Atop the hill he stood,
steadfast, immovable
revered by the castle
and the land beneath its spires
Bards spun tales of his skill,
his grace, and the wounds
that would lead him to his cave
He peers out from within
the rock face, motion slowed
by his fairweather gait
and looks beyond the hill
beyond a warrior’s pride
beyond the wildflowers
who would wither within
the disorder of the seasons
Through the marigolds,
a young man appears
valiance written
on his unburdened face
The withered knight
steps into the mid-day sun
to greet the hero seeking
his hard-earned wisdom
I love this! ‘Revered by the castle’ is such an evocative line of how strong and legendary this character is to be set above a fortress in admiration. Also I don’t know if this was your intention, but I read it through a second time wondering if it was written from the perspective of humanising a dragon that the young knight has come to, either to gain wisdom from him by learning or from fighting with him. I do like dragons so this may just be me. Either way it’s a really fantastic story. Thank you!