The Robber Knight's Love

03. Memorable Robbing

The girl's sapphire eyes blazed at his words. Too bad those weren't real sapphires. The way they sparkled, they would surely fetch a good prize with any merchant.

“And what about duty? Honor?” she demanded to know.

Reuben shrugged. “Ah, yes, those things. I think I had them once. Lost them about five years ago, and can't say I miss them particularly. Bothersome, they are.”

“But you're a knight,” she repeated stubbornly.

“A robber knight,” he corrected. “I rob from the rich to give to myself. It's a very nice arrangement. So, if Milady could please hand me her purse now, we can both go our separate ways.”

He held out his left hand, demandingly, and fully expected to hear the jingle of coins.

Instead, the girl suddenly ducked and urged her horse onward, trying to circumvent him on the narrow forest path.

What the... She was trying to get away! The little vixen!

With lightning speed, Reuben drew his sword and swung it around. It came to a stop only half an inch from the girl's slender white throat. Rider and horse froze, both apparently sensing the danger. Thoughtfully, Reuben moved the blade a bit, pushing aside her long, golden hair. It made a nice contrast against the silver gleam of the steel. He hoped it wouldn't be necessary to add red to the colorful mixture.

“You,” he said pleasantly, “are either very brave or very foolish. Considering that you're a female, I would presume the latter. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear, girl. Give me your money—now!”

She seamed to recognize the steely resolve in his voice. Her gaze flickered between the blade at her neck and his eyes. Her intense blue-eyed stare was disconcerting. Reuben had the sudden inexplicable urge to blink. But he made himself focus and returned her stare with all the merciless determination he could muster. Which was quite a lot.

She took time to make up her mind, nevertheless. Reuben started wondering again what was the matter with the girl. Was she stingy enough to prefer parting with her head to parting with her purse? Or was she just stubborn to the point of insanity?

Finally, when he had almost decided to give her a little prick with the sword, just to make it clear to her that it was sharp and very ready to fulfill its purpose, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a purse—an astonishingly simple model. Not one of those frilly satin and lace things rich ladies mostly carried around, but a simple leather pouch.

“Here,” she said contemptuously, throwing her purse in Reuben's direction as if she wished it were a deadly missile. “May you choke on it!”

Reuben caught the purse easily with his left hand, and heard the welcome jingle of coins. Finally!

“Thank you,” he said, with a bow he tried to make as mocking as possible. “And now get off your horse.”

“What?!”

He sighed. Did the wench have wax in her ears or something? “And we were doing so well. Girl, I'm robbing you. That means I take everything I want. Get off your horse.”

She stiffened, and her gaze hardened.

“If you think you can intimidate me, you villain, you are very much mistaken! I may have given you my money, but the only way you'll get me off this horse is if you drag me down forcibly.”

The girl raised her chin, obviously convinced she had gained a complete victory over her adversary. Ha! He would show her.

Sighing, the swung off his horse. “Oh well, if you insist...”