The Everlands Chronicles: The Truth

by A. J. Bell

  The signal was given, and it was time to fight, but Edd wouldn’t move. When I came close to him, he stepped back. Every attempt I made to get close made him take one more step back. I was confused, and so was the crowd, who started to boo at us. I was confused by his reaction. I looked at Sir Richard for an answer. He called me back to where he was standing.

  “Why is he not fighting me?” I asked, frustrated.

  “Your breastplate belongs to the Prince. They can see he has favored you already, so there’s no point in fighting you.”

  I felt betrayed, understanding the reason why Victor insisted on me wearing his armor. “I’ll make him pay for this,” I muttered.

  Edd was going back to his bench, defeated even without a fight.

  “Hey! Come and fight!” I taunted Edd as I started to take my armor off. The Prince stood up in protest, but I ignored him. “Fight!” I yelled again, but to my dismay, he decided to sit it out. I passed on to the next round without a scratch, because Edd didn’t even try to fight me. When the next duelers entered the jousting arena and positioned themselves, I sat next to Sir Richard to witness the fight.

  “Why did he do it?” I whispered.

  “He definitely wants you to win without being harmed.” Sir Richard didn’t sound pleased either.

  “Is this how it is going to be the entire time? No one will fight with me because I wore his armor today?” I asked begrudgingly. There would be four more encounters before I got another turn, when the second round of duels started.

  We watched how Sir Gabriel’s squire named Thomas defeated Sir Michael’s squire named Adam. In the next match, Sir Kevin’s squire, Scott, easily conquered Sir Brian’s noble squire, James. Then Shane, Sir Daniel’s squire, almost made Sir Anthony’s squire named Roger eat dirt, which I truly didn’t mind, since he wasn’t very likeable. The last ones to fight were Sir Eric’s squire, Jacob, and Sir Nicholas’s squire, Zachary. Jacob finally overcame a tired Zack after almost two hours of battling. Just watching them was exhausting.

  When the second round began, I was again first in the jousting arena. This time, I wore no armor. The rules said that we were allowed to use it, not that we were required to wear it. My adversary in this round was Thomas who, the moment he stepped into the arena, lowered his sword in defeat.

  Immediately, the audience began to boo at us. Some of them even dared to throw food at us. What a waste! It only infuriated me more when a pineapple crown hit me on the forehead and I started to bleed.

  Prince Victor stood up and sent his guard to re-establish peace among the spectators. Mother then came with a wet towel and washed my face quickly. I followed Mother to the bench very disappointed, another fight forfeited because he feared the consequences if he lifted his sword against me. I decided not to stay and watch. My next fight wouldn’t be until the morning, but I doubted it would happen. The way the tournament was going, I would win the competition without breaking a sweat.

  I went back to our tent, washed up, and waited for everybody else for supper. No cheerful talk was made during the meal. It was fairly early when all the duels ended, and we all decided that we needed to rest, so it was time to go to bed. I started to think about my competition after the second round. The winners were Edd, Shane, Roger, Jacob and me. Adam, James, and Zack could be disqualified from the tournament if they lost one more fight; Shane, Jacob and I were guaranteed a place in the final duels if we won one more.

  Sir Daniel arrived as I was about to lie down to sleep. “His Majesty wants to see John,” he said to Sir Richard.

  “His Majesty is waiting for you,” said Richard to me, sounding annoyed.

  Annoyed as well, I got dressed again and went to see him. When I arrived, Prince Victor’s maids had a bath prepared for me, as he normally had them do whenever I stayed in the palace. I stood by the door.

  “Did you summon me, Your Highness?” I said, bowing to the floor. He walked up to me and closed the door behind me.

  “I have told you not to do that, do not bow to me,” he said.

  “With all due respect, Your Highness, your credibility with me has proven weak. At this point, I don’t know what to believe of any of the things that you have told me since we met,” I said angrily. He kept silent for a second, but then hugged me. “You tricked me,” I said, resisting. “You knew they wouldn’t fight me if I wore your armor–”

  “I am sorry,” he said. “It was foolish of me, and I have regretted it all day long. I will make things right tomorrow. Will you forgive me?” he said.

  I stood there, motionless. “Not until I see that you are telling me the truth this time around,” I said to him.

  He smiled in assurance. “Will you stay tonight?” he said, motioning with his head towards the bath.

  “Do I have a choice?”

  He seemed hurt at my reply, but answered calmly. “What is your choice, Elle?”

  “I chose to go to my parents. Goodnight, Your Highness.” I bowed one more time and then left him standing next to his bath – alone.

  The next morning after breakfast, everyone gathered in the jousting arena. It was my turn again. Four of the squires wouldn’t make it to the next round if they had less than two winnings. Regardless of the outcome of the third round, Shane, Jacob and myself were already part of the fourth round, but there were three more squires who would fight each other to be able to battle with us.

  My turn came to fight Roger, Sir Anthony’s squire. He was enormous, and even though he had been defeated by Shane without any problem, he was still full of arrogance. Roger looked at his master who nodded back as if approving the fight. The announcer hadn’t even finished his sentence when Roger was already charging towards me at full speed, with all his strength channeled into the sword in his hands. I stepped aside and he fell to the ground. The crowd laughed in unison. I took Heaven and got into position. He did it again, charging at full speed, like a bull. Roger was huge – not just tall, but also broad – yet very fast and dangerous.

  On his next charge, he knew I would move to the side, so he slashed his sword immediately in my direction. I deflected his blow and stepped aside, causing him to hit the fence behind me, and he flew over it.

  “Fight like a man!” he yelled.

  That’s almost impossible, I thought, given the fact that I was a woman. He came back into the arena, so I got ready for his next blow. He launched again at me. This time, Heaven met his sword as he passed by, and unexpectedly, his sword went flying to the ground. It happened so fast that the crowd was quiet at first, trying to figure out what had happened, but then cheered wildly.

  I looked at Prince Victor, pleased at my accomplishment. It wasn’t a fight between two squires, but more a fight of a woman against a bull, where the woman grabbed the bull by the horns and defeated it. I even bowed for the crowd to make them act even crazier. I directed myself to our bench, when I heard my mother yell, “Watch out!”

  I turned just in time to dodge Roger’s strike. Obviously, the bull did not understand rules. Once the sword was out of his hands – the match was over.

  Roger started to go right then left, so I decided to give him what he was asking for, and I became the attacker. I came at him so fast that he didn’t even know how he ended up pinned against the fence, without his sword and with my blade pointing straight at his navel.

  “I think it is time for you to give up,” I said.

  He nodded rapidly. It was a shame to see such a big man as scared as he was. I lowered my sword and waited for him to go to his bench before I turned around to sit myself.

  The other fights proceeded, and then we all took a few hours’ break. Everyone was happy back in the tent, including me. Prince Victor decided to enjoy the good mood and stopped by the tent to see me.

  “You did very well,” he said.

  “Thank you, Your Highness,” I said as content as I could say it, to show him that I had forgiven him.

  “I guess I will be seeing you again tonight,” he added. I nodded.
“Richard, I need to talk to you for a minute.” Sir Richard walked out with His Majesty, and came back into the tent after an hour or so. He looked concerned, but said nothing.

  “What’s wrong, My Lord?” I asked when Sir Richard came in.

  “I shall tell you later. Right now, we need to concentrate on you winning this tournament. I really think you have what it takes to win it,” he said, trying to show a smile on his troubled face as he spoke. “You sure taught Roger a lesson. His master knows now that nobody messes with my squire. Nobody!” Sir Richard said proudly!

  Later that afternoon, we went to the next set of duels – the last one before the final match when only two squires would fight and from which the winner would emerge.

  I battled against Edd, the scrawny little guy who forfeited the first fight we had together. He had managed to win every fight, minus the one with me. He was extremely fast and very strong. I had misjudged him on that, but just like Roger before him, he didn’t have a strategy. He just charged again and again. In the end, it cost him the victory when, after he charged me at full speed, I deflected his blow with Heaven, and then I quickly kicked his feet off the ground with a sweeping motion of my own feet. He hit the ground face forward, and I put my right foot on his back, at the same time that I raised Heaven high above my head in victory.

  Unlike Roger who had charged me again after he had officially lost the first time, Edd shook my hand. I liked him; he had the makings of a knight in that tiny little body. The other squires dueling in the third round were Shane and Jacob. Their fight was very intense; neither one gave way to the other. It was hours before Jacob finally stumbled. His loss of balance cost him the last spot in the final. Finally, after three long days and loads of both emotional and physical strain, Shane and I were the finalists. Sir Richard had been right; Shane was my number one threat.

  Before it was time to go into the jousting arena, Sir Richard tried to give me as many tips as he could, but once I was inside the fence, most of those tips were useless. From the moment the announcer finished his speech, the sword clashing between us began. Shane knew all of the movements Sir Richard was most proud of, and not only blocked the ones I used, but also used them against me. I later found out that Sir Daniel and Sir Richard had the same mentor; thus, they knew the same techniques.

  We continued for about twenty minutes monotonously. I decided to forgo the training I had received with Sir Richard and to follow my instincts. I ducked, and I jumped, and I attacked whenever I knew I needed to. I hit his sword more than once, and more than once I made his sword trace circles in the air in front of him and on the dirt below. Within minutes, what had seemed like a never-ending battle had ended with me spinning around and clashing his sword with Heaven’s wrath. His sword couldn’t stand the blow and crashed into pieces. With Heaven pointing at his chest, Shane let go of the hilt of his broken sword.

  “It was a good fight,” he said in short breaths. I felt a little guilty that his sword had crashed like a piece of Abilene glass. To apologize for the damage, I decided to eventually make him a new sword, made of Clouds – just like Heaven.

  All of the other squires came out and lifted me up on their shoulders, not the best feeling when a group of rowdy men are holding your female backside on their shoulders in celebration. They carried me until I reached the stands where Prince Victor was seated. He would be making the official announcement of the winner.

  “People of the Everlands,” he said while he put a necklace of flowers on me. “I give you The Best Squire Ever Born, Master John Giles of Stoneburg.” It was a great feeling to know I had succeeded when the odds were against me. Not only did I not have the training all of them had, but I was also a woman.

  The entire Royal City would be preparing for the festivities to come: the birthday celebration of Prince Victor and the recognition of the winner of the tournament – me. There was just one little problem. Prince Victor wanted me to be present at his party as Elle; yet, for the rest of the guests, I must show up as John to be honored during the ball. As was pre-decided, His Majesty and John must open the dance together with our respective companions, and that wasn’t going to happen. For one, I didn’t plan to dance with any woman, and His Majesty wouldn’t be dancing with me dressed as a man. It seemed that, one way or another, Elle and John both needed to be at the Royal Ball. Yet, if I got caught in this deception, things could get dangerously interesting.

  Mother, Father, Victor, and I came up with a plan that we hoped would work. We arrived at the palace with Sir Richard as planned. Father and I, as John, carried the finished armor of Clouds to His Majesty who sat on his throne, alone, but surrounded by half of the courtiers, all hoping to catch the Prince’s attentions. When Sir Richard uncovered his gift to Victor, there were “Ohhh’s” and “Ahhh’s” from those present. Father and I couldn’t have been more proud.

  A couple of the servants took away the armor and Father returned to his seat. Sir Richard and I remained on the steps of the throne, waiting for Prince Victor’s speech regarding the past tournament.

  “My Lords, My Ladies. For the last couple of months, we have heard much about this tournament. These young squires prepared themselves to exceed their own expectations, which they have done. Yet, only one surpassed everyone’s expectations, and she’s standing right here!” He said she. He needed to stop talking, or he would ruin it all – to everyone present, I was John!

  The Prince cleared his throat and continued. “This noble squire,” he said, pointing at me, “has proven to be worth more than one thousand gold coins, but tonight, this is all we are giving as a prize.” He chuckled, and everyone else with him. He handed the gold coins over to me. Then he took the trophy with my name engraved on it and gave it to Sir Richard. “Show this proudly in your home. John is the best squire in the Everlands.” Sir Richard lifted the trophy high in his hands for everybody to see. As we started to go down the steps to go back to our seats, I purposely missed one step and fell to the floor, shrieking in pain. The spectators gasped, and most of them stood up to see what had happened.

  Father and Sir Daniel help me up and took me to the nearest room. Mother followed them closely behind, and they cleared the room when she came in. She closed the doors after they exited, walked to the armoire, and pulled out a dress – a sky blue gown with see-through long sleeves that almost reached the floor. Water lilies were embroidered at the seam of the skirt, and one lily, bigger than the others, crossed diagonally on the blouse. The flower was on top of the right side of the bodice, and the stem ended at the waist.

  Mother came towards me and removed the ridiculous hat I wore to keep my hair hidden. That hat looked good on Father, but the big feather that kept falling in my face was draining my patience.

  “Mother, I can’t do this.” She looked at me as if I had just made a bad joke. “Mother, I’m serious.” I now had her full attention.

  “In this dress, rather than those trousers,” she said, pointing at my clothing, “nobody is going to notice that you and John are the same. Everybody thinks John’s hurt and will not question his reason for missing the ball. Even I believed, for a moment, you had truly fallen. If you can fool me, when I was aware it was part of our plans, you can fool anybody.”

  The look on my face gave me away. “You did fall!” She stopped brushing my long locks of hair and came around to look at my foot. She could barely remove John’s boot. In such a short time, it was already swollen. “His Majesty is going to be waiting for you, Elle, to start the dance,” she said, worried.

  As if that wasn’t enough, Sir Richard decided to hover in the hallway. He was waiting for my mother to be done so that he could come in and see me.

  “I have something in our tent that can help the swelling to go down, but how can we get you to the tent without him following us?”

  Something deep inside told me I should just stay in the room, but I didn’t listen, of course. “Put the dress away. I’ll go through the back window while you can go through the
front door and tell Sir Richard you need supplies from the tent, and that I need to rest. Then you can meet me outside and we’ll go from there together.”

  Lies and deceit are never good, especially when you might get caught. As soon as Mother left, I climbed down the small fence that guarded the chambers I was in, careful not to injure my foot any further, but I wasn’t careful enough. I gave a careless step that sent a wave of pain through my body. I crouched down in pain, waiting for Mother to come, but she was nowhere to be seen. After a few minutes of waiting, I saw her shadow a few feet from me and whispered, “Mother, what took you so long?”

  I wanted to die when the one staring at me was not Mother, but Shane, with his eyes wide open. “It cannot be,” he said as if I couldn’t hear him. “I lost to a girl!”

  “The proper term is woman!” I replied as I stood there motionless, soaking in the pain.

  “Does Sir Richard know?” he asked. I shook my head from side to side. “Does His Majesty?” I nodded. “Do you need me to keep the secret also?” I nodded, intrigued. “One condition,” he said. I raised my eyebrow distrustfully. “Nothing bad,” he said. “I want you to teach me the tricks you know with the sword.” He waited for my answer.

  “They’re not tricks; they’re techniques,” I said, but in reality, I felt flattered at his request and was probably blushing when we shook hands on it.

  “So where are you going, John? Or is there another name I should be using?” he asked playfully. I shrugged and told him almost everything, starting with my real name. “You took nine lashes. I saw you. No man could’ve stood it like you did. Sir Richard punished you harshly, and you still serve him?” He sounded upset.

  “He doesn’t know that I’m a woman.”

  Shane’s face didn’t change. “That makes it worse. He is supposed to trust his squire with his life, and he decided to believe what somebody else said about you–”