Chapter 4: The Master's Home

Allie tried to keep her mouth shut while she walked in, but it still hung agape. This place was beautiful. William walked up beside her and gently close her chin.

"Proper manners, lady knight, for it wouldn't do us any good to draw weird looks or insult them by staring," William whispered for only Allie to hear.

Allie gave him a wry smile and they continued to walk down the hall. The floor was made of cobblestones and the walls seemed to be made of pure gold. There were paintings on the wall of the master's ancestors. There were several chairs in the hall with plush, red cushions. Finally, in front of them, the hall opened up into a spectacular dining area. The table was made of polished wood and it had an elaborate tablecloth on it. There were as many chairs as there were knights and household members. Servants rushed hurriedly back and forth from the table and the kitchen. A huge crest was present on the wall behind the master's chair. The master was standing at the head of the table and he looked at all of them.

"Please sit, your Majesty. Your knights as well."

The knights waited for the King to sit before taking their own seats. Allie got a seat next to Will and they sat waiting to see if the master or King had anything to say to them. The master said a brief prayer, then spread out his arms and the servants came rushing out carrying trays of food. They were placed on the table and the master rose one more time.

"Eat."

The knights, starving from the day's journey, dug right in. Allie, however, was not hungry and took as little as possible without insulting anyone. William noticed and looked at her worriedly.

"Allie, we're not going to catch the Bandit if you drop from exhaustion on an expedition. Eat!" he whispered.

Allie gave him a murderous glance. However, she did take one little bite and seeing it was good she finished whatever it was. These people sure ate differently. One of the knights started talking to her with a curious glance and Will nudged at her to pay attention.

"So, Sir Knight, I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Sir Thomas," said a knight with sandy hair and slightly uneven bottom teeth. He had brown eyes and a mouth full of food.

"I am...erm...Sir Alex. I come from Greener Hill area," she said in a slightly more masculine tone.

"Ah. I have a relative from there. Last name of Hathaway. Their daughter is quite the character. She can fight like hell. I've never challenged her, but I've seen her practice. I'm surprised she didn't sneak away," he said.

"Mmmmm," Allie said. She turned slightly red and tried to hide it. Some of her hair was in her face and the rest, she had allowed William to chop off so she could tie the rest back with a thong. Her long blonde hair was know shoulder length. Sir Thomas, figuring she had nothing else to say, turned back to his meal and conversed with a burly looking knight to his right. Allie ate the rest of her meal in silence. This was going to be tougher than she ever thought.

Finally, when dinner came to an end, Lady Rhonda approached the knights.

"I will lead you to your sleeping quarters for the night," she said cheerily.

The knights stood up and she led them down another cobblestoned hallway and around several corners before she came to two doors.

"Half of you shall sleep in this room and the others in this room," she said while pointing to the two doors, side by side.

This was what made Allie the most nervous. Sleeping in a room with all knights. They walked in and the room was extremely large. The furniture had been moved to the side and all that was left was floor space. The knights became busy unpacking their bedrolls and lying down. Allie followed and hurriedly lay on her bed roll. The knights talked for sometime about their women back home. Will's face clouded at this, but no one noticed except Allie. Sir Thomas suddenly brought up his relative who could fight well and was a girl. The other knights showed interest so he kept going on. Allie pretended to sleep. And sleep she did, because she was so tired.

A door slammed in the house and Allie didn't know what from, but it shook her and her fellow knights out of bed. There were screams running through the castle and a scruffy man ran by as one of the knights opened the door.

"Witch! Liar! Kill her!" he screamed.

The knights all ran out to the main hall. The scruffy man came running back. He ran up behind Allie and grabbed her.

"She's a liar!" he screamed, "kill her!"

The King held up his hands. The man silenced his scream of 'kill her' and looked at the King with mean eyes.

"How do you know this, sir?"

"I saw the young lady and one of your trustworthy knights cutting her hair and I also heard them talking. She said how she hoped that no one was watching and such. This lady is a liar! She snuck into your army and is now pretending to be a man. Kill her! She's a witch!"

With that said he wrenched Allie's arm and Allie winced. She needed to get away from him. She picked up her foot and kicked backwards and connected with his thigh. He groaned and loosened his grip. This was her chance. She sprung away and stood away from the man. The King looked at her gravely.

"Knight, tell me your name."

"Allie, you Majesty, short for Alexandra. Majesty, I snuck into the army because I didn't want my younger brother to go, nor my father. Arthur is all they have to inherit the castle and my father is getting on in years. I want to protect them. Please, Sir, please don't send me away," she pleaded.

"The law of the kingdom prohibits any woman taking part in the army. By rights you should be hung. However, being as it may, I feel we should give you a chance to prove yourself in a test. If you shall fail, then I have no other choice but to have you hung."