Knightfall (Chapter 9)

  Jubilee adjusted the straps of her pack and walked over to the hovercycle.  She reached down to the Knight sais in their special harness and sheath.  It was probably the 12th time she touched them in the last five mintues, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.  She was nervous and she knew how special these sais were.  She took a deep breath to calm herself.

  “Ready?”

  Jubilee turned to face Lady Katherine.  She smiled and reached out.  Katherine took Jubilee’s hands in her own.

  “You be careful.  You’re going on an exciting journey.  You will grow and learn.  You will cry and shout, you will smile and laugh.  It is the way with every journey.  Now, take this.  When you find Lord Damien, give this to him and tell him ‘The Lady of Ar sends her regards.'”

    Jubilee looked at the small wooden box that Lady Katherine had given her and then looked at Katherine with a puzzled expression on her face.

  “Ar?”

  Katherine laughed softly, “Don’t worry, he’ll know what it means.  You’ll also know that it is really him when you give him the box.”

  “How’s that?”

  “Lord Damien is the only person, besides me, that knows how to open that box.”

  Jubilee nodded and straddled the bike.  She activated the hover caps and it rose soundlessly in the air.

  “Farewell child. Remember, I expect you back in less than a year.”

  Jubilee nodded. 

  “I remember.  Farewell Lady Katherine.”

  Jubilee turned the bike toward the direction of the first scouters settlement on her map and sped off.  Lady Katherine stood looking into the distance long after Jubilee had disappeared into the horizon.

-Damien