The Knight Project

Well . . . Shit . . .

It was days like this that made me wish I could fly, when the clouds hung high in the sky, all round and fluffy, looking like giant cotton balls suspended in the aether. I knew they were just water vapor, that any contact would just pass right through, but when the light would accentuate the rolling edges as though they had some physical presence, I could let my imagination run away with me. I imagined it would feel like walking on a pile of thick, downey pillows, or maybe a solid surface with the consistency of a mattress and a layer of soft fuzz coating its surface. Would it be springy or bouncey? Or would it draw you in and wrap around you like the softest blanket? In any case, I was certain that the view would be the very best part. A fairy tale world high above the cold reality below.

"Ms. Walker, if you could please join us back on earth?" Mr. Watt, my history teacher, waved a hand in front of my face, drawing my attention back through the window and re-focusing it on my surroundings. The other kids snickered, but Mr. Watt smiled gently at me. I sank further down into my chair, hiding my face with my hair as embarrassment curled in my stomach like a greased eel. "If you wouldn't mind, could you please tell me why the line 'chivalry isn't dead' is so historically inaccurate?"

"Because the Chivalric Code was about honor and respect in battle, not manners and polite behavior," I mumbled, shaking at the thought of all the eyes on me. Mr. Watt gave me a sympathetic smile as he nodded.

"Very good. Now! Who can tell me the core principles of the Chivalric Code?" He turned to the rest of the class. I twisted the hem of my uniform skirt between my fingers, trying to stop shaking, to put the embarrassment I was feeling out of my mind and focus on anything else. A couple of hands went up, but not many. "Mr. Blankenship," Mr. Watt pointed to a kid in the front row.

"The Chivalric Code eventually developed from an ideal into a fully realized list of duties and virtues such as charity, faith, loyalty, and justice."

"Very good, Blankenship," Mr. Watt beamed almost as brightly as Blankenship did. I heard a low snort from the back of the room.

"Barf'n Shit," the voice was so low, it was barely intelligible from my seat. The half of the class that did hear it clearly seemed to find it absolutely hilarious. I saw Blankenship - I think his name was Gavin - flinch at the sound, then straighten, sitting stiffly in his chair as he tried to shake it off. I scowled as Mr. Watt did his best to shush the class and get everyone back on track.

"Thank you, Mr. Morton! That'll be enough of that. And since you have so much to say, perhaps you can tell me what a knight's most important duty was?"

"Satisfy the wenches," that voice I knew. He shouted enough in the corridors and dining hall for me to recognize it. Wiley Morton may not be the most popular, but his notoriety certainly didn't hurt his reputation. There was another round of sniggers that rippled through the class.

"While your view of the world is, no doubt, more colorful than reality, you are incorrect, Mr. Morton. The most important duty was to serve his lord . . ." Chalk clacked against the blackboard, the only blackboard in the school. Rumor was, Mr. Watt had fought hard to keep it. "Serve his lord, ladies and gentlemen. Such was the feudal system. Knights were only as rich and powerful as the lord they served, their lands and wealth actually belonged to their lord - their lord usually being the king. The knight's lifestyle, their income, their societal standing - all depended on the whim of the king. That, plus patriotism - or whatever you want to call it - ends up being a pretty good reason to swear loyalty and follow orders, huh?" Mr. Watt turned to glance at the clock. "And that's all for today's class! Remember to read up on feudalism and the knight's role in medieval society. If you're very smart, you'll start saving sources now. Next week we get to start on the group project - worth thirty percent of your grade!"