Happy November

So here we are, moving towards things like winter and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Let's not forget my favorite holiday, either! (Christmas!!) :) Happy November, everyone.
I'll give you an update on my newest writing project. I am writing a fantasy story. It's about Alcon, a boy who's been sent to learn how to become a knight at the castle of Lord Laudran Talame. Having grown up on a farm, he has a lot to get used to. Then he and his new friend, Asrahm, have an encounter with a strange being.
Faced with an attack that could happen at any moment, Alcon, Asrahm and their friend Tirec begin learning the skills they will need to protect themselves and perhaps both the Northlands and the South Sea Country. (copyright 2010 K.A.A., all rights reserved.)
So, here's a piece of my new story for you. :) Obviously, this is not proof-read entirely yet and could contain errors and things that really should be rewritten. There's my disclaimer for you, so having given you that, here you go! Enjoy! (copyright 2010 K.A.A., all rights reserved.)
"What are you doing here, then?" the raven asked.
"I don't know," Alcon said.
"You must know something about it, Lad," the raven said.
Alcon shrugged.
"Lord Talame owed my father a debt. My father requested that I come into Lord Talame's service. I didn't have any say in the matter."
"Get up," said the raven.
Alcon frowned at the raven. "What?"
"Get up."
Alcon shrugged and got up.
The raven surveyed him for a long time.
"Are you quite done yet?" Alcon asked.
"Yes, you certainly have the look of a boy who isn't here out of his own decision. Don't worry about it. There have been many a knight who started that way."
"Why did you do that?" Alcon asked, sitting back down.
"I apologize," said the raven, "but many people try to fool me when they find out I can talk."
"Why?" Alcon asked.
"How should I know?" the raven asked. "They like fiddling with me, I guess. What's your name?"
"Alcon," Alcon replied.
"Alcon," said the raven, thoughtfully, "well, come along."
"Come where?" Alcon asked.
"We must get you started." said the raven.
"Started with what?"
"Don't be foolish," said the raven, "get you started on your way to becoming a knight, that's what! First of all, you must meet with Lord Talame."
"Wait," Alcon said.
The raven turned to him.
"What's your name?" Alcon asked.
The raven eyed him.
"You may call me Raclauus," he said.
The castle was bigger than any Alcon had ever seen. Alcon had always heard the tales of the castles of the North. They were among the largest and most beautiful castles in the world. The smooth gray stone, called Talacta, was full of smaller stones and garnets. The inside of the castle was marvelous as well. There were tapestries, some as long as the hallways they were hung along, depicting chivalry and battles and myths. There were many windows, most of them average-sized, and many looking out onto the countryside. Alcon was most interested in the shields and swords that hung in the halls, however. These were the weapons of deceased knights, knights who had done a great service and were considered heroes. Alcon stared at all of these swords and shields, and at the small engravings under each shield. He'd heard of only some of the knights.
Sir Gensler the Brave, who had ridden into battle only once by Lord Talame's father's side. He had been killed while protecting his lord.
Sir Hemdraw Tulius, a knight who was said to have killed a Kiljey when it wandered out of the forest and began attacking a nearby village.
Sir Balreyan the Glorious, Alcon's own grandfather, who had died a year ago. Sir Balreyan served the family of Lord Talame since the age of twenty-four, and was invaluable in battle. Alcon felt a bit sad thinking about his grandfather, but he didn't have long to think, for Raclauus had stopped at big, wooden, double doors. They were held together with strips of metal, now tarnishing.
"This is the trajecta lan Na, or council room of the castle." said Raclauus.
"Why aren't there any guards?" Alcon asked.
"The trajecta lan Na is protected by the Koh Ren Ika."
"What's that?" Alcon asked.
Raclauus sighed. "I keep forgetting you are not from the North. Let me explain. The Koh Ren Ika is a sort of a force, built into the stones of the trajecta lan Na. It is also in the doors."
Alcon looked doubtfully at the doors. They looked ordinary enough. "Is the Koh Ren Ika a sort of magic?"
"I suppose you could call it that, but in the North, we prefer to think of it as a sort of protective mask." Raclauus said.
Alcon felt even more confused. "But, how does a wall or a door get this Koh Ren Ika?"
"All in good time, Lad, all in good time." Raclauus said.
One of the wooden doors swung open and a man came out. He was tall, and very noble-looking, with a graying beard. The man had piercing black eyes, and he wore fine clothes. Once again, Alcon felt self-conscious. How silly he must look, with his old farm clothes!
"Ah, Sir Drey," Raclauus said.
Alcon recognized the name. Sir Drey was Lord Talame's friend and confidant, he realized.
"Raclauus," said Sir Drey, nodding at at the raven. "Who is this?"
"Oh, Sir, this is Alcon, who is to become a knight under Lord Talame. Is my lord in?"
Sir Drey eyed them suspiciously. "Are you carrying any weapons, Lad?"
Alcon looked at Raclauus.
"Oh, forgive me, I forgot. No weapons are allowed in the trajecta lan Na." Raclauus explained.
"I'm not carrying any weapons, Sir," Alcon said.
Sir Drey thought for a moment. "You may go in."
Sir Drey held the door open for Alcon. Alcon went towards it, and as he got nearer, he saw a banner above the double doors: "Trajecta kilej a Hora loc drada tung."
Alcon wondered what it meant. It was in the language of the North, and there was the word "trajecta" again.
The door was shut behind him, and Alcon found himself in a vast room. There was a sort of gloomy feeling about the room, which the cloud cover outside the tall, high windows wasn't helping. Alcon shivered, and he wondered if perhaps "Koh Ren Ika" meant "gloomy and cold". He laughed bitterly to himself. Alcon looked up at the ceiling. It was the highest ceiling Alcon had ever seen.
"What do you think of the trajecta lan Na?"
Alcon looked away from the ceiling. There was a man coming toward him, this one a bit shorter than Sir Drey, and a bit less forbidding. This man had shoulder-length blond hair, a beard, and merry brown eyes. He was also wearing fine clothes.
"Lord Laudran Talame?" Alcon asked.
The man laughed.
"Indeed. You must be Alcon of the Sea Country, son of Sir Gsyeni."
Alcon nodded. "Indeed, Lord Talame."
"Well, 'Acdraw cumig se Ta im', Alcon of the Sea Country."
Alcon looked blankly at Lord Talame.
"Welcome to my dwelling," Lord Talame translated.
He smiled widely at Alcon. "You do not know the language of the North."
"No, Lord Talame," Alcon said.
"You will learn, in time." Lord Talame said, gesturing for Alcon to follow him. "Now, sit, and I will pour us some hot tea. You drink tea, do you not?"
"Yes, Lord," Alcon said.
Lord Talame poured two cups of steaming tea, and gave one to Alcon.
"I take it you met Sir Drey. Do not take his gruffness seriously; he is always like that. Ever since I met him he's been like that, and I don't suspect he'll ever change." Lord Talame chuckled. "You've met Raclauus too, I believe?"
"You know Raclauus, too?" Alcon asked.
Lord Talame laughed. "Everyone around here knows Raclauus. He gets around. I hope he was helpful to you, and not a hindrance. He can be overbearing."
Alcon shook his head. "No, he was very helpful."
"Good." Lord Talame said. "Now, I believe we have something of importance to talk about."
Alcon nodded. "My father wants me to come into your service."
"Indeed," said Lord Talame. "I can see the look in your eyes, Alcon. You do not wish to, do you?"
Alcon was surprised. How could Lord Talame know what he was thinking?
"Go ahead, speak your mind," Lord Talame said.
Alcon sighed and looked up at one of the tall windows. Outside, it had started to drizzle. "The truth is, no, I do not wish to become a knight. I am a farmer's son, Lord Talame. I know nothing of castles, or knights, or this strange force you call Koh Ren Ika."
"Ah," Lord Talame said, "you may feel as if you are only a farmer's son, Alcon, but your father is a great knight himself."
"Then why didn't he stay a knight?" Alcon asked. "Why did he decide to settle into the South Sea Country as a poor farmer?"
Lord Talame looked troubled. "My father, Lord Licas Talame, wondered the same thing. The truth is, Alcon, at that time there were great hordes of Kiljeys, Dragons of the North Woods, attacking the farms and villages of the South. Your father is a great man. He sacrificed his chance to ride beside Lord Licas my Father into battle, to serve him, instead, living in and protecting the South. He took up farming, and married your mother, a peasant girl. The rest, you already know."
Alcon felt sad, but couldn't pinpoint why.
"That is one of the reasons your father wants you to come into my service, Alcon. He didn't say so but I know it to be true. Your father wishes for you the same chance he had, which he gave up."
Lord Talame stopped speaking for a time. For some reason, Alcon felt there was something Lord Talame was not telling him.
The rest of the afternoon, Alcon stayed in his room, looking gloomily out of his window. It had started to rain harder. Alcon didn't know what had happened to Raclauus. When Alcon came out of the trajecta lan Na, Raclauus was gone, as well as the grim-faced Lord Drey. There was a knock at Alcon's door, and then the door swung open. A boy stood there. Alcon guessed the boy was about his age. The boy had scraggly brown curly hair that fell almost to his shoulders, laughing blue eyes, and he was wearing fancy red clothes that didn't match the rest of his appearance. The boy's face was dirty and it looked a bit scuffed up. Before Alcon could protest, the boy walked into the room, grinning all the while.
"Hello, Chap," the boy said, walking up to Alcon. "You're the new lad here, aren't you? My name's Tirec Kalor, what's yours?"
"I'm, um, Alcon." said Alcon.
Tirec laughed. "You're not from the North, are you, Alcon? Where are you from?"
"The South Sea Country," Alcon said.
Tirec nodded. "That makes a lot of sense. So, I hear you're going to become a knight under Lord Talame?"
"Not if I can help it," Alcon said glumly.
Tirec stared at him. "What do you mean?"
"It's a long story." Alcon replied.
"Well," Tirec said, "I'd give anything to train under Lord Talame. But Sir Drey won't allow it."
"Why is that?" Alcon asked.
"My uncle, Sir Breigh, was a traitor to the North. He, along with other traitors, tried to kill Lord Talame a couple years ago."
(copyright 2010 K.A.A., all rights reserved.)