Peace 

Written by Danielle Marie Hall

Young Gladwin was a curious boy. He preferred the company of creatures to people any day. Luckily, he was raised a shepherd and trained well by his parents. He loved his sheep and his dog who helped him in the work. He loved watching the sun rise and set from the grassy hill his sheep lived in. He loved the fresh bread and cheese his mom and sister prepared. He loved the sound of the wind passing by. He was happy from the moment he was born. He saw nothing in his future that would change that, for he thought he would be a shepherd all his life.

But life rarely lets anyone be. Not long after Gladwin’s 16th birthday, across the Pennine Mountains, a terrible Dragon set a fiery path from the south and headed toward Barnard Castle. In fear, King Durmad called his advisors together. They devised a plan to divert the Dragon away from the castle and towards the sea. They worked tirelessly to accumulate enough treasure and livestock to distract the beast. It would have worked on any other Dragon, but this was a Petre Dragon. A race of Dragon more rare and dangerous than all others. The King did not know this, if he had he would have known that there was nothing he could have done to prevent the terror of Bernard Castle. With an empty treasury and depleted farms, the Dragon descended. The people fled. It was only after the dragon retreated that the King brought his top advisor, Ronald, to his side. The next morning messengers were sent out across the mountains to proclaim “ALL ABLE MEN ARE TO JOIN THE KINGS ARMY IN DEFENSE OF BERNARD CASTLE!” Gladwin could not refuse. 

After a sweet goodbye to his family, Gladwin joined the recruiter's caravan back to the castle. He packed very little knowing that things were useless in war. 

There were already 2 or 3 hundred recruits. From the first day on the road, they started training them all. They divided up into regiments, The Eels, The hornets, The Bears, and The foxes. The regiments were divided into companies numbered from one to fifty. The companies were divided into squads that were named after their squad leader. Gladwin found himself in the 27th Bear regiment in Cenewig Squad. His squad leader, Cenewig of Stratforth was ruthless and proud. Cenewig made sure the recruits knew their low rank from day one. Gladwin’s squad members were named Vin of Stainton, Shadd of Dufton, Avian of Dufton, and Eberto of Newbiggin. But to Gladwin, their names were Snob, Bully, friend, and Spy, respectively. Each new day of training only further proved his nicknames accurate. Cenewig ranked them from best to worst, Vinn, Shadd, Aberto, Avian, and Gladwin. The training itself was brutal. Snob was constantly rewarded for doing the smallest thing (probably because he was from Stainton, a new and wealthy town), Bully kept trying to make Friend look even worse than he naturally was (probably because they grew up in the same town), and Spy kept getting them all in trouble by sneaking off when they were supposed to be running drills. It was on just such a day when Gladwin was running drills with Friend that Bully approached them and hooked his foot around Friend’s ankle causing him to fall. Gladwell had had enough.

“Why! Why do you always do that? If you don’t focus on your own training more you are going to die!” Gladwell shoved Bully’s shoulders with his hands. 

“How dare you touch me, lazy sheep boy!” Bully lunged at Gladwell pulling him to the ground. They wrestled and punched. In the end, Cenewig found them and broke it up. Not without adding a few hits of his own.

That night Gladwin was cataloging his injuries while walking back to his tent when a noise from the trees distracted him. The darkness of the forest stared back at him as he stopped to inspect the sound. After a minute of staring Gladwin shrugged and continued on his way. 

“Hold!” A disembodied voice whispered firmly.

Gladwin stopped and turned around, hand on his sword. “Who goes there?” he pronounced boldly.

“Shhhhhh- Don’t draw attention! I can’t be seen.” The voice whispered eagerly. Gladwell looked around suspiciously. 

“Sir, show yourself. I don’t talk with shadows.” Gladwin stated, taking care to lower his volume. There was a long silence before the bushes rustled and a figure stepped out with his hands up and a smile on his face. 

“I am Wyatt. I have been watching you and I need your help.” Wyatt held Gladwin’s suspicious eyes in absolute certainty. 

“Why?”

“Because not only are you good at fighting but you are kind. That is the type of person I need.”

“Need for what?”

“For my plan to work.”

“What’s your plan?”

“Later, for now just be ready.” The sound of footfall neared them. Pulling Gladwin’s focus towards the sound. When he returned his attention back, Wyatt was gone. 

Deeper into the night after everyone had finished the night chores and turned to bed Gladwin stayed outside to contemplate his strange encounter with Wyatt. Wyatt who? Why was he hiding? He looked like a deranged wanderer… what was that about a plan? I don’t want to get caught up in something possibly more dangerous than defeating a dragon.

He sat under the stars with his thoughts until a light rain set in pulling him inside the tent, and into his bed where his thoughts swirled into dreams of a lost child in a dark forest, scared and running. Running from something. 

The next morning the rain-soaked camp packed up. A rumour spread through the camp of arriving at Bernard Castle by the end of the day. One that proved to be true as they marched over a hill and caught sight of it. It was not as large as Gladwin was expecting but the surrounding land was certainly a prize for any king. 

Once inside the Castle grounds, the recruit's training continued with the addition of the seasoned warriors assisting in training. For Cenewig Squad, they were assisted by a set of brothers that had won many honours in the name of the king. They insisted that names were for weaklings and therefore we were to call them Master. Tall Master was agile and quick and Muscle Master was strong and unmoveable. They trained the squad to be the same. Over the next month they trained, ate, and slept all while feeling the impending return of the dragon. After two months of training, the ranking ran from Gladwin, Vinn, Aberto, Shadd, and Avian. The day the Brother Masters announced their rankings was the day that everything changed for Gladwin. He was no longer invisible, not only did he get the notice of his superiors, but also the challenge of other squads. No one jumps rank from last to first. 

After a long day of training and challenges, Gladwin searched for a quiet place to rest. Away from the crowds of people trying to duel him. He left the training yard for the forest. Finding a sturdy tree, he sat against it. Closing his eyes he thought about his past week of fame. He didn’t understand how he had gotten to this point. Big sigh. 

“Well, it can’t be all that bad. Look at your ranking! I knew I had chosen the right person for the job.” A familiar voice floated down from above. Surprised that he wasn’t alone, Gladwin’s eyes scanned the tree branches overhead until he caught sight of the dishevelled Wyatt smiling back. 

“I thought you were hiding from the king, why are you on castle grounds?

“It’s not the king I am hiding from it is his cursed advisor, Ronald of Barnard Castle and I am here for you. I need to show you something.” Wyatt jumped down from the tree with a thud, whispering  “Follow me.” as he passed Gladwin. 

Gladwin got to his feet and stared after Wyatt. Should he follow? He should just go back to his bunk. Only after Wyatt had disappeared into the dark of the forest did Gladwin make his decision. Follow. 

Once Gladwin caught up, Wyatt glanced at him. “Good, now, the reason I need you is because no one will believe me. But if I show you, then you must help me free the creature.” Wyatt returned his attention to the path. 

“I don’t trust you, but I believe it is worth investigating. Explain yourself.” Gladwin placed all the confidence and authority he could muster on his face and in his voice. Wyatt chuckled.

“You are well trained but your bravado will not help you tonight.” The smile left his voice as he continued. “I told you that I am avoiding Ronald. This is because I happened upon his treachery while travelling down the same road as Ronald of Bernard Castle and saw that he was carting a creature to the Castle. It was very dark that night, even the moon was avoiding the creton's treachery. I got off the road and moved through the forest to get a closer look. When I saw the creature I was so shocked I could not move. I watched them disappear behind the castle gates.”

“What was it? The creature?” Gladwin pushed, frustrated by Wyatt’s cryptic style of storytelling. 

“It was an infant Dragon. No being has ever been mad enough to take a Dragon’s child.” Gladwin stopped in his tracks at the revelation, seeing that Wyatt did not wait Gladwin pressed on. 

“But how? I would think it impossible. And why? To what end? Is that-”

“Yes, That is why our kingdom is being attacked by the Petre Dragon.”

“I don’t believe you. This is just some tactic to get me alone. You heard how strong I have gotten and want to challenge me. And I fell for it.”

“If that’s the case, why are you still following me? Nevertheless, we are here.”

Gladwin was left confused as he came to a stop behind Wyatt who was picking the lock on a large wooden door at the side of the castle that was obscured by a curated garden. The lock popped open and they snuck inside. Wyatt placed a finger to his lips and moved in. Gladwin followed him to what appeared to be a dungeon of some sort. The air was ripe with sinister smells. A loud sound that was halfway between a snore and a cough ripped through the air causing Gladwin's hair to stand on end. Wyatt retrieved a candle from his picket and lit it. The light fell on the cage in front of them revealing a miniature Dragon curled up and sleeping. The memory of the child running in his dream flashed in his mind. It was all that Gladwin needed. Wyatt had been telling the truth! Wyatt blew out the candle and they left the way they had come. Only once halfway back to camp did either of them speak.

“You were telling the truth!” Gladwin whispered the shock still evident on his face. 

“Go back to your tent for tonight. I will find you again to plan.” With that, Wyatt disappeared back into the forest leaving Gladwin to stumble back to the barracks. 

The next day, Gladwin trained and duelled like any other day, but unlike any other day, Gladwin planned out how he would free the infant. He couldn’t do it alone. He would need help. Who better to help than his own squad which had seen his transformation and had grown to respect him over their months of training? Could he trust them with this? Certainly Friend and Spy, but Snob and Bully he was not so sure. 

That night he gathered Friend and Spy together.

“I need you both to have an open mind.” Gladwin started. They nodded and Gladwin continued with the whole story and his plan. As Gladwin finished, Snob and Bully jumped out from behind a tree. “We can help.” Snob said. 

Gladwin stared at them in surprise. “Wha--”

“Before you say anything! We heard it all. If you don’t want us to tell Cenewig then let us join you.” Bully stepped forward pointing his finger at Gladwin. Gladwin raised his eyebrows in consideration.

“Well, I guess that’s that then. The extra muscle will help.” Gladwin conceded. 

“Looks like you lot have been busy.” Wyatt chimed in as he joined their circle. All except Gladwin started at his entrance. 

“Warriors, this is Wyatt of -, Wyatt, where are you from?” All looked to Wyatt. 

“I am Wyatt of Middlesbrough.” Everyone gasped except for Gladwin.

“What?” Gladwin looked around confused.

“Don’t you know the stories? Wyatt of Middlesbrough!” Spy started.

“Defender of the whole world!” Bully chimed in.

“Where he goes evil flees” Snob ended with a suspicious stare at Wyatt. “How do we know that is who you really are? You could just be pulling one over on us.” 

“That is for you to decide, but Gladwin, I accept your plan. I will join you tomorrow.” Once again Wyatt disappeared before he even finished his last syllable. 

“OK, If you are all still willing, meet up here tomorrow night at sunset. Be silent and no talking about this at all. Dismissed.” Gladwin stood up and walked back to the barracks followed by his righteous fellows. 

The next day the air was filled with a rumor that the Dragon was returning. Orders were barked down the ranks in preparation. Cenewig and the brothers were extra brutal in their training but no one proposed a dual. Fear and false pride encircled the warriors as they prepared for what would surely be their deaths in the name of the king. At the last meal of the day, Cenewig approached Gladwin as he ate. 

“Glanwin of Ousby. You have been assigned to Company Commander. You will lead the 27th Bear Company to victory against the dragon. Report to the Army Commander’s tent after you have finished your meal.” He marched away, leaving his squad to finish their meals.

“What does this mean?” Friend voiced the question that everyone was thinking.

“Nothing. This changes nothing. I will not report and we will continue with the plan as if nothing has changed.” Gladwin declared. The squad nodded and returned to their food trusting that this act of rebellion would save lives.

 The day had nearly passed when the explosive drum of the Petre Dragon’s wing beats invaded the castle grounds. The army rushed into position in front of the south gate. Cenewig searched for his squad but could not find them. Anger and fear pulsed through him as he interpreted their absence as cowardice and counted them deserters. 

At that very moment, Gladwin and his men were making their way through the forest to the west garden wall. Wyatt met them at the dungeon door, ushering them all in. They aptly carried the sleeping Dragon in his cage onto a cart and wheeled it out. Once in the open air the Petre Dragon was able to sense exactly where her child was. The men had to work fast, running the cart through the forest trail and out the castle's west gate. The Petre dragon followed leaving a fiery trail in its wake. At the sound of its mother's call, the infant awoke spewing molten drool around it. Gladwin’s men had to stop and readjust to avoid getting burned. They kept running until the mother had left the castle grounds. They kept running until they made it to an uninhabited clearing. They released the baby and hid in a nearby cave. It wasn’t long before the mother had found her baby. 

The Petre Dragon breathed a pillar of fire, bathing her baby in its warmth. The baby added his own small measure to the inferno. Accepted, the mother snatched up her baby in her large claws and flew back south. Flew home.

Gladwin and his men waited some time before making their way back to Bernard Castle where they were reprimanded for deserting and then rewarded once Wyatt of Middlesbrough shared their story with King Durmad. The King promptly imprisoned his advisor Roland and caused the Castle to rejoice for a whole week. Honours and positions of power were given to Gladwin and his men. All accepted except for Gladwin.

Strong Gladwin was a curious boy. He preferred the company of creatures to people any day. Luckily he was raised a shepherd and trained well by his parents, now infinitely more capable of protecting his flock with the addition of his army training. He returned to the world he loved. Every day he saw the sheep that he loved and his dog who helped him in the work. He watched the sun rise and set from the grassy hill his sheep lived in. He ate the fresh bread and cheese his mom and sister prepared. He listened to the sound of the wind passing by. He continued in that happiness for he saw nothing in his future that would change, for he knew he would be a shepherd for the rest of his life.