Chapter 3
Amity groaned as she laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Why did she feel guilty like she did something wrong. She did the right thing, obviously, and what Luz did was dangerous. Besides, it was only school, it would be the same thing as when she had gone to knight school, it's necessary to become the princess she needs to be.
Even though she kept telling herself that, it didn't stop her from replaying the entire thing in her head.
Flashback
Amity was doing her regular patrols along with the other knights positioned around the castle. She didn't find it boring or something worth complaining over, but she couldn't say the same about the other knights. They always seemed to complain and whine whenever they had to do patrols and Amity never understood why. Patrols were just another way to protect the castle and also the royal family, and that was their job, that was the whole point of becoming a knight.
She sighed as she heard another complaint about someone wishing there was an attack so they could really defend the castle. She hated people who thought that way the most. You would wish harm to the kingdom, and the castle just to show off? That arrogance was dangerous. She ignored the knight and everything else that was being said around her as she tried to focus on her patrols and watching her post.
She was only concentrated for about 5 minutes before she heard it. Someone was getting close to her, probably trying to sneak up on her. There was only one person who would even think of doing that, and she groaned internally. Luz was not taking her position seriously, this was her job now, and yet Luz still treated her as if they were kids who could do whatever.
She turned around quickly and pointed her sword directly in front of Luz's feet, she wouldn't dare raise her sword to the princess, even if she knew she wasn't going to do anything.
Luz jumped slightly in surprise before a grin spread across her face.
"Oh, Amity, it seems you caught me again. There's really no sneaking up on you anymore is there?"
"No there is not. I told you a million times already, Knight School was very serious and very insightful. I can't let my guard down for anyone, or anything." She almost added, not even you, but she didn't want to take it that far, and she wasn't sure if she could keep the annoyance out of her tone if she added it, so she just put her sword away instead.
Luz nodded and Amity hoped she did understand, but by her next suggestion she realized she actually didn't.
"Well can you take a quick break? I wanna show you something?" She asked with a very familiar grin.
"Luz, no, I don't have time."
"Come on Ams. It won't take too long."
"When it comes to you that could range from 30 minutes to several hours."
"Don't you trust me anymore?" Luz asked with a small pout and Amity opened her mouth to respond before closing it again. She didn't want to hurt Luz's feelings by saying the wrong thing so she wasn't exactly sure how she was supposed to respond and say she wasn't going with her.
Her silence stretched for a few seconds and Amity watched as Luz's expression fell and although she kept her outward appearance she still felt herself panicking slightly. She did not want to hurt her feelings, that's why she didn't respond in the first place!
"Miss Blight!" She found herself jumping when she heard her name from behind her and she quickly turned around to see her commander glaring at her. She lowered her head while he approached.
"It seems you were distracted by the Princess again. I understand that patrols may not be very fun but it was your assignment. You don't see anyone else slacking off do you?" He asked and Amity took a deep breath.
"No I do not sir."
"Exactly. Do you think just because you're from a noble family, and because you're friends with the princess that you should get special treatment?"
Amity could feel her face heat up at the accusation. No one around her was happy about her choice to become a knight. Every time she did anything it always traveled back to her nobility.
"No sir." Her voice came out a bit quieter and she could hear a few snickers behind her.
"Good, then don't let it happen again."
"Yes sir." She finally lifted her head when he walked away and she turned back to Luz before facing her post again with a neutral expression.
"I didn't mean to get you in trouble-"
"I know you didn't. Just like you didn't mean to the last several times, but the thing is Luz, I have responsibilities as a knight, and..." She stopped herself again. She couldn't say it, Luz wasn't just her friend anymore. She couldn't continue looking at her this way, that was the problem in the first place. She kept treating Luz like a friend and not like the princess.
She swallowed before steeling herself. "Your highness I have a job to do. Please allow me to do it without any distractions." She didn't face away from her position, not wanting to see Luz's face.
"Wait, Amity, you don't have to-"
"Please." She allowed herself to let her emotions out in the one word and she knew Luz had backed off. She took a few deep breaths and placed her hand on her sword just to keep herself steady. She wasn't going to use it, but at the moment, she needed the stability.
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It wasn't until meal time the next day did Amity even see Luz again. She had a whole day to feel guilty about the way she treated her and she would completely understand if she was ignoring her for it. Only turns out that wasn't the case.
Amity was going to her table with the other knights in her usual squad when she just happened to look up and make eye contact with Luz at the door. She was waving her over and Amity felt conflicted, maybe she wanted to talk about yesterday? Yea, Luz deserved an explanation at least. She sat her food down at the table and came up with an excuse before leaving to follow her.
Luz ended up leading her a bit of a distance away from the canteen, and they were actually pretty close to the garden before Luz finally stopped. It was obvious she was going to speak when Amity beat her to it.
"Luz, I'm sorry about yesterday, I was embarrassed and I guess a small part of me was upset at you because I felt like it was your fault that I got distracted, but it wasn't. I shouldn't have tried to use your position against you just because my commander used mine against me. So, I'm sorry." Amity wasn't sure what she was expecting, but Luz didn't respond for a minute making her bite her lip. Did she not accept the apology? That would be... understandable, but it would still hurt.
"Amity, please calm down, you look like you're going to be sick." Luz smiled at her softly for a quick second before she dropped it. "Actually I thought I was the one who had to make it up to you. I can't stop being a princess and you can't help that you were noble born, but I wanted to remind you why we were friends in the first place!" Luz looked excited again and Amity's eyes widened.
That was not something she wanted to hear. When they were kids they did very reckless and crazy things, that's why they were such good friends because they bonded over their desires for more, and for adventures, and for things that they read in story books.
"Please tell me you didn't do something crazy."
"I...didn't do something crazy?" She said it more like a question and Amity would've hit herself in the head if her gloves weren't armored.
"Luz, please."
"Come on, let me show you!" Luz pulled Amity out to the garden but deep into it, near where they used to play as kids. Amity felt herself slightly calming down as she went through some memories in her head. It felt nice to reminisce. That feeling didn't last when she heard noises coming from the direction they were heading towards.
"Luz what was that?" She asked quickly and quietly while placing her hand on her sword handle.
"Calm down, it's just your surprise." Luz still seemed excited but although Amity didn't ask again, she also didn't move her hand from her sword.
When they finally reached the spot Luz smiled widely and moved out of the way so Amity could see it.
"Is that a griffon!" She yelled in panic and in turn the creature recoiled and roared at her, which made her pull out her sword and push Luz behind her.
"Amity put it away, she won't hurt you!"
"Luz this isn't a game, it's a wild animal! You don't know what it will and won't do!" She yelled back at her. She swallowed and stared the creature down, but she noticed that it really wasn't doing much. It's wings were up and the feathers seemed to be ruffled along with it's glaring eyes, but Amity could tell now that she was looking at it, that it was in a defensive position.
"Amity, please trust me, she's safe." Luz whispered near her ear from behind her, and Amity immediately blushed from the sudden closeness that she didn't even think about before, but she couldn't focus on that.
She started to slowly lower her weapon and watched as the griffon seemed to slowly become less tense, but before either of them could completely calm down it seems they simultaneously heard noise coming from the side. The griffon immediately tensed back up and faced that direction while Amity quickly pulled her sword back into it's original positioning and not looking away from the griffon.
A second after the noise it seemed a bunch of guards appeared and surrounded the griffon. Amity could tell the creature was panicking, but what could she do, especially now that everyone else was here. She stepped back and because of their positions, Luz did as well, when she noticed her commander coming over.
"Blight! Well done keeping the princess safe, we immediately knew what was happening and came to help, but get the princess out of here, we'll handle the beast." Amity swallowed thickly because she could feel Luz suddenly grab onto her armor, she was probably watching the other knights that were trying to subdue the griffon. Amity couldn't even look, she instead decided to block out the screeches, yells, and roars while pulling Luz away from the scene and back into the castle.
When they were back inside and couldn't hear the fighting anymore is when Amity finally let go. Luz wasn't even resisting she just seemed to have followed her but her expression gave away her heartbreak.
"Luz, I..." Amity wasn't sure what to say once again.
"No matter what I do... I always seem to cause trouble don't I?" She asked quietly before she started to walk away from Amity. She felt her arm reaching out but she pulled it back and decided to give her some space, besides, she also needed time to think. She knows she was just doing her duty, but that griffon really seemed defensive and it probably wouldn't have hurt them... but she knows that the knights don't know that, and it was probably too late anyway. With that in mind, Amity lost her appetite and just went to her quarters instead of going back to the canteen.
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"I want to know how the griffon got onto the grounds Luz." Luz was standing in front of her mom, who was staring down at her. It was obvious that this was different from other times when Luz did something wrong, or caused an accident.
"I'm sorry mami." Luz couldn't even look up at her and the queen sighed.
"Sorry doesn't change the fact that 6 knights are currently severely injured." She added and waited for Luz to say something else, but she didn't.
"Do you want to at least tell me why?"
"I... don't." Amity felt her chest constrict when she heard this. Was Luz trying to protect her right now? She should be more worried about herself, she has to know about all the talk around the castle. Most of the castle's staff was already hoping she would get sent away to that reform school, and this probably would be the point when her mom agreed, why would she try to hide it?
Amity watched as the queen's expression changed. She looked extremely sad, and she knew what was coming.
"Then, I suppose I don't have a choice do I. I'm sending you to the reform school."
"I understand, I'll start packing." Luz didn't even wait to be dismissed before walking out the room. Amity couldn't help but look at Luz as she left but she regretted it because it seemed to be the same expression she had earlier, pure heartbreak.
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The queen did offer Amity the opportunity to escort Luz to the reform school, but she declined. She wasn't sure if she could handle it. Feeling guilty was bad enough, but it would feel like she was abandoning Luz somewhere she knew the other girl didn't want to be. She couldn't take that kind of guilt on top of everything else, so here she was, on her bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling extremely guilty.