Short Story: The Princess-Knight (Non-Erotic)

Here is a short story I wrote to give Amelie some background.  I may use it as a flashback/dream in Triumph.  Also, and here is a little spoiler for you, part of the plot in Triumph is Amelie getting corrupted through her dreams, so I may add an erotic portion to the end of it.  Let me know what you think, and whether or not it should have an erotic twist at the end.

Edit:  Also, I should note that it takes place during Orc Dominion: Rebellion, and that Amelie is about 14 years old.

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The crowd roared as the javelin plunged directly into the center of the target.  “Princess-Knight!  Princess-Knight!  Princess-Knight!”  The entire stadium was on its feet cheering for her.  Sir Andrew Torrence, the Master-At-Arms of Orlous, the capital of Thesta, clapped her on the shoulder and congratulated her.

“Well thrown, Your Highness.  52 paces!  That’s the best bullseye since your brother competed in a tourney.”

“Thank you, Sir Andrew.  But you must share some of the credit.  You’re the one who taught me how to throw a javelin, after all.  My brother too.”  Amelie smiled up at the older knight, and then turned to face the crowd.  She brushed a long lock of brown hair behind her ear, and then raised her hand to the crowd in triumph.

The people of Thesta loved her.  She was born at the end of a period of tragedy for the Kingdom, and since her birth the realm had enjoyed peace and prosperity.  When she earned her knighthood last year the whole city took up a collection to buy her arms and horse, despite the fact that she could easily afford it on her own. They all wanted to be a part of her triumph.

The title of “Princess-Knight” came about quickly and easily.  All her life she had striven to be the perfect Princess.  She was a master of dance, decorum, and courtly manners.  She knew how to weave and bake, and how to manage a household staff.  Amelie gave alms to the poor, even more than what was normally expected of a Princess.  She knew the names and families of her petitioners the same way she knew the names of the soldiers under her command.

But she also knew how to manage an estate and the realms finances.  She knew how to wage war; both as a general and as a warrior.  As she proved today, she was the finest with a javelin in all Thesta.  She knew how to wield a sword, a mace, and how to ride a warhorse.  Amelie strove to be the best at everything she did. 

It helped that she looked the part of a Princess-Knight.  Her lithe, athletic body fit well into a pretty dress and was strong enough to wield a sword and wear armor.  She was beautiful, with long brown hair and crystal blue eyes.  Her skin was fair, but with good color from hours spent outside in the practice yard.  Though her bust was not nearly as large as say, the Queen of Zentara’s, it was still large enough to give her the classic hourglass shaped figure.

Amelie exulted in the pleasure of the crowd, but as she turned towards the royal box her heart fell.  Her father wasn’t in attendance, and hadn’t seen her triumph.  The smile fell from her face, and she quickly departed the stadium before her people noticed.

“Fuck the king if he doesn’t care to see your win.  You don’t need him, Your Highness.”  Katerei said.

Amelie shot the mercenary a cold look.  “Watch your tongue when you speak about the King, Katerei, or you’ll find yourself hunting orcs in the Angrian March.”  The foul-mouthed mercenary had been hired to instruct her melee two years past.  Amelie reasoned that there was no one better to teach her how to fight against men than another woman.  She was crass, but she knew how to fight.

“Apologies, Your Highness.  I didn’t mean to offend.”

Yes you did.  “Of course my father wouldn’t be here; I just forgot what day it was.”  It was a shame that the Mayfair tournament fell on this day this year.  “Excuse me, Katerei, but I am going to tell my father the good news.”

She knew exactly where to find the King.  Amelie made her way back to the castle, and then down into the crypts beneath.  King Guillaume was exactly where she knew he’d be; at the tomb of her brother, Francis.  It had been seventeen years to the day since he died in the Great Sweltering Sickness.

Francis had been everything her father could have hoped for in a Prince and heir.  He was smart, strong, and brave, but also kind, wise, and compassionate.  The King had never gotten over the loss of his son. “Good evening father.”  She wrapped an arm around her father and pressed against his side.  “He was a great man.  Everyone was talking today about the great throw he made to win the tournament all those years ago.”

Guillaume didn’t turn to look at her.  “He was a great Prince. Unmatched in skill at arms.  It’s a tragedy that he was taken from us so early.”

“Yes father, it was.”  Francis had been born late in the King’s life.  By the time he passed, the Queen was too old to bear him another child.  Under the advice of his ministers, he divorced her though he loved her dear, and married Amelie’s mother.  Three years later she was born, somewhat of a disappointment since she wasn’t a boy.  Through simple bad luck, or perhaps a lack of interest, her mother never bore another child and Amelie became heir.  “I won the javelin toss at the Mayfair Tournament today, father!  I threw a bullseye at 52 paces!”

“Your brother threw one at 56 paces.”  Guillaume turned to look at her.  “But 52 paces is good as well.”  He offered her a weak smile.

“Thank you father.  I threw even better than Sir Andrew!  I told you that my training was complete.  I earned my knighthood, it wasn’t given to me because I’m the Princess.”  She waited a moment.  “Please, I promise you father, I can lead our troops in battle.  Let me take the Falcon Guard to Zentara.  We should support our most important trading partner against Heste.  We cannot let the trade from the Elfish Isles fall into Hesten hands.”

Guillaume sighed with a mixture of resignation and annoyance.  “We’ve been over this, Amelie.  Zentara’s problems are not our problems.  Queen Jeanette should not have taken the Duchy of Braden from Heste after the last war.  It destabilized everything.  Of course King Connor was going to take it back!  What else did she expect?”

“Heste has always been the greatest threat to all the realms.  Taking the Duchy of Braden created a buffer between the Zentaran heartland, and our trade routes, while greatly diminishing Heste’s ability to field and maintain an army.   If it weren’t for the rebellion, Connor wouldn’t have a chance to defeat Zentara.”

“But there is a rebellion.  Do you think that it’s a coincidence?  It’s a further example of Queen Jeanette’s reckless policies.  No, no Amelie, we are not going to get involved in her wars.  I forbid it!”

“It’s not about that at all, is it?  Queen Jeanette, for all what you may think of her policies, has expanded trade with us through her entire reign.  All our people have benefited from our relationship with Zentara.  It’s not about her, is it?  It’s about me!  You don’t trust me to lead our armies.  If Francis were still here you’d let him go without a moment’s hesitation!”  Amelie fought back the tears welling in her eyes.

 “Your brother was the finest knight this Kingdom has ever seen!  Now that’s enough about Zentara.  You’re staying here and that is all there is to it!”

“Yes Father.”  Amelie said stiffly, before departing the tomb.  One day she’d be as good as Francis was. Then her father would trust her, and would no longer have any doubts about her ability to rule Thesta.