The Summoning Ch. 02

The man bowed again. "Princess, I am Calico, Knight of Avalon, taken from my home without my leave. I find myself in a strange world where people are about to kill me to get to you. Might I ask you a question?"

"Yes, good knight, you may indeed ask your question."

"What is your name?" This was said with an exaggerated tone and a big smile.

She grinned, despite herself. "I am Selene, Daughter of Queen Mariah and King Brion. And heir to the realm of Sulleigh."

Calico bowed to her and turned to face the captain. "I thank you, good sir, and I know I really don't stand a chance. But how often does an opportunity like this come to pass?"

The Captain tilted his head quizzically. "What opportunity, my friend?"

"Why, Captain," Calico laughed. "Here I am, summoned by a spell to save a damsel in distress, a princess no less, from a pack of ruffians. I ask you, sir, what more could a knight ask for? Well, possibly a dragon, but I'll make do."

Selene looked around the room as he spoke and saw most of the guards nodding, even the Captain.

"Aye, laddie, 'twill make a fine tale in the telling..." The captain agreed. "...if you make it out of here alive..."

Calico bowed and the Captain waved in his men.

Selene's stepmother had brought twenty guards with her. Calico had already vanquished one. That left nineteen plus the Captain. Her spell had been designed to summon a great warrior but few are quite that good. Selene was already resigning herself to another year in her stepmother's less than tender clutches.

Calico launched his sword into the oncoming rush, it skidded sideways tripping three guards toppled like dominoes. With the same motion he reached down and pulled the sword from the scabbard of the first guard he'd felled. Selene really expected to see him go down in a blaze of glory. But as he came up he closed the distance. What was left of the front rank stabbed at his heart. He swept their blades away in one fluid motion and was in among them, his elbows and the pommel guard of his rapier striking with abandon. Before they could recover he was out and sweeping through the second rank. They blooded him but he made it through, leaving three more guards unconscious on the ground.

The guards whirled and began to chase after him. He had stopped behind the last two felled, making the oncoming guards step over or onto their comrades. His hands flew and he looked very graceful as his sword pricked thigh after thigh, dropping another four.

"Stop!" The captain’s raised voice echoed through the room.

Calico backed off and lowered his blade. The remaining guards started to surge forward but the captain's voice cracked again like a whip, calling them off. The guards retreated, muttering under their breath. As Calico turned toward the Captain, the Captain bowed.

"I did you a disservice, good sir." He said, as Calico returned the bow.

"I must admit, I'm curious, Captain. The gentle lady by the door must be the queen." He said, bowing in her direction.

"How is it that you guard the queen with mere trainees? I would have thought to be fighting the best." Calico made it sound like a question, even though it wasn't.

The Captain actually appeared abashed at this comment. Selene wasn't quite sure how Calico had known they were trainees. They looked fierce enough to her.

"I was actually in the middle of a training session," the captain explained, "when the king rode out, taking everyone with him. Selene escaped with the remaining trained guard, and the Queen dispatched us to find her. I was quite surprised when the queen caught up to us. I think her personal guard just might be apoplectic by now."

"How did he know we were trainees?" One of the guards asked.

"Simple." Calico explained with an indulgent smile. "I'm still alive."

There was a gruff bark of laughter from the Captain. There's more to it than that, recruit. He knows you're trainees because there is no variation in your fighting style. You all lunge, recover and swing the same. And a true expert is not hampered by infighting."

"By the same token, kid, I fear you more than I do your Captain." Calico commented.

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "How do you figure that?"

"Simple, Captain." The best swordsman in the world doesn't fear the second best swordsman. He fears the worst swordsman in the world, for who knows what the idiot will do."