Nikia
New member
Due to my love of The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy games plus my new found love of medieval literature I've been working hard on a medieval satire. It includes the quintessential hero, like Link or any Final Fantasy hero, the loyal squire, and the mysterious warrior. I'm looking to get it published as soon as I finish it. However, I'm looking for outside opinions with it. Since I'm so serious about this work I'm putting all precautions on it as I put it out into the internet. So I hereby copyright this myself and I'll flog anyone with a wet noodle if I find pieces of this stolen.
~*~*~
Year 1220 of the Second Epoch~
It was in this year of the Tiritaean calender that Princess Kora, sister to King Van III of Tiritaea , was kidnapped by Prince Christopher, son of King Charles X, brother of Prince Kenton future king of Angiband. The fair princess was taken weeks before her wedding to Emperor Percival V, son of Emperor Percival IV of the Dudecim Empire. The marriage would be one that would ever ensure Tiritaea's existence as a sovereign nation. King Van III was utterly distressed by the kidnapping of Princess Kora. It would put the future of Tiritaea in jeopardy.
So the king ordered any and all able bodied men of the kingdom to search and rescue the princess. He sent forth his bravest and strongest knights to find Kora. As it were a young farmer's son by the name of Jarrett Bridger was the one to return Princess Kora to her brother. Though the princess had been returned relatively unscathed, King Van III requested her wedding be postponed a year so that she might recover in peace from the tragedy that had befallen her. Percival VI agreed and the wedding to unite Tiritaea and the Dudecim Empire took place the following year after Kora's recovery.
For Jarrett's part he was proclaimed a hero and he won great renown. He married an island woman, from the western island kingdom, Eurur, across the Atlinian strait. She was a woman who had been employed as a milkmaid on his father's farm. As payment for saving Kora King Van presented Jarrett with a farm a few hours' ride from Tiritaea's capital city of Nyain. Van also saw to it that Jarrett had plenty of hired hands at harvest time. The king was thankful to the great Jarrett Bridger and he wanted him happy and close should his need for aid ever arise again.
~*~*~
Year 1237 of the Second Epoch~
Milo Bridger found tending pigs and helping with the harvest to be a bore. These tasks were not for the son of the hero Jarrett Bridger. Tending pigs was women's work and helping with the harvest was for the hired hands. Some of his tasks were not even fit for his twin sister, Maddy, though she was just a girl and not capable of the adventures he was. But still Maddy worked hard without complaint while Milo moaned and whined most days about his workload. Regardless of Milo's talents in the hero field Jarrett was unwavering in his choice to make Milo work. After all as a youth Jarrett had worked his father's farm, it is what, as Jarrett claimed, made him strong enough to rescue Princess Kora.
Milo opted to sit and watch the rolling hills around the farm. Though not extremely exciting, it was better than watching the pigs devour the food he had just laid before them. Facing north from his barrel Milo was able to see great distances. To the east, but a day and a half's ride, sat the school for the Dey warriors. Though their numbers dwindled as fewer parents wished to part with their children, the Dey's remained the most revered fighters in Tiritaea and Angiband and if rumors were true most feared Dudecim Empire as well. Milo had always wanted to train among the Dey, but by age six he was already too old to be taken on or so Jarrett had told him. Still he secretly harbored hopes of being an exception to the rule since Jarrett Bridger was his father.
To the west, by a ten hour's ride, was the capital city and the main castle of Tiritaea. King Van had given Jarrett a plot so close for the purpose of calling on Jarrett should the need arise. Though since the twins had been born Van barely called on Jarrett. Milo looked to the west each day hoping to see the king's caravan come to beg Jarrett's help. Then Jarrett would take his son as a squire and they would go together to the king's aid. But every day was another disappointment. West was where Milo belonged. Fighting trolls and dragons, just like his father had once done. There was no telling what King Van needed Milo to do. But here he was, stuck feeding pigs, instead of helping the king.
“You're always a hero to the pigs, brother,” Maddy said, patting her brother's back. “After all you do bring them their food every day. No hero is more worthy of their praise than you.”
Milo's face twisted in anger at his sister's joking. She just continued to smile, offering him a drink from her waterskin. As usual Milo had forgotten his own. His throat welcomed the cold water Maddy was offering.
“Ma said dinner will be ready soon and you're to wash up now. She's tired of you smellin' like pig at the table.”
“Well I wouldn't smell like pig if I was allowed to go and see King Van. I'm sure he's got plenty of jobs for Milo Bridger, son of the fabled Jarrett Bridger. Then I wouldn't smell like a pig all the time.”
“You would probably smell like horse and manure. Because King Van probably has plenty of jobs mucking out stables for you.”
Milo gritted his teeth. What did his twin know? Girls never had adventures. They were the ones always in need of rescuing. Maddy would never truly understand his need to perform great deeds. She would never fully comprehend his longing to leave their father's farm. No, Maddy was too much of simpleton to appreciate the hero that lived inside Milo.
Milo was only half right in predicting his sister's thoughts. No, she would not and could not understand the need for adventure, but she knew what it felt like to want to leave the farm. Her father's ego came first and sometimes Milo came a distant second. Little else gathered attention around the farm, by family or visitors. Travelers who came often asked how Jarrett had managed to be so brave on his adventures or they wondered when Milo would take to the road like Jarrett had done in his youth. Maddy was a ghost to them. She longed for Angiband or somewhere where no one cared about Jarrett Bridger and his heroics.
But for now neither twin was going anywhere. Leyna, their mother, wanted them close to home. If Milo and Maddy left nothing would be able to distract Leyna Bridger from the endless praise and ego stroking her husband received from the bards and travelers who came by the farm. Of course none of the Bridger's shared these thoughts with one another. Everything not directly related to Jarrett was usually swept under the table.
Maddy took her waterskin back. “You better start cleaning up now. No need to get Ma upset.”
“Fine, fine,”Milo grumbled, crawling down from his barrel.
~*~*~
~*~*~
Year 1220 of the Second Epoch~
It was in this year of the Tiritaean calender that Princess Kora, sister to King Van III of Tiritaea , was kidnapped by Prince Christopher, son of King Charles X, brother of Prince Kenton future king of Angiband. The fair princess was taken weeks before her wedding to Emperor Percival V, son of Emperor Percival IV of the Dudecim Empire. The marriage would be one that would ever ensure Tiritaea's existence as a sovereign nation. King Van III was utterly distressed by the kidnapping of Princess Kora. It would put the future of Tiritaea in jeopardy.
So the king ordered any and all able bodied men of the kingdom to search and rescue the princess. He sent forth his bravest and strongest knights to find Kora. As it were a young farmer's son by the name of Jarrett Bridger was the one to return Princess Kora to her brother. Though the princess had been returned relatively unscathed, King Van III requested her wedding be postponed a year so that she might recover in peace from the tragedy that had befallen her. Percival VI agreed and the wedding to unite Tiritaea and the Dudecim Empire took place the following year after Kora's recovery.
For Jarrett's part he was proclaimed a hero and he won great renown. He married an island woman, from the western island kingdom, Eurur, across the Atlinian strait. She was a woman who had been employed as a milkmaid on his father's farm. As payment for saving Kora King Van presented Jarrett with a farm a few hours' ride from Tiritaea's capital city of Nyain. Van also saw to it that Jarrett had plenty of hired hands at harvest time. The king was thankful to the great Jarrett Bridger and he wanted him happy and close should his need for aid ever arise again.
~*~*~
Year 1237 of the Second Epoch~
Milo Bridger found tending pigs and helping with the harvest to be a bore. These tasks were not for the son of the hero Jarrett Bridger. Tending pigs was women's work and helping with the harvest was for the hired hands. Some of his tasks were not even fit for his twin sister, Maddy, though she was just a girl and not capable of the adventures he was. But still Maddy worked hard without complaint while Milo moaned and whined most days about his workload. Regardless of Milo's talents in the hero field Jarrett was unwavering in his choice to make Milo work. After all as a youth Jarrett had worked his father's farm, it is what, as Jarrett claimed, made him strong enough to rescue Princess Kora.
Milo opted to sit and watch the rolling hills around the farm. Though not extremely exciting, it was better than watching the pigs devour the food he had just laid before them. Facing north from his barrel Milo was able to see great distances. To the east, but a day and a half's ride, sat the school for the Dey warriors. Though their numbers dwindled as fewer parents wished to part with their children, the Dey's remained the most revered fighters in Tiritaea and Angiband and if rumors were true most feared Dudecim Empire as well. Milo had always wanted to train among the Dey, but by age six he was already too old to be taken on or so Jarrett had told him. Still he secretly harbored hopes of being an exception to the rule since Jarrett Bridger was his father.
To the west, by a ten hour's ride, was the capital city and the main castle of Tiritaea. King Van had given Jarrett a plot so close for the purpose of calling on Jarrett should the need arise. Though since the twins had been born Van barely called on Jarrett. Milo looked to the west each day hoping to see the king's caravan come to beg Jarrett's help. Then Jarrett would take his son as a squire and they would go together to the king's aid. But every day was another disappointment. West was where Milo belonged. Fighting trolls and dragons, just like his father had once done. There was no telling what King Van needed Milo to do. But here he was, stuck feeding pigs, instead of helping the king.
“You're always a hero to the pigs, brother,” Maddy said, patting her brother's back. “After all you do bring them their food every day. No hero is more worthy of their praise than you.”
Milo's face twisted in anger at his sister's joking. She just continued to smile, offering him a drink from her waterskin. As usual Milo had forgotten his own. His throat welcomed the cold water Maddy was offering.
“Ma said dinner will be ready soon and you're to wash up now. She's tired of you smellin' like pig at the table.”
“Well I wouldn't smell like pig if I was allowed to go and see King Van. I'm sure he's got plenty of jobs for Milo Bridger, son of the fabled Jarrett Bridger. Then I wouldn't smell like a pig all the time.”
“You would probably smell like horse and manure. Because King Van probably has plenty of jobs mucking out stables for you.”
Milo gritted his teeth. What did his twin know? Girls never had adventures. They were the ones always in need of rescuing. Maddy would never truly understand his need to perform great deeds. She would never fully comprehend his longing to leave their father's farm. No, Maddy was too much of simpleton to appreciate the hero that lived inside Milo.
Milo was only half right in predicting his sister's thoughts. No, she would not and could not understand the need for adventure, but she knew what it felt like to want to leave the farm. Her father's ego came first and sometimes Milo came a distant second. Little else gathered attention around the farm, by family or visitors. Travelers who came often asked how Jarrett had managed to be so brave on his adventures or they wondered when Milo would take to the road like Jarrett had done in his youth. Maddy was a ghost to them. She longed for Angiband or somewhere where no one cared about Jarrett Bridger and his heroics.
But for now neither twin was going anywhere. Leyna, their mother, wanted them close to home. If Milo and Maddy left nothing would be able to distract Leyna Bridger from the endless praise and ego stroking her husband received from the bards and travelers who came by the farm. Of course none of the Bridger's shared these thoughts with one another. Everything not directly related to Jarrett was usually swept under the table.
Maddy took her waterskin back. “You better start cleaning up now. No need to get Ma upset.”
“Fine, fine,”Milo grumbled, crawling down from his barrel.
~*~*~