Why did I have to be so impulsive, he thought to himself. First I kill Bryant, but no I couldn't stop there. I had to take out ten of the guards. I'm really in a lot of trouble now.

Footsteps could be heard clattering down a flight of stairs. A man approached the door to John's cell accompanied by two men dressed in armor and armed with spears. They were most likely guards. One of the guards bent forward and unlocked the door. The man stepped inside. The guards stepped together to block any chance of escape.

"Who are you?" John asked.

"I'm Robert you're lawyer," he answered.

"My lawyer? For what?"

"For your trial. You know your being put on trail for one count of murder and ten counts of assault." He pulled open a scroll and quietly read it. "I'll be honest and tell you your case doesn't look too good."

"Thanks, that's real comforting."

"I'm sorry. I'll try and do the best I can. You see the king is the judge in all cases and you committed all your crimes right in front of him."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"Basically you're up a horse's ass. No matter what happens, one way or another your guilty. I can do my best do get you a lesser punishment, but I can't promise you anything." John sat down on the rock hard bed provided for prisoners. Robert sat down on the bed next to John. He put his hand on John's shoulder to comfort him. "The trail is in a few hours. Don't worry. If you have hope, good things will happen." He stood up and exited the cell. The guard locked the cell once again, and they left up the stairs.

John laid down on the bed. For the first time in his life he was scared. He knew there was no way out of this. HE wished he would have never come to knight school. He wished he would have stayed a blacksmith in the little town of Tandin. Hopefully they wouldn't hang him, but unfortunately in most places the punishment for murder is death.

Maybe a nap will calm me down, he thought. He closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

He was pulled up out of his bed and thrown into shackles. The shackles connected his wrists and ankles with one long chain. He stumbled as he tried to walk. They unlocked the door and pulled him from his cell. They led him past other prisoners. Most of them were shackled up to the wall in all sorts of positions and looked as if they had been there for a long time. John shivered at the thought of receiving the same punishment.

They walked up the stairs and down several halls. They walked through a large doorway into a large room similar to the study hall at the school. This room was intricately decorated. The front wall of the room was a huge fifty foot stain glass window. The seats along the walls were filled with the citizens of Dunlock awaiting the viewing pleasure of John's trail. In the middle of the room was a long elevated table sitting in front of the towering window. In the middle of the table sat the king and on each side sat six people. They didn't look as noble or regal as the king. The knight named Ector stood guard behind the king. They escorted John down a middle aisle and left to a table. Robert sat down next to him. A similar table was on the right side and held only one man.

The king stood up, and the crowd followed. "Call the case."

A man stepped out into the middle of the area between the tables and the main table. "The boy John is hereby charged with one count of murder and ten counts of assault."

"Step out and plead your case," said King Davias in a scornful tone. John stepped out to where the man had originally been standing.

"Your Highness," John pleaded, "I didn't mean to murder Bryant. It was an accident; a lucky shot."

"Maybe, but how do you explain your assault on the guards?" said a voice from behind John. The man at the right side table stood up.

"I was frantic. I reacted on impulse. I'm not a murderer. I'm the son of a blacksmith..."

"Liar!!" yelled a voice from the crowd. It was one of the boys from the academy. "A blacksmith's son cannot fight like that!! Only an assassin could take out ten armed guards with only a staff!! He..."

"Enough!!!" yelled Davias. "I want order and silence."

Robert stood up. "Your Majesty, I beg you. It is his first offense. I plead for a lessor sentence."

"I would except your plea if the death was the only charge. After killing one boy, the defendant continued to assault, not one, but ten soldiers," answered Davias.

"Your Majesty, he was scared. His assault was a reaction from his fear," pleaded Robert.

"No soldier I have ever met could single handily taken out ten soldiers simply responding in fear. Either he is a trained assassin who's cover was blown, or he attacked the Dunlock guards using his own clear judgment," explained Davias. "If found guilty, I urge the jury to deny your request for a lesser sentence."

John walked back to the table and sat down. The man sitting at the opposite stood up. "I now call one of the boys from the academy to explain what happened."

The boy stepped into the center. He was the same boy who acted as the messenger for Bryant. He bowed to the king. "Your Highness it happened like this. Before Bryant was killed, he was constantly taunted, and picked on by the accused resulting in the..."

John shot up from his seat and exploded. "That's a lie!!! I never..."

"Enough!" yelled Davias. John returned to silence and sat back down. Davias turned to the boy standing in center. "You may continue," he said in a lighter tone.

"Thank you," he responded. "It resulted in a duel where the accused killed Bryant without mercy." John shifted uneasily in his seat. The boy was stretching the truth. The boy was making the jury believe he was a cruel murderer instead and was unjustified in killing Bryant. He turned to Robert for help.

"You must believe me. That boy is exaggerating the truth," whispered John.

"I'm sorry John, but you have already had you're chance to tell your side of the story. You must relax or the jury will believe you do have a quick violent temper. We just have to hope the jury believes your story instead of his."

The boy finished his story. He bowed to the king and left the center area. The king stood up. "The jury will now deliberate on this case. We will return tomorrow to learn the outcome they have decided. The prisoner will be returned to his cell. This court is adjourned."

Everyone began to file out of the court room. The guards grabbed John and dragged him back through the maze of hallways and corridors to the dungeon. They removed the shackles. John stepped into his cell and turned to watch them close the door and lock it behind him. He sat down on the bed and began to think. He knew death was the most likely penalty for what he had done. He angered when he though of how unfair death was. He was still young and had not experienced all a boy can experience. It was unfair he die now, but his thoughts of anger turned to ones of sadness and tears. The more real his death was the more emotional he became. He laid down on the bed and pulled in all of his emotion. If he was going to die he would die strong. He would not show weakness. He would maintain his composure no matter what was their decision.

The next morning was one of boredom mixed with anxiety. John paced back and forth in his cell as he awaited the verdict of his trial. He was so nervous his hands began to shake and sweat profusely. He paced for hours always trying to calm his thoughts by thinking positively, but it only helped until he remembered how grim his situation really was.

Just when he felt he couldn't take the stress any longer, he heard footsteps coming down stairs. It was the two guards and Robert. The guards unlocked the cell door and marched in. They shackled John once again just as they had done the day before. They dragged him out of his cell and up the stairway. They went through familiar corridors and into the large room once again and most likely one final time. Robert said nothing during the short trip. The silence sent a wave of fear over John.

The room was filled with familiar people. John was led to his table. In front of him sat King Davias. The seats on either side of the king were empty. The room was filled with the rumbling noise of conversation. King Davias stood up from his seat. The spectators immediately fell silent. The jury walked in from a room to the right of King Davias. They took their seats on either side of the king.

Davias turned to them. "Gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a decision?"

The man sitting next to Davias on his left arose. "We have, my lord."

Davias turned to John. "Will the accused please arise." John stood up shaking with anticipation.

The standing member of the jury spoke. "We find the boy John guilty of murder and all counts of assault." Davias gave the jury a satisfying nod. John's head fell into his hands. He knew this was the end. "He will be sentence to five years on the northern border."

The room instantly exploded in outrage. Even King Davias gave a look of outrage to the man. The lawyer sitting at the opposite shot out of his seat.

"Your Majesty, I must protest!! You know as well as I do!! The punishment for murder has always been death! I demand a sentence of death and no less!"

Davias gave a quick arm gesture silencing the room. "The jury has made their decision," he turned to the man standing next to him and gave him an angry look. "For whatever reason the have come to this decision," he turned to face the rest of the room. "No one, not even myself, can change the decision and the sentence given by the jury. The sentence has been passed and will be carried out, as stated by the jury. Jury has reached a decision and a sentence. This trail is over." Everyone began to file out of the courtroom.

John was confused. Robert had quickly packed up his things and left before John could ask him about his sentence. The guards took John back to his cell. On the way John tried to ask them about his sentence, but the only responded in looks of anger and disgust. Instead of taking the shackles off like usual, they shackled him to the wall. John struggled to move, but the chains were too tight. The guards laughed as he struggled. They exited the cell and locked the door behind them. John figured they must have also been outraged by the sentence and in anger shackled him to the wall. As he hung there left in total confusion, he wished some one had told him about his sentence .

Footsteps could be heard on the stairs except this time they were different. He wonder if it was the men who would take him to his sentence. As they got closer John could tell it was only one person. They stopped suddenly.

"I demand to speak to prisoner," said a soft female voice from just out side of his cell.

"Yes your majesty," said one of the guards as he unlocked the door and opened it. In stepped the female. John saw she was wearing a large elegant dress. Her face was hidden due to the poor lighting.

"Leave us," she ordered. he guards exited the cell and closed the cell door. "I am Karena, princess of Dunlock and daughter to King Davias," she said. John was glad he couldn't see her face.

"Have you come to protest to my sentence like everyone else in this castle."

"Not likely. I am the one who is responsible for the sentence. I persuaded the jury into giving you a lesser sentence."

"I would thank you, but I don't even know what this northern border sentence is."

"It is actually very simple. You will be taken to the northern border of Dunlock. It is a narrow valley through the Tierrian Mountains. You will be given a sword and armor. If you try to escape you will be killed. All you will need to do is survive for five years. Then you will be returned to live a normal life."

"It doesn't sound so bad. You haven't said why you did this."

"I only ask one thing in exchange for what I have done." To owe your life to an incredibly ugly woman is worse than death. What if She wanted to have him for her husband? In that case death would be a whole lot better. "I watched you fight those guards from a window high a top my tower. You fought with amazing skill. I want you to teach me to fight the same way."

That was it. Teaching her to fight like a knight would be easy. Even if John had never been taught himself, with his life on the line he could make it up. She would probably forget after five years anyway. Then he could go on with his life. "Sounds good to me if you're willing to wait five years."

"I am not willing to wait that long. After a few days I will send some men to bring you back here to Dunlock castle. I will keep you hidden in the castle for five years while you train me. After the five years I will let you go free. Everyone will believe you fought on the border for all five years."

John guessed hiding in a castle with an ugly princess was safer then fighting for survival for five years. "I agree to it a long as you promise me I'll be safe."

"I promise no harm will come to you." She fell silent for a few moments. "Early tomorrow morning you will be taken to the border. You will remain there for one day. Then that night two men will come and bring you back to the castle." She turned and exited the cell.

Five years of hiding in a castle instead of a constant fight for survival. Who knows, John thought to himself, after those five years I can go back to training or better yet I could escape from her. Then I could spend those five years in my own hiding. I won't have to worry about some ugly princess falling in love with me and I can spend that time trying to find the mysterious girl from the night in the courtyard, he thought. As he sat against the wall, he smiled. His life was saved. He no longer felt the fear and anxiety he had felt earlier in the day. He was happy fate had smiled upon him and wondered what other strange events fate had in store for him.

It had been at least two days since John felt the outside air. It was cold and damp with morning dew. The sun was not visible over the horizon, yet a dim glow illuminated the castle and surrounding city. Only the gentle songs of early morning birds broke the dead silence of the still sleeping city of Dunlock.

The guards pulled John into a wagon. The walls of the wagon were made up of metal bars and thick wood. John could barely move. He was stiff from sleeping chained to the wall. The guards weren't gentle. They dropped John to the floor of the wagon. The guards then jumped out of the wagon and locked the rear door. John propped himself up against one of the walls, so he could see out of the rear of the wagon.

With a snap of the reigns, the wagon was under way. John watched as they passed underneath the gate house and outside of the castle walls. He watch the castle shrink in size as they moved further and further from it. Merchants were out early setting up their shops. It took only moments until the houses became fewer and all that was left was the country side. The boredom of watching the repetitive landscape was causing John to grow weary. He situated himself in a more comfortable position and went to sleep.

John was abruptly awaken by rough terrain. He glanced out of the window to no longer see the smooth landscape of Dunlock's grasslands. Instead the landscape had become full of hills and rocks. John assumed they were nearing the northern border.

The day was growing toward it's end. The sun was sitting low in the western sky. As they rode further, the hills grew larger and changed into mountains. The mountains grew larger until they seemed to surround the wagon. It looked as if they had entered a valley.

The wagon came to a sudden stop. The guards opened the rear of the wagon and pulled John out. They stood in a narrow valley. The gray rocky walls of the valley seem to shoot straight up from either side. In front of the wagon sat two buildings. Between the two buildings a fire cooked food for all of the Dunlock soldiers who guarded the northern border. Just in front of the two buildings was a fifty foot high wall extending from one wall of the valley to the other. The wall was made of stone and held up by a series of wooden buttresses. At the bottom of the wall was a small wooden door.

The guards directed John toward the door. As John passed the two buildings he looked in to see they were nothing more than barracks to house the soldiers who guard the wall. The opened the door and pushed him out into the empty valley.

"What do I do?" John asked.

"You are to go to a building up ahead. They will have weapons and armor there for you . Maybe if you ask nicely they give you some and a few tips on survival. I suggest you get comfortable there considering you're going to spend five years there," said the guard. He let out a laugh as he closed and locked the door.

"Five years, try two days," John responded. He turned to see if he could see the building up ahead, but it was too dark within the valley. He hoped the guard wasn't lying to him.

"I guess it won't hurt to walk ahead and check," he said to himself. He turned and started walking leaving the towering wall behind in the darkness.