A/N: I didn't think I could do this but here is an entry for the Men of Tortall's forum April 2010 Prompt: Always
Besure to read and review!
I don't own anything you recognize.
His green eyes flicked over each page. Every sheet of new parchment had been bound together in heavy leather dyed blue and was now stained with dark black ink. He looked over at the original that he had spent so much time copying. The frayed edges felt light under his fingers, the dust was no longer present. Each slip of paper was old but had been written on by masters of their arts.
He raced out of his study and headed down the hall and as he inspected each and every page that he had meticulously copied, he began to read sections from every chapter…
…Powerful words dripped from her tongue as she stood up high on her mount, preparing to move the land itself with only a company of soldiers. Each one was battle hardened and ready to die by any means if only to prove her words true. She shook her fist in the air to rally the company. Turning to face her foes, she led the charge into battle with a hundred swords at her back and a thousand facing her off …
…"I said the border could be moved closer. I have no problem with it." Her quiet voice was barely heard by the council of nobles. Her voice shook with fear but she was a peace keeper. She would not force the kingdom to choose sides between two fiefs. "My family can move our borders in so that you may have your mine expanded."
"This is the perfect solution to our problem you see, your majesty," another man said to their king. "She understands that to concede is the best decision for the kingdom. After all I would hate to not eb able to continue supplying iron for our military."
"More like pacifying a mangy dog," mumbled old Queenscove.
"My thanks Lady Lynea, your sacrifice will be well used for us all." The King's eyes moved from the lady knight to her fellow knight from Queenscove….
…Her sword broke through the weakened metal of her opponent and his body fell to the ground, sweating and panting for breath as he stared up at hard blue eyes.
"I told you Sir Grenick, I do not give up" She told him with a smirk and her sword near his throat.
Sir Grenick smiled and shoved the blade away while she helped him to his feet. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her…
…Macayhill's only daughter was constanly on the verge of being disowned. She had once walked into a ball with some barbarian on her arm. She whispered to explain her guests standing in life and half the court gasped at his lack of military title, nobility, or land. To bring a Provost's Guard, a Dog, to such an event…
…To disguise herself after so many years, and having it all revealed by one simple slash of a sword must have been dreadful. Her fiery red hair framed her face but she did not cower, claim insanity, or plead for he life. She was proud of what she had done, she continued her duel with even more fervor as her brother made her explanations. If only poor King Roald had realized that the girl fighting for his family's lives would soon become the Champion of Tortall…
…Her story has yet to be finished, for her life continues with many great deeds to make anyone flinch or be awe inspired. Her tall figure was often seen at the head of a mounted company, but it was also seen with all the others, shoveling mud, and getting as much from a bread and water supper as any page could. She has been faced with prejudice, hardship, evil, and cruelty, yet the Protector of the Small has done something that even the famed Lioness herself could barely do; Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan has been a lifelong long friend to the notorious Sir Nealan of Queenscove.
Fin...
"You wrote an entire book for me?" Kel's eyes had a shine of gratitude in them for her friend. Her hands felt the impressions on the cover. '"A History of the Lady Knight: Then and Now" a continuation piece by Sir Lewis of Naxen(156-210HE) and Sir Nealan of Queenscove'
"Of course," Neal said with a wicked grin. "I wanted to show you that you are not some anomaly; lady knights have always been around, and because of you they always will be.
Neal took a sharp intake of breath, surprised by the sudden surge of emotion from his friend. "Thank you, Neal," Kel told him quickly and stepped away. "You're a great friend."
"Oh I know," he said crookedly. "Aren't you lucky we'll always be friends."