《Hero's Song - A Novel in Verse》Chapter 29 - The Knight
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The king was pleased to see the hero looking like a knight
and happier to find he hadn’t lost his appetite
the hero asked the king what battlefield he would see next
but when the hero heard the answer, he was quite perplexed
“You shall see a hundred battlefields, but not just yet
here is where your first important mission has been set
thanks to your heroic strength, the kingdom is alight
every second man and child is hungry for a fight
You shall use your name and reputation as a sword
to slay their doubts and gather brave young knights for your reward”
the king was too excited to contain his boisterous voice
the hero wasn’t sure he had a reason to rejoice
“What of all our enemies who threaten to attack
shouldn’t I be sent abroad to hold invaders back”
though it made him happy that his story had been spread
rather than recruiting, he’d prefer to fight instead
“I can understand you may be bored in times of peace
but it is too important that our forces should increase
you’ll be hosting tournaments across this land of mine
to build morale before their optimism can decline”
He still knew very little of the nature of this place
but tournaments would always put a smile upon his face
no more senseless fighting, as a poor forgotten slave
all would see him as a knight, so valiant and brave
Since he’d gained his powers and become a hired sword
he hadn’t learned of much beyond his work and its reward
but now he had become a royal knight with wealth and land
a wife at home who dealt with things he couldn’t understand
Now a knight, his duties were quite grand and dignified
his armour and the flag he carried filled him up with pride
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soon he grew quite bored with politics and marching bands
but now he held the honour of a nation in his hands
His tour began in earnest on a chilly autumn day
the king wished him the best of luck and sent him on his way
he hosted many tournaments, recruiting many men
pledging to assist him in the war right there and then
At the end of every tournament, he’d join the show
and challenge all the winners once before he had to go
never were they strong enough that he would break a sweat
but he took every chance to flaunt his skill that he could get
In every town and village, by the order of the king
there was organized a monumental gathering
entire populations came to wish the hero well
and listen to the captivating stories he would tell
Several months of this had passed before the hero knew
the kingdom’s newfound hero had a grandiose debut
never had morale been higher in the kingdom’s past
the kingdom felt their time for victory had come at last
As he travelled he learned many things about the land
the history of where he lived was hard to understand
legends told of heroes who had founded an empire
but their descendants squandered it while blinded by desire
After many generations, many lands were lost
territories sacrificed to enemies they crossed
the kingdom now was just a fragment of its former state
lost were all the days of armies strong and heroes great
The hero was surprised to learn that of the songs he knew
many people living in the kingdom sang them too
it was likely they originated in this place
surviving here and there despite their homeland’s fall from grace
Once he learned of this he felt an overwhelming pride
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like he had a flame of hope that burned him up inside
he took this new conviction to the stages where he spoke
so alight with passion that he often smelled of smoke
“I am here to bring you back the glory you deserve
as your hero, yours will be the purpose that I serve
when you sing your heroes’ songs, in fact you sing of me
I shall be the greatest hero you will ever see”
Although his fancy words met some suspicion here and there
his grand displays of magic were enough to clear the air
after one full year of travel, he returned at last
and was well rewarded for the army he’d amassed
The king decided it was time to launch their first attack
his favoured knight would march with his great army at his back
he wouldn’t have much time to rest before he was deployed
but still the thought of conquest left the hero overjoyed
He had a day to greet his wife and son before he went
eager to explain how all his days away were spent
but when they came to greet him, he was taken by surprise
she carried two young children, both with shining, golden eyes
“It’s good to see you now, although I know you cannot stay
but you did leave me with a gift before you went away”
the hero couldn’t understand her smile, nor his own mind
but still he felt as always that her words were soft and kind
He took his second son up in his arms and promised then
“you’ll hear of all my deeds in songs before we meet again”
he spent the night beside the fire, his family as well
keeping them awake with all the stories he could tell
after several hours his children tired and fell asleep
and for the first time he saw his old friend begin to weep
she didn’t say a word and quickly wiped away her tears
then smiled at him the same way she had done for many years
Before the children woke, the hero had already gone
thankful for the road that destiny had set him on
he led the grandest human army he had ever known
an army in his honour that would follow him alone
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