A Knight’s Tale of Love

This time and place is truly interesting, infinitely full of wonders compared to my enchanted land of Menoria, the memories of which are still vivid in my mind. Menoria also had borne the reason for my sorrow.

I am Sir Alfronhyde, a knight of our realm of Kastadia. A magical place, where our fief stood on a fair cliff overlooking the lilac sea, and holds sway over the lands that stretched for leagues, yielding much abundance of grain, cattle, and mead. Time and again, we ventured forth to partake in quests as decreed by our king, Meltharkyn, and on the counsel of our most powerful sorceress, Amalhea. Oftentimes, we defended the kingdom from the incursions of the neighboring kingdoms, the vagabond hordes of the Kyllstrians, or against the creatures of strange capabilities and powers that have killed many of my fellow knights, and have ravaged our lands..

I myself had been wounded by a Gryonmisk, a huge eight legged abomination that wraps its victims in white thread. Its legs slashed at my iron breastplate, gashing it open. Good, I was able to impale its jaws with my old faithful sword, Wygzglaff, forged by the Dwarf Lord Kransvorel herself, and the monster burned to ashes.

I have fallen in love with one of the maidens of the clan Beloria, my Doncella, my life, my dream. Though of a lower class than my warrior stature, the Council of Elders nonetheless allowed us to the betrothed. We were wed under the twin blue moons on the Fertilian eve, and what bliss it was. However, in the fifth year of our marriage, a strange illness had taken my beloved’s life before healing ministrations could be salved on her. This happened while I was away doing the sorceress’ bidding.

I was devastated. My life became meaningless after her death.

I sought my sorceress’ aid. She told me, if I had the heart for this quest that could mean my banishment from our realm, never to return, I could find Doncella in another world, in another time. She gave me the talisman that enabled me to travel to other universes and to locate my Doncella in another existence, in another life.

Seven times I found her, but my Lady’s magic could only bring me to her, but not to make our love be reborn. At first, finding her in a desert tent, the glow of the ruby gem announcing her nearness, she had slapped me when I embraced and kissed her. She did not remember me at all! It was by luck I escaped the scimitar-wielding knights who wore no armor and screamed strange war cries.

I spoke the words, with my talisman to my chest, and found her, again, but to my surprise, in that god-forsaken ship, Doncella was a man! Wider in breadth than me! With markings of naked women on her biceps. This was a mistake.

I was not aware of these complications, or I did not follow my Lady’s words to their true meaning. I moved from that world to another, and thought wooing the female Doncella in her new avatar, thinking that, I might win her heart even if she was not her old self. I almost did, in this world where men wore wide brimmed hats. I saw her in a small inn called “Wyatt’s Tavern”. She did hint an interest in me and brought me to one of her rooms, and after our lovemaking, she asked me for a gift of what she called money. I said I had none. She told me it was all right. I was already set to learn the ways of that place when I knew my plan was doomed. I had a rival, a lad named Wyatt, a person they called The Pimp, demanding I pay, for what, I did not know. I was lucky I was able to run and dodge shots from his thunder wand, and only the talisman saved me when I was cornered at the cactus patch.

After a few more tragedies wherein I saw my Doncella dying before my eyes, or leaving by ship for another star, I finally came to Manila. I saw my Doncella, in her form and demeanor I knew from long ago, albeit in a different dress and speaking a different language. She was working as a waitress in what they called karinderya, where they served spicy meats and nutritious noodle soups called mami. I was able to work as bouncer at Malate, where there were plenty of nationalities similar to my race. A bar owner took me in, to whom I told a made-up story about myself, a traveler suffering from amnesia.

Together, I and Donna, my Doncella, were living in together for many years already in a rented house in the city. But just like my love in Menoria, Donna could not live as long as I. I did not age, while Donna grew apparently weaker in strength and appearance. Even my boss was beginning to notice this. I did not know what to do. I had brought out the talisman in street, and suddenly, a young scraggly waif snatched it from my hands and disappeared in the side streets of the Quiapo district. I had not recovered it ever since. I am now resigned that I will live for eternity in this plane.

One morning, after Donna had went to the palengke to buy our food, men wearing black suits and shades barged through my door and pulled a sack over my head. They dragged me to a waiting van, whisking me by plane to a secret base somewhere beneath downtown New York. There, they told me I was now in their custody due to my condition. They told me they could not allow genetic aberrations like myself to roam free. They told me they would hold me indefinitely.

I had suffered so much, all for the love for my Doncella. Now, I might not be with Donna in her last days, when she gave me so much love that has made me forget the other Doncellas of my quest. Just when I was contemplating suicide rather than rot in that steel walled holding cell, one night, a bright orb glided into my cell, increased in effulgence, and then, Amahlea materialized. At the behest of the Council of Elders, she had traveled here to bring me back to Menoria. I said, I would not leave without my Donna. The next words my Lady told me made me fall from my bunk. She told me this.

I could bring Donna with me. And Amalhea herself would bring back her youth. I was astounded, and tearful with gratitude. Then, she transported me out of that prison and back to Manila.

I spoke with Donna, who was so worried for my sudden disappearance. She could not understand everything I said but she joyfully said that as long as we’re together she could accept everything. I think her exact words in the vernacular were, “Di Kita Iiwan.” (I won’t leave you.).

We will meet Amalhea in Baguio, the most suitable locale for our transport, a few days from now. She had even recovered the talisman, I can only guess at how. She also assured us the MIB wouldn’t find us.

By the time you read this, I shall have left and have ended my quest here. This was a quest worth writing down, as is our wont in Menoria. I will miss you, but I have lived on your assurances and advice, and to tell you my story is my way of saying Thank You. I will always remember our games of tong it and also your broken but endearing English.

Fare you well, fellow warrior.

Your friend,

Alfie aka Alfronhyde

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