The battlefield was a cacophony of clashing steel and the cries of the fallen. Edmund's eye however was set only on Sir Aldric, his master and the King's most trusted Knight. Sir Aldric was officially the commander of this force. However, he was unable to provide much command since their army had been ambushed. A large rock hurled by a catapult out of sight crashed into Sir Aldric's leg and he fell wounded.

Edmund, ran to his master as fast as the battlefield would let him and carried his master out of the battle. His hands, were steady as he attempted to treat the Knight's wounds. But the Knight refused treatment.

"I will die before you finish, Edmund," he said, his voice a whisper through his pain. "I have a final order for you."

Edmund listened intently while his master gave him his final order.

Sir Aldric continued: "The King's goal in life is to make the kingdom more glorious then it was in his father's time. His failure to do this has resulted in him becoming the cruel, petty man he is today. However, the failure is not directly his fault. Lord Michoud has been behind all this evil. He has been trying to assassinate the king for the past 3 months. I have thwarted him each time. But now he has convinced the King that I am out to get His Highness and therefore the King sent me off to my death."

Edmund gasped, but his master continued. He truly didn't have much longer to live.

"With me out of the way, it will not be long until the King is successfully assassinated. After that, the chaos that Lord Michoud has been bringing on the Kingdom will come in earnest. Princess Astrid is a hero with the people. They would unite behind her if she came as a champion against the Evil Lord. Do not go and find another Knight who will finish your training."

"Ok, but, " said Edmund.

"Find Astrid!" Sir Aldric commanded, his voice growing weaker. "She fled the kingdom to escape her father's cruelty. You must convince her to return! She is our only hope!"

With those final words, the Knight breathed his last, leaving Edmund alone with his sacred quest. The squire mourned his master's death, his tears falling on his Master's cold armor. He then buried the Knight under the shadow of an ancient oak, marking the grave with the Knight's own sword.

As the sun set, painting the sky with hues of red and gold, Edmund made a solemn vow. He would fulfill his sacred quest. He would find Princess Astrid and bring back the kingdom from chaos. The journey would be perilous, the path fraught with danger, but Edmund was resolute. For his master, for his kingdom, he would face whatever lay ahead.

Edmund, with a heavy heart set off towards the castle. His path was strewn with the remnants of the defeated army and looters were everywhere, a grim reminder of the kingdom's current state. At the inn where he spent the night, he found a familiar face, a comrade who had fought alongside Sir Aldric.

The soldier, a grizzled veteran, mourned the state of the kingdom. "If only Princess Astrid were here," he lamented, his eyes reflecting a deep longing. In a moment of trust, he leaned in closer to Edmund, "I might know where she went. But then, she would not return."

Once inside the castle, Edmund sought out one of Princess Astrid's old servants. The servant, a frail woman with kind eyes, said she did think she could help him find the Princess. She handed Edmund a beautifully crafted pendant, a gift for the Princess. But something seemed amiss. The pendant was too extravagant, too rich for a servant to afford. Could it be from the King?

Edmund was faced with a dilemma. Should he trust the soldier, a man who had fought alongside his master, or the servant, who had served the Princess but now held a suspicious gift?