Dueling Destiny
Underneath me I could see the lighting flash of metal glinting brightly in the sun. The soft clank barely reached my ears from up in my tower jail cell or as my parents call it my room. A sigh left my throat. I was stuck in here while the squire boys could scrimmage freely below! It wasn't fair! Just because I was a girl! Well that had never stopped me before, why should I start now? "Mother may I please go for a walk out in the garden? It's so beautiful!" I looked at my step-mom (she liked me to call her mom but to me she was my step mother) with my big, begging, puppy-dog-blue eyes. She tried to look stern but I could see the tiniest hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth. I smiled as she dismissed me with a flick of her hand. I walked out my chamber door and shut it gently behind me. I looked along the hall both ways and luckily found the hall deserted. I walked along to my left counting the rose colored glass windows along my way.
On the third one I took two more steps and then found the king's crown shape in the wall. I turned it counter-clock wise and pushed it in. There was a soft slow rumbling as the wall behind me slowly rumbled to life, sliding along. I turned around and a small mischievous smile crossed my lips. My secret tunnel! I walked along the dark tunnel listening for any sounds. "Sakira! Sakira are you here?" I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Daleigh's voice!
"Daleigh don't do that to me!" I heard her snicker a little bit and I wished it wasn't so dark so I could at least give her an evil glare. Daleigh was one of my lady's in waiting but she was also one of my best friends mostly against my mother's wishes. "Daleigh do you have my cape?"
"Right here!" I felt the soft fabric run across my hands and grabbed hold of it. I tied it around my neck and adjusted it so as much of my body was hidden behind its ruffled fabric, the hood could go on later.
"Okay now that, that is settled I'll race you!" I took off running towards the exit of our passage at full speed. The soft patter of our feet, with our laughter echoed of the walls. A light from the outside world marked the end of our secret tunnel. I saw a flash of Daleigh's red hair flashed behind me and I ran faster towards the entrance. The moss covered floor along with
the light gray walls, and the light made the tunnel look like a mystical entrance to new world. Where the knights traveled on their journeys and mystical creatures ruled. I saw the familiar green shrub that hid our tunnel from the outer courtyard and sighed. My dream to be a knight and travel the world just wasn't meant to be. I slowed down to a walk at the edge of the tunnel and waited for Daleigh to catch her breath. She walked up beside me her usual smile on her face. "Here Sakira let me fix your hood. It wouldn't do to let any of the men see your face while you were sparing! Your dream of being a knight would be over before it began!" I smiled as she tied my hair behind me so none would get loose and pulled my hood over my head. "There now no one will see your face!" The hood had miraculously stayed put through my numerous spares and my secret safe. I walked towards the shrub and found my blunted sword hanging from its branch (all knights just used blunted swords when sparing. The real ones were for real fights) I pulled it out of its scabbard and smiled as the light glinted off its shiny surface. Finally to feel its familiar weight in my hand again. I dodged my way through the many branches of the shrub finally to see the green grass before me. The clanking of the knights' swords was louder now and my heart skipped a beat. I had fought many knights before and I was good too but my heart always raced at the thought of it.
I walked across the lawn to where all the other knights were fighting. I stood on the hill as men fought all around me and I felt a sense of belonging. All of the sudden everything stopped as they caught sight of me. When I said I was good I kind of meant it. I hadn't lost a fight since ever. It had gone to the point where Daleigh made the challenge that any man who beat me would be able to see my true face. All the more adding to the pressure for me to win my spares. But all of that is off topic so back to the story. I took a step forward to see if any dared challenge me but all stepped back afraid of losing. I looked around at the men's faces, were none willing to face me anymore? Then a man pushed his way through the tangle of knights and stepped forward towards me. Excellent a challenger.
I looked him over finding any weak spot I could find. In battle even the smallest of things is important. He was tall, maybe a couple of inches taller than me. He slightly leaned on his right leg so go for the left, the weaker leg. He held his sword in his right hand though so aim for the right side. ( It's harder to defend the arm with the sword) That would balance him out pretty well making anything fair game. This was going to be an interesting spare. I had never fought him before but he seemed strangely familiar as if he was from a memory of a memory. " Make the first move" I tried to
muster the manliest voice I could like I always did when speaking to these guys but honestly I have no idea how I ever fooled these guys. The guy lunged at me rather slowly and clumsily. I took a quick side step and saw him as he ran right past me. To easy! But then he put his foot down and stopped suddenly turning and pushed all his weight off of that foot right at me. It had been a fake out! I rolled off to the side as quickly as I could and could feel my heart pounding. That was close, a little too close for comfort.
I was going to have to stay on my toes if I didn't want to get hit! Then I saw a flash of metal and ducked to the ground putting all my momentum into around the house kick. He jumped up and I could feel the bottom of his shoe on my bare foot. He lunged his sword at me again and I rolled backwards and hopped to my feet. I was a few feet away from me and I was on high alert from anything he could throw at me. My breathing was hard now but a smile crept to my lips. This was the most challenging spare I've had yet! I looked him in the eyes reading trying to read his next move but they held no clues. Obviously he had been trained well. I saw a smile on his face as he just stood there waiting. "I see you have some fancy foot work, I do too." I flipped through the air landing just inches away from me he swung his sword high to my arm and I blocked it away with mine. He started doing multiple attacks all over and I had to push myself to keep up with him, to block his sword. So far he had put me on the defense; to win that would need to change. Our swords met in a lock both of us in a tug-of war with our swords. I could feel sweat rolling down my forehead.
I brought my leg up and almost kicked him in the gut but he was too quick and jumped back. I heard him laugh a little. Was I that easy to beat to him? No there was sweat rolling down his face too and his breathing was as heavy as mine. I told myself to relax a little and took a deep breath trying to calm my nerves a little. Then he aimed his sword and aimed it at my knees and pushed his sword forward really slowly, I put my sword down to block it but then he angled his sword ever so slightly and put the last remaining energy into it. The tip of his sword hit me squarely in the wrist making me drop it. I tried to grab it with my left hand but he was too quick and beat me to it. He grabbed it and then did a last and final kick to the back of my legs knocking me to the ground. I had lost my first and my last spare.