Free Cathexis: Necromancer's Dagger by Philip Blood

carefree attitude of
a one-year-old.
    As per custom, the Captain of the palace
guards came forth and knelt before the thrones. Captain Fintok had been Jatar’s Knight Protector
since he was designated heir to the throne at Jatar’s first birth
celebration many years ago.
    “Captain Fintok ,” Jatar began, “have you found six men you deem
worthy to be honored with the post of Michael’s Knight
Protector?”
    “I have milord,” captain Fintok answered.
    “Bring them forth.”
    Getting to his feet Jatar’s old Knight
Protector marched to the side of the hall where six young men in
shining light chain mail stood at attention.
    The captain gave a crisp command and the six
men followed him out before the thrones. At the captain’s hand
signal the men turned in perfect precision, and dropped to one
knee, facing their Lord and Lady. The captain remained standing to
the side. “I present the six candidates that have proven themselves
in the Great Trial, milord.”
    Captain Fintok gestured to each as he spoke their name. “This is Hetark , son of the late Captain
Halson Deverin of the Lindankar guard. The next man is Gustin, son
of Yul Hearthforge from Lashbrook in the northern mountains. You
already know Becaris, son of Sir Gregory Betherferd from Alaspern
province. The man next to him is Drake, son of Denton Rider the
Head Forester from Royal Oak. The final two are the twins, Rasal, and Lasar, sons of Stark
LeKevern from Lindankar. After years of constant practice and
rigorous training, and then six months of fierce competition and
grueling tests, these six candidates were chosen out of the
hundreds who competed for this honor as the strongest, fastest,
smartest, bravest, most skilled and truest men in the kingdom. I
recommend any one of them without reserve to be knighted and
assigned as the personal guard of your son and heir, Michael
Ardellen.”
    Jatar and Elizabeth stood and walked forward
to the first knight kneeling in the line. He was a few years older
than the five other young men. Hetark was of average height with
short blond hair and a light beard that hugged his face like a
carpet; Jatar sized him up and liked what he saw. “Hetark, what is
the most important duty of a knight?”
    “To serve and protect their Lord,” he
answered immediately.
    “And in what ways would you serve and
protect Michael?”
    “With all my love, strength, skill, wisdom,
experience and life, milord,” answered the calm and thoughtful
man.
    Elizabeth watched his aura colors and got
the impression of a man well endowed with the self-assurance that
comes from repeated testing and success.
    Jatar stepped down to the next candidate in line and found a huge man with
midnight black hair and a clean-shaven face. Jatar gazed at the
large boned features of this man’s face and thought he could see a
surprisingly compassionate look behind the tough exterior. “Gustin,
if an assassin threw a knife at your charge, what would you
do?”
    “I would step in front of the thrown knife
and then kill the assassin,” replied the large man without
hesitation and nodded his head once as if to confirm his answer beyond dispute.
    “But how would you kill him with a knife in
you?” Jatar wondered.
    “I would manage, milord,” the big man
replied and looked right into Jatar’s eyes with the conviction of a
man who knows his own capabilities.
    Jatar spoke low to Elizabeth as he stepped
down the line, “You know I believe he would.”
    The next man was of above average height and
weight, yet he still looked small in comparison to Gustin who knelt
to his left. He had long flowing brown hair that hung down a hand’s
length past his collar. Even as he knelt he held himself with
formal dignity. His body and clothes were groomed to perfection. A
family crest adorned the left breast of his dark blue velvet
doublet, which proclaimed him a son from one of the most prominent
noble houses in Lindankar. Jatar knew him well and asked him,
“Becaris you come