A Ballad-in...

Member created stories, poems, & other creative work.
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Rumple C
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A Ballad-in...

Post by Rumple C »

1349dr - The Year of the Bridle

...

The end of a warm summer saw dry grass reaching for the sky offering itself up to the farmers who would shortly harvest it for winter feed. None but one labored in the fields though, and this one but a boy who sang as he worked, for it pleased him to do so.

And when that bright day faded,
And the sun was going down...


With each line he swung his sickle in a short arc before him, felling brittle stems and stalks to dry further over the coming days. Behind him was an almost swathe of cut and resting grass, hinting at how long he had been working today.

There was a merry piper
Approached from the town...


So caught up was the boy in his singing and felling that he did not hear the horse and rider draw near to him on the small road bordering the field, until the horse whinnied. The boy looked up, and was met by an imposing sight. The setting sun back-lit a man clad in slightly dust-covered but still-shining armor. His song and labor forgotten, the boy gaped, for he had never seen a knight before.

The boy and the knight stared at each other. The boy saw a great hero then and there, a hundred legends and tales all crashing and meeting with dizzying immediacy, plain as day, in the flesh. There was Ser Marel the dragon slayer, and Topilan the brave, Golden Boris, and a dozen others. As for what the man saw...?

A barn, boy? Does your family have a barn?

Doffing his straw hat, the boy replied that they did.

And a father, Do you have a father?

Again the boy replied it was so.

I'd speak with your father then, boy, lead me to him, it must be time for your supper by my reckoning. And while you take me to him... finish the song, if you've a mind.

And so it was done, the knight being led to meet the boys father, and the boy finishing the harvest song, and was gifted a shining copper coin for his singing, which he clutched to his chest, and valued over all other things he had ever had, or ever would.

He pulled out his pipe and tabor,
So sweetly he did play,
Which made all lay down their rakes,
And leave off making hay.


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12.August.2015: Never forget.
Rumple C
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Re: A Ballad-in...

Post by Rumple C »

1349dr - The Year of the Bridle

...

And so it was that the farmer and the knight came to an agreement for the boys services. He would be squired under Ser Ballamy of the Harmonious Order of Milil. In return for his services the boy would be fed, trained, educated and given a future beyond that of back breaking manual labor.

And so it was that the boy and the Knight left the farm and journeyed southwards, further away from Hap, and towards the tower formerly inhabited by the evil wizard Dracondras. The boy knew he was evil because the knight told him so. He was also told of feeding, grooming, and watering down his horse, polishing his armor, oiling his rapier, knives, boot dirk, bodkins, buckles, greaves, and other things that the boy knew nothing of.

Don't worry boy, you'll learn.

Three days later, the boy stood outside the tower previously owned by the evil wizard Dracandros, holding the reins of an overly calm warhorse while Ser Bellamy ventured inside To make sure there is no evil residing within. The boy eyed the horse, which eyed him back. Would you like an apple? inquired the boy, offering him an apple. The warhorse politely? declined, prefering instead to pull at the grass by its hooves. The boy finished the apple himself, tossing the apple core in his hand up and down, while waiting for Ser Ballamy to make sure there was no evil inside the tower.

Some time later with still no sign of his shining knight, the boy decided tossing the apple core up at a tower window was a good idea. Up, up, up it sailed, tracing a perfect arc, before bouncing off a dilapidated shutter and into the tower.

...Oops he remarked as something green and humanoid poked its head out at him. The head was soon followed by shoulders and torso as it was unexpectedly and violently tossed out, falling with a gutteral shout of alarm. Look out below! shouted Ser Ballamy, waving for the boy to get out of the way.

He did so.

The... monster? Orc? Goblin? landed heavily, but started to push itself up, glaring at the boy. Well? shouted Ser Ballamy Go on, kill it!

The boy froze, not sure of what to do. This was really outside the scope of his experience, or training. Luckily (for him), the command was directed at the warhorse who delivered an iron shod kick to the chest of the unfortunate monster, caving in it's ribs.

Good boy! shouted down Ser Ballamy, dissapearing back inside the window.

He swaggered back out of the tower some time later, carrying a small sack, and wearing a large grin. And so the village of Hap was made safe again, by Ser Ballamy, doing good deeds in Milils name. Not bad eh? I'll write it down for you this time, but it'll be your job to make a song about what i've done today.

...

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Rumple C
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Re: A Ballad-in...

Post by Rumple C »

The Evil Wizards Tower

...

There was an evil wizards tower...
That was filled with..er...power...
He turned the cows milk sour!


But remember, Dracandros wasn't there anymore chided Ser Ballamy always be truthful, in all things.

There was an evil tower
I waited for an hour!

Waiting for Ser Ballamy
And watching for goblins who want to fall-on-me


Ser Ballamy winced. Well, you've a talent for rhyme at least, and a fine singing voice. With luck you'll keep it when your voice changes. Now turn in and get some sleep, i'll keep watch tonight. It'll be your turn on the morrow.

And with that, the boy (metaphorically) became a man.

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12.August.2015: Never forget.
Rumple C
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Re: A Ballad-in...

Post by Rumple C »

So i rolled the new pc... next minute...

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Brokenbone
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Re: A Ballad-in...

Post by Brokenbone »

That was cool.

Yet little singer squire already got smoked? Alas we never knew ye.
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Zelknolf
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Re: A Ballad-in...

Post by Zelknolf »

And so ends here our brave sir knight
Who surely knew his life would be so short
For such is fate for all who live to fight
And to mem'ry we raise a glass of port

So goblin shots can end a life too young
So goblin fights can stop our hope too soon
But so it is with iron in the lung
To lay bleeding on the ground, not immune

Though brave he was until the very end
We know today this song has been cut down
And to the fugue our would-be friend we send
And so today we now have cause to frown

But raise a glass once more for this man's song
And know that we will see him before long



Sorry if it's too much, but a dead Balladin deserves to be sent off with a sonnet
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