thought-provoking-safe-space

The courtyard was noiser than usual for your adequate sized castle. Your dad, the king, had to deal with rumors making their way, even reaching to other kingdoms. To be frank, your father was impoverished.

Resources were cutting short. The people tried their best but crops were growing harder and harder to maintain. The soil was drying out, land rotten. In distress, your father lowered the taxes for the peasants and serfs, resulting in his circumstances turning beggarly. He couldn't pay your workers what he used to, having to shorten his expenses. And even if he paid them with land, they wanted nothing to do with it as it was slowly dying, overfilling with bugs and other pests. You could not get behind what was causing all this atrocity and had nothing left to do other than watch the once so promising knights leave the kingdom behind. The crown they fought for was long forgotten, as higher offers from enemies’ kingdoms clouded their senses. It was odd, the sudden change you mean. Knights were supposedly bound to their kingdom, known for their loyalty. The shortage in staff was making the kingdom appear weaker in front of your enemy's eyes, thus an inaguration for knights, aspiring as well as expertise, was held.

Your dad was among the kind kings, which, to no surprise, was a short percentage of kings. He could tell the kingdom was dealing with struggles beyond his control and wanted to help his people out by showing mercy. But he soon would be known as the father of the poverty-stricken kingdom.

He deserved the best of protection by knights that are willing to give it, no matter the circumstances.

Not everyone could be a knight. Knights were enduring, brave and mighty. If it weren’t for them, a kingdom would be fragile and constantly teared down by the enemy.

It was hard to see anything from your balcony as the armor of the knights reflected a white light from the sun. You glared down, squinting your eyes and tried looking at all the new knights coming through the gate, varying from smaller frames to bigger ones. Also differing from the way they walked and held themselves.

You were getting bored by hearing all the noble officers and menial servants talk about today as if it were the Second Coming, saving the kingdom in times of war, sin, and far beyond. You could roll your eyes just thinking about it. How would some new knights be of help when it comes to plague, pestering animals and somehow ever sickening land?

It was concerning you a lot more than you let yourself know. You bit at the dead skin on your lower lip, nibbling it. It was a habit you should say your farewells to but simply couldn’t.

Your thoughts were interrupted by a new knight entering through the gate. You were immediately surprised by the way he held himself. He wasn’t of a promising height but still managed to appear of great strength. His armor was different than the other ones. It looked more worn and as if a person with a decade of experience wore it. A dark red symbol plastered on the slightly rusted steel.

You always found knights to be boring and quite simply…simple. It was the mass that made knights feared. A single knight couldn’t have that much power, could he?

He moved with a certainty and in such a gentlemanly manner it made you stand upright. Not lounging over your balcony anymore but wanting to appear lady like, in return.

And just as he should’ve followed the script like the other knights before him, disappearing into the castle underneath you, he caught you by surprise.

His visor was carelessly up, showing a glimmer of his face. He looked up at you. Not stopping in his tracks, not once blinking or even faltering.

You on the other hand behaved the complete opposite. Your breath caught in your throat at his sudden move. Your eyes widened and chest heaved slightly.

How did he notice you when the other knights blatantly ignored your presence and…how did he have such breathtaking eyes. Pretty beyond the prettiest poems you heard. Those eyes alone were the poem. Poetic in a sense that you know you would get lost writing about them. You would probably rush to fit every word into it and would end up writing a mess.

Even from afar, you were sure of the fact that his eyes were pretty are the prettiest you have ever seen in your yet short life line.

As his eyes parted away from yours you caught yourself wanting him to notice you more. He must! After all you’re the princess he ought to protect.

You hurriedly made your way down. You should’ve been greeting the newly recruited knights a long time ago but didn’t feel like dealing with it..that was until now.

You picked up parts of your gown so you could be fast without the fear of tripping on the long fabric of the skirt.

Down the narrow round staircase and into the main hall. You flattened your skirt down and switched to walking more decently.

Scanning the room, it didn’t take you long to find him. To your surprise his visor was down again. What a tragedy.

Breathing in once more you made your way over to him. And once you stood in front of your target, his demeanor changed. He bowed down to you and for some odd reason you couldn’t stop your cheeks from stinging. He was acting very formal

“Pleasure making aquaintance. I hope your way was a short one?” you could slap yourself for rushing into this.