The White Knight

Chapter Seven-The Red Death Returns

It was not until when Maria reached the castle, when reality reached her.
         "Oh my God," Maria thought to herself.  "I just fought an actual knight."
         "What is wrong, Maria?"
         Maria jumped at the voice.  She turned to the person who had spoken.  It was Geoffrey.
         "Geoffrey, I just had a fight with a Black Knight."
         The thought of the fight, made Maria weak.  Geoffrey saw her reaction and led her over to the shade of a tree and had her sit down.
         He handed her a flask of Ydnarb.  "Drink this.  It will make you feel better."
         "No, I am fine.  I guess this is a major adrenaline rush.  Wow, my first fight.  And I feel great!  Well maybe a little shaken up," she added with a laugh.
         "I understand how you feel.  My first fight was the same.  Then it gets routine.  Tell me what happened."
         Maria narrated the fight as she remembered it.
         "I do not understand several things.  First of all, that knight was near the castle.  How did he get so close without being detected?  Also why are the Black Knights even here?"
                 "It is possible if he was by himself, or with two or three other knights.  Small numbers are less noticeable.  They make less noise.  He probably did not even know he was near King Alexander's castle.  It seems he was more intent on catching the lad.  Some knights are so greedy that they can not stand when a young beggar steals a little bit of money."
         "Well what are we to do now?  Before you said there were no threats from these Black Knights.  Are we to go to war with them now?
         "I am not sure yet. I am certain that he will return to the group and let the other knights know that he has been "attacked" by a White Knight.  Knowing him, he will make himself look like a victim. For the next few days, stay around the castle.  Do not venture far from it in case there are any more of the enemy lurking about."
         "I have read that the Knights of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres combined forces when the Red Knights attacked.  If this is so, why are they not comrades now?"
         "These men love the land.  They know it would be destroyed while the Red Knights dominate.  So, they combined forces against this enemy.  When the Red Knights were gone, they remained peaceful to each other for a while.  However, what causes them to break up into their own kingdoms, I do not remember well.  It has been a while since I read that story.  I believe it had something to do with accusations or power.  The story is in on of the volumes.  Read it if you get a chance."
        A look of horror appeared on Maria's face.  However, Geoffrey did not see it.  "Remember; be careful for the next few days."
        He departed.
        "The book!" Maria exclaimed to herself.  "I left it by that brook.  I do not want them to think I am irresponsible.  I must go back there and get it.  It is too late to do anything about it today.  I will get it early tomorrow morning.  I will not even be missed."
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         The sun had set when the Black Knight reached the Castle of King Christoph.  He, upon arriving, went to find the king.  He found him talking to Sir Michael.  Sir Michael was a courageous leader and an excellent fighter.  He was known to be one of the greatest knights in Utofamia.  On the battlefield he was known as the "Slaughterer."
         When the knight approached, the two men stopped talking.  The king said, "Joseph, what happened?  You are hurt."
         "I was just attacked by one of King Alexander's knights.  Just for no reason, he jumped me and attacked me."
         "When did this happen?  Do you know which knight did this?"
         Joseph proceeded on with the story of the battle.
         "This happened about three hours ago at the edge of King Alexander's hunting grounds.  I was chasing a spy and got too close to their land.  I did not recognize the knight; a helmet concealed most of his face.  However, he must have been an experienced fighter.  He was stronger than me."
         King Christoph turned to Sir Michael.  "I will leave this up to you.  Joseph was attacked for no cause."
         The king left.
         Michael turned to Joseph.  "The only thing I have to say is we must find out the plans of King Alexander's knights.  We must know when they will be organized in a large army and in small groups.  When we know such things, we can carry out plans.  We can send people to the hunting grounds and search for small groups of knights and kill them, the same way you would have been if you did not escape.  We must now tell the other knights about this little hunt.
         Michael picked up a hunting horn.  He brought it to his mouth and blew.
         When the other knights heard the horn, they knew that Sir Michael wanted to see them.  It took around five minutes for the knights to gather around their leader.
         When all was quiet, Michael began,”Joseph has been attacked by one of King Alexander's knights."
         At this there were sounds of surprise and anger.
         Michael waited patiently until all was silent again before getting Joseph to tell what had happened.  The knights listened until he was done.  Then Michael told their plans to seek and destroy the White Knights.
         A cheer went through the group of knights, the swords being thrust in the air.
         One knight shouted, "When we get through with these knights, there will be nothing left of them!"
         Laughing, the knights separated, wishing they were already searching for the knights, everyone too excited to sleep...
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         Darkness still covered the land.  The first streaks of dawn were not to be seen for at least another hour.
         Sir Peter was awake despite the early time.  He paced around the room.  Something was amiss in the air.
         A voice came shouting from the night, "lower the drawbridge!  There is urgent need!"
         Peter looked out of the window.  It was Leonard, one of his Kingsbane.  Standing next to him was a girl, who he thought was Maria at first.  Bit, after getting a closer look, he realized that she was too tall.
         The drawbridge was lowered for the two people.
         Peter went to meet them.
         "What goes on at this hour of day?"
         The girl looked towards the Kingsbane, who urged her to speak.  She looked back towards Sir Peter.
         "Sir, I have been traveling for many days, with little sleep.  I am afraid that the gray days have fallen back on us."
         "What do you mean?"
         The girl thought for a moment, exhaustion from travel was seen on her face.  She continued, "Twice before the Red Knights have invaded Utofamia and brought dismay and destruction to the land.  Twice before, they left.  The second time the Red Knights invaded Utofamia, one hundred years ago, Melisande was not with them.  We were able to evade their evil ways.  Then they were gone.  We thought this was the last time we had seen them.  Alas, they are here again and Melisande is with them.
         "I saw them with my own eyes.  I saw my parents get slain without mercy.  The Red Death is already beginning to harm the land for the third time.  I decided to warn you of them.  I had to be cautious to avoid them."
         She stopped talking. 
         "This is very serious," Sir Peter said.  "We must get the Knights and the Kingsbane together and work out a plan."
         Leonard spoke, "What about the Knights of King Christoph?  Shouldn't we try to get them to join us?"
         "Good point.  We must have a council.  Wake Maria up the leaders and make sure you get Maria.  If she is the one the prophecy is meant for, she needs to be there.”
         A few minutes passed, and then Leonard returned.  "Sir, the girl is gone!"
         "What?"
         "She is not in her tent.  Her bedroll is there; but here equipment and horse are missing."
         “Where can she have gone?”
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         The pink clouds represented the beginning of a new dawn.  Maria rode towards where she had the fight with the Black Knight.  Soon, she would get the book and head back to the castle.
         She waited until the sounds of snoring throughout the bivouac were heard.  All she had to do was make it to the moat and swim across.  Since, there were not enough stalls within the castle courtyards for the horses, there were stalls across from the moat.  Chilowna was kept in one of these.  Before the drawbridge was lowered for the night, she went to visit him and gave him a carrot that she had saved from her dinner.  She also left her chain mail and weapons in his stall.  She was always told never to go unprepared.  Even if she was riding to the village, she was to wear armor and carry weapons.  It would make it less noisy when she finally left her tent.
         When she was sure that most people were sleeping she left her tent.  Knowing that the guards were in the tower watching, she slowly crawled towards the moat, keeping her body flat on the ground.  After reaching the water’s edge, she looked for any sentries.  Seeing none, she swam across and ran to the concealment of the trees.
         Quickly changing into her armor, she soon was riding away on Chilowna.  Why she just did not admit that she left the book, she did not know.  Maybe she felt that she could not be trusted.  It was like that in the foster homes she lived in; she could do nothing right. 
         Maria had left the castle grounds just minutes before the girl delivered the message.  Through experience, she knew where the Kingsbane were and was able to avoid them.  After some searching, she found the book.  Sighing in relief, Maria examined it.  It did not appear to be damaged.  She wrapped it up in her shirt and put it in the saddlebag on Chilowna's back.  She was about to remount and ride back to the castle, when several figures stepped out from the trees.  These people were like the Kingsbane, except they were clothed in black.
         "Do not think of running.  We are the Kingsbane.  We..."
         "I know.  I know," Maria interrupted.  "We never fail in shooting."
         "That is correct.  We belong to the knights of King Christoph.  You must come with us.  There is no use in resisting."
         Maria knew she had no choice.  "Sir Peter will know something has happened to me," Maria thought to herself as she remounted Chilowna and followed the Kingsbane.
         Maria questioned the Kingsbane as they rode along.  However, they remained mute to her.  Finally, after several miles, she asked, "I demand to know where you are taking me."
         "You attacked Joseph.  You will pay dearly, yon evil knight.  We are being bought back with us and the other Black Knights will decide what punishment is fit for you."
         "If you want to punish me, then do so.  However, I will not be taken easily."
         Maria quickly kicked Chilowna and galloped away from her captors.  She put good distance between her and the enemy before they reacted.  She rode into the forest and the trees; close together as they were, they gave her protection from the arrows.  When the Kingsbane used up their arrows, they chased Maria throughout the forest.  Maria pushed Chilowna to go faster.  She began to pull away when, all of a sudden, she reached a chasm.  It was too steep to get down.  She faced the Kingsbane as they approached.
         They got closer to her.  Then a Kingsbane fell with a cry.  An arrow was jutting from his chest.
         "Death!" shouted a Kingsbane.  "It is the Red Death!  Retreat before the Red Death gets anymore of us!"  At this the Kingsbane quickly turned their horses around and rushed away in the direction that they had come from.
         Maria, wondering who had shot the arrow, looked across the ravine.  She noticed several knights clad in red armor galloping away.  She looked over to the Kingsbane.  She noticed that it was the one who had taken her weapons.  Upon retrieving them, she looked at him and noticed that he was alive.  She went over to him.
         "How is it that you are still alive?"
         "I am not pierced.  The chain protected me.  I was just stunned."
         He sat up and Maria helped him remove the arrow.
         "There is no need for us to needlessly kill each other.  We need to defeat these Red Knights.  We must depart quickly, since they may return.  Warn your knights and I will also warn mine."
         "I agree.  Whenever the Red Knights invaded this world, the Black and White Knights became allies.  We will deal with you later when the Red Knights are gone."
         The Kingsbane got on his horse and rode off.  Maria did the same.