Young Lloyd's Story

A white-haired youth wandered around the streets of Valinor City, carrying a sheathed greatsword on his back. For some reason he was only wearing shorts, gloves, and boots. "Well, I already got some orders from the king. But, I dunno. Is the task he wants me to do really the kind of thing it takes to become a knight?" he sighed, sitting down on a bench overlooking the man-made river that ran through the city. "Still, I suppose as a mere squire I have to follow his majesty's orders, no matter how crazy they might sound. Now, where's my partner for this task? I'm not gonna have to go it alone am I?" the boy shrugged, leaning back on the bench and relaxing.

The blood red and black dress swirled out behind her as Elana swept through the streets. Elegantly side stepping and weaving through the crowds, sending up dust from the cobbles. She didn't mind that it tainted and chalked her already slightly worn clothing. Dancing through people like a young girl, although she out sized most girls her mental age by quite a bit. See was a developed young lady, unlikely to get any taller or anymore inciting. Still she drew many a look and a smile from all sorts of people. You couldn't just see a smile like that and not get infected. Elana was enjoying herself, the city was all hers and sometime soon she would be saying goodbye. She seemed like a cheerful, normal young woman. Perhaps in the throes of love and enjoying life. Although the scabbard bouncing at her waist firmly removed this idea. Its not usual to see weapons carried by common folk within the safety of the walls and guard. Carrying a blade marked you as someone unique and exciting. She liked the curious looks, some even of respect. It filled her chest with pride, making her journey even more energetic.

In time her aimless journey took her too the edge of the river that acted as yet another sparkling addition to the capital. She could remember the rare times she could enjoy being at this beach. Fake as it was she had never any other kind. Elana's pace slowed as she admired the view, walking calmly along before she heard the sound of someone talking. There weren't so many people around so it surprised her. She calmly walked over, having no qualms about listening. The culprit was a young boy, two things stood out about him. Firstly the ridiculous greatsword and the fact he didn't wear anything from the waist up. It piqued her interest, she couldn't help but intrude.

"Doing what alone?" She inquired playfully, slipping around the sit on the bench. "Don''t tell me you're going to go on an adventure with that thing?" Gesturing towards the sword, her smile and tone was playful and curious.

The young white-haired swordsman would toss a rock into the aqueduct, before noticing the young woman who had approached. "What's wrong with my choice of weapon? Greatswords are equally viable weapons for battle as any other sword." the boy replied, looking over to the woman who seemed to be dressed like a noble of some sort, while also carrying a smaller sword of her own in a scabbard by her side. "I'm a squire...training to become a knight. Apparently the first test his majesty wants me to complete on the path to knighthood is to get into the demon king's castle somehow, and slay the demon princess." the white-haired boy added. "I'm pretty sure there's supposed to be a higher-ranking soldier accompanying me."

"Is it you? Are you the person the king is sending me to the demon kingdom with?" Lloyd asked, curiously. He wasn't sure they would be the best of partners if that were the case, since the woman had insulted his choice of weapon and was probably thinking of insulting his way of dressing as well, probably thinking he should put a shirt on.

Elana giggled a little, so terribly childish for one of her age. Acting as if she was almost the boy's age or younger. She gave him a disarming grin, he was so serious and grown up. She didn't miss his tone, obvious it seemed she had insulted him. If he was offended by her that was his fault she never meant it as an insult.
"No, I'm not saying that. Just wondering how you managed to find one that was your size." She tried to offset the boy's annoyance with her playful attitude. Though she hardly was a considerate person while talking, unaware that she could be insulting him. "I couldn't lift a normal greatsword when I was as young as you." For a moment she considered ruffling his hair but thought the better of it and listened to what he was about to say. So he was a squire, that meant the assumption he was young and not just short was correct. His straightforward nature both confused Elana and enticed her. She knew some friends like that, pragmatic and enjoyable to chat to from her point of view. It seemed the military was the place for such people.

"Wait. You're going to the demon kingdom?" She was slightly taken aback. So straightforward these military types, she would know of course. "Well its not my place to question the king. So he is sending a squire as an assassin?" She didn't quite mean to put it that way but she still said it. Her sense of righteousness coming out, since her foster father was in the guard he looked down on subterfuge in many ways. Her shock diminished and she grinned back at him again.

"No. Not me, I don't think the king would ever give me a direct order. You must be something special for that." Her smile was encouraging and she wasn't actually jealous. She wouldn't want to be shouted at and ordered about, even if it was a the ruler of Valinor. "I'm just an aspiring dragon hunter." She stood now, the dress sweeping the ground. The boy had piqued her interest by that had ended quickly after he had willing answered. "I wish you the best of luck in your quest kid." He was really a kid, a squire ready to go out into the world. She felt the same and it kept the smile on her face as she began to stride away.

"Okay, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. This sword? The officer I'm training under gave it to me." the white-haired boy replied to Elana, seemingly forgiving her now. He didn't exactly consider himself straightforward, but apparently he had given her the impression that he was. Oh well, they had only just met. It would be kinda hard to guess someone's personality and nail it just from meeting once.

"Yeah, I don't really understand why. I really doubt his majesty is in the right about this." Lloyd said. "I'm not even sure I could bring myself to do a mission like this one. It doesn't seem very honorable at all." he added. Of all the people the king could have chosen for this assassination order, why did he choose a squire whose dreams of knighthood made him place honor, justice, and chivalry above all else? What was the king expecting to happen? Did he honestly expect Lloyd to murder a girl who had done no harm to Valinor, simply because she wasn't human? It didn't seem right to him.

"Alright, it must be somebody else I'm waiting for then. My name's Lloyd, nice to meet you miss! And thank you...I guess...but why would you wish me luck on something like this?" he said, watching the woman begin to walk away.

"Well Lloyd, my name is Elana." She paused and spun around, sending her dress twirling before coming to a stop facing the shirtless kid. It looked extremely silly, but it was fun and she didn't care. "As for why I'm wishing you luck. I pretty sure no one would want you to come home dead. Regardless, you can't really question the king. He must have some reason right." She gave a beaming smile, partly glad that this boy was a little more insightful then his 'brutish' looks would have one assume. She hoped that he would come back alive, he was a good sort. She also hoped that he wouldn't come back a murderer. The king must have had some reason for assigning this task, she certainly wasn't one to doubt his majesty's will. She just hoped it was far more justified then it seemed. Perhaps it was morbid to hope that the princess deserved to be brutally murdered, perhaps she was a horrible daughter of a tyrant. Elana couldn't really think like that, suddenly the charm of the man made river was lost on her and she returned to roaming the city, another of her joys.

Edward was walking around the town searching for his student, whom he was suppose to accompany to his mission and get him promoted to a knight "At last my youngest student is about to get promoted to a knight." He said as he continue on walking. He saw Lloyd who is sitting on a bench near the man-made river and approached him, he then stood right in front of him. "Hello! Lloyd Anderson the Squire." He greeted him in a military tone of voice and saluted him.

"Ah, hello commander! Sir, what took you so long, sir?" Lloyd replied, standing up from the bench he was sitting on as the veteran knight he was training under walked up to him, giving a salute. His master wasn't usually late for matters like this, so it surprised Lloyd a bit that he was late this time. "Our mission doesn't sound very knightly, sir!" he said, giving another salute.

"You! Moron!!!" He said as he punched him in the face which made him fly a bit far off making him crash through a building. "Who told you to question the higher ups!" He asked him. "You should just respond with, sir! yes! sir! but fine I will say my opinion to our mission. True it is an important mission given by the king, but it is too much for a young child, to make him go to the Demon King's castle and even making him kill a young girl, but nonetheless it is an important mission, ask your complaints later when we meet them." He said to him.

"Ouch! Sorry, sir! I apologize, sir!" Lloyd said, getting up after having crashed into the wall of a nearby building. If there's one thing he learned in his training, it was that Sir Edward punched really hard. It was almost like he had superhuman strength or something. Then again, warriors of the Varnir were generally much stronger than the average joe citizens. "We should get going soon, sir!" Lloyd nodded, and saluted Sir Edward.

"Good response! Lloyd! soon enough you will be of the same rank as me! and become part of the order!" He said to him. "Go make me proud as the instructor who trained you as who you are right now!" He said as he grabs his shoulders tightly. "Go become a hero! Isn't that what you always wanted?!" He added.

"My father was a hero, that's why I...that's why I want to be like him someday! If it weren't for my father, I wouldn't have started on my path to knighthood!" Lloyd nodded as Sir Edward grabbed onto his shoulders. "Very well, sir! The Kingdom of Demons awaits!" he exclaimed. What would happen once they got there? First, they would have to pass through uninhabited territories. Though, it would most likely be a safe journey enough, as most of the beings in this world were rather civilized.