A Knight's Honor

The flames licked the walls of the dim hallways as the gentle rattle of chains bouncing with each movement against the cobblestone floor disrupted the usual silence. It could've been any hour of the day, the place looked the same. A minute could resemble an eternity and an hour could resemble a mere second. The two armored guards were silent as they forced him to continue to move forwards, knowing what awaited him, but unknowing of what was to follow. He was accused of a crime that would make him nothing but a traitor if it was really his crime.

At the end of the dark hallway, a door opened as a third guard allowed them to enter. The room wasn't much brighter than the hallway had been. At its center, a wooden table was placed accompanied by a pair of chairs, one that was already occupied by a royal inquisitor and the other was empty, awaiting him. The bright white clothes and gold details stood out in amongst the dull grey and brown stones of the room, "Take a seat, Kyrven, we have much to discuss," The man remained silent as the guards placed him in the chair, his wrist and ankles still bound, "You are dismissed, I will summon you once I am finished with my duties," They nodded and left the room, leaving Kyrven alone with the royal inquisitor, "You know why you are here."

"For a crime that I am accused of," The other man nodded as he began writing, "What are you here for?"

"It is unusual for a knight to commit crimes and, due to this exceptional circumstance, I was sent by the royal family to question you, to understand you," He sat properly and looked at the knight who returned nothing but a blank stare towards him, "Let's start at the beginning, shall we?"

"Beginning of what?"

"Well, your beginnings, as a child, Kyrven, tell me about yourself," He asked as he dipped his feather into the first of three bottles of ink, "From the beginning, the first things you remember."

"I was born 12 years after the great wars that unified this empire, in a small town that was under the protection of my father, Sir Olvek of Hamarveil, my mother was the school teacher," Kyrven began, his face showing no expressions, "I was a small child, as my mother used to tell me."

"Where are your parents now?"

"They are in the realm of the gods now, they died several years ago."

"Very well," He continued to write, "Carry on, Kyrven."

"I was raised mostly by my mother as the king called his knights to aid him fight more wars, I was still a young child."

"How old were you at that point?"

"I was 4 years of age, and that is when I wanted to become a knight."

"To follow your father's footsteps?"

"No, as the war continued, it arrive to the 3rd year, I was turning 7 as bandits tried to threaten the village, it was the first time I had risked my life for someone and not the last time I would," He shrugged, "I killed 4 of them with a knife and a bit of luck."

He stood, panting over the fallen man, his hands and forearms dripping with the blood of the savagely mauled bandit. There were 3 other bodies that he left in his wake, all with many cuts and stab wounds, he looked around, horror was the only thing painted on his village's people's faces. It was his mother's expression that allowed him to know that what he did was right, "Kyrven!" She rushed towards him and fell to her knees as she checked him, "Are you alright?" He nodded as her hand gently retrieved the knife from his infantile grasp, "You are a very brave boy, but you must be careful."

"But they were being bad, mother."

"There will always be bad people, but you can't be doing things like this and risking your life like this."

"But, mother, it is the right thing, that is what father said."

"Your father is a knight, you are a boy, there is a difference, Kyrven."

"I want to be a knight, mother."

"Well, I am sure that can happen, but first, you must hurry home and get cleaned up, you are covered in blood, dear."

"Yes, mother," Kyrven hurried home, his hands still dripping with blood from the fallen bandits. The village was both terrified and relieved at the boy's sudden bravery and violence.

"I killed all 4 of them, with a knife that I had stolen from the house I lived in," Kyrven explained, "It was my first step in becoming a knight."

"Brutally murdering 4 men?"

"No, protecting 54 men and women and children, those I killed were not good men," The royal inquisitor nodded as he continued to write before gesturing with his hand for Kyrven to continue, "How long is this going to be?"

"We will go until I see it fit, Kyrven, you will be trialled partially based on my report of your life story and your motivations," The man explained as he continued to write, "So if you are able to convince me that you are not the man they accuse you of being, I will be forced to take your side and defend you, I am a man of honor."

"I swore to be a man of honor as well."

"You became a knight at what age?"

"I was 7 when I began training," Kyrven explained, "At 15, I became a squire and at 21, I was knighted and I have served in 2 campaigns for the king."

"What is the most fond memory or the most striking thing about your training?"

"The bruises and soreness of my first years as most boys who became knights may encounter, the work was hard, but the goal was more important than any of that."

The wooden sword clashed against his shield as the other young man paced around with him as they were observed intensely by their master. They were both approaching the age of becoming a squire and impressing their mentor was the only thing they wanted to do. Kyrven's shield moved forwards as he added a swing of his wooden sword at the other boy's weapon arm. It didn't achieve much but the fluidity and the speed of the attack got the other knight in training to step back and guard from the attack instead of trying to advance at counter it. He pressed forwards and used his body's weight behind the shield to drive forwards more and with a swift kick to his opponent's retreating legs to cause him to lose his balance and fall down, Kyrven standing over him, "Stop there," Their mentor spoke out before Kyrven helped up his fallen adversaire, "Very good, you two, you have progressed quickly," He was finished with compliments, in a few moments he would break down everything they had done and critique essentially all of their movements and actions. They would stand and wait, no matter how sore, no matter how much pain they felt, only after his monologue would they be treated and checked.

"I was taught the essentials of being a knight, what it was to be a real knight and the honor and values that a knight would need, to be someone like my father would be able to do without even thinking about it."

"You told me that you have participated in two campaigns for the king, what was that like?" The royal inquisitor asked, not even looking at Kyrven as he wrote, already having a small stack of pages forming next to him, "Anything you remember?"

"I remember being on the battlefield, on horseback, next to my brothers in arms," He began as he was plunged back into his memories, "I remember the defense of the city of Maav, the cliffside city, we were outnumbered, probably 3 for 1."

"Tell me about that, Kyrven."

The horses were restless as all of the men knew they were outnumbered and everyone knew it was do or die, defend the city or lose it, nothing in between, "You know what you have to do, men," The general shouted as he rode in front of his knights, "A knight's role is to die for others and fight for the fallen! There is only one way out of this and it is through them!" He pointed his sword at the enemy as they were set up for them, "With me! Charge!" The men roared as the horses kicked into a rapid gallop, the general leading the charge as they sped towards their enemies. Arrows were loosed from their bows and flew quickly in the air before landing in amongst the knights, some hit the armors of either the horse or the knight on its back but it seemed none had been enough to kill. They were rapidly advancing towards their foes. A second volley of arrows was launched, they were much quicker to arrive and actually managed to tag a few more, but the armored horses seemed unperturbed by the attack and continued. They were close to the enemy now and within a matter of seconds their horses collided with the frontline and trampled the men as the horses couldn't care less and continued to stampede, it seemed the gamble had worked as the cavalry broke into the large group of foot soldiers that had been attempting to mount a siege but hadn't been able to do it quick enough. The sound of hooves crunching metal and the drowned out and muffled screams of dying men were the only thing Kyrven could hear as his horse continued to carry him forwards and continued to stomp and trample the enemy footmen. His blade swung down and collided with a body before cleaving through it and continuing to clash with the back with a fleeing soldier. The gamble had paid off. The enemy was caught unprepared for the bold move and was now being buried under the cavalry charge.

"It was a turning point in our fighting," Kyrven explained as the Royal inquisitor continued to write, "Anything else you want from that?"

"Moving on from that story, I wanted to get to the point," He looked away from his paper and was met by the expressionless face of the accused knight in front of him, "What was your crime?"

"I was accused of lying to the king and failing to protect the royal daughter."

"That is correct, however you may not be aware of this, you were also accused of plotting against the king."

"I have been in my cell for 2 weeks, I was unaware of such a change," Kyrven replied to the news that he had been accused of more than he was initially accused. The royal inquisitor sat in silence as he observed the expressionless knight's mannerisms.

"What happened?"

"What happened when?"

"Your crime, what did you do?" Kyrven didn't say anything for a few moments, "Take your time."

"The only crime that I am guilty of is the inability to protect the royal daughter completely," The inquisitor gestured for him to continue, "But the two others are works of fiction."

The moon was slowly rising as the two horses neared the village that was their destination, "Sir Kyrven, is this the village you told me about?"

"This is Hamarveil, my lady, my hometown, this is the next stop on our journey," He explained as they continued to walk.

"It is rather small, isn't it?"

"Yes, my lady, I haven't been back here since I left this place to become a knight, but unlike me, it hasn't grown one bit," He explained as they left the forest line and entered the small downhill slope that led to the plains the village sat on. The day was calm, a gentle breeze blew in from the south as the cloudless sky was filled with stars.

"It is a gorgeous place."

"It is indeed, my lady," He replied as he ignored the scenery and looked around and behind them, his memories flooding his mind of what had happened here before. He reached for the lantern that was out on his saddle and found a match in his pouch before lighting it, "There is a room ready for you, my lady, in the inn," He explained, pointing at one of the last buildings that had light still in them, "We will rest for the night and continue tomorrow."

"Alright," The young princess nodded as they continued, "You are from here? It must've been a nice place to live."

"I only lived here for so long, at 7 I left to begin my training to become a knight, my lady."

"Oh, that is very young, Sir Kyrven," She mentioned as they continued towards the village. The princess was silent once more as they entered town, there were no villagers around to notice them. He climbed down from his horse and moved to hold the reins of the other horse, "Thank you, Sir Kyrven."

"I am at your service, my lady," He said as he attached the two horses outside of the tavern and walked in with the princess who looked like a small child being brought into a magical palace, curiosity painted all over her face. Everyone stopped to look at the two of them as they walked forwards towards the bar, "Is the room ready? The messenger should've arrived this morning."

"Yes, Sir Kyrven," He slid him the key and pointed to the door that led to the rooms, "Have a good evening."

"I'll have two meals as well."

"As you wish, Sir Kyrven," He led the princess out of the main room as the few people began whispering and continued as they left the room.

"What happened then, Kyrven?" The royal inquisitor interrupted him as they neared the moment that caused him to be accused, "I will need as much detail as possible for this part, to deliver my verdict."

"What do you think I did?" The man stopped writing, "You are asking me all of this, what do you think about all of it?"

"I think that if you actually did plot against the king and put the princess in danger, you should die for being a traitor, if you didn't, well, all innocent men should live and not be tried as guilty," He continued to write, "Do you want to continue or should I leave now and judge you without knowing?"

"You would take the accuser's word at that point and I would be condemned to death," Kyrven added, "I'll continue."

He entered the room before the princess and checked it as she followed him in, "It isn't much, my lady, but it should work for tonight."

"I think it is fine," She sat down on the bed and looked at the small room, "Changes from my usual room for sure."

"There wasn't a large town on this path, my lady, and the king, your father, refused that I stay in a camp for the night with you, villages are safer and the comfort is greater."

"I have never been in a camp, what is that?"

"Sleeping in a tent outside, my lady."

"Oh, that sounds like an interesting thing to do."

"You will have to discuss that with your father, my lady, I cannot show you any of that experience," Kyrven explained as he moved to the door, "Do you wish to change into your nightwear, my lady?"

"Yes, I do, Sir Kyrven," He opened the door, "I will not be long."

"Take your time, my lady," The knight left the room and waited on the other side of the door for the young princess to get changed. He knew it was breaking the rules the king had given him, but the discomfort he would bring to the princess was also something he could not permit himself. He waited a few moments and then moved his hand and knocked on the door, expecting a response but there was none, he knocked louder before taking hold of the door handle and entering once more. The princess wasn't there, the window was open. He rushed to the window and looked out before spotting three men gagging a squirming woman, "You bastards," He climbed out of the window and drew his blade as he quickly moved towards the three of them, "Unhand her as once!" He shouted as the men spotted him heading towards them, "I will kill you if that is the last thing I do!" He didn't have his shield but he had his armor, good enough to block a blade if had to come to such a case. The men tried to mount her quickly on a horse but drawing one of his smaller blades he hurled it at the horse's back leg and made it tumble as it cried out in pain. The three men had no more chances to get away with the princess in hand, they were forced to either fight him or leave. He readied himself to fight the men but they simply let go of the princess, left their dying mount and ran off. Kyrven rushed to the princess's aid and quickly cut her free from the ropes that held her wrists and the gag that they had put in her mouth, "My lady, are you alright?" He asked, looking around to make sure there was nothing else that the men had planned, "Are you hurt?" She trembled as she stayed seated on the floor. He retrieved his blade from the injured horse before getting up and bringing down his sword, putting it out of its misery as it let out a small, dying whimper, "Let us head back, I will make sure you are safe tonight, I will not take my eyes off of you."

"O-Ok-Okay…" She shivered like a leaf in the autumn wind as they walked back, clearly terrified by what happened, "Y-You promise?"

"I swear."

"You left her side? What for?"

"A young maiden's body is sacred, I cannot force myself upon her in such a manner," Kyrven explained, "If I had been in the room, it would only make her uncomfortable, I tried to ease that."

"She was about to get kidnapped for your care of her comfort."

"In a usual situation, leaving a room for a moment doesn't lead to someone getting pulled out of a window and kidnapped."

"What did you do after that?"

"I stayed up, watching her during the night and making sure her sleep, uneasy as it was, would be unperturbed by anything of that manner," The royal inquisitor stopped writing and nodded, "What does that mean?"

"I think I have everything I need, as your ending should be the same as the accuser's ending."

"I came back to the city, and she was happy once more."

"Why is that?"

"She had asked me about things, and I had explained them."

"What did she ask you about?" The man began writing once more, "Anything special?"

"She asked me about what it was like to fight in a war, what it was like to be a knight, if I would ever marry, if I was married."

"In that order?"

"If my mind isn't playing tricks on me, yes."

"Anything else?"

"I don't believe so," He looked at the man as he took his pages and stood up, "What is to come of me now?"

"In a few days you will know, but for now, you will be held in the same cell as you have been in for the last two weeks."

"When will I know the verdict?" The royal inquisitor left without answering that last question as the two guards returned and he stood up and moved to the door. He walked down the hallway with the two guards, heading back to where he had been held for the past 2 weeks. His fate was governed by the king and the royal inquisitor's opinion, nothing else would come of it.

His cell was cold and bare, his body had grown used to it. A knight who had done nothing but his task was condemned for not doing it and even planning to not do it. Why didn't the princess defend him? Didn't she know what happened? Wouldn't her words be able to save him? What made her turn against him? Questions that hadn't bothered him since the first few days were back and they weren't going away, not like they did before. His mind wouldn't accept his fate, he had done nothing wrong, he completed his task. Someone decided that he wasn't to be and twisted whatever the events were and made him out to be the villain. Someone must've twisted the manner or way the events had unfolded, but who and why?

His cell door was opened and three guards walked in, "Prisoner, don't resist us and follow us," He stood and walked out. They didn't give him any sort of emotion or expression to read meaning his mind was unable to decide if he was going to die or going to be freed, regardless of how unlikely the second one was.

His head was placed in the wooden execution frame as his eyes looked straight down, he had already accepted his fate. A knight condemned to death for the crime of doing what he had been ordered to do. There was no reason to fight back now, it was already too late for that now, "Sir Kyrven of Hamarveil, condemned to death by beheading for crimes against the crown!" An announcer called out to the crowd as they watched the public execution, "For plotting against the crown," A loud boo ensued, "For lying to the king!" A louder boo resounded in the courtyard, "And for harming the princess!" The booes boomed through the courtyard as things were thrown at him, all for things he hadn't done. There wasn't much left for him to do so he closed his eyes and began praying, as one would do at the end of their life. The announcer turned to the royal family that had arrived to stand in the usual place they stood for the public executions. He looked up at them with no expression on his face as they looked at him, the king seemed disappointed to have entrusted his daughter to Kyrven, the princess didn't seem sad however guilt was painted all over her face, she couldn't hide it. Finally, he looked at the queen and was met by a malicious glare, had she been the one to twist his words and the words of her daughter? He looked down once more and waited for the king to send him to his death. The crowd calmed down as the king put his hand forwards asking for their silence. The executioner took hold of his axe and readied to swing it, awaiting only the king's verdict to deliver the killing blow. Kyrven's body relaxed and breathed out as the king's thumb was pointed downwards.

A young lady's scream made him break out of his relaxed state, "Stop!" The voice screamed as he saw the princess rush out to the courtyard and then cover his neck with her body, stopping the executioner's movement as he avoided killing the royal daughter, "He isn't guilty!" The crowd was shocked and whispers quickly awoke and broke the silence that the king had demanded.

"What is the meaning of this, my daughter?" He asked, looking at her confused as she stood up and looked at her father, "Hasn't this man harmed you?"

"N-No!" She shouted back, "He did nothing but protect me and care about me!" The crowd was more than confused and the timing of her sudden objection struck Kyrven as both surprising and expected. If it had been the queen's doing, who says the princess really wanted him dead?

"Then why did you tell me that he did?"

"Mother told me to do so!" She shouted back, pointing at the queen who had already lost her malicious grin and seemed nearly too offended by the accusation for it to be even remotely real. The princess ordered the executioner to free Kyrven and he did as she told him, releasing the knight of the bounds that restrained him, "She told me to lie!"

"What? You told our daughter to lie? To betray me so that you could have a knight killed? Why?!" The king turned furiously towards the queen who stumbled backwards. He stopped and called for his guards, "Get this liar out of my sight," She didn't fight back as the guards dragged her away. The king turned back to the courtyard as Kyrven took a knee, "Stand, Sir Kyrven, I have done you nothing but a disfavor, I trusted the words of my wife and daughter over your words," He sighed, "You are pardoned, I will have it arranged that you receive a fitting compensation."

"Yes, my lord."

"That will come with my personal apologies for being ready to end your life for nothing but a lie," Kyrven stood and bowed his head. The king turned to a servant, "Get him his things," The crowd cheered as Kyrven walked out of the courtyard. The princess hurried to his side.

"What will you do now, Sir Kyrven?"

"I do not know, my lady, I will see where life takes me," He smiled at her before continuing to walk away, walking down the main street of the city. Kyrven was a free man.