“To Be A Knight”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

Prompt: “If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.” — John Irving

I’ve always wanted to be a knight.

I mean, it’s a pretty common career choice around here, being one of the last remaining cities with an actual castle and ruler, but not many people actually end up passing all the tests to become a full knight. But I’m determined to make it.

My father was a knight. He was one of the strongest, most fearless knights who ever lived. He was not only the hero of the kingdom, but also my personal hero. I wanted to be just like him, from the way he walked, to the way he ate, to the way he fought ferocious beasts.

I wanted to literally be him. That is, until he was eaten by a dragon three years ago. I didn’t want that part to happen to me too.

Ever since then, my mother has been this overprotective parent.

“Don’t become a knight,” she says. “You’re going to get eaten just like your father. You’ve got a bright future ahead of you. Don’t throw it all away.”

But the problem is that I want to become a knight. More than anything. I want to go on quests and travel the world and fight monsters and bring glory to my kingdom.

Of course, there are downfalls of being a knight. The pay, for one, isn’t great. No health benefits, no dental, no nothing. Actually, no benefits at all. The queen honestly isn’t too great at rewarding her knights.

And then there are the unavoidable occupational hazards. Scrapes, bruises, missing limbs, death, you get the idea. And don’t get me started on the mental toll being a knight has on you. You should’ve seen my father, coming home after a long quest and just having the worst nightmares. I don’t think I’ve ever heard another man scream so loud or so high.

Still, I strongly believe that the pros outweigh the cons. Sure you might die, but you get to travel the world and become the protagonist of legendary tales!

Huh, maybe all I want is to be famous. Maybe I should look into becoming an actor…

Final Comments: This one was a lot of fun to write!

Overall Rating: 🤣