The White Knight

Chapter Eleven--Death and Rebirth

              Most of the White Knights rushed into the forest to see what the cause of the ado was.  There they encountered Black Knights.  On a horses' back a Red Knight was bound and slung across.
        "Hold it," said Sir Peter.  "Where are you taking this knight?"
        “We found him hiding in the woods,” the black Knight replied.  “We are going to hang him for treason against both kings of this land.”
“Please!” the knight pleaded, “let me live and I will serve you.”
         “You knights killed my brother!” the knight yelled at him.  “He  was wounded and, before he had a chance to escape, many of your knights surrounded him.  He pleaded for his life, but the enemy still killed him.  I have no mercy for you!  Killing you will be one less Red knight to worry about!”
         “Please!” the knight pleaded again, “I was made to join them!  I was escaping from them!”          “SILENCE!”  yelled Sir Peter.  “Untie him and let me decide.”
           The Red Knight was taken from his horse and unbound.  Several knights held their swords at the ready in case he should try anything.
         “What is your name?”  Sir peter asked.
         “Scott.”
         “Why do you expect us to let you live?  Your knights have destroyed this land countless times.”
         “They are not my knights.  I was forced to join.”
         “What do you mean that you were forced to join?”
         “They threatened to kill me if I didn’t.”
         Sir Peter laughed, not believing the lad. 
         “Sir, please believe me.  Most of the Red Knights are not there because they want to be.  We get abducted and are forced.”
          “I can see that you are a coward.  If the Red Knights had threatened me to join, I would have fought them to the death.”
         “I admit that I am a coward,”
         “So, you killed many innocent people because you were forced to be a Red Knight.”
         “Sir, the Red Knights trained me and taught me their murderous ways.  However, I never wanted to fight or kill.  When we fought in battles, I defended myself when I had to.  I did not kill anyone intentionally.”
         “Why aren’t you with the Red Knights now?”
                   “I hid in the forest.”
         "How old are you, Scott?" Sir Peter asked.
        "I have lived fifteen years."
        "Fifteen, you have not reached manhood yet and the Red Knights forced you to be one of them!"
         “Yes Sir,” the lad replied.  “Most of the ones who are abducted are young.”
         “I can understand now why you wanted to live.  What were your plans if you did not get captured by this Black Knight?”
        "I was hoping to throw myself at the mercy of the Knights of utofamia.  I would not mind being a knight for you.  I have always wanted to be a knight.  I would have a land to fight and die for."
        "I thought you had objections to being a knight."
        "I did not want to fight anybody with the techniques that the Red Knights had taught me."
        "You shall become a knight.  The Black Knights are few in number, so you will become one of them.  You need more training for improvement.  Also we have to help you get rid of these habits the Red Knights taught you."  Sir Peter, turned to the Black Knighs who has captured Scott.  “Do you agree that this lad deserves a second chance?”
         “I agree,” replied the Black Knight.  “Given his age, he can be rehabilitated.”
        The knights headed back to the camp.
        Unknown to the knights, a single Red Knight viewed what went one and started to follow them.  However, he turned back, for he knew it was foolish for one knight to fight many.  Therefore, he rode away to tell the other Red Knights what he had seen.

         It took only a few minutes for the Red Knight to locate the rest of his comrades.  They were gathered in a group talking about the day's battle.  He rode up to Idres and told him what he had seen.
        "Well," remarked Idres, "I guess we will have to teach those knights a lesson.  We shall battle them with full force.  Also, that traitor shall die for deserting."
        "When will we battle with them again?"         
        "We shall wait awhile before we do so.  Let them believe that we no longer exist.  Then we shall hunt them down and bring them to extinction."
        "When they are gone, what happens?  Do we live in this land?"
        "No.  We go to the other lands.  We are going to destroy each one Rem created.  Our world will be the dominant one.  No others will exist.  Yet, the job will be easier if we find those knights who helped us in the battle.  Then for sure the Knights of King Christoph and King Alexander will be at our mercy."

         King Alexander listened to Scott's story with disapproval.
        "The Red Knights," he remarked, "are threatening the lives of many people.  We must do something to protect many innocent people from dying.  While it is true we need as many knights as possible, I do not think it is wise to train this knight.  He is from the enemy."
        "If you please, Sir, I shall be a worthy knight.  If you are not happy with me, I shall depart from here and bother you no more."
        "I will take responsibility," Sir Michael said.  “King Alexander, if he proves to be traitorous, you can do with me what you please.”
        "It is agreed," said King Alexander, with a sigh, "you shall receive training.  You will join Sir Michael's team of Black Knights."
        "Thank you, Sir.  I am sure that you will be proud of me."
        The knights talked on.  Maria, still hurting from her wounds, walked away.  She noticed something at the forest's edge.  It was the centaur.  As she approached it, the centaur made no movement as to run away.  Maria noticed that he had sad eyes.
        This creature looked at Maria with liquid blue eyes.  When she was close to him, the centaur spoke softly.  "Why is it that I can frighten a whole army of knights and yet a young damsel such as you can walk up to me unnerved?"
        "I do not believe you to be evil.  I can sense goodness in you."
        "Do you trust me?"
        "Of course I do.  You saved my life today."
        "In a way I did save your life.  I did not want you to get hurt.  You must get back to your comrades now.  If they see me, they will kill me."
        "Why would they kill you?"
        "The next time we meet, I shall tell you more.  Before you leave, look behind the sequoia over there."
        The creature then disappeared off into the forest.  Maria walked to the tree that was mentioned and looked behind it.  On the ground there was a single Conchiva leaf.

       
          By the time Maria got back to the Knight's camp, her wounds were healed.  Things were quiet again.  The dead knights and horses were gone, buries in the forest-waiting to be judged by Bellerophon.  The wounded were healed.
        Maria sat down in the shade of the tree.  She needed to recover from the heat of the day.  She stared at a crumpled daisy.  It was crushed during the battle.  To her it seemed the peaceful things always died.
        She continued to stare at the flower.  She felt weariness catch her body.  Her eyelids grew heavy.  She fell asleep, with dreams coming to her, too fuzzy to be remembered.  Some hours later she woke up.  The son had been gone for some time.
        Maria stood up and walked about.  There were no knights to be seen.
        "They deserted me!" Maria thought angrily to herself.
        She walked on.  Suddenly the ground shook.  Maria was flung down.  The air became heavy.  She couldn't breathe; it was like drowning.  Laughter echoed throughout the Plains of Musglove.  It started as a low rumbling, like thunder, and then increased to a high screaming.  Unable to stand it any longer, Maria brought her palms up to her ears to block out the sound.  A vision came to her mind.  It was a face that was familiar-Geoffrey's.
        "Geoffrey is in trouble," Maria thought to herself.  The thought kept running through her mind.
        "Geoffrey is in trouble!"
        "Geoffrey is in trouble!'
        "Geoffrey is in trouble!"

        Maria woke with a start.
        "Thank goodness.  It was only a dream."
        She looked up and saw Shariene coming towards her.
        "Shariene, my little friend!"
        "I am happy to see that you are alive.  The battle was terrible.  Too many of us were killed today."
        "Shariene, this is a very dangerous place to be now.  I think it should be best for you to get away from here before you get killed.  Remember that Death Bearer may try to kill you again."
        "I know, but I have a feeling that I will be safer here than by being alone in the forest.  Also, I can help out by spying on the Red Knights and Death Bearers.
        "In that case, you can keep an eye out for Geoffrey.  He was wounded in the battle and has not been seen since.  He is not listed among the killed or the survivors.  I have a bad feeling that he is in trouble.
        Maria looked around.  "Where is everybody?  This place seems so deserted."
                  "The knights are doing their best to forget about today's battle. Most of them are down by the lake, swimming.  I am hot.  I think that is where I will go now."
        "Then, I will go with you."
        As Maria and Shariene walked towards the lake, the birds and butterflies flew about, bees hummed as they sucked up honey from the many flowers.
        In a few minutes they reached the lake.  Many of the knights were swimming, not ashamed of their naked bodies.  Shariene jumped into the lake like a playful cat.
        The centaur appeared from the trees.  "Child, come here."
        Maria walked up to him.  None of the other knights appeared to notice.
        "Hello child."
        "I told you the last time we met that I would tell you more about myself.  Well, my name is Blackadar.  I have been living in Utofamia for a long time; I have lost count of the many years that I have been here.
        "The reason why the Red Knights ran when they saw me was because they thought I was Bellerophon.  If they find out that I am not he, but a mortal creature, they will try to kill me.
        "Many people in Utofamia think I am evil.  I think Melisande’s powers convinced the people that I am.  All the other centaurs have been killed off.  Even the Knights of Kings Christoph and Alexander think I am a loyal servant of Melisande.  But I hate her.  Whenever they see me, they try to kill me.
        "I must leave quickly.  If the knights see me they will try to kill me.  Who knows what may happen to you if they see you talking to me.  I shall be near you and try to help you when you are in need.  Maybe there will come a day when I can be trusted by people again."

        Two horses moved up the forest road.  The body of one lone knight was slung across the back of one horse.  Riding the other horse was the leader of the Death Bearers.
        The knight's name was Grimson.  Some years before, he was killed in a great battle.  He was a brave and noble knight.  After he had been killed, his life was restored.  Melisande had brought his back to life.  However, he was deformed in shape and face.  Also, he was many times stronger.  Grimson never remembered his old life.  All he wanted to do now was watch blood flow from the other knights' wounds.
        The two horses rode towards a person standing in the middle of the road.  The person was a woman with long blond hair that ran down her back in ringlets.  Her gray colored eyes had evil in them.  She was Melisande, the sorceress.  Even though she had been in Utofamia for a long time, Melisande looked only a few years older than Maria.
        "Who is that knight?" inquired Melisande.
        "He is one of King Alexander's Kingsbane, wounded in battle."
        "We can use him to help capture the King."
        "And what if he does not cooperate?"
        "Then he shall die a painful death."

        Maria returned to the camp.  Already Blackadar had been spotted by the knights.  She went up to Sir Peter to find if anything had happened to him.
        "What was it that you saw in the forest?"
        "It was one of those creatures called centaurs.  If you want to know what one looks like, it is a beast that looks like a horse on the bottom and a man on top."

        "I already saw him.  He saved me from some Red Knights."
        "Stay away from him.  He is a spy for Melisande.  He will try to capture you and take you to her."
        Maria decided not to argue.  "Are there any of these creatures here in Utofamia?"
        "No.  This is the only one.  The rest of them have been killed a long time ago.  This one refuses to die."
        "Why do you want them dead?  They are good creatures.  I remember reading about them in this world's history.  They helped Utofamia a great deal."
        "No.  That was a long time ago.  They became servants of Melisande and turned evil.  Do not go near him; he will bring misery onto you.  You would become Melisande's slave.  Then Utofamia will be doomed."
        Maria left Sir Peter.  She had to get away from there and try to warn the centaur.  She wanted to tell him not to watch out for her, he should be more concerned with his own life.  She was angry because the knights were trying to kill the centaur for no apparent reason.
        A sound from behind Maria brought out of her thoughts.  She turned around.
        "Why Shariene, you look terribly excited.  Tell me what is happening."
        "I just saw Geoffrey!"
        "Where is he?  Is he in any danger?"
        "He is a mile down the forest road.  And yes!  Geoffrey is in big trouble!  He is a prisoner of the leader of the Death Bearers and Melisande, curse her name."
        "He must be helped immediately."
        "There is no help for him now, only hope."
        "Yes, there will be help.  I have to help him, or try."
        Maria quickly made sure that her chain mail was free from breaks.  Then she got her weapons and shield and headed towards Chilowna.  Shariene started to follow her.
        "Shariene, you stay here.  It is too dangerous."
        "If it is too dangerous, then why are you going?"
        "I must do what needs to be done to help Geoffrey."
        She got on her horse and started riding towards the forest at a fast pace, leaving Shariene sitting on the ground.
        Thoughts went though her head.  "When I find Geoffrey, how I am going to help him?  I cannot tangle with Melisande.  She is too powerful.  Maybe I should turn back.  There is not much hope for Geoffrey.  No!  I am not turning back.  I care too much for him to do that."
        A few minutes later she saw Geoffrey.  Grimson and Melisande were too busy tormenting him that they did not notice Maria get off her horse and steal quietly into the tree line.
        Melisande had the Kingsbane down on his knees.
        "You realize that you have no chance for life if you do not obey me?"
        "I am not a traitor!  I am a loyal servant of King Alexander!  I have face death many times before, I am not afraid."
        "I gave you your chance," Melisande said sourly.  She turned to Grimson, "Kill him."
        Grimson unsheathed his sword.  Then he roughly pushed Geoffrey's head down, so that his bare neck laid victim to the cutting edge.
        Maria knew that Geoffrey would die if he did not receive any help.  She picked up a large stone and threw it behind Melisande and Grimson.  They turned at the sound, forgetting about the deliverance of the death blow.
        When they saw nothing, Melisande turned towards the direction where Maria was and, with her keen eyes, saw the knight standing among the trees.  She pointed.
        "Get that knight!" she screamed.
        "What about this one?"
        "Forget about him.  He will not get too far with those wounds.  We will tend to him later."
        Maria knew that she had been spotted.  She dodged through the trees.  She needed a chance for Grimson to get close enough so that she could have a chance in wounding or killing him.
        Maria hid within a grove of pines and waited until Grimson was a few feet away.  She quickly rushed at him.  However, Grimson saw her and spun around, meeting his sword with hers.  The next few minutes were a fierce battle between the two knights.
        "Yield," said Grimson, "and your life shall be spared."
        "If I plea for my life, you will enslave me.  I refuse to yield."
        Melisande had been watching the battle.  She flung her hands at the fighting duo.  Power shot from her fingers.  Maria felt as if she was struck by lightening.  She fell to the ground losing her sword.  Grimson jumped on Maria.  Because of his weight and strength, he managed to bring the smaller knight to the ground.
        Melisande walked up to the knights.  Grimson had a strong hold on Maria that it was difficult to breathe. Grimson roughly pulled her up and dragged her back to Melisande. The sorceress lifted Maria's helmet from her head.
        "Ha!  This is a rarity!  A girl knight!  Your life will be truly spared if you promise me a few things."
        "What promises?"
        "I want you to bring us to King Alexander so we can capture him."
        "Do not do it, Maria," Geoffrey said, trying to stand up.
        "I would rather be dead than be a traitor to my comrades!"
        "Then you must die," Melisande said in a too calm voice.
        "Then so be it."
        Grimson started to laugh.  "Melisande, I know of a good death for her."  He whispered something to the sorceress, unheard by Maria's ears.
        "That is a good idea."
        Melisande bound Maria's wrists strongly with a rope.
        "No!" Geoffrey yelled, jumping up from the ground.  "It is me you want!  Melisande, she is only a girl!"
        Grimson walked up to Geoffrey and swung his sword so that the flat side of the blade struck his head.  He fell to the ground senseless.  Grimson straddled the body and clasped the hilt of the sword, ready to thrust downwards.
        "Grimson!"  Melisande yelled.  "Leave him!  I believe you have killed him."
        Maria stared at Geoffrey's body, tears running down her eyes.  Then she caught a slight movement of his hand.  If they did not notice, he may have a chance.
        Suddenly, Maria found herself being swung her across the back of one of the horses.  Then she was led away.  After a half mile, they came to the shore of a lake.
        "I am going to give you a second and final chance.  Do you want to fulfill my wishes?"
        "As I said before, I would rather be dead than to be a traitor."
        Maria was taken off the back of the horse and thrown into the depths of the lake.
        "What shall we do with the sword and the helmet?"
        "Just leave them on the shore.  Many people will see them and symbolize them as a warning.  Let's get back to the rest of the knights."
        They rode away from the lake.
        Maria in the meantime had been struggling to get her wrists untied.  The ropes were just too strong.  One of the last things she saw was a small lion diving down to get her.
        A few moments later, peacefulness came over her.  Her body relaxed, net feeling the pain she expected from the lack of air.  Darkness appeared to settle in...

        Shariene raced through the trees.  He knew that he had to get help.  He should have alerted the knights when Maria rode off to help Geoffrey.  Yet, he had followed her.  He soon got to the knights.
        "Sir Peter!  King Alexander!"  He quickly explained what had happened.  "I tried to help her!  But I failed!"
        Quickly, several of the knights were on horses and were riding in the direction of the lake.  When they reached the lake, the knights saw the centaur carrying a limp body of a knight out of the water.
        The knights drew their swords and rushed at the centaur, who had laid the body on the ground.  It rushed off.
        "Halt," said Sir Peter.  "It is not worth losing any more knights.  The centaur would have led us straight to Melisande."
        "It is a good thing we got here in time.  Maria's body would have been taken to Melisande and been made into one of those Death Bearers."
        Sir Peter walked up to Maria and cut the rope that bound her hands.
        "It is a shame that she had to go like this."
        "Sir," said a voice from behind them.  It was Geoffrey, struggling to stay standing with his wounds.  "I have been a prisoner of Melisande and the Death Bearer, curse them both, ever since I was wounded.  They had been trying to make me a traitor, to tell them how they could capture you.  Since I refused to cooperate, they tried to kill me.  Maria tried to help me, but was caught.  I tried to help, but was badly wounded.  I saw them riding towards the lake with Maria across the backs of one of the horses.  Knowing what their intentions were, I followed as best as I could.  I just arrived here."  Geoffrey walked over to Maria.  When he was her lying still on the ground, he knelt down.  He ran his hand through her wet hair and began crying.  This was shocking to many knights, because Geoffrey was a man who rarely expressed any emotion.  Weeping, he said, "Maria, when I recover from my wounds, I shall avenge you."
        "Geoffrey, you are not the only one who is going to avenge Maria," said Michael.  "Her life cannot be restored.  However, we can fight the enemy and kill as many as we can."
        A small sparrow started flying above the knights, singing cheerfully.
        "Damn!" said Geoffrey.  "How can that bird be so happy?  There is nothing to be cheerful about now that brave Maria is dead."
        "Wrong," said the sparrow, settling down on a branch.  "Brave Maria lives on."
        "Who are you to know this?"
        "I am Bellerophon, you ruler."
        "A small bird like you, a powerful leader?"
        "Remember I can take any form I want.  Behold!"  The sparrow disappeared and a hawk took its place.
        Geoffrey fell to his knees.  "It is indeed you," he said bowing to the ground.  "Forgive me."
        "Arise, brave Geoffrey.  You are forgiven.  You wounds will heal.  As for the girl, she gave up her life in order to save you.  She has done a very brave act.  Her life will be restored.  Look at her know.  She is sleeping.  She will wake up shortly."
        "Will she remember what had happened to her?"
        "She will remember.  However, she will not be upset.  She felt no pain.  Melisande will surely have a surprise when she meets Maria again."
        "I owe Maria my life.  When she is ever in trouble, I shall be there to help her."
        "Go back.  I will be there soon.  We will discuss strategies of any future battles."
        Bellerophon flew off.  The knights went to Maria and put her across the back of one of the horses.  Then they rode off back to the camp.  They did not notice the centaur following them along the edge of the forest.