The battlefield lay bare, less one were to count the corpses littered amongst its grasses.
Only two knights now stood: One in black; one in red.
Their once shining armour was now battered, broken; their shields had long become shattered heaps of metal strewn about like peasant’s trash.
The black knight stepped away; carefully lowering her sword. The red knight nodded; doing the same.
Opening her visor; the black knight attempted a grin. Blood trickled down her face from her forehead, the way it stuck to her left eyebrow and conjealed upon her lashes making it quite clear the wound was by no means fresh. “Has not this been quite the contest?”
Clamping one hand to her side in a futile attempt to stop the blood flowing through her fingers, the red knight used her spare hand to open her visor. “To call this slaughter a contest, you would be one most gravely mistaken,” she gasped, looking around, the pain in her voice indicating her lungs were occupied more with the effort to keep breathing; Talking was a burden she wished to rather not bear at present.
“Tell me, perchance-” The black knight leaned on her sword to keep upright. “Why do we fight, again?”
“I fight… To halt your army – For you seek… to usurp my father… and put the bastard on his throne.”
“Ah yes, that was the excuse,” said the black knight. “But, pray tell, what was the reason?”
“That… is… the reason.”
The black knight frowned. “So it shall be.” She lowered her visor and raised her blade.
Summoning all her strength, the red knight hefted her sword and closed her visor.
They charged.
Steel met steel, the noise rattling the air around. The CLANGs ringed off the peaks far in the distance. Reflected off the ripples in the lake that lay below the hillside. Echoed in the valley surrounding. Never before had just two swords made such a commotion. The animals began to gather in awe.
A ferocious TWANG signaled the knights fighting the other’s strength against their blades. Friction increased as the black knight edged closer.
“Princess – I inquire, why do you despise me so?”
“You… killed… my… Prince…” the red knight gasped.
“The Buffoon Prince! Ha! He may have thought it, but no match for I, was he. Though I must be honest: Foolish his bravery may have been, ‘twas it bravery nonetheless. He fought with courage, showed no weakness… Yes, did he certainly fulfill his duties as a knight of your father’s court. And allow me to ask you what I asked of him the day he fell: Are you truly willing to die upon this field for your father, Princess?”
The red knight broke the tension, pushing her blade off and spinning around – the deflection of the black knight’s quick parry driving her back. “As that… appears to be… What we are… heading towards…” She buckled to her knees. “Then I will gladly pass this world… knowing I have… fulfilled my duties…” Plunging her sword into the ground to gain her balance, the red knight soon lost that and collapsed, sprawling silently on the grass.
“Well said, Princess.” The black knight attempted to charge – but suddenly swooned, falling to her knees herself. She stuck her sword in the ground as the red knight did not respond. “Well… Said…” She, too, fell sprawling to the grasses - ne’er to speak again.
Spreading through the animals like wildfire, it did not take long for the humans to receive the news of the valiant death of their kingdom’s two best knights in battle. The news spurred the halt of war. The two kings held meeting upon the very plains the knights fell, where an accord was signed.
‘Twas peace restored to the land. Two kingdoms once divided; united. All courtesy… of two knights.