White Knight

The lady sat alone at the edge of the forest, her back to the thick line of trees, eating a fried patty of ground beef, topped with cheese, and sandwiched between a soft bun that had been cut in half. Behind her a small troll crawled from the darkness of the forest, across the loamy earth toward the lady. In his gnarled little hand he held a fist-full of cursed charms that had been festering since the lady was a girl, forged by none other than the lady's twin - a twin who had been consumed by her own dark magic years ago. 

As the troll crept up on the lady, she seemed to be totally unaware, absorbed as she was eating her midday snack and staring into the small mirror she held in her other hand is if contained all of life's secrets. The troll edged closer and closer, the charms beginning to burn in his clenched fist. But just as he was about to spring upon the lady, the thundering sound of a charging horse broke the serene silence the lady had been enjoying and a galant white knight burst from the tree line, the hooves of his warhorse crushing the troll's misshapen skull into a brainy soup that quickly soaked in to the moist earth. 

"White Knight," gasped the lady, looking down at what remained of the troll.

The knight said nothing, only pointing with the tip of his long sword to the still-clenched hand of the troll and the fist full of charms it was grasping. "Oh-my," said the lady, instantly recognizing the charms. She reached out and grabbed them, tucking them away in the hidden pockets of her skirts, her face flushed with flabbergasted embarrassment. 

"Thank you, White Knight," she said after collecting herself.

The knight said nothing, but as an errant cloud passed in front of the sun, she watched his shining white armor become black as night, his snow white steed become suddenly like a shadow, and the knight's blue eyes turn to pale ice. Just as quickly, the cloud moved on, and the sun shone its brilliance down on the knight and she had to blink her eyes as his armor and horse again gleamed pure white. 

"You are not a white knight," she said, her voice careful. 

He looked at her, his gaze fixed and unwavering, then turned his horse and rode back into the darkness of the forest, disappearing into shadow without a word.