Author Games: A Knight's Valor

Valor One: Alexis Rovel

If only peace could last long enough then maybe Alexis would've already drifted off to sleep and she wouldn't have to make another decision that could threaten the Kingdom's life. The young knight deliberately squeezed her eyes shut in hopes to tune out the voices that haunted her every move.

"They have escaped-The Queen and the Prince...They ran away."

"Inform the guards!"

"Hide!"

Is it selfish of me to want nothing part of it? Alexis had joined to be part of the Royal Guard, that was certain enough, but the competition itself had dried her completely. Alexis wouldn't be surprise if the other contestants abruptly left either. With the death of the King and traitors running loose, even she had a problem in not running away.

Yet the thought sent a sudden thump to her heart, and she sighed. A knock interrupted the solemn atmosphere and she almost jumped from her bed. Bed sheets rumpled as the twenty-year-old's feet hit the carpet, toes scrunching on the fabric in response. Alexis padded across the high-ceiling room and pushed the door a few inches open to see a young girl staring at her with wide eyes.

"Hi?" She furrowed her eyebrows, but the girl merely pushed a small parchment into Alexis's hands before darting down the corridor. "Wait! I-oh bloody hell, never mind."

Scowling in frustration, Alexis opened the parchment and closed the door. "She is not a lioness but a..." Eyes scanning the darkened paper, she paled. She looked around like a deer caught in headlights only to see another letter sitting at her desk. "How the hell did that get there?"

Alexis ripped the letter open to find the same initials written in the corner of the paper, and she gritted her teeth. The young woman didn't even bother to finish the letter before she threw both parchments into the burning fireplace in the center of her room. She didn't need to be a philosopher to know what it meant-Find them, kill one, top secret...that was all she needed to know.

Then again.

Who am I going to kill?

She had named the Prince a traitor from the start, but as hours have passed, doubts seemed to seep itself into her mind. This is worse than being the King's mercy. No. This time, Alexis had to act as god and kill the person who she think would bring the Kingdom to ruins.

The action alone Alexis bit her lips.

I'm a knight.

I trust my instincts.

It's the damn prince.

Without another word, Alexis grabbed the golden hilted dagger on the bedside table. She opened the large window parallel to the dressing room and threw the curtains open. Wind blew across her face, and she leaped, grabbing a hard branch and swung on the ground. A smirk made its way to her lips as her loose pajamas soiled against the mud.

Perks of always sneaking out of home.

Leaves rustled from the branches and curly hair blew from her shoulders. Alexis ducked, eyes darting towards the lamps of the guards which were a few meters away from her. "If I were the Prince...where will I be?" she muttered.

Could he have gone back to Lemaria?

Could he have gone back to the place where his hatred and disapproval for the King grew?

No...it's too far.

He wouldn't have gone there without a horse, and from Alexis had heard from gossip, the Prince had absolutely nothing when he escaped and so did the Queen. He was smart, cunning as well. Could he be hiding somewhere so obvious that no one would notice?

Duck!

As if by instincts, Alexis ducked in the bushes, eyeing the lamp that was coming her way.

The guard whistled slowly before going back to his position, the once lightened area becoming dimmer and dimmer by the step. That's it! Alexis eyes widened. A guard. Could he have been a guard? She peered through the thick foliage to see the guard standing, a lamp a few inches away from his face, but as Alexis stared even closer, she could make out the narrow angles his cheeks were giving and his prominent eyes.

It's him.

The aspiring knight jumped from the bushes and ran straight towards him, tacking the Prince to the ground. "Wha-you." His cold eyes bored into her, but before he could do anything she punched him on the cheek sending his head crashing on the stray twigs.

"Yeah, it's me." She spat. "To think that being born a prince, you would have dignity and go in the easy way."

"I have done everything to improve this Kingdom and they've rejected me!" He struggled against her grip, legs kicking her on the stomach which made Alexis roll down, gasping for air. "You think I want this, Alexis? Do you think so low of me?"

"After killing the King? Yes."

Alexis winced when his sword cut her lower leg, ripping the smooth fabric. She rolled out the way, standing up but falling back down again. The skin on her leg throbbed and the twenty-year-old groaned, "You lack some practice, Johnathan."

"Why won't you understand that maybe I'm protecting my Kingdom, and not only I, but the Queen also has her faults."

"You killed the king." Alexis finally stood up, her grip on the hilt tightening.

"What if the Queen had supported my idea?"

"Liar!"

The prince threw his head back and laughed, eyes widening by the second. He slammed the sword towards her. She deflected and dodged. Both of them exhaled a shaky breath, sweat running down each of their faces. "Alexis, Alexis, you follow your 'instinct' way too much. Who is to say your 'instinct' may have led you to kill the wrong person and let the innocent live?"

Alexis growled, slamming the hilt to his head. He fell and writhed but the smirk on his face didn't change. "Aw, did I hit a nerve? Well, then again, you have to prove yourself, don't you? Because who would ever trust a pirate's daughter?"

Alexis didn't know what had gotten into her. Her surrounding darkened and all she could remember was a blur of blood and screams till a mangled body dropped on the ground, covered with weeds and twigs.The Prince had fallen.

I killed the traitor.