Her Knight

"Will you be my knight?"

The woman asked me. Her aloof and happy-go-lucky attitude was gone, replaced by the sorrow and regret of a broken, irreparable husk of a person.

Judging by the tone of her voice, I knew she wasn't joking. Ever since I awoke in this cave, she'd been acting different. What she was asking now must have be something very important to her. I couldn't mess this up.

We stared at each other's eyes some more. My gaze met hers. After what seemed like an eternity, she let go of me.

"I guess that was a bit too much of a question. I shouldn't have expected you to answer. It's fine. I'm fine. It's always been like this anyways. Being rejected isn't new to me. I'll just deal with it like always."

She stood up, disappointment and loneliness somehow finding it's way into her empty eyes. Her fake smile was there again, masking her face from the outside world. It protected her, kept her safe from any threats that could potentially hurt her. She must have found my silence an answer in itself. She gave up.

Wait!

"…Huh?"

I grab her hand, my gaze only on her.

I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know what had come over me. I don't know why I'm doing this. I don't know what drew me to her. I didn't know what had convinced me to this choice. But…

No, that's not right

I did know what I was doing. I knew what had brought me here. I knew why I was doing this. I knew what attracted me to her. I knew what had convinced me to pick her.

Slowly, uncertainly, nervously, and with hesitation… I nod my head.

This time, it was her turn.

"R-r-r-really?! A-are you sure?! You'll really become my knight?! You'll protect me? Keep me safe? Take down all those bad guys that will hurt me?"

As tears rolled down her eyes, words–actual words came out of her. Not the fake person or the strong person that she presented to the world.

The mage–no, witch, asked me. For a moment, I could see her true self. Not the almighty witch, but the little girl that hid behind a thick veil of unreality. I nodded once again. This time, more determined.

"No way… you're kidding…"

She sounded surprised, confused, and thankful at the same time. She displayed so much emotion with such little effort that I had to wonder if she was really the same person who had mercilessly killed the orcs.

I held her hand tighter. Her scarred hand was rough, yet soft. It felt so strong and yet so weak. I continued to gaze at her, my eyes refusing to look anywhere lese but her eyes.

Her gaze drifted everywhere. From the water, to the ceiling, even to the earthen walls. She seemed to question everything. Her eyes were filled with doubt, her lips on the brim of asking the question.

She continued suspecting everything. That is, until it caught up to her.

The most delicious yet disgusting. Beautiful yet repulsive. Present yet nonexistent. Wonderful yet the worst poison in history.

Hope

Her eyes–those cold, clear, resolute, wise, and lonely pair of empty jewels were tainted by something. It was faint and unclear. Perhaps even it was unsure of it's existence. Like the cat in the box. She faltered.

"…Really?"

I nodded. She blushed.

"T-thank you"

She took my hand shook it, sealing the deal.

I didn't know how I had come to this world. Nor why I am here. But… I do know this.

She smiled at me. It was bright, really bright. I crafted my own.

I knew it was a lie, that my actions and words are only an imitation of others. I was nothing more than a liar without my own character. Everything about me was fake. But, still…

If I was going to lie, I might as well do it for somebody else