Transformation from Minion to Knight
The dagger pointed at my neck. Why didn’t the target just push the blade into my flesh?
I joined the assassin guild after losing my love. Other girls in the village, gathered flowers, sewed dresses, played the 二胡. The day I brought my girl flowers, she threw them in my face, flipped me over and pinned me to the ground. “I’m not a flowers girl in case you haven’t noticed.”
Wrestling became our routine. Typically the loser, her parents thought she acquired a servant who regularly cleaned her horse. She called me, “寶寶”. Some days it meant that I was “her precious little girl”. Other days I was her baby but not in the tender sort of way. Additionally as punishment for losing to her, I followed her into the abandoned castle where she made me crawl on the stone floor as she yelled, “寶寶起来!”, from across the great hall.
As we grew older, pauses developed during our regular wrestling. She stopped all of a sudden and stared at me. I never noticed her eyes before. Round and dark, captivating like the moon. Her black hair veiled her face. I drew closer to her mouth. We consumed each others’ breath until I closed her mouth with my lips. We held each other by the river until falling asleep.
The next morning, I woke up alone by that river. The silhouette of her figure marked the mud, confirming to me I was not dreaming. After that night, however, I never saw her. Her parents never explained what happened. I was her 寶寶, but my treasure was gone forever.
That’s when I joined the assassin guild. Since, I died with her, I never wanted to love another. All assassins meet their last day at some point. Mine was about to happen the day that dagger pointed at my neck.
We retrieve our assignments and expect to finish by three nights sundown. “Red cloak. Don’t expose the identity. You do, then we terminate both of you.” As said target turned the corner, I positioned behind the column. I leaped ahead, dagger pointed. Yet, as I moved closer, target exposed the leg. The leg sparkled white, covered with crushed pearls. Immediately my need throbbed. Target was a she; not a he. Fuck. I quivered and fell. She grabbed dagger and pointed at my neck.
Suddenly, she whistled. Two figures also in red cloaks grabbed me and pierced my flesh with a needle. I woke up lying on hay in an iron cell. “Madame calls on you.” The cell gate opened and there stood the lady in the red cloak. “Kneel before your Madame.” Everyone stopped moving in this moment of worship. She never said a word and just stared at me as I kneeled. After an hour, she finally said “Minion” and turned away. My legs numb, they carried me into my cell. This repeated several days, then several weeks, stretching to many months.
One day I received the call like any other. “Madame calls on you.” I positioned to my knees when suddenly an arm pulled me up. “No, today you walk.” They led me through a dark corridor until we reached a pool of water. Attendants bathed me. Then I was led to a large gate. It rose to reveal a red gown that stretched from the back of the great hall to the entrance of the gate.
Madame sat in the center wearing this gown that filled the entire room. A red cloak covered her head and face. Madame removed her cloak, looked into my eyes and called gently to me, “寶寶…起来.” Suddenly weakness set into my legs and I fell. “My dear it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Again, she said softly “寶寶起来.” I crawled towards her like I had always done when we were children in that abandoned castle. Her soft gown pressed on my knees and comforted me as I inched towards her.
Who was this that I had so casually wrestled and kissed long ago? I couldn’t look at her. My face pointed to the ground. “What happened to you?” “I was sold to be one of his many wives. Madame will never be just another man’s wife. Put out your hand.” I felt the crackling of leaves and stems in my hand. Bringing it to my face, I saw dried flowers. They were the very flowers I gave her that day we met and she threw them at me.
“Many men have fought to be my King. Many men serve as my minions. You have always been my Knight. Rise now to be who you have always been.”
by minion d to Knight Damon
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