Iron Guard

     Deep in a kingdom filled with magic and wonder parents cry as they have to part with their daughter.

   The kingdom, known to be a place of peace and understanding was being ransacked by the armies of a distant land. The King and Queen handed their only child over to a member of the castle guard and pleaded for the armored guard to take their daughter to safety.

   The guard did as told and took the princess down to the stables, mounted a steed, and held out a hand to the Princess. The guard was not tall by any means, the Princess was indeed only inches shorter than the iron clad hero, but the guard was strong as the princess was easily lifted with one hand onto the white steed, and with the grace of a skilled rider, they galloped to the forest.

   The princess was only days away from her 21st birthday, and although she was trained in the art of politics, she was not a very worldly woman, having lived in the castle her whole life, yet here she was, seated behind a member of her parents royal guard, arms held tightly around the iron waist of someone who knew every nook of a forest that she didn’t know at all. She feared for the lives of her parents and tears rolled down her face as she realized that they very well could already be dead.

   After what seemed like hours the member of the royal guard tugged at the reins, halting the beast, and dismounted. An iron hand was offered to the Princess, who gladly took the help. "Thank you, what are you called?"

   "I am called Sword, Princess Phoenix." The guard's voice was muffled by the helmet, but it was a kind and calm voice.

   "I mean no disrespect, but I have never known anyone by the name of Sword before."

   "It is my last name, Princess, and I prefer it to my first name, for I feel it fits me better."

   "Well then Sword, I thank you for your help."

   "You are most welcome, Princess."

   "Again, I mean no disrespect, but can you please remove your helmet? I would like to see the face of the brave guard who rescued me, for I do not believe I would be whole right now if not for your quick aid."

   "I would prefer not to, my lady, it is not a face I like to show."

   "Regardless, I would like to see it."

   "I must decline, fair Princess. We have only just made it to the safety of the woods."

   "Very well, but at some point you are going to have to take that helmet off, and then I shall look upon your face, and no matter what I see, I shall smile, for it is the face of a hero!"

   "I am no hero, Princess. I am only a guard who did not wish to see a time of peace and understanding be killed with our fair princess, as long as you survive, there is hope."

   The guard turned from the Princess and let the last of the words sink in. The guard was fascinating to the young Princess, there was something this figure in iron was hiding and the Princess was determined to figure out what that something was, but the issue would have to be left alone this night, for the journey that lay ahead was going to be long and hard. Sword made a small fire and set up a makeshift camp, their hasty departure left no time to grab supplies, so Sword made due with what could be found around the clearing.

   When morning came, Sword packed up the few things that were produced from the small space provided. The Princess was tossing on the soft moss ground and Sword moved over to her and gently, or as gently as could be done in full armor, awoke the Princess.

   The Princess screamed as she woke, completely disoriented. Sword as gently as possible placed a hand on each shoulder and proceeded to calm her down, a meager breakfast of berries was quickly devoured and the two were off, trying to find someplace safe. The brilliant white horse was even more beautiful in the morning light and Princess Phoenix could not explain the joy she felt as she looked at the beautiful beast. She felt a sense of comfort knowing that the horse was there, not that she didn't find anything comforting about Sword, but there was something about Sword that she could not place, a feeling that she was unaccustomed to. What was the feeling? Admiration? Trust? Friendship? She had never really had a friend before. Sure, she had played with the children of the staff, but at some point, when they were old enough to understand the way that the world worked the children started to feel like they had a place that they needed to fit into, and that place was far beneath a Princess, leaving Phoenix very lonely. So, was this friendship? She had never known Sword before yesterday, was friendship supposed to work this fast? She supposed that saving a person's life would surely hurry along a friendship.

   Sword was wondering the same thing, were they friends? Did saving the life of the Princess make them friends? Sword had also never really had a friend before. Sword was looked down on by the other guards for being small. So although Sword was surrounded by people of the same standing, the life of the guard was lonely. Sword could feel the body heat of the princess and felt an odd sense of comfort in it, having never been this close to another person since childhood, it was nice to have a person so near.

   For a long time the two thought about the same things, but never spoke. As the middle of the day approached they stopped and made camp, and for what felt like the hundredth time, Princess Phoenix wondered what the face of the person, who she had started to think of as her friend, looked like. Was he battle scarred? Was he born with some sort of birth defect? He did seem smaller than most of the other guards, maybe whatever made him not want to show his face was the same reason that he wore all that heavy armor, it couldn't be comfortable! Her internal monologue rambled on and on until Sword spoke. "Would you like something to eat?"

   "Yes, please."

   "Alright, I will be right back, can you stay here and keep the horse company?"

   "I can do that."

   As Princess Phoenix sat beside the horse she began to turn her internal monologue into a conversation spoken at the horse while Sword went off into the forest to find food. The armor was getting heavy and Sword was starting to overheat in the midday sun. Sword decided to take a moment to find a spring and take a swim to cool sweating skin and aching joints. Before Sword shed the armor the guard took a good look around, trying to make sure no one was watching. After deciding that it was clear, Sword started to remove the armor. As the helmet was lifted from the guard's head a cascade of golden-red curls fell long past the guard's shoulders. Sword took off the chainmail until only a pair of trousers and an ill-fitting white shirt, that had yellowed a bit due to use, remained. Sword untied battered looking brown leather boots and proceeded to peel off the rest of the sweat covered clothing. Sword discarded the apparel and walked over to a clear and cool pond, as the water came in contact with Swords sore body each step felt better and better, all the cuts and sores from wearing the armor for so long were enveloped in the cool water and Sword thought nothing could ever feel better than this.

   After a time Sword heard something and started to look around. Sword ran to the discarded clothing and armor and started pulling it on, all the while trying to figure out the origin of the sound. Suddenly, a deer sprang from the tree line and Sword grabbed a dagger from the tattered boots and aimed it in the direction of the deer. The dagger flew through the air and hit the deer right in the eye, killing the beast. Sword finished dressing, retrieved the dagger, and brought the little deer back to camp.

   Princess Phoenix looked as if she was going to be sick as Sword carved up the deer. After the meat was cooked the two sat around the fire and ate. It was difficult eating meat with the helmet on but Sword managed to do so, and without looking like an unmannered animal, which impressed the Princess quite a bit.

   "Where are you from?" Asked the Princess suddenly.

   "From a small town bordering the city. My parents sent me to the castle to become stable staff when I was ten. I remember our farm, and helping my father plant and work the ground. My family is poor, so I helped out with quite a bit growing up, until my younger brother was old enough and when that happened they sent me to the castle, after some time as stable staff I showed promise with a sword, so despite my small stature, they decided to train me to be a guard."

   "You haven't seen your family since you were ten?" Princess Phoenix asked, a lump forming in her throat.

   "I have visited them in the city a few times, My brother is nearly a grown man now, and my parents have three other children that came after I left. They are proud of me. They are proud that I have made something of myself and that I won't just marry one of the kids I grew up with and work the farm like everyone in my family has done since as long as anyone can remember."

   "What is so wrong with getting married and running a farm, it sounds nice."

   "When your family has been down at the bottom, there is always hope that someone in it will rise to the top. That top for me is being a part of the guard. They just want what is best for me, they do not wish to see me have it as hard as they have." Sword said, sounding a bit choked up.

   "Oh." said the Princess thoughtfully.

   The two packed up and started moving forward. By nightfall they had come across an inn so the two got a room for the night. When they got into the room Sword made a makeshift bed on the floor and gave the bed to Princess Phoenix. The Princess was not happy that Sword was sleeping on the floor, and she said as much, but Sword made a joke about how all the armor would break the bed anyway so it was better that someone not ironclad take the bed. 

   "You could just take that armor off, you know." Said the Princess, trying again to see the face of the guard who was a hero in her eyes.

   "I need the protection it affords and to be ready to fight." It wasn't a lie, but it was a very weak truth.

   The morning was uneventful and after first gaining some food and a shoulder pack, the pair continued their journey. About mid-day, when the sun was high, the birds grew quiet, and a chill ran up the spine of the other-wise overheated guard. Out of nowhere a group of bandits circled the pair and tried to drag the Princess off the horse. Sword drew the daggers lodged in their battred boots and tossed them at two of the bandits and proceeded to fight the remaining three with sword in hand. 

             One of the remaining three managed to get Princess Phoenix off the horse, so Sword slid off the horse and prayed to the Gods that the beast would not go far. Sword cut down two of the bandits quickly, but the one who had the Princess was quicker than Sword's blade and managed to knock Sword down. The bandit tried to get the helmet off the guard's face so that he could do some real damage, finally after several moments the bandit got his chance, he quickly removed Swords helmet and as he raised a fist to bloody Swords face his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped in horror. It was the moment that Sword needed. Sword kicked the bandit in the gut, pounced on top of him, and held the bandit down. Sword started punching him in the face and after the bandit was knocked out the Princess ran over and put her hand around Sword's wrist, causing the guard to stop.

   "That is quite enough, Sword." She said softly. Sword didn't look up, but tried to grab at the helmet, just out of reach. "Oh, no you don't!" and Princess Phoenix put herself in between Sword and the helmet. "Look up at me."

   "Once I look up at you it will never be the same, you saw the horror on the bandits face, do you really want to see what he saw?" Sword said defeated.

   "Yes, I do, now look up at me."        

            Sword slowly looked up at the Princess and the shock in her eyes was enough to make Sword cry. "At first I thought if you knew you wouldn't feel safe enough being around me, and then I started having these feelings for you I was sure if you knew you would never have me, I know you will never have me, not now." 

  For a long moment the Princess said nothing, she tried to think of something witty to say, something that would let her companion know that there was no hard feeling, but all that came out was, "You are a girl!"

   "I will try to find you someone who can get you to safety, I hope you do not feel like I tricked you I-" But whatever Sword was about to say was silenced as Princess Phoenix put her lips to Swords and kissed her hard.

   Hands found hair and for a time the two just held each other. It was Princess Phoenix who broke the silence. "Will you please stop wearing that helmet and take that heavy armor off now?"

   "As you wish, my Princess." Sword said as she removed the armor until all she had left on was her trousers and ill-fitting yellow-white shirt. She put the chainmail, armor, and the helmet in the pack, she had never been so happy in her whole life.

   Phoenix walked over to Sword, she put her arms around her and hugged Sword tightly. "Now, is that not better?"

   "Quite better, indeed." Sword said with a smile.

   "So, Sword, what is your first name?" Princess Phoenix asked, looking into the eyes of her beautiful and strong hero.

   "Ivy, but I would much prefer Sword."

   "Ivy, what a beautiful name, but if you prefer Sword, then Sword it is." Sword could not help but smile, looking into the blue eyes of Phoenix that looked like the sky.

   The two stared at each other as if they were seeing the other for the first time. Sword finally bowed deeply and asked, "Shall we go, my lady?"

   "I would like that."

   The two held hands and walked off to find their horse, which was hiding behind a tree, and after some soothing words, emerged from the shadows and up to the women. Sword gracefully got on the horse and held her hand down to her Princess, who took it with a smile and hugged her guard tightly around the waist as they rode off trying to find a safe place to stay.

   Three blissful days later, on the Princesses 21st birthday, they headed down the stairs of an inn to hear the best news in all the land; the King and Queen were alive and well! Their armies had defeated the invading scourge. Princess Phoenix couldn't think of a better birthday gift, that is other than the beautiful guard standing right next to her. Sword asked the innkeeper, "Do you have any beast that can fly?"

   "Yes,I happen to have a Pegasus, he is all yours if you would like him. Bit of a spirited creature."

   "I am sure we can handle him." The two walked out to the stables, gave instruction to the stable boy to ride their horse back to the castle and flew off on the back of the Pegasus. Within a matter of hours they had reached the castle and the king and queen hugged their daughter tight. Tears of joy running down their kind faces.

   "Mother, Father, I want you to meet Sword, this is the guard who saved me."

   "We can never repay you." Said the Queen, hugging Sword tight, ignoring the shock of Sword being a woman.

   "I can think of a way." Said Sword.

   "Name it and it's yours, young lady." Answered the King.

   "I know it's a little- unorthodox- as far as royalty goes, it happens from time to time down my way, but I would like your daughter's hand in marriage." Sword held her breath.

   "Yes, quite unorthodox for royalty, but is this what you want, Phoenix?" Asked the King.

   "More than anything."

   "Then we give you our blessing." Replied the Queen.

   The two were married hours later. Princess Phoenix was crowned Queen of the realm and Sword her partnering Queen. The two made the decision to adopt all of the children who had no place to go after their parents and families were killed in the battle the scourge brought, bringing them all to the castle which had more than enough room for the lot. The two Queens lived happily ever after until the end of their days.