HerStory

Gemini Shadow

Author's Note: This is the story of King Arthur's older sister. What if she was a fighter who pretended to be a knight? I do not OWN King Arthur in any way (wish I did). The plot and other characters however, are all fictional and mine.

Chapter One: Fire Arrow

Alexandra's head shot up into the air. She had for certain heard a rustling sound outside. She looked across the room to her soundly sleeping family. They were tired from working out in the fields all day in order to get ready for the big festival. Alexandra's younger brother, Arthur, was out cold. His hand was over his head and he was snoring softly. Her parents, Igraine and Uther Pendragon, were also fast asleep. Alexandra herself, was a tall, willowy eighteen year old with long golden hair. Her blue eyes were deep and at the moment showed fear. Alexandra's heart was pumping faster and faster with terror. What was she supposed to do? What if someone was out side, like a Bandit, and was stealing their food or waiting to sneak in? These thoughts were enough to get her out of bed and she rushed over to her parents and woke them. At first, they yelled at her for waking them up at such an early hour, but her father still rushed to the window not wanting to lose their winter storage. He looked around and turned back saying she was being silly and there was nothing there. Her parents started to get back into bed, but Alexandra stayed up. She wouldn't let anyone steal their food they had worked so hard for. She took her sword and put it right next to her. Slowly, her bright blue eyes began to close and she was once again unconscious of the noise she had heard.

The smell of smoke drifted up to Alexandra's nose causing her to stretch and open her tired eyes. She looked out the window and shouted.

"Fire! Fire! Mother! Father!"

Her parents jolted out of bed and ran to get buckets. She followed with her brother and the two of them helped by carrying more buckets. However, when they got outside, there was no big fire. It was contained in a metal bin. Her father hastily put it out and they woke all the hands. A search was performed around the castle. Harriet, the castle cook, yelled from around the yard. Everyone rushed over to her. She had found a big, red arrow scratched into the door to the kitchen. It was pointing to the left and the torch bearers shed their light upon it. Hanging from the old oak tree was the night guard, Monroe. Above him was a note saying, Ye have been warned. Alexandra gave a frightful gasp and her brother stood beside her with a solemn look upon his face. He ran up to the tree and addressed them.

"Poor Monroe died trying to defend our castle! I shall personally see to it that he is avenged and that this scoundrel who kills by dark and hides in shadows is killed!"

Arthur was the only young son of her parents and he would one day inherit the castle. He tried to be tough, but she knew he would rather people were peaceful and didn't kill each other. He was skilled with a blade and they often practiced with each other. She and her brother enjoyed knightly tasks and one day hoped to make use of them and honor and protect her family.

She was sitting there with a melancholy expression on her face as the adults discussed on what to do. What would happen to her family? Suddenly, a riot of fire arrows went up from atop Greener Hill. It was a call for all knights to come forth and meet their King for a talk. Something was up and Allie wasn't about to be left behind. This could be her chance to try to do knightly deeds. Her brother saw her fixed expression and whispered in her ear.

"Allie, go with them. Show them how strong you are. I know you can do it even if other people don't. Shall I go get Kramer ready?"

Allie nodded in agreement and followed her brother to the lamp lit barn. She found extra armor and a chain mail shirt. She put these on over a light shirt and breeches, then walked further into the barn. Her gleaming chestnut stallion stood dozing in his stall. When she approached he gave her a small nicker and walked up to her. She had trained him as a colt and he was extremely loyal. She put her saddle and bridle on him, then grabbed a long blue cloak from the wall for herself. She stuffed some food and supplies she had seen their neighbor, who was a knight, use into the saddlebags and put the cloak on.

"God speed to you Allie," her brother murmured.

Allie looked back once and then threw herself into the saddle and galloped away into the dark blanket of night before anyone would notice she was missing. As she went down the road, men from other homes were doing the same as she and she followed them to Greener Hill. There they met another knight who arranged them into a line to travel to the King's castle. Allie's silver sword clanked against her boots as Kramer took up a bouncy trot. There was no happy chatter among the knights. They were all silent as the grave. Allie rode beside their neighbor, William. He was the same age as her and he had been knighted because his father had been killed by bandits. He and Allie would often gallop down the road in the summer to see who went faster and they had archery competitions. His mother was trying to find him a wife and that wasn't hard. He was tall with brown hair and brown eyes with shots of green. However, he didn't wish to get married and he fought with his mother over the topic. Allie, he said, was the only one that understood and treated him as a true friend would. And she did, It was much more fun running around on horses and fencing. He looked down at his saddle and Allie wondered if that was what was bothering him right now. She decided she would need someone's help along the way and Will would probably be the best to get it from because they were already good friends.

"Beautiful night. How are things at home, Sir William?" Allie said nonchalantly.

"Allie?!?! What in the world are you doing here?" he whispered back.

"I came along. That bandit killed one of our best men, Monroe. My brother would never do this and Father wasn't about to leave right away so I took Kramer and ran," Allie explained.

"You can get hanged for doing this. I will take you back home. I can catch up and no one will know what you did," William responded.

"No, I'm staying," Allie said very simply.

Will shook his head and grinned.

"It'll be nice to have a friend along and you can fight well. I'd hate to see the poor villain who made you this angry. He won't live very long," William chuckled, " what will your name be? Sir Alex?"

"Yes, that would be perfect," Allie said.

She smiled and they rode the rest of the way in silence. Another fire arrow went up from atop Greener Hill to remind the knights who had ignored the first call.

Allie could see the King's Castle as they rode closer. She didn't know what she would do once inside. He might talk to them outside if she was lucky. The path was becoming more manicured and clean. No stray weeds made their home on it and the stones were all placed along the side. Allie moved back into the pack of riders until she was at the very back. She put her hood down and tied her long golden hair up with a leather thong so it wouldn't flow through her hood. She then kicked Kramer into a canter and caught up to William. She could see the King standing outside on his gray charger. King Edward was getting older and had gray hair and the kindest blue eyes you would ever find. His young son Richard would soon take over for his father. Richard possessed some of the same qualities as his father. He was patient and smart. He never jumped to conclusions and he was fair. King Edward looked at all the knights with a grim smile.

"Welcome knights. We have had messengers from many farms with calls of help. The problem being sets of murder, vandalism, and stealing of winter storage and supplies. Innocent people are dead and many families are scared for their lives. My knights and I will solve this problem. We ride at dawn."

With that, King Edward rode his horse back up to the castle and a puzzled Allie watched the other knights to see what they were doing and where they were staying for the rest of the night. She nervously pushed her hair, which had been sneaking forward, back into her hood. William, noticing her puzzled glance, whispered in her ear.

"You have a tent in your saddle bags right? Well open it up, tie your horse outside of it, and be up before dawn tomorrow," he instructed.

"I knew that," said Allie. And she jumped off Kramer and started pulling items out of her saddle bag as William watched and laughed to himself.

"Mmmmmhhhhhhh. Ok. Well, I have to go set up my own tent. Come get me if you are having trouble," he said.

Allie watched him go and wondered how in the world did you set up a tent with stakes, a rock, and fabric. She tried anyways and the result wasn't too bad. Except for the fact that part of it fell down on top of her and she had to fix it in front of the other knight's curious glances.

Dawn came and Allie was up and Kramer was saddled. Her sword was at her waist; her quiver, bow, and arrows were on her back, and her other gear was neatly placed in her saddle bags. Her journey was only beginning.