Long ago, in a part of the world far away and long since forgotten, there was a nation whose name and existence has long since been lost from the books of history. The people of this land existed peacefully with not only nature, but with creatures we think of as mythical in our times, such as pixies, unicorns, dragons and even fairies. While the people and creatures who lived within the land did not enjoy fighting and lived without it, invaders from neighboring nations would come in for their own personal purposes, always evil. Mainly motivated by a combination of inner evil and greed, they were a threat in the land. Fortunately, since these invaders were so few compared to the numbers in the nation, they could be held easily at bay and defeated by a small group of knights who wander the countryside. This is the story of one of those brave knights and how he found love in a most unusual manner.
We find this one knight as he journeys alone across the land. Where he came from, nobody knows. How long he has been in the land is a matter of debate, as it is hard for people to remember the first time they saw him. He was not the picture that many people got in their minds when they heard the word "knight." He was rather plain looking, tall, with long blond hair and while he had a bit of muscle he was not the strongest in the land. His plain features, along with the fact he dressed in plain clothes the everyday people of the land wore, allowed him to blend seamlessly into the society he traveled among, giving him the perfect camouflage. Who he really was proved to be a mystery too, as anyone he grew close enough would learn that when he came to that land from his faraway home, he had forsaken his former identity and name to become a protector in their land. They all called him by the name he had given himself the first time he crossed the border: Lord Greyfriars.
As he traveled the land, Greyfriars proved effective as a knight. He would defeat every enemy he came across, as many did not realize beneath the cloak he wore was a sword he was quite good with. While he did not face as many enemies and did not have the fanfare of the more popular knights that traveled, he was content with his life; he did what he did not for glory, but to do an effective job. While he wandered across the vast land, he met and befriended many people. He had many friends he would go back and visit from time to time, making sure they stayed safe. This brought him happiness, but he still felt a bit lonely as he traveled alone. His friends were good to him, but he really wanted a companion to travel with him and help him in his quest to do good deeds.
While walking along a secluded road in the country one day, Greyfriars noticed a trail going deep into the dark forest. He did not have anywhere to be, so he decided to indulge his adventurous side and explore the trail. He followed it for some time, stopping often to look at the trees and look for any creatures that may live there. Soon his attention was drawn by rustling in the trees he heard. Deciding to check it out, Greyfriars carefully crept through among the large trees, being careful to have the quietest steps possible. As he listened to the noise, he thought he heard the faint cry of a woman asking for help. He drew his sword, ready to defend whoever was in trouble. He peaked around a large tree trunk and saw that an ogre was grabbing at a tree branch, obviously after something. That something turned out to be someone, as he could hear the cries for help originating from within the large clump of leaves in the branches. Greyfriars stepped out from behind the tree and got into a defensive position with his sword raised.
"Halt," he yelled to draw the ogre's attention. The ogre turned and saw the knight standing there with his weapon at the ready. This ogre lacked the courage Lord Greyfriars showed and immediately fled deeper into the forest. Greyfriars listened and when he was satisfied that the ogre really left the area he decided to help whoever was stuck in the tree down. He told the woman up there he was climbing up to help her down. He climbed up and pushed his way through the leaves. He soon saw that it was not just a woman, but within the branches he found a very frightened fairy.
"Do not be frightened my dear," he assured her. "I am the knight Lord Greyfriars, and I have driven that ogre far from here. He will bother you no more." Greyfriars held out his hand and the frightened fairy jumped into it. She fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. He climbed down the tree and set her onto a nearby tree stump. He opened his water jar and used his knife to fashion her a temporary cup out of an acorn he picked off a tree. He filled the cup with water and handed it to her. She drank and after a couple refills, she was able to speak to him.
"Thank you brave knight. That ogre meant me harm but you saved me from him and I, Rosepetal Mountainflower, am forever in your service my lord."
Greyfriars looked over the fairy as she stood up on the stump. He knew that fairies were small and some of the most beautiful creatures within the land he roamed. He could tell this was true with Rosepetal. Her short blue dress was offset from her tan skin, much tanner than other fairies, and her hair was as pink as the rose petals she must have gotten her name from. He thought carefully of how he would reply to her offer.
"The offer is thoughtful and kind of you, Rosepetal Moutnainflower, but it is not necessary. I drove the ogre away out of duty rather than for reward. You may go about your business, your thanks is enough for me."
The fairy flew up and approached the knight. "Please allow me to come along with you, my brave savior. I have been lost and separated from my kind for some time. My fairy magic can help you in your journeys and I too wish for adventure."
After a moment of thought, Greyfriars agreed she could come along with him. If nothing else, he would allow her to travel until he was able to find her family and reunite her with them. He began to walk back towards the road, as Rosepetal flew behind him, her wings flapping with joy as she got to join this brave knight in his journey.
As they left the forest and returned to the road, Lord Greyfriars continued his journey towards the village of Richardian's Keep. He had friends there and was looking forward to seeing them after a long time. Rosepetal flew behind him, staying close as he walked. She asked many questions of the brave knight who had saved her and he gave short, direct answers. After they had traveled together for the day, both grew weary and ready for a rest. Greyfriars found a campsite that look suitable for him to lay his bedroll on the ground and there was a tree with a knothole that would allow his new fairy companion a safe place to sleep. He built a fire and began to cook a simple stew for their dinner, all while using his crafting skills to make a more permanent bowl for Rosepetal to use. They ate by the fire and began to talk more. Greyfriars opened up more and enjoyed the talk. Soon the night was late and they both turned in for sleep.
In the middle of his slumber, Greyfriars was suddenly awoken by the feeling there was a presence in his camp. The fire had died down but the embers somewhat illuminated the area. There was obvious movement around him but he was unable to make out who or what was in there. The growls he heard next gave away the intruders as a pack of wolves. He reached in the dark for his sword, prepared to fight the beasts despite his limited visibility. As the wolves surrounded him, he knew his chances were slim of victory. Just as the wolves prepared to jump him, the whole camp was illuminated by a bright light. From the light, a booming deep voice told the wolves to flee, which they immediately did in a frightened state. Greyfriars stood in a position to attack this new enemy, but the light soon faded back and there in the middle of where it had been floated the source.
