My Strange Fairytale

Chapter 19

     "Now, down to business," She said as her smile faded, "As a member of a royal family I always have a reward for my head, but now that my son has died things have gotten a little harder..." Dragonair's sentance trailed off. "Since her son has died she must choose an heir to the throne, or let her relatives battle it out," I thought to myself.

    Dragonair snaps herself out of her daze and continues, "Since then things have been harder, there have more attempts on my life in the past two years than the rest of them combined". This surprised me, how often does these attacks come? "I have lost many in these past two years, and not many come for jobs. So do you still accept?" The queen asked.

    "Of course I accept," I replied with determination, "With your life in danger how could I not help? I have a duty as a knight to protect and I will uphold this duty. I didn't become a knight just because I can swing a sword". Dragonair was shocked by this reply, she was expecting a "No" or a "Yes, but with the right compensation". "You're a very interesting character..." Dragonair said with interest. I looked up with pride, I think she just complimented me...

     For the rest of the day she told me of my duties and showed me around the castle, it was strange there weren't many servants. Once the sun went down I went and stood guard at her door, it was really hard staying up since I had a very stressful day. In the morning I was ready for bed but then I remembered that I had to be her bodyguard during the day too.

      She was going to try hire night shift guards that day and until I'm relieved of duty I will guard her most of the day and all night. I'm now walk along beside Dragonair as she heads to the dining room for breakfast. We are almost there when she asks, "Kat, I don't mean to pry, but why did you become a knight?" This question took me by surprise, and I had to think a moment, "Well, I think it was because someone I looked up to was a knight and I wanted to help people just like he did," I replied.

    Dragonair smiled, "Who was this person you looked up to?" she asked. "Oh, that is a secret only a select few know," I replied. Dragonair looks disappointed, "We all have secrets, it only matters if they're good or bad," she mutters under her breath, she said it so quietly that I almost didn't catch it.

That is when we reached a pair of large heavy looking doors, leading to the dining room I asume, as she ate I stood a little ways behind her looking at the portraits on the walls. "So Kat, I bet you have stories to tell about your adventures, can you tell me one?" Dragonair asked. I shift nervously, "Well, there aren't many to tell your highness, and the ones I have to tell aren't really grand..." I reply.

     Dragonair pauses for a moment then says, "They don't have to be grand to be good, it's easier to believe the lesser stories than the grand ones". I nod as I say, "True..." I pause, "Okay, there was this one time when I was still in training that my friends were fighting-" "Wait. your friends fighting, that's the best you've got?" Dragonair interrupted. "Well, no but it wasn't just an argument if I wasn't there in time they would've killed each other." I said. This peaked Dragonair's interest "Oh, now that sounds interesting. What happened?"

     I pause trying to think of a way to put the story without revealing that Blaze was an elemental turned human. Then I remember the excuse I used when I explained to Joe why Joey and Blaze were coming to the castle with us when I got knighted. "Well my friend Joey was not getting along with my cousin Blaze who had just joined me on my journey, so when I left them alone to go to training with my mentor Joe things got bad,"

    I paused for a little bit then continue. "When I got back to the cave we were camping out at I heard shouting. I threw everything but my sword thinking that there were thieves, but once I got in there it was just Joey with a knife pointed at Blaze and Blaze with a... um, flaming piece of wood... Yeah a flaming piece of wood pointed at Joey, both ready to lunge at eachother."

    Dragonair was on the edge of her seat, "What did you do?" She asked. "Well, something rather foolish but needed to stop them from hurting each other... I jumped in between them right as they lunged for each other. I stopped them from hurting each other but I was stabbed and burnt in the process..."