Olivia Hye knows she is a true knight, truer than many of the rest that train with her in the order. 

She is world hardened. All knights should be, she believes. A knight that is innocent to the way of the world will never succeed in this career. 

Olivia Hye was born alone, born hardened to the world. All she had ever known of her earliest life was that she was given to the ward of the castle just after her birth. She was born alone, and raised alone with the other orphans of the kingdom, and had grown up to the cusp of adulthood, age seventeen, alone. She knew that even her name was not her own; orphans had to choose their own names in the dark loneliness of the castle walls. 

As soon an orphan could walk they were sent to assist in certain areas of the castle, and little Olivia was made to work for the knights of Eden. Despite being a girl she had shown a talent for it from the very start, to her horse riding abilities to her natural skill with the blade. She spent her whole youth assisting the knights, as women were not allowed. But two years before Queen Haseul had allowed women and girls to become knighted, and Olivia Hye was the first girl invited to join their ranks. 

A few more women had joined but being the one of the few girls in the knight's order of the Kingdom of Eden did not make her many friends; the male knights despised her, the leaders were doubtful of her, and the other female knights were suspicious of her. 

But Olivia had accepted it long ago. She knew it made her a better knight. 

And it was important to be the best knight of the realm now, when the annual jousting competition was the next day. Winning was something Olivia saw as completely necessary. It would earn her things she needed: coins, enough to survive when she came of age and was no longer under the care of the castle, fresh armor for war, and a horse of her own. But it would also earn her the thing she wanted most in this world: respect. The respect of the knights, the leaders, and perhaps even the royalty of the Kingdom of Eden. 

She was crouched down near her cubby, taking off the layers of armor and cloth that protect her young body from the tears of the swords of her peers.

"Madame Olivia, your nightclothes?" Yerim the squire spoke, holding out Olivia's night dress. 

Olivia rolled her eyes; although Yerim was the one person in the world who seemed to like her, she was awfully...clingy. 

"Thank you," Olivia mumbled, snatching the dress out of Yerim's fingers. 

The brunette lingered, and Olivia could barely hold back a groan. She was tired and needed her rest. 

"Would you like some assistance getting out of your battle clothes? May I organize your cubby? Would you like to practice before the joust tomorrow? I've been practicing my swordfighting and I'm no knight, but I've improved." 

Olivia turned towards her, ready to leave the girl with her sharp words, but held back. Olivia thought back to who she was three years ago. She didn't have the joy or eagerness of Yerim, but she had been alone, a female orphan serving the knights, just like Yerim. Back then, she could have used someone else holding back their own sharp words. 

"No, Squire Yerim. I am alright for tonight. Now go rest. You'll need it for tomorrow." 

"Yes ma'am!" The squire's greatest talent was repeatedly speaking the word 'yes'. "You too! Good luck! I...I know you'll do amazing," Yerim spoke, admiration in her eyes. 

"Thank you, Squire Yerim. Goodnight." 

~~~~~~~~~~

Olivia could not remember the last time she felt like this. 

Despite her desperation, how much she needed this, she had never truly believed she could do it. 

But she did. She had won the jousting competition. 

She smiled to herself as the coins jingled in her pocket, the faces of her peers, shocked and angry and defeated and admiring, filled her mind. She did it. She was the first girl too; in all of the Kingdom of Eden's history no girl had ever won the jousting competition. Only two years after allowing women to join the knighthood and a woman had one. Perhaps because of this, other things would change. The knighthood was one of the first professions to allow women to join, and hopefully, it would not be the last. 

Olivia smiled again. It was her, maybe, it was her who would open the doors for other girls like herself, with nowhere else to go but work. Perhaps because of her they could get decent work, admirable work, instead of just becoming the kitchen wenches so ridiculed by everyone she knew. 

The door to the knight's storage room burst open and Olivia looked up sharply, seeing the faces of her leaders. She smiled back at them; perhaps it was time for her to pick out her house. 

"You," they growled, and her face fell. "You ungrateful little wench!" 

Olivia washed the happiness off her face and schooled her expression back into neutrality, with a touch of anger to scare off anyone who may try to cross her path. This was the face she always wore, the one she needed to wear. She simply stared back at them, pitch black hair tousled by the helmet she wore during the jousting tournament. 

"How could you?" The older man yelled, but Olivia stayed still. 

The other, younger nobleman tapped his arm to calm him down. "As you know, we allowed women to join the knighthood two years ago, and based on your exceptional performance as a squire, we admitted you as our first female knight. This was due to the wishes of Queen Haseul. However, what you may not know is that the council of lords were extremely upset with this decision." 

Olivia did know. The sons of the council who had joined the knighthood had never let her hear the end of it.

"We were hoping that you would be simply content with being a member of the knighthood and not aspire to any...lofty goals, so as not to upset the council. However, you were not able to remain in your place as a woman and be content with the wonderful rights the queen has granted you. We constantly overlooked these transgressions-" 

"But this is too far!" The older man screamed. "A woman winning the jousting tournament? Despicable." 

"So," the younger nobleman spoke, again tapping the older's arm. "We must dismiss you from the knighthood of the Kingdom of Eden, and have you leave the castle by tonight." 

Olivia's jaw dropped, her cool veneer smashed to pieces. "What?" She cried. "How could you?" 

"You have gone too far, and now you must leave." 

"But I did nothing wrong! Am I being sent away simply because I am the best?" 

"There is no way a woman could have won the jousting competition by natural means," the old man growled. 

"I'm sorry, but this is the way it must be. We must ask you to return the coins and depart from the castle by nightfall." 

"Who won then? If I am disqualified, who won?" 

"Sir Payne, of course," the old man commented with a smirk. Olivia fumed; not only had Sir Payne definitely lost to her in the final round, he was also the word knight of the whole bunch. 

"This is immoral and wrong! How would the queen feel to hear of this?" 

"She will not. No one will." 

"Who would believe you, if you spoke of this?" The younger man added. She just stared and the young nobleman cleared his throat, holding out his palm. "I would advise you to return the coins immediately and pack your things. All tools acquired since your knighthood are property of the castle, but you may keep anything you gained through your own means. If you do not return these things, or clear out by nightfall...may God be with you." 

Olivia shuddered to think of what may happen and silently, dropped the coins into his awaiting palm. 

"We will leave you to packing. Good luck." 

"Good riddance!" Olivia heard the older man cheer, and the door shut. 

A single tear slipped from Olivia's cheek, but that was all she would allow. What could she do? Knighthood was her life, her liveliness, the one thing she had worked toward since childhood. Her life was practically over. 

As she shoved her few possessions into her only leather back, the door opened once again, softer steps pacing towards her this time. Olivia did not bother to look up. 

"Madam Olivia, congratulations! I wanted to wish them on you myself." 

"Go away Squire Yerim." 

A long pause. "Yes ma'am." 

Olivia listened as the soft footsteps moved closer to the exit, but did not hear the door open. Again, she heard Squire Yerim's soft voice speak. "What happened, Madam Olivia? Are you going to choose your horse now." 

"There is no need to address me as Madam anymore, Squire Yerim. I am no longer a knight of the Kingdom of Eden." 

Yerim let out a dramatic gasp. "But how could that be?" 

"Apparently, Squire Yerim, it is improper for a woman to win the jousting tournament. In fact, apparently it is improper for a woman to even want to win the jousting competition. According to our leaders, I've gone to far. I've been stripped of my knighthood and banished from the castle." 

Yerim gasped again. "But how could the queen allow such a thing? You're the best knight the kingdom's got." 

"The queen doesn't know of such a thing." Olivia still did not look up from her bag, almost everything she owned stuffed inside or strapped along her belt. 

Yerim panted heavily, each breath sounding more pained than the last. 

"Yerim," Olivia spoke at last. Although she didn't look up she addressed the squire without honorifics, the first time she'd done so since they'd met. "You are a good squire. You will go far, as long as you keep your head down. I didn't, and look at where it got me. Keep your head down, don't make a fuss, and don't become a knight. Now, go. I am no longer a knight of the Kingdom of Eden, and by staying here you are neglecting your work. Go, serve a real knight." 

Yerim paused for a long time. "No, ma'am." 

Olivia looked up at her, for the first time that evening, and gasped. Yerim had never said no to her before. 

"What do you mean?" Olivia cried. 

"No ma'am. I will not leave you. You may not be a knight of the Kingdom of Eden but you are the bravest knight in the whole world, at least that I've ever met. You're a girl and I'm a girl. I know we can be strong and good and brave. How could I want to serve the castle after this? I want to serve you." 

Olivia's heart drummed at this display but she held still. 

"Yerim, you cannot." 

Yerim pulled her sword out of her belt, barely larger than a kitchen knife and stuck it into the floor, kneeling in front of it. 

"I pledge myself as your faithful squire, Madam Olivia, knight to no kingdom but knight to the world!" 

Olivia grimaced, worry for Yerim's safety and her own sanity at the idea of the fourteen year old accompanying her in the outside world. But how could she ignore this display. 

"Stand, my squire." 

Yerim stood and beamed. "Your squire?" 

"Yes Yerim. Now gather all of your possessions. We must be out by nightfall." 

Yerim gave her a bright smile, and dashed back to the squire's quarters.

~~~~~~~~~~

The sun had just sunk beneath the horizon when Yerim and Olivia stepped out of the castle grounds, the drawbridge closing behind them. They carried nothing but swords, small pouches, and the clothes on their backs, and a sudden fear striked through Olivia's heart. She was nervous. But she knew what she had to do.

"But...but Madam Olivia, what are we to do now? Where will will go? How we will survive? What's going to happen?" 

Olivia's eyes flashed to the castle, its shadow still visible in the light of the moon and stars. "Revenge." She looked down at Yerim. "I want revenge."