A young boy scrambled on his feet as he dragged himself through the alleyways of the town's slums.

The dark and cold alleyways were filled with the smell of dead rats and gunk from all sorts of creatures not excluding the humans who lived with the debris. 

The boy grabbed onto his shoulder which appeared to be injured as he scraped against the wall numerous times due to his clumsy weak legs. His bones were making a racket as each step he produced caused pain to surge up towards his shoulder. The pain was unbearable under normal circumstances, but the boy was resilient in his effort to walk.

His destination beyond the alleyway was no where else but his poorly made home. However, before he could even think about home he had to somehow make his way back without further increasing the amount of bruises his body had.

In the distance much further ahead of him the sound of sinister voices echoed in the alleyway, but like many people in the slums those voices were ignored.

The reason was quite simple. 

It is because those who paid attention to the voices would always in any case... Perhaps... End up dead before they are even allowed to speak of the horrors they have witnessed. That was just how the slums were ran. Those who lived in the slums knew the undeniable rule. 

One must never speak of what has happened.

That was the undeniable rule in the slums and the young boy knew it. Therefore as he scrambled himself forward while ignoring the voices he paid no heed to the pleading sounds he heard.

"Let go of me!" 

A young voice. A voice that belonged to a girl.

"Heh! Brother, look at her scream! Like anyone will save her!"

The sound of a struggle reached the boy's ears, but he pretended he didn't hear it. 

Don't get involved.

The boy whispered to himself to keep himself from jumping in. The sense of justice that he often felt, but knew he could not carry tore at him.

"Let me go!"

The man who gripped the girl came into view of the boy, but he turned his gaze away so as not to meet the girl's pleading eyes. But it was too late, his eyes met the gaze of the struggling girl.

Her emerald eyes stared back at his azure eyes pleading for help.

He gritted his teeth and turned away ashamed at his cowardice of preserverence.

He put his only working hand on the wall and stumbled away. As his eyes wandered to see that the man that was gripping the girl.

The man licked his lips disgustingly as he inched closer to the girl.

"NOOOOO!!!" screamed the girl.

The boy's heart jolted in a frenzy.

No! I mustn't! Stay calm! Stay calm!

"NOOO!!!!" screeched the girl louder. "LET ME GO!!"

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

"Hehe... Brother, can I go first?"

"If you can handle it, keke..."

The sounds of the men grew increasingly louder as they inched closer to the girl. 

The heart of the boy twisted in agony. His mind pleaded with himself to remain calm and not bother with the men.

I mustn't! I mustn't!

He repeated the words to himself multiple times as he closed his eyes until...

"NOOOOOO!!"

His eyes jolted open and without missing a beat picked the nearest brick on the ground. He chucked the brick towards the man who was closest to the girl.

The man not expecting anything to head his way was hit right on his head knocking him unconcious. The other man dumbfounded turned his gaze towards the boy and yelled.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

The boy stumbled from the force of the throw, but held his ground with the support of his legs. He glared daringly at the other man. 

The man infuriated at his fun having been interrupted and his younger brother on the ground made his way towards the boy in a mad dash. He extended his hands outward in an attempt to catch the boy, however the boy was faster.

The boy dodged his bulky arms and with his spare hand grabbed handfuls of dirt and tossed it into the man's eyes.

"ARGH!!!"

The man yelled in pain as he stumbled to the ground while covering his eyes.

The boy ran instantly towards the young girl and grabbed her wrist directing her to follow him.

"Run!"

The girl without hesitation followed the boy's lead.

They ran without stopping unti finally they reached the main road where the market was. The amount of people could hide their small statures as they rested to catch their breathe.

"Thank you."

"It was nothing..."

The girl observed the boy as he gathered his breathe. The boy noticing her gaze turned his head to look at her.

"What is it?"

"It is nothing. I just thought that your eyes were pretty."

"..."

"Thank you for saving me."

"You're an idiot."

"Ex-excuse me?"

The girl stunned couldn't find words to describe the feelings she got from the boy.

"You're an idiot to go into the slums. You're clearly not a from here." The boy gestures towards the girl's highly decorated clothing. "It is dangerous to go into the slums alone. Expecially if you're a girl."

"Thank you." The girl smiled gently.

"Hah?!"

"Thank you for worrying about me."

"..."

The boy not knowing how to refute the girl sighed to himself. 

"Take this path and go back to where you came from. Don't come back to this area unless you want to die."

He turned his back towards the girl after pointing to the road.

Just as he was about to walk away he feels his entire body suddenly falling back as a strong grip held onto the hem of his clothes.

"Wa-wait!"

He turned only to meet the gaze of the girl.

"Wha... What?!"

"Become my knight!" exclaimed the girl.

"What?"

"Become my knight!" repeated the girl again.

Is she sane? The boy thought to himself.

"What are you saying?"

"I want you to become my knight" repeated the girl once more.

"That's not what I mean! I mean why should I become your knight?"

The girl thought for a moment.

"Because you are worthy to become a knight of my Royal Guard."

Royal Guard? Where have I...

"Royal Guard?"

"Yes, my Royal Guard!"

"Who are you to-"

"My name is Queen! I am the Queen of this Kingdom and I wish for you to become my knight!"

The boy stared at the girl in disbelief before bursting out into laughter.

"Why are you laughing!?"

"Because there's just no way that the "Queen" would come here. You are obviously lying. You do know that taking a name is an offense, don't you?"

"B-but I really am Queen!"

"Sure you are."

The girl pouts before regaining her composure.

"Fine, I'll prove it to you."

"And how will you do that?"

"I'll show you!"

The girl pulls the boy's hand leading him towards the castle.

The guards at the gates make eye contact with the girl and say nothing as she walks in with the boy following behind.

The boy dumbfounded by the reaction of the guards couldn't help but turn to look at the girl, only to find that she is too concentrated on taking him somewhere to notice that he is already aware of her power.

The place she takes the boy to is the castle's royal chamber.

The girl finally lets go of the boy's hand as she proceeds to sit herself on the seat of the royal chamber.

The seat that belonged to the "Queen".

"Do you believe me now?"

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Suddenly the boy breaks down on one knee and kneels before Queen.

"I'm terribly sorry for my rudeness! Punish me as you see fit!"

Queen became shocked at the sudden change in behavior.

"Please stand."

The boy unhesitatingly follows the girl's command.

"Its good that you believe me now."

The boy nods.

"I want you to be my knight."

"Why me?" 

"Because it has to be you."