Fourth chapter! What will her friends say now?
The children were called to the table that they had been meeting up at for the past few months. There was chatter around the table as per usual about general castle life, and Jester's latest jokes. All of the small talk was calm and peaceful until Jane started talking.
"I am to become a knight," She said, looking around the table slowly.
There were different responces, from Jester nodding his head, Pepper clasping her hand over her mouth, Rake and Smithy laughing silently together and Gunther, who replied:
"You idiot, girls cannot be knights!"
"Yes they can!" Jane shot back.
"Oh yeah? Since when have girls been knights?" Gunther retaliated.
"Since..." Jane finished.
"See? Girls cannot be knights. They cannot fight. They are not as strong as men! You will never be a knight Jane!" Gunther yelled, finishing the argument then and there.
Jane looked at him wide eyed. She looked around the table, expecting her friends to stand up for her. They were all sitting, looking at their bowls of soup, except Jester, who was standing looking at Jane and Gunther. Jane couldn't take this embarassment. So she ran.
"Jane, Jane, wait!" A voice called behind her.
Jane could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. 'Gunther was right,' She thought, 'Girls cannot be knights. They are not tall enough or strong enough to be knights. She was an idiot for thinking that she would be a knight'
Jane ran and ran into the best hiding spot that she could. In the royal garden, under a bush that she and Jester knew about.
Jester saw her run into the royal garden and he started to look for her.
"Jane, Jane, where are you?" He called quietly.
He saw the familiar bush that he and Jane tell their secrets under. There was a soft crying noise coming from that bush.
'Found you' Jester thought.
Jester crawled under the bush to where Jane was crying.
"Go away," She cried, "I will never be a knight."
"Jane, why did you listen to Gunther? You know he is wrong!" Jester explained.
"But Gunther is right, girls cannot become knights. They are shorther, less strong and they cannot fight!" Jane cried, "And none of you stood up to Gunther anyway!"
Jester pulled Jane into a hug, "I came looking for you, because I wanted to tell you how wrong Gunther is. Gunther hasn't seen a girl knight before, so how does he know that you will be stronger that him. You will probably even be a foot taller than he will be. You will be a better knight than he is, you just have to believe it!"
Jane hugged Jester even tighter hug, almost knocking the wind out of him, "You are the best friend ever!"
" And you are my best friend ever too," Jester replied, still hugging the girl.
The two friends came out from under the bush and sat on the stone seat in front of the fountain. They sat there for who knows how long. They did not say anything. They didn't need to. Both children were lost in their own thoughts. Jane was imagining about how she would beat Gunther in every sparring match, and Jester was imagining that Jane would be the best knight silence broke when Jane's mother appeared from the steps.
"Jane, a word if you please," Adeline called from across the courtyard.
"This can't be good," Jane mumbled quietly to Jester before realising what her mother might potentially be talking about. She looked at Jester in a quick flsh of panic, before walking towards her mother. Jester seemed to realise her panic and stood up quickly.
Adeline quickly grasped Jane's hand, pulling her rather forcefully toward her bedroom. Jane already knew what she was expecting. They entered Jane's bedroom.
"What is THIS?" Adeline spat, pointing to the revealed set of armor and sword.
"Mother, I want to become a knight," Jane declared.
"A- A knight?" Adeline questioned, "Jane we have had this discussion before. Girls do not become knights!"
Adeline was angry now.
"No, mother, you are wrong. I will become a knight. And I will be the best knight in the world!" Jane replied.
"NO JANE!" Adeline shouted, "YOU WILL NOT BE A KNIGHT, I HAVE MADE MY POINT VERY CLEAR!"
Jane tried to reason with her mother, but it was no use. Jane came out second best, like she usually did with her mother.
The argument ended in tears once again for Jane.
Jane walked up to Jester.
"My mother asked me to return this to you," Jane said, her head bowed.
Given that Jane's mother was standing a few feet away, he had no obligation but to accept the armor and sword back.
"I'm sorry for being such a pest," Jane said quietly, as her mother had wanted her to.
And with that Jane walked away from Jester, to her mother, who guided her away.
Dun Dun Daaaah! What will happen to Jane now?