A Knight of Courage

Chapter 1:- In the Name of a Knight's Honor

"It is not the proper thing to do, nor is it something many have tried - if any have. However the way his tears fall night after night this is the only thing I can do for him. And as the daughter of a great knight I will become a force to be reckoned with and a voice to be heard no matter how long it takes." Vivian watched her sister place their father’s armor against her legs and clip her chest plate on as she talked.

"I cannot believe I ever agreed to this - it is suicide Kalina. Especially if they find out the truth." She packed another dress in a saddle bag.

"It is the only way for father to receive any peace. Will you quit worrying and help with my armor." Vivian buckled closed the bag.

"You better learn to do this yourself because I am not going to be your servant while you are in the city." Vivian finished strapping the armor onto her sister. "Are you sure about this?" She asked sitting her sister down in front of their mother's old vanity table and taking her long brown hair into her hands. Kalina looked into the mirror, took one last breath before replying.

"It is all I can do." Vivian nodded as she held shears in her hands, not a moment later Kalina saw black locks of hair fall from her sister’s fingers and hit the floor.

"I am so sorry sister, but we cannot do thus it is not right."

"What is done is done. No point in worrying over silly things. Come on we have to leave before father awakens." Kalina grabbed three bags and headed for the front door. Vivian wiped a tear from her check as she laid the shears down and placed a small folded letter upon the main table.

"Good-bye father, we hope you are proud when we are finished. Most of all please forgive Kalina and do not worry too much until we return." Vivian closed a large door behind her and walked to her sister, who stood with a horse.

"You ride, I will lead her." Kalina said helping her sister unto the horse.

"You know that I am not good at this kind of thing." Vivian said holding the horse's main as she laid on its neck as they began leaving the small house.

"Yeah I know that is why I will be the son and you will be my beautifully perfect servant and sister, no."

"Servant!?" Kalina smirked at her sister's decline.

"Well yeah, a real one will only cause trouble for us and they are very expensive. O and this way no one will question why you are in my tent during tournaments and such."

"You think you have thought of everything don't you." Vivian said glaring down at her sister. "Fine, but I have conditions." Kalina glanced at her sister as they left the small town they were born and raised in. The two looked at the small town ofTrefach; it was all they had ever known. Their mother died when they were young and their father raised them quite well. Kalina had taken up a liking to swords and blacksmiths work, where Vivian had a knack for cleaning and sowing, things Kalina was suppose to learn. Their father always spoke of a great king he served and his noble knights of Brenmawr, and how it was the greatest kingdom in the world. Kalina dreamed of being a knight her entire life until she learned woman were not allowed to enter the battlefield.

"Hey are you listening?" Vivian said snapping her finger next to Kalina's ear.

"Sorry, geeze. What is it?" Kalina asked rubbing her ear.

"I will not be cleaning your boats or armor, I can do any other clothes. You are to eat yourself, however I will prepare it for you every morning before you awake. I will not be waking you each morning so I hope you can wake-up on your own."

"I am a soon to be knight, I think I can get up all on my own." Vivian glanced at her sister as they came to a fork in the dirt road. A sign post read Brenmawr to the left and Llynhynafol to the right. "We go left."

"Yeah think." Vivian said to her sister as she dismounted the horse. "If we are to make the appearance of a great soon to be knight and his beautiful servant, than you should be riding the horse not I." Vivian took the horse's reins from Kalina's hands. She climbed onto the horse and they picked up where they left off.

"What kind of person do you think the Prince is?" Kalina looked at her sister with a unpleasant look.

"I don't know, never meet him. Though from what father says about the King I would think him to be kind - hearted and fair to everyone."

"I hear he is quite handsome." Vivian said smiling

"What's it matter if he looks good?" Kalina asked

"You are a complete fool. If you are a girl and he does not know this he will treat you like a guy, which means absolutely NO romantic moments." Kalina started laughing hard enough to lean over the horse's neck.

"You think.... that I.... will fall for the prince. Me." She continued to laugh at the comment.

"It could.... happen." Kalina kept laughing at her sister. "What happens if it does happen? You are not under any circumstance are you allowed to get feelings for him. Understand?" Kalina continued to laugh until her sister stopped the horse and waited for Kalina to stop giggling.

"Okay, I swear on my sword that I will make sure that I do not fall in love with any of the knights. Is that enough for you?" Vivian nodded as they reached the top of a hill and saw a castle miles ahead.

"Brenmawr." Kalina said with a huge smile cover her face.

"You ready to make him proud of you Kal?" Vivian asked as her sister pulled her onto the horse to sit in front of her. Kalina nodded as she looked at the road ahead of her. It was not going to be easy and she would not be able to do it alone, but she was going to bring honor to her father again.

"In the name of a knight's honor." She said just before bucking the side of her horse and riding with her sister toward the great city of Brenmawr.

Chapter 2:- In the Name of a Peasant's Life

The horse's hooves hit the dirt with great power as it sped up. Vivian had seen the great castle and the luxurious city that surrounded it many times with their father, however it was a first for Kalina because she always slept in on market day. She was always working from before the sun rose every other day so she took the chance to sleep in a little every time her father had to go deliver his weapons to knights and soldiers.

"It's amazing." Vivian looked over her shoulder to see her sister's eye full of bewilderment, just as a child.

"Father said you would like it more than I. I suppose he was right, along with many other things." Kalina pulled slightly on the horse's reins to slow it as they reached the edge of the outskirt fields. A few cottages were visible scattered across the vast space and people were busy getting to work. Many of the workers had yet to get to their field and others chatted about almost anything.

"Good day. Where is a lovely lady and knight off to so early in the morning?" An older man asked them as the horse trotted by. Vivian let out a light giggle with the man's question.

"We are on our way to Brenmawr Castle so my brother can become a knight." the man looked shocked and removed his hat just barely off his head in apology.

"I apologize you look the part."

"No that's all right. I would have been worried if you didn't think of me as a Knight before." Kalina said trying to keep her voice deep enough to pass as a boy. She brought the horse to a halt and climbed down.

"How old are you two, if you don't mind me asking." He looked at the pair for a little bit.

"Um, well." Kalina thought for a minute 'what age does a guy's voice change anyway? In reality she was sixteen but was that to old? I have to be at least fifteen to become a night so....'

"We are both fifteen, twins actually." Vivian chipped in with her charming smile which always seemed to save Kalina.

"I thought you looked similar." The old man laughed. A horse neighed from farther up the rode which caught Kalina's attention quickly.

"What was that?" She asked out loud, not intending for a reply.

"Taxes must be due." the old man said with a sigh "You two best go on ahead."

"What about you?" Vivian asked with curiosity as he rushed to get rid of them.

"I will give them as much as I can and return to my field. Now off you go." He waved them on with a smile but Kalina noticed a sad glisten in his eyes. She took the horse's reins, walking ahead of the horse toward the ruckus.

"I told you we have nothing more to give." A woman held a child as a horse reared above them as they sat on the muddy ground. Kalina saw the man on the horse smile with pleasure.

"I don't care if you starve or if you have enough for tomorrow. The king demands taxes be paid so you will pay them!" The man said. The horse's legs slammed into the mud and onto the woman's dress and scaring the small child. Vivian looked to her sister as she saw her release the reins.

"Kalina don't." she whispered to her sister, who as usually ignored her. As Kalina approached the scene the man demounted his horse. His leather boots hit the ground, sinking just slightly into the mud; he wore a pair of tan, probably cotton, pants that were held up by a leather belt. The belt had a sword in a sheath and his chainmail shirt was tucked underneath it. He didn't have a helmet to cover his blonde hair and face. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the woman's shoulder.

"You have one minute to stand and retrieve your pay." He looked coldly at them and readied his sword.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Kalina yelled in a deep voice, well deepish, at the man. He glanced up just to step back from her talking a lock of hair off with her blade, which caused the other three men to dismount and rush to the blonde man's side. Kalina kept her blade steady as she helped the woman and child up from the ground and stood between them and the men.

"What are you insane?" One of the other men asked, he wore similar attire with a different sword at his hip.

"I could ask you the same question." Kalina spat at him. "I hope you know that I am a Knight and I do not know what you are doing but you are out of line even for someone dressed up as yourselves." She said sternly and assertive, hoping they would back down from the word KNIGHT. Two of them started laughing so hard they leaned over and placed their hands on their knees.

"You, a knight. Yeah right."

"What else ya got?"

"I.... I am serious! I was trained." Kalina said with irritation bubbling on the surface.

"Yeah, and was he as stupid as you are." One of them asked pointing at her. The blonde guy lowered his blade and smirked. 'They think I am joking.'

"No he is not! He is the most famous knight in these lands." she could not handle them much longer. No one would miss three jerks that pick on peasants.

The blonde looked at her, from her toes to the hair on her head "Perhaps he was trained, shall we find out?" He asked lifting his blade once more. The two men behind him stopped laughing and looked at him seriously.

"Yeah but sir."

"That's not really." the two of them looked at each other as they tried reasoning with him, but he just ignored them

"I will fight in the name of my father, and you?"

"Your father, what’s his name?" the guy looked surprised by her question

"Abimelech." he replied which caused Kalina to rethink her choice of words.

"Abimelech, as in the king of Brenmawr?" She asked with him nodding as a reply. She was talking to the crowned prince of the kingdom she wished to lay her life down for in the name of her father.

"And you will be fighting for whom?" he asked again.

"I..." shit she could not think straight anymore.

"He won't fight a prince, let alone a crown prince. Let’s go man." the men said turning around and the blonde went to re-sheath his sword

"I fight in the name of a peasant's life!" she yelled at him, which caused him to turn and look at her differently than a moment ago.