White Knight Boyfriend: Amir (rough draft)

Before there was the Royal Family, Miror had once been ruled by the Court of Chess. This Court was made up of two warring families who, every five years, hosted a great battle to determine who would be the next ruler of Miror. For those five years the King and Queen of each side would train their troops and build up an army as strong as possible to win and claim the ruling throne.

When they were challenged by the human form of the Goddess Alice, the two families worked together in order to defeat her. Unfortunately, it was for naught, and Alice won, becoming the first united queen of Miror, and beginning what is known as the royal family today. She did take pity on the Court of Chess, and while she did banish both kings and queens, she kept their armies. Yet again, though, fortune did not smile on the two armies, as Alice used them very little. What was once a mighty army was now nothing more than a plaything of the royal family.

My ancestors were once part of the Dynastinae Court, who had held the throne the most in their day. We were once considered the mightiest army in all of Miror; well trained, intelligent, and ruthless. Nowadays, we were lucky to even talk about our former glory. Thanks to our ancestors trying to stage coups and uprisings, we’ve been kept in a sort of village prison.

The Chessboard had once been where our ancestors fought their battles to see who would take the throne. Now, it was used to keep us prisoner. Both the Cyphochilus Court and Dynastinae Court were contained in this village, and once a year the Royal Family made us reenact the War of Alice. Humiliating, to say the least.

Sometimes we were trotted out for special events at the royal palace, nothing more than decor and glossy pieces for the royal family. I get it, both sides of the Court of Chess are a bit volatile. Some of the elders still speak of uprising and overthrowing the current regime, but some of us younger ones have gotten, dare I say, lazy? None of us have that drive that previous generations did, none of the fire, no call to revenge. Most of us don’t even remember the Battle of Alice or the way things used to be. Some of us have never even been outside of the Chessboard. What are we supposed to fight for anyways?

The old Chess Pieces are barely touched anymore, basically just giant landmarks dotting the outskirts of the Chessboard. The large mechanical suits of armor that once served as the main vessels for battle were growing moss, vines, and sinking into the earth. Whenever we are forced to do the reenactments, we have special props that pop out to resemble the mech suits. One person operates one of those props, meanwhile it takes two, sometimes three people to make one of the Chess Pieces fully operational.

My parents had once been the pilots of the Queen Piece, and they still talk about it to this day. “Oh it was wonderful, Zari. It was captivating, Zari.” They would say about their days as top warriors. “The Queen Piece was the highlight of all the battles! We were always the center of attention.”

I can’t imagine what going from center stage to nothing felt like. I’ve always known nothing, I’ve not lived as long as they have. I was born just before the Battle of Alice, so I have no context for what being on top was like. The only idea of the view I had was when I climbed the Chess Pieces and looked out over all of the Chess Board.

Each side still kept themselves separate, the Cyphochilus Court and Dynastinae Court really stuck to their rivalry guns, not even being defeated by Alice could stop it. If you crossed the line separating both sides, it would cause a fight. Every so often this would happen, and I suppose it was as close to fighting for the throne as we could get these days.

From the top of the Chess Pieces, I can see a little beyond the Chess Board. The Royal palace is a jewel in the distance, with the Tulgey Wood spreading out far on the other side. I could sometimes see smoke rising from the chimney of villages nearby, and on clear nights, I could see their lights glowing like a halo. I’m too young to remember a time before we were trapped upon the Chess Board, but I do want to go beyond it someday.

It’s growing dark, and I can see the halo coming around the closest village. I should be getting home, but I do love to watch the stars come out. I have quite a large family; I have six younger siblings I help wrangle at the end of the day. They also rely on me to tell them stories before bedtime.

I decide to fly down, I can use my wings to make short bursts up and help me float down easily. Due to not using them, both sides of the court have forgotten how to use the wings under our shells. I’m usually okay using them, but tonight, as I’m cascading down from the top, a strong wind blows. I try to grab onto the side of the Chess Piece, but the wind buffets too hard and I lose grip.

I’m tossed aside and thrown over the wall surrounding the Chess Board. I fall into the trees, toppling down until I’m caught in a tangled web of vines. I hang there, too terrified to move or even breathe. My leg hurts, my sides hurt, and the shock is wearing thin. Giving way to fear, I burst out into tears.

“Calm down,” a voice rumbles through the darkness.

I whimper and sniffle. “Wh-who goes there?”

I hear a loud buzzing and then the tree limb near my head sags. “Stay still, I’ll get you out of this.”

“Be careful!” I yelp.

“Are you hurt?” He asks again.

“Probably. It was a pretty disturbing tumble.” One of the vines trapping my arm down gives and I am able to pull it out.

“Take my hand.”

I look up, seeing a white armored hand before me. I take it, letting it pull me up and out of the vines until I’m sitting on a tree limb with my mysterious savior, a member of the Cyphochilus Court.

I’m a little stunned, to say the least. I wasn’t expecting anyone else from the Chess Board, let alone someone who is supposed to not stand my Court. “Geez,” I murmur. “Aren’t you worried you’ll get your ass kicked for helping me?”

He looks down at me, quite quiet and serious. He’s a bit smaller than me, then again, most of his Court is smaller. Compared to the Dynastinae Court, which is made of quite big and strong Beetles, the Cyphochilus are more elegant and fast. “You don’t kick mine, I won’t kick yours. Maybe as a thank you for saving you.”

“No that’s not it,” I start to laugh. “Never mind.” My antennae twitch around as I try to smell where we’re at. “And yes, thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had to get myself out of that mess.”

“Just glad I was around.” He tosses aside the vine and then looks up at me. “Are you hurt?”

All of him is soft white, except for his eyes which are a dark amber and his antennae which are a pale orange. He keeps his head down so mostly, all I see is the top of his hard helmet. “My leg,” I answer. “It hit hard against the wall when I fell.”

He inches closer to my side and lowers down to see my leg. “Let me see.”

I hesitate for a moment to extend my leg out to him, so I decide to change the subject. “Is there a way back over the wall? I don’t know how long or far I fell, but I can only assume we’re quite a ways from the top.”

“Don’t worry.” His antennae twitch back and forth. “I can try to carry you up.”

I furrow my brow at him, lowering down my horn. “You can fly?”

He looks up and I am stunned by how pretty he is. His voice is gravelly and rough, but his appearance is as close to angelic as one can get. His features are smooth, with sharp angles along the cheekbones and jaw. There are pale orange marks along his eyes and lips, making him look painted. I felt silly staring, after all, my features are pointed to the massive horn in the center of my forehead. Even if I was a beautiful glossy black, I still didn’t compare to his loveliness.

He shrugs. “Almost. I’ve been training myself to build the strength up in my wings. This would be my first time carrying someone, though.” He replies cooly.

“I can carry myself for short bursts but-” I clear my throat. “Who are you? I’ve asked you several times now, it is starting to become quite rude of you to not answer.”

He smirks and chuckles at me. “Amir,” he states simply.

“Zari,” I answer back. “It figures you would have a pretty name.”

He looks up at me. “What do you mean?”

I avoid the questions and clear my throat. “So what happened? How did you see me fall?”

“I was practicing flying, actually. For a while I’ve been trying to build up my wing strength and see what I can actually do. I use the Chess Pieces to gauge how far I can go. I was just getting ready to head home for the night when I heard you scream.”

“Oh no, I screamed?” I grumble.

“I don’t blame you for screaming. I would have too if the wind toyed with me like that.” He glances up through the trees. “To be honest, I’ve seen you on the Chess Pieces a lot when I practice,” he says. “I was always curious about you.”

I smile softly. “I’ve never seen you before! And I spend quite a lot of time up on those Chess Pieces.”

“I stick to the white pieces so I can blend in and not get noticed,” he says with a smile. “But I always kind of wanted to.”

My antennae tilt forward. “Then why did you never make yourself known?”

Amir wiggles his antennae towards me and laughs. “Well, aside from our two Courts hating one another. I’ve never been in the wood to fight.”

I shrug. “Good reason.”

“Can you climb out of the trees?” He asks, standing up. “If your leg hurts too badly, I can try and carry you out.”

I giggle as I try to stand. “Trying to play the White Knight?”

“Maybe. Careful.” He reaches out, helping me to stand on the limb.

“Really hope this doesn’t give out,” I whimper. I brace against the trunk, holding up my one hurt leg.

“Does it hurt?” Amir asks.

I try to put weight on the hurt leg. “A little, but I think I can at least climb out.”

“Climb on my back.”

I frown towards him. “No! I’ll crush you!”

Amir gives me a sharp look. “I can carry you, don’t argue with me.”

“You sure?” I grumble.

He turns so his back shell faces me. “I may not look as tough as you, but I think I’m pretty strong. Now climb on. Hurry. Once it gets really dark, things start to move in the Tulgey Wood.”

I quickly climb on and hold onto him. “What moves?”

“Not sure,” he grunts, “just things.” He starts climbing out of the trees, hefting both of us along until we come to the top and near the wall.

“I never realized just how big the walls were,” I murmur.

“They’re intimidating from another angle,” Amir grunts. He sets me down then turns to face me. “Okay now, Zari, I need you to hold my hands. I’ll fly up some, and when I’m above your head, you start beating your wings too.”

“You think we can fly that?” I point up to the wall. “I can only do short bursts, and I have those timed out to the ledges along the Queen Piece.”

“Not sure, I’ve been practicing, and your wings are stronger than most. I think if we do this together, we can at least get close enough to the edge to climb on. From there, we can use the Chess Pieces to guide us down.”

I look unsurely up at the wall. “Would be awful to fall.”

“It would be, that’s very true,” Amir sighs. “But we’d at least be falling together.”

I smirk. “Some White Knight.”

He holds his hands out again. “Just a joke to lighten the mood. Maybe if this works, they won’t kick my ass.”

I giggle and my antennae twitch. “Okay.” I take hold of his hands. “Let’s try this.”

His back shell opens up and his wings beat furiously, turning into a loud buzzing. He lifts up and hovers above, holding my hands tight. I follow suit, beating my wings until both of us are off the trees and lifting higher towards the wall. We’re coming closer, and still we’re so far from the top.

“Come on!” Amir shouts. “We can do this!”

“I’m getting tired!” I huff. “My wings!”

“Both our lives are on the line,” he encourages. “Beat harder! Both of us!”

I whimper, exhausted and my wings aching, but I try. We’re lifted up higher, and with a swing, Amir tosses me onto the wall. I land then whip around and grab him as he starts to fall. He dangles over the edge for a moment before he starts to laugh.

“We did it!”

I struggle pulling him up, chuckling as I do. “Yeah! Suppose we did.” I get him up onto the ledge with me and we both rest there for a moment.

He sighs heavily, tossing his head back to look up at the sky. “I was worried for a second.”

“Really?” I puff. “I was worried the entire time.”

Amir laughs again. “Be careful next time coming down off the Chess Pieces. But hopefully I’ll be around to help you out the next time.”

“Next time?” I scoff at him. “There won’t be a next time.”

“Then when can I see you again?”

I turn and look at Amir who is smiling at me. I slowly pull my legs up to my chest as I feel myself growing warmer by the second. “You do realize we’re from opposite sides.”

“And? There’s no more Court of Chess. We’re all on the same side. Inside.” He motions to the Chess Board. “What is the point of having sides now when we’re all trapped in the same scenario?”

“Some people still take it very seriously.” I glance out back towards the Tulgey Wood. “It could make a lot of trouble, and for someone trying to play the White Knight, that usually doesn’t suit their style.”

Amir chuckles. “I don’t mind trouble, after all, I did save you.”

I shrug up my shell around my face. “Compared to you, I know I don’t look like the usual damsel in distress.”

Amir leans forward. “What do you mean?”

“Like a princess or a queen,” I scoff.

“And what is that supposed to look like?”

I look at him and sigh. “I see what you’re trying to do there. I have lots of things I like about myself.”

Amir’s antennae move forward in an arc. “There’s lots of things I like about you too, Zari. Granted, they’re only things that I have gotten to see from a distance. I would enjoy getting to like more of you up close.”

My antennae stick straight up. “How long have you been waiting to say that?”

Amir’s smile is bright and handsome. “A long time. I’ve just never had the guts to come up to you and say it. Until now.”

“Okay, well,” I clear my throat. “I come here to the Chess Pieces often; if you’d like, next time you see me from a distance, you can come up and say hello up close.”

“Sounds like a date.” Amir offers me his hand. “Let’s get back down.”

I take his hand, gently floating down with him even though my wings are completely exhausted. Once we touch the ground, Amir holds onto my hand and lifts it. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Zari.” He kisses the back of my armor very softly.

A lump forms in the back of my throat. “Yeah! I mean, you too, Amir.”

He lets go of my hand and I slowly pull it back. “Good night.” He bows then turns and quietly leaves between the Chess Pieces.

I head back home, sneaking inside but end up getting caught by my younger siblings who begin to pester me about where I was and why I was limping. After fibbing a story and putting them to bed, I go on to bed. Although, I find that I am unable to sleep. I keep seeing Amir’s pretty face when I close my eyes. He’s so lovely, and his deep husky voice doesn’t help things. I toss and turn, thinking about scenarios that could happen the next time we meet. I keep imagining making a fool of myself, again, in front of him. I also imagine such silly romantic scenarios like from the fairy tale books I read to my siblings.

A couple of days later, after taking my siblings to school, I go off to the Chess Pieces. I’m about to go up the Queen Piece when I hesitate. I wonder if Amir is nearby or if he’s waiting, I grow nervous at the thought. I wouldn’t want either one of us getting caught by the other side.

“What are you waiting for?” I look up to see Amir above, waving at me. “Do you need any help, Zari?”

My chest pounds as I gaze up at him. “No! I’ve got this.” I begin beating my wings, floating up towards his perch on the Queen Piece. Once I land beside him, I’m breathless, but not from the flight. “Been waiting long?” I ask.

“I have such a smooth line I could say right now,” he chuckles. “But, I think I’ll save it for later.”

I chuckle shyly. “No, no, go ahead and say it.”

He nods and laughs “Okay, but ask me that question again.”

“Which one?”

Amir rolls his hand in the air. “How long have you been waiting?”

“All your life?” I say with a wink.

He throws his head back and laughs, his antennae dancing happily. “Yes, actually. How did you know?”

“A wild guess.”