The unscrupulous lady knight

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of becoming a knight.

I’ve always pictured myself wielding a sharp sword, fighting the villains of my kingdom or defending the people like a true heroine.

Too bad I’m a woman…

It’s common knowledge that women couldn't become knights, but it was my dream, and I’ve never had any intention of giving up.

For years, I trained on my own to become strong and powerful.

But there have always been those who thought I was delusional for believing I could do it.

That’s why one day I decided to sneak into the castle to ask help from the honorable Commander Sharment—the one and only person who could help me become who I wanted to be.

So that evening I waited for sunset, so that all the knight-in-training candidates would go home, leaving me free to act.

According to my calculations, at that hour the commander should have been in the castle’s underground chambers, where the dungeons, the sword storeroom, and his office are located.

Rumors circulated that in the evenings he stayed there longer to ponder how to combat the criminals lurking in the village streets.

I was sure that once he saw my potential, he would take me into his team right away.

I climbed the outer rocks of the royal residence, being careful not to draw attention to myself. My white cloak fluttered in the evening breeze as I ran along the rocky edge of the castle, intent on finding a way in.

A court lady suddenly opened a door leading to the courtyard, giving me quite a start. She stepped out, humming absently, and set about gathering herbs and flowers for the physician, who would use them to make medicines.

The door remained wide open, unaware that a shadow of the night would soon slip through it.

I ran through the castle’s long corridors until I spotted a steep, spiral staircase that disappeared into the darkness.

I found myself in the dungeons. I was close.

I spotted a door at the end of the cell corridor.

I approached it, ignoring the prisoners begging me to set them free.

The door was ajar.

Inside stood a tall, burly man, sorting swords by the shade of the wood on their hilts.

“Are you looking for something?” he asked without turning around. I didn’t think he’d noticed me.

“Forgive me for disturbing you, honorable and esteemed Commander Sharment. I humbly ask your forgiveness for the trouble I’ve caused you. I wanted to ask you if…”,

“I don’t have time for this monologue, young lady. Get to the point,” he interrupted me before I could finish my sentence.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to ask if I could join your team of knights to train with you…”

He interrupted me again, laughing elegantly.

“Don’t be silly! Did you really think I’d say yes?! What a farce…,” he said, continuing to laugh, thoroughly amused.

“But sir, I swear to you that I’m just as capable as your mens, and I’m eager to learn. I’m willing to train day and night just to have the honor of becoming a lady knight,” I said, with conviction.

“Well then, why on earth should I? What can you do?” he said, finally turning to look at me.

“I assure you I’m very agile; I can run fast, jump, and lose someone’s sight during a chase. I also have the ability to infiltrate anywhere. Just like I did to get into the castle tonight,” I said, proud of myself.

“You say you’re capable of infiltrating any place, is that right?” he asked, now genuinely interested, and no longer sarcastic.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Then you’ll have a chance to prove it…

Tomorrow, four in the morning, here at the castle.”

“Perfect, I’m infinitely grateful to you. I won’t let you down,” I replied, moved.

“Be a minute late and you’re out,” she added, no longer paying attention.

My dream had almost come true!

So I showed up the following morning.

We did all kinds of training and exercises. Hard training all day long alongside the other apprentices, who never missed a chance to give me dirty looks.

The commander was strict with me, demanding perfection, and I was determined to prove to him that he hadn’t made a mistake in trusting me.

For days on end, I trained with the bow, with swords, in duels, and with weightlifting…

until I was completely exhausted.

For months, the commander pushed me to improve, and he believed in my potential.

But the best part came when he told me to report to the castle an hour after sunset.

“Tonight I have an important mission for you, and you’ll have the chance to prove to me that you’re a true heroine. If you succeed in this endeavor, you’ll receive a reward,” he said, with a smile on his face, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Tell me what it is,” I said, without hesitation.

He handed me a map showing all the rooms in the castle.

“You should go inside this room,” he said, pointing to it on the map.

“And look for an rose-shaped amulet with an amethyst-colored stone. Once you find it, bring it to me, immediately. Understood?”

“But isn’t that one of the rulers’ chambers?” I asked, confused.

“Of course, but you see, this amulet belongs to me. The King asked me to send someone who I trust to retrieve it directly from his bedroom, but he made it clear not to linger too long in the corridors, so hurry. There’s nothing for you to worry about,” he said persuasively.

So I started running through the corridors, nimbly making my way through the halls.

Before long, I arrived at the King’s room. I found a couple of small chests filled with jewels.

I rummaged through pearl necklaces and gold bracelets.

I noticed that the bottom of the chest seemed rather high to actually be the bottom. I lifted it up to find the amulet with the amethyst stone.

I took it in my hand and quickly ran toward the commander’s room, dodging every court lady or obstacle in my way.

I entered his study with the jewel in my hand and proudly presented it to him.

He snatched it from my hand greedily. His face even seemed to change.

“Finally! Finally, you’re in my hands!” he said, with a smirk on his lips, then walked out of the room, completely ignoring my existence.

“But what about my reward?” I asked.

“There’s no prize, you delusional little girl!” he said, in a rather harsh tone.

I rushed out of the study, but he had already vanished.

He used me to get what he wanted.

He never really cared about me.

In the days that followed, I searched every corner of my home for manuscripts that mentioned that amethyst ring. There seemed to be nothing, until I found an old book.

I opened the first page at random and found a folded parchment inside.

I unfolded it and read it.

“The rose-shaped amulet, with a purple amethyst set at its center, is the sole heirloom of the Valerose Royal Family. It is an object that has been passed down from generation to generation, from father to son, to determine the next heir to the throne. Whoever holds it in their possession must be considered the absolute and undisputed ruler of the Kingdom. To announce to the people that a new ruler has ascended the throne, one must go to the cliff beyond the village. There, the amulet will be placed on a rock. The last ray of the setting sun will create a beam of light in the sky, that would be the signal.”

Now everything was clear to me: he wanted to steal power from the sovereign so he could become the sovereign himself.

I decided to prevent this from happening, but it was too late. I looked toward the east and saw a purple beam rising into the sky. The people stood in suspense, murmuring.

I grabbed my sword and started heading toward the cliff.

Determined to finally become the heroine I’d always hoped to be.

I found him standing before the amulet, proud and eager for the power he’d just acquired.

“So you used me just to get to power…,” I said, watching him from a few yards away.

He spun around.

“You again! What are you doing standing there so composed? Bow before the new king,” he said, laughing wickedly.

“That amulet does not belong to you, but to the true king. I must not bow before you.”

“You really think you’re that strong, don’t you?” he said, drawing his sword from its sheath.

“Then prove it…,” he continued.

I drew my sword as well.

A ruthless duel began between us.

“The throne belongs to me. I am the only true heir,” he said aggressively.

After several clangs of metal, he managed to disarm me.

He began walking toward me, forcing me to back away.

“The other day I was rummaging through some old royal family documents in the castle library. I found a text that stated that I am the king’s older brother, but that in my very early childhood I was weak, frail, and unfit to be king in the future. So my parents decided to entrust me to a family, pretending they had never seen me. Therefore, I should be the one sitting on the throne, not my brother. I simply took back what was rightfully mine,” he said, in a harsh and bitter tone.

I didn’t know how to defend myself.

“So I have no intention of letting my plans be ruined.”

I had reached the edge, and with a small step, I slipped.

I fell down, but luckily I managed to cling to the edge of the ravine.

He approached, pushing my fingers one by one to make me let go. Soon I was hanging on with just one hand.

“Have a nice trip, unscrupulous lady knight”,he said maliciously, as he did the same to that hand.

I supposed that not everyone who aspired to be a hero could have a grand finale.

My hand gave way, but I managed to grab the sword by the blade and drag him down with me, cutting my hand.

Commander Sharment fell as well, knowing he wasn’t entirely the villain, but not the hero either.

But after a few moments, only one hand clung to the edge of the ravine. Not to pull itself back up, but to bear the unbearable weight of a heavy burden on its conscience, in a desperate struggle between life and death.

Now my dream of glory had vanished, but my soul was still in the hands of the one who had wished for its end…