The Sword Maker

Val-Lyn, who is nearly 10 year old, decides not to follow in his father's footsteps and be a serf. Near the time of his decision, a traveling troubadour fills his head with dreams of travel and after telling his mother he's leaving, the young boy heads to a nearby village.
Val-Lyn's first job, working at a stable, also provides him with a place to sleep in return for keeping the stables clean. He works there for four years. The owner dies suddenly and leaves him with no job and no place to live.

He is offered with a master bow maker, and also receives room and board in return for cleaning the shop. His new employer, Mr. Freddy, likes him and begins to teach him the art of bow making and the skill of archery. Eventually, Val-Lyn becomes a master archer and wins several archery competitions.

While he is good at bow making and archery, he sees no future in it, so he looks for a new trade.

In the meantime, he uses his contest winnings to put money down on a deserted house that belonged to an ironsmith. Val-Lyn and his friends work to restore the house, and he agrees to assist the smithy at his forge.

Thus begins the greatest adventure of Val-Lyn's life.