The Last of the Knights

Theodora wakes Royse woke up to a slam at her door. She reaches for the knife under her pillow but no one is in the room. 

“Royce, put your armor on and meet me at the stables.” Theodora shouts to Royse on the other side of the door, then walks away. 

Once Royse realizes she's not in any danger she gets dressed, cursing under her breath. When Theodora said she would mentor Royse, a year ago she was excited to fight demons alongside the last knight of the land. But she hasn’t even been on a mission yet.

She walks into the stables and sees that Theodora has readied both horses. Theodora’s horse was specially bred for her because the others were too small. Royce’s horse was the oldest, it had the most patience and was kind to Royce who was still learning how to ride. Theodora hands Royce the reigns and notices Royse is still visibly upset by her rude awakening so early in the morning. 

“Cheer up, it’s your first mission.” Royce takes the reigns and awkwardly climbs the horse, jabbing the kind stallion in the side and then eventually seating herself correctly. Royce watches as Theodora so graciously bounds the black horse. She made it look so effortless and beautiful.  

Theodora leads them outside of the kingdom walls and out the surrounding village. It was then that Royce knew it would be a long trip. 

“Where is this demon.” 

“About 30 minutes East of here. A demon who wears the skin of a man and poses as a saint. The king said he should be in the nearby village.” Royce doesn’t believe what she’s been told. 

“Demons can do that?” 

“Apparently. It is first time hearing of a demon who looks like a man. But his name was on the sacred scroll of demon names.” 

Royce was still new to how there was a scroll had every demons name in it. 

“If I may ask master, where did the scroll come from?” 

“The Gods gifted the list of demons name in the scroll to the king. When the demon is killed, the scroll will cross its name in an ink so bright, it's like fire. But there are so many demons that plague the land, the God’s knew he could never kill them all in one lifetime, so they gifted him with immortality. He will see the land when the time of peace comes, but you and I will not.” Theodora turns to see Royse’s brows squeezed together. “What is it?” 

“I hate demons.” 

“Good. Keep that hate in you so it may fuel those who fight after this lifetime.” 

They soon reach a village and dismount their horses. Royce says goodbye to the horses and follows Theodora into the street. 

“Where is everyone, it’s the middle of the day?” 

“I don’t know.” Royse worries as they walk further away from the horses. 

“Wait, shouldn’t we wear our helmets? We’re about to fight a demon, right?” Theodora continues walking.

“Who do you know is tall enough to deliver a fatal blow to my head?” Royse thinks it’s a dumb question, but answers truthfully.

“No one but-” 

“Then I do not need a helmet.” Royse was half of Theodora’s size though.  

“What about me?” Theodora stops and looks down at the girl. 

“I’ve never worn a helmet and I’ve grown this tall. I can only imagine the same for you when you are an adult.” 

Theodora scruffs the top of Royse’s short brown locks and continues walking. Royse hates it when her mentor treats her like a child even if she was one, but her 14th birthday was 2 months away. 

They round a corner and suddenly there's a large crowd of people all listening to a distant voice. The voice is from a man preaching to the crowd. Royse watches as Theodora clutches the hilt of her sword. 

“I see him.” She pushes her way into the crowd. 

“Master wait.” Royse pushes after her trying to keep up. 

“DON’T LET HATE FESTER IN YOUR HEARTS! FORGIVE THOSE WHO DO YOU WRONG!” St. Arthur shouts into the ocean of people surrounding him, but something catches his eye, the tall woman wearing knight’s armor and moving closer to him wearing a face of determination. His next words get caught in his throat as he knows what she is here for. He wets his lips in an attempt to look calm and begins walking in the opposite direction.  

“FORGIVE THE THIEVES WHO STEAL FROM YOU. LIARS WHO DECIEVE YOU.” He looks behind him to see that the crowd is not only buying him time but also lengthening the distance between him and the knight. “AND AS HARD AS IT MAY BE, FORGIVE THE DEMONS WHO HAVE TAKEN SO MUCH FROM US. 

Theodora was moving through the crowd as fast as she could without hurting anyone or causing a scene but it was like swimming against a current. 

Royse didn’t know where she was in the crowd. She was hoping Theodora would find her before the demon could. Can demons smell fear? Has it already gotten to Theodora? Should I take out my sword? Every thought passes through her mind until she backs into someone who grabs her by the shoulders.  

“Whoa. Are you ok little one?”  

Royse turns around and is met by a man who she's never seen before. She notices that everyone in the crowd is watching them. The man kneels down in front of her. 

“What is your name little one?” 

“Royse.” 

“It's nice to meet you Royse, my name is St. Arthur.” She tenses at hearing his name but tries to look brave. He reaches out a hand to shake her and she immediately places her hand on the hilt of her sword. Can this man actually be a demon? It is then that St. Arthur notices her child sized armor, like the tall woman earlier. He smiles softly and hushes his voice. 

“Have you been hurt by a demon before too.” He raises a finger, pointing to the visible scar slashed on his face. “I killed the demon who did this to me but before it could fully die, I told the demon I forgave it and the demon apologized and died peacefully leaving its hate behind before carrying it into its next life.” 

Royse doesn’t know if she should believe the story. St. Arthur stands to see if the tall woman is around. He doesn’t see her and sighs in relief. He looks down at the child. 

“It was nice meeting you Royse, remember what I’ve said.” 

He slips away into the crowd. Was that man really a demon? That man doesn’t deserve to die. There must be a mistake. 

The crowd disburses and the square opens up. Royse looks for her master. But doesn’t see her. Oh no. Royse takes off after the man. Shes a fast runner, but St. Arthur must be a runner too because she can't find him. She hits a dead end and feels hopeless.  

“STAINT ARTHUR!” A hush voice calls out to her “Royce, over here.” St. Arthur is crouched behind two barrels next to a building 

“St. Arthur, your life is in danger.” She’s not out of breath even after running all this way. 

“I know, follow me.” Behind the barrows is a stairway leading down. He reaches a door at the bottom. 

“I figured the best hiding spot is my own home.” 

St. Arthur opens the door and is met with the other end of Theodora’s sword in his stomach. She lets go of the sword and lets him stand there with it him. Royse is frozen in shock. Theodora walks over to where Royse is, standing in front of the open door. Theodora extends her arm to top of the door and turns around to watch the demon hold her sword in its stomach. She slams the door at the same time the body hits the ground, so no one from upstairs would concern themselves. The slam of the door jolts Royse back into reality. Theodora moves over to the demon. 

“Why do you wear this man’s skin demon?” He looks up at her and smiles. 

“The skin I wear is mines.” Theodora doesn’t understand. Is this true? How can that be so? 

“Liar! You stole this skin from the real St. Arthur.” His breath becomes shallow. 

“You don’t understand but I don’t have much time left. At the base of the tallest mountain in the kingdom, my friend will explain everything.” Theodora now regrets giving him such a fatal wound. 

“No.” She picks him up by his collar. “With your last breath you will explain to me why you wear this skin.” He takes a long breath 

“Do not feel bad for killing me, knight. I will be born a new.” And with his final breath he speaks for the last time. “I forgive you.” 

Theodora cannot believe that a demon offered her forgiveness. His body stays limp in her hands before placing him down gently. Did I just kill a man?  

“You’re a murder.” Royse is filled with anger that someone she looks up to has just killed a man in front of her. But Theodora still examines the body with a confused face. 

“No, I’m not. look at the body. It isn’t bleeding red. It bleeds black like a demon.” 

The man was actually a demon. But that still doesn’t explain why looks like a man.  

Royse thought of the demon as a saint. Theodora didn’t know what to think. She heads for the front door. Royse follows behind her still mad at her 

“Where are we going?” 

“To the base of the mountain to find answers.” 

By sun set, they wondered into a dark cave. They turned a corner and inside sat a demon on a rock. This demon was a lady with no arms and didn’t even care that two knights walked into her home. They both unsheathed their swords at the sight of the demon. 

“You dare fight a person with no arms? I thought you fought with honor?” Theodora returned her sword, then Royse. 

“We come seeking answers.” 

The demon rolls her eyes. 

“You do not come to my home and bombard me with questions. I am the queen of demons and you shall respect me as such. First of all, how did you find me?” 

“I apologize for my rudeness. We were told we could find answers here. We met a demon by the name of St. Arthur who wore the skin of a man and-” 

“Enough.” The demon commands. “Is she always this rude?” Royse is shocked to see the demon is speaking directly to her. Royse and her mentor share a look. 

“Yes.” Theodora takes a mental note to discipline her when they are home.  

“I am sorry for you young one. Now as for St. Arthur did you kill him, Knight?” 

Theodora takes a deep breath. 

“Yes, I am sorry.” The queen sighs.  

“That is alright, he will be back and I’m sure we will be friends again. At least this time he will be human.” Royse speaks before Theodora can. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Those who learn forgiveness are born again with the privilege to live life as a human. But those who die with anger in their hearts come back as a raging demon. He was once a demon, but learned forgiveness thankfully in his life time and it let him look human. There are loads of human looking demons in the kingdom. They always have the gentlest souls.” Theodora is shocked to hear this information. It hardly makes sense.  

“Then why do you still look like a demon then?” the queen raises an eyebrow. Theodora lowers her head. “If you don't mind my asking.” 

“It matters not if there is hate in my heart or not, I am immortal and will never die. But the reason why I look like this is because I will never forgive my husband, for putting this kingdom through so much. The evil that runs through the kingdom is because of him.  

“Your husband? The king of demons I assume? Who is he?” 

“You know him, he is also your king.” Both Royse and Theodora are shocked to hear this.

Long ago, before there were hardly any demons, we were travelers. We never wanted to command the demons. We wanted to collect things, he collected rings and I collected tattoos on my arms. Then when we stopped at this kingdom, I met the then king. He wanted to marry me and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. But he said before I could be wed, I had to get rid of my tattoos. And so, my arms had to be cut. When my husband found out, he commanded the demons to invade the village while he stormed the castle to kill the king and take his place.” This isn’t the story Theodora was told growing up, but she believes this one more. 

“And then what happened?” 

“The chaos spread and the demons went out killing people and those who died came back as demons too. So much happened all in that one day, I couldn’t even recognize my husband anymore so I fled here. Since then, he’s spent his days making sure the people of the kingdom hate him, hate each other and hate demons.” 

“But he sends me to fight demons. I fought and kill hundreds for him.” Theodora doesn’t realize her voice is raising. 

The queen grows louder.

“He’s trying to kill you, you fool. Everything he has told you is a lie. I’m assuming there are very few knights left because of it.” Theodora squeezes her hand tight to prevent her from out lashing. Royse takes this as an opportunity to speak.  

“We are the last of the knights.” 

“And after you there will be no one to save the kingdom.” Royse thinks for a minute. 

“How do we kill the king?” 

“You cannot kill the demon king, he is immortal.”  Royse is running out of options. 

“Then you must come with us and change his mind before it’s too late.” She takes a minute to think it through.  

“I will come with you, but I will never forgive him.” 

The queen rides on the back on Theodora’s horse cloaked in a hood. When they reach the castle, the king waits by the stables for Theodora’s return.  

“Theodora where have you been, I thought you d-” The queen throws her head back to remove her hood and holds an angry look on her face, but says nothing. They all dismount 

“My queen? Is this you?” The king can’t believe his eyes. 

“What have you done to this land? Is this truly what you wanted?” He stands there frozen by the sudden question. 

“All I’ve ever wanted was you. Please forgive me my queen.” He drops to his knees begging  

“I will never forgive you.” Theodora takes a step forward gripping her sword, but Royce steps in her way. 

“You can’t kill him.” 

“I can try.” 

“You’re only saying that because you hate him. If you hate him the cycle continues.” 

Theodora takes a moment to realize her part in all this. She’s killed many demons out of hate and revenge, but if that wasn’t the answer, then what is? She takes her hand off her sword and continues to watch the scene in front of her play out. 

The wind blows hard as the king sobs in front of his wife. It blows so hard it nearly knocked his robe off his shoulders. Something catches the queen’s eyes.  

“Take off your robe.” The king peels off his robe revealing tattoos on both his arms. The same tattoos the queen once had. She’s shocked by what she sees, her tattoos on his body. 

“You wear my tattoos?” 

“I hate man for hurting you so badly, so I wear them because I love you.” 

This is what it took for the queen to forgive her husband, which then sprang the kingdom into its time of healing. The queen moved into the castle, taking her rightful place as the official queen of the kingdom. Theodora and Royse went on fighting demons but without hate. They were the last of the knights not because they perished but because there were no more demons left to fight. And the king and queen continued to rule the kingdom until the end of time with love and forgiveness.