The Knight

“Percival, it is your time.” The warden boomed.

My aching body slumped drearily on to the dungeon floor, preventing me from further movement. The warden, let out a huge sigh and called upon his guards. Within seconds, two heavily armoured guards surrounded me and carried me by my bony arms. The guards’ muscular arms dragged me away from my prison cell and out to the exit door. The prisoners rattled in fury as they envy my early release. I smirked in their direction, tormenting them. The prisoners realised my expression and were sent into a wild, animalistic rage as they began shaking the prison bars madly. As the commotion grows, the warden slammed his fist into one of the prisoners’ face.

“SILENCE, ALL OF YOU!” The warden roared.

Within a short span of time, the prisoners began to calm down. The guards were unfazed, and continued to drag me to the new life ahead of me. The prison has prevented me from living out the dream I dearly wished for , now with the Queen’s pardon, my hopes have finally been realised. That prison has been quite friendly with me, treating me like I’m dog shit, starving me for the fun of it, beating me with a whip just to see how my blood looks like. Yes, what a wonderful time it was. These thoughts flooded my mind as my battered body reached a grassy plain, then, I stopped. The guards dropped me to the ground, scrapping my knees. I smelled the air, a floral scent engulfed the air like springtime. I raised my head up and felt the warm air touch my skin for the first time in 6 Months. You never really appreciate the things you have until they are lost, I thought to myself. Then a large object flew over my head, a large sack containing my belongings. I looked over to the warden who was standing at the doorway nonchalantly. I gave him a large smile, thanking him for keeping my items safe. The warden expressed his displeasure by glaring at me. I couldn’t help but smile, this was the final day that I would be seeing this man, and I’ve got to say, I would miss him for all the years of companionship he has given me. I stood up and faced the warden before me, I extended my hand hoping for a handshake. The warden glared at me menacingly, and refused my greeting.

How rude! I thought to myself, but I was in too good a mood to let anything keep me down. I gave a grin to him, and retracted my arm. I then walked over to the sack and carried it over my back. My journey to a new life had finally begun, and all that’s left is to find her. As I carried on into the woods, the warden began speaking to his guards.

“He’s a madman, why would they ever release him?”

“The Queen, what was she thinking?”

This is great! Finally, on my own with no one beating me down or looking down on me. I was ecstatic, there had been no better feeling than to feel free again. Unfortunately for me, I still had to find my precious Cecilia. She had been trapped in a castle for a long time, and seeing her sad expression just made my heart ache. I remember when we were just younglings, we would play upon the flowery meadows near the shipyard. We would cause mischief among the townsfolk and even steal from them. Those times were the most fun we had. Yet, those times ended as quick as it had begun, by the age of 20, Cecilia was called to The Queen’s castle. Apparently, she had been chosen for some crap, that I never understood, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. Yet, I couldn’t just let her go, she was too precious to me. I couldn’t remember what I did, but when I was captured by the guards, I could see her sad, longing look, like a damsel in distress. That look was deeply rooted into my mind, telling me to save her from these people. That thought saddened me.

I managed to make my way to the kingdom of Jital. With my battered body, it took longer than I would have 6 months ago, but I was surprised still. The kingdom was in the same state as it was, nothing much has changed. Apparently, a noble had died mysteriously in his own, and they had yet to find a killer. Well, the townspeople were afraid of their safety, and they were cautious of strangers. As I tried to converse with them, they merely ignored me, trying their best not to notice me. This infuriated me, I am not a killer mind you. I thought out loud. As I slowly trudged my way to a nearby inn, I overheard a peasant speaking about the queen.

“Did you hear? The Queen had pardoned a mad man from the dungeon not far from here. They say he had been the Queen’s lover once.”

The Queen had a lover from the dungeon? How crude. However, I did not overhear any other inmates being released from the dungeon. Perhaps it was during one of my torture sessions. I stepped into the inn and found a brandish looking feller by the bar. He seemed familiar. I then walked up to the man, and tapped on his shoulder.

“Excuse me, sir, you look quite familiar, were we, perhaps, acquainted?”

The man turned around with his beady eyes, but as soon as his eyes laid on me, his expression totally changed.

“Cousin Percival! You’re out of jail!”

The man reached out for a hug. This man is my cousin? I looked at him once more, his face did not ring a bell to me.

The man released me and looked at me once more, his expression changed into a worried state.

“Percival, you look famished. Let me buy you a hearty meal.”

The man grabbed me by the arm and forced me to the kingdom’s tavern where the people gathered to eat finely roasted boar. The man ordered a large boar for me and welcomed me back.

“Percival, you look badly bruised, what happened to you?” The man questioned

“Well, I have been tortured daily when I was in jail, and they haven’t been feeding me when I was in that cell. You know, the usual.” I answered jollily.

The man gave a somewhat confused and concerned expression.

“Wow, I’ve never heard about torture in the dungeon. You must have committed some serious crime to be entitled to it. Speaking of which, how did you end up there?”

I stared blankly at the man. I looked down solemnly, deep in thought, How did I get caught? As I pondered the answers, a gigantic roasted boar appeared in front of me, and my taste buds were once again rejuvenated. The man, although concerned, invited me to begin our feast, to celebrate my freedom. I decided to shove that thought away and remained jovial through our feast.

As nightfall began, the man, who’s name was Jack, invited me to his home to stay in for the night. I overhead his name from the master who runs this bar as he was acquainted with Jack. Seeing as I had no other places to go to, I accepted his kind offer. His home was riddled with hunting trophies that he had mounted onto his walls. There was so many that I had lost count. Apparently, Jack is the royal hunter to the throne where he would hunt the most succulent and prestigious boar in all of Jital. Jack knew the insides of an animal as much as he knew himself. That being said, he was considered a noble to a certain degree but is much of just a servant to the throne. Jack laid me a bed in a guest room and prepared me some drink to go with it. But, there was something lingering in Jack’s mind, why was Percival sent to the dungeon in the first place? Percival had always been a good guy for as long as Jack knew, so, what kind of heinous deed did Percival do to deserve this punishment? Fortunately, for Jack, that answer would soon appear to him in front of his doorstep.

The next day, guards stood at the door of Jack’s home. I was half awake at that time, enjoying the comfort of the wool bed. The guards were muttering something inaudible, and Jack nodded in agreement. Minutes later, Jack was in my room, telling me that the Queen wishes to see me in person. My eyes lit up, I was finally going to meet the Queen, the one person who had stolen my darling Cecilia away from me. Anger rose from my essence as I eagerly complied. The pain the Queen had caused me was unbearable, it was beyond redemption, she took away the love of my life, caging her from her dream of building a better world, and now, it was finally time for her reckoning. As I had left Jack’s home, I stashed a sharp knife in my pants, hiding it from the guards. Their eyes carefree, they must have hated their job. After a distance of travelling through the kingdom, we were finally at the castle gates where I would gather an audience with the Queen. However, as soon as I had entered the building, the Queen looked odd. Like she had changed dramatically, and somehow did not hold the same aura of power as she used to. After guiding me to the throne, the guards were dismissed immediately, as I was signalled to follow her into her quarters. The Queen looked stunningly beautiful, like an angel from the heavens, it was a shame that she had to die so young. We arrived at her quarters and the queen sat down on her bed, looking at me with longing eyes, but as soon as the doors to the bedroom had closed, I revealed my weapon and sprung into a stabbing motion. The Queen, however, managed to react on time and dodged my attack, but I was relentless, and all I could see is red, so I swung again, barely missing her now. This attack caused a mirror to shatter. The Queen’s eyes now filled with fear and shock, pleading me to stop. She’s taking me for a fool, HOW DARE SHE. I lunged at her once more, still she managed to catch my hand, preventing me from stabbing her.

“W..What are you doing??” The Queen screamed.

“YOU, YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME! THE ONE PERSON I CARED FOR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS WORLD.”

“What are you talking about, Percival? It’s me! Cecilia!”

“DON’T PLAY COY WITH ME, I KNOW YOU TOOK HER AND LOCKED HER AWAY LIKE SOME ANIMAL.”

The Queen started shouting for her guards, but no one would come. The knife was inching closer to her chest, tearing her clothing inch by inch. In my bloodlust, I couldn’t see it, but she had grabbed a nearby shard of glass and stabbed me in my gut, I screamed in pain. The Queen however did not flee from me but instead took my knife away from me. She looked at me with pitiful eyes, shocked to see what I’ve become. Then, in a moment of epiphany, the Queen disappeared as I writhed in pain. The Queen had returned earlier, this time in a different sort of wear that looked familiar. It was a dress familiar to the one Cecilia had worn on the day of my capture, it was so… familiar. Then, my vision turned black.

I woke up in a fanciful looking bed that resembled a noble’s. I was covered by a soft silk blanket that was woven masterfully. I sat up from my bed and noticed a familiar figure sitting near a window. It was Cecilia, she had returned to me! I mustered up my strength and scurried out of bed, but a guard blocked my way. I looked at him with a frustrated gaze, telling him to back off, or I’ll make him. The guard stood there, unshaken by my words.

“Percival, do you remember what had happened?” Cecilia said.

I looked over at her, my heart filled with glee, and tried to find an answer but I couldn’t. Cecilia stood up from her chair and walked towards me. The guard stood aside, allowing Cecilia to pass through.

“You were arrested, for killing a fellow knight.”

I looked at her with disbelief. Cecilia however continued her charade.

“You were, Sir Percival, an honorary knight, gilded with achievements presented by the previous queen.”

Cecilia looked at me from head to toe, almost tearing up.

“You were so angry at him, so angry at yourself, you couldn’t bear to see me this way.”

I looked at her confused at what she’s saying.

“So, you snapped, and killed him out of cold blood. For me.”

“What are you talking about?” I questioned her.

The fair maiden sat me down on the bed, saddened at my state of being.

“You had followed me everywhere, protecting me every step of the way, to the point where I had fallen for you. You managed to climb your way up so that you could be with me, Percival. I was happy with you.”

She held me close, hoping to get a reaction out of me.

“Then, Kiltor came, and you were never the same. Sir Kiltor was a knight from another kingdom, hoping to impress one of the Queen’s subordinates. Kiltor happened to look in my direction and you wouldn’t take any of it.”

I looked at her with stunning disbelief.

“But he was so much better than you, he was quicker, smarter and charming even. You couldn’t stand up to him, yet, you pushed on, kept on fighting to have my hand, and that’s what broke you.”

I began thinking to myself.

“You fell into a hole you couldn’t come out from, and you had concluded that the only course of action here was to kill him. To this day, I still couldn’t believe that, my Percival, had committed such a heinous act. Yet, I forgave him for it.”

My eyes widened up, as memories came flooding into my head.

“You were tossed into a cell, depressed and afraid. Along the way, you became insane. In those months that you were there, I had visited you countless times, hoping that you would be okay, but whenever I came, you started to go wild, and harm yourself, so I stopped coming.”

I looked at her teary eyes, guilt crashing into my bones.

“And to see you here, with the same state of mind. It’s just… cruel. You had forgotten me, you had forgotten who you were and what you stood for.”

Cecilia sobbed as she clung to my shirt.

The pain was back. The trauma I inflicted onto myself was back. I had blocked it out and formed a delusion in my head. I had murdered a knight by the name of Kiltor and I had never regretted it once. Was this, Percival?

I stood up from the bed and proceeded to the door of the room. Cecilia looked at me with her teary, longing eyes. I returned her gaze and smiled.

“I’m sorry, Cecilia, I don’t deserve you. It’s best that you forget me.”

As I said my final farewell, I left the room. The sobbing turned into wailing as my lover had lost the man she had truly loved months ago. I was the only recollection of the past tied down to her, and now that she is the Queen, I wouldn’t allow myself to stop her from achieving her life long goal. So, I had to disappear, I had to start a new life, as she had to as well. It was the only justice I could give her, after those cruel months I made her endure. For now, I guess I will pay a visit to the warden.