Knight in shining armor… Or rags?

I tilted my head and yawned as I looked at the two black horses with the brave knights heading towards each other. This is the part I hate. One of the knights rammed a heavy looking stick right into the other mans chest. The other man fell off his horse groaning with a thump as his squire came to check if he was alright.

I secretly had hoped for the man who had won to actually loose. I watched as the winner revealed his face to my father, the king. We all knew who he was but it was custom for the winner of the jousting games to removed their helmet when receiving their award.

Shiny black hair and coal black eyes revealed it self after the shiny helmet had been removed.

I shifted a little after seeing the strong features of his face. A few women in the crowd were looking at him with dazed eyes. I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily and annoyed. My mother who was sitting gracefully beside me touched my hand.

“Annabelle, he will make a wonderful husband for you” She said in a light tone.

“I shant marry him” I told her only to receive a “You can’t rule the kingdom by yourself” speech. You see, I am the eldest daughter, and my brother died when he was young and therefore cannot be the heir to the thrown. I am cursed to be the one of who the thrown will go to.

Of course since I am only a women both my father and mother think it is for the good of England for to marry a strong man to, as they put , help me manage the country.

“They mean to rule it themselves and for me to bear the next heir” I muttered under my breath. I watched as my father handed Martin the first prize which was a decent sized golden statue of a horse.

“Tonight” My father spoke to the crowd “We will have a feast and I expect all those invited to be there and bring gifts.”

He sat back down and dismissed the crowd.

My mother tightened the corset she had gotten me from a traveling merchant who had promised it would give me a beautiful bust and waist.

“He is announcing tonight to the court who will be wedding me is he not?” I asked my mother as the hair dresser now combed my hair and styled it to my mothers liking.

“Yes” She said simply as she told the hair dresser that one of my curls were not matched with the other.

“Honestly mother, do you not care?” I tried to keep my calm, but as my mother had said before, I have the personality of my father. I sometimes found it hard to believe that stubborn man who also claimed to be the vassal of god was my father. Or that I acted anything like him.

“I do, but there is nothing I can do. You know very well that I have no say in these things.”

She always says that. She always says that she has no say in this or that or anything. The thing is, queens have no say in absolutely anything in the kingdom. All they do is look nice in their crown and silky clothes and bear the kings children.

Unless the king himself allowed her to voice her opinion in anything would the queen have any power. My father did not let my mother voice her opinion however. They got married because their parents arranged it to be so. Sometimes I don’t think my parents even love each other.

That is why I think my life is cursed. Not only am I being forced to marry and man who probably has no respect for me and doesn’t love me, but when I am older, I shall be another queen sitting in the shadows of her king.

A house serf came in the door and announced that we had to take our seats for the feast was about to begin. The serf was an elder women who had been here all her life. A serf came with the land your lord gave you. They could not be sold so they were not classified as slaves. They could not ,however, leave the place where they worked. We had gotten this one because of a man who went to fight in the crusades had died. All land that was owned by a man who died at war goes to the king.

We went to the main hall where the dinners, feasts and parties were held. I took my seat beside my father and my mother sat beside him on the other side. I was getting very parched and looked over at my father wine cup.

I grabbed it and took a sip, for it was only good manners to share your drink with the person beside you.

My father lifted his hand not noticing that I had taken a drink before he had, and the crowd stood still while watching him. My father gave a small speech and announced what I had dreaded this whole time. I was to be married to Sir Martin.

Martin came and sat beside me with a smug look on face. He looked over at me and winked.

My father served us the food with his bare hands and we all began when he told us we could. The guests danced to the soft music in order to entertain us. They all danced in harmonious unison. Being distracted by the beautiful dancing I did not notice that Martin had put his hand upon mine. Instinctively I pulled it away and I saw that there was a bit of anger in his eyes.

I could not stand to be with him any longer so I asked my father to be excused and he nodded, for when a lady asked to be excused it was good manners to say yes.

I got up rather angrily and walked out the main hall. I walked quickly almost running out side to the backyard. I smiled and nodded at the guards who kindly let me outside.

A hand grabbed my wrists and I saw that it was Martin.

“Kindly remove your hand from mine” I pulled it away stubbornly but could not escape his iron grasp.

“You need to start acting more like a woman. I will not stand for your stubbornness.” His grasp got tighter and I tried pulling away.

“I’ll have your head for this, I’m going to tell my father” I hissed. His he moved his black hair from his face with a nudge from his head “Your father loves me as a son” he stated.

I scratched him with my loose hand and he lifted his hand as though to hit me, but a voice soon stopped him.

“Didn’t your mother teach never to hit a lady?” the voice came from the shadows. It wasn’t a low husky voice but a smooth warm one.

Martin let go of my hand while looking at the man standing in the shadows. He could not be seen. Martin grumbled and went back inside, for he knew that being a knight meant he had to follow a set of rules called chivalry. The chivalry mentioned that you need to act a certain way around women and he was certainly not doing so.

I looked over to the shadow and demanded whoever this was to come out a reveal themselves.

A tall slender man about my age with sandy messy hair stepped out. He wore a straw hat and cotton white long sleeve shirt which was full of dirt and a leather smock equally as dirty over it. His pants were torn and his leather shoes were almost worn out. By his clothes I could see he was a commoner.

Peasants were not supposed to be in the castle. How this one ever got in and not caught was beyond me. If he did get caught he would certainly be charged with treason against the king and thrown to jail to await his death the next day.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” I demanded “You are not supposed to be here, how did you get in?”.

The man smiled unexpectedly “I can not tell you how I got in. Tis my secrete.”

He stepped closer and I stepped back alarmed.

“Please leave or I shall forced to call the guards” I threatened but to my surprised he grinned and took his hat off.

“My name is Prince” He said taking my hand and kissing it. I pulled it away. “Odd… You don’t look like one” I said.

“What does one look like?” He asked innocently. I didn’t bother to answer him. He gave a small laugh and calmly asked “What is your name?”.

I was disgusted at this. How could a mere peasant ask me, his future queen what my name was. Not many people knew who their princess was only who the king and his lady were. Commoners did not know much of anything actually, they were known to be stupid a illiterate.

“I care not for commoners, and I will not tell you my name, Now leave before I call the guards.” The truth was, any other peasant and I would have already called the guards, but there was something about this one that I just couldn’t put my finger on.

He did not move though, he just stood there and looked at me.

“You seem familiar to me somehow” He said looking at me as if he were inspecting my face.

“Of course I do” I looked at him feeling uncomfortable with his eyes on me. “I am Princess Annabelle” I said proudly yet at that moment it sounded odd coming out of my mouth for some odd reason.

“Princess…” He whispered softly but loudly enough so I could hear him. “I did not know “.

After a short state of amazement Prince grinned and sat down at a nearby fountain which was there for decoration. I told him he had no authority to sit there and that he had to leave this minute or else.

“You are not going to call the guards on me” He said awfully sure of himself. “I certainly will” I exclaimed angrily.

“You would have done it already “ He smirked at me. I was very surprised that he was so brave. After finding out that I was the princess surely he would have more respect then that.

“I care NOT for ignorant peasants” the time the words came out I wished I had not said them. The look on his face showed that he was hurt. He stood slowly “Ok… I’ll...go” His eyes looked away and I don’t know what got over me or why I did what I did next, but I put my hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry” I said “It’s just that my parents..” I sighed and sat down on the fountain where he was sitting before. He sat down next to me and listened as I told him, a total stranger about how my parents were making me marry that horrid man Martin.

“I hate my life.. It is cursed” I clenched my fist who were on my lap. “You don’t know how well you’ve got it” He said as if talking to himself more so then me.

“My family is poor.” He started “We eat bread and water. We have to pay high taxes to the king who--” He stopped and looked at me as if realizing who he was talking to.

“Its alright” I said “Go on”

“Well.. My house is made of cement wood and straw. In the fields my family and I work all day and night” He looked at me once more and apologized ” Sorry, I don’t usually tell total strangers how I feel”.

“It is alright” I smiled warmly. I couldn’t believe I was acting like this, I promised myself I would never be like this to anyone. The minute one starts to be nice, they get eaten alive. I had to be strong, but there was just something about him.

“Why don’t you leave?” I asked

“There is no where to go” He said simply. We talked a while longer before I had to go inside before they sent our the whole country looking for me.

We promised to meet again for we both enjoyed talking to each other. We met for a couple of weeks.

One day when I was leaving I ran into Martin who had been waiting there for me at my room.

“What are you doing in my room?” I asked him as he stood from sitting on my bed.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to” He walked closer to me and I just stood there looking at him. Did he really know I was secretly seeing Prince?

“I’ve seen you outside with that peasant boy” He said coldly while his hand touched my hair trailing his fingered through a strand.

“Don’t tell my father” I asked pleadingly. “I will not” He said almost caringly, but I knew there had to be more to it then that.

“But..” I knew it “I forbid you to see him. If you do I will be forced to throw him in the dungeon and persecute him”

I pulled away and turned my head to the side. “Go.. “ I ordered and he did so.

The next day I waiting for Prince as it was our last meeting. I would tell him tonight that I could not see him again. It would break my heart, but I had to.

When I saw him my heart sank as his mouth grew to a smile when his eyes met mine.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him into a dark corner where we could not be seen. I couldn’t let Martin see us.

“Woe…Annabelle” He said confused “What are you…oh I see” He said grinning. I couldn’t help but give a small laugh. “Don’t joke. This is serious”.

“I can’t see you anymore” I started “Martin has found out and he has threatened to throw you in the dungeon.”

Prince shook his head, “No… No you cant leave I--” He stopped and looked down.

“I love you” He said. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes and I looked away.

He began again “I know you are going to get married to Martin… and that a beautiful princess such as you would never love a mere commoner like me but--”

I stopped him “It’s not true, its for your own protection. I cant see you again and that’s it” I forced myself to be strong.

“Come with me. We’ll run away.” He said desperately.

“You said there is nowhere to go” I told him.

“ I will find somewhere just for you”

I’d like to say that I agreed and went with him that night. That we ran away and found another place to live never to mention my kingdom again. It was not like that at all though. That night I left him and told him never to return, and that I would not go with him. It’s not that I didn’t care, but I was a princess and I had a duty to be a good one.

Prince did not return like he promise, and we only met in our dreams. Life as a princess was not a fairy tale. So I did marry a knight in shining armor. But I didn’t live happily ever after.