great man left

his village, some in search of fame and glory and others just to make a new beginning. There was one particular traveler that comes to mind, Gennaro of Wanderlust who was said to have been born to travel. Legends have it that ever since  he could crawl his parents had to tie him down to keep him from wandering away. Even at the tender age of three it after searching for him for hours they found him playing happily in the forest, a forest that terrified the bravest of men. It seems that he had decided to take A Hike Into The Wilderness.
As a traveler, there are many things that you must learn, otherwise at best, you may never get to where you are going, and at worst you may not live long enough to enjoy the fruits of your travels. In your wanderings, you are bound to come across situations that will cause you to falter and it is my job to show you how to get from stuck, to traveling fast. If you pay attention to all that I have to say, then you may one day find the fame and fortune that you seek. Not everyone is as lucky as Gennaro who was born with a traveling gene was one of the lucky ones, you my lad my need a little instruction, but that is fine, for we have some time on our hands yet. So, I think that it may be time to rest for the night, and where better than by the side of a lovely lake where the sounds of the waterfall can lull us to sleep.

Other posts in the

• Sire, The Wandering Bard series.
• Sire’s Big Moment A Total Flop
• Google The Tyrant, A Tale Of Old