Day 16: The Quest for the Unfortunate Fortune--Part One

            Legends have been told of the great Sir Pink, who armoured himself entirely in pink steel.  He was not great in the way that other knights were; fighting and other such endeavours were not his strong suit.  In fact, nothing about knighthood really seemed to suit him.  But somehow, he fought his way through training and became Sir Pink. 

            Sir Pink’s real name was Sylvester Baptismo.  But as I said before, his armour was bright pink, and so he was dubbed Sir Pink by the King.  The King did this as a joke to get some laughs (which it did), leaving Sir Pink embarrassed. 

            Soon after his knighting, Sir Pink, along with the other new knights, set out on his first quest.  Sir Pink was in the company of four fellow knights: Sir Chronicle, (known for his magnificent story telling), Sir Cumference (known for his immense girth), Sir Cadence (known for his angelic vocal capabilities) and Sir Craven (known for his cowardice, although he is quite a nice fellow).

            Together the five knights set out on The Quest for the Unfortunate Fortune.  Much legend surrounded this fortune.  All that was known about it was that whoever found this fortune never came back, and if they did, they were not the same person as before.  Their only desire was to find the Unfortunate Fortune again.

            The King didn’t think this fortune actually existed, so he sent these five knights on their quest knowing that they couldn’t return until they found it.  In other words, he considered the new knights useless and didn’t want to see them in his kingdom ever again.

            The knights were unaware of this, of course, and so off they went to seek something that probably didn’t exist. 

            The first couple of days passed mostly in silence, except for inquiries about direction or distance to their destination.  On the third day, the five knights began talking and telling each other about their early years.  That night, Sir Chronicle told them the story of the Unfortunate Fortune, which made everyone shiver (especially Sir Craven).  After that Sir Cadence decided it prudent to end the evening on a high note and sang them a song.

            Many days passed and they all became fast friends.  A month and a half into their quest, they reached the territory in which it was suspected that the Unfortunate Fortune lay.  It took another week before they found the treasure.

            “Behold,” said Sir Chronicle, “shrouded in mist is the cave wherein the treasure we seek lies.”

            “Am I the only one feeling a deep sense of foreboding?” asked Sir Craven.

            “Yes,” answered Sir Cumference (even though he was so afraid he had lost his great appetite altogether).

            They stood just outside the gate trying to find the courage to enter the unknown.

            Sir Pink was the first to enter, followed closely by the rest, with Sir Craven at the back.  It took a moment for Sir Pink’s eyes to adjust, but once they did he dropped to his knees.

            Before Sir Pink stood his mother.  His dead mother, or at least, he thought she had been dead.  

            “Mother?” Sir Pink asked, tears sliding down his cheeks.

            “My son,” the woman smiled.

            “Mother!”

            The two rushed into each others’ arms. 

            “I thought you were dead!” cried Sir Pink.

            “I know, and I’m sorry for the pain I have caused you,” his mother said.  “Please forgive me.”

            “I do, mother, I do.”

            “I am so proud of the man and knight you have become.”

            “Thank you, Mother.  I have always hoped you were.”

            Sir Pink’s mother then laughed in a way that Sir Pink had never heard before.  It sounded almost like a mocking laugh.

            “What is it, Mother?” Sir Pink asked.

            “Its just,” his mother fought through fits of laughter, “you chose the most horrendous color for your armour.  It is truly hideous.”

            It was in that moment that Sir Pink realized this woman could not be his mother. 

            “Who are you?” yelled Sir Pink.

            “Why, what do you mean?” asked the woman.  “I am your mother.”

            “You are not, for if you were my mother you would know why I wear this color, a color that you love.”

            “I don’t know what you mean,” the woman said, but the laughter was gone and was replaced by a frown.

            “Exactly.  That is why I know you are not my mother.”

            And with those words Sir Pink drew his sword and thrust it deep into the woman’s stomach.  She staggered back with the sword still in her.  As she hissed and writhed in front of the knights, she began transforming into something else.  In a few moments, the woman had completely transformed into a dragon.