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Thread: [M] The Beast of Ophela (Holey & Lu321)

  1. #11
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    The knight knew what the princess meant, and merely chuckled at her remarks about someone else stumbling across them. "You're mistaken, princess," he said in response to her words. "None of the guards would be eager to kill this monster. I'm an Imperial knight though... not a simple palace guard." There was quite a bit of a distinction between the two. Palace guards, while trained to guard the palace, were nowhere near the level of warrior elite as an Imperial knight like himself. To him, it was a waste of his talent and abilities to be playing babysitter to a spoiled, rebellious princess like her... but to slay a beast that had already proven itself highly dangerous was much more in line with his abilities.

    As he listened to the way the princess described their location and the direction they should travel, he pictured this in his head, glancing up to the stars to confirm her sense of direction. "Huh..." he said. "Looks like you're right about the direction we should head... and I'll just have to assume you're right about our current location, as I have no way of confirming it." Well, perhaps there were a few ways to confirm their location, but he'd save them for if they actually did get lost.

    "Careful walking off into the forest blindly, though," he remarked. "You may think yourself to be walking in a straight line when you're actually walking in circles. Make sure to glance up to the sky from time to time to make sure we're headed the right way. Every hundred paces or so should be sufficient." As he watched the princess head off on foot, he chuckled and incanted in the Draconic language, "Jivi, arcanisstok." In response to his spell, the phantasmal form of a horse materialized, which the knight quickly mounted.

    Riding up alongside the princess, he said, "Want a ride? You're already dressed for it, after all." He offered her a hand in order to help her up into the saddle with him. Amusing though it might have been to watch her stumble through the forest on foot, it was only polite to offer her a ride so that she wouldn't trip on a tree root or fallen log in the darkness and fall on her face. Walking through a forest at night was a skill in itself, after all.

    Holey Paladin's armor by Haya

  2. #12
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    "Do you think I don't know my way around in this forest? I've read about and practiced using the stars for navigation since I was young. I'm sure I have enough smarts to use that information to my benefit." Talia didn't see that it was necessary to mention that her practices were failed attempts at sneaking out of the palace. Günter was certainly going to keep her busy, especially if he was going to act like she knew nothing about the outside world.

    She doubted he knew what went on when she was sitting with her parents in the throne room. She had heard horrific tails depicting thefts and murders, about wars and weaponry. Just because she had been sheltered from these evils didn't mean she was ignorant. She was a lot smarter than people knew. That is how she had known that this was her best chance at convincing her father that she didn't need a husband, despite what he said.

    She hadn't gotten to far when she heard Güntar speak. Glancing at him, she stopped in her tracks. He was now riding a horse, a phantom horse, but a horse all the same. She was about to decline, but she thought better of it. She was more likely to get hurt when walking, plus she needed to save her strength. She was bound to be sleep deprived by morning, and if she used up all her strength trying to avoid objects in the dark, she might as well already be dead.

    "Thank you." She said, using his hand to help her mount in front of him. He dwarfed her enough to where he could easily see over her head, although she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. As they started to ride again, she looked up at the stars, making sure they were on the right path. "Why did you really come?" she asked him, continuing to look at the stars. "I mean, why come instead of stay in the castle?"

  3. #13
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    As the princess felt a need to defend herself, the knight shrugged. "I'm sure you're very well educated, though there's a difference between theoretical knowledge and practice. As you've never been lost in the woods as far as I know, I figure there's no harm in at least double checking your calculations." With a chuckle, he added, "Besides... anyone overconfident enough to think she can kill the Beast of Ophala with a sword she's never used in combat could use an occasional reality check." He still had his doubts that killing the beast was her true objective... surely she was at least smart enough to realize she wasn't cut out for monster slaying, wasn't she?

    Though he knew very well the sort of matters that were discussed by royals in their plots and schemes, as well as when dispensing judgment in court, the princesses of his own Empire were largely isolated from these matters in order to preserve their innocence. After all... their entire point in existing was to serve as living treaties in order to further the schemes of rival kings. He actually sympathized with the princess for not wanting to take part in such political machinations, but it wasn't his place to speak his thoughts openly.

    After offering a ride to the princess, he half expected her to decline, though when she accepted his offer, he merely nodded, easily lifting her entire weight with one arm into a sitting position in his lap. He gently steadied her in his lap, as though the princess was used to riding, his saddle only had one set of stirrups, which were too low for Talia's feet to reach. Her warmth felt comfortable in his lap, though he didn't say this to her for obvious reasons.

    When asked his motivations, he thought about it a moment before giving another shrug. "Two reasons, I suppose," he replied to her question. "In order to become an Imperial Knight, I had to train in how to slay monsters, up to and including dragons. To put me in a position of palace guard when there's a monster than needs to be killed is a waste of my abilities." He added with a chuckle, "Plus, I figured I wouldn't really get much chance to talk to you under normal circumstances. What sane man would pass up on the chance to spend a bit of time with a pretty girl?"

    Holey Paladin's armor by Haya

  4. #14
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    "A reality check? Excuse me your knightness, but I believe I could have found a way, with or without your help. Besides, I have nothing to lose. And I am not overconfident. Just very optimistic." Talia shrugged. "And for your information, I did get lost once, and I made it back home just fine." She understood his reasons to doubt her abilities, but she couldn't just stay quiet on the matter. Her father had always hated that she couldn't keep her opinions to herself, but it was one of the traits she was proud to display. After all, how would a man know he was wrong unless someone told him?

    Listening as Gütnar spoke, she couldn't help but snicker at his last remark. "A smart one if he knew who he was dealing with. Be careful. I may not know how to wield a sword well, but I know plenty well how to defend myself. That was one thing my father and I agreed on." She glanced up again, taking a short strip of reigns and steering the horse to the right ever so slightly. She liked how comfortable it was with the knight here. It was almost like he didn't expect her to pretend to be a princess like so many people in the court did.

    Satisfied with their course, she let go of the reign and looked around the forest. It was to dark to see much of anything, but it did help distract her from the fact that she was riding in front of a man. Not that it was uncomfortable, just the fact that this would have never been allowed to do this at the palace or anywhere near any noble made her blush. "What is it like? You know, being normal?" She asked him, trying to keep herself from thinking to much into the situation. "Being able to do as you please without anyone expecting you to be who you aren't?"
    Last edited by Lu321; 07-22-2020 at 03:29 AM.

  5. #15
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    "I believe in fairies, but that doesn't mean I'll sprinkle pixie dust on myself and jump off the highest tower in your castle in an effort to fly," the knight replied. "Don't speak as if you have nothing to lose, though... your life is very valuable, and you'll have centuries to enjoy it. It could be worse... if you had been born human, you'd have already died of old age by now. It only takes a couple decades for human beauty to fade into old age, you know.... while you'll still be pretty a century from now."

    Chuckling at the words of the elf, Günter said, "What makes you think you'll have any need to defend yourself from me? I'm your protector, remember?" He watched as she went on to adjust their heading slightly, allowing her to feel like she was directing the phantasmal steed on her own. As she showed no objection to the way he held her steady, he kept his arms on her slender form, feeling her in his lap as they rode the phantasmal steed into danger.

    Though the darkness served to conceal her blush, he could still feel her heating up, listening as she asked a question. After some thought, he responded, "You've just asked two very different questions. Normal people... commoners, peasants, serfs, or whatever you want to call them depending on which kingdom or fiefdom you're referring to... have no real freedom. They're forced to do whatever their lord requires of them... such as working hard in the fields each day, pay taxes, join the army, and so on. Knights have duties to their lords, kings have duties to their people, and with greater power comes greater responsibility."

    With a shrug, he said, "I suppose what you're looking for is the proper balance of freedom and responsibility... which can be a hard thing to find, regardless of your circumstances of birth. I can tell you that 'normal' is the absolute worst thing to be, though... as normal people are almost completely powerless, while having very little freedom at the same time. Powerful, respected wizards perhaps have the best combination of power over their lives and freedom to do just about anything they want, so long as they remain respectable and don't cause harm to those around them... but even they have to occasionally deal with ignorant peasants and their witch hunts."

    Holey Paladin's armor by Haya

  6. #16
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    "I hardly consider centuries of being forced to live as nothing more than a bargaining chip a life worth living. And beauty isn't everything. In fact, it is closer to a curse than a blessing. Take away the beauty of most elves, and you leave them nothing. I don't want to be like that. I want to be more than just a pretty face." Talia sighed. "I probably don't make any sense. Forget I said anything."

    She shook her head, amused at his reply. "Just making sure you are in reality." She could feel every minute movement he made behinde her, which set her a bit on edge, but she had gotten used to it after a few minutes. It wasn't like he was holding her hostage or anything. She wondered how far it would be until they found the main road. If they were lucky, they might pass by a shop that had some more comfortable clothes for her to wear. She was greatful not to be wearing a gown, but the riding outfit was not meant to be worn for more than a few hours.

    Listening to the knights response to her questions, she nodded thoughtfully. "I understand... I think. I guess I have it pretty good, compared to most 'normal' people at least. But they don't have to deal with their parents selling them off to the highest bidder. At least I hope they don't. I honestly would trade a year of hard labor in the fields for a bit more freedom."

    She paused, thinking of other questions she could ask the knight to pass the time. She had plenty, but she knew her endless curiosity could be tiring. Instead, she let the silence take over, knowing he would talk if he wanted to. She would have plenty of time to get answers to her questions later.

  7. #17
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    The knight frowned at the words of the princess. By the sound of it, he doubted she truly wished she was ugly... mostly it just seemed like she was frustrated and venting. "If you were truly forced into being a bargaining chip by parents who don't care for your happiness, you'd have been married decades ago whether you agreed or not," he pointed out. From what he understood of princesses, marriage age was quite young indeed, and Talia would be considered by many to be too old already. "Your parents are in a tough place right now, having to choose between your happiness and the good of your kingdom. But should anything happen to you, I'm certain they would be heartbroken. I've met a few monarchs in my time, and most of them are nowhere near as kind and understanding as your parents are."

    Smirking at her words, he said, "But you know, sometimes fantasy is a lot more fun than reality. Don't you think?" He gradually wrapped his arms a bit tighter around the princess, testing her to see how much he would let her touch her before she stopped him. Of course he had no intention of crossing the line with her... but he did seek to find out just where the line was drawn.

    Nodding at her words as she spoke of her understanding somewhat how her life was better than that of most people, he chuckled. "You'd be surprised," he remarked. "Marriage alliances aren't strictly reserved for the nobility. Prominent merchant families are known to do the same thing. Meanwhile, commoners might be taken as concubines by their lords simply because they are pretty. The Empire tries to prevent the mistreatment of serfs and peasants, but... even the Emperor has to balance the rights of the people against the rights of the nobles, lest full scale rebellions break out across the land."

    As she drew silent, he noticed a look of curiosity on her face, as if she had more questions for him. "It's ok," he said to her eventually. "If there's anything you want to know... anything about the outside world that they don't teach you in Princess School... there's no guarantee we'll have another chance to talk. You might not like my answers, though... the world is much more cruel than you have seen, particularly towards free spirits who don't conform to what society tells them they should be."

    Holey Paladin's armor by Haya

  8. #18
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    "I'm sure I would be. I know my parents love me and all that, we just don't see eye to eye on many things. They say my reputation for being... opinionated scares many suitors off. I guess they are afraid of having a wife smarter than them. The ones that come usually are to power hungry to care about who they are marrying, or to idiotic to know what they are talking about. I think the only reason my parents have let me get this far is because they don't want any of the men who propose to be sitting on any throne." Talia shook her head, dismissing some thoughs of the less than friendly lords who had asked for her hand in marriage.

    "Sometimes it can be, but if you focus to much on the unreal, you will lose sight of what is true." She replied. Her blush only grew as he tighteded his hold on her. He was walking the fine line between being ok and getting an elbow in the stomach, but she was sure he knew that. Proprietary was something all guards were taught, and even though he was pushing the limits, she doubted he would go to far.

    "I know that. We've had many complaints about a lord who has been doing those things, but I tend to block that stuff out. There are some things I don't want to know about. I do know that my parents try to keep that stuff from me too." She sighed. "Its hard to think that some girls have to deal with that too."

    Laughing, she nodded. "I know that more than anyone. If I'm bothering you, you can just say so. I'm accustomed to being silenced." She paused, thinking. "What did you do to become an Imperial knight?"

  9. #19
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    The knight listened to the words of the princess, thinking over them for a moment. "It's actually kind of funny..." he remarked. "Because your parents love you and allow you to express yourself, you're able to express your independence and refuse potential suitors. In most human kingdoms I've been to, kings are very strict with their daughters... the Emperor himself being the only one who allows his daughters to call him 'Daddy.' All other father-daughter relationships among nobles are highly formal... and princesses are trained from birth to look pretty and only speak when spoken to. Elf princesses are truly granted a great deal more freedom than human princesses... that's for certain. I can totally see how your reputation can scare off most suitors who are used to subservient princesses."

    As he held her, the knight noticed the tips of the princess' pointed ears turning red in a blush, finding it quite adorable. He didn't place his arms anywhere inappropriate, though he could definitely feel the warmth of her slender body through her clothing. "That's definitely true..." he remarked. "Though if you lose site of your ideals, you lose purpose. It's better to have an ideal and use realistic methods in order to turn the reality into your ideal. Unfortunately... there's a limit as to how much a single person can achieve."

    Nodding at her words, he said, "The world is truly a dangerous place. A monster in the woods is one thing, but the real monsters are people, men and elves alike, living among us... either hiding in a back alley ready to plunge a knife into the back of an unsuspecting nobleman, or sitting on a throne lording over human cattle, the world is full of bad people."

    Chuckling at the girl's words, the knight shrugged. "You're not bothering me... didn't I tell you already that I wanted to take this chance to talk to you? Anyway, not just anyone can become an Imperial Knight. While most knights are essentially born into the lower aristocracy and trained from birth how to fight, Imperial knights are a bit different. We can come from any social class so long as we have the means of obtaining an Arcane University education, along with the magical aptitude and the unique ability to be inscribed with a Foundry circuit. Most of us work as agents for the Emperor on various dangerous quests... I just ended up drawing the short straw and getting guard duty. The Emperor must really value your family, for some reason... that, or he was able to divine that I would be needed to deal with the Beast of Ophala."

    Holey Paladin's armor by Haya

  10. #20
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    "I wouldn't say that my family is informal. Unless under special conditions, I am rarely allowed to call my father anything but 'King Akkar'. I still have to wear the dresses and play the part of a princess, but I do get some freedoms that I doubt human princesses get. For instance, I doubt they would have the chance to learn to rule." she paused, realizing that he probably wouldn't understand what she meant. "Since I was the only child, my father was forced to teach me how to rule our kingdom in case anything happened before I was married."

    Nodding in agreement to what he said, she sighed, looking up at the crystal clear sky. She wished that she had the chance to see the stars from the woods more often. They were beautiful, and even though it was becoming a cold night, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else. She could feel the heat radiating off of the knight's body, and although the lessons of propriety were running through her head, she was glad he was there.

    "I believe the Emperor and my father were good friends, but we do not talk of it much. He hardly talks about anything that has to do with before I was born." Despite not wanting to overwhelm him with questions, hearing about the Imperial knights piqued her curiosity even more. "How did you get choosen? Do you still get to see your family?"

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