The Lady Knight

Chapter 15

          "Well! Here we are!", Henry grinned.
          Alex was admiring the intricate golden designs of the silver door when Blade pushed the large doors open. He leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms and watched as the trio passed him.
          Alex couldn't help but gasp as she walked in the cold room. Weapons of every kind lined the walls. Spears, swords, bows, knives. Every weapon Alex could have ever imagined was there. Well, except for one.
          Alex took a deep breath in, loving the familiar smell of steel and leather. Henry grabbed her arm and pulled her towards a large wardrobe.
          He looped his fingers into the hooks on the doors and pulled them open. He spread his arms wide an grinned, proudly displaying the inside.
          "Now," Henry frowned, "how are we supposed to fit you," he gestured to her small body, "into men's armour?"
         "Yeah! We can put you in our armour but we'll have to stuff something in there with you!" Archer exclaimed.
          Alex wrinkled her nose in distaste. Surely there must be something less... awkward?
          "Give her the Éjszaka suit," Blade's deep voice rumbled. Éjszaka suit? Alex had no idea what that was.
           "B-b-but Blade! You know what happened last time!" Archer cried out desperately. Alex looked at them strangely. What was wrong with it? Henry and Archer both looked as though they had seen a ghost.
          Blade brushed past them as he strode to the wardrobe. With one strong shove, the various items and armour pieces were pushed to the side, revealing a casing engraved with silver. Alex blushed a little as she noticed the muscles in his arms flexing. She pressed a cool hand to her cheeks to compose herself. Blade pulled off the dusty cloth that was covering the top half of the case.
          It was a little bit taller than Alex, but it still was engulfed by Blade's size. He stepped back out of the wardrobe.
          "Go on," he murmured, "Put your hand on the symbol and we'll see what happens."
          Alex was uneasy about this. What had happened last time? she turned a questioning gaze on the brothers, but they frantically shook their heads. Henry gestured forward with a shaky hand.
She hesitantly stepped into the dark wardrobe.
          "Alex!", the twins cried. She turned just in time to see their and Blade's alarmed faces before the doors slammed shut.
          "Hey!", the brothers banged on the door with their fists, shouting curse words all the while.
          Blade watched with suspicious eyes. He hooked his fingers into the backing of their armour and yanked them back away from the doors. Henry and Archer whipped their heads in his direction, the confusion leaking into their eyes.
          Blade simply shook his head and walked away. The twins looked at each other, shrugged, then reluctantly walked out.
          "Hey!", Alex shouted at the door. How did the doors shut? The three men had been too far away to even reach the doors. She stood there resting her fists on the old wood, heart pounding.
          Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a strange blue glow coming from behind her. She froze, slowly turning to face the casing. There in front of her, the silver engravings glowed an icy color. Alex couldn't help herself. She felt a desperate need growing inside her. She needed to touch it.
          Alex gently brought up her fingers and brushed her fingertips on a large symbol at the head of the case. A shock rippled up her arms and down her spine. This must be the symbol that Blade spoke of. She stared at it. It looked Celtic, but it seemed so old that it could have been ancient.
          After counting to ten to calm her heart, she placed a firm hand on the symbol. The breath knocked out of her lungs and an electric shock forced her to pull away.
          Her spine shot straight, her arms shaking and jittery. She stumbled when her legs suddenly went weak. Strange enough, after a few seconds, she felt her strength returning and even growing! She spread her fingers out, flipping her hands over and examining herself.
          She raised her head to gaze at the case. She had been so absorbed with what she was feeling that she didn't notice the doors popping open. Now, at least, she could see where the glowing came from.
          The suit in front of her was breath-taking. Instead of the bulky armour that the men wore, this was a sleek, thin, black suit. A thicker fabric, some type of exotic leather maybe, strengthened select places. A tight, laced corset covered the mid-section and there was a pair of knee-high boots rested at the bottom of the case. The long sleeves came down longer than Alex's arms and the legs were way too long.
          Alex didn't dare touch it. After the shock she had had just to open it? No way.
          A silver glint caught her eye. She pulled out an old stick that she had sharpened to cut. She hadn't wanted to dull her blade so quickly. Being careful of where her hands touched, she gently nudged the suit to the side a little. Behind the suit rested a sword. But not just any sword, the Harapós Állat.
          The Harapós Állat was the legendary blade of Nort. Even in it's sheath, a deadly aura emerged from it. The blade's legendary twin, Ölló, was just as deadly. Unfortunately, Ölló had been missing for many centuries.
          Alex nearly fainted right there. Harapós Állat?!?! The legendary sword that Alex had dreamed of as a child?! The legend of the Twin Blades had been passed down for generations. Sir Demetrius had told Alex the story when she was young.
          More than anything, she wanted to reach out and grab the blade, but she knew better. Harapós Állat chose its wielder, not the other way around. If you were not chosen, the blade would repel you and cause significant damage.
          Instead, she simply bowed her head and turned to walk out of the wardrobe. A quiet clicking sound stopped her.
          Click.
          Click.
          Click.
          Alex turned back. The doors of the casing had closed! She looked the other way, disappointed that she had not been chosen to wield the glorious blade.
          Click.
          Click.
          Click.
          Once again, Alex looked back. Just as she turned her head, the casing doors flew open.
Alex blacked out.