A Dance For Ribbons

The Knight

As they sat down, Aelix looked at Oltheon, who looked back at him.

Aelix felt somewhat at home, although it was his first time ever being in that house.

He looked at the table and saw that the dinner consisted of vegetables, bread, chicken soup and a whole turkey lying on a metal plate in the middle of the table, covered in honey and with lettuce around it.

A bottle of red wine was on the table and a bottle of milk.

"So do you want to cut it?" Oltheon asked Aelix, "Or should I?"

"I'll do it." Aelix said, and reached for the big knife which was used to cut the turkey. But then he noticed that the knife was absent, and he looked at Oltheon.

"Well, go on then." Oltheon said. "Cut it."

"But where's the knife?" Aelix asked.

"You mean, you are in no possesion of a knife?" Oltheon asked, as if challenging Aelix, "That's odd. Knights don't have weapons with them at times, but Royal Knights have no room for such careless flaws in their profession."

Aelix smiled and took hold of his vambrace. He clicked a metal part of it and a knife slid out, small with a curved blade.

Oltheon smiled. "I knew it. See, Doriah, this man has a sharp mind, sharper than his blade. Put that away, Aelix." And Oltheon took the big knife from under the table where he had clearly been hiding it and handed it to Aelix.

Aelix put his knife away and took hold of the other, bigger, knife.

He proceeded to cut the meat and served for everyone, while Oltheon spoke. "Aelix is a guard of the Prince. He is sure to go far."

"The life of a knight is dangerous, though. I worry about you, Aelix." Doriah said.

Aelix laughed. "The dangers I fear at work are mostly boredom and cramps. I assure you there is no danger, ma'am."

"I hear that the war rages on in the West. I wonder how it will turn out for the Prince. The pirates near us, and the Prince is growing full of worry. I wonder." Oltheon said.

They continued talking of war and of chivalry until the meal was over, their bellies full, and the wine bottle empty.

Oltheon was drunk and said that he was going to lie down, and Doriah followed him, telling them to close the house, and to not stay up too late.

She also told Leana that if Aelix felt like staying for the night that he could, but Leana would have to prepare a bed for him in the guest room.

And then they were left alone.

Leana started talking. " Do you want to stay for the night?" She asked Aelix.

"I don't know." He answered.

"Please do."

"Okay."

She got up, and walked to the guest room, signaling for Aelix to follow her.

He did, and when they entered the guest room, Leana closed the door behind them and turned to face him.

"Do you like me?" Leana asked him.

Aelix was taken aback, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. "I think you're a wonderful person, and anyone who gets to be loved by you is incredibly lucky."

"Thank you." Then she neared him and embraced him in a tight hug.

"My heart is beating so fast, I don't even understand why. What is this feeling in my heart?" She pressed her face to his chest.

Then Aelix didn't know what he was thinking, but he took hold of Leana's chin, raised her face and kissed her.

It was a stolen kiss, and yet she didn't pull back. On the contrary, Leana pressed her lips harder to his.

Some minutes later, as much a mystery to Aelix as to anyone else, they were making love.

It made no sense to him, and yet it felt so right.

For a moment and for a century, for it felt like eternity, so slow time spun, Aelix had forgotten about Alena, the woman who had stolen his heart.

Leana moaned and told him how great he was, and how he was better than she would have dreamed, and how she loved him.

Aelix found it odd that she would say that, considering she barely knew him, but that they were making love was already odd enough to make all that seem fitting at the moment. She untied the green and yellow ribbon around her neck and tied it around his wrist.

As he was close to being done, his happiness ended.

The door was pushed open, and in came Oltheon, redfaced and jaw clenched. He had a two-edged sword in his hand.

"How dare you!" He said to Aelix.

Aelix quickly pulled up his pants and buttoned them shut, feeling numb all of a sudden.

"Have you no honour?" Oltheon looked at Leana. "Go to your room, my little whore of a daughter!"

"Father." Leana began, pushing her dress down to cover herself, "This isn't what you think. Aelix didn't make me do-"

"To your room. Now!" Oltheon bellowed. "As for you, knight, meet me outside."

And Oltheon left.

Aelix at last noticed that Doriah had been standing behind Oltheon, and she was close to tears. "He's drunk", She said, "He's always like this when he's drunk."

"What do I do?" Aelix asked.

"Go home. Run away." Doriah said.

"But what about the two of you?"

"We'll be alright. He'll just be mad for a couple of hours and then he'll fall asleep." Doriah said.

"But he'll hurt you." Aelix said.

"Yes, but he'll kill you." Leana said. "Don't go outside. Please. Don't die."

"Go in your room and lock your door." Aelix said. "You too, ma'am." Aelix smiled. "I'll be alright."

"You don't even have a sword." Doriah said, "Wait here."

She left and Leana hugged Aelix. "May my love protect you. Please don't let him hurt you."

Doriah came back and handed Aelix a sword. Aelix took it, thanked her, told them to go in their rooms, and walked outside to meet ser Oltheon, the Sharkbane.

All the while his legs were shaking like mad.