The Modern Knight

Where it All Began

The 13th of February, 1997

"Hello? Lucy? Ben? Nikki? Is anyone home?" The voice of a young man asked as the front door to a flat opened.

"Daddy!" Nicolette, aged only five, yelled before running from the living room to her father.

"There's my little Nikki," The young man, James Spencer, said with a smile before kneeling down to be eye level with his daughter, "My you've gotten big!"

"Mummy says I'm over one hundred centimeters tall now!" Nicolette said proudly to her father, who had been gone for several months.

"Nikki? Dear? Who are you talking to?" A young woman asked as she entered the main living area of the flat, only to see the man she called her husband, "James! You're home."

James stood up as he spoke, facing his wife, Lucinda, a warm smile on his face, "I'm home, Lucy."

Lucinda quickly dashed to her husband and held him close as little Nicolette ran to wake her brother, Benjamin, who was aged seven.

"Ben! Ben! Ben! Wake up, Ben!" Nicolette cried, running into her brother's room.

"What, Nikki?" Benjamin asked, his tone a bit grumpy.

"Daddy's home!" Nikki yelled, grabbing her brother's hand before running back to the living room.

"Dad?" Benjamin asked, not sure if he was still asleep or not.

"There's my big Ben," James said with a proud smile, seeing both of his children standing together, both looking as healthy and lively as ever.

"Daddy!" Benjamin yelled before running over to his father, his sister on his heels.

James, who had been squatting to be level with Benjamin and Nicolette, was knocked back by the force of his two children running at him. He laughed and hugged them both, holding them close like he had wanted to the past several months.

"You're not allowed to leave ever again, Daddy," Nicolette said with a pout in her tone.

"I'm sorry, Nikki, but work might make that hard for me," James said with a soft smile, simply enjoying being with his family.

"'Work'?" Lucinda asked, "Does that mean you got that job you were offered?"

"Yes, Love. I did get the job with the tailors. And, let's just say, money won't be one of our top worries anymore," James said, looking up at his wife while still holding his children in a loose grip.

"Oh, James! That's wonderful news," Lucinda said, kissing her husband when he turned his face upward for her to do so.

"Daddy?" Nicolette asked, her large eyes looking up at her father.

"Yes, Nikki?" James returned, looking down at his daughter.

"If you can't not go away, will you make sure you always come home?"

"Of course, Nikki. I'll always come home to you. And, I've got a surprise for you and your brother," James said before standing and leaving out the front door, only to come back in with a black Labrador Retriever, whom James had already named Midnight.

"A doggie!" Nicolette squealed.

The 8th of September, 2003

Nicolette, now aged twelve, held onto the bottom hem of her new blazer for her new school uniform. She was beyond nervous about starting Secondary School. Benjamin had gotten off the bus with her but he then went to greet the friends of his he hadn't seen over the summer.