February 12 - 19 (2016)

[Wlonnie]

This week's challenge is to write an anecdote. However, you must write an anecdote about the Knights of the Pen group. Whether you write about everyone in the group or just a few members, be sure to include at least some of them. Write in either first or third person as you wish!

(In simple terms, an anecdote is a short, relatable, oftentimes humorous story. Here is a link for a more detailed description. http://literary-devices.com/content/anecdote)

[Titanhawk 881 (JT)]

Milites Calamo
It was the Spring festival, when we would usually celebrate the Mars festival. This year, we were celebrating something else too – the first victory of Milites Calamo – that is, the Knights of the Pen. I was here as a guest of honour. I was part of this secret group that only the Emperor and his counsels knew of, and it was supposed to be secret, but soem wine had gotten to my mind and so I let it spill. Turned out to be a big mistake. Anyways, here’s the story of how I got fired.
We were sitting at a long marble table, roast meats and exotic vegetables flooding the table to the point that there was no room to put one’s plate on. But the star of the dinner was the wine – sweet, tangy, aged for fifty years they said. From Israel! What land could produce better vineyards? Anyways, I had gotten drunk from this glorious drink (not so glorious drink for me anymore – thanks for that Bacchus!) and lost control of my tongue. See, I had a reputation as a story teller, and most of the things I said were true. What? I took on Mercury’s job – lying was a normal thing for any Roman! The guests were eager to hear an inside tale, so my impaired mind (as I had so often tried to explain to Lord Julius, my mind was impaired. How can one control his thoughts when drunk, right? But no! He refused to forgive me. Anyways, back to the tale.) As I opened my mouth, the tale of our beginnings spilled out like wine from Bacchus’ fountains. And so I began weaving the story that would ruin my life:
“Lord Julius Caesar had formed our group as a political asset. A good idea it proved to be indeed. Before Brutus’ attack on our Lord Caesar, he had famously stated “Stilus gladio Fortier”, or “The Sword is mightier than the pen.” And that’s exactly who we are. Adley, the brave: he leads our group through different cases of the supreme law, picking our battles and receiving orders from Lord Julius. We were all seasoned high ranking veterans, and he was no exception. One time he actually came face to face with a savage Germanic tribesman and speared him while he speared Adley. That was a fun tale I had over used, but oh well. He was trained in law, as we were all. Fighting with pens and words is not like fighting with blades, mind you, but occupational hazards were low in our point of business. Except, of course, poisoning; Jesse knew what that was like. He died from it, but nonetheless he was a great man. He was killed because he exposed the faults in the enemy company’s production quality. We were on the hunt for a new exposer, so if you’re interested, submit your resume today at the court room! Anyways, next we had Jennica. Half Germanic, she was from Poland and had streaks of grey in her hair, the second oldest of us all. She, like me, was a grammar Gestapo, as the Germanic tribes called them. In other words, grammar police. I find that this job is most useful when the other company has written something faulty and the grammar Gestapo turn it against them, but that rarely happens. Usually we just fix our own mistakes (not that we have many... hehehe...). Who is the oldest, you say? That would be Davin, our sage. He used to be a Captain in the army, but he retired honourably and is now with us. He has much experience in tactics and we often rely on him to outsmart the rival company. He once faced an Iberian pirate with a falcata, which split his helmet neatly! It was, in fact, the same helmet he used to bring water to a parched Lord Julius during a campaign long ago. Next, is Jerryth, a terrifying sight is you aren’t familiar with him. As our spy, he always wears a black cape and works in the dead of night. He was a Russian captured by the Vikings who brought him to be sold to the Goths, but he managed to escape. He found the garrison near there, and joined the army! As a result of his time with the Goths, he has deathly white skin and needle-sharp teeth, as well as a craving for blood every once in a while. After Jerryth, we have Joshua, our spy in the day. He is the younger brother of Jennica, and is also half Germanic. He likes to swim and that’s how we found out that Brutus was planning the attack – by listening through the waterways. Thus, Lord Julius was wearing armour when he entered the courtroom on that faithful day, and also why we were armed with quill-shaped swords. The pen is mightier than the sword indeed. Next is Jazzanah, a rather loud speaker who took over the role of announcer in our little band. She is obsessed with killing Jerryth because he looks like a vampire, one of her most hated enemies. She once traveled to the Steppes and met a Japanese trader, who shared the wonders of Japanese art with her (mostly of drawings of people wearing bathrobes). I personally find no interest in this, but apparently that makes up most of her life. Melody, a Viking-turned-Roman, is also a member of our team. She used to brandish an axe – the only axe – in the army, smashing enemy troops from head to toe. An annoying freshman once called her Broccoli – a play on her surname – and he was split from head to waist. Frightening indeed. She usually writes our speeches, which are usually threatening enough to cower the enemy into submission. Finally, me. As the second grammar Gestapo, I have the same job as Jennica. I used to be the medic in the army, my scalpel and tweezers saving many Roman lives. However, during the Gaellic wars I was forced to fight, as there was a shortage of soldiers. I rather liked stabbing enemy troops, so I remained in the army for another fourteen years. Resigning honourably, I then joined the taskforce of Milites Calamo. Anyways, Lord Julius formed us to combat the injustice in Rome’s political system, and to serve him and protect him in legal ways.”