My Broken Knight

Chapter 8: An Act

-Grace-

He was tall. It was for some reason the first thing I really noticed. He was not as tall as my father, but he did tower over Lord Edward, and he was not a small man. He was broad too. Built like a real fighter. He had dark brown hair and a sharp face, with a little scar on his cheek. And then there were his eyes, grey but they seemed lifeless. Like the person behind them wasn’t really alive. I had never before seen eyes like that, not just the color fascinated me, but the way they observed me and seemed to hide something at the same time.

Though I had always been a curious girl, I was not about to try to solve this mystery. I needed him gone. Right at that moment. I did not want him there, and I made it quite clear, yet as my father and lord Edward left, he and I were alone together, and he did not seem like he was in a hurry to go anywhere.

“So,” I said. “Do not think I will make things easy for you.”

“I didn’t expect you to, your highness,” he said.

“Good … because I won’t.”

I was not a rude person, and I certainly did not treat people, whether they were royal or not, badly, but I had to keep up this act to scare him away. I needed him gone. I slowly walked over to a couch that was placed a little further away and sat down. Will watched me closely, turning a little so we were still facing each other.

“What is my father paying you?” I asked.

He looked a bit taken aback by my blunt question, but he masked it well.

“Land and a title,” he told me honestly.

I had thought, as a knight, he would not answer such a question. I had thought he would simply try to say something like, it is my honor to protect you, or I am loyal to the king and his wish is my command. I had not thought he would actually be honest with me.

I studied him for a few seconds, rather confused, and it seemed like he noticed it, so I quickly pulled myself together and crossed my arms, shielding myself.

“I see,” I said. “And do you understand what your duty is?”

“To protect you,” he answered.

“From whom?”

“Everyone that wishes you harm … including yourself.”

Again, he answered me only with honesty. He was not like the knights I had usually spoken to. He did not seem to care about what words he uttered, as long as he could keep his answers short.

“Do you know why I am included?” I asked.

“You were upset by some news.”

“Some news? I am to marry an old man.”

“Yes, I heard. "A king.”

“An old man,” I corrected.

“He is still a king,” he told me.

He was not so afraid of the title I held, it seemed. Either he was just overconfident or … he simply just had nothing to fear. For some reason, that made me intrigued. Not that I wanted people to be afraid of me, but this knight, he just seemed different.

“Let us set some rules,” I finally told him.

“Princess, I am hired by your father. I do not believe you can set rules.”

“Rule number one!” I said and held up a finger. “You do not enter my room without permission. FROM ME. Not my father. Me.”

“Princess, I am to watch over you all the time.”

“No! Rule number two!”

Clearly, I annoyed him. His eyes seemed to go around looking at the ceiling a little, but he did it very discreetly.

“When I have lessons, I want you to wait outside. Just like when I have visitors. You are not in the same room as me!”

“Princess-“

“Rule number three!”

I liked this because I knew how much I annoyed him. Maybe I enjoyed it a little bit too much.

“When we walk around, I want you to stay five feet away from me. You hear me? I do not want a second shadow. I want to walk around freely without feeling like I am being watched.”

“Your father-“

“Rule number four,” I said and held up four fingers. “I expect you to do everything I say. Whether I want you to jump up and down or carry something for me.”

Suddenly, a small smile spread on his lips and it confused me. How was this funny? I was making insane demands that I knew he could not live up to. My father wanted him to be around me all the time, so none of my rules could be upheld.

“Is something funny?” I asked.

He shook his head slowly.

“Not at all, princess.”

“You were smiling,” I told him.

“I was just thinking about something funny.”

“Are you saying you weren’t even listening to me?” I asked.

“Of course, I was.”

“Then repeat what I said.”

I heard him sigh deeply, before he shook his head again.

“I could,” he told me. “But we both know your father wants me around all the time, making sure you are safe until the wedding. I cannot uphold any of these rules.”

“You will have to,” I said like a spoiled little kid.

“I cannot, and since your father is the king, I will listen to his commands.”

“Of course, you will,” I said mockingly. “You are his loyal knight!”

He narrowed his eyes at me, as I said the words. What? Had I offended him somehow? Why did he look at me that way? I did not like it. It was like his grey metallic eyes were burning me and it had me moving uneasily in my seat. In the end, I couldn’t take it and quickly stood.

“I want to go to visit a friend,” I said.

“It is already getting late, princess,” he said. “I don’t think-“

“Now.”

I walked past him not even listening to a word he was saying. I was being completely unreasonable. I knew that. I hated it even, but I needed to push him so far, he would run away from here and never come back. I needed to push him, so I could push my father. Only if I did extreme enough things, I might even be able to make my father change his mind.

I walked at a fast tempo, and I could hear him right behind me, and feel his eyes almost burn me. They were intense and held a mystery, but I could not let myself get distracted. I needed to focus on the mission ahead.

“Can you keep up?” I taunted him.

He did not answer me, and I stopped to look behind me. He stopped right behind me. I groaned at him, irritated. I had hoped he would at least have kept his distance a little, but no. I had gotten myself a second shadow.

“Great,” I mumbled before walking away again.

He followed along, like the good soldier and knight he was.

“Tell me, what made you so special, that my father thought you were good enough to look after his most precious child in the world?” I asked.

“Lord Edward recommended me,” he told me.

“And why does the good Lord Edward find you so special?”

There was silence for a little while, as we walked over to the stables. When we finally arrived, and he had not answered me yet, I turned around to face him once again.

“Well?”

“His son was supposed to be the one guarding you.”

“That does not tell me why you are here?”

“He died,” he told me, making me regret pushing him.

I could see the pain in his eyes. Had he known Edward’s son? It seemed like he had. Why else would he be here?

“Apparently his son had told him about me … So, they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“Land and title,” I said mockingly. “Who could?”

He did not answer that, but I did not care. I just went over to a young servant boy and asked him to prepare my horse and Sir Will’s.