A Legend Changes

Chapter I: Mixed Emotions

A Legend Changes

This story is based wholly upon the Arthurian Legend. It is a work in progress and so there maybe errors within the text. I hope those who know this legend well will understand that there are many versions of it, and therefore many variations of what happens throughout the tellings. 

Please read and leave comments, they will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Please bear in mind that this story involves the magic of speaking telepathically and unfortunately this site does not allow for italics, underlining or font change, so I would be very grateful if you could try to understand where certain spoken parts are not in speech marks and that they are meant to be in italics. It would be very much appreciated.

Chapter One: Mixed Emotions

   I always wondered why my life is as it is, but no one will ever know the life I’ve led. Somehow, I’ve always been different, always more than what was expected of me or something other than. Though I never knew that my life was about to be changed completely.

   As the chiming of metal on metal ringed in my ears and the whoosh of the arrows as they flew through the air until they hit their target, I watched my closest friends practice their fighting. Like them, I also had a sword, two and a half feet long, light-weight, yet powerful enough to cut through armour, skin and bone. It had an elaborate Celtic design around the handle; at the end of the pommel was a beautiful shining stone of aquamarine sapphire (my favourite colour). Along the flats of the blade was a central groove, this made the light shine off at odd angles and allowed my enemy to be blinded by the intense brightness. I also had a bow, made of ash and horse hair with very fined recurve tips.

   Unlike my friends I am a girl. Not just any girl, I am a knight just like them but I am also (unfortunately) the princess. Now, you’re probably wondering why I have this title in this day and age, and to be honest I don’t really know myself, but I am very good at it and I have beaten all of the others but one. That one happens to be Sir Tristan, my cousin and closest friend. We have known each other since birth and we always used to play knights when we were younger (with wooden sticks that is). I can’t recall any memory of me beating him; well, he is the best out of us all (except my father, maybe). He’s not just the best at armed combat, you should see him at archery; now that takes a lot of guts to try and beat.

   I don’t know how long I stood there staring, unaware of the happenings around me, I was too busy thinking. You could say I was far away, and I was. I was in a world of my own. At least I was until something small, sharp and shiny came buzzing towards my head. I came out of my subconscious state and quickly ducked down to the ground, as a dagger came spinning at me from one of the knights. A dull thud sounded, as the pointed tip hit the vertical wooden beam I was leant against just a second before. I stood up, yanked the dagger out and threw back towards its original point. This happened to be the spot where Sir Gawain was. He usually did things like that to me just to see my reaction. As my thrown projectile traced its path to him he stepped aside and laughed as it fell to the hard earth behind him. I rolled my eyes.

   ‘Wake up, Elara. I could’ve killed you. Best pay attention from now on,’ he said in a husky voice.

   ‘I’ll get you one day, and then you’ll regret doing that to me,’ I replied harshly.

   ‘You know I don’t mean anything by it. Anyway, you’re too quick for it to hit you.’

   ‘Mmph.’