A Long Day's Knight

[Isolde]

OOC: This is for anyone who wants to join. The only thing I ask is...no seriousness. I want a fun thread...one that is very tongue in cheek and not at all serious. Make up your chars using your imagination and alot of humor. The villians will be made up the same way. We do need a Princess if anyone is interested in it otherwise things are open to your interpretation.


IC: Arista walked down the corridors of the castle with a purposeful stride. She had been called in to meet with the king. A first since she had gained a hard won knighthood from the good ol' boys network that ran this castle.

At 5'11" she was tall for a woman and she had used it to her advantage. She was very well built, athletic and quick when it came to combat. The fact that she had out fenced and out fought most of the men in the army had not endeared her to them at all.

Pausing at the door to the War Room, she let herself be announced before entering. Upon entering she spotted the king. It wasnt hard for he was a huge man. He was very tall...at least 6'7" and he worked out regularly with the men so his bulging muscles had never grown into flab. The only tell tell signs of aging was the grey hair that touched his temples.

She knelt before him and said,"You sent for me, Your Majesty?" My green eyes were downcast as I awaited for the word to rise. It came and she stood before him, a sight in her knight's armor that had to be especially made for her female form, her auburn hair hanging down her back in a braid. She noticed that his eyes kept going down to where the special breastplate 'outlined' her ample breasts in steel and quickly cleared her throat. "Your Majesty?"

"What?" The king said, pulled back from his examination,"Oh, oh yes. Arista. I have a special assignment that I would like you to tend to. Please be seated as I explain the details."

Arista sat as she was bid, her eyebrows raised a bit as she wondered what was coming next. Since she had been knighted, she had basically been put on every petty shit detail that they could think of. Why the change all of a sudden.

The king begin to pace as he spoke to her. "I have pursuaded the princess to take a trip to one of our neighboring kingdoms." (Translation: She doesnt want to go but I threatened to cut off all her private spending so she is now pouting in her room but has agreed to go).

"The purpose of this trip is for her to meet and exchange pleasantries with the young prince there. I hope to strengthen the kingdom with this diplomatic journey.(Translation: I am trying to marry the brat off and this is my last chance since she has refused all the other suitors and this kingdom wouldnt be to bad of an aliance).

"I have chosen you especially to accompany the princess to her destination. My sources tell me you are a very competent knight and show much promise. (Translation: I know you are qualified but if I had my choice and they werent in a war I would send one of my buddies instead.)

"You may know that the princess can be difficult at times. (Translation: My daughter is a brat and royal pain in the ass) But I am sure that you are able to handle any situation that arises." (Translation: Be prepared for anything the wench may pull.)

"You will be given free pick of any of those that remain at the castle to accompany you simply make sure that she arrives safely and is happy there." (Translation: There isnt much to pick from so I dont care who you take and once she is there make sure she stays).

"That is all," The king concluded,"I wish you well on your journey and may the Light of Corenth guide you." (Translation: Good luck, you're going to need it)

Moments later, she was headed back down the hall to her own quarters when Liam, her mentor and the reason they had eventually knighted her, fell into step beside her.

"Shit detail?" He said in a neutral tone. "Shit detail," She replied in the same tone. "I have to gather up a group to accompany the princess on a journey to meet and marry a prince. Something she is going to hate, fight against and all out throw a hissy about. God, I hate my life."

Liam chuckled and said,"You chose the field and planted the seeds. It takes manure to get anything to grow." She nodded and turned into her quarters. "I dont suppose there are any half way decent knights still about in the castle to accomapny me?"

Liam laughed and cocked an eyebrow. "You wish! I know for a fact that all of the compentent knights besides yourself are in battle. Whats left is....well, shall we say other than the elite?"

"Great," She replied, wishing guns had been invented so that she could shoot herself and get it over with,"I am going to accompany the princess kicking and screaming to another kingdom with a band of misfits. Can life get any better?"

Liam laughed out loud. "Could be worse. It can always be worse." "Oh, believe me," She said,"It probably will be before the journey is over." Turning to go into her quarters, she turned back around and said,"Do me a favor, will you? Send me anyone that looks as if they can at least walk a straight line, will you? I have to get this going before I go AWOL." Liam simply chuckled and nodded as he walked off, leaving Arista to search out the vial of headache powder that she had taken to keeping in her room.

OOC: Feel free to join. Simply have your char go to see Arista in her chambers when you have made him/her up.

 

[indyweasel]

Henry "Tuc" Guilford

OOC: Having a lack of seriousness will be a problem for me but I will try.

IC:

I'm sitting down by the gate to the castle, trying to shake off the hangover I'd gotten from the previous nights drinking.

I am startled by Liam who walks up behind me and shouts in my ear, "What the hell are you doing?". I try and jump to my feet and turn at the same time, but I succeed at doing nothing more than ending up sprawled out on the ground with a mouthful of dirt.


Sputtering I stand back up and salute. "I am standing my watch sir." He looks me over, and I wonder if my days of being in the army are over. "I think you will do.", he mutters to himself. "Go upstairs and see Arista immediately. She has need of you."


Happy to still be in the army, I salute Liam again and run up to her room as fast as I can. Arista, the female knight? Oh what I wouldn’t give to work under her..I'll show her the true meaning of a pole arm.

I arrive at her door, and calm myself down. I knock on the door and await her answer.

 

[Neale]

Arcanus Magister, aka Arky

A gray-bearded head, topped by a pointy hat, came through the door to Arista's room. No, not the doorway, the door.

"Heya, lass! I'd heard ye be off to take the Royal Brat on a quest! I'm here t' accompany ye! Can't go off wi'out a mage, and all... Have pointy hat an' me staff, ready t' go!"

Arky came the rest of the way through the door, and Arista's face took on a pained look. "What's t' matter, lass? Feeling a wee bit peaked? Got just t' t'ing fer t'at... let me see, how did t'at spell go? Pinch of bat guano, a little sulfur..."

 

[captainb]

Fook Yutuo

The stooped old man smiled and inclined his head at Tuc as he stepped through the door's wreckage. "Ah, good morning kind Arista," said ancient Fook politely. His long black braid lay over the back of a red and gold cloak, and the wrinkles in his face made it nearly impossible to see his eyes. He steepled his fingers before him, the long fingernails intertwining. "Honorable Liam informed me that you were assembling guardians for our princess. Please accept this humble servant's request to accompany you." He bowed, then turned to Arky with a polite smile. "Greetings, noble Arcanus. It is again refreshing to know the wonder that so seldom brain and beauty dance in street together."

 

[Lady_Siren]

OOC: I'll play the princess if that is ok, I get to name her?

IC: Ariana sat sulking in her room. She paced back and forth finally she threw her hands up in frustration and walked out onto her balcony staring at the country side. Her father was making her go off to some distant kingdom for some dimwitted peacock prince. "Why me" she muttered to herself "Why can't I be normal and have a normal boring husband!" Running a hand through her blonde hair she sighed heavily. And more then likely that female knight would have to take her and she was not exactly what Ariana perferred. Sitting heavily on the bed Ariana began to devise a plan.

 

[Isolde]

OOC: Welcome Lady Siren. The character is yours to do with as you will. Just remember that she is quite stubborn and prone to do what she wants...in short a brat.

IC: Arista looked up at the sound of a knock only to see the one mage that could blow up this assignment (literally) walk through her door. Arky, as he was known around the castle, had a reputation for being a bit absent minded...okay the man was on the edge of senility....and he seemed to think every spell needed 'a pinch of sulfur' unfortuanatly that seemed to be one of the main ingrediant in any flammable spell.

Jumping up so fast that her chair spilt over backward, she shouted out "NO!" making the two others that had come into her chambers stare at her in surprise. Taking a deep breath, Arista said in a calm voice,"Thats okay, Arky, really I'm okay. And I will be even better when you put away your components....and we can talk."

When the wizard finally put away all of his things and looked at her expectantly, she looked at the other two that had entered her chamber. One was an ancient of the castle, Fook. Arista had seen him about the castle and had even spoken to him but most of what he had to say was in the form of old eastern sayings which pretty much left her awake trying to decipher them after a conversation of any length.

The other man was someone she was not too familiar with. She had seen him in the soldier's barracks and had spoken to him once or twice. What was his name? Arista racked her memory. Harold? Harvey? No...Henry. Yes that was it. Tuc was what the men in the Barracks called him. And if her memory served her well, and she really wished it didnt, he was notorious for being in his cups almost every night. What about 'being able to walk a straight line' did Liam not understand?

Arista groaned and rubbed her temples, almost reaching for the bottle of powder once again before her eyes locked on Arky and she immediately pulled her hand away.

Taking a deep breath, she said,"The king has assigned us to 'escort' the princess on a 'diplomatic' mission. We have to be prepared to keep her safe from black nights, maiden eating dragons, your various band of roaming thieves and orcs and, mostly, herself. If you can accept this mission you have today to get prepared as we leave first thing in the morning. Questions?"

OOC: The thread is still open for more players...I will see what happens and then move it along in the next couple of days.

[Edited by Isolde on 05-23-2001 at 11:24 PM]

 

[Ask For More]

Puss

Outside the castle, a small pond is currently the hub of activity in the forest world. Representatives of animals, plants and just about anything alive are gathering for the forest conference on protection, waste disposal rights, and pest control.

The Frog King croaks his traditional greeting as Puss approaches, "Buuuuuuuuud."
"Whaaaasssaaaaap?" replies Puss. Next to Puss the Dragonfly king turns and says, "Can't you guys just say hello like everyone else?"
Puss and Frogger shrug, and impressive feat considering their lack of shoulders. "It's just something in my genes. Why the hell do you think Frogger's always jumping on logs to cross rivers instead of swimming over?"
"I thought he was just hydrophobic..." interrupts the Ant King.
"Nah, that's just the Way of the Frog man! Beats me why the hell they do it since they're supposed to me amphibian!"
Frogger shrugs again, "Don't ask me, I just have this tendency to jump on logs. The worse in when I'm crossing roads.....I always have to wait for a cart to jump on even if the roads clear!"
The surrounding Kings nod sympathetically. Their reverie is broken by a loud voice: "All are present! Let the conference begin!"

"Damn!" says Puss, holding his ears, "Out of all the creature they had to give the loud voice to a bloody lizard."
The Lizard King was standing on a large stone at the centre of the pond. "Hello everyone, welcome to this month's conference. Are all Kings present and in attendance?"

"Hello!"
"Hola!"
"Croak!"
"Meow!"
"Squeak!"
"Buuuud!"
"Chirp!"
"Oook!"
"Whaaassaaap!"

The Lizard King nodded in approval, "Good. Let us begin.

As you all know, our kingdom is now in war with the Klingons. This for us is a welcome development, considering those human pests were starting to over-run the place. So all pest control policy is suspended until the war is over!"
The Kings cheered in response.

"However, there is a pressing matter to attend to. It has come to our attention that the human princess will soon be travelling to Dementia to marry the prince there. While this ordinarily would not concern us, I have been informed that the animals of Dementia could possibly be planning an assault on the rest of the world at large. Since we are neighbors, that is of grave concern to us."

A brief mumur ran through the assorted ranks. The Lizard King let the information sink in for a moment, and then continued:

"Which bring me to our agenda. We want one volunteer to hitch a ride with the humans to Dementia, possible under the guise of a good luck charm or something like that, to enter Dementia and verify our information. Any volunteers?"

The crowd suddenly went silent as the Kings pondered this new development. The silence was broken by a voice, "I'll go!"

The Kings all turned to face Puss, standing triumphantly smiling and waving to everyone. Suddenly Frogger turned to Puss and said, "Hey, I thought iguanas couldn't stand on two feet?"

"Oh yeh," said Puss as he fell from his perch. The crowd gasped as he landed with a thump, but cheered as he stood up and dusted himself down.

"Puss!" The Lizard King's bellow broke through the silence.
"Whaaassaap?"
The Lizard King rolled his eyes, "Do you have to do that all the time?"
"True, true," nodded Puss.
"Never mind! Anyway, this will be a very dangerous mission! Are you willing to take it?"
"Whaaaaaaaaassssssssssaaaaap!!!!!"
"Alright alright that's enough! The human convoy should be leaving within the next few hours. Go, and don't fail us."

The Kings cheered as Puss strode off to hitch his ride to Dementia.

 

[Darklord]

McBubba

"BBBRRAAACCKKKK!" was all he could say at about that time of the morning, or was it night, or maybe even the day? He didn't know or care, it was bright, it hurt, and he stank. Felix MacBurin or better known to the other lordlings as McBubba was nursing the hang over of a lifetime. Of course this was when the messenger chose to arrive and announce in a loud voice. "YOUR ROYALNESS! Your father the good DUKE wishes you to do something for HIM!" At each word McBubba winced even more than before, then he awnswered the lackey "I, (hic) stand, whoops fell over again, I LIE at my fathers service, BLECK!" which at this point McBubba has now blessed the shoes of the faithful servant. "Ugh! He SENDS word that you are to be cut off from the inheritence unless you do SOMETHING (said in a tone of voice when the person saying it knows it will never happen voice.) HEROIC, to get back on his good side" he replied to the now recumbunt lordling. "Tell my father, hic, that I, that I, do whatever he asks, urp!" and with that resounding charge to the messenger McBubba ran from the room to throw up on none other than the faithful Liam.

"Limb! Lamb! Flim Flam! LIAM!" cried McBubba painfully. "I'm in deep shit, and not real shit, but the proverbial pile that threatens to choke me with the stench! Blech!" At this point Liam has now easily man handled McBubba over to the window where he is now effortlessly throwing up on the poor kitchen scullions down in the courtyard. "And what do you want ME to do for you Lord McBubba?" asked Liam nicely. "I need to go on a quest or some such heroic thing, but not to dangerous, enough to please my father, but not enough to get me killed. Do you know of any?" replied McBubba. "Perhaps, if you washed up and maybe put some clean clothes on there maybe a quest awaiting you my lord." said Liam. "Really? Whose quest?" said McBubba. "Why the Knight Arista." replied Liam. "What! That stuck up wench! The I WANT TO BE A KNIGHT BITCH WHO THREW ME FROM THE CHAPEL STEPS AFTER GETTING DRUNK IN MASS, woman!" roared McBubba. "No inheritence my lord." snickered the Messenger as he ran down the hall way. Sobbing McBubba fell against the flag stones and looking bleerily up at Liam said "Okay, show me where to wash up and report, perhaps I can get the cook to sneak me a couple casks of wine to survive the quest with her wenchiness." With that he fell over out cold.

 

[Weevil]

Sounds great

OOC: I'd love to suit up for this one. SOunds right up my alley.

IC: Life wasn't that easy being a knights squire. Oh sure it might look nice, you get to go to the parties, assist in times of war and what have you.

Being a squire wasn't at all what Leopold had thought it would be. He thought he'd be a knight in training but it seemed like he was just Arista's butler. Cleaning armor, tending to Steeds and cooking meals. And his master was a woman!!! He sure didn't expect this after his father sold him into the service of the king when the farm went belly up. Still, Arista had promised that one day Leopold would be a knight. Most people didn't take that seriously though.

"You're too short to be a knight" They'd cry

"You are too skinny to be a knight." they'd shout

"You don't bath regularly" They'd shout(That was true)

"You don't have the strength, skill or co-ordination to be a successful soldier." They'd say behind his back and to his face.

Oh well, I'm sure that this'll work out for the best. I know that the more I work the more I'll gain respect. Perhaps the Handmaidens will stop snickering at me when I prepare meals.

 

[captainb]

Fook YuTuo

Fook nodded his head. "A mission of honor. Most grateful to be included." He glanced at his steepled fingers and twisted them slightly. "A difficult journey, but reward of princess's safety is gained at its conclusion. Questions form in my mind," he said, his serene face belying his efforts to disentangle his long nails from each other. "How long will journey take obvious question, but most important, do you have plan for keeping willful princess from...exploring during travels?" His hands suddenly flew apart and he quietly tucked them into the sleeves of his robe. "Remember, one who rides on tiger cannot dismount."

 

[Darklord]

McBubba

After Liam had given him a good scrubbing and found some barf free clothes, McBubba felt almost ready to face the witch. That is after he had a little talk with Liam. "I tell you I need that bottle of whiskey for medical reasons Liam! I need it too calm my nerves before a thing like this." he howled as he chased Liam down the hall after his bottle. "Not so my good sir, if we calmed your nerves anymore we'd have too cart you off with us. And besides, this is the only way I know to get you to follow me to Knight Arista's room anyhow." and with that he stopped on a dime, dodged the groping hands of McBubba as he slid on by, and Liam dodged into Arista's room and running behind her held the bottle up.

Snarling McBubba shoved his way in knocking over some poor sod in a robe while crying out. "Give me back my bottle Liam, or I swear I'll feed your guts to the bit-ULPS!" was as far as he got when he saw whom Liam was hiding behind. "Ummm... I've come to join the quest..." was the first words out of his mouth..

 

[indyweasel]

Tuc

Travel with not one, but two opinionated women? Oh boy.
"I'd be honored to assist you on your journey fair knight. I shall go and ready my keg..errr..weapons for travel. Are we to meet in the courtyard in the morning?"

 

[Isolde]

Arista was about to answer Fook's question when Liam came barging through the door and a sober (for him) McBubba following. Wonderful, just what they needed, their own drunk. Looking at the spoiled son of royalty and then at Liam, she said,"You know, we really have to work on your interpretations of my words. This is definately not a walking in a straight line kind of person."

Looking back at the staggering oaf, she snatched the bottle from Liam, walked over to the window and...looking back to make sure he was watching...dropped the liquor from the window to the courtyard below. Moments later a very satisfying sound of glass breaking came to all their ears.

Walking back to Liam, she leaned in and said to him,"Search his room and get rid of all liquor there and put a guard on him so that he is sober in the morning for our trip."

Walking back to McBubba she looked at him over the desk and said,"So, your father is trying yet again to make a man out of you, I see. Well, I personally think he is fighting a losing battle but I dont have much to choose from...Your in. And try to stay sober. We leave at dawn."

She smiled at the groan she got from him and then turned to answer Fook's question. "The kingdom is not that far. On horseback it would take us about four days, with provisions it will take us about a week...with Her Royal Pain accompanying us we will be lucky to get there at all."

As Tuc turned to leave, she said to Liam,"And have his gear checked for any liquor while you're at it. Anyone caught getting drunk will have a special potion mixed for them to get rid of any hangovers."

Getting ready to leave, herself she said,"Remember we leave at dawn. Right now I have to go talk to my squire and the princess." And then come back and check that she had enough headache powder for the trip.



[Edited by Isolde on 05-24-2001 at 04:04 PM]

 

[Rockingham]

"Knock, knock," Rockingham said as he opened the door. The princess was on the other side of the room, looking very sullen. It was almost sunset. Rocky felt sullen when it was almost sunset as well.
He walked up to her, handing her the glass of wine she had asked for.
"I know, it's so sad,"he let a tear go, "But cheer up. After only a few scary hours it comes back up."
She looked at him quite queerly, "No, no it's true. I stayed awake one time, just to make sure. I didn't know exactly how it worked, so I stayed up and watched it. First some little suns came out, to try and fix the dark problem, but they couldn't do it, then this big one came out. It made everything brighter, but not bright enough. After a long long time the sun found out that nothing was helping the matter so it came back up. On the other side, it just came back up like that."
He gave a hearty sigh looking as the sun made it's depths.
"Cheer up princess, I'm here to make sure nothing happens to you. I will stay awake tonight outside your door to make sure the sun will come up again tomorrow."
He smiled at her pleasently, "Good wine?"

 

[Lady_Siren]

Ariana looked up at Rockingham as he entered. Taking the wine from him she sipped it daintly. Hearing his explaination about the sun she had to keep herself from laughing. She could care less whether the sun rose in the morning right now all she cared about was devising a plan in escaping this marriage. She forced a smile to her face and looked at Rockingham, "thank you very much I will feel much safer with you outside" she said in a sweet voice. Meanwhile her mind worked furiously trying to figure out what she was going to do about this problem of hers.

 

[Mr. SlowHands]

Sir Ronan MacGlyde

Kneeling by the cool pond, Ronan dipped a fresh strip of clean linen into the crystal waters. After soaking it, and then squeezing the excess water from it, he rolled onto his right elbow. Holding the damp cloth in his left hand, he began to wash the nasty wound in his left buttock. He winced as the linen touched the angry, red gash. Moaning loudly and shaking his head, he wondered yet again how an arrow could make a gash in flesh instead of a clean puncture. What were the odds of that Saxon war arrow striking him in such a strange manner? "Farking Saxon archers," he said aloud, casting silent curses back upon the sons of cowardly jackals that had ambushed him. "Well," he thought to himself with a dark grin, "I sent two of those barstids to their hellish abodes."

Rebandaging his wound, Ronan struggled his broad, 6'4" frame up off the ground. Then he limped the 20 feet to where his steed was tethered. If he rode steadily, he knew he could make it back to his liege's castle by nightfall. It wasn't too far from here. A hot meal and a warm bed were the best reward he could think of at the moment. He'd had neither for the last two years he'd been fighting in the war.

Pulling the small strap of leather from his cloak, he bit down on it hard. The pain in his ass nearly made him pass out every time he had to mount. The other knights and soldiers had gotten a real hoot when he'd been brought into camp with the arrow in his butt. But he'd endured their jaunts and jokes, and when the Chirurgeon dismissed him from the fighting, and the Battle Captain had sent him home to heal, every one of those laughing sons of hairless goats had groaned and wished they were in his place. He smiled to himself, imagining an arrow sticking out of the butt cheeks of every man in the army.

Ronan had left his saddle behind when he left the army. It was just too painful for him to ride on. Bandaging the wound tightly allowed him to ride bareback, but it was unbearable for him to ride too hard. Bouncing on the back of the rouncy they'd allowed him was as much as he could take. He patted the neck of the beast, once he was up on its back, forgiving the animal for not being his swift destrier. For his own self-assurance, Ronan also patted the hilt of his sword, and double-checked that he'd remembered to sling his light crossbow over his shoulder.

It was in this manner that Sir Ronan MacGlyde, one of the king's household knights, returned back home three hours after sunset that evening. It was pure chance, that his old tutor Liam was still up at that hour, and found the weary, dusty, brown-haired, knight sitting alone eating a bowl of warm stew and a small loaf of bread, and sipping a tankard of mead. And... it was Liam that told Ronan about another accomplished pupil of his who'd be leaving on the morrow to accompany the Princess Ariana to meet yet another potential husband. Ronan had groaned then, realizing what a shit detail this was going to be, especially with his wounded ass, but knowing if the entourage ran into trouble, his battle experience might come in handy.

It was not without slow, reluctant steps, that Sir Ronan hobbled up the staircase and stopped outside the room of Arista. Noticing the light from under her doorway, he rapped his knuckles against her door softly, almost hoping she wouldn't answer. Yet, after just a moment, the door swung wide, and he looked down at her, immediately noticing the pained look in her eyes. Yet, he couldn't keep from giving her a faint smile. He didn't know her well, but he'd seen her many times.... standing triumphant over the many men she'd bested in combat joust. He'd never had the pleasure of being under her foot. But, he'd been asked to accompany her, and she was in charge.

"Arista! May I come in?" Ronan hesitated, awaiting her response, his ice blue eyes studying her steadily.......

 

[Ask For More]

OOC: Think we got enough for the princess' entourage now

 

[Rockingham]

"I am here to help," he waited silently until she finished her wine and then quietly left the room.
"Goodnight princess," he whispered. The door shut with a slight click. He made sure it was secured so no one could go in there to hurt her. He didn't know what he'd do if something happened to her. Probably go get something to eat.
Eat?
Oh no, Arista's supper. She always wanted dinner in her own room. He didn't know why, if he were a knight he would eat in the knight's royal eating room. Although the knights weren't very kind to her, so that was probably why she didn't. He went back to the kitchen, placing the glass and tray on one of the tables.
"Arista's supper," he said, after pausing a minute to catch his breath. It was a big castle, really it was. He had never tried to measure it, but it must have been huge. He didn't know how the people cleaned it.
A heaping tray of delicious food was put into his hands. After muttering a thank you he began to go to Arista's room. Her room just had to be at the top of the stairs, didn't it. One time he almost made it to the top and he slipped and all of the supper went onto him. He had to go back and get her another plate, but he had forgotten to clean the first one and he slipped again. Three trays later she finally walked down and got it herself. The poor thing was so hungry by then, he didn't know why he was so clumsy sometimes.
He made it up safely, and saw someone was in the doorway. Ducking, he passed through the small arch the man made between the door and himself.
"Excuse me," he said, going into Arista's chambers. He gave her a hearty smile and placed her food on her usual eating place.
"Tonight we a great appetizer of salad with fresh olives and some special ingrediants I put in there myself. I know how you love cut up raddishes so I put extra on the side. For the main course there's a mouth watering pork roast with potatos and gravy... not the cook's gravy. That's so salty, I made the kind you liked. As for desert, I found some strawberries on my last hike out and I decided..."
His brain finally kicked in that maybe he had interrupted something. He looked at the man in the doorway and back at Arista.
"Oh... OHH....," Rockingham's face grew beet red, "I'm sorry. I'll go."
He nodded toward the man, going under his arm again.

 

[Weevil]

Leopold McGillicuddy

*Squooosh!!, flap, Squoosh, flap*

Sigh, If there were any of my Squirely duties that I hated the most it would have to be cleaning out the stables. I go back to shovelling the large piles of Horse manure. And I have to do it every day!!!!

Still there is all a purpose for all of this, I think. I can raise money, become a knight, marry a nice horse...I mean girl and settle down to start that Gold farm that I've been thinking about.

*Squoosh, flap*

The sound of my shovel flinging back the Horse business signals the end to my day.

"This place is sparkling, and when I started there was more Horse faeces in here than in a Military meatloaf." I allow myself to sigh contentedly. I pick up my shovel, steal a carrot from the Horses feedbox and head out.

As I leave I notice young Oxford, another squire, whose duty it is to shovel back to where it was when I started. It didn't make much sense to me but Lady Arista said that it was how Squires had sustainable employment.

"Ho, Leopold. Your, hmph, Knight is looking for you." He said with a smirk. Damn that Oxford, Squire to Sir TwizzleBottom. Handsomest and Bravest and Bestest of all the knights.

"Crikey, what does she want now?" I ask exasperated.

"Its always 'Go fetch me water, Leopold' or ' Go clean the stables, Leopold' or 'Stop groping me while I'm sleeping, Leopold'" I laugh while doing my devastating Lady Arista impression.

 

[Isolde]

OOC: Agreed AFM...however anyone who can come up with a creative bad guy is more than welcome. And the bad guys dont even have to be that bad sometimes its fun if they are simply misunderstood.

IC: Arista had finally managed to get all of the party to go prepare for the journey and was about to check on the princess when she heard a knock on her door. Rolling her eyes she mouthed,"What now?" to no one in particular.

Opening her door she was a little surprised to find a male knight there. Oh great, even though the job of carting the princess to meet her 'true love' was not a dream come true, the king had decided she couldnt even handle that much and had sent another knight...and an injured one by the look of it...to take her place.

Before she can comment, Rock came in with her dinner. Letting him pass, she listened to him rambling on. He really wasnt a bad guy and usually ment well so she let him go on without stopping his prattle. As he started out the door again, she placed a hand on his arm and said,"Rock, I need you to come on this journey also. The princess will need someone to look after her needs and I think you would be the perfect choice." Letting him go after that, she turns to the knight. Her eyes appraising him before admiting him to her room.

"I was just on my way to check on the princess and make sure she hasnt tried to dodge out a hidden door or scale the castle wall. So, how does the war fare? And exactly what does your knocking on my door so late at night have to do with my journey in the morning?"

 

[Mr. SlowHands]

Sir Ronan MacGlyde

When Arista allowed him into her room, Ronan limped inside. He wasn't surprised she left the door open a few inches, since he was, after all, visiting her room well after dark. Even though he'd just eaten a bowl of stew and some freshly baked bread, the meal that had just been delivered to her tantalized him. A fresh salad with olives, radishes on the side!! Most of the land he'd fought on had been so torn by the war, and so plundered by one army or the other, that he'd not seen such a glorious sight as a fresh salad for nigh over a year. As he licked his lips, he heard Arista clear her throat impatiently.

Leaning on his right leg, and using the left one only to steady himself, Ronan spoke, "Well met, Lady Knight, and congratulations on being knighted." He smiled warmly, and continued, "I'm personally saddened that I had to miss your knighting ceremony, and your subsequent 'leap to the saddle,' which was reported clear out on the front lines of the war as perhaps the most graceful and noteworthy of this castle's history."

Grinning boyishly, Ronan chuckled, the light in his eyes dancing playfully, "And we also heard how our King, may God smile over him and give him health, slipped and nicked your right ear with the ceremonial sword during your knighting."

Ronan's eyes glanced at Arista's ear, to see that it, of course, had just the faintest little scar to prove the rumor. He also couldn't keep himself from glancing down at her breasts, which it had been rumored was what His Majesty had been ogling when Arista had knelt before the king to be knighted. Hence, they had continued to distract the king as he tapped her shoulders with the sword. ("That must have really pissed Arista off," Ronan thought to himself, "even though any knight having their ear nicked mistakenly during the ceremony was said to have special fortune smiling down upon them.")

Another impatient clearing of her throat forced Ronan to snap his eyes back up to Arista's face. She wasn't smiling.

"Yes, well, I just rode in this very evening, with the misfortune of being a minor casaulty from the war. Liam spoke with me, and directed me to see you concerning tomorrow morning's journey of Princess Ariana. I've come to offer my heart and sword to you, to assist in the success of this truly important mission."

Ronan hoped the meaning of his words would help make up for the insincere way they must have sounded. He assumed Arista would have far preferred being with the army in pursuit of the glories and deep comraderie among peers that hard fighting brings. He really had to admire her for staying true to her duties while all the other knights were off to war. He'd have hated to have been cooped up in the castle the way she had been. Even more insulting to her, was the fact that she was such an accomplished fighter. Yet, the King's final word always held sway, and no one would ever challenge it.

"As for the war, Lady Knight," he stammered, his eyes growing darker, "things are going well, but we've lost many comrades to Saxon blades." Ronan continued, "I believe the war will be won, I just hope the price paid for it is deemed worth the loss." He paused and smiled, "Even though I've been rewarded with a Saxon pain in my ass, I'll truly try not to be a pain in yours."

Ronan blushed as he realized he'd just made direct reference to Arista's bottom. Then he blushed again when he realized he must be blushing. She'd always wanted to be treated like any of the others. Ronan sighed resignedly......

 

[Isolde]

Arista watched him closely for any sign that his words were less than sincere. Noting nothing to make her suspicious, she allowed herself to relax just a bit and truly take in the man's words. She had seen him around shortly before the war and knew his name to be Ronin. He had stood out in her mind at the time for one simple reason. To her face, at least, he had not chimed in with the cat calls and comments about her goal of being a knight.

That could very well be because he had simply assumed she would never make that goal but still it was note worthy at the least. She further relaxed when she realized he was not here to take over her position as leader of the group (though, truth be told, she was not sure whether that was a good or bad thing). Noting his glance towards the salad that had been brought for her supper, she waived him to a seat and pushed the plate toward him.

"Please, enjoy. I find my mind to full to partake of food at the moment and Rock went through such trouble I would hate to see it go to waste." Sitting across from him, she watched him eat for a moment before she spoke.

"As you may know, I have been accepted into the ranks of the King's Knights with less than enthusiasm. So you will excuse me for being less than sociable. Of course some say that that would be putting it nicely. The name Ice Bitch is simply one of the names they have for me."

Noting that he looked up at her with that statement, she let a smile play about her lips. "You did not think I was unaware of some of the 'pet names' the men have for me, did you? Or the real reason I was kept back from the war? I may be a woman but I am far from stupid."

Sighing, she looked out of the window. "To be quite honest, I do not have very many able bodied men though those that I have with me are...willing to try their best. I can see where having an experienced knight would be an asset and I accept your offer."

Looking back over at him, I added,"We leave at dawn. It would be advisable for you to contact a healer to at least speed the healing of your...wound," He eyes flickered to his backside before returning to her face,"And get some rest. Just take my advice and dont ask Arky for any treatments. You may not survive the treatment."

 

[Rockingham]

He opened the door only slightly. To make sure everything was safe. The princess was in her bed, sleeping soundly. He closed the door with the same carefullness. He latched it up tight and took a seat next to it.
Morning was far off. He always watched it come up through the far window of the hall, it came up almost perfectly with that window. Twiddling his thumbs, he began to hum softly to himself.
"It was a lover and an ass, with a hey, and a ho and a hey nonny no."
He heard something loud hit one of the doors near him.
"SHUT UP!!!!"
Rockingham said sorry and sat more quietly. He didn't mind being by himself, he just wished there was someone with him.
"Wait a minute," Rockingham stood up, confused, "Why does the sun come up on the other side?"
He looked at the open window, "If it goes down on direction, shouldn't it come up that same one. It should go back and forth, not just one way."
That was so confusing. He didn't understand it. Not that it mattered, there were a lot of things he didn't understand, like women, and shoes, and horses.
That didn't stop him from trying though.
He sat back down, trying not to think about it. He had other things to think about, like his trip. He was going on vacation with the princess. Arista wanted him to go special, probably because he was the only one that didn't get yelled at by the princess. Which seemed kind of odd because just about everyone yelled at him, even the king. The princess never yelled at him though.
He never yelled at the princess either, so he supposed they were even.
"And therefor take the present time, with a hey, and a ho, and a hey..."
"ROCKY, IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP I WILL COME OUT THERE AND..."
"Sorry, sorry," he said again, sitting back down in his usual spot.
Morning was a long way off.

 

[Lady_Siren]

"ROCKY, IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP I WILL COME OUT THERE AND..." yelled Ariana frustrated and annoyed. She didn't mind him singing but when she was trying to concentrate it could be very distracting. Ariana was busy fashioning a rope out of her sheets and blankets. She had requested extra blankets just for this reason. Tying the last one tightly she sighed with satisfaction. Carrying her home made rope over to the balcony and walking out onto it she let the night breeze run over her face before tying the rope tightly to a statue that sat on the ledge. Glancing once more towards the door she felt kind of bad. Rocky was such a nice man really, one of the few that she liked. She felt bad leaving like this but she had no other choice, she would not marry against her will. Taking a deep breath Ariana swung herself out onto the rope and began her long decent down.

 

[Mr. SlowHands]

Sir Ronan MacGlyde

Perhaps he'd been apprehensive at first, but when Arista relaxed a bit, offered him her salad, and began speaking, he also felt more at ease. When she'd referred to herself openly as the "Ice Bitch," Ronan almost choked on an olive. Thankfully, it didn't seem her sarcasm was directed at him, and although he'd heard the term used, he'd never done so himself. In fact, he'd never called her any derogatory name.

How could he have ever brought himself to do so? His own mother and two sisters had died trying to defend their village from marauders. "Bloody Barstids," he thought to himself as Arista continued speaking, wishing nothing but the devil's deepest torment upon those murderous butchers. How could he have anything but the deepest respect and approval of a young woman who had shown she could do everything and more than most men? He knew Arista had taken a lot of unfair criticism, peer rejection, and sexual harassment. Oh yes, he'd overheard the dirty jokes told at Arista's expense. He'd even caught himself chuckling once at one of them, but then in his mind saw his lovely oldest sister lying brutalized in the mud after several of the barstids had used her. Never again did he laugh at a joke told about Arista, or any other woman. And he'd vowed he never would.

Ronan also knew that as he sat, he was kind of rolled onto his unwounded butt cheek. He probably looked funnier than troupe of midget jesters to her, but his ass had had about all it could take for the day. He prevented a groan from escaping his lips when Arista informed him of the morning's early departure. But her advice was good, since his ass was throbbing.... and what good is a knight with a throbbing ass?

He smiled briefly, when he recalled his captain telling the men in his unit that Ronan's ass wasn't much good for anything anyway. That had them really rolling. Well, he'd bet anything that any one of those empty kegheads would trade places with him right now, wounded butt and all, to be accompanying the Princess and eating proper foods, and riding next to the striking Arista.

"Yes, Lady Arista, believe I'll see about waking one of the healers, and having them properly tend this... errr...wound of mine, and see about getting a supply of medicinals for the journey. Perhaps, if it doesn't inconvenience the party too much, I'll tether my horse to the side of a supply wagon, and stretch out on some of the crates in the back. Get a little recuperation, and be ready to mount if any trouble arises."

Ronan did suffer a mishap in trying to stand, which, without Arista's help, could have been much worse. He stumbled, and went down face first into the pork roast and gravy. "Hmmm...not bad," he thought, licking his lips. Thankfully, Arista had quickly wrapped her arm around his shoulder and lifted him. She was strong, but it was her amazing agility that marveled him. He looked at her, gravy and a piece of the meat trimmings dripping down his face. He could have fainted as he remembered her compliment of having an able knight along to help.

"Thank you, Lady Knight.... for catching me, and for the salad. And please, forgive and pardon me for slipping into your dinner. I'll see to it that more is brought to you posthaste." Ronan smiled through the thick gravy coating, the little morsel of meat hanging now from his chin. Giving a soft sigh, he said, "And I shall be ready to travel early in the morn. Believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to this... ummmm... duty."

With that, Ronan borrowed the napkin from Arista's tray, wiped his face hastily, attempted his best winning smile, nodded, then turned and hobbled from Arista's room.......

[Edited by Mr. SlowHands on 05-26-2001 at 06:39 PM]