The Noble Alondra is widely believed to be a mythical figure. Yet thanks to a painstaking analysis of the source materials, I have been able to establish beyond all doubt that the myth has roots in true events in which Alondra, a real woman of flesh and blood, took part.
What, then, do we know about the Noble Alondra? Dressed as a man and calling herself by a false name, she served as a squire. Just before being dubbed a knight, she revealed her true identity and was forced into exile. She lived in the desert and, as the mysterious Heron Knight, defended pilgrims. She fought at the Battle of Cervantes Pass, where she was badly wounded and taken to the field hospital, where she was recognized.
We know the duke, moved by her courage, dubbed her a knight and she then became the heroine of many tales which describe the righteousness of her character and generosity of her spirit.
Alondra's disappearance remains shrouded in mystery. The most popular legend claims the knight was summoned by the Lady of the Lake and journeyed to the bottom of the lake to see her, where she remains to this day, as the guardian of that subterranean domain.
