Knight In Shining Armour

Darkness. The low whistle of the wind. Flickering lights.

It was supposed to be another quite, peaceful night. Not a leaf moves, the stillness reflects the tiredness of my soul.

I am drained out. I have fought long and hard, I have been victorious, but none of that matters. Now, I could use nothing more than some well-earned rest.

I hear a little disturbance, but it can’t be for me. I turn over. I need rest.

Knock knock!

It’s a hoard of villagers. “What is it now?”
“The Tower of Terror! Please, you must save us!!”

My head aches. I am worn from a recent battle. “Who sent you?” I ask, hoping to postpone, if not pass on this task. “The King himself!” cries the crowd.

“It can not be. I have just served him and our country in a long and cruel battle, not too long ago”
“True! But to serve you people is to serve your King!”
“Isn’t there anyone else who can do this?”
“None as good as you”
“Can I rest for today and march to it tomorrow?”
No.
They readily nod and leave, but my tranquility has gone with them.
“’Tis not fair!” I argue, but no one’s there to listen.

Tired, the anguish and guilt have kept me up. My fellow comrades are in the local Inn, singing away the night. Tomorrow they plan a quest over The Forbidden Mountain.

I’d like to go there one day. Not with them. But one day. If the King were to allow me.

“Fair Knight!” they call me. “It is time!”

My performance, I am assured, will not be of any influence to the King. I question myself, why am I doing this? Why have I not put myself up for promotion, to escape, to be free?

I gather my tools. Instruments and weapons they tell me won’t work for anyone else. They don’t listen when I say that one only has to try. They think I am special, that I have some unknown power to control these devices. I do not, I try to explain. It only requires the will to learn.

My voice is drowned by their demands. “Be done with the Tower” they tell me. Every week they have a new problem. Do they not see a trend? “Fast and quickly!” the order. Do they not see, Knight as I may be, I too am human? I too face fears, pain, troubles and decisions of my own?

“Hurry, we have been sleep deprived for two days!” one yells. I know the feeling, I want t yell back. I’ve been sleep deprived for decades. War after war, battle after combat, fighting enemies and fears, despite my so-called rest period.

The fights get harder, the demons are bigger and I am weaker as time passes. A nimble dodge there, a quick suppression here… there! That should quell the beast for at least a few more weeks. I hope to be stronger then. If the King were to recognize my work and my worth, perhaps I would be of much greater service.

The again, I guess it is my fault. But I was raised not to sing praises of myself. I’m not like the others. I just want to do my duty and live my life.

The demon wounds me, I am bleeding heavily. “M’lady! There is no one as brave as you!” What good is it, if a housekeeper tells my worth? I am like all other Knights to her, or perhaps like none other. She has not met many of us Knights, we are rare indeed.
I need to recover.

It has been a week. The good doctor tells me I need at least two more before I can call myself fit. But I am visited by more villagers. The demon has escaped again.

I vanquish it, only to be told the main one has escaped… for now. But then what of the one I have killed? “M’lady! It was smart move. That particular one could have cost you if it had escaped”
Yes but my biggest nemesis has escaped. I am slightly wounded, I recover in a day.

Then, I am called for battle. I hear how my fellow companions have spent their free time, and I am envious. But they are not Knights like me. They do not yearn for that independence as I do. They want the fame, and they shall all have it long before I do.

The battle is nasty. I am tired of it now. I want to retire from this, but I know I cannot. I am pledged to the King. He shall decide for me. And in the meanwhile, I have them demons to slay.

How long before retribution?