A Death Knight's Tale (revised)

A death knight tells his story to a visiting bard.

I watched from the shadows as the bard ate his dinner and only made my presence known when he had finished.  As his eyes fell on me I could taste his fear of what I am.  I suppress the urge to chuckle knowing that it would have unnerved this simple entertainer even more.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice failed him.  He hastily grabbed his wine glass and gulped its contents down.  His voice was unsteady as he spoke, “Sir Knight I would pay for my dinner and bed with a story if it would please you.”

I chuckle softly and saw him cringe from the sound of it which even to my ears sounded like it echoed from the far side of death.  I took a wine glass and filled it before sitting myself across from him at the table.  “I would tell you my story Master bard so that you can carry it to distant lands with you.  But be warned I am no bard and I never had much use for the ability to turn a phrase, so you must excuse the crudeness of what I am about to convey.”

He bowed his head; he knew what I was and feared me rightly so.  “I would be honored to hear your tale Sir Knight and would be greatly honored to spread it on my journeys.”

I sat back and considered how to start.  I had never told another my story and thou many knew parts of it; none know it completely besides myself.

Love… Hate… two sides of the same coin.  It is so easy to change love into hate but it is nearly impossible to change hate into love.  Before you start asking what can a death knight know of love, being a creature solely of hate, let me explain that I was once human and knew a great love that is what made me what I am today.

 

Let me start at the beginning, I was left on the doorstep of the Church and the priest took me in.  My earliest and happiest memories are of worshiping in the temple.  As I grow I was giving other duties and soon my duties took me around the holy knights, the warriors of the Church.  When I saw them I knew they were what I wanted to be when I grow up.  I worked hard and did become a knight and in time I was considered 1 of the greatest.

 

I was a knight of some renown when I was ordered to escort the Lady Cinnia to the capital from her estates.  Normally a knight of even my modest standing wouldn’t be giving this assignment, but she was married to the King’s nephew and said to be a favorite of the King himself.  My eyes first fell on her as I rode into the court yard.  The greatest artiest could never hope to match her beauty and I was in love with that first look.

 

Now I was not only a knight, but a holy knight which meant I shouldn’t be lusting for another man’s wife.  Besides that I was a lowly orphan and she was royalty married to royalty I could never court her even if she wasn’t married.  I prayed for a way to remove these lustful thoughts from my mind and this unholy desire from my soul.

 

I got no relief and as we traveled to the capital I came to know Lady Cinnia and love her even more.  She was like nobody I ever knew before, she wanted to know about me also which was something I hadn’t expected.  When we reached the capital she tried to me invite to her house for dinner, but I told I couldn’t.  She actually had her husband contact my commander who ordered me to attend that dinner.   I meet her husband at dinner and I liked him, but I couldn’t get his wife out of my head or heart.

 

We three became good friends and even thou I didn’t look for it their friendship propelled me up through the ranks of the knights.  We would spend hours together talking about anything that toke our fancy from politics to religion to the last plays being put on around the capital.  A few of her comments were heresy and when her husband called her on it she just laughed and said I would never turn her in which is the truth. 

 

It was me that she turned to for comfort when her husband died, but my lustful heart wouldn’t allow me to feel regret for the loss of a good friend.  She was widowed which meant that she need not concern herself with rank and station in her next marriage, I could win her heart and make her my wife.  I spent all my free time with her slowly trying to get her to see me as more than a friend.

 

I was in the capital for just 1 day and I decided to drop by to see her.  I climb the garden wall like I had done in the past and dropped into the garden hoping to find her reading, but instead I found her in an embrace with her handmaiden that was completely unnatural.  I was shocked and stunned, my love, the one woman that I was completely devoted to was a....  I couldn’t even think it as I quickly and quietly made my escape before they noticed me.

 

I fought a terrible battle over what I should do until finally I confronted her with my knowledge.  She didn’t deny it or even attempt to plead she just asked as if she already knew the answer will you be reporting me.  I fled with my heart aching for her; I left the capital for the border and throw myself it to the battles and wars that came our way.

 

Time passed and the wars were fought and enemies were vanquished.  We were on the eve of ridding this realm of the Demon Queen herself when I received what I was praying for and dreading all those years, a message from Lady Cinnia begging for my help.  She had been found out and even thou she had help her lover escape she was taking.  She had hoped that her station, family and standing with the King would protect her, but they were used against her.  She was to stand trial for witchcraft, and she knew that she would be found guilty.  She begged me to save her anyway I could.

 

I knew my army didn’t stand a chance without me in charge, but I rode from the camp that night with only 1 thought in my head.  She would be my wife after I saved her.  My rank and my gold got me to the deepest part of the dungeon where she was being held.  When I drew my sword the guard tried to stop me and I slew him.  I shattered her chains and lead her from that dark dank place.  I killed many a good man that night but I didn’t care right then.  She would be my wife soon was all I could think.  We reached the gate and her handmaiden and lover awaited her with a carriage.  I begged to go with them but she laughed and leaped aboard the carriage as the maiden whipped the horse into a gallop.  I could have ridden them down and killed her, but I my heart was broken and all I wanted to do was die.

 

I rode back towards my army hoping to reach the battle before it was over and to die with a little honor.  That even was stolen from me, my army was beaten soundly and I meet my men as they fled towards the capital.  Instead of turning and running I continued on hoping to slay the Demon Queen and regain what I had lost.  My body was pierced by a dozen arrows before I even got within sight of her and it was only after my death that I meet her.

 

She had heard of me and wish for me to lead her armies.  I was dead and damned but my loyalty wasn’t completely gone yet and I refused.  She laughed and had two women brought forth that were captured fleeing the capital and offered to give them to me as my pets it I would serve her.  That is how in the end I came to possess Lady Cinnia and her handmaiden.

 

I sat back n sipped my wine letting the bard absorb my story, but the silence as broken by the scream of my pets.  I rose and chuckles softly, “My pets have awoken so I must go play with them.  I hope you enjoyed my story and have a restful night.”

 

I turned as I reached the doorway and took one final look at the bard.  I knew he would flee this place come first light, that didn’t make my dead lifeless heart ache with regret; it was the fact that he someday may find love and happiness.  I would never know these things because I had sold my soul and honor for the enjoyment of punishing a woman for being herself.

 

The bard was hours gone the next day when a wagon left my castle.  It wasn’t as grand as the carriage she once rode in but Lady Cinnia and her handmaiden didn’t care.  I had freed them and sent them away with enough gold and guards to see them to where ever they wished to go.

 

I stood on the ramparts watching the wagon make its way down the road.  I had decided last night that I may never know love or happiness, but I would do all I could to win my soul back.  I had nothing to lose and so much to gain; my greatest hope was that someday I would meet that simple bard again and tell him the next chapter in my story.