The sun shone brightly in the midmorning sky, causing the chamberlain's eyes to glisten tearfully as he fussed over his daughter like a clucky mother hen.

'And don't talk to strange men, Jane. I hope you've packed a warm cloak, it might rain,' he nagged.

'I'll be fine, father,' Jane groaned with impatience, 'I can take care of myself.'

The chamberlain sighed and smiled proudly at his daughter.

'I know you can. Just be careful, okay?' he finished, kissing Jane on the forehead. As the chamberlain stepped away, Jane's mother, critical as always, tried to flatten down Jane's flyaway shock of hair with her hands.

'I suppose there's no way to convince you to give up this silliness?' she asked with a frown. Jane shook her head, her hair immediately bouncing back into its usual frizzmop.

'I guess I'll just have to get used to the idea of my daughter being a knight then,' a small smile played around the corners of her disapproving mouth, 'we are proud of you, dear,' she finished and embraced her daughter suddenly.

...

Gunther stood with his arms crossed, glaring at Jane from across the clearing. She thought she was so special, surrounded by her family, and now her friends were there as well. That annoying kitchen woman was saying something to Jane, and she was crying and laughing at the same time! Gunther was incredulous at this phenomenon. The puny gardener came forward and embraced Jane. He was crying too. What a little woman that gardener was! At least the big frog had made himself scarce. That dragon was constantly giving Jane an unfair advantage over Gunther and he was sick of it. When the townspeople saw Jane walk by they would cheer and exclaim,

'Look, there is Jane! The first female knight, isn't she brilliant!'

but when Gunther walked by they would mutter behind their hands,

'Do you see that kid squire over there? His father bribed the king to let him become a knight. How dishonourable!'

Gunther worked hard to be better than Jane. He trained until he could no longer stand up, and then he would study until it was dark and his candle had burnt out. But no matter what he did, Jane was better. Jane had a dragon. He hated that dragon and he hated Jane. Gunther kicked angrily at a rock. His foot caught on the gravel and he slipped and fell to the dirt. A series of familiar snorts and guffaws told Gunther that Jane had seen him fall, and he cried out in anger as he picked himself up from the ground. Hoping at least that his father hadn't seen him fall, Gunther scanned the crowd. The merchant had promised Gunther that he would present him with something that would give him an edge over Jane in the coming quest, and there he was, talking with the king. Gunther was hopeful. Maybe it would be a fine sword, or some kind of magical talisman. Gunther went back to glaring at Jane and her friends.

'Oh for crying out loud!' cried Gunther, exasperated, as the stoic Smithy handed Jane a brand new hunting knife. No doubt he had made it himself. Stupid Jane and her stupid friends! Gunther jumped as a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

'Calm down, boy,' growled his father, to whom the hand belonged. The merchant held out a roll of wax sealed parchment to his son, but as Gunther made to take the roll from him, he snatched it away.

'Do not open it here. Do not open it in front of Jane. Do not leave it lying around, when you are done with it, burn it. You got that, boy?'

Gunther nodded, and the merchant allowed him to take the rolled up parchment from him, before waddling back to the king's side without another word.

'Yes, good luck Gunther. I'm proud of you Gunther,' Gunther muttered sarcastically under his breath as he watched his father walk away.

"Don't be stupid, boy,' growled his father without turning around.

...

Jester at last approached Jane. Something he had been both looking forward to and dreading for several days now. Jester had written Jane a limerick and he had been rehearsing it for hours. It had taken him several mornings to write, sitting at the desk in his small circular bedroom.

"There was once a squire on a quest," he had written on his first attempt,

"I wish I could see her undressed"

Looking down at what he had written, Jester scribbled out the last line angrily, scrunched up the piece of parchment and threw it to the corner. Jester stood up and tried reciting out loud.

'There was once a fine lady named Jane,

Who found wearing dresses a pain,

So she put her skills to the test,

And set off on a quest,

She returned... completely... insane. Urgh!'

At that point he had sat down and slumped in his chair, softly banging his head on the desk, sure he would never find the words. Even now as he stood before Jane and all his friends he was not entirely happy, but it was all he had, so he cleared his throat and began.

'There was once a young lady squire,

Who had hair the colour of fire.

In a quest of survival

She outmatched her rival

And Gunther was forced to retire!'

While not up to his usual standard, anything that poked fun at Gunther was fine in Jane's book and she emitted a small but unladylike snort of laughter. Pepper, giggling mildly, exchanged meaningful looks with Rake and Smithy. Suddenly Pepper cried out,

'I need to go start preparing the celebratory stew for when you return!' bounding away to the castle kitchens, taking Jane's parents by their hands and leading them away.

She was closely followed by Rake who spluttered awkwardly, 'I need to go and... help Pepper!'

'Good luck Jane,' said Smithy simply, before following Pepper and Rake, leaving Jane and Jester alone.

Jester, feeling suddenly ridiculous, pulled off his hat and balled it up nervously in his hands.

'Good luck from me too, Jane. I mean not that you need it. Luck that is. You know, because you have a sword and... can... cut things...' Jester rambled, his ears growing hot. Jester quickly shoved his hat back onto his head in an attempt to hide his embarrassed ears from Jane.

'Your hat! It is... oh,' laughed Jane at the jaunty angle that the hastily donned hat had taken on Jester's caramel curls. She reached up and straightened his hat, its bells twinkling as her hand brushed his cheek. Jane dropped her hand suddenly, her face turning a shade of red to rival her hair. Jester sighed and took Jane's hand in his,

'I know it's silly, but you're my best friend. I just want you to come home to us.'

'I will, Jester. Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself.'

'I don't doubt it, Jane,' Jester smiled, suddenly regaining his usual cheerfulness. 'Here, something to remember me by,' he said as he carefully unravelled one of the bells from his hat and handed it to her, before dancing away from her with his signature jig.

Gunther and Sir Theodore were at Jane's side as Jester danced off.

'It is time to go now, Jane,' Said Sir Theodore. 'If you are ready?'

'Yes Jane,' Gunther sneered, 'are you done talking to your boyfriend?'

Before Jane could respond, a giant green blur came cannoning down into the clearing, forcing everyone running into the trees.

"Oi, Rusty-Legs!' Dragon called, 'You didn't really think you could let her go without saying goodbye to me did you?'

'You really mustn't call Sir Theodore that,' chided Jane, running out from the trees and throwing her arms around his great scaly neck.