#But the Honour Chasm scene in The Way of Kings

[siena-sevenwits]

Have you ever come to a part in a story where a character made a choice, for good or for ill, and just reading about that choice and its impact directly influenced your real life outlook?

[rosegivy]

Chapter 2: The Black Knight

Valandi stood in the royal castle feeling slightly nostalgic. Before she became the Black Knight, she used to live in a place like this. Of course, the architecture was much different from that of the paler residents of the kingdom of Laurendia. She sighed sadly as she recounted the gold archways that led to the palace of her people. She wondered if it was still standing after it was conquered, abandoned by their royalty, by her. A bitter taste filled her mouth and she stopped reminiscing. Instead she surveyed the colourful flowers in the royal gardens she was forced to wait in, curious as to why no one came to greet her

She was here to hopefully help another people with their problems. So that she could solidify her status as a noble, male, knight. She may have cut her thick black hair and spent much more time in the sun to darken her skin from a chestnut brown to an almost midnight black, but she had to fake confidence as she felt one small mistake could ruin her guise.

She heard her attacker before she saw them. In one swift movement she unsheathed her yatagan, a short slightly curved sword. She used it to parry the strike. Surprised by her response her attacker, a knight it seemed, was not prepared for the kick to his gut. He doubled over in pain and Valandi used the back of her sword to send a blow to his skull knocking him unconscious. No sooner had she done that two more knights came from her sides. They were armed with a sword and shield each. Valandi rushed the attacker on her right. She feigned a strike to his left with her sword and pushed the palm of her hand to his neck, incapacitating him. She again parried the third man's assault and swept his feet out from under him. She pointed her sword to his throat letting him know she could kill him. Inwardly Valandi rolled her eyes. These people fought like blundering cattle, they had no technique, no knowledge of the body. They were simple army grunts.

A slow clap could be heard from the entrance to the garden. Valandi turned to see a large man in a decorated blue battle uniform. He sported a long beard speckled with gray that clashed with the neatness of his outfit. Despite this, Valandi could tell he was no army grunt.

"Gave them a workout I see." His voice was deep from his stomach.

Valandi sheathed her sword. She did not reply, waiting for the man to get to his point. Uncomfortable with the lack of discourse the general coughed to break the silence.

"Not very chatty, that's fine. I am sure you are curious as to why we summoned you here. The great Black Knight. Black in more than demeanor I suppose." Valandi did not respond. She was used to these kinds of remarks but was getting impatient. She only nodded.

He introduced himself as Sir Graeme, the head general of Laurendia's army. And proceeded to explain the situation. Valandi listened intently. She took the updated map of the region he handed her after he had finished. Rescue a princess, slay a dragon, save a kingdom. Simple. Although she felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of the dragon. She had not fought one since...

"What exactly is the princess' curse?" Valandi asked, purposely interrupting her flow of thought.

"We aren't quite sure." Sir Graeme responded. "Whatever it is you need not worry about it. Just bring her here in seven days and you will be greatly awarded."

Valandi waived away his offer. "The only compensation I can hope to ask for is that you mention my deed to the court of Camelot and back my good name."

Sir Graeme was not surprised. The mysterious Black Knight was known to not take reward from the people he has helped. "Or course. But if you do not mind me asking, why Camelot? You clearly are not from there." He gestures to her complexion.

"A magic free land should be for all people. I wish to become a knight of the round table, so I can fight among those who also wish to fight for the good of common people." Valandi stated simply.

Sir Graeme bowed slightly in respect. "I pray that you accomplish this goal. Surely there is none as noble as you at the round table."

"I wouldn't give myself that much credit." Valandi replied curtly looking at the map he handed her again. She put her fists at her side and bowed slightly before she turned to leave.

"Godspeed sir-?"

"The Black Knight is fine." Valandi responded as she left the courtyard.

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Valandi rode East deeper into the heart of Laurendia. The princess was kept in a fortress on the border in a more desolate mountain area (most of the border was a mountain range). Her hand clutched the reins as she leaned into Ziba, her horse, urging him to go faster. In the distance she could see the the mountain where the princess' dungeon should be. It was at least a two day journey but she would make it one and a half. Her determination and stubbornness are what has kept her alive, even when everyone she had ever loved wasn't. As she rode, she allowed her mind to wander and after some meandering it went where it always did. To that day.

She was barely a teenager. Her and her family were on their way to Camelot to meet King Uther. They were going to make history. It was the first time people from their kingdom would have a partnership with the new continent that didn't involve slavery. Her family would join the nobility of Camelot, swearing allegiance to each other. And when her younger brother Raja was of age, he would become a knight to honour the agreement. It was part of efforts to have the two very different peoples seen as equals.

They hadn't even made it to the sea that separated the continents before disaster struck. A dragon. A small one, but enough to be deadly. Valandi squeezed tighter at the reins, willing the memory to fade, but the pain stayed. She had to get the scene out of her head and focus. While she continued riding, she went over sword forms mentally. An effective way to get her mind off subjects she didn't want to think about.

She slept overnight in a valley before reaching a gaping chasm, where a thin bridge was constructed as the only means to cross it. Below her she could only see darkness. If there was a river below this bridge Valandi couldn't see it. On the other side of the bridge was a small castle, still magnificent in its own right. However, it appeared to have undergone several ruthless attacks. Most of the turrets where completely destroyed and scorch marks covered large portions of the castle walls. Still Valandi could see no sign that the dragon was present.

She decided to dismount Ziba and continue the rest of the journey on her own. She was afraid that he would run away frightened by the dragon or cause them both to fall on the bridge. Valandi took a deep breath, unsheathed her sword and began to traverse the bridge. With every step it swayed beneath her. Her stomach churned when she glanced down. Keep your cool Val. She chided herself. Just one foot in front of the other. Then she will save the princess and be on her way to Camelot.

Finally, she crossed the bridge and ran into the castle. Now where would the princess be held? She realized that despite the small size of the castle she still had a lot of ground to cover. As she searched, she noticed the failed attempts of her predecessors. Skeletons in armour was all that was left of most of them. Some more recent victims where blacker even in their bones, seemingly burned alive. Valandi shuddered, the image of her brother's charred arm as he tried to protect her moments before his death flashed in her mind. Focus. She chided herself.

Eventually she reached a less damaged part of the castle. Stairs led to the top of a tower. Of course. Valandi climbed them quickly, without losing a breath. At the top of the tower was a door to what seemed to be a bed chamber. She knocked on it and immediately scolded herself. She was rescuing the princess, there was no need to knock.

Nonetheless a sing song voice answered, "Come in!" Valandi opened the door which led to a bedroom like she had guessed. A large, pink, four poster bed was against one wall, beside it a window which overlooked the bridge from where she came. Meaning the princess probably already knew she was coming. At the opposite wall was a mirror and a table filled with cosmetics. In front of the mirror was the most fascinating woman Valandi had ever seen. She had bright orange hair, almost like fire Valandi thought. And her skin was as pale as milk, with freckles dotting her face. Her eyes shone a deep emerald green, matching her silky, green gown. Her striking features were unlike any Valandi had ever seen before. She looked so much different than the people from her land, yet still beautiful.

"Are you here to save me knight or are you going to keep staring?" She mused with one eyebrow raised.

Valandi bowed quickly and cleared her throat. "Save you your highness." She said deepening her voice slightly.

The princess approached her and reached out her hand. Valandi paused before she took it and kissed it, almost forgetting this land's customs. "Then get on it with it. Sir-?"

"You can call me the Black Knight." Valandi replied.

The princess raised her nose. "Hmm that's a strange name for a knight. Mysterious." She curtsies. "I am Princess Christan."

"Yes, excuse me your highness, but there is supposed to be a dragon guarding you, where is it?" Valandi was perplexed.

The princess shrugged. "It must have left to go terrorize a village. We must hurry before it gets back." With that the princess hiked her skirts and hurried down the stairs. Valandi followed. She helped the princess cross the bridge and soon they are on the other side.

Princess Christan sank to the floor, allowing her hands to feel the earth. "I can't believe it." She laughs her smile revealing pearly white teeth.

Valandi allows herself to smile slightly. "How long have you been locked up there?"

"Since I was a young girl." She stands up dusting herself off. "An abandoned castle is no place to grow up, but it had to be done." She said as she pet the horse. Ziba seemed to like her. He nuzzled his nose against her hands and she smiled wider.

"Why were you put there? Seems a bit cruel for parents to lock up their own child."

"I was cursed at birth."

"How so?"

The princess hesitated. "That's not important. What matters is that I was saved." Suddenly she looked at Valandi closely, a realization coming to her. "That means you're my true love." She said, holding Valandi's hands and coming close to her. "I must reward you with a kiss, true love's kiss."

The Princess closed her eyes and leaned into Valandi. Valandi moved out of the way of her lips. "No, I am not." The Princess opened her eyes.

"What do you mean? You saved me."

"Yes, but for someone else. Prince Astor is your true love."

The princess crossed her arms. "Then why didn't he save me?"

"He is no shape to; I must take you to him."

Christan started marching towards the bridge, heading back to her prison. Valandi couldn't believe it. "No! You're doing it wrong. The curse will not be broken unless I am saved by true love. I will be waiting in the castle for this Prince Astor to prove his love for me."

Valandi sighed in frustration. "Sorry princess that's not happening." She grabbed the princess by her waist and threw her over her shoulder.

Christan hit and pulled at Valandi. "Put me down you, you lug!" Valandi ignored her and placed her on her horse roughly.

"Listen here your highness." Valandi scolded her. "Your kingdom is about to destroy another if your marriage does not stop it before that happens. I need to do everything in my power to get you there by next week, or else thousands will die. Do you want that all so you can find love, your highness?"

The princess' eyes widened and she shook her head. Valandi continued, "You will follow me back to Prince Astor's castle, they will cure you, you will be wed and you will live happily ever after. Deal?"

The princess nodded and said quietly, "deal."

"Good. Now let us hurry before the dragon returns."

-═══════ι▬▬

Valandi and Christan traveled for the most part in silence. Valandi walking alongside Christan on horseback.

"Are you not tired?" Christan asked.

"No." She replied curtly.

She was amazed that the knight could be so... knightly. Not once did he complain about walking, while she rode on his horse. Even though they went up and down hills and through mud. He stood stoic without falter. Guiding her towards her happy ending. Something she had been waiting for for most of her life. Finally she would be free of, of it. She hoped that the prince was handsome, but she couldn't help but notice the man that called himself the black knight. His skin was darker than any she had seen before and his hair was blacker than ash. But that's not what caught her attention the most. His eyes were a dark brown, almost black but changed to golden discs in sunlight. She had never seen anything like it.

"What?" Now he was looking at her inquisitively.

"Sorry?" She replied.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Princess Christan blushed. "It's nothing. You're just so... mysterious."

"Hmm." Was all he replied.

What Valandi was actually thinking was the date. As far as she knew she was supposed to start menstruating before she began the journey. She even wore protection just in case, but upon inspection that morning there was nothing. So she decided to go without it for the day (for the stuffing of wood up ones arse is very uncomfortable especially on horseback). But as she felt the princess stare at her, she also felt the familiar feeling of flow between her legs.

"We must set up camp now." The knight said suddenly.

Christan smiled. "Ah so you are tired." Then her smile faltered. She smelt it. The metallic smell of blood distinct to a woman's monthly cycle and it wasn't from her.

"What is it princess?" The knight asked.

Chistan knew she couldn't call him, no her, out on it. It would seem absurd for a regular woman to be able to smell such a thing. So instead of acting on it Christan shrugged and looked towards the oncoming sunset. "Nothing. I agree, I grow tired." Christan saw the almost unmistakable look of relief on the knight's features as she nodded.

"We can set up right here. There is a stream not too far away from here for bathing." They were traversing the mountain range. In front of them was a grassy valley. Just as was mentioned there was a stream that flowed behind a green hill. It's tip resembling that of the mountains that surrounded it.

"I didn't know men bathed often." Christan said curiously.

"It's for you princess, but now that you mentioned it I am in need of a bath." The black knight made a show of smelling her armpits. Christan huffed as she was led to where their camp would be. That was a smooth save, she thought to herself. But Christan was going to find the proof she needed. Soon they stopped in front of the hill near a hollow that resembled a grassy cave.

Courteously, the knight asked, "would you like to bathe first, princess?" Wow, she was taking the chivalry thing very far, Christan thought. However, if she was going to prove she knew she was a woman she was going to need her to be occupied.

"That's alright, I think I'll help set up camp." Christan said removing what appeared to be the knight's camping bag from the horse.

"Thank you, princess." The black knight left Christan with the horse as she made her way to the stream.

Christan pretended to be busy unpacking the knight's things. She didn't pack much other than the bare essentials. Water skin, dried food, some cloth, etc. A small dark brown pouch caught her attention. It was made from a leather she had never seen before. Christan's curiosity was piqued, but something told her not to touch it. Besides, she realized that time was passing quickly and she may miss her window. Reluctantly, she replaced the mystery pouch in the travel duffel.