By his eighteenth birthday, William was no longer just a squire but a recognized warrior in his own right. The ceremony was both a personal and a community event, symbolizing his transition from boyhood to manhood.
Dressed in his first proper suit of armor - a combination of chainmail and carefully crafted leather sections - William knelt before his father. The sword used in the ceremony was a family heirloom, its blade marked with the history of generations of warriors.
"You are not just a fighter," Sir Edmund told him during the ceremony, "You are a protector. Your sword defends not just land, but the very fabric of our society."