The Damsel and her Knight

9th ☾ An Unexpected Help

I used to be a wide-reader when I was younger and still living with my parents. These were books I'd never seen in the town's library. These were books that could risk your life if found in your house. Why did Lancelot have this? Why was he reading this? He was the son of King Henry, so why should he find these books interesting enough to keep them?

I flippantly scanned the pages, remembering as much as I could. Everything had started the day King Henry took over Forthwind Castle. We'd never found out the reason why the dukes' offspring born that day had been killed. I'd always speculated that the events that happened in my life were related to the taking over of the Forthwind Castle.

Someone opened the front door of the cabin, and I heard footsteps coming closer. I closed the book, placing it back to where I'd found it. I took my bowl and was about to head out of the room, but he was already standing at the door.

"What are you doing in my room?" Lancelot asked with palpable suspicion.

"I... was getting my soiled clothes," I lied.

He studied me for a while, before walking past me and grabbing my clothes. "Here you go."

"Thanks." I cleared my throat.

"No problem."

"And the food was great."

"Good to hear. So are you ready to go or do you need something else?" he asked.

"No, I'm through. We can go. And one more thing," I said, raising my forefinger. "Can I borrow these clothes? Mine are still drenched."

"It's fine. You can have them," Lancelot replied, locking the door of his room.

"I'll return them," I said, just in case he was thinking that I was a thief.

Which, ironically, I was.

He finally eased up. "I'm going to be impressed if you actually could."

I thought about what he meant. When I understood, I said with a laugh, "Don't be surprised if I do. I'm warning you."

"I won't be expecting you to come knocking on the palace's door. But I'll keep the other possibilities open," Lancelot replied, as we headed out of the door. Lancelot also locked the front door from outside. If he purposely let me see that he had taken the key with him and placed it securely in his pocket, then he must have also expected me to get the meaning.

"Make sure you do. Don't say you haven't been warned." I'd noticed that he was now carefully watching my every move.

When we got on shore, I didn't see any ship. There was a tiny boat, though. "Where's the... ship?"

"Over there." He pointed to the tiny boat I was looking at earlier.

"Is that it?" I asked doubtfully.

"Yes, don't worry, it can hold two passengers." Lancelot waved his hand for me to move forward.

"Are you sure?" I asked again, staring at the tiny vessel.

"Well, if you want to swim all your way back..."

"No, I'm not in the mood for it today. I'll come with you." In reality, I actually expected him to own an entire ship all for his pleasure. If he had the means to own an island like this, then a ship wouldn't be a problem. But instead, what he was using was a tiny boat.

The boat swayed back and forth as we took a seat. I held on tightly to the beam. "Good thing the storm is out of sight."

Lancelot smiled back. "Vuscatanell is not far from here."