The Knight

Chapter 1

Seven years later...

Something was shaking me. I opened my eyes.
My mother was standing above me, smiling. "Wake up, sleepy head!" She laughed. "Today's the day all that hard training will go to use."
"What do you mean?" I groaned.
"Get up and go get your armor! It's time to go to the castle!"
I widened my eyes. "I get to go to the castle?"
     She nodded. "Well, you have to for your test!"
     I jumped out of bed and ran to put on simple clothing that would be comfortable under my armor. Mother and father were already ready, so we quickly saddled horses and rode off.
     I rode on the horse I'd had for four years, since I was thirteen. It was a sleek black mare named Midnight, who loved to go fast almost as much as I did.
     We rode for about half an hour to the castle. My parents had made their house close to the castle so that they could be there quickly if the queen was ever in trouble. Now, she had a princess that was my age. My parents had said it must be destiny for me to protect her.
    The castle was so much bigger than I'd ever imagined. Tall, made of gray stone with a thick wall outside it. There were people everywhere, in shops outside it, royalty in brightly colored clothes coming in huge parades of men, Knights battling in the courtyard.
     Soon, I'd be out there with them, impressing all of them. I'd been training to be a knight for twelve years. I would be the best knight they'd ever seen.
     "Do you have your special sword?" My mother asked as we gave our horses to a few servants.
     I nodded and drew my sword. It was long and silver, with a violet gem in the handle that matched my eyes and glowed when I touched it. If I lost it, it somehow always ended up right back in the sheath.
     Some day, I would slay a dragon with this sword. It was strong enough, I knew. I didn't know how I got it though. I'd just always had it.
     We stepped up to the castle door. The guard recognized my parents immediately. "Lady Amethyst, Sir Tremont. Welcome."
     He stepped aside, and we stepped inside.
     Inside, the castle was filled with noble lords and lady's talking and sipping wine. My father waved a page over.
     Like the guard, the page recognized us and led us up a flight of stairs and to a large room, empty and quiet compared to where we'd just been.
     The queen sat on her throne, speaking to a man who sounded angry. "I'm telling you, it's not fair!" He was saying. "I shouldn't have to give up my land just because that moron won a bet I didn't agree to!"
     The queen rolled her eyes. "You're right. I will have him give back your land. If you didn't agree to the bet, he can't have the land."
     "Thank you, your majesty." The man said, walking past us on our way out.
     "Amethyst! Tremont! Come here!" The queen called, motioning us forward.
     We stepped forward. My parents bowed and curtsied immediately, and I hurried to follow their example.
     "You may rise." The queen laughed. Once we were standing again, she studied me. "Is this your young daughter? I have been waiting forever to meet her." She stepped off her throne and walked up to me.
     I opened my mouth. She was beautiful, with long blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
     "Your daughter is gorgeous." She said. "She will make a great night. Corona, is it?"
     I nodded mutely.
     "I have someone that would also like to meet you. Annabelle, you can come out now."