Joren

The sound of pounding hoof beats and clanking armor filled the air,

Drowning out the normal sounds from Turnington Square,

The Children usually running and playing in the street,

Have been replaced with bustling wagons hastily in retreat,

Prince Evan the cruel's forces were bearing down on the shire,

Pillaging homes and setting the rooftops on fire,

Most of the kingdom had fell to Evan that day,

With only His brother Will and a small army left in his way,

"What a glorious day this is!"Evan thought to himself,

Even as his fate had in mind for him something else,

"In a matter of days I will be undisputed king of this land" he mused,

As his soldiers continued to kill, burn and abuse,

A young boy just fifteen years of age was hiding on the outskirts of town,

Watching in anger as his childhood home was burnt to the ground,

His mother captured by the soldiers and stripped bare,

For several of the greedy soldiers to share,

His was sister trapped upstairs in her room,

As the flames leaped higher sealing her doom,

Tears began to run down young Joren’s face,

Not in grief but in anger did his heart race,

He made a solemn vow to himself and to God above,

To avenge this cruel deed and the family he loved,

He turned from the village and ran as fast and as far as he could,

Not slowing down until he reached the edge of a familiar wood,

To the place where his father had taught him to hunt and forage,

Where he kept his bows and arrows hidden for safe storage,

Equipped with nothing more than a bow and a quiver,

He set out on a journey he had revenge to deliver,

His journey would be a long one full of trials and strife,

But he was bound and determined he would end Evan’s life,

After days in the forest of traveling alone,

He happened upon a cabin constructed of bone,

In the middle of the wood it sat in a clearing,

Out of place and even less endearing,

Smoke was rising from a chimney on the roof,

Something wasn’t right it felt all aloof,

Whatever was burning gave off a putrid stench,

Burning Joren’s nostrils making his stomach wrench,

Then a scream from the cabin pierced the morning air,

Someone was in serious trouble down there,

Joren crept closer to the cabin as quiet as could be,

To peer into the window and see,

What he saw was a young girl around his same age,

And a tall hooded figure apparently in a rage,

Yelling and screaming and tossing things about,

Then it struck the girl with a terrible clout,

Joren acted quickly without even a thought,

He rushed to the door notching one of the arrows he brought,

He swung the door open with a terrible shout,

The hooded figure screeched and whirled about,

But Joren’s arrow had already been launched,

Straight and true through its heart the arrow punched,

The man or whatever it was fell to the floor in a heap,

And into Joren’s arms the young maiden did leap,

"Thank you brave sir" she said "for saving my life,

This decrepit old warlock wanted me for his wife,"

"He took me from my father Will’s camp,

And locked me in a box that was cold and damp,

When I awoke I was in this terrible place,

Forced to look upon his horrible face,"

"My father is Prince William and he is fighting for the throne,

But I fear my uncle Evan will take the kingdom for his own,"

Joren couldn’t believe he had just saved a princess,

The daughter of the man he seeks no less,

"Where is your father now?" he asks with hope,

"Hopefully he's still fighting and not at the end of a rope,"

"I am Julianna" she said "and I will take you to the last place I saw my father,

They were camped by lake with their backs to the water,"

"We must hurry and reach him" Joren tried to explain,

"Evan is coming with many soldiers causing much pain,

He burnt my village and killed my family along the way,

I am here to witness his dying day,"

Just as they begin their trek to the lake to meet Will,

Joren spots a sentry cresting the hill,

"We must hurry even faster" Joren said "they are right behind us,"

So they headed to the east in a quite a rush,

As they burst running from the edge of the wood,

William stood in front of his tent adorning his hood,

"FATHER!", Julianna ran screaming to his side,

"Across the hill Evan and his army does ride,"

"Dear child!" William exclaimed in relief,

"This is beyond all belief,

I thought I had lost you forever to that terrible man,

He betrayed us to Evan in exchange for your hand,"

"I am safe father" Julianna said "thanks to this young man,

I know not his name nor his clan,"

"I am Joren your highness" he said with a bow "from Turnington Square,

I witnessed your brother’s cruelty there,

I am yours to command and even though I am young,

I intend to see Prince Evan captured and hung,"

"PREPARE THE HORSES" yelled prince Will "ARCHERS FORM RANKS PREPARE TO FIGHT,

THE BALANCE OF THE KINGDOM IS IN JEOPARDY TONIGHT!",

A fierce and costly battle began an hour after noon,

With arrows flying and swords ringing the end was soon,

Joren waited patiently perched in a tree,

Bow and arrows ready in case Evan he did see,

As Evan’s troops got closer to where he was hiding,

Evan appeared on the gray horse he was riding,

Ever so cautiously Joren notched an arrow in his bow,

Drew back the string tightly and smoothly let it go,

The arrow’s flight was straight and perfectly true,

Towards Prince Evan’s heart it swiftly flew,

There would be no hanging for this cruel prince today,

For Joren’s arrow had found its deadly way,

Into the black mass Evan had called a heart,

Thus ending the war that tore this kingdom apart,

Young Julianna and Joren were happily wed,

By the lake where Evan the cruel fell dead,

Revenge was sweet but the reward was greater,

For he became king just ten years later,

A young boy who set out to avenge his family's loss of life,

Took a beautiful princess for his loving wife,

After many more adventures he grew tall and strong,

And became the greatest king this land has ever known.