A Knight to Remember

I'm happy you are by my side

Kara woke up to a new day, the sun shining brightly. As much as she feared one, thankfully, an attack had not come in the night and because of that she was able to sleep. She saw that Anna was still in bed. Rising from her own bed she said to her, "Anna, time to get up."

Anna opened her eyes. "Oh, thank God they did not attack in the night."

"Yes, I'm glad of that, but now we both need to go down to get the bread and everything ready.

The two girls quickly dressed and went downstairs to the large preparations room. There, they were met with the heady aroma of fresh loaves of baked bread as it was coming out of the ovens. Right away, they began decorating and slicing some of them. As they worked, Kara saw Anna's concern for her.

"Kara, I'm so afraid for you to be there at the wall tonight. I mean, that I think is when the Saracens are most likely to attack."

"I know, sweet Anna," she answered, freeing a hand from the work she was doing to pat her back. "But somebody needs to be there if they start scaling the walls."

"I just don't understand the whole thing, Kara. Why don't these people, these Saracens, leave us alone? We weren't bothering them."

"Oh, Anna, I believe they want to dominate the whole world. I've heard they've already conquered most of the Middle East, including Jerusalem, and all of North Africa, and more recently, almost all of Hispania. I think we here in Francia unfortunately happen to be the next country for them to try to conquer. But we're not going to let them do it, Anna."

"You are so brave, Kara. Does the thought of being at the wall with Derek make you fearless?"

Kara looked down at her sister, almost a head shorter than she. Then, she gazed into the distance. Finally coming around to answer Anna's question, she answered, "Maybe it does, Anna. Maybe that he will be there does give me courage."

They finished their work and both girls left the bread and pastry room. Kara was thinking about her night shift with Derek at the wall. She planned on getting a good rest, even sleep if possible, in the afternoon before starting her night at the wall.

* * *

Kara was glad she woke from her nap in time, because when she looked out the window the sun was already setting. Knowing that it would get cooler in the night, she chose a shawl, and leaving the family home, she said goodbye to Lukas, her stepbrother, who was the only one who seemed to be around. In reply, he said to her, "Be careful, Kara."

She walked out the back door and across their backyard. Then, she took the steps up to the wall where she looked forward to meeting Derek.

Other knights and soldiers were there, but she did not at first see Derek. Then, she saw him, coming up the steps with a group of knights to relieve those who took the earlier shift. He didn't at first see her, and Kara was pleased to observe how handsome he was as he talked with other knights.

Arriving at the top of the stairs on the rampart he noticed her. "Kara! What are you doing up here?"

"Well, they needed people to handle the buckets, and I'm the one."

Derek came close, concern in his eyes. "But I would have thought that it would be your father or your stepbrother who would take on this dangerous job."

Kara could see the concern in his voice. "Well," she answered him, "we talked about it and in the end, it came down to me."

She saw Derek shake his head. "In a way I'm sorry it is you who have apparently chosen to be here. But for purely selfish reasons, I'm glad you are here."

Knowing something of Derek's relationship with Julia, though knowing only a little, Kara was at first not sure how to answer him. But then she said, in all honesty, "I'm glad to be here with you, Derek."

Speaking softly and standing very close to her he said, "Kara, get down with me. It is too dangerous to be standing. They can at any time shoot arrows at us."

She knelt down with him close to the protection of the wall. His face was not far from hers. Kara asked him, "What do you do here all night long?"

"Not much," he answered. "We talk among ourselves, we cautiously stand up to frequently look out over the wall, to make sure that there is nothing going on with the enemy down there. Some of us play dice to pass the time. It's quite boring, Kara, unless the enemy forces are doing something. Then, we are on high alert."

"I see," said Kara, considering. "Have you seen anything that could mean the Saracens may try something tonight?"

"You know I've not been here long, but already I've been told there has been some movement among them. So far, nothing that seems to be out of the ordinary. They do frequently tend to move about."

"Then you think we will have this night to ourselves?" Kara was already thinking that if the enemy didn't attack, she might have the opportunity to learn more of Derek.

"Very possibly. Here at the wall it's either boredom or overwhelming excitement."

"Yes, I can see how that could be. And yet, you, the knights and the others here are risking your lives to save every one of us in the city." Looking at him straight on she added, "I'm proud of you."

She saw him nod slightly, as if to brush off her words. Then, putting a hand on her shoulder, he said, "I'm the one who should be proud, of you, Kara. Men are trained to fight. We learn at an early age to stand up to injustice and oppression. But women are different. Women are strong in another way. Women need to be protected. A woman shouldn't have to fight."

"Yes," she said in answer. She saw him move from kneeling to take a more comfortable sitting position with his back against the wall. Taking a cue from him, she moved to sit down beside him. Without saying a word, he reached for her hand to take in his. She turned to face him, smiling. She wondered, is this how we will spend the night? Or, would the Saracens spoil their time together? Kara's mind was wandering, thinking of all kinds of possibilities. Even that she and Derek might both die on this wall defending the city. Not happy thoughts at all. She turned to him and saw that his eyes were closed and a light smile graced his lips. "Derek, are you awake?"

He opened his eyes and turned to her. "Yes, Kara?" He asked.

"I, . . .I thought you were asleep."

"No, not at all." She saw that now his eyes were fully open. "I'm happy you are at my side."

"Is that why you were smiling?"

"Yes."

She snuggled closer to him. "I'm happy too. To be close to you."