The Princess and her Knight

[Aelin Ashryver]

Rei didn't like the knight. Sure, he'd gotten his ruler here safely, but now his job was done. He would take over protecting her instead. The man was not a dragon. He did not have a place in the prophecy.


"You think it is proper for you to be in her private chamber?" he asked.


Farryn placed a hand on Sidney's arm. "I insist on it. It makes me feel safe when he is guarding me. Please, I know it may seem unorthodox, but I will not have it another way."


"You never have to say please to me, Farryn. Your will is my command." Rei bowed and gestured for them to follow behind him.


"Please, this way." He led them to a lovely room with lavish furnishings and a large bed. "These are our guest quarters. You may rest here. Please, you must be tired from the hard journey. Your horse will be taken care of as well."


Farryn thanked him and let out a soft sigh of pain from the wound on her back as well as the still healing blisters on her feet. "Well, he seems nice," she finally said.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

"I care nothing for the man but if you say he can help then I will welcome him as a companion. However if he ever betrays the trust you have bestowed upon him I will end his life with a swing of my blade." His stern face softened when he looked upon Farryn it had been a long journey thus far and she had handed it well. Though he could tell by her battered and bruised body that it had been rough. "Well princess you get some sleep. I will stand watch outside of your door and make sure none disturb your sleep." He then turned beginning to make his way out of the room.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn got off the bed and crossed the room to him, taking his hand in hers. "No, stay. I want you with me when I sleep. I don't have to nestled in your lap, but at least stay on the bed with me."


She tugged him toward it and laid down. Farryn snuggled under the covers and reached for his hand. When she felt it, she smiled and soon drifted off into sleep. "You need to rest too, Sidney. Remember that." All through her sleep, she never let go of his hand and protested if he tried to leave though she was not consciously aware of her actions.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

Farryn was a willful one at that. Sidney could not bring himself to leave her side so he got into bed with her and watched over her as she slept. As the night progressed Sidney stayed awake watching the princess sleep. Fixated on her beauty he lifted up his free hand to gently touch her face a finger gliding slowly over her lips. Quickly retracting his hand after he was fully concious of his actions. Ashamed of his actions he continued to watch over the princess however his fatigue got the better of him and he feel asleep still grasping the princesses hand.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn woke the next morning with her arm draped over his chest. Someone was next to her, a male someone. His arm was around her shoulders, holding her to his chest. Their hands were together on the bed, their fingers twined. It was Sidney, of course, but this had never happened. She had slept against him in the forest, outside, but waking up in his amrs like this, in a bed was completely different for some reason.


It was something she was only supposed to do with one man, her betrothed. The vile memory of that man shot through her like a snake's venom. Now in a bad mood, she had no wish to wake, and promtly went back to sleep, hoping to find comfort in her dreams. She left it to Sidney to work out their sleeping predicament. Farryn rather liked the idea of him waking to find them so entwined. It would give her stoic knight quite the shock.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

Sidney awoke the next morning slowly opening his eyes realizing he had fallen asleep when he was supposed to be watching the princess. He quickly glance over at her to see that his arm was pinning her down onto him. Her body wrapped around his with her chest rubbing against his. For once in the Knights life he felt truly comfortable with the princess on him such as this. He felt as if he had everything he could ever want and more. These feelings however broke every oath he had every made the his princess. Only men of the highest caliber and social standing were deserving of Farryn but even still at the very depths of be being he wanted that man.


Being as man and woman Farryn being on him as she was caused certian feelings to arise within Sidney as he slowly tried to untangle their bodies. Taking great care not to wake the princess because if she was aware of this he knew he would never live it down and spend the rest of his days as a disgraced knight.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Much to his dismay, Farryn woke as he disentangled himself from her. She smiled softly at him, still half asleep. "Morning, Sidney. Did you sleep well?" she asked, paying no heed to the position she knew they had been in. She sat up and rubbed sleep from her eyes. "Do you have that extra set of clothes? I think these should be washed while they can be. Yours too." Farryn, short hair was slightly tousled from her sleep, but it only served to make her more adorable. "I think we should head out tomorrow. As much as I want to take back my kingdom, there's no point in traveling farther without some sort of heading and we need all the rest we can get. Here, seems like a pretty safe place. Lawre- He won't find us here," she said, catching herself from saying his despicable name.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

In truth he did sleep surprising well with the princess by his side but felt guilty that he was not watching over her. His eyes fixated on her as she began to get up. Quickly correcting himself he broke his gaze and got up from the bed and moved over to their packs. "My sleep doesn't matter princess, as long as you got enough sleep I will be content. As for a change of clothes I do have a second set for the both of us." He then pulled out two plain outfits tossing the smaller yet finer crafted garb to the princess. Even with all that was going on Sidney still tried to give her the best of things as it is what she deserved.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn caught it and turned away from him. She pulled her shirt over her head, exposing the healing wound on her back. Unwrapping the make-shift breast band she had cut from her nightgown, Farryn slipped the other shirt over her head. She'd have to see if one of the village women would be willing to trade some cloth for a silk ribbon later. Going without support never felt nice. With her back turned to him, she dropped the pants. The shirt was long enough to cover everything, so she was not worried about modesty. Pulling the other pair on, she secured the belt around her waist. Gathering her clothes, Farryn set them on the bed and glanced over at him. "You think they have breakfast around here somewhere?" she asked him, a soft smile curving her lips. "And your sleep does matter. If you didn't get a good sleep, then I will worry and fret all day about your lack of rest."

 

[Saint Nhoj]

"I'm sure they will provide us with some breakfast seeing as we are their guests princess. After I change we will head out and find Rei." As he talked he began to get undressed quickly before pausing. "Farryn if you could look away while i changed. You needn't see anything unsightly." He would have changed else where but the idea of leaving the princess alone even for a second in this place was unthinkable.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

"Watch yourself, Sidney. I am not to be called princess or any royal title until I have secured the throne from him. Farryn, or nothing." She sighed and nodded, turned away from him. "There is nothing unsightly about you, Sidney. I have seen . . . some of you, and I did not find it displeasing," she said, a hint of red blossoming on her cheeks.


When he was ready, she slid back the door to their room to find Rei standing there with his hand raised, seemingly about to knock. "Ah, you are awake. Good. I was just coming to get you. We will be serving breakfast soon. Are you hungry, Farryn?" He asked, casually addressing her without a title as she had told him to.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

"I'm sorry Farryn, to me you will always be my princess so I find myself slipping up at times." As he changed he heard Farryn say she didn't mind looking upon him but he knew that was just her sweet nature. He was not royalty and his rough scarred body would be of no interest to her.


As Rei talked to the princess Sidney quickly made his way to her side standing as close as he could to the princess his skin almost touching hers. This man needed to know who her guardian was and that he was mere hired help to take back the kingdom.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

"Your princess? How positively possessive of you," she said, teasing him. Farryn chuckled lightly, her back still turned. "Do not worry. I was only joking."


Rei's blue eyes flicked just past Farryn's head to see the knight standing there. Did the man have no sense of personal space. Surely, he was smothering his ruler. He offered her his arm. "Please, this way, Farryn," he said, explicitly ignoring the knight's presence. He walked her down the hall and down the stairs. In the dining room, beautiful trays were situated on the floor, cushions serving as the seats. Next to the large trays, there were smaller ones with different sides on them.


Farryn looked at the food she had never seen before. It was as if she were in a different country. "This looks wonderful," she said, a smile curving her lips. "May I?" she asked him, gesturing to one of the cushions. She assumed they were to kneel on them and did so. "Of course, Farryn." At the head of the formation was the leader of the village. Rei was to the elder woman's right, with Farryn on her left. He would have loved to sit next to her, but it was customary for their guests to sit on the left side. He envied the knight only for his close proximity, but that would change once they were traveling.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

Sidney observed the food and deemed it safe to be eaten and watched the princess as she ate. He himself only ate the bare minimum he needed To sustain himself. Not wanting to take advantage of their hospitality and making sure the princess herself got enough to eat. While sitting he could feel the eyes of Rei glaring down upon him, the two clearly would not get along. However his loyalty to the princess would allow him to deal with the nuisance long enough to see Farryn become queen.


"Are you enjoying the food Farryn?" He asked as he observed her. She seemed to be in better spirits and it was a sight that Sidney was glad to see. The road ahead was going to be tough and she needed to enjoy herself as much as she could because they would not get many opportunities like this to be able to relax.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn turned and smiled at him. "Yes, I am. Aren't you, Sidney? It's delicious!" She frowned when she looked at his tray. "You've barely touched it. Are you feeling ill?"


"If the Knight does not wish to eat our food, then please don't force him Farryn. It's not his fault his appetite is lacking," Rei said from across the way.


"Rei!" The elder woman flicked his forehead, a look of scorn on her wizened face. "Be polite to our guests. There is no need to comment on what they ate and didn't eat," she scolded. Then she turned to Sidney and smiled warmly at him. "You are the Ruler's companion. We gladly welcome you both to stay as long as you need."


Farryn thanked her and informed them they would most likely be staying only until morning.


"Then we will have your company for an entire day? How lovely," the woman said.


When they were finished, Farryn returned to their room and gathered their dirty clothes. She'd never washed anything before, but it was something she should learn anyway. Even the knights learned when they were squires, but she couldn't ask Sidney to teach her how. That was far too embarrassing. She went in search of a place she could find water and walked into one of the women from the tribe. "Ah, you're the Ruler, the one destined to unite the four dragons, are you not?"


"Well, I don't know if I am or not, but I am asking for Rei's help."


"Oh, that is wonderful! He has been looking forward to your arrival since he was old enough to know his destiny. Are you . . . doing laundry?" she asked, peering at the clothes she had in her arms.


"I am, but, um, I've never washed anything before. Could you show me how?"


"Me? Help you? I would be honored." The young woman smiled and her and led her to the laundry area. It had running water, soap they made themselves and boards they ran the clothes over to help clean them. "I'll do one and you can watch. Then I'll help you, all right?" she asked, taking Farryn's dirty shirt.


"That sounds great. Thank you."

 

[Saint Nhoj]

"No Farryn I am not ill I am already full." He politely dismissed the princesses concerns whilst shooting a dangerous glance at Rei. That man was insufferable in Sidney's eyes and will be glad when the partnership ends.


Once they finished eating Sidney noticed Farryn attempt to sneak off to their room grabbing what looked to be laundry. The knight made sure to stay far enough away that she would not notice his presence but at then he realized what exactly she was doing. Quickly making his way over to her his face upturned in a scowl. "Princ- Farryn you should not be doing laundry. Please allow me to do just a trivial task you needn't any more work that necessary." A look of horror on his face as he noticed she was not only washing her clothes but his as well. His princess was washing his dirty clothes, he was of lower status than her yet she had gotten the upper hand and done this without his realization. His head hung low as if he were a scolded puppy, feeling as if he had failed as a knight.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn turned to face him, her eyes flashing. This was the first time she was actually angry at him. "I will not be a burden to you. If I can learn how to defend myself, I can learn how to wash clothes and treat wounds. I will do whatever it takes to save my kingdom and I will not be held back by anyone, not even you." She pointed to the door. "Leave this room, and wait outside." It wasn't a request, or a suggestion. It was an order from a Queen, a ruler with an iron will. Without another word, Farryn turned back to the task she was performing.


The young woman who had helped her was staring at the two of them, at a loss for what to say. So, she stayed quiet. These were Rei's guests, and the young woman was the Ruler. She couldn't help but be in awe of her.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

Sidney immediately snapped to attention at the order. Silently and without hesitation doing an about face and exiting the room. He stood guard outside and waited for the princess to finish. As of late he had felt like he was failing miserably at his job and this just went as more evidence to support that case. The fact that he was not in tune with what she wanted combined with how she actually had to give him an order was disgraceful. It would his job to know what she wanted before she even asked and had it done before it needed to be done. His emotions were getting in the way far too much and it was a problem he had to fix.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn felt badly for getting so cross, but he had to face the fact that just because she was a princess didn't mean that she couldn't do more. It was different when they had handmaids and cooks and doctors, but now it was just the two of them and they had to support each other. How could she support him if she was useless? Well, it was the two of them and Rei, but she'd bet he knew how to wash his clothes.


She finished washing them all in a half hour. "I'll hand them up for you on the line if you need to . . . " The young woman trailed off, looking toward the door. She meant talk with Sidney. Yes, she probably needed to do that. Walking out of the room, she took his hand in hers, gripping it tightly so he would not think of pulling away. Farryn walked him outside and a bit away from the main part of the tribe. She sat him down on the ground and knelt between his legs. Reaching forward, she wrapped her arms around him, cradling his head to her chest. "I am a princess, Sidney, but I am also a princess without a kingdom. We are going to restore my kingdom with the help of the four dragons. But to do this, I cannot remain who I was. I need to be more, do more for my people-" she pulled away to look him in the eyes. " - for you. I need to be the princess I need to be. She is not the same as the one I left behind when my mot- when my mother was murdered." Her voice shook, but it needed to be said. "When he murdered her, I was shattered, but I have been trying to put the piece back together, but they just don't fit anymore. So I have to make new pieces. I have to become someone better, stronger for myself and for my people." Her voice was shaking now, but it still had her conviction laced through it. Tears spilled over her cheeks, and she finally, finally cried. It wasn't pretty, or princess-like, but it was pure and beautiful.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

As the princess wept Sidney held her close before giving her a light kiss on her forehead. "I am sorry for being overbearing at times Farryn. As a royal knight I gave up everything in service of the crown. When they assigned me to be your personal knight I was over joyed by the honor of being given that station. Watching you grow up and seeing the kind and gentle person you are today is the greatest joy of my life... If something were to happen to you I would have nothing, and I would gladly die so you may live because a world without you is not one I would want to live in." His voice was quite as he talked still holding the princess close to him. It was one of the first times he had been honest with himself, the princess had her way at chipping away his professionlism and getting him to reveal his true feelings. In truth as he spoke those words he knew that he cared not for being a royal knight because of the prestige, but because it gave him the chance to be her protector.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn pulled away from him, wiping her tears. "I don't want to live in a world without you either, which means you should sleep more and eat more," she joked, her spirits lifting. "Sidney, I-"


"There you two are!" Rei yelled from a distance. "I have been looking all over for you." As he neared, his face darkened. "You've been crying, Farryn. You did this, you foul knight? If you are the cause of my Ruler's tears, I shall strike you down where you stand. No one who evokes such a heart wrenching sight from her will be allowed to live."


Farryn chuckled softly, her tears still running down her face. "It's all right, Rei. I'm not crying because of Sidney, and I would never forgive you for hurting him," she said just as lightly.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

Sidney stood up and looked at Rei. His face emotionless as he gave the princess his hand to help her stand. "Rei I am in needs of new armor. Is there anywhere in your village I could acquire such before we begin our journey?"


Completely ignoring Sidney Rei walked over the the princess "Is there anything I can do tell help you Farryn? Seeing as your knight is obviously not helping the situation." Scorn in his voice as he attempted to wipe away the princesses tears.


Sidney's jealously flared as much as his temper at being ignored but calmed himself for the sake of the princesses wishes and just watched the display.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Farryn smiled and wiped away her own tears. "Actually, I was hoping to have some armor made. Do you know where I can find someone who sells or makes it? Ah, also, I would like to purchase a bow and several dozen arrows. Can you help me with those things, Rei?" she asked, only inquiring about the armor for Sidney's sake. She could see the two don't get along very well. She hoped that changed.


"Of course," he said happily. "This way, Farryn." He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow as he led her along, completely disregarding the knight that always seemed to be attached to her hip.

 

[Saint Nhoj]

Sidney followed the two quickly in toe. He wanted to reach out and pull the princess back to him to break the grasp Rei had on her but she was doing this on her own free will. It was not his place to micromanage her actions as such. However that didn't mean he had to like it as he gave Rei a menecing glare at every given moment. He would love to challenge the man and see his strength first hand so he could knock that smug look off of his face.

 

[Aelin Ashryver]

Rei led them to a blacksmith, and told the woman to sell the finest armor she had. Her husband had died five years ago, but not until he'd taught her the trade. Some people thought it was ridiculous, but she only had to show them her skill, and they soon accepted that she was an excellent smith. Just then, someone called out to Rei and he apologized as he slipped away for a moment. Farryn asked the woman where she could purchase a bow and some arrows. She told her that two shops down would be bale to help her. She thanked her and headed on her way. "Get your armor, and we'll meet at the shop, okay?" she asked him.


Farryn walked away from the smith's shop and headed to the wood craftsman. In his shop, he had everything from bows to children's toys. She explained what she was looking for and he laid out the five bows he had ready. "Here are the only ones I have right now. I could make you another, but it would take time, and I hear that you're going to leave tomorrow morning."


"Yes, otherwise, I would be more than happy to receive a custom bow from such a skilled carver as you." She picked up the first bow, but she could barely pull it back. The second seemed too small. The third was too heavy a wood, and she couldn't lift it. The fourth one though was beautifully crafted, and fit perfectly in her hand. She held it out and pulled the string back with the arrow he had given her. It felt right. She asked how much it was, but he refused payment. Instead, he not only gave her the bow, but also several dozen arrows and a holder for them. "I-I can't accept all of this for free. Please, accept this in exchange." She held out one of her jeweled pins. It was probably enough to buy the tribe, but she couldn't very well just take everything from him, but he wouldn't hear a word of it and sent her on her way free of charge.


Farryn stepped out of the shop and looked around for Sidney.