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Invasion!

I woke up suddenly in the year 1100. The sun was shining brightly through one of the slits in the three foot thick castle wall straight onto my face. Our King, Erik angel of music, was still asleep behind the curtain near the end of the dining hall, while I slept with my fellow knights on the cold, hard stone ground along with a couple of guests, some servants, rotting food, and the dogs. I stood up to stretch, in the process waking up my best friend Gerry who slept beside me, “Why’d you wake me up for? I was having the most wonderful dream about invading a castle and no one could touch me!” Moaned Gerry as he slowly woke up to stand beside me.
“Sorry,” I apologized insincerely, “I just can’t wait to see the castle as a knight would!” I said in an excited voice, waiting impatiently while Gerry followed me like a slug into the courtyard.

Outside the birds were happily singing their songs as the sun rose above the castle walls to wash it’s warmth onto the people below. I could see squires and pages running around energetically, finishing their odd jobs, and looking admiringly toward Jerry and I. I took it as a compliment, even though we had only been knights for one night and had never gone into battle as a warrior and protect everyone in the castle.
While I was catching up with some of the older knights, and talking with some of my old squire friends and bullying the servants a guard came running up to us panting.
“An army is approaching us from the direction of our enemy castle of Raoul!” The guard yelled in panic. The castle gate broke open as uncountable unfamiliar knights poured into the caste menacingly. I could see their battering ram in the distance; it must have taken a long time to make such a large weapon. “One of you must tell King Erik of this invasion, we need his guidance in this dark hour!” He immediately shoved me in the direction of the castle, telling me to hurry, and not be stopped by anyone.
I took off running at full speed toward the kind’s castle, dodging fighting knights and falling friends. I finally made it to the door of where King Erik was when I was stopped by the formidable black knight.
“None shall pass,” He said in a commanding tone.
“What!?” I asked with the knowledge that many lives depended on me.
“None shall pass,” repeated the knight, as stubborn as a mule.
I didn’t like wasting anytime with a big battle so I quickly chopped his legs off. As I entered the room, the black knight cursed angrily after me but I didn’t listen, because before me I saw a horrid sight. Lord Erik was cornered by the one person I hated the most, my brother. Anger engulfed while I remembered how he had heartlessly abandoned our family in a time of war, he was no longer my brother, but an enemy who deserved to die a horrible death.
“Well would you look at this, the little page Fred is now a big brave knight protecting his lord, what a pretty little picture,” Said my brother, dripping with hundreds of different emotions, all leading back to hatred.
“My name is not Fred! It’s Sir Frederick now! Now leave this kingdom or I will be forced to kill you!” I said indignantly and as powerful as I could. I knew the reason he was attacking was that he wanted to show everyone that he was right in leaving our village.
“Flurp!” said my brother in a triumphant tone.
“What!?” I asked, the word sounded familiar, but I hadn’t heard in such a long time.
“Don’t you remember? You were the one that made it up. Flurp meant attack in the code we created when you were just a page, right before I abandoned you and our pathetic family. I don’t know why you stayed with them; you could have become such a lovely little knight. Together we could rule the world as brothers!” He said it like an invitation, but I knew it had expired.
It came to me like a lightning bolt. While I was training to become a squire my brother and I had played as knights, attacking the elders of our village, using Flurp to confuse them so we would have the element of surprise. Pangs of loneliness hit me knowing that those fun days could never be rekindled.
“Flurp!” He shouted again, but louder and six trained knights entered through the front door. A t that moment I wished I hadn’t delimbed the black knight. All seven knights attacked me, and I was plunged into an unfair fight of one young knight against seven well trained warriors. After a few seconds I felt another knight beside me for a moment I thought I was doomed, but instead a wave of relief washed over me as I recognized my best friend Gerry.
“So Frederick, how you doing?” asked Gerry in a layed back tone as if this was training instead of in the middle of an outmatched battle as he fought off two soldiers.
“Oh me? I’m fine, just in the middle of some training,” I replied, going with the flow of the conversation as I scared away the sixth knight. The only person who remained was my brother.
“Why you! I- I’ll kill you!” Shouted my evil brother. He was injured all over his body and blood splattered on the floor. He lunged toward my, right into my sword, which I held directly in front of me. He fell to the ground, dead before he knew what had killed him. I stared down at him with unexpected shock at hi death; I had never thought that I would kill him, or that he could actually die. I stood speechless for several minutes until Gerry broke the silence.
“King Erik, angel of music, I have come to tell you that we have rid off the enemy fleet. The wounded are being treated and so far there are no reported casualties.”
“Thank you for the update Sir Gerard, but I must say one thing. I am amazed at your accomplishments! You two are no ordinary knights! Your bravery is unparalleled! “Praised the king.
Both of us were amazed at the king’s praise. Neither of us were used any good criticism, we were mainly bad students when we were squires.
“Well it was nothing, I mean, I just repeated my training. Imagining that those knights were scarecrows was no problem,” blushed Gerry.
“Thanks for your praise my lady, I- I mean lord. I said my lord!” I corrected in panic while Gerry snickered at me, “What!? At least I don’t look like I have a sunburn!”
The King dismissed us for the night promising that tomorrow we would get a surprise, but neither of us knew what he meant. Gerry and I were so tired we didn’t even think about it.

I walked into the buzzing dining hall along with all the other knights that hadn’t been injured badly in the fight yesterday. I sat beside Gerry wondering why we were here instead of rebuilding our kingdom. Just moments ago King Erik had sent his messenger to tell us that all knights well enough to walk were to come to a very important meeting in the dining hall.
“Please welcome King Erik, Angel of music!” Announced someone as the red robed king entered, looking unfazed by his near-death experience the day before. King Erik started talking about the invasion, but I soon zoned out. Every knight was worked to the bone after cleaning up the castle since sunrise, even though it was only just past noon. I was suddenly jerked out of near- sleep as Gerry dragged me toward the king with shock covering his face.
“I told you that you would get a surprise,” whispered the king toward us, then turning to the other knights. “I recognize these two young knights because of their bravery against seven well trained knights to protect the life of their lord. For this reason they are considered true knights and their story will be known for many generations to come,” He looked down toward me, “especially of this one who is unfazed of the path,” said King Erik so that only I could hear him. The older knights cheered our achievements, unaffected by jealousy. At that moment I knew that Gerry and I would have a very enjoyable knighthood.