The Female Knight

Chapter One- A Simple Request

"Veronica! Where are you, dear? Tis time for dinner!" Veronica's mother called, startling her twelve year old daughter out of her day dream.

"Coming, mother! Veronica replied, scurrying to her chambers to fix up for dinner. She had gotten engrossed in watching her older brother Gotfrid spar with one of the castle soldiers, mesmerized by every parry and strike they made. Veronica desperately wished she had been born as a boy. Then she would be out there, training to become the best swordsman in the kingdom. But instead she was born a woman, and that meant she had to wear heavy dresses, be quiet and polite, have extremely good manners and posture, and never touch a weapon in her life, or be shamed and sent to hell for eternity. It wasn't fair!

Veronica was fuming over these facts as she made herself presentable. What could she do to practice the sword, to be better than her brother? To fulfill her life's dream, instead of that of her mother's? Then she came up with a plan. Her brother could teach her, surely? He had always helped her whenever she wanted to do something that wasn't ladylike in the least. Couldn't he help her now?

With these thoughts, Veronica began humming a tune. Having fixed herself, she made her way to dinner.

"Good heavens dear, where have you been? Please do not tell me you have been watching the men spar again." Veronica's mother exclaimed, rushing over to her daughter, whose smile disappeared when her mother guessed the right thing.

"Um, well...." Veronica answered, blushing slightly at being caught.

"Oh, heavens, Veronica! You know that ladies do not have interests or have anything to do with weapons in the first place. It's improper! You'll end up in hell with the number of sins you commit. Time is better spent working on your sewing, or playing the pianoforte. If I catch you watching the men one more time you'll lose you're privilege to go outside this castle." The Lady Helena Volknar screeched at her disobedient daughter. She loved this girl, but Veronica was so hard to deal with sometimes. Perhaps I need to find her a husband. Helena thought, a smile beginning to take root on her face. She is getting older. I'll start arranging something. A powerful match. Four more years and she'll be eligible. I'll just have to get her father to agree.

Veronica saw the smile on her mother's face and knew she was up to something, but decided not to mention it. She'd find out what her mother was up to soon enough. For now, she was starving. "Mother, can we attend dinner now? I'm famished." Veronica asked in reply to her mother's screeching.

Lady Helena sighed at her daughter's impish reply. "This is not over. Now come, we can't keep the boys waiting any longer." With this remark, Veronica's mother alerted a servant to their presence and they entered the dining room of Volknar castle.

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"Finally! We've been waiting ages for you to appear! Sometimes being a knight is a pain when you have to wait to eat dinner for ladies to finish their primping." The voice of the Lord Bertolf Volknar boomed throughout the dining room as the two ladies of the house entered. "I was about ready to hang the code of chivalry and eat without the two of you. What took you two ladies so long?"

"Your daughter decided to spend hours on end watching your son spar with a soldier again. Didn't I ask you to move the sparing grounds somewhere she couldn't find them? It's not proper for a lady to watch men wield weapons unless it's a tournament." Lady Helena complained, hoping her stubborn husband would actually take her side instead of defending her guilty daughter for once.

"I'm sure it did no harm, dear. It was a simple spar, and I am positive that they are entertaining to watch. I don't blame Veronica for watching it. Settle down dear, it won't ruin her reputation as a lady." The count soothed, once again taking the defensive for his daughter.

"Can we eat now? I am starving and discussing this is simply boring the wits out of me." Seventeen year old Gotfrid chirped, earning a disapproving look from his mother.

The counts laughter filled the room as the two ladies took their seats. "Now now, Gotfrid, patience is a virtue. But yes, we shall eat."

As the dinner was served by kitchen maids, Veronica caught the attention of her brother under the table. "Can you meet me somewhere secret after dinner? I have something I must ask you." She whispered.

"Sure, little bird. What about?" he responded.

"I can't say. Just please meet me with an open mind."

"Alright, just don't get me in trouble."

"I can't promise that."

"I know. You never can. Fine then, your quarters?"

"Sure."

"What are you two whispering about?" The count asked, looking at his two children with their heads together like criminals.

"Simply how dinner tastes, father. Nothing to worry over." Veronica replied, smiling so that he would resume his very idiotic idea that she could do no wrong.

"Alright, but no more. Eat your dinner instead of chatting about how it tastes."

"Okay, papa."

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Just as the servants came to clear the dinner plates away Veronica and Gotfrid snuck off to her chambers to talk.

"What is this all about, sister? What is it that you want from me?" Gotfrid asked.

"I need you to teach me the sword."

"Are you insane? Has your mind deserted you? Mother would starve the both of us if she even knew what you were thinking. Absolutely not."

"But why not? I can build muscle and skill to be as good as any man is, I can hide my secret well if you didn't tell. We could train in secret. Please. Being a good lady is driving me bonkers, and I know mother is going marry me off some day. Why not have a little fun before I am doomed to become a breeding machine?"

"Because mother would both our heads if she found out. You make valid points, but it could be discovered easily and I don't want to face the consequences."

"But she'll never discover us if we cover our tracks well and if we never tell another soul."

"But......"

"But nothing. You know my arguments make sense and you can't contradict it."

Gotfrid sighed tiredly, running a hand through his hair. "I can't believe I'm saying this. Fine, I'll train you. But if mother finds out I'm bailing out on you."

Veronica squealed with excitement and jumped up and down with excitement and joy. "Goodie! When do we start?"

"Meet me behind the castle in the small clearing. The one only we know about. Meet me two hours before mother and father awaken."

"Done."

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Hello, dearies! So how was the first chapter of my book? Go easy on me, it's the first book I've written that I plan to keep on wattpad. Please vote, comment and whatever else you people do. Give me whatever feedback you can, I'll respond as best as I can. The picture above is Veronica at eighteen, except with brown hair and blue eyes. Also, i think i may be updating one a week.

Your anxious author,

Amber