Princess of Fight

This is the kind of stuff I write poems about.

Catherine McClelland

September 1, 2015

So I pull into the parking lot at Midland Vale fight practice, and a little girl and her brother are watching the bouts from the sidelines.

I get out of the car, still in a skirt and high heels. The girl heaves a heavy sigh and looks over at me and says, "I wish I could fight, but I can't, because I'm a girl."

I say, "Why can't girls fight? I'm going to go fight right now."

She gives me a patronising look.

"Girls can't fight because they're weaklings," her brother pipes up.

So I start putting on my armour, and their eyes go wide. Greaves, cuisses, brigandine, spaulders, gorget, and they're both drinking it all in until the brother finally can't help but ask, "Are you REALLY going to fight with the men?"

I said I was, and the girl suddenly blurts out, "Girls can do ANYTHING."

And she tells me that her name is Pura and she's 9 years old but she's a princess and not a REGULAR princess, but the Princess of Fight! She loves to fight and she's not afraid to stand up for herself. She's writing a book that's 101 pages long, and it's about a princess who slays a dragon with a golden sword. She's going to fight just like that princess, and kill all kinds of monsters, and save people at the last minute.

"And," she says, almost out of breath from her speech, "I'm so glad I met you, because you prove that girls can do anything." By this time, I'm armoured head to toe and have my helm on and sword in hand, and her brother doesn't say a word in protest. I can see on his face that he really wants to ask for one of my practice swords, but I hand it to Pura first and tell her the rules (Don't swing it at your brother, or your bike, or my car.)

I'm just about to head in for my first bout, so she offers me my sword back. "Maybe next time you visit, I could help you with your armour. Or you could teach me."

She looks around and then leans in to whisper:

"If you ever have to fight to the death, you count me in."

Welcome to the East, little one. You'll do just fine.

So I did.

The Siege of Midland Vale

The fight's begun in cooler weather, these days of early fall

In Midland Vale, aspiring knights are giving it their all

The village green resounds to blows, both delivered and taken

But wait! For at the edge there stands a foe more feared than Kraken.

Two children sit there looking on with many a fearsome stare

A boy and his sister watch the fights, and they're just sitting there

The boy is watching and it's clear that this kid wants to fight

His sister, though, looks kind of bored; it looks like she just might

Be ready, now, to just get up and wander off away

Because there's nothing for her, here, no reason she should stay.

When suddenly a car pulls up, and out of it she climbs

A lady, there, and you just know she's run a bit behind

She's late for practice this fine day, and grabbing for her gear

To throw it on and get on the field, for she's an aspiring Peer

Of martial arts. We must admit, the SCA's come far

From early days when gentlemen would quite simply not spar

With women, since that sort of thing just simply was not done.

So the lady's here and armoring up, when she's suddenly addressed

By the little girl, who doesn't know her day has just been blessed

This girl pipes up, says "I wish I could fight, but I can't, 'cause I'm a girl"

And the lady looks at her, kindly, and with one phrase rocks her world.

"Why can't girls fight? That's where I'm headed, and you should come as well

My name is Caterina dei Gabrielli, but you can call me Gabrielle."

The boy, who'd stood and heard all this, had clearly had enough.

Said "girls can't fight because they're weaklings, and stuff like that and....stuff."

Gabrielle wisely tuned him out, and finished with her gear,

And just as she was about to go, the girl's standing near

And asks the question, "Ma'am, you're really going to do this thing?"

Gabrielle nods her head, and the girl blurts out "GIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING."

This girl goes on to tell our lady her name and her nine years of age,

by the time she's done with all her speech she's practically become a page.

She's a princess, you see, and not just any, but a real Princess of Fight

and she's writing a book about a Princess upon the side of Right

who slays a dragon, fearsome and evil, with a magic golden blade

she's not sure what comes next, but it won't be long delayed.

By this time Gabrielle's cap-a-pie, and oddly, now enough,

There's nary a word from brother dear, because, ARMOR, and SWORD, and...stuff.

The girl hands back Gab's practice sword which somehow, magically

Has found itself in her hand, and if you look close you can see

A magic glowing mighty blade that stands against the Dark

And for one more day, Evil retreats from Midland Vale Park.

she hands it back, and with hero worship gleaming in her eyes

says "I'll help you with your armor, maybe, whenever, next time?"

Before Gabrielle can answer, though, she leans in with a grin

and whispers "if ever you have fight to the death, you know, you count me in."

Practice every Monday, kid, from 6 PM till 9.

Welcome to the Kingdom of the East, my dear. We're sure you'll do just fine.