If I have to...

...blog, than I will do writer's prompts... or random ideas.  So here it is, from http://ejkwritingspot.blogspot.com/2010/09/master-list-of-my-speculative-fiction.html :

"The evil black knight turns out to be the kingdom's beloved fair princess."

~~~

The deep reverberating sound of the old, iron church bell echoed through the empty streets of the town as the residents hid behind locked door and shut windows.  They held their breaths and counted the chimes, never knowing through which way the black knight trod into the city on his dark stead.  Many of them already forgot what he looked like and the stead on which he rode.  Few dared speak of him, and most who did were ignored due to their status of being drunks.

All that anyone took for fact was what they knew, which was that he arrived in town whenever the church bells tolled for the six o'clock prayer.  The sun always sank into a reddened ball behind his armored figure.  His horse could be heard from near-by houses walking steadily toward the town square, where he negotiated with the king for the ransom he held the town at.

The villagers never questioned the amount, they never argued with the raise in taxes.  They only cared for their safety, which the received in return for the payments.  And they trusted the king to keep the peace with the cursed man as they cowered in their homes, unaware that the princess, on this trip, had gone missing.  One of the messengers ran out of the palace, arriving at the town square the same moment the black knight's horse did. "Y-Your majesty... the princess... she's... missing," the man announced between gasps for breath.

The king turned on the instant to look at his servant while the black knight shifted in his saddle. "I have no time for delay," his raspy voice echoed through his helm and out into the chilling air. "Give me my gold or prepare for the consequences."

The king faced the man again, his eyes narrowing. "You shall have your gold," he answered, motioning the man to his side to deliver the money. "But until I am assured my daughter is not in your possession, you may not leave our city." The black knight shifted again.

"You cannot keep me here," he demanded, taking the bag of gold from the servant.  He kicked his horse, egging it to gallop away through the streets, but the servant took the moment to kick at the horse's leg.  The horse fell to the ground with the black knight atop it, who let out a rather feminine cry as the horse landed on his leg.  His helm tumbled off with a few metallic clanks as it rolled on the ground and blonde hair fanned out on the dusty street.

The servant gasped, her hands raising to her mouth and covering it as the king froze.  Laying unmasked on the ground was the princess, a figure the townsmen knew only as kind and gentle girl.  She always looked out for the people, working in the hospitals during time of war and giving food to those in need.  No one could ever have guessed she could be the one causing the raise in taxes and taking them to pocket herself.

Her father watched her a moment before turning his back to her and retreated toward the castle. "Treat her as any other threat to our city," he ordered, his tone full of disappointment and anguish.

~~~

And on that end, I'm off to bed finally!