The Dark Knight and the White Lady

When you travel through the forest, the legends said, beware of the Dark Knight. Everyone who clamed to have seen him described him differently. All agreed that he was clad totally in black armor and carried a wickedly sharp sword.  He rode a dark stallion with fiery eyes and obsidian hooves. No one had ever seen his face because it was hidden behind the visor of his helmet.  Some imagined he had the face of the devil, others insisted he was extremely handsome, while others claimed there was no face at all beneath the visor, only empty blackness. Rumors of what he might do to unwary travelers kept most timid souls out of the forest.

One not so timid soul did not fear the forest.  With silver blonde hair, delicate white skin, and wide blue eyes, Princess Katherine appeared to be a girl who would faint upon seeing a mouse. However, she could handle a sword as well as any man and, being young, feared nothing.  She spent her best days dressed in an immaculate white riding habit riding her white mare named Snow.

"A proper young lady does not tear around in the forest like a madwoman!" her father said sternly.  He was secretly proud of his daughter's strength, but her  complete fearlessness worried him.

"If you wanted me to be a proper young lady you should have never taught me to ride a horse and use a sword!" Katherine retorted.

Since the king knew this was a fight he would not win, he insisted on sending two bodyguards with her. The bodyguards were strapping young men chosen for their strength, courage, and loyalty.  The princess agreed to their presence only because they were handsome and she knew she would have fun trying to lose them in the forest.

"Keep up if you can!" she called laughingly as she spurred Snow to a gallop and darted off through the trees. The two men set off after her, wishing the king would send them to battle dragons instead.

That night, the horses belonging to the bodyguards came galloping back to the castle riderless, whinnying and snorting with fear. The bodyguards were found wandering in the forest speaking gibberish and crying like children. Katherine and her horse were not found.

Now when the Dark Knight is seen, he is accompanied by a beautiful lady riding a snow white horse.  Some say he kidnapped Katherine and others believe she stays with him willingly.  Nobody wants to get close enough to either of them to find out.