A Death Knight's Tale

A bard finds himself spending the night in the castle of a death knight and hearing the man's story. This is the original version.

I am just a lowly story teller, a bard if you will. I travel the realms collecting stories and legends of old then telling them anew.

 

Normally I just tell the story as it was told to me, but this one needs an introduction of sorts.    I was passing through this forsaken realm ruled by foul darkness that many legends have been told of, let me assure you that I will not be telling any tales of that.    It was getting late as I came upon a lonely castle out in the middle of a desolate land.    I didn’t wish to stop but with night quickly approaching and with it the creatures that haunted this land, I was forced to.    I was met at the gate by a cloaked servant that I tried not to look to hard at.    He informed me that the Master of the castle will allow me to spend the night.    I thank the servant as he shows me into a large and well-furnished dining hall.    The meal was excellent, but I ate alone.    I had finished my meal and was preparing to relax with my pipe when I noticed the shadowy figure standing in the darkness.

 

“I hope you enjoyed your meal Sir Bard.”    The voice was a low whisper and made me think of death.

 

“It was excellent, kind Sir and may I offer to tell you a story or sing you a song as payment?”    I tried to shake the feeling that I should risk the dark wilderness.

 

“No Sir Bard let me tell you a story so that you may carry to the other realms and possible beyond.”    He stepped into the light as he said this and I relieved that I should not have stopped at this lonely castle.

 

He was a Death Knight, one of the foulest and most dangerous creatures magic ever produced, and he wanted to tell me a story.

 

What could I do?    If I tried to leave he would kill me so I gave him a smile as I bowed and stated, “The floor is yours, Sir.”

 

“Understand I’m no bard and I never had much use for the ability to turn a phrase, so you must excuse the crudeness of what I am about to convey....

   

Love… Hate… Two sides of the same coin.    It is so easy to change love into hate but it is nearly impossible to change hate into love.    Before you start asking what does a death knight know of love, being a creature solely of hate, let me explain that I was once human and knew a great love that is what made me what I am today.

 

Let me start at the beginning, I was left on the doorstep of the Church and the priest took me in.    My earliest and happiest memories are of worshiping in the temple.    As I grow I was giving other duties and soon my duties took me around the holy knights, the warriors of the Church.    When I saw them, I knew they were what I wanted to be when I grow up.    I worked hard and did become a knight and in time I was considered one of the greatest.

 

I was a knight of some renown when I was ordered to escort the Lady Cinnia to the capital from her estates.    Normally a knight of even my modest standing wouldn’t be giving this assignment, but she was married to the King’s nephew and said to be a favorite of the King himself.    My eyes first fell on her as I rode into the court yard.    The greatest artiest could never hope to match her beauty and I was in love with that first look.

 

Now I was not only a knight, but a holy knight which meant I shouldn’t be lusting for another man’s wife.    Besides that, I was a lowly orphan and she was royalty married to royalty I could never court her even if she wasn’t married.    I prayed for a way to remove these lustful thoughts from my mind and this unholy desire from my soul.

 

I got no relief and as we traveled to the capital I came to know Lady Cinnia and love her even more.    She was like nobody I ever knew before, she wanted to know about me also which was something I hadn’t expected.    When we reached the capital, she tried to invite me to her house for dinner, but I told I couldn’t.    She actually had her husband contact my commander who ordered me to attend that dinner.      I meet her husband at dinner and I liked him, but I couldn’t get his wife out of my head or heart.

 

We three became good friends and even though I didn’t look for it their friendship propelled me up through the ranks of the knights.    We would spend hours together talking about anything that toke our fancy from politics to religion to the last plays being put on around the capital.    A few of her comments were heresy and when her husband called her on it she just laughed and said I would never turn her in which is the truth.   

 

It was me that she turned to for comfort when her husband died, but my lustful heart wouldn’t allow me to feel regret for the loss of a good friend.    She was widowed which meant that she need not concern herself with rank and station in her next marriage, I could win her heart and make her my wife.    I spent all my free time with her slowly trying to get her to see me as more than a friend.

 

I was in the capital just for one day and I decided to drop by to see her.    I climb the garden wall like I had done in the past and dropped into the garden hoping to find her reading, but instead I found her in an embrace with her handmaiden that was completely unnatural.    I was shocked and stunned, my love, the one woman that I was completely devoted to was a....    I couldn’t even think it as I quickly and quietly made my escape before they noticed me.

 

I fought a terrible battle over what I should do until finally I confronted her with my knowledge.    She didn’t deny it or even attempt to plead she just asked as if she already knew the answer will you be reporting me.    I fled with my heart aching for her; I left the capital for the border and throw myself it to the battles and wars that came our way.

 

Time passed, and the wars were fought, and enemies were vanquished.    We were on the eve of ridding this realm of the Demon Queen herself when I received what I was praying for and dreading all those years, a message from Lady Cinnia begging for my help.    She had been found out and even thou she had help her lover escape she was taking.    She had hoped that her station, family and standing with the King would protect her, but they were used against her.    She was to stand trial for witchcraft, and she knew that she would be found guilty.    She begged me to save her anyway I could.

 

I knew my army didn’t stand a chance without me in charge, but I rode from the camp that night with only one thought in my head.    She would be my wife after I saved her.    My rank and my gold got me to the deepest part of the dungeon where she was being held.    When I drew my sword, the guard tried to stop me, and I slew him.    I shattered her chains and lead her from that dark dank place.    I killed many a good man that night, but I didn’t care right then.    She would be my wife soon was all I could think.    We reached the gate and her handmaiden and lover awaited her with a carriage.    I begged to go with them, but she laughed and leaped aboard the carriage as the maiden whipped the horse into a gallop.    I could have ridden them down and killed her, but my heart was broken and all I wanted to do was die.

 

I rode back towards my army hoping to reach the battle before it was over and to die with a little honor.    That even was stolen from me, my army was beaten soundly, and I met my men as they fled towards the capital.    Instead of turning and running I continued on hoping to slay the Demon Queen and regain what I had lost.    My body was pierced by a dozen arrows before I even got within sight of her and it was only after my death that I met her.

 

She had heard of me and wished for me to lead her armies.    I was dead and damned, but my loyalty wasn’t completely gone yet and I refused.    She laughed and had two women brought forth that were captured fleeing the capital and offered to give them to me as my pets it I would serve her.    That is how in the end I came to possess Lady Cinnia and her handmaiden.

 

It was at this point that I heard a scream.    The Death Knight arose with a wicked chuckle.    “My pets are awake, so it is time to play again.    I hope you enjoyed the story and have good night, I know I will.”

 

I spent the night listen to two women being tortured and at first light I was on my horse and away from that place.    Now before you get all righteous on me asking why I didn’t rescue them, let me remind you that I’m just a lowly story teller and he was a Death Knight. Plus I’m a devote coward and what would they have giving me for the rescue.