The Knight's Deception

Chapter 10

"Still eager to be a knight?” Liam smirked.

Lily didn’t even have the strength to glare at him as she fought to catch her breath. Liam had sent Xan to rouse her just before dawn for the unplanned training session, and the sun was just now beginning to set. She had her fair share of aches and pains, but she had not let him break her down. She knew she was meant to be a knight despite the motives that had made her one.

The icy training grounds were empty save for the two of them, and her blistered hands clenched on her knees as he walked towards her. Her sword laid on the ground beside her, but the thought of picking it up again filled her with dread. He kept his sword in his hand but showed no signs of wanting to continue the one-on-one training. It irritated her that he wasn’t a bit out of breath despite his own blistered hands and bruised fingers. This close, Lily could see the two swollen knuckles she had “accidentally” hit with the flat end of her sword after a particularly annoying comment on his part.

"I didn’t come this far to just give up.”

"Why did you come here?”

She straightened up but wouldn’t meet his eyes. “To be a knight.”

"There must be more to it than that.” He insisted. “Honor? Pride?”

She glanced over at him. She could tell him everything from her mother’s execution to her brother’s use of Dark Magic, but that would mean also telling him of her magic and her own royal blood. Why couldn’t she just walk away? It would be so easy. She could return to that everyday life she had once been so accustomed to--the boring life of a princess--and never have to deal with any of the frustrations of being a knight or somebody’s savior ever again. Sure, there would be consequences--there always were--but it wouldn’t matter to her. It shouldn’t matter to her.

It was idle superstition to believe that all seven kingdoms would fall after Mercuri. They had survived the destruction of the eighth kingdom, after all. But, she was too involved. The mere thought of the man before her dying--by her brother’s hand, no less--sent a sharp pang shooting through her. If he had never stopped her from running to her burning mother, perhaps she would feel better about leaving. Or perhaps not. She simply didn’t know anymore.

"I wanted to.” She finally replied. “It’s not any more complicated than that.”

"Seems like an odd thing for a woman to want.”

Lily glared at him before picking at a forming blister on her hand. The pink scar decorating the top of her hand stood out too well in the snowy air, the stitches having fallen out a mere two days before, and she caught Liam stealing glances at it. They both should have been wearing gloves, and she cursed herself for having forgotten hers. They had not worn their chainmail either, Liam claiming it wouldn’t be necessary despite his usual insistence on how all knights should wear their chainmail during training.

"Not all women want to be princesses.”

"No, I suppose they don’t.” He looked at her, curiosity brightening his eyes. “What’s your real name then?”

Lily hesitated. If she told him, there was a chance he would recognize her, a chance he would discover who she really was. Then again, she doubted Daimon ever spoke of Railark’s royal family. She wondered if they even knew the names of her and her siblings. Taking the chance, she said, “it’s Lily, and before you ask, no, Lord Selkrit is not my father.”

Liam sighed. “Are you at least of noble birth?”

"Of course I am!”

"I’m surprised.”