Bloodless Knights (5 page)

For
the mood Vivian was in, I hadn’t expected the excitement she gathered to
compliment such a rare commodity for a home. She smiled and grinned at me, as
if forgetting her prior outburst.

What
Vivian did next was something I really did not understand. She stood, walked
toward the tub, dropping items of clothing as she went. Out of respect, I
looked away but I wondered if she wanted me to watch her lack of modesty. I
looked her direction for any indication to what she wanted. She wasn’t watching
me at all; in fact, seemed to have entirely forgotten me.

Her
back was toward me, but she was completely nude. I had been a “good” boy all my
years and had never actually seen a naked woman. I immediately decided if they
all looked as well-defined, soft and sleek as Vivian did then I was missing out
on more than I knew. The curves in her hips stirred feelings in places I knew I
needed to stop immediately or things would get complicated quickly.

As
my eyes lingered, I noticed faint scars on Vivian’s back that appeared to be
marks from a lashing of some kind. I grimaced with the anger I felt over anyone
hurting her.

I
abruptly stood; smashing the tabletop with my hand. As I turned too quick, my
foot kicked the table leg, sending the little table flying. In an attempt to
keep my balance, I stepped back, catching my heel on the chair causing both it,
and I, to fall to the floor. The woman in the tub didn’t even turn or make
inquiry of any kind.

I
hurriedly rose from the floor and brushed myself off. My whole body was already
sore from the day; it was my pride that hurt most. “Vivian…I’m going to head
out to the castle for a while. My father is probably wondering where I am and I
need to check-in before he sends out the Bully Brigade.” I laughed either at my
own stupid joke or to help ease my embarrassment – I couldn’t decide which
since it was tough to even get the words out. Vivian had sunk into the tub and
simply raised her hand to wave.

“I
can trust ye to stay put, can’t I?” It was a daft question to ask since she had
been given multiple chances to escape all day and hadn’t yet taken one of them.

“I’ll behave.” I barely
heard, as I grabbed my sword and hurried out the door.

The
castle grounds were empty. All the flags had been taken down; all the food and
festivities removed. The only thing in sight was Friar Thespis sitting on the
middle of a bench writing something in a large weathered book. The shops were
closed; doors bolted. Even the tavern appeared vacant. The only place movement
was evident was the bottom of the path leading to the castle that was perched
atop a vast hill. That had been done for security; any battle rams would never
make it to the top without a great fight.

There
were several dozen armored knights on whinnying horses and at least triple that
of peasant men patiently waiting to be allowed into the castle. Two king’s
knights, whom I couldn’t recognize from the distance, were stationed at the
gate. I didn’t know exactly what was happening so I directed Flash toward the
friar.

“I
don’t even have any answers for ye today, my boy.” Thespis didn’t look up from
his book and spoke matter-of-factly. “However, I heard that ye slayed that knight
at thy father’s request. I have to say that methinks that was a very bad idea,
Tristen.”

Thespis
looked up; his eyes appeared red, stained with tears. He held his hand over his
face to shield the sun. “Tristen, I knoweth thy father can be a cantankerous
wanker but ye really should not have brought more death to this kingdom. Not
today; we have enough problems. Thy brother…thy mother… who’s next?” Thespis
continued his writing.

My
heart sank in my chest; I didn’t think it could do that again after all that
had happened today. “My mother? What say ye? My mother is fine. Er…well, she
was earlier today. What the blazes art thou saying?” I jumped from Flash’s back
and pounded my fists onto Thespis’ bench, startling him.

“Knowest
thee not? Oh no.” Thespis carefully set the book onto the bench, took my hands
in his and guided me to sit next to him. “Well, Tristen, thy mother suddenly
took gravely ill. From what I hear, she’s not expected to make it. I’m sorry, I
thought ye knew.” The concern that washed-over Thespis’ face terrified me more
than the words he said. I had an odd feeling the friar knew more than he let
on.

“Dear
Friar. Why is this happening? Have we done something against God?” I squeezed
the man’s rough and solid fingers. I didn’t expect this to open any doors to
his heart to let me in, but I figured I would try.

“Tristen,
please understand I have no answers for this. I’ve been taught that evil brings
the dragon; that is all I knoweth. Of what evil goes on here I cannot say. I
hope thou will find out, Lord Tristen. Avenge thy family; keep this kingdom
alive.” Thespis shook my hands between his fists: “Fight for what ye believe
in!”

He
studied the lines in my face for a moment, pushed my hands to my lap and
reached for his book. “Perchance thou shalt speak with thy father.”

I
stood abruptly and glanced at the castle gate. “Oh, I intend to.”

Thespis
cleared his throat. “Your
other
father, my lord.” He winked and I
sheepishly nodded.

I
hoisted myself onto Flash’s back for what felt like the three hundredth time
today. I kicked him probably harder than I needed to, or should have. He rode
faster than he had at the tournament, which seemed like it had been days -
instead of hours - ago. My body felt heavy and tired. I thought about going
home to Vivian and getting in that bathtub with her, however, I knew better
than that.

As
I approached the crowd of potential warriors, a hush came over them. Some bowed
toward me, others glared with judgment. A man on a black horse approached me.
His brown hair was long and braided down his back. He was dressed fully in
armor, minus a helm. A dark beard covered most of his face. From the many packs
hanging from his horse, I guessed he had been riding for a while. Perhaps he
had come for the tournament; although I hadn’t seen him there.

“Hallo
there!” A thick accent announced somewhere from the hairy mess on his face. I
recognized his thick accent as one from the southern region. He stopped his
horse next to Flash and saluted me. “The name’s Sir Patrious Winnow. I can tell
from thy sword that thou art a commissioned knight of this castle. I pray, what
say ye of the dragon that vultured-in today?”

I
silently pondered where I had heard the man’s name before. His first name drew
me in for a reason I could not decide upon and I swept it away for the time
being. “I have made no opinion as to what crazy things have happened today, Sir
Patrious. I am Sir Tristen Dow. I knoweth this may seem silly, but have we met
before? Thy name seems familiar to me.”

Sir
Patrious paused for a moment, “No, Sir Tristen, I doth not believe we have met
before. I pride myself in remembering the people I come across in my travels.
Dow, though…well, I presume yourn a relative of the king and queen?”

“Aya,
I am.” I didn’t want to give away too much of the story of my life right now.
“I’m actually on my way to see the king. What business does this group of men
in thy midst have here?” Flash galloped slowly toward the castle gate. Patrious
followed.

“I
believe most of us were here for the tournament. I am from Hereford. It was a
long journey here, only to be disappointed by the turn of events. Everyone is
interested in going after the dragon.” Patrious slowed his horse as we
approached the gate. “Dost thou think ye can get me in to see the king?”

“Sayest
ye Hereford? Isn’t that the grand palace nestled in the hills of Montour?” I
was stunned. I had never met a soul from there, but I had heard it was like a
dream one didn’t want to wake from.

“Aya,
I’m from there. Methinks we have what’s needed to take that dragon down. But we
need warriors. I assume we could build a terrifying army if we put our forces
together.” Patrious scratched his long beard, “Will ye take me to the king?”

“Wait
a moment and we will discuss that. What dost thou think will take down the
dragon? I knoweth naught of dragons; in fact, never saw one until today.” I
looked to the guards at the gate. One was Sir Dorian Bushay and the other was
Sir Asher Funder. I waved at them. They each gave one serious nod.

“Sir
Tristen, I knowest not exactly what ye have heard of Hereford, but it’s made
from a large inactive volcano that is chocked up with diamond ore. The hillside
sparkles with diamonds. All we need to doest is go there and get some large
diamonds to make spears and arrows, and then we find the beast and slay him.
Let’s stop talking here and go to the king!” Patrious seemed impatient. I
decided to be careful with him.

As
I approached the gate and motioned for it to be opened, I was stopped with
unwelcome words from Dorian: “Thou shall not enter.”

“What
the blazes dost thou mean? I’m always allowed through this gate. Open the
bloody thing at once!” My voice seemed loud and abrasive even in my own ears.

Dorian
stared through me as if in a trance. He didn’t appear to be all there. I looked
at Asher; he seemed the same. Both men stared straight ahead and didn’t act
like they saw me. I decided to reason with them or in the very least; guilt
them.

“Dorian,
we’ve known each other all our lives. Asher, I was always kind to thee since ye
came to the kingdom. I trained both of thee! What is the meaning of this
insurgence?” I demanded.

Asher
seemed to wake from whatever had taken hold of the team. He looked directly at
me and said, “My Lord, it’s thy father’s order that no person or
thing
be allowed through this gate. I apologize, but thou shall not enter.” His face
hardened back to his strict stare.

The
first part of Asher’s statement seemed to shake Patrious, “Thou art Ladislas’
son?”

I
turned Flash toward Patrious and said, “As always, it matters for naught.” I kicked
a heel into Flash’s flank and we charged away from the gate, back toward the
courtyard. The look Patrious carried on his face bothered me. I felt even more
certain that I shouldn’t have disclosed who I was and rode quicker.

I
looked back at the congregation but nobody followed me. They all watched me
ride away and I felt like a coward for running, but knew not what else to do. I
needed time to think things through and it didn’t help to pass Thespis and have
him call, “Remember what I said Tristen!”

I
nodded his direction and pushed the horse faster toward home. I needed to clear
my head and make some important decisions.

#
# #

A
wave of baking bread warmed me when I walked through the front door of my home;
I stopped cold and inhaled deeply. The night was dark and had cooled down,
making the burning fire and thought of homemade bread even more appealing.

“Smells
divine in here, Vivian!” I called out as I took off my boots. My feet ached and
I couldn’t wait to sink into my bed. Brendan had helped me build the log bed
and I stared at it momentarily before I noticed it had been fluffed and
freshened. I glanced over the rest of the small one-room cottage; it was
entirely spotless. The dust and cobwebs had been swept away, rugs had the dirt
beaten from them, the chaise and side chairs were plumped and inviting, the
table and chair had been set upright, dishes were done and it even appeared
that the bathtub had been cleaned.

Silence
filled the air and I looked around the cottage for my lovely housekeeper. She
was nowhere to be seen, however, a large loaf of bread greeted me from the open
fire. It probably wasn’t finished but I didn’t presume a woman would leave her
hard work to burn in the oven; she had to be somewhere nearby.

I
stuck my nose slightly into the oven to sniff the yeasty dough. There would
have been no way for Vivian to know how I loved bread but somehow the woman
knew what would make me melt; or so I thought…until I felt something brush
against my ankle. I looked down to see a small white kitten with a black and
orange striped tail. It purred softly, looking up at me with large green eyes.
Aye, Vivian absolutely knew how to make a grown man revert into a little boy.

“Aw,
well look how sweet thou art. I wish I had some milk and I would give thee a
bowl.” I scooped up the little fur ball and cradled it. At the same time, I
noticed a tin of buttermilk, a pat of butter, and a large bowl of eggs on the
counter. I knew I had left the house bare of anything that would spoil. Vivian
certainly wouldn’t have had time to go to the market, nor did I assume she knew
where it was. An eerie feeling came over me. I let it pass and put the kitten
on the counter to drink the milk. The dainty kitty skimmed the milk with its
tiny pink tongue and then, uninterested, silently wandered away. Perhaps Vivian
had fed it.

Suddenly
the little cat ran out an open window. I wasn’t quick enough to catch it (or
maybe I didn’t try) either way, it escaped. I wondered again where Vivian was.
Her cloak was hanging on the coat hook along with a few wool coats I owned. I
doubted she would have left that if she had decided to leave. Just as I was
about to search under the bed, the front door flew open and through the
darkness came a large arrangement of flowers, herbs, and vegetables followed by
a rosy-cheeked Vivian. Her lovely hair was mussed around her but she was still
stunning and glowing.

“Why
hello there, Sir. I wasn’t expecting ye home this early.” Vivian waltzed past
me and dropped her goodies onto the counter next to the milk, butter and eggs.
She pulled a sprig of rosemary from the pile and gently pushed the leaves from
the stick onto the tabletop. She used her right hand to sweep the little pile
onto her left hand then walked toward the oven. She carefully pushed the spikes
of rosemary into the cooking dough and stated, “Can’t believe I forgot the best
part!” She finished stabbing the bread with her herb spears, then turned and
smiled at me.

“I
like the cat ye brought in. Cute little thing, but ye should have asked first.”
I wandered toward the pile of stuff Vivian had dropped onto the counter. Roses,
thyme, mint, a few carrots and potatoes; things she didn’t like.

“I
didn’t let a cat in. I knowest not what thou speak of.” Vivian reached for the
roses and found a large pitcher I had stashed away and completely forgotten
about. She put the flowers in the pot and rested it on the table. She must have
searched my entire house while I was out to find that old thing.

She
gazed at the flowers for a moment and smiled at them, “There. The place looks
so much happier!” She reached for her journal and grabbed a writing stick she
had lodged between the pages. She asked for ink, which I found for her, then
sat down to write.

She
scribbled for a while. I told her I was going to bathe. She didn’t look up,
just grumbled “Aye.” The woman could become totally oblivious to everything and
it was maddening. I wondered what she would do if I pulled a naked scene like
she had earlier. Probably wouldn’t look up then either. I sighed, not knowing
what to do. I simply stripped down and sat in the tub. I plugged the drain and
pumped water from the well into the metal tub. I knew I wasn’t living in the
lap of luxury, but my tub made me feel like a king in my own home. I didn’t
mind the slightly sulfuric smell. It was a small price to pay for instant hot
water.

Vivian
slammed the book shut and turned her attention toward me, “Was thy father
thrilled that ye destroyed me?”