Walking down the path from the lord's castle, Robert was lost in thought and slightly frightened. It was quite obvious that the man in the window was staring at him with the eyes of a hungry beast. Being looked upon as prey instead of man, that's a terrifying thought and feeling.
His footsteps shake and shiver and he nearly loses his footing a few times. Sam stopped his gait and Robert just barely stepped to the side before a collision. He looks up to see Sam with a firm gaze and steeled eyes. "Why'd you stop? We still have to grab more wood, yeah?" Robert asks.
Sam ignores him and insteads looks at Ron who gives a slight nod. Looking back at Rob who is quite concerned, Sam says with heart's earnest "You need to learn how to fight." This takes Robert by surprise, why'd they stop if it's something simple like that?
It's while this question is rolling through his mind that a fist quick as lightning sticks him in the jaw. Robert gets sent sprawling a stone's toss away and lays limp on the ground. Warm iron fills his mouth as he lays. The hit was so sudden he hasn't even registered the pain yet. When it does, it's like a truck ran his jaw over then backed up.
Robert slowly maneuvers his arms underneath him and rises on two unsteady feet. "De fuk 'as dat fo'!?" he says with slurred speech. Sam hadn't moved from where he stood, neither had Ron. Just why did they do that?
"You've heard the rumors, right?" Sam asks,"Of how lord Quince is preparing for war with our southern neighbor. He's going to conscript some poor fucks to serve his levies and you're going to be one of them. And unless you wish for a dog's death then you'll train with me and Ron. Maybe then you'll survive the first week."
"Wat? Wy'd we do dat?"
Sam's eyes tense a little. "Because his Lordship needs the silver that's been discovered to the south of us. Because the realm needs it, though I doubt that. But as he is our Lord we shall follow his ruling and lawship."
War. Why was Robert going to war? He doesn't even know how to fight!
Robert takes a deep breath while scaling the hill towards Sam. He can see both Sam and Ron tense as he approaches. He stops when there's five steps between them, takes a deep breath, and asks "Please train me." The tension disappears and instead is filled with hope. Both Sam's and Ron's eyes twinkle with excitement. They'd temper and sharpen this blade of theirs into a right proper weapon.
Sam holds out his hand and Robert takes it. The resounding clap would begin many myths and legends to come.