Free Knight for a Day by Kate McMullan

Chapter 1
    “P ssst!” Wiglaf hissed at Erica. “Listen—footsteps ! Mordred is coming!”
    Erica paid no attention. She dipped her quill into her ink pot. She kept writing.
    Wiglaf’s eyes grew wide. How unlike Erica. She was a model student. She always won the Future Dragon Slayer of the Month medal.
    “Hide your parchment!” warned Angus, who sat on Erica’s other side. “Quickly!”
    But Erica wrote on.
    Wiglaf shot Angus a glance. Both boys knew how stubborn Erica could be. But they also knew that there’d be trouble if Mordred caught Erica working on another project in his How to Find Dragon Gold Class. Why, the hot-tempered headmaster might throw her into the dungeon!
    Yet Wiglaf knew that if Mordred had a clue who Erica really was, he’d never punish her. She was Princess Erica, daughter of Queen Barb and King Ken. Girls were not allowed at Dragon Slayers’ Academy, so Erica had disguised herself as a boy. Everyone there called her Eric. Wiglaf was the only DSA student who knew her secret.
    The footsteps thundered closer. Then the big, bushy-haired headmaster of Dragon Slayers’ Academy burst through the door.
    The students jumped to attention.
    All except Erica. She kept scribbling away.
    “At ease, boys,” Mordred said. “I bring terrible news! Twins were born last week in the village of Toenail. Twins! A bad omen, if there ever was one...er, I mean, two.” Mordred looked puzzled for a moment. “In any case,” he went on, “disaster has struck.” His violet eyes lit upon Erica, still writing furiously. He charged across the classroom and snatched up her parchment.
    “Please, sir!” Erica cried. “Let me finish!”
    Mordred studied the page. Then he glared at Erica. “What is this nonsense, boy?”
    “‘Tis the ‘Win a Knight for a Day’ essay contest, sir,” Erica answered. “I shall win, for the topic is ‘Why I Want to Meet Sir Lancelot (The World’s Most Perfect Knight).’ I have hundreds of reasons!”
    “Humph,” said Mordred. He began reading Erica’s essay aloud:
    “Since my birth, I have looked up to Sir Lancelot of the Lake. The first word I spoke was ‘Lancelot.’ In truth I said ‘Wancewot,’ but I meant Lancelot. You see, like Sir Lancelot, I always tell the truth. Sir Lancelot is my shining example. No lie has ever fallen... ”

    As Wiglaf listened, he couldn’t help but smile. Erica was crazy about Sir Lancelot. She had her Sir Lancelot Fan Club certificate nailed to the wall over her cot in the dorm. She had ordered her sword, her armor, her helmet-even her pajamas-from the Sir Lancelot Fan Club catalog.
    Wiglaf had never really understood Erica’s fascination with Sir Lancelot. True, Lancelot was brave. He had killed many a wicked dragon. Often he battled several rogue knights at once. And he always left them lying in pools of their own blood.
    Wiglaf shuddered. The very thought of blood made him feel sick to his stomach. Clearly he was not worthy of a personal visit from the famous knight. Yet Wiglaf longed to be a hero. In fact, he had already killed two dragons. Both times had been by accident, however. So no one thought of him as a hero. He did not look like a hero, either. He was small for his age. And he had bright carrot-colored hair. But Wiglaf still had hope.
    At last Mordred looked up. “What would happen if you won this contest, Eric?”
    “When I win,” Erica said, “Sir Lancelot of the Lake, the most perfect knight of all—”
    “Yes, yes,” said Mordred. “Get on with it.”
    “Sir Lancelot will come to DSA and be my knight for a day,” Erica said. “He shall eat at my table. And go to class with me. And—”
    “Do you think the contest winner might also get a cash prize?” the greedy headmaster cut in. “Some gold, perhaps?”
    “Oh, no, sir,” Erica said. “A day with Sir Lancelot is prize enough. What need would there be for gold?”
    “There is always need for gold,” Mordred muttered. “And yet...what fine publicity