Photo Copyright: Al Forbes
This story was written for Sunday Photo Fiction–August, 28th, 2016. Each week the host, Al Forbes, provides a picture prompt. The challenge for each member of the group is to write an original story or poem with no more than 200 words, not including the title and inspired by the prompt.
To read the other stories written by group members, just click on the link below, then on the little blue frog in the blue box.
The link to the other stories this week is as follows:
https://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2016/08/28/sunday-photo-fiction-august-28th-2016/
Genre: Humor Fiction
Word Count: 200 Words
THE KNIGHT OF LAVENDER AND ROSES by P.S. Joshi
Reginald and Kathryn were twins born to the Earl of Camingham.
“But you can’t become a knight, Kathryn,” Reginald told her many times. “You’re a girl.”
“I don’t care,” she said with defiance. “I will be if I want to.”
Their aunt Mercedes sympathized with her as she’d always wanted to be a knight.
“I’ll tell you what,” she told Kathryn one day. “If you want to train I’ll find you someone who’ll help, and I’ll buy your armor when you’re ready. You won’t be knighted but can join in a quest and a tournament if you want. Well-trained you’ll be safer. Understand, though, there’s a chance you’ll be injured.”
“I don’t care, auntie,” said Kathryn. It’s my greatest desire to be a knight.”
Her aunt was as good as her word. And so was born the legend of the Knight of Lavender and Roses. He could lift a pint and joust with the best of them.
“What an extremely handsome knight he is,” commented Sir Randolph. “He’s pretty enough to be a girl.”
“Wouldn’t that be a joke on all of us fellows,” answered Sir Humphrey.
Musings on Life & Experience 
Fantastic. Sounds like something my sister, Kathryn, would do. When we were younger, she never wanted to be the damsel in distress, she wanted to be one getting in on the action and killing the dragons or the bad guys.
Great story 🙂
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Thanks, Al. It’s remarkable your sister’s name is the same as my main character, and she had the same ambitions. I’m happy you enjoyed the story so much. 😀 — Suzanne
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Ah, little did they know. I hope they were suitably embarrassed when they learned the truth. Great story, Suzanne.
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Thanks, Diana. They were probably doubly embarrassed if she’d beaten them at jousting. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. I had fun with this one. 🙂 — Suzanne
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I liked this story. I can imagine that it would be difficult to believe someone that well trained could in fact, be a female.
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Thanks, John. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. I can imagine in those days it would be really difficult. A certain number of people probably wonder how many times it happened. There was a woman in Game of Thrones. She was formidable. Of course, it’s common today. There was a queen in Maharashtra, India, the Rani of Jhansi, who rode into battle against the British in the 19th Century. She had her baby strapped to her back. She survived that attack but was later killed by a British officer who didn’t know she was a woman. There’s a statue of her on her horse with the baby on her back in a park here in Pune. Some friends of my husband are related to her. —- Suzanne
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Wow. Another great story.
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Hahaha I love this! I look forward to the day when all those knights find out that she really is a female. The look on their faces would be priceless!
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Thanks, Jade. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. I think we’d all like to be there when they find out. 😀 — Suzanne
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She sounds a gutsy woman! In ancient British history there was a queen of the Celtic Iceni tribe called Boudica, who won several battles against the occupying Romans, before being finally defeated.
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Thanks, Steve. I think it was Al who had a picture of Boudica as a prompt one time. I wrote about her. She was quite a warrior. I’m happy you liked this story. I had fun writing it. 😀 — Suzanne
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Heh, If only Sirs Randolph and Humphrey knew 🙂
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Thanks, Ali. Yes, I think we’d all like to see their faces if they found out. I’m happy you liked the story. 😀 — Suzanne
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Cute tale. She sounds like a woman very much unafraid and who can stand her own ground. As a Knight, wearing all that heavy armor etc. in tournaments, it would’ve been very difficult. Good on her.
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Thanks, Mandibelle. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. Yes, she was quite a woman. It couldn’t have been easy. 😀 — Suzanne
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Loved the story Suzanne!
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Thanks, Dahlia. I’m happy you enjoyed the story so much. I enjoyed writing it. 😀 — Suzanne
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