A Quest of Heroes (Book #1 in the Sorcerer's Ring)

me?” the girl asked Reece. Her voice went right into
Thor—it was even more sweet than her appearance.
    Reece
sighed.
    “And
then there’s my sister,” he said with a smile. “Gwen, this is Thor. Thor,
Gwen.”
    Gwen
curtsied.
    “How
do you do?” she asked with a smile.
    Thor
stood there, frozen. Finally, Gwen giggled.
    “Not
so many words at once, please,” she said with a laugh.
    Thor
felt himself redden; he cleared his throat.
    “I
am…I… am…sorry,” he said. “I’m Thor.”
    Gwen
giggled.
    “I
know that already,” she said. She turned to her brother. “My, Reece, your
friend certainly has a way with words.”
    “Father
wants to meet him,” he said impatiently. “We are going to be late.”
    Thor
wanted to speak to her, to tell her how beautiful she was, how happy he was to
meet her, how grateful he was she had stopped. But his tongue was completely
tied. He had never been this nervous in his life. So, instead, all that came
out was:
    “Thank
you.”
    Gwen
giggled, laughing harder.
    “Thank
you for what?” she asked. Her eyes lit up. She was enjoying this.
    Thor
felt himself redden again.
    “Um…I
don’t know,” he mumbled.
    Gwen
laughed harder, and Thor felt humiliated. Reece elbowed him, prodded him on,
and the two continued to walk. After a few steps, Thor checked back over his
shoulder. Gwen still stood there, staring back at him.
    Thor
felt his heart pounding. He wanted to talk to her, to find out everything about
her. He was so embarrassed for his loss of words. But he had never been exposed
to girls, really, in his small village—and certainly never to one so beautiful.
He had never been taught exactly what to say, how to act.
    “She
talks a lot,” Reece said, as they continued, approaching the king. “Never mind
her.”
    “What
is her name?” Thor asked.
    Reece
gave him a funny look. “She just told you!” he said with a laugh.
    “I’m
sorry…I…uh…I forgot,” Thor said, embarrassed.
    “Gwendolyn.
But everyone calls her Gwen.”
    Gwendolyn.
Thor turned her name over and over in his mind. Gwendolyn. Gwen . He did
not want to let it go. He wanted it to linger in his consciousness. He wondered
if he would have a chance to see her again. He guessed probably not, being a
commoner. The thought hurt him.
    The
crowd grew quiet as Thor looked up and realized they were now close to the
King. King MacGil sat on his throne, dressed in his royal purple mantle,
wearing his crown and looking imposing.
    Reece
kneeled before him, and the crowd quieted. Thor followed suit. A silence
blanketed the room.
    The
king cleared his throat, a deep, hearty noise. As he spoke, his voice boomed
throughout the room.
    “Thorgrin
of the Lowlands of the Southern Province of the Western Kingdom,” he began. “Do
you realize that today you interfered with the King’s royal joust?”
    Thor
felt his throat go dry. He hardly knew how to respond; it was not a good way to
begin. He wondered if he was going to be punished.
    “I
am sorry, my liege,” he finally said. “I didn’t mean to.”
    MacGil
leaned forward and raised one eyebrow.
    “You
didn’t mean to? Are you saying you didn’t mean to save Erec’s life?”
    Thor
was flustered. He realized he was just making it worse.
    “No
my liege. I did mean to—”
    “So
then you admit you did mean to interfere?”
    Thor
felt his heart pounding. What could he say?
    “I
am sorry, my liege. I guess I just…wanted to help.”
    “Wanted
to help ?” MacGil boomed, then leaned back and roared with laughter.
    “You
wanted to help! Erec! Our greatest and most famed knight!”
    The
room erupted with laughter, and Thor felt his face flush, one too many times
for one day. Could he do nothing right here?
    “Stand
and come closer boy,” MacGil ordered.
    Thor
looked up in surprise to see the king smiling down, studying him, as he stood
and approached.
    “I
spot nobility in your face. You are not a common boy. No, not common at all….”
    MacGil
cleared his throat.
    “Erec
is our most loved knight. What you have done today is a great thing. A great
thing for us all. As a reward, from this day, I take you in as part of my
family, with all the same respects and honors due any of my sons.”
    The
King leaned back and boomed: “Let it be known!”
    There
came a huge cheer and stomping of feet throughout the room.
    Thor
looked around, flustered, unable to process all that was happening to him. Part
of the king’s family. It was beyond his wildest