Pitching The White Knight- College Assignment
Regaining consciousness again she finds that the prince has still not left the room and a few of the other knights are there with him. He tells her that he thought she might want to know that one of the Knights, Sir Roberts, sent Angela on an errand, but he is certain that if she were here she would want to be here too. He also states that Angela would have been quite inspired if she had known her teacher was a girl. Sir Roberts steps forward and tells the prince that he is certain he understands why she wanted to hide her identity and if he might speak to her alone for a moment. The prince and the others comply and leave Sir Roberts there to speak to “The White Lady”.
He tells her that he recognized some of her signature moves as those once used by a dear friend of his- her father. Angela realizing that her cover is blown now closes her eyes. He tells her that it is a very risky proposition for a servant to claim knighthood but also saw her encounter with the leader of the enemy, Sir Roderick, who they were just fighting. He told her that he knows that the leader is still searching for the girl that gave him the scar across his face (her) and that it would be better for her identity to remain concealed. Angela tells him that she won’t have to worry about that for much longer because she is certain the king will remove her from knighthood.
Sir Roberts informs her that she has great skill and not only would the king be foolish to dismiss you in a time like this (enemy’s on the border) but also that any one of the knights would stand up for you. He tells her to tell the king that after her family was murdered she decided to disguise herself as a guy and remain hidden long ago because the enemy leader would be seeking her for revenge.
As the kingdom’s enemy’s draw nearer the king has demanded that the prince no longer joins the knights in battle for his own safety. He also announces that a new knight has joined the kingdom – the Black Knight. Strangely enough Angela finds that she enjoys talking (as the White Lady) with the Black Knight and the Black Knight begins asking her to go for horse rides and walks along the lake behind the castle.
Angela soon finds herself confused by her own feelings as she realizes that she cares for Prince Daniel and also finds herself falling for the Black Knight. As she balances the time she spends with both of them she becomes more and more torn about her decision. She knows that she would never be allowed to marry a prince and decides to enjoy the Black Knight’s company. Two weeks pass and word reaches the Castle that the Enemy has reached the closest outpost, as many of the kings knights have already joined the fray only a handful remain in the castle. The king orders the rest to go help and Sir Roberts and the White Lady stay behind to keep watch and muster the rest of the castle’s infantry.
After a few days the Knights send a messenger to the castle. Sir Roberts attends the meeting while the White Lady keeps watch. When he comes back to the castle wall to tell her what he has learned he looks very upset. He tells her that the enemies claim to have the Prince held captive and they won’t release them until the Kingdom surrenders to their terms. Not knowing who she worries about more, the captured Prince Daniel or the Black Knight still away at battle, the ‘White Lady’ tells Sir Roberts that she has to go… perhaps if she faces the leader she can create a diversion long enough to rescue the prince. He tells her to go ahead and give her plan to the rest of the knights.
The White Lady enters the camp of the knights a day later and asks if they could all meet together. In a tent for the private meeting the White lady reveals her true identity as Angela Stine the garden servant. As the rest of the knights are shocked she continues the story of what she remembers from her childhood and that she thinks the leader would welcome a challenge from the girl that gave him the huge scar running down his face. As the Knights chuckle one of them asks her if she intends to just hand herself over to the leader. As the rest of the knights realize what she is proposing they shout in protest and there must be another way. The older of the knights suggests that they go in and try to rescue the prince and then only if they have to reveal Angela as a tool they will. Angela suggests that they figure out some way to signal the troops that could attack for further distraction if needed.
That evening a group of twelve of the knights along with the White Lady sneaks into the enemy camp. After some stealth and searching they manage to find the tent that the prince is bound in. One of the Knights cuts a slit in the side of the tent away from the view of the guards. Two knights and the White Lady enter the tent while the rest stay hidden outside to keep guard. The prince’s wrists and ankles are tied behind him to a pole in the center of the tent; he is dressed in a white under tunic and black pants. As the White Lady goes to release him the other two knights grab the guard standing outside and knock him unconscious and grad him inside the tent, binding him in the prince’s place. The White Lady wanted to ask him how he got into this mess but knowing they have little time before they are discovered she decides not to press the subject. Suddenly an alarm sounds.
The Knights all know what must be done. White Lady tells the prince not to say a word no matter what happens. She nods to the Knights who all stand to guard the prince and they step out of the tent with their hands up. Sir Roderick, the enemy leader, strides forward demanding to know what they think they are doing. The White Lady steps forward and tells them that they are taking the prince back. Sir Roderick demands to know who she is that she thinks she can make such an assumption. Pulling off her hood and her mask, Angela shakes her hair out and comprehension dawns on Sir Roderick. A sneer crosses his mangled face as he explains to her that he recognizes her as the 13 yr old girl that tried to stand up to him years ago to protect her family. A memory comes back to her and she tells him that it was a good thing that he left her for dead because now she can come back to haunt him. She raises her sword and after dismissing his guards protests Sir Roderick accepts her challenge.
They battle back and forth around the whole encampment with a wide ring of both Sir Roderick’s men and the Knights. Finally after some time and while the two are pacing around each other, Angela tells Sir Roderick that if she wins they must let her, the knights and the prince walk out of the camp alive. Sir Roderick laughs and replies that her terms are fine but if he wins the knights may leave but her and the prince will be his prisoners. A sly smile crosses Angela’s face and declares that the terms are a deal. The duel rages again as the two of them are going for the death of the other. Suddenly Sir Roderick corners her against a wooden cart. With a few feet between them Angela’s sly smile returns and with a flick of her sword Sir Roderick’s sword goes flying out of his hand and buries itself hilt high in the sand, point down {her signature move}. Lunging forward she in turn corners Sir Roderick and catches him off guard.
Sir Roderick’s men gather around her with their swords drawn. She tells him that now is the time to honor their agreement. A wicked grin crosses his face and she knew that he never meant to honor their agreement. She tips her sword point up to his cheek and runs it along his scar until a thin trail of blood appears. Horsley Sir Roderick calls for his men to stand down and they allow the knights to take the prince and Angela out of the camp.
When they got back to their own camp the prince gets something to eat and calls Angela off to one side to talk. As he sits down on a log off to the side of the camp she takes a seat beside him. The prince asks her why she did not tell him she was the White Knight even after all those days they spent out in the garden practicing dueling. She told him that being a servant she did not think…He cuts her off and as he takes her hand he tells her that would not have mattered to him. She takes her hand back with a mischievous grin and tells him that his safety must also not matter to him if he allowed himself to get caught. However, realizing what his statement means to her, Angela is still a little stunned and looks away in embarrassment.
(Plot Point 2) Later and without notice in the middle of the night, Sir Roderick’s men pack up and retreat. The knights still know that they have not seen the last of him. A few days back at the castle the King requests an audience with his son and the Knights in the Knights hall. There are many tables in the room that the Knights would sit at during meetings. He tells the prince that he is tired of worrying about the safety of the kingdom’s future and by the next week there will be a celebration at which the Prince will announce who he will marry. The Prince stands in objection and argues that this is not the way he wanted to choose his wife. The White Lady sits at a table a few rows back staring at the top of her table, her heart sinks as she realizes that she does not want him to marry any other but knows that he must decide this, she also knows that she has the same feelings for the Black Knight and is not sure what she would chose either. Sir Roberts, sitting across from her, turns to glance at her realizing what she must be feeling.
