Chivalry Isn't Dead - Elipsro + Rawr Kitten

[Rawr Kitten]

The wind whispered through the trees as a wisp of a cloud was dissipated by it, thus clearing the sky to a brilliant state of blue. It was the age of chivalry; knights in shining armour and all that rot. Horses and drawn-carriages, far before the conception of the steam engine or the Industrial Revolution, destined to sully that clear sky.

But, fair reader, that is none of our concern, for here, today, we come upon a face smooth in slumber, reddish gold locks spilling around her upon a well-appointed and otherwise empty bed. A gentle tap on the door, seemingly polite, sounded in the pale silence of the day. Nary a bird song was heard and only the gentle breathing of the beauty that lay could be heard in the room.

The tap, louder this time pressing a bit more firmly to the door caused her to flutter her eyelashes in the first moments of awakening. She lay, still silent, arms stretching out as she listening intently, eyes as blue as the sky focussing, and wondering what it was that woke her. The tap became a rap. Her hand closed firmly around the first breakable object she could lay it upon, then hurled it squarely at the door. "Leave me alone!" she called out, normally dulcet tones raised in anger. "I'm here against my will and you will do as I say!"

Commanding. Expectant. And the door remained firmly shut.

"Breakfast, Princess Lorelei." Short and muffled. And a plate rattled to the ground as steps retreated quickly. If only she could intimidate the damned man who had stolen her from her home as well as she could his servants. Smiling slightly to herself as she managed to keep everyone at bay for another morning, she padded to the door, holding another bottle of something, and picked up the vase that had the audacity not to even break the first time.

Maybe they were learning.

Pulling hard on the latch, the wooden door creaked open and she saw her breakfast tray on the ground, abandoned there and pulled it into the room with her toe. Her arm still raised and armed with both objects, she scanned the hallway and then swung the tray into the room, slamming the door shut.

She hoped like hell that her father, the King of the rival kingdom was hiring or searching for someone to save her from this intolerable situation. Closing her eyes, she heard the tree beaters hard at work, keeping the birds from her windows. That had been her own fault. Absolute silence she had specified.

But she needed to be a shrew to make sure they left her completely to herself. And untouched.

 

[Elipsro]

There were only a select few in the King's guard. The best of the best. Well, they said that, but actually it consisted of people who knew people, who had money. Being in the King's guard, meant Knighthood and a life of fortune and fame. As such, only those with fortune got a spot in the guard.

Expect for Matthew Daniels; he had grown up in the King's fields, working the land. Until he was thirteen, he couldn't even write. But then he was found. His farm had been attacked, his father killed, his mother had been gone for years already. He was left alone.

Then he was found, by a Knight of the times and so, his training had began. The relationship between Matthew and his new father was not something he ever shared. Nor was how he actually spent his time growing up, but what is known is that he was a rare Knight. A /real/ Knight.

Right now, the Knights, real and notso, were standing under a star lit sky. A man, dressed grandly stood on a horse before the roles of the guard, his voice ringing out over the crowd.

"Find her, return her."

It was a simple job, at least it should be for the best combatants in the Kingdom, right? All they had to do was to attack the stronghold (once they actually knew where that was!) and get the girl out. But things never worked out that way, not when the King's guard was involved. They were actually useless. The Princess was better of without their assistance in all truth, they were more likely to trip and fall on their own sword than manage to kill their enemy.

Except Matthew of course, but could he really do this alone? Only time could tell. And that's the last though Matthew had before he bowed himself to his King and placed his sword by himself.

The hunt was on.

 

[Rawr Kitten]

Princess Lorelei sat combing her hair. Not just because it kept her hair shining, but also kept her arms in good shape. And also armed her with a fairly heavy hairbrush. It also placed her beside some rather shatterable items, and she stretched, looking at her distorted reflection in the polished steel.

It looked like she would have seven years of bad luck after all.

She had lost track of time, really. The purpose of her capture was now a faded memory, and it had become a sordid game of cat and mouse, with her being mouse and the cat getting scratched by the small, pointed items that someone had left in her room inadvertently. But it wasn't really the cat... it was the cat's minions. But enough about that analogy because Lori (and she doesn't let many people call her that) was hoping for a miracle.

Being completely unreasonable was a bit taxing. Guilt set in as it invariably would, taking it out on the servants who probably had nothing to do with anything other than her care. She was moved to another room while they cleaned this one, and managed to clear up dishes, dirty and clean, and tried to keep small implements that could cause mass destruction, out of her immediate vicinity.

Anything at least 2 inches in length could threaten a man's masculinity easily, and impact an otherwise lovely afternoon.

But she was lonely. Very, very lonely. And if she wasn't rescued soon, she might open that door to just see another face and invite a whole lot of trouble inside.
_________________________________________________________

There were reports, rumours really, of the approaching men. But Lorelei's father's kingdom was far, and its Knights weren't all that skilled. In fact, the neighbouring King decided to be cocky enough and only leave her one guard. After all, his followers would cut anyone coming to rescue the princess into ribbons. Their new names would be Carcass, Carrion, Cadaver... the list could go on and on.

But he didn't want to leave her in his castle; she was costing him a fortune in glassware as it was. She needed to get out and walk; perhaps if he managed to exhaust her, she might ease up on all of his stuff. So, he ordered her guard to accompany her on the walk. Why chain her? Where the hell was she going to go?

And Princess Lorelei found that to be the perfect opportunity to get away. Anywhere was better than being locked up. She wanted to be free, and home. Her heart longed for it, so she slipped away from him when he wasn't looking, and high-tailed it into the forest. After all, she had heard the rumours too.

 

[Elipsro]

Its such a cliché, the damsel in distress, but there were stories that had come from the King's court about her. She wasn't all that nice, hot headed, rude and above her, a fighter. It seemed she wasn't the type of Princess you'd find in your fairy tales, she was a Princess-Warrior if nothing else. Nonetheless, real Warriors (or at least, supposive Warriors) had been sent to her rescue.

It had been hours since they were sent on their way, promised of riches and fame if they returned her. Each of the Knights had taken a different tip, they didn't actually know where she was. Each one had gone their serperate ways, despite being an army, they were a bunch of lone warriors. Never on the same page. It seemed that if Matthew was to claim his fortune, he would have to do alone.

And that's why he was here now. The trees offered him shade as he chose to walk though their braches. His horse had been left at the forest entrance, and along with it was his plate armour. Now, all he carried was his sword and his shield on his back. His sword, was the standard issue, silver in colour with the brand on the hilt but his shield was different. It was a deep shade of red, and the outter reaches were coloured with a shade of yellow, encrusted with rubies. The shield of his mentor. A powerful symbol.

Right now, he was wondering through the forest, beneath the shadows of the trees looking for the exit on the otherside. His informant said she was held in a castle beyond the trees.

Wait? What was that? A sound could be heard in front of him, he draw his sword and shield, crouching himself as he looked beyond him. Nothing would catch him out.

 

[Rawr Kitten]

She had been running for what seemed like forever. Afraid to stop, she was more afraid to get recaptured so she pressed on and through, feeling some branches whipping at her hair and her face while others tore at her skirt.

She had branches strewn throughout, and her perfectly coifed hair was now draping down in as many tatters as her shredded clothes. She had discarded her shoes... silly little things that did nothing for her other than to slow her down, bare feet pounding the ground as she ran.

With a brief look ahead of her, she made sure that it was a clearing she saw and not something else. Watching her footing, she fled directly into it, hopeful that she could find additional tracks and her pursuer could lose her in the confusion.

Instead, she found an armed man, sword ahead of him, shield defending him as he crouched there obviously in wait. If she had been farther away, she might have tried to make a run for it, but as it was, she managed to stumble right into him. Sighing, she nodded and took a deep breath. She was sure that there had been only one guard, but it seemed, even now, that she made an assumption, and it cost her her freedom.

"Take me back," she said resolutely, looking completely in disarray, her sides heaving as she sought to catch her breath.

 

[Elipsro]

She run pretty much straight into him. He was startled, and it wasn't often that someone managed to jump on him. Probably because she didn't even mean it herself.

He looked down at her. No way. Could things have worked out any better? He looked at her again, blinking and putting his sword by his side. It was her! Of all the people, in all the land, he had run into the very person he was looking for.

"I will," he said, not realising that she thought he was a guard of her kidnapper. He smiled at her, a kind smile, a wide, happy one. He was going to be rich beyond his wildest dreams when he returned.

All he had to do was return back to his horse and take her home. "Follow me, m'lady."

 

[Rawr Kitten]

Why did he look so happy? Probably because she looked a sight, perhaps even thought she might be worth something to him if he played his cards right. Princess Lorelei didn't see any chains, any restraints or anything else.

Instead of heading off with him toward the castle, he was actually turned about and appeared to be going... "Home..." Her eyes widened and she reassessed the man she was with.

"Do I know you?" she asked, smoothing down her hair, trying to pick branches and brambles from it. It wasn't easy to appear princess-like when she could have easily been anyone else. Tattered, torn and shoeless, she tried to pull attitude out of her ass.

 

[Elipsro]

He was already pushing his way back down the way he had come, following the steps he had taken. When he realised she was lagging behind, he wheeled on his heels and narrowed his deep, dark eyes towards her.

"Princess," he said with a warm smile, trying not to agrivate her, he had heard the stories of that. He didn't want any of that happening right now. He wanted his fortune. "I am one of your Father's guard, here to return you from your captures, are you coming?" He was trying to be careful about his words, but he was sure she'd take it a different way all together.

Stay respectful, stay on guard and get her home. Then his dreams of fortune were fulfilled and he could have any woman he wanted. If she didn't cause any trouble, of course.

 

[Rawr Kitten]

"My Father's guard?" she asked. "Why didn't you say so?" She stepped forward and right on an upturned branch. It hurt, but she couldn't cry out for fear of alerting the others to their presence. So she bit her lip, and nodded. "I'm coming," she said a little pained. She didn't ask for assistance. She didn't ask for anything from him.

"Thank you," she said, limping slightly but trying her best to keep up. "I wasn't sure I'd ever be free." She wrapped her arms around herself and walked. It would be a long walk, a few days at least, but if they said nothing more in that whole time, she at least would feel safer. "You haven't seen anyone else, have you?" she asked. Because no matter what, she was still being pursued.

It was a relief, really, to let that persona go; it was really very exhausting. And now she was tired, hungry, thirsty, and in pain. The faster they got home, the better off they would both be. And she would be able to sleep in her own bed...

 

[Elipsro]

Matthew noted her limp several times as they set off, despite the fact that they would easily get back to his horse today. It would still be several days ride back to the Kingdom of her father's, and he would be stuck with her until then. The limp was going to slow things down, but he had also been told not to try and protect her, or act like she needs you. That was met with a response that no one wanted. She was a rare woman for the age, independant strong. Or, at least, thats what Matthew had heard.

Despite her tattered clothes and hair, she was quite beautiful. But when were Princesses not? Beauty was a birth right of theirs, and it certainly was of her's as they began their walk back to his horse.

He pushed the branches out the way, and considered offering his arm several times. But each time decided against it, he was her guard. He wanted nothing to do with her, just get her home. He was a kind soul, but this wasn't a time for being kind. It was a time for making sure she hurried up.

__

Matthew expected to reach the horse before sunset, but there was no such luck. It was looking as though there would be no rain, but they certainly couldn't travel through the trees at night. They offered enough shadows as it was. No, they would have to spend the night here. But how was he suppose to tell her that?

"M'lady," he said stopping in his track and spinning round, bowing low in respect, "I am afraid as the night draws ever closer, we will have to take up residence amongst the trees for the night. We can not walk through them, they will swallow us whole, never to be found again."

 

[Rawr Kitten]

Lorelei must have punctured her foot, and she wasn't looking forward to much more walking on it. It stung a little more than it should, but surely if she cleaned it, perhaps wrapped it with some of her clothes... it would be fine. She was very sure of it. He remained aloof, separated from her by more than just station. It had been so quiet where she came from, and they would have to be quiet still...

There was walking, and silence, and walking, and more silence. It had been like that for so long that she actually started when he addressed her. When he stopped her brain took a few minutes to register and when it did, she found herself a little too close. "Look," she said as quietly as she could muster, "I'm Princess Lorelei, and for the remainder of the journey at least, can you at least call me Lorelei? This bowing and scraping might get us both killed, and I really don't want that to happen." She was glad to have stopped, favouring her unhurt foot.

"So, what do I call you, gallant rescuer?" she asked politely. "With darkness approaching I would like to rest. Happily actually. Although, if you have water, or food, or something, perhaps we could partake before bedding down for the night?"

 

[Elipsro]

She was a very orderily woman, it was clear. She seemed like the kind that knew what she wanted and exactly how they were going to go about getting it. A strong woman, an Aphra Benn of better years of sorts.

He nodded polietly at her, going to bow before realising her words. She was his superior technically after all. "Sir Matthew Daniesl, M'lady," he said, before rolling his eyes at his own mistake, "Lorelei," he added, giving her a smile as he took a bottle tied to a piece of string around his waste and handing it to her. "Water," he said simply, before explaing how their night would work.

"I will find us fruits and a place fit to stay the night, then we shall stay here and when the rooster sounds early tomorrow, we shall leave back on our journey. If that's okay?"

 

[Rawr Kitten]

"Sir Matthew," Lorelei said and took the bottle. She felt the outside of it with a bit of condensation, running it over her lips before finally opening the top. "Thank you." A small sip, and she listened to him as he explained things. She was fine with him taking charge out in the forest. Her strengths had to do with ordering people about in castles, not surviving in the wilderness.

"Of course," she said. "I'll try to stay hidden until you return." Ripping a small piece of cloth from her tattered underskirt, she wiped it along the other side of the bottle. "I didn't hear any water," she said and smiled. "I'll do my best to help conserve it. Because I'd like to live long enough to get home."

This man was her lifeline to do just that. She had to work with him in order for that to happen. She might be a princess, but she wouldn't be if she didn't live. "And we move when you say, although you might have to shake me a bit. I usually don't get up so early." But rest? It would be welcome.

As she sat down on a small log, she looked up at him. "And Sir Matthew," she said as he turned to go, "I'll try not to snore." She smiled easily, then turned her attention to her foot. It had been torn and punctured and the walking hadn't helped keep it clean, but with the failing light, she had very little choice.