Chapter 35: Beginner spells
At the crack of dawn, in the small town near the forest, a thirty-man crew was armed and ready. This crew consisted of five knights who would be leading them, as well as the town's militia.
The militia was a small trained force that the Baron had in order to assist his knights. It was impossible for one to become a knight without being bestowed the title by the king.
The process of becoming a knight was an extreme and rigorous one, especially for those not born of noble birth.
You would first strive to become a page, carrying out tasks for knights and lords. You would go there at the age of seven and stay for years to come.
There, you would learn manners and etiquette, be forced to learn to read and write, and know how to act properly at all times. Then, you would begin learning horseback riding, and if your lord was wealthy enough, you might ride a land dragon.
You would be put through several months of sword training along with other weapons and also trained in the art of magic if you showed signs of an affinity.
You would assist the lord's knights, helping them clean their armor and weapons. If you survived the duration, you would become a squire at the age of eleven. It was seen as a great step up, but in reality, it was the walk to your death if you were not careful.
As a squire, you would be assigned to take care of a knight as an apprentice, even follow him into battle to assist him. It was at this point many potential knights fell to the blade or the elements and died.
For those that survived the rigorous training required to be a squire, the lord would send them to a knight's academy at fourteen, where they would spend the next four years in intense training to become knights.
And if they graduated, they were given the status of Gilded Aspirant, a title bestowed only upon those who graduated and the final step to becoming a knight.
From there, you must strive to work for your lord with all your ability, and when he deems you fit, he will send out a letter requesting you be added to the next knighting.
The ceremony was held once a year, and all the names on the list would be knighted in grandeur, and your journey to knighthood would finally be complete.