A Knight to Remember

"What does it matter?"

Kara hardly knew what to think after Derek walked out the door. She knew nothing about the man except that he was young, handsome and probably well off. She thought he was probably a knight. That he seemed to have some interest in her was what was truly surprising. Kara believed she didn't have anything near the looks of her stepsister Gabriela. She thought herself to be plain looking. Her stepmother had made that perfectly clear. But was her stepmother right? Was it possible that she was more attractive than she realized? Could that have been the reason why Derek seemed to pay attention to her?

In the end she decided it was a fluke. Well off young knights paid little attention to those not of the same class. That is, unless a girl were beautiful. A comely lass could sometimes attract the attention of one above her class. She didn't think that was her. Derek no doubt had everything given to him and in contrast she was a working girl. It was unlikely she would ever see him again. It was folly to even think about the man.

But the next morning was Sunday, and she thought she would go to the big church instead of the small one she usually went to. Why? She knew that there she might get a glimpse of Derek. It was that service that most of the knights and royalty went to. Maybe that is why she rarely went there. She felt more comfortable in the small church.

As she was putting on one of her better outfits, she realized that she was dressing herself up because of him, in the crazy hope that. . . That what? That he would notice her? How foolish! Kara suddenly threw her hairbrush on the bed. She felt that despite her wishes nothing was going to happen. Still, as she set off for the church she couldn't deny that her breath was coming a little faster.

People were streaming into the cathedral. The commoners like herself dressed in their Sunday best and the knights, their wives and children and the royalty led in from the gate of the castle. Of course, they all went through the great large door of the Cathedral that was held open for them while the ordinary people streamed through the smaller less ornate entrance.

Kara kept her eyes open wanting to be observant of everything. She wished she had thought to ask a friend to go with her. Not knowing anyone she felt a little out of place. Not having seen the person she was particularly looking for on the outside, she entered through the smaller door. A kindly older gentleman held it open for her and others. She crossed herself at the holy water font and her eyes took in the grandeur of the great Cathedral.

Already, the church was filling up, and she decided to take a seat on the side section where she could still get close enough to the front to be able to view where knights and nobility sat toward the front. She knelt down, as she usually did to say a prayer or two, but she was distracted, looking over the heads of others in hopes of seeing him.

The celebration of mass began and the church was filled with organ music and the voices of the choir who sang from their places high above in the back part of the cathedral. The service proceeded on pace, that is slowly, and then came the sermon. What a sermon!

Raising his voice in alarm the bishop spoke of how the Saracens two days before had surprised and conquered the port city of Narbonne, seizing it after a heroic battle by its defenders who were then summarily executed. His words were met with gasps from the crowd and then hushed silence as they listened as the bishop went on to say that the enemy's first incursion on to the soil of Francia would not be its last. He noted that these same people, people who followed the teachings of Mohammed had already conquered all of northern Africa, then Spain, and now with the conquest of Narbonne had established a foothold from where they would no doubt begin their attempt to conquer all Francia and beyond. Then speaking more slowly but dramatically he added, "We must be ready. Our people must be ready. Toulouse, with its strong walls and our valient knights will be prepared.  God will spare us from this abominable enemy. May the Lord be with us in this ultimate battle against the forces of evil."

When he finished and sat down Kara heard loud whispering as people spoke to each other in alarm at what they had just heard. She herself felt fear at what the bishop had said. However the mass went on as usual and when it was time to approach the kneeling rail for communion, Kara was alert to keep an eye on where the bulk of the knights were sitting, most of them with their families. She approached the rail herself, knelt down there, and after receiving turned to go back to her pew. Rather than bowing her head she lifted it to look toward the knights. Then, she saw him. It was only a quick glance and she made her way back down the aisle to her seat.

He didn't see her, she felt sure of that. If he had happened to glance her way she would of course have immediately cast her eyes down. Why? Maybe because instead of returning devoutly to her pew she was instead turning her head to look.Or maybe she knew if he saw her he would read far too much in her eyes. Kara knew something of herself. She was a dreamer, always making wonderful dreams in her head that would never come true. She might live an ordinary, uninspiring life but her mind always seemed to carry her away to far better places. Her stepmother told her that early on. She remembered her words said on numerous occasions. "Kara, pay attention to what you're doing. Stop your daydreaming."

Even though Derek hadn't seen her it was enough for now for her to have seen him. She noted his appearance. Dark hair, fairly broad shoulders. She didn't get a good look at his face as he was bending down to talk to a girl. His sister? Must have been. Kara had even noticed the two older people with him. His father and mother? She didn't observe them nearly so much as Derek, but had the quick impression that the man was of robust stature and the woman smaller, thinner, with long blond hair.

Church was finally over and Kara streamed out with the others. She kept looking back, hoping to catch another glimpse of him to no avail. She walked quietly back to her home and the family bakery. She was glad to have been able to see Derek. What did it matter that nothing would ever come of it. A girl could dream, couldn't she?

The next morning, after most of the work was already done in the bakery, her stepsister said to her, "Kara, we need fish. Go to the fishmonger and buy us enough for supper tonight."

"OK." Kara had already noticed that Gabriela had smoothly taken her stepmother's place in telling her what to do. Well, she thought, she was older and certainly had been close to her mother. Kara felt she shouldn't complain about it. Someday, ere long, Gabriela would be married and gone from the house, although on second thought, she might still be an important part of her father's bakery business. For that matter, Kara herself might be married and who knows what her life would be like then. She began to think that it was only a dream to be married to a dashing knight like Derek.

Carrying her basket under her arm she made her way down the street the short distance to the fishmonger's store. Of course, she could have found it blindfolded because of its overwhelming fishy smell. Just before entering, she felt the presence of a man moving quickly behind her and then coming up to her. And then, when she turned, there he was. Derek.

"Hi, Kara," he said. "Good to see you again."

"Yes, yes," she stammered, feeling rather foolish at almost losing her tongue at the sound of his voice. "The same. Nice to see you too."

"You do remember me? At the bakery?"

Kara's first thought would have been to say, "How could I forget?" but she turned those words into, "Yes, I do remember your visit to our little bakery."

"Thought I'd walk toward the bakery and glad I did when from a distance I saw you stepping out. Don't have much time now but I wondered if you ever go to the dances on the square on Saturdays or to the baths?"

Kara looked up at him, somewhat discomposed at his last words. "Of course I bathe," she said. "Regularly."

Kara saw him suddenly break into a big smile, and noticed he seemed to be trying to suppress a laugh. "I'm sorry, that didn't come out the way I meant. It's just that I would like to see you sometime and those are two places where we could meet."

Kara was nearly taken aback by Derek's last words. "You would like to go out with me?"

"Yes," he answered earnestly. "I would."

"But you're a knight and I'm only a girl who works in our family bakery."

"Almost a knight, to be exact. I still have some training to complete. But what does that matter, Kara?"

"You're right, Derek," she said smiling back at him. "What does it matter at all."