Korek, watching both of them, chuckles softly. “The way she steals glances at you and smiles,” Korek grins, “she either fancies you or she’s plotting your demise.”
“Since I’ve not given her any reason for the latter,” Atres grins back, “I can only hope that it is the former.”
“I’ve never seen you so taken with anyone,” Korek shakes his head, “are you sure? She seems a bit troubled.”
“She is a bit troubled,” Atres agrees, “but she’s also a singular, exquisite find. A veritable unicorn. Her troubles can be sorted out.”
“Hrmph,” Korek snorts, “You’re certainly no virgin, so good luck catching a unicorn.”
“I think in this case,” Atres laughs softly, “that it's better that at least one of us isn’t.”
“I thought paladins all forswore the use of their naughty bits,” Korek says quietly, “Isn’t that in their oaths or something?”
“No,” Atres grins, “They don’t, but so many think like you that they’re usually a bit more receptive when someone finally does make the effort.”
“You think she’s one of these?” Korek asks. “She doesn’t strike me that way.”
“She’s not,” Atres agrees, “She’s a unicorn. Rare. Magical. Precious.”
“What do you think she wants with the likes of you?” Korek shrugs, “The three of us might all have a drop or two of dragon blood, but we're otherwise nothing special.”
“I’m not sure,” Atres shrugs, “but I think I shall enjoy finding that out.”
Finished skinning the last carcass, Atres stands and stretches before heading to the stream to clean up. Oja wanders over and sits next to Emlyn.
“You don’t know what these men want with you,” Oja cautions, “Be wary. I don’t need to remind you about the old adage around milk and cows, I’m sure.”
Nodding thoughtfully, Emlyn replies, “I am all too aware that I can be fooled. There is a hum of power to him that makes me think perhaps he might be suitable.”
“Suitable for what?” Oja asks.
Sighing heavily, Emlyn explains, “As the last surviving member of my family, I have a duty to rebuild my House.”
“And all the better if that duty is so easy on the eyes?” Oja chuckles, “I can see where that might be appealing. Still, be careful. Guard your heart. Guard your virtue even more.”
“I wouldn’t even consider anything like that,” Emlyn reassures her, “outside the bonds of marriage. If I’m to rebuild my House, marriage is necessary.”
“You might want to tell him that,” Oja says with a nod toward the stream, “sooner rather than later. Not all men are interested in that kind of commitment. He strikes me as one who’s used to getting what he wants from women and moving on.”
“And yet he’s promised to wait for three years,” Emlyn shrugs, “while I come of age to be courted.”
Surprised, Oja sits back and gives Emlyn a pat on the shoulder.
Returning from the stream, Atres dries his hands off on a horse blanket before retrieving his jacket. He goes in search of a flat rock. Finding what he’s looking for, he goes back to the stream to wash it off a bit. Once it’s free from grit, he returns and shoves the rock into the cook fire to heat. He takes a seat on the ground, near Nia’s feet.
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
“I know you mentioned that you were hungry,” Atres explains, “so I thought maybe cooking up a few thinner slices more quickly might be a good idea.”
“Will it take long to heat up?” Emlyn asks.
“It will be a little while yet,” Atres nods, “What did you have in mind?”
“My foster mother seems to think that we should talk,” Emlyn says slowly, “to... clarify what we expect from each other.”
“Hmmm,” Atres smiles, “Perhaps you’d like to go on a walk with me.”
Standing quickly, he bows gallantly and offers her his hand. When she takes it, he pulls her gently to her feet and offers her his arm. Korek and Argonath watch, amused.
He escorts her out of earshot, but still where Oja can keep an eye on them, before he chuckles, “I’ve already told you that I know what you are, lass. What else does Oja think I should know?”
“You don’t know everything,” Emlyn says, stopping to turn to face him, “I am the last of my line, and as such, I have a duty to rebuild my House.”
“Hmmm,” Atres considers, “Marriage and fatherhood, if I follow you correctly. This is what you are saying, yes?”
Watching him closely, Emlyn nods, and he takes a deep breath.
“I haven’t known you long enough to commit to that just yet,” Atres says, “but I’m not going to rule it out just now, either. That said, I don’t think a commitment to that is what you’re asking me for at this moment, though. I think you’re telling me what your end goal is. Is that also correct?”
Relieved, Emlyn nods, “I am not used to feeling like an absolute blundering idiot, but yes, you are correct. Please forgive me, this is one area where I have no experience. Marriages, among my people, are arranged. Normally, my parents and grandparents would be doing this, and all the expectations would be well understood. Now I find myself having to lay out details....”
Chuckling, Atres plants a kiss on the top of her head. “Now you’re blushing again, lass. Gods above, you’re nearly irresistible when you blush like that. Why don’t you tell me what it was like for you, growing up? I think I need to understand that better. What’s your first memory?”
“Running in a blind helm with all my siblings around the walls of my family keep,” Emlyn laughs, “with my grandfather chasing along behind us, growling like a bear.”
“Hmmm,” Atres says thoughtfully, “Military family?”
“Before I say much more, I have to ask you something,” Emlyn says, “Will you promise to keep the things I tell you to yourself?”
“I can’t imagine you’re a threat to the kingdom,” Atres shrugs, “and that’s what we’re tasked with dealing with. Our private lives are our own.”
To his surprise, Emlyn bows formally to him, “Please excuse me. I am very sorry to have wasted your time.”
Baffled, Atres watches her walking away slowly and sees her shoulders start to shake.
Running to get in front of her, he stops her gently, “Wait... what just happened?”
Replaying his statement, he looks at her anew, “You think you might be a threat to the kingdom. Now you have my professional interest, not just my personal interest.”
Emlyn tries to go around him, but he stops her again, “Oh, no. I’m not letting you get away from me that easily, on oh so many levels. You will tell me what’s going on and why the most delectable, desirable woman I think I’ve ever met fears that she might be a threat to the kingdom I’m sworn to protect. If I need to protect you too, I need to know that.”
“I promised Master Ember that I wouldn’t say,” Emlyn says helplessly.
Thinking quickly, Atres starts reassembling what he’s been told of her history, fitting the pieces into a new pattern. “If I can guess, will you tell me if I have the right of it?”
Emlyn nods, tears streaming.
“Whatever it was that landed you here, shredded and burnt, you think it might still be looking for you.”
Emlyn nods.
“You’re hiding from it, which is why you’re so tight-lipped about where you’re from and who you are.”
Emlyn nods again.
“Since I’m in the King’s Guard, you want to make sure you don’t end up in any of our archives so that you can continue to remain undetected.”
Emlyn nods again.
“If whatever it is can’t find you, then everyone, including you, is safe enough.”
Emlyn nods.
“This is also why you drive yourself so hard that you’re practically collapsing. Gods above, I’m an idiot. Come here, lass. I can’t bear to see you crying, like this.”
Without waiting for an answer, he gathers her up and lets her sob against his chest while he pats her back. Murmuring to her for a time until she quiets. Once she has quieted, he steps back carefully and whips out a handkerchief.
Tenderly, he wipes her face. “Well, lass, this is a quandary I hadn’t expected, but I will make a deal with you. I’ll keep anything you say out of the archives as long as whatever it is that you’re hiding from doesn’t show up here. If it does appear here, we’ll need to know what we’re up against, and I’ll need to inform others so we can assist you in fighting it. Will that do? If that will do, then I swear to you that I’ll keep you out of the archives as long as it, whatever it is, doesn’t come calling.”
Gulping and scrubbing at her face, Emlyn nods, “Yes, I think so. That seems to be the middle path.”
“You need to be able to talk to someone,” Atres says, “It’s not good to keep all this bottled up. I’ve seen too many who walked into a sword or an arrow because they wouldn’t talk to anyone.”
“I have Gethin and Master Ember,” Emlyn says, “Of the two, I talk to my grandfather’s old friend, Gethin.”
“Now you have me,” Atres nods, “So let's hear about your people. As much as you can tell me without breaking your promise to Master Ember.”
What other misperceptions do you think people would have about paladins?