Tale Ends, Story Begins

"And what happened then? Did Eeverblade made it out of the palace?", my friend that was sat across the table asked. He seemed to be rather interested in the story and I am glad he was enjoying it.

"Everblade made out of the palace through the secret entrance but since then, no one heard about her whereabouts. She just disappeared...", I told him and he seemed a little bit disappointed with the ending of the little tale I told him... I couldn't help it, this was the ending I had planned for this story all along. I guess he wasn't enjoying the story as much as I thought. To my surprise, however, he started to laugh uncontrollably...

"Sorry, sorry... I just started to laugh at your story, but I am not mocking your storytelling skills. It's just funny because of the unrealism of your story...", he explained himself while wiping away the tear he has after laughing.

"Unrealism?"

"Yeah... Look, Everblade is a woman. She might have made into the army, but she's still a woman. She can't escape an army of men". I had my doubts about that, but I stayed quiet. I wasn't looking for trouble in the tavern, I was just talking with an acquaintance. "Besides, we know the truth of what happened two years ago at the palace that day. Everblade was killed on the spot by the three knights without count that what she did was a real rape attempt"

"You really think that's what happened there?", I asked him. He looked a little surprised with my question.

"Of course I believe. It's pretty close to what would obviously happen, so it can only be the truth. You don't believe in that?"

"I do believe, but there are rumors about that being a lie everywhere. Don't you think those lies deserve some credit as well?", I asked him and he only started to laugh just like before.

"No, I don't think they deserve any credit at all. They are just rumors, much worse than the rumors of the princess actually loving Everblade back. Imagine if the high figure of the princess could fall in love with another woman, that's impossible". In my honest opinion, I don't think you can give rules to love as though they have something to do with hierarchy. Sure, marriages can be forced for alliances and such, but love is a totally different thing.

"Actually, speaking of this rumor about the princess, it seems to be gaining more credit for every suitor she refuses... It's crazy, she can't reign without a man at her side, but the worst part is that the rumors are ruining her reputation..." He said and sighed a little. I was about to say what I thought about those rumors, but he stood up from his chair before I could open my mouth.

"Well, it was pleasant to have a chat with you Amy. But I have to go, I have a more important matter to attend now", he said and without even saying any goodbyes, he just left the tavern without concern about me.

It's not like I wanted him to care anyway, I have my life to take care of and to be honest, I was here with him just to know a little more about the situation of the princess... I wonder how he would react if he were to discover that the person he believes to be known by the name of Amy is actually Dagger Everblade but in disguise, and that the story I just told him is the truth, unlike the lies that Coventry kingdom spread after I escaped their wrath. He would be quite shocked, but the fact is, if he knew it, he would for sure attack me without warning and try to negotiate a bounty for my head with his majesty, the king.

Even if it was two years ago, I am sure that the king would still have anger left in himself and this will only end with either my life coming to an end, or his life receiving this fate before me. How can I be so sure of that? Because it's the same with me... The love that I hold for the princess, even after two painful years away from her, only grew stronger. Every month, and if possible every week, I would try to get some news about the current state of Isabelle...

Today's news didn't, however, clarify if she was doing well, but I could say for sure things were not going for the best. As he said, for every suitor she denies, more credit this rumor, which's actually the truth, gains...

Of course, I quote what I read once in a book "The truth is a float... No matter how deep you put it in the bottom of the sea of lies, it will always come surface eventually". But I want to keep it in the bottom for the longest I can, so her dreams have less chance to be shattered because of the stained reputation of a princess who likes girls.

To do so, I needed to give it some thought... Why is this gaining so much credit to begin with? I already know it's because she has been denying all the suitors that came to her... But why such a silly thing as denying suitors would have this consequence? The rumors are born because she might be refusing the suitors for the sole motive of waiting to be united with me again... I could only think in this possible answer, although this is pretty obvious and the person I just talked with said it himself, but we need to begin with the obvious things to be able to draw good conclusions.

Somehow, I felt really relieved to know that there's a great possibility that she has been doing that because she's waiting for me... It gives some hope to know that she also still loves me after those last two years. But... I can't let her dreams of becoming the queen be shattered because of reputation. No, I wasn't going to allow that... But how would I destroy those rumors then? How would I clear the stained reputation? There was no easy way of answering that... Perhaps be somewhere quieter would allow me to think this over... And the only place peaceful and quiet I know and that it's nearby, it's my hidden house in the forest.

As a warrior who's wanted, I thought it would be better to have a hidden home. If I was found out to be Everblade, they would not know where is my home to go after me and burn it down. Sure it's not the best place in the world, sunlight and raindrops come through the very same holes, I have a heavy rock to close the door... But it was peaceful and quiet there, there was no better spot to organize my thoughts and focus.

Once I was at my home, I sat somewhere on the floor and closed my eyes, thinking through the problem in question deeply. How could I clear her reputation? It's a problem that could be solved if she simply accepted a suitor... I myself don't like the idea of her having someone other than me with her, but it was the only way. However, we face another problem... If she really was refusing every suitor because of me, no one, even if I convinced them to go after Isabelle, would ever be successful. It needed to be I myself standing in her front as a suitor for her to say yes, but if I did that, her reputation surely would get even more stained. Well, if I was a man, it sure would work fine... But I am not. This whole problem would possibly didn't even exist if I was a man... The three knights would have seen me with her, we could tell them more freely about the truth of loving each other, they might support me... And soon, we might be holding hands, preparing ourselves for the marriage I even dreamt about two years ago.

That was it. I was so blind to see the answer right in front of my eyes, but I finally figured it out. If I was a man, everything was fine... So if I turned into a man... This could work out. But how? A potion? A spell? Sure his majesty's wizard would know something about that... But he's not the only wizard out there, I remember to have heard about a wizard living in this same forest and I remember to even have talked with him once. If I wanted to save the princess's reputation, he was my best shot...