The Knight's Duty

The Mystery of Life

''I'm hungry!'' nagged the forest girl and poked his knightness into his ribs with a stick.

''Quit doing that, for god's sake!'' exclaimed Knight Noah and glared at her. She was crunching next to him, staring at him and the roasting meat he was fixing together, while her stick poked him again.

He sighed. They did not tie her hands again because she obviously helped them and needed to be treated with respect. But it seemed that she forgot all about the kidnapping and started enjoying the attention she got from the knights. Of course, she started getting on his nerves by telling him how hungry she was and asking if the food was ready.

''I haven't eaten yet and I'm starving…'' she mumbled and looked at the rabbits that were caught by Knight Michael while she was taking a bath in the lake. Two of the knights made a nice bonfire that would keep them warm the whole night and the other knights helped Knight Michael with the rabbits.

When the girl and Knight Noah came back from the lake, everything had already been prepared. The two of them were met with a sight of a huge bonfire and five knights sitting around it, their clothes hanging from some branches above the fire. They were all covered by rugs, so not to let the girl see them completely naked. Knight Noah noticed that his horse was sleeping like a baby, not even flinching at the laud laughing his fellow knights produced while chatting and telling each other stories.

The girl sat down in front of the fire and from that point on she kept nagging everyone about food. Knight Noah looked over the rabbits because he was a far better cook than Knight Michael and therefore received most of the girl's pestering. He sighed. Just why did he have to be doing this? He was a knight, not a nanny.

Luckily for him, the rabbits were made, the flesh nicely roasted, having brown-pinkish colour and smelling really good. He reached for the wooden stick with the smallest rabbit and gave it to the girl. ''Eat. And please don't talk. If it's not good, keep it for yourself.'' He told her desperately, but she was already blowing into the meat and then carefully taking her first bite. Her eyes lit up and she breathed in happily, enjoying her first meal of that day. She made strange sounds while eating; as if she were enjoying physical pleasure – the knight would know what sounds a woman made during sex – he had enough experience for that matter. And this girl here sounded just like that – which is why he, and the other men, felt quite uncomfortable listening to her. If anyone called her on it, she would know what they are thinking. And she, being the prince's potential bride, must not know about their thoughts.

But in reality, knight Noah was sure she knew exactly what she causing. There was this soft smile showing from time to time on her face, and she glanced around from time to time, as if to make sure they were suffering. And they were. The mægþ1 wanted them suffering in that way. She took revenge in her way for the way they had kidnapped her. For the way they had treated her.

''Mmmm… I mufht 'ay thath-'' she finally gulped down the piece of meat as she realized they hardly understood her and smiled. ''You know how to prepare good meat. This is very good.'' She praised the knight and continued eating. Knight Noah blinked at her in surprise and smiled a little. ''Thank you.'' He mumbled and munched at his own piece of meat.

The whole group of people ate and talked about the day. The girl told them everything she knew about things that can help horses if they get ill, and explained to them what kind of grass is good for their stomach. They all listened to her, surprised at her knowledge. Many fell asleep during her long instructions and in the end, when the night took over and stars surrounded the beings, only the forest girl and Knight Noah were awake.

When she noticed all the others sleeping, she sighed and leaned on the tree behind her. She looked at her awake companion, who was lying opposite her, watching the stars, and rolled her eyes.

''So… Your knightness… May I ask what adventures have you encountered while being in the King's service?'' she asked him sarcastically, trying to provoke him a little. He glanced at her, also rolling his eyes. ''Fighting, killing, and screaming – these are our adventures.'' He replied, earning a glare and another roll of her eyes. ''You really don't know how to keep a conversation.''

''Why would you want to talk about wars? I'm only trying to spare you the details.''

''Oh, please… I'm a healer. I think I've seen more than enough ugly injuries to take the information well.''

The knight felt frustrated. She was – she was such a pest! She did not stop talking! And pestering him about whatever she thought of. ''All right, all right. What do you want to know?''

''I'm very curious about why you were riding through the area, chasing a girl for the prince, instead of – I don't know – fight the enemy or defending the border?'' she asked him, really wanting to know. Noah shrugged and took a small stick to poked into the fire.

''There aren't any problems at the border. So my men and I had some free time. But we need money and I volunteered us to do a few jobs for the prince. I didn't actually know what we would be doing.''

Rachel giggled leaned back on the tree behind her. ''The prince does have some strange ideas about the world.''

''I guess. That happens if you're locked in a castle for your whole life.''

''Thank god I'm not royalty. I'd get mad if I had to stay in and do nothing but handle the problems of the kingdom.'' She sighed, trying not to imagine that kind of life. ''Tell me more, Mr Knight.''

''What do you want to know?''

''Who did you fight with? What happened to you? That kind of things…''

''Hm…'' he thought about it and leaned back, watching the sky. ''I fought at the border, and there are these regular inside fights between villages and towns. Many fought for no real reason, and some were even burned down.

''Oh! Then you've seen that village – what is it called again? – the one that was burned down some time ago. The last full moon if I'm not wrong? I think it's the one near Ipswich?''

''Oh, yes… Someone was send to call for help – had been running for a whole day and collapsed right after he told us the news. We were send to help but the majority of the village had been already gone. They say a dragon caused this beca-'' her kenching2 interrupted his story and he glanced at her in surprise.

''I'm sorry… A dragon?'' and she kept laughing into his face like he told her the most stupid thing in the world. But Knight Noah was not offended. He should be, he knew that, because again she was making fun of him even though he had a high position in the society; however, she laughed so innocently as if she heard the best joke in the world.

''Well, yes. The fire was huge and sudden and a strange wind made it even bigger. The villagers suspected a dragon flew above them, vomiting fire and inflamed it with his wings. I don't really know. I wasn't there when it happened. I only heard what people were talking.''

''Yes, I understand. I've heard such stories too. Dear god, people can be very naive.'' She smiled at him and shook her head in disbelieve.

''Why? Don't you believe it was a dragon?''

She laughed again. ''I have to disappoint you, sir, but dragons aren't able to make fire. They can fly, yes, but they vomit fire as much as you and I do.''

He stared at her in surprise. ''You've seen one?''

She shrugged her shoulders and looked at him. ''I've seen hundreds. Have them around almost every day to be honest. And I have to tell you, they're bigger cowards than chickens. If one notices another living being, god forbid it were a human, they run and hide like the devil was behind them.''

Knight Noah blinked in surprise. ''You're not making that up, are you?''

She rolled her eyes once more and glared at him playfully. ''Did I ever lie to you since you've known me?''

''Well, no… But dragons…''

''One is constantly following us, if you must know. Thankfully he took my threats to heart and is now keeping an eye on me.''

Knight Noah sat up and looked around franticly, his eyes wide in shock. ''You're joking…''

''Not at all. He's hiding in one of those tree crowns, that sneezy hildlatan3. Got him scared with that darnel…'' The forest girl smiled evilly and Noah felt shivers down his spine. He searched with his eyes around the trees for the creature that was supposed to be hiding, but he saw nothing. A gentle breeze made the branches, heavy with leafs dance and created a sound of soft and calming harmonies; stars were covering the whole dark sky, surrounding the moon and making him know exactly where he was.

''Now that you say, you did scream a bunch of strange threats while running away.''

''Ah, yes… I saw him watching me running, but he was too scared of you men to do anything at all. He was sitting on a tree, plastered against the tree trunk, trying to stay invisible. That baby…'' the girl whined, throwing her arms in the air.

''You talk about it as if it were a normal animal.''

''It is an animal. Just because you don't know much about dragons doesn't make them monsters.''

''There are far too many stories about them being all-mighty beasts to simply accept them as… normal animals…''

The girl shrugged. ''They're quite normal in my opinion. More scared of us than a woman of a mouse.''

The knight smirked. ''Then tell me more about these creatures.'' He could hardly believe what she was saying, but it was interesting.

''A dragon is…'' she started, her eyes looking up in the sky dreamingly. ''One of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen.'' She sighed, closed her eyes and smiled. ''They're such gentle animals with big cat-like eyes that just make you melt. They are so soft and whenever I'm napping next to a baby dragon, it feels like a pillow.'' She giggled to herself, thinking of those babies. ''The first time I flied on a dragon was… unbelievable.''

''I'm not sure if I can believe you.'' He told her sceptically. The girl on the other hand just smiled warmly, knowing fully well that her knowledge of living beings is far too much for the majority of people to accept.

''You don't need to. Maybe you will see it with your own eyes one day.'' She described the feeling of flying. The young dragon had let her ride him, and she had climbed up and sat on his back. He took off and she hugged his neck with all her might. Her eyes were closed in fear as she felt them rise up into the sky, her ears ringing with the change of air pressure. Once they were in the air and the dragon was gliding through the wind horizontally, she opened her eyes and screamed in excitement. She lied down on his back and watched the starry sky. The fresh air was taking over her lungs. It was as if she were the queen of the world.

''Gliding under the stars. Taking in the endless view of darkness and light combined somewhere in the middle of the sky. The wind was brushing my cheeks and I breathed in the warmth. The dragon took me up into the freedom.'' She lost herself in the memory. ''It was beautiful.'' She whispered.

The knight watched her with fascination. While she was describing her adventures, she seemed so beautiful. And he could only believe her words. She suddenly looked at him with big brown eyes and his heart skipped a beat.

''Have you ever experienced such happiness? A moment more beautiful than life itself?'' she asked him, not looking at him. He was silent for a very long time, thinking about it.

''I have. Once. Long ago.'' Was his dark reply. She looked at him and immediately turned serious at his expression.

That was before the many wars. Before his little sister had been brutally raped. Before his mother had starved herself to enable a better life for her children. There had been one day. Just one day. When he had been still shorter than most of his friends and when he had had no idea that boys and girls were meant to live together one day. There had been days, when he walked across the countryside, over the endless meadows, enjoying the gentleness of the wind on his skin; admiring the dancing leafs; feeling the softness of the grass under his feet; and taking in the warmth of the sun, the feeling of happiness.

He had felt free then. Free and happy. He could feel the energy coming from the earth, and he took it all in, smiling up into the sky.

''When did it all end?'' he heard her soft question. He looked at her, grimacing at the memory. ''The day I found my sister bloody and broken. Abused.'' He had killed the bastard who had done that to his sister. She had been just twelve, a child; and the horny old bastard dared to touch her. The young Noah had to take care of his little sister by himself. His mother had died a few years ago and he was her only relative.

''You know…'' he heard the girl speak again. He was glad she did. It made him not think about that dreadful day.

''A few years ago I met siblings with the same problem. It had been coincidence that I was walking through that part of the forest that night when the poor girl was giving birth.'' She thought about it. He listened to her carefully.

''I can still remember every detail of that time. I was picking up some night herbal flowers when I heard screaming for help.'' She told him, her eyes watching the sky.

''I ran in that direction right away.'' She continued, remembering that night. She only had 13 years back then. Her knowledge had been huge by that time but still, she wanted to learn more. And finding a boy, a little older than her, screaming for help, made her realize that the time for challenging her knowledge had finally come. He brought her into a small house, where a crying girl with a big swollen belly was lying on the carpeted floor, blood all around her.

''Oh my god, it's time!'' the young Rachel had screamed and rushed to the girl, moving her body so that she could give birth. The boy was panically asking what he should do and moved around the two girls in order to see if he could help.

''Do you have any clean clothes?'' the young herbalist had asked and finally looked at him. He shook his head ''Not any more. She's lying on all of them.''

Rachel nodded thoughtfully and then sat up to pull off one piece of her clothing. ''Then run to that spring and bring some water. Quick!'' he was already out of the door when she told him the last part. And he was already back when she stripped the girl's clothes.

''Why is there no older woman in the house?''

''We're living alone. Our mother died a few years back.''

''Your sister? Where's the father of the child?''

''Rotting in hell.'' He spat out with such hatred that the young herbalist looked up at him.

''She was-''

''Raped, yes.''

''My god…''

The girl screamed in pain, her petit body almost giving away.

The young herbalist caressed her cheek and brushed her tears away. ''Shhh. It's going to be alright, my friend. The pain will soon go away.'' She pulled away and spread the girls legs a little wider. ''She's practically completely open. The child is on his way. Although…'' she looked at the girl more closely. Her belly was quite big for her small figure. Maybe…

''It's seems there will be two.''

''Two? O Christ.''

''Give me that clothe please.'' She asked the boy who was now kneeling behind his sister, letting her head lean on his lap. He reached for the clothe she took off before and gave it to her. She threw the clothe over her shoulder, put other pieces of clothes that the girl was lying on a little closer to her opening and cleaned her with the water.

''Alright, girl. I can see a small head wanting to come out.'' she told the screaming girl and massaged her thighs to make it less painful. ''What's your name?'' she asked the girl.

''E-elle.'' The girl cried and groaned from the pain.

''Alright Elle. You almost made it. I know it hurts a lot but you have to gather your strength now. Try to push your child out.'' She gave instructions and gently helped the girl to open up more.

Elle screamed as she did what she was told and clenched her brother's hand for dear life. He was pale but thankfully calm as much as he could be. The sky turned dark outside when they finally made it.

''Just a little bit! One mor- Yes!'' the herbalist exclaimed in happiness, her hands lifting up a small bloody baby boy. ''Do you have a knife or a sword? Or one of those big scissors?'' she asked the sweaty brother, and he gently put his sister's head down and made a few steps to the right, to the table, on which a sword was lying.

He stepped to Rachel and she told him to cut the umbilical cord. He did as he was told and Rachel quickly wrapped the baby in the clothe she had thrown over her shoulder before.

''Such a beautiful being.'' She whispered and put the baby in the brother's arms. ''Hold him. It's not over yet.'' She turned back to the girl and encouraged her to continue pushing. Soon another small head came out and this time it was easier and quicker. ''A girl!'' Rachel called and laughed with tears dripping down her face. She quickly pulled another clothe off her body – it seemed she had many – cut the umbilical cord herself and wrapped the baby in the cloth. Elle was finally smiling and crying at the same time, breathing quickly and finally relaxing her body. Rachel put the baby girl in her arms and told the brother to do the same with the boy. The children screamed and cried, showing that they had a lot of energy, and Elle kissed them both.

Her young midwife on the other hand was back to work. She cleaned the young mother and took care of the wounds. She mixed some herbs together and smeared the combination over the young mother's opening to prevent infection.

She took her time and took good care for Elle. The brother watched with fascination. The next morning, when the two young babies and their mother were asleep, the young herbalist and the brother spoke a few words.

''I'll have to go to the training and then we're off to the south.'' He explained.

''You're a knight?''

''Almost, yes.''

''Hm… Alright. You two were my first case of bringing out a child.'' She smiled. ''So I promise you that I will take care for your sister until she's able to live normally.''

''Thank you. But how are you going to do that?''

''I'll stay here for a few weeks and then I'll visit her every day. The seasons will change quickly and I will need to go back to the forest. And I will also have a word with Sue…''

''I can ask the eld-''

''Don't even think about it.'' She huffed in anger. ''Those old witches are wicked and have no clue what they are doing. If what, they will poison your sister with all those witchcraft they're doing.''

''Aren't you doing the s-''

''Do I look like a witch to you? Ts… I on the other hand use the right herbals for the right disease. Not just throwing everything in the same corb. As if all the herbals are for everything. Please… I'm slightly more educated in this field than those wrenches who did not even have so much respect towards your family to come and take a look at your sister.''

After finishing her story, the girl looked up at the knight in surprise. He seemed as shocked as she was.

''You're Rachel!''

''And you're Noah!''

''Elle talks about you a lot!'' they said at the same time, and blinked.

''I can't believe this.'' She whispered and then grinned. ''So you did become a knight!'' Then she frowned and glared at him. ''Yet, you still dare to kidnap a woman just like that. I helped your sister! Some gratitude would be good.''

He rolled his eyes. ''I can't not do what the prince tells me just because I owe you. His word means more than yours.''

She huffed and crossed her arms. ''You're an ungrateful brat. Shame yourself. Once I'm back at home, your sister will hear all about your non-existent manners. I promise you that.''

He thought to himself that she would be lucky if she ever saw her home again. He should have taken another girl. Now the kingdoms best herbalist will suffer the consequences of his inability to come up with a better plan. Rachel glanced at him and smirked. ''Don't worry Knight Noah. I won't stay in the castle. I personally know the king and he can't afford it not having me as his herbalist.''

Knight Noah blinked at her sceptically and shook his head in disbelieve. ''You really are a strange girl, Rachel. I promise I'll talk to the prince about this matter, and get you out, but…'' He stared at her when she laughed. She quickly put her hand over her mouth to not sound too laud, and he could not help himself but smile. She really was strange.

''How come I never saw you at my sister's? I often came home, but you were never there? Elle was always talking about you and some guy Rory or something.''

Rachel smiled. ''I'm visiting her whenever I have time. Usually she's the one visiting me; well, more like the twins are the ones who usually find me. They know the forest better than the back of their hand.''

''So you're the one who taught her all that about producing medicine and selling them.'' He realized. His sister was a right tradesman- woman, whatever.

''Mostly… I'm the one finding the plants and making the medicine, she's the one selling it to those outside of our kingdom. It's a little complicated, but yes, she's my right hand.''

Knight Noah blinked at her. Women. He will never understand them. At the one hand they're all gentle and weak, at the other hand they're like advocates, all business and trade. Who would understand them?

''And Rory is my left hand if I say so myself. He's sometimes helping me with finding the plants. I'm not sure if you know him. He lives just outside the forest, and helps Elle with everyday work. A nice boy.''

Knight Noah frowned at her. Elle had mentioned the boy here and there, but she never said anything about help. A man was in her life and she did not share the information with her brother. He noticed Rachel roll her eyes. ''He's not her lover if that what's you're thinking. I wish they would marry one day, but currently they're not romantically involved.''

He glared at her. Rachel laughed. ''Just what is your problem? Don't you want your sister to be happy?''

''Of course I do. But she could tell me these things.'' He muttered in annoyance.

''If you were home more often, you would know these things, but you're not, your knightness, so you shouldn't whine now.''

He grumbled something she could not understand and she smiled. He was a real brother and a real knight. She never imagined Elle's brother turn out like that. She had not seen him in years and the day they met again was the day he got the mission of kidnapping her.

Life was really mysterious.

1 Old english - girl

2 Kenching – kench – old english – to laugh loudly and fullheartedly.

3 Hildlatan – old english - coward