Suihaden's Complete Backstory

[Suihaden]

(OOC) Below is my complete backstory with a new segment covering my joining the Knights Hospitaller. Enjoy!

Suihaden wandered through the mist, helplessly lost. For once in his life his woodsman's sense of direction had failed him. "Blast this cursed mist!" he shouted in frustration. Suddenly, as if in response to his frustration, the mist faded away, revealing he stood in a dark wood. Suihaden looked around, shocked at his location. the trees were all strange and instead of the gully he had been running in when he met the mist, he was on the top of a wooded hill. "Ach well, 'least those cursed Saxons be not here." he then bounded down the slope with a silence that betrayed a skill of woodcraft beyond what most men posses. For many hours he kept up his tireless pace, until he heard the sharp whack of an axe thudding into a tree. Instantly he crouched, and slowly crept toward the sound. A few moments later he passed out of the forest and into sunshine. There over to his left he saw a man clothed in black and purple swinging an axe at a tree. in a moment the tree fell and the man turned. before Suihaden could crouch in the bracken, the man spotted him. "Ho Stranger!" the man shouted. "I see ya, come on out!" Figuring he could outdistance the man if necessary Suihaden stepped out of the bushes and warily approached. A few feet away from the man he stopped. "Well young'un whats the name?" he asked, seeing Suihaden's hesitation he said. "No need to worry, my name is Zaron, the Steward of Mittelmarch, though I'm retired for the moment as my knee was injured." Suihaden figured he could trust the man so he answerd "My name is Suihaden CadarnCalon
and I hail from Rys in ta land of Wales though if ye be my friend ye may call me Sui." "Pleased to meet ya Sui," the man replied. "Ya be in the Land between lands, and the town down there is the fortress of Mittelmarch." he continued gesturing at a collection of Stone buildings surrounded by walls and towers that lay further away from the forest. Suihaden relaxed the man seemed to be friendly, a rumbling in his stomach reminded him he had not eaten sice the English had swarmed into his village. Zaron heard it too, "here, why don't you come with me and have a little bite to eat." "Thank ye, I'm famishing." Suihaden replied. Later after a full meal Zaron told him the history of Mittelmarch. When he finished he asked, "by the way, can you fight?" Suihaden looked a little shamefacedly at his only weapon, a crude shortsword, then replied. "Aye, a little." "here then." and Zaron took two swords down from a rack on the wall and handed him one. "lets see how you fight." Suihaden stood facing Zaron, a little intimidated by his size, circled him. Then, Suihaden sprang with the fierce welsh spring that had felled many a warrior. With the speed of lighting Zaron blocked his blow, and struck him to the ground. "less aggressiveness, more strategy," Zaron told him "find your opponents niche and make him expose himself." a little more cautious, Suihaden again circled, this time Zaron took the offensive and struck quickly, Suihaden manged to block the blow and slashed at his opponent, only to agin bite the boards when Zaron swept his legs out underneath him. "Don't telegraph your movements." he advised, "look behind your adversary and use your perifial vision to watch his movements." Once again the two foughtnad this time Suihaden managed to slash Zaron's arm before he was vanquished. "Excellent job!" Zaron told him. "I have a feeling you will make an excellent addition to our fighting force." "You mean I can stay?" Suihaden asked. "Of course, here, let me get you a room in the dormitory."

A few weeks later, Suihaden was again wandering in the mist. A short walk in the woods had turned into a long trek full of peril as the mist cleared. He looked about and saw he stood in the middle of the High Road of March, the largest road on the Welsh border. Travelers passed this way and that, on their way to town, giving little attention to one more stranger. As he trudged along, a cloud of dust rose on the road and a band of men at arms carrying the banners of the Earl of March, Lord Henry Percy rode past at a trot. The knight leading as he passed glanced at him slightly then stopped his horse as if stricken by a thunderbolt. "Milord!" he exclaimed then paused. "No, it cannot, but the face..." He then turned to Sui and in a commanding voice demanded, "What is your name?" Boldly Suihaden replied "Suihaden CadarnCalon if it please your knightship." "It is not Alan Percy?" The knight pressed, though somewhat confused. "I think not" was the reply. "The knight sat silently on his horse musing. "If it is he it would be a vast relief to his Lordship...." At last he turned to Sui, "Come with us." he commanded. It would be hopeless to resist, so Suihaden mounted behind one of the retainers and they rode off

(OOC) I running out of time. i'll post the rest later

[Suihaden]

A few dusty hours later the troop rode in sight of the Percy's imposing baronial castle where they dismounted. Leaving Suihaden guarded outside, the knight strode into the stately keep. The knight ascended to the study where Lord Percy was playing a game of chess. Percy looked up from the game and exclaimed, "Sir Marmaduke! How goes the road? No more raids by the Mortimers I hope?" "No milord," Sir Marmaduke replied, "I believe I have found your cousin." The room was instantly silent, not a sound was heard except the crackling of the fire. Motioning for everyone to leave Percy approached Marmaduke. "Are you certain?" he asked "Not quite, but if you will see him Milord I think you will agree he could be no other." was the reply. Percy mused for a moment then ordered "send him up at once." Bowing, Sir Marmaduke at once descended and ordered Suihaden brought up. As they ascended the stairs of the keep, Suihaden looked around him at the stately walls covered in tapestry and wondered what this Norman Lord wanted from him. If he imagined that Sui had committed a crime his case was hopeless, he would simply be executed. "A sorry end" he thought. "Well, I'll go down fighting." and he trained every nerve for a last struggle. To his surprise when he and the knight entered the study the guards retired, leaving him alone with the knight and a man he assumed to be Lord Percy. "This is he Milord" the Knight bowed. Lord Percy studied the young man's face. It left no question, the birthmark of the Percy's was on his right cheek. This was his lost cousin, the sole other male member of the Percy's. To Suihaden's utter astonishment Percy moitoned for him to take a seat next to him. Percy then addresed him thus. "My cousin, yes you are astoinished by the title but es you are; the Percy mark is on you. You are Alan Percy, my uncle's son, the sole other heir of the Percy's." Instantly, it flashed to Suihaden that Percy would kill him to obtain the inheritance, but the next words dispelled this fear. "A our Great-grandfather swore an oath that as long as the Percy line should last, one of the men should always become a knight of St. John, his life having been saved by one. When however my father died, there were no other Percy men except me. Having no wish to go crusading against the Saracens, I caused search to be made for you. Your father was slain in this castle fighting against the Mortimers and you were never heard of. I thought that perhaps you had been carried off by the welsh, so I inquired for you. Now, by the grace of God I have found you." Suihaden sat through this speech, his emotions going from unbelief to amazement to joy. His heart swelled at the thought he was no longer a homeless wanderer but member of the noble Percy family. Lord Percy regarded his clear honest face for a moment, then asked. "Will you take your place as a Percy and go to Acre to be a Knight Hospitaller in my stead?" without a moments hesitation Suihaden, now Alan Percy replied. "Yes Sire!"

OOC More to come soon!

[Suihaden]

(OOC) No I haven't changed my name, just keep calling me Sui)
IC
At Acre Suihaden, now known as Alan de Percy was trained in the arts of Horsemanship, Swordsmanship and Theology. At first his slight frame ached all over from the difficult training, but it soon hardened and he was able to hold his own with all of the Novitiates in swordsmanship. His quick wit allowed him to learn his Latin faster than most. It had been almost 2 years since his arrival at Acre and his proffesed Knighthood was nearing. Not a moment too soon either, for Saladin was on the move, Jerusalem had fallen and with it's fall came many ransomed or escaped knights. One that intrigued him the most was an aged knight known as Sir Christian De'Gries. From him Suihaden learned many things, among which was that God cared less for valor than he did for faithfulness and devotion to him. "Tis the heart God cares most about Alan." Christian often told him. On a day of sorrow, a messenger arrived with a summon from Saladin to surrender. After a short council, the city refused the demand and prepared for a last desperate defense. Suihaden along with other novitiates was raised to the rank of Proffesed Knights and all prepared for the defense of the city.

[Suihaden]

Arrows whizzed and stone cracked against the walls of Acre as the hot sun shone down. Manfully the knights fought to repel the Saracens, whose valour and courage was almost without equal. Suihaden grunted as he fended a ladder off the wall. A cry to his right called his attention "Quick get off the wall!" Looking down Sui understood the warning. The Saracens had undermined the wall and it was collapsing. There was no time to use the stairs, Sui leaped off the crumbling battlements just as the wall collapsed under his feet. For a moment he lay stunned, then wild cry of "Allah!" pulled him to his senses. He stood a drew his sword and a moment was struggling with the tide of Arabs. For a while all was confusion, duck, hew, block and strike. A sudden blow from a keen scimitar struck his helmet from his head, exposing him to the suns deadly rays. He fought on but the end must come sooner or later, the other knights had been forced back and he was separated, now fighting with his back to the ruined wall. A blow, then darkness.

(OOC) This transpires in the time between my first practice in November and my Second in January to provide a rp time reference. I hope it is enjoyable.
Sui