To kill the king, p.6
To Kill the King, page 6
As Everand turned to try and get a look at it again, he felt something hard come into contact with his back as he was shoved to the ground, basket tumbling out of his hands. He managed to tuck the book he was holding into his chest so it wouldn’t get dirty but that meant that the rest of him hit the ground hard, his hands unable to cushion his fall.
He was pretty sure that he was out of luck, this didn’t feel like the kind of situation one gets themself out of. And then, as suddenly as the noises began, they came to a stop. When he looked up, trying to figure out what had happened, he saw a woman standing over him.
She seemed older, silver speckling her dark hair with distinct smile lines and crow's feet etched into her face, despite her current lack of a smile. She had a hand extended to help Everand to his feet and he took it, still looking around for any clue as to what had just happened.
“Are you alright?” Her voice was deep and kind, sounding genuinely concerned for him.
“Yeah, fine. What was that thing?”
“Something very dangerous. It normally leaves people alone but it took quite a liking to you. Or quite a dislike, I suppose. Either way, it took notice, and that doesn’t tend to end well. But you’re alright now.”
“Uh huh, but what was it though?”
“I’m not at liberty to tell you that, I’m afraid. Suffice it to say, it is gone and for now, that’s enough. Now, you need to return to the castle.”
Everand bent down to grab the basket and put the herbs back into it as best he could. “Hold on, I’ll leave in a second, I need to grab these.” The herbs certainly were not as ordered as they had been before but even as they fell, they looked better than anything he’d ever seen from Mari so he doubted the mage would mind. Besides, she was probably going to scatter them about haphazardly the second she got the chance so it wasn’t like their current organization would matter.
The woman smiled at him curiously. “Are you not scared? Your life was on the line.”
“That did seem to be the case, yes. Seems fine now.” He stood up once more, now with his decidedly messier but still useful herbs.
She seemed even more confused by that, less focused on getting Everand to safety and more engaged in this conversation. “I was a little curious at the creatures you stirred, entering into this place, but I didn’t think too much of it. The forest likes to play off of people’s fears, I assumed it had seen something specific in you but-”
“I mean, I wasn’t really afraid of the forest or whatever that thing was, so that doesn’t make sense.”
She looked like she wanted to correct him but instead she said, “No, you really weren’t, were you? Why not?”
He shrugged. This conversation was getting too emotional for his taste. He’d never been particularly good at self-reflection anyways. “It just didn’t occur to me, I don’t know.”
“It didn’t occur to you?”
Everand was getting more annoyed by the second. “Yeah, it didn’t occur to me. Can I go now?”
She nodded. “Yes, you can, dear boy, but I suspect I’ll be seeing you again. The forest isn’t done with you yet.”
He walked away towards the palace, glancing behind him at the woman watching him leave with a curious look on her face.
. . .
“You what?”
Mari was looking at him wide eyed, entirely ignoring the basket of herbs he had helpfully gathered for her.
“I was almost killed by something weird in the forest. I didn’t get a good look at it, but this lady saved me I think? I’m pretty sure she scared it off. She was really weird. I don’t know Mari. She did save my life which is good though.”
“That’s insane. Who was she? What was her name?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Didn’t ask”
“She saved your life and you didn’t ask her name?” Mari cried out as she threw her hands in the air. “Someone needs to teach you some manners immediately, squire boy.”
Everand scoffed. “Oh, says you?”
“I have plenty of manners, just not when talking to ungrateful, rude bastards.”
“Insulting a man who just almost died, not very polite of you.”
“How’d you know I was talking about you?”
He gave her a dubious look. “Call it a gut instinct.”
She laughed. “Yeah, that feels fair. Also, just by the way, I’m glad you didn’t die.”
Everand paused for a second, unsure of how to respond. After a few beats of silence, he settled on a quiet, “Thanks? I wasn’t really that worried though.”
“Not that worried? Some monster almost ate you, no way you weren’t worried. Also!” Mari pointed right in Everand’s face and triumphantly stated, “I was right!”
Everand reeled back. “What?”
“I was right to be scared of the forest. I mean you almost died, that's a pretty reasonable thing to be afraid of...Oh god, I’m going to have to go back in there.”
Everand rolled his eyes. “Your next trip into the woods is after our little dragon quest that’s coming up, I wouldn’t worry too much about that.”
“Can I not be worried about two things at the same time? Do you think so little of me, Everand?”
Everand threw his hands up. “Fine, worry about everything, I’m not going to stop you. Besides, I wasn’t even afraid in the forest and here I am so maybe your little fears aren’t so vindicated after all.”
Mari once again looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “You are such a liar, squire boy.”
“I am not a liar.”
“You are a liar! The weaselly little squire wants to be so brave and fearless and he’s gonna grow up to be the bravest knight in the land, isn’t that right? Not even scared of dying?”
“Okay now you’re trying to make me angry,” he said, punching her in the arm, not quite hard enough to really hurt her.
Mari tried and failed to hide her smile. “I would never- wait, Everand, where are you going? I didn’t get to thank you?! Little coward squire running from… no okay, you’re really leaving, see you later!”
A Long Road Ahead
THE PLAN TO come up with something before they left on their quest was not exactly going well. They’d had a few chances to meet up but neither of them seemed to have any actual ideas, it tended to just regress into arguing until Everand decided he’d had enough and unceremoniously stormed off. To be fair, they still had a little time but somehow, Everand doubted they were going to have their epiphany while preparing their horses to leave.
Everand had already saddled up Lilypad when Mari came rushing into the stables, late. Normally he wouldn’t mind some alone time but this time he couldn’t help but be excited to see her. He was genuinely curious to see her horse. You could tell a lot about someone from their horse, what it looked like, what it was named. Besides, Everand never turned his nose up at the chance to meet a new horse.
After running right past him, she came out of the stables leading a large, brown horse with a white mane. He was significantly bigger than Lilypad and if Everand had to guess he was a little bigger than Destrier as well. Everand gave him a pat on his neck as Mari walked him through the stables to start saddling him up.
“He’s a gorgeous horse but what does someone your size need with a horse that big? You look like you’re going to have to jump to get his saddle on.”
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t get to talk, squire boy, you’re barely taller than me and I’m like sixteen hands tall.”
Everand scoffed. If she was going to lie, she should do it about things he can't actively fact check “I’m sixteen and a half hands no way you’re sixteen. fifteen and a half on a good day maybe. And at least I have an appropriately sized horse.”
Mari looked like she wanted to argue but couldn’t quite figure out how yet. “Why do you care so much?”
“I don't care, I just think it's funny.”
“I don’t know, squire, you seem pretty invested in this whole height thing,” she said, giggling to herself.
Even when he had the upper hand in the conversation she still managed to get under his skin. He would be amazed if he wasn’t so frustrated. He moved on from the short jokes, for now at least. “He really is beautiful though. You have good taste in horses. Does he have a name?”
Mari grunted as she hopped a little to get the saddle over his back and Everand decided not to comment on it. “Yeah, he’s called Dirt.”
“He’s called what?”
“Dirt. I think it’s funny and he doesn’t mind, do you, ya big dummy?” She asked, patting Dirt on his neck.
“He’s a majestic creature, he deserves more respect than that!”
She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him like he was being weird again, but this time Everand was certain he was in the right. “He doesn’t speak English, I can’t imagine he cares all that much. He certainly doesn’t care as much as you seem to, whatever that’s about. Sir Everand, defender of horses’ honor.”
“Shut up.” He pulled his attention back to Lilypad, at least giving her the respect she deserved.
Mari lifted her hands and covered Dirt’s ears. “Shhh, he might think you’re talking to him.”
He rolled his eyes, keeping his focus forwards, finishing up with Lilypad and preparing to go get Destrier. He always started with Lilypad, not just because she was his favorite but because she was so much better behaved and was far more willing to just stand around and wait for him. Destrier tended to get restless.
After less than a minute of silence, Mari got impatient and spoke up again. “Your horse is super pretty though.”
“Thank you,” Everand said, sounding genuinely appreciative for once. Not that he didn’t hear that a lot, Lilypad was a very pretty and well-behaved horse. She was white with a spattering of gray across her, like a horse out of a fairytale. Little kids especially adored her and she loved the attention. She was much nicer to strangers than Everand was, although he was never rude to the little kids who just wanted to say hi to the horses. He knew what that was like.
Everand walked just out of view to go grab Destrier and Mari cooed at how well she stayed put. “And she’s so well-behaved too! How did Everand get such a well-behaved horse, huh? Blink twice if you need help, girl.”
Everand chuckled as he brought Destrier out of his stall. “Oh, lay off it.”
“I might have to steal your horse away, squire boy. She deserves an owner who isn’t the worst.”
He brought Leo’s saddle up to Destrier’s back. “Whatever you say.”
Mari, however, was clearly not done with this conversation. “What about this guy, what’s his name?” she asked, looking up at the big, black horse with a smile. He was certainly a big horse, Leo made sure of that, with black feathering across his hooves that Leo always said made him look more powerful. He was certainly less well behaved than Lilypad was, but it wasn’t Destrier’s fault. Leo’s training of the poor thing was focused on making him look as intimidating as possible and very little else.
“Destrier,” Everand said, much less excited to hear her response to that name than he had been for Lilypad’s.
She cocked her head to the side. “Wait, isn’t every knight’s horse called a destrier?”
He laughed a little as he said, “Yes, they are. Don’t tell Leo that, though. It’s been two years and he’s still not sure where he got the name from.”
Mari laughed incredulously. “He really hasn’t realized?” Everand shook his head and she laughed again. “That’s amazing, oh my god. Even I’ve heard that and English isn’t even my first language. Has no one pointed it out to him?”
“I’m sure people have tried but he’s never been big on the whole ‘letting other people talk’ thing.”
“Yeah, most knights aren’t from what I’ve seen. Big on talking, not so crazy about listening.”
Things fell silent again as Everand finished saddling up Destrier until Mari piped up again. “So, any more horse facts you have for me?”
Everand eyes her suspiciously. “Why do you care so much?”
She shrugged, “I don’t know, I’ve never seen you this agreeable before. I figured we might as well ride it out, no pun intended, before you become insufferable and irritated at everything again.”
Everand sighed. “I just like talking about horses and stuff, I don’t know.”
She tilted her head over, trying to meet his gaze. “What’s ‘and stuff’ then? What are the secrets to making you not annoyed for a bit? I’m going to need them if we’re going to be working together or I will lose my mind, squire boy, and that is a threat.”
“I don’t know, I like nature and animals and the woods, so clearly we’re going to get along pretty well. None of the stuff you like, I know that.”
“Hey, I like animals. They’re cool sometimes. I do not understand this woods obsession that you’ve got going on but I do think it’s fascinating how you’ve lost your entire mind in regards to said woods so that’s an interesting topic. You talk about your love of the woods you almost died in a few days ago and I can do a little study on what's wrong with you.”
“You’re big on people, aren’t you?”
“Literally, what does that mean? Everyone’s big on people, that's how people work.”
“No, not like that. You like figuring out how they work and stuff. You’ve been trying to do it to me since we’ve met and the way you talk about people in general makes me think you do this to everyone.”
She gave him that same look, that one that she gave him whenever he did something odd, that one he was coming to realize was her trying to dissect him while also coming up with her next joke at his expense. “Doesn’t everyone do that? That's just how interaction works. Someone needs to teach you how relationships function immediately.”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I’m not the weird one here.”
Mari’s eyes narrowed at him and he prepared for an argument as Leo entered the stables. “Ah yes, time to leave. I hope you two are ready. Like I said before, young mage, there is no need to be afraid. I will protect you.”
Mari mounted her horse with a sigh. “Thank you, Sir Leo. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
. . .
Everand had hoped Mari coming with them would mean that this journey would be a little less insufferable. Everand had been wrong. Mari, while she clearly did not like the man, was instigating as much conversation with Leo as possible on their ride to the outer edges of the kingdom and Leo did not have the self-awareness to recognize that she was making fun of him, so Everand got to hear them both talk nonstop.
The knight turned to Mari and asked, “Have you heard the tale of when I defeated the wyvern yet, my dear? They’re very similar to dragons, it may help ease your nerves.”
Mari shook her head, trying to hide a smile and sound as genuine as she could and mostly succeeding. “I have not but you should tell me, all your stories so far have been so interesting and heroic. Was Everand involved in this one?”
Everand rolled his eyes and tried to keep himself from scoffing so he didn’t get reprimanded by Leo. He always had to be more careful of his body language when the knight was trying to posture to someone, it was the only time the knight really paid attention to his reactions. “No, I was not. I always seem to be absent from all of Sir Leo’s most heroic ventures.”
Leo gave Mari his winning smile and said, “Everand tends to play more of a hands-off role, actually. He refuses to even spar with me. Not very interested in fighting, this one.”
Mari nodded solemnly, nostrils flaring a little as she tried to keep a straight face. “That makes sense, he must not have been brave enough to go on those adventures.”
Leo responded with an enthusiastic “Exactly!” which spurred Destrier forwards on accident. Leo reigned him back in to keep from pulling too far ahead, still trying to ride next to Mari. “You understand, my dear. Not that I hold it against him, of course. Many of the adventures I go on are very frightening and one such as my squire over there, who can’t even spar properly, might not have the skills to survive a situation like that.”
Mari glanced back at Everand curiously for a second before continuing on with their conversation, sounding a little less mocking this time. “So you don’t have anyone to spar with? Because I’ve always wanted to learn to fight and I’m a quick learner so-”
Everand winced, knowing exactly how this conversation was going to go. Leo cut her off before she could even finish her thought with a curt laugh, saying, “My dear, women aren’t built for fighting, especially not against a knight like me. Besides, you already have magic, why would you want to learn to fight like I do? You have your own method of fighting. While it is certainly more subtle, it is you own. Embrace it! That reminds me of the tale of when I defeated a great wizard…”
Everand hoped Mari was tuning him out just as much as he was. He was also infinitely grateful that she wasn’t trying to fight him on this, despite how much he deserved to get fought. The last thing they needed was conflict between the three of them, they already had the odds stacked against them without infighting to worry about.
As the day wound on and the horses and the people riding them grew weary, Mari’s discussions with Leo drew to a close. Riding this long, especially in a chest binder, always took it out of him. Not that Leo ever cared. He silently cursed at himself for wearing it. He'd known the journey would be long and strenuous, but he'd been in a bad mood in the morning which typically didn't lead to good decision making on his part. Mari seemed to share his level of exhaustion. Everand felt bad for the girl, knowing how punishing Leo’s pace could be on the road. In all fairness, she didn’t seem all that accustomed to riding and he was mildly impressed she hadn’t really complained yet, despite how hard Leo had been pushing them. He’d complained a lot more his first few times going through this, that was for certain.
