Ten years ago, Ava boldly flirted with fate.

Totally unfazed, wine glowing dark in her glass, she wore such casual confidence that even the skyline seemed to hold its breath, waiting for whatever dramatic statement came next. The city hummed below them, late trains rattling through the night and lights blinking awake across the skyline like quiet signals.

The night felt charged… not dramatic, just aware. Like it was waiting to be entertained.

So she entertained it.

She lifted her glass toward the skyline and declared, with reckless ceremony,

“Come to me, Black Knight.”

There was a holy second of silence.

Then Sienna inhaled her drink.

“I’m sorry,” she spluttered, laughing. “Is he galloping through traffic or is he more of a public transport hero?”

Ava didn’t blink. 

“He doesn’t commute,” she said calmly. “He materialises.”

Sienna stared at her.

“Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m manifesting,” Ava said.

“Right,” Sienna said. “I’m sure the universe will get right on that.”

Ava smiled.

Sienna considered the possibility.

Then raised her glass thoughtfully.

“Fine,” she said. “But if he shows up, I’m documenting everything.”

Ava groaned.

“You are not turning my love life into a research project.”

“Research,” Sienna added.

Ten years later…

She really does.

And that was it.

The invocation.

They didn’t know it then, but something in the air adjusted. Not dramatically. Just slightly. Like a compass finding north.

They laughed until they cried. But that was the moment it began.

Not a crush. 

Not a man.

A mythology.

They built him that night like architects with glitter pens.

Because if you were going to manifest a Black Knight, he needed criteria.

He would be intense, but not unstable. 

Protective, but not territorial. 

Mysterious, but not emotionally constipated. 

He would have depth. 

He would have gravity. 

Emotionally literate without sounding like a wellness podcast. 

Attentive, but not clingy. 

Romantic, but not performative. 

“He has restraint,” Ava added.

“And good manners,” Sienna said.

“Important.”

Sienna typed one final line.

“And most importantly…”

She looked up.

“He stays.”

Ava nodded immediately.

“Put that in bold.”

Sienna did.

Then she lifted her glass.

“To the Black Knight.”

Ava clinked it.

“Let’s see if he survives modern dating.”

Because modern life didn’t really do knights.

It did apps.

Algorithms.

Sienna opened her Notes app.

“If the Black Knight exists,’ she said thoughtfully, we’re going to need a classification system.”

“A taxonomy?”

“Exactly.”

Sienna held up her phone.

“Modern love clearly has weather patterns.”

Ava sighed.

“I already regret this.”

“Field research requires structure,” Sienna said calmly.

She opened a new note.

Ava leaned in.

“What are you doing?”

Sienna smiled.

**”Taxonomy Update.”**

“For research,” she said calmly.

She typed the first line.

“Black Knight Criteria.”

Ava leaned over the screen.

“You’re serious.”

Sienna nodded.

“If we’re going to survive modern dating…”

She turned the phone toward Ava.

“…we’re going to need a forecast.”

Ava laughed despite herself.

“Fine.”

Sienna started typing again.

**Black Knight – Midnight Edition** 🌙

She turn the phone toward Ava again.

Ava squinted. 

“Midnight edition?”

“You summoned him at midnight,” Sienna shrugged. “Branding Matters.”

They didn’t realise it yet, but they had just opened a living document.

And just like that…

** The Black Knight Taxonomy** 📱 was born.

Taxonomy Update

Footnote #1: 

Must possess both emotional depth and a functioning nervous system.

☕️ Coffee finished. Research to continue