I wasn’t always like this.
I remembered when I had my breastplate shined anew, my shield oiled, and my sword finely sharpened. Those were very fine days.
Laid with ambition, I was ready to go out to battle imagining the glory and fame of the world outside.
I was a fierce romantic.
I set out marching, taking in the fields, the sun, the wind. It was a thing to behold.
My journey is far and my quest is long. I have gone through years and years of hard-fought experience.
Now here I am, a knight in battered armor.
The shine of my suit has left me. My shield has bent with heavy blows. The rust slowly eats my steel away.
You could say I’m a sight for sore eyes. Not at all what you have been expecting all these years.
But wait!
Before you turn your back on me, hear me out.
I know how the world has told you that your knight will come someday. Riding on a strong steed. Armor shining.
I know how they’ve told you that he’ll be your rescue. Your prince charming. Your ticket to happily ever after.
I want you to know they’ve told you a lie.
Not a lie that a shining knight doesn’t exist – no. They do exist. In fact, there are tons of them in our day and age.
The lie they’ve put in is that part where they said he’d be your ticket to “happily ever after”.
He’s not.
He’s a knight who’s never been into the fray. Never marched out to take the hit. Never lifted his sword in time of need.
I know. I’ve seen him.
He is not what you think he is.
My princess, I want you to know the journey has hurt me – yes even bled me to the point of utter defeat.
But I stood up again and again in hopes of seeing you someday in spite of my battered, old, rusted metal.
Here I stand before you now pledging my love and my devotion.
I am not the knight in shining armor of your dreams but I promise to always protect you, lead you, guide you and love you with all I am.
With all I have.
I am a knight in battered armor.
A knight who knows how to love you better.
Would you take my hand and ride away with me?
