Snippets of a Knight's Woe

Chapter 9: En route

The princess stood before her large baroque mirror, her handmaidens having helped her dress in a simple, light blue day dress. Today, she would be attending lunch with her old friend, Alaric.

Amara couldn't deny that she had missed him during his time away studying in Pratue, but Aegis had occupied much of her attention and thoughts over the past four years he had been assigned to her. Almost as if summoned by her musings, Aegis knocked on her door and announced his presence, "Morning, Princess. May I enter?"

Amara smiled and called out, "You may, Sir Knight." Aegis entered, closing the door softly behind him. He swept his eyes around her room, then moved behind her, placing his arms around her waist and hugging her close from behind. Aegis was wearing his usual outfit, just in different colors: a white shirt tucked into his black trousers, a brown leather sword belt wrapped around his waist, which held his large sword at his hip. His black trousers were tucked into his boots, which were the same leather as his belt.

The mirror reflected their image, Aegis towering over the princess, blocking out the sunlight filtering through her large windows and creating a highlighted border around his frame. He looked into her eyes through the mirror and leaned down to tell Amara softly that she looked beautiful. Amara thought that Aegis looked quite menacing today, understandably so.

Aegis knew where he would be escorting her. He was tasked with her safety and would be nearby even when she was with her suitors. The muscles in his arms flexed slightly as he hugged her close before asking, "Are you ready, Princess?" Amara turned in his hold and looked up at him, "Are you?" Aegis tried to grin, but it came out as more of a distorted snarl as one of his canines dug into his lower lip. "Yeah, sweetheart, ready to stab him." He meant it as a joke but had been thinking about it.

Amara lifted her hand to stroke his stubbled cheek. "Aegis, relax. It's just lunch." He rubbed his face against her small hand. "Yeah, just lunch, for now, but I know how suitors and courtship work, Princess." He nipped the palm of her hand softly, and she pulled her hand away, laughing. "Trust me, I know you know all about courtship, big guy." Aegis smiled warmly down at Amara and pulled her closer against him. "I just want to keep you here, away from anyone."

Amara patted his chest and pulled away from him. "Right, I think that's our cue to get going." The princess allowed Aegis to escort her to the agreed-upon location, a little café near the bridge leading to the castle. Aegis had brought a saddled horse to the entrance of the castle and lifted the princess onto the stallion, hopping up behind her and taking the reins in one hand while holding Amara tightly against him with the other.

The princess scoffed at his actions as they gently rode toward the café. "You know I can ride a horse, Aegis?" Aegis chuckled behind her. "I know, I know, Princess. I just thought you might want to relax and think about what you're going to talk about with Suitor Number 1. We both know most men can't carry a conversation as well as I can." The princess leaned back against him. "That's only when you feel like it, Aegis. I've seen how short you keep your conversations with other people." He tucked his thighs under hers and slightly lifted her flush against the front of his body. "Well, that's because you're the only one I really want to talk to."

They soon reached the café, and Aegis dismounted the horse, helping the princess down. He noticed that the café was quite busy in the front, but the princess would be seated in the garden at the back. Aegis took a small satchel from the horse saddle and attached it to his sword belt.

The princess pointed at the satchel curiously. "What's that?" Aegis smirked down at her. "Throwing knives." The princess crossed her arms and said exasperatedly, "And why do you have throwing knives?" Aegis tapped the polished pommel of his sword proudly. "Well, my sword is for close-range combat, and these throwing knives are for long-range use," he said matter-of-factly. The princess sighed and stretched a hand out to tug on his ear, forcing him to bend down. "No throwing, unless I'm in danger, okay?" Aegis grunted, "Okay." He directed a scathing glare at some people leaving the café who had seen what just happened; they walked away faster.

The princess let go of his ear and turned toward the café entrance. "Come along, Aegis."