Dullahan: The Headless Knight

Life was always interesting in the kingdom of Reyona. History books teach that it wasn't always as peaceful as it was during the current era, but those are often stories of the past, forsaken so that the new generations forget about the horrors of the dark times, a period before enlightenment, civil constructs and evolution. Though life was hectic, it was in the time of King Felix R. Reyona III that the kingdom reveled in peace and flourished with military advancements. The King was known to be lenient to his foes upon victory, a virtue that helped forge an everlasting peace between his, and the Kingdom of Stidia. It was quiet inside the court. The King was wearing his usual robe of royalty, that matched the color of the sun at dawn, and on top of his round head rested the crown. It was encircled by the prettiest of gems in all the known lands. This was but a normal day in the life of a king. “I'm telling the truth milord . . .” a peasant said. Dressed in torn rags, he stood before the King's throne. The crowd, gathered to witness the King having an audience with his subjects, burst into laughter. Their cries grew by the second. King Felix raised his hand, and the crowd went silent. “What is your name?” “Gavin, your grace,” the peasant responded. “That's a good name,” the King said before he took a pause. He leaned in. “Now, I want you to tell me again what is it that you saw.” The peasant took a deep breath. “I was minding my own business as usual. I was late and decided to take a shortcut, but what I saw on the other side . . .” he said before he took a pause. He sighed. “I saw him . . . the Headless Knight, there on his horse. He looked straight at me with those gouging hollow eyes.” The room fell silent after hearing those words, they would sooner edge the sound of their hearts beating in their minds than blink, and they weren't even capable of forming words to break the silence that gloomed. The King raised his eyebrows and took a good look at the man in front of him. “A Headless Knight . . . who stared at you with his gouging eyes?” he said before he sighed. He lowered his head and then tapped the side of the throne with his fingers. “You truly test my patience.” The crowd resumed their laughter as if on command. “I know what I saw!” the peasant demanded, and with that, the crowd fell into silence yet again. “You all are laughing at me, but you won't be when he comes for you at the dead of the night! He exists, and for some reason he picked our kingdom as his next target—” “Enough!” the King interrupted. “I will hear no more of this. The crime for which you were arrested, my dear Gavin is one of theft, and urinating on public property,” he added before he stood from the throne and began to descend. “But milord—” “And if that's not enough, you carefully construct tales to cover up your petty crime. Your refusal to admit to the falsehood of your reports will be the death of you. I have no place for liars in my kingdom.” “Milord please, I am not lying, I did steal some food, but it was simply because I didn't have any. You have to believe—” “Believe you? After you come here spouting nonsense trying to shake the very foundations of peace, with your talks of fairy tales?” the King interrupted as he reached down on the floor, he stopped. “I would've helped you, had you come to me but now see what you have done.” He said before he gently shook his head. “By my name as your King, I sentence you to die.” “No! No, milord I am sorry!” the peasant said, but before he could even add anything, two guards came and grabbed both of his arms tightly, as they began to remove him from the court. The King looked to his right. “Roger, see to it that he is properly fed before his time.” “Wouldn't you say that a death sentence is a bit harsh, my liege?” Roger said as he strolled toward the King. “Nonsense, it is what he deserves. Unless you would have me believe in children's tales now?” The King moved toward the upper corner. He waved at Roger, and he followed. “Where is my daughter?” “Haven't seen her much for today, but I wouldn't worry about her.” “And why is that?” “We have a dozen of our best spies looking after her, surely she'll be fine, your grace.” “That is true. Sasha does bear my name very well.” The two entered a narrow corridor that lead inward to the castle. It was made of marble that had been carefully constructed to elevate the senses of all who dwelled within it. To their right, there were portraits and were each inspired by a previous King. They stopped near a broad door at the end of the corridor that was heavily guarded. This was the entrance to the King's very own chambers. The King leaned to grab the handle. “Oh well, I guess it cannot be helped. Make sure you get enough sleep.” “Father!” The King and Roger turned toward the voice that came from the far end of the corridor. “Sasha?” the King cried. Taken back, he placed his hand on his chin. “There you are,” he added, but his heart was not at ease yet. Sasha was gorgeous by all measures of beauty. Her skin was white and as smooth as milk, and her round face that housed her blue eyes, and short dark hair. “What's troubling you, my princess?” Roger asked, his eyebrows raised. Sasha ran toward her father, and leaned a kiss on his cheek. She turned to Roger. “A matter of great importance; I hope you support me in this,” she said before she turned towards Felix. “There is a girl—” “Not again,” the King interrupted and then he sighed. “I'll see to your friend in the morning, the hour is late now for audiences.” “No, Father, this is different. Please just hear her out!” Sasha grabbed the King's arms and gently pushed them toward her. “Sasha, we've done this about a dozen times already . . .” The King gazed into his daughter's eyes. It seemed repetitive, Sasha was as kind-hearted as she was fierce and that was a troublesome trait to have for a princess. She always wanted to help others and tried to get the ones in need an audience with her father, even when the solutions often seemed simple to her, but to a King, very few matters are simple after all. “Father please, her village was blazed down and her family were attacked by bandits, surely there is something we can do!” Sasha said, her grasp on her father growing stronger. Felix felt a chill down his spine. “Bandits? In my Kingdom?” the thought of bandits plundering his villages caused his eyes to widen, and he sighed. Turning to Roger he nodded.