The Princess and Her Rogue

by Sheritta Bitikofer

  “I’m competing in the championship tournament tomorrow, where I will be competing against today’s victor and I was so impressed with your unique style and skill of fighting that I was wondering if you would be interested in becoming my squire.” At those words, Nate’s eyebrows shot up in shock. “I believe you have a lot of potential and I would hate for such talent to be wasted. I was hoping that perhaps we could swap fighting techniques and learn from each other, if nothing else.”

  Kiara’s face lit up with glee as she glanced from the speechless Nate to the humble, but caring Sir Ethan. She almost wanted to answer for him, but she knew such a decision was his alone.

  Nate looked down to his plate and seemed to be seriously struggling with his choice. “I… I’m… I don’t know. I’ve never been offered that kind of honor. Are you sure you want me as your squire?”

  “I’m positive. And this is no joke. I’m willing to take you under my wing and train you to become a knight, if that is something you see yourself as, in the future.”

  Nate looked up to Kiara, hoping to find the answer in her eyes. She only grinned from ear to ear and tried not to show what she would have preferred him to do.

  “I would very much like to accept your offer…” Nate looked up to Sir Ethan. “But I’m afraid that I’m on a bit of a journey at the moment. I’m taking this young lady to Aleph and it’s very urgent that we get there soon. We only stopped here for a while to relax.”

  Now, more than ever, Kiara wished she had never suggested stopping at the tournament. She wrinkled her nose at the lost opportunity and sighed at his decision. Sir Ethan, seeing her reaction, could tell there was something deeper going on.

  “Well, how long will you be staying in Daleth?” Sir Ethan asked, squatting down to Nate’s level so they could talk easier.

  “We were actually just discussing plans to leave as soon as we were finished eating,” Nate replied, gesturing to their still half eaten meals.

  Sir Ethan rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers like he just found the solution. “I’ve got a proposition. The tournament continues into tomorrow. If you agree to stay and at least train with me until tomorrow night, I will provide you two with a warm tent, free meals and maybe a bath?… What do you say?”

  Kiara thought she would swoon at the idea of taking a bath. Though the rain had washed off some of the soot that she had coated on her skin from the other day, her body still felt dirty and grimy. She longed for a bath and a comfy bed to sleep in. Kiara looked to Nate with pleading eyes. He noticed that and cracked a smile a bit and nodded.

  “I suppose we can take you up on that deal. A place to sleep for two nights or just one?” Nate said agreeably.

  “My lady and I leave Daleth the day after tomorrow, so you are welcome to have both nights if you wish.” Sir Ethan smiled to the excited couple and stood up. “We have a spare tent that you two may share. Let me go and inform my wife and servants that we’ll need to set that up. We are camped on this side of the creek, farther north. It’s not very far. When you two are ready, you are welcome to join us. There will be a blue and silver crest with eagles painted upon the tent fronts. Good day.”

  And with that, the wealthy knight walked away after giving them a quick bow.

  “Why didn’t you take him up on the offer to make you a squire? I thought that’s what you wanted to do? He wanted to train you to be a knight,” Kiara whispered harshly, infuriated that Nate didn’t accept the offer.

  “I have a responsibility to fulfill. I promised to get you home and I intend to do so, Kiara.” Nate’s tone was deep and almost threatening, but his eyes were sincere.

  “Who cares if I get home in one piece? You’ve been waiting your whole life to be a knight and this was your one chance. Please reconsider accepting it? Maybe you could arrange something so that you two can meet up after I arrive safely in Aleph and tell my father about Deceiver. Maybe you could get one of his servants to take me there or…”

  “Kiara, stop,” he snapped. Kiara sat back and saw the irritation in his eyes. She blinked a few times and folded her hands in her lap respectfully.

  “I would really like to be a knight one day,” he said. “But, I have an obligation to get you home safely. Plus, Malcolm has to approve every squire before he becomes a knight. And we both know that wouldn’t turn out well.” The seriousness in his voice told Kiara that he wouldn’t budge upon the subject and it saddened her deeply.

  “Please, just promise me that you will think about it more and perhaps find out how to get a hold of this knight later?”

  Kiara and Nate stared into each other’s eyes; each hoping one would relent before the other. They really were perfect for each other, in that they were both stubborn as mules.

  “I cannot guarantee anything,” Nate muttered, taking a bite of his sandwich and glancing off towards the north to see if he could spot any sign of Sir Ethan’s camp from where they sat.

  Kiara bowed her head and sighed heavily. “I just care about you, Nate. And I want you to be happy in whatever you choose. I wouldn’t want you to make a choice that would cause you pain or regret in the future.”

  Nate looked back to the princess with a weak smile and tilted her chin up with his fingertips. “I’ll be alright. I’ve survived the heartache of seeing my dreams die before. I can hold up to it dying again if I have to… I’ll be ok, don’t worry.”

  She nodded and sat back once more to resume eating her meal. Nate watched her lovingly before finishing his own. He lingered upon what she said, knowing it was the reflection of how he felt in his heart for her.

  When the two were full to contentment, they set out in search of Sir Ethan’s tents. It wasn’t hard to find. This knight must have been one of the wealthiest in the kingdom. He had several tents set up in his campsite, a small practice ring, a corral for his horses, along with his own little bathing tent and outhouse. At first, Nate was unsure they had the right location. According to the setting sun, this was north, but could the knight really be this filthy rich?

  To put all their doubts to rest, Sir Ethan and a woman who must have been Lady Elsie, came out to meet them with smiles. The woman looked just as agreeable as her husband, with long flowing red hair and soft blue eyes. Kiara was almost jealous of her radiant looks. She wore a dress that looked to be fashioned by Gwen from the market place. Thankfully it was not Kiara’s dress, or she would have been burning with envy.

  “My lady, this is Nate, the boy I was telling you about earlier and his lady,” Sir Ethan began. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name before.”

  “Oh, my name is Kyra,” Kiara said, remembering her fake name that she used with the Forgers a few days earlier. She also paid no mind to the fact that Sir Ethan just addressed her as Nate’s lady, which she wasn’t. Nate didn’t object to the title either.

  “Very well. Kyra and Nate, this is my wife, Lady Elsie.” Sir Ethan presented his lovely wife to them as she gave a curtsy to them. Nate bowed and Kiara curtsied in reply.

  “It’s so good that you two could join us. My husband has told me much about your fighting, Nate, and I’d be very interested in watching you two practice sometime,” Lady Elsie said with a kind, convincing smile.

  “I would be honored if you cared to watch. However, I would like it if you two called me Nathan,” Nate said with a polite air. Kiara smiled to him, remembering that she was the only one permitted to call him by his shorter nickname.

  “Well, Nathan, would you care to start some practice before nightfall comes? The tournament will take place just before lunch tomorrow, so I want to get as much practice in as I can. What do you say?” Sir Ethan invited, nodding his head towards a small battle ring, lined with weapon racks.

  Nate looked back to Kiara, seeking her opinion first so as to not upset her like he did earlier at the table.

  “Oh, I don’t mind. If you need to practice, go practice. I’m not going anywhere,” Kiara replied with a smile.

  “Are yo
u sure you won’t be too bored?” Nate asked

  “Well, Kyra, I was actually going to draw the bath for myself and my lady servants,” Lady Elsie interrupted. “You are welcome to join us. You look positively filthy in those rags, dear. I don’t mean to offend you, but perhaps my lady has a spare dress she could let you borrow for tomorrow so that I can have that dress washed. How does that sounds?”

  Kiara let out a breath of relief and nodded. “That sounds wonderful, Lady Elsie. I’ve been dying to have a shower all day.”

  And with that, the two ladies walked off to take their baths, while the men stayed behind to practice their sword play. Luckily, the bathing tent was situated behind all the rest, so nothing was visible to the men. Nate, though excited about learning and teaching a few techniques, felt at a loss with Kiara out of the picture. And, Kiara was the same as he while trying to converse with Lady Elsie and her maids about simple feminine things. It seemed like both the rogue and princess lost interest in everything else when they were apart. Both Lady Elsie and Sir Ethan noticed the change and smiled to themselves, knowing the couple must have been in love. It was strange how everyone could tell that the two loved each other, but they themselves were blind to the signs.

  After cleaning herself up, Kiara was loaned a very lovely blue linen dress by Lady Elsie’s lady servant, which fit her perfectly. She was also given a thin, lacey sleeping gown that she felt less than comfortable in. She asked for a robe of some sort to wear over it, seeing as she would be sleeping in the same vicinity as Nate for the following nights. Lady Elsie was happy to oblige by giving her a thick, green, plush robe.

  Kiara retired to their tent as the sun had vanished behind the horizon and the moon began to rise steadily to pierce the darkness. The tent was tinted a light blue, but the lantern light from within cast a golden glow. As she entered, Kiara set her fingers busy by braiding her damp, black hair that had been perfumed to smell like lilacs.

  Inside the tent, were two rooms separated by a sheet of thin shear fabric that was easy to see through. Just inside the door was the first room that served as something of a sitting area with a small table and a few cushioned pillows, while the second room was designated for sleeping. The inner room contained two feather beds set up next to each other with fresh linen, a pair of plush comforters and enough pillows to drown in. Kiara never felt so at home.

  As soon as she stepped into the sleeping quarters, Kiara grinned and settled herself onto one of the beds, claiming it as her own as she rolled herself inside the warm blankets and hugged the pillows to her chest and head with joy. Such luxuries had long been missed. Kiara could hear soft movement and voices coming from outside the tent, but she didn’t bother with them. She was so tired and fatigued that a comfy bed consumed her interest.

  That is, until Nate walked in. She heard the canvas flap of the door rustled and Nate’s gentle footsteps as he slowly entered the tent. Kiara sat up and turned around quickly, as she was lying on her stomach before he came in, and hugged the robe tightly around her torso to hide what lay underneath.

  She observed that Nate had taken a bath as well and was carrying a blue tunic that Sir Ethan had loaned him. He was only wearing a pair of baggy brown trousers that hung low on his hips and no shirt, his muscles bared before her eyes. Nate looked around the first room, then quietly pulled back the shear curtain to step into the sleeping area.

  Their eyes met. The silence seemed deafening.

  Kiara couldn’t help noticing how the layers of grime, dust and dirt had been completely washed away from every inch of him. He still maintained his tan complexion, but every detail of his skin was now more noticeable and clearly defined. Nate looked more attractive than ever in the dim lantern light. Kiara, as before, couldn’t pull her gaze away. Her lips gently parted as her heart pounded anxiously beneath her chest.

  Nate, too, stared back with soft, limpid eyes, unable to move or even think. Finally, he picked up his trembling feet and moved towards the other bed.

  “You took a bath as well?” Kiara finally asked, breaking their gaze so she could think properly.

  “Uh… yeah… Sir Ethan and I didn’t practice for very long. He insisted I take a shower so as to not stink up the tent or stain the bedspreads,” Nate replied, sitting himself down onto his mattress, his rough hands grazing over the top of the soft fabric as if fascinated by its texture.

  Kiara nodded and glanced up to him, biting her lip nervously. “Well, you smell good, that’s for sure.” Kiara cringed at her untamable mouth, as she meant what she said, but she didn’t mean to say it, “Uh, what I mean is, you smell better than you did before… Oh, not that you didn’t smell good before. You actually smelt really good before, but now you smell even better… Oh.” Kiara bashfully brought up a blanket and hid her face within its fibers to hide her shame. She groaned and grumbled unintelligibly to herself beneath the fabric.

  Nate only chuckled a bit. “Uh… Thanks, I think… You always smell good, too.”

  “Not when I was covered in mud, though,” Kiara mumbled from under the blanket.

  “No, even then you smelt fine.” Nate’s tone was so sincere that Kiara was persuaded to uncover her face again.

  “You’re just saying that to be nice,” she retorted softly.

  “No, I mean it.” Nate continued gazing at her, fumbling with the blue tunic between his hands, as if debating to put it on or not.

  Kiara gave a weak smile and glanced down to the cloth. “Is that Sir Ethan’s?” she asked.

  “Yeah… He said he would loan it to me for tomorrow. Apparently, my clothes were too dirty.”

  “Well, they were a little worn out,” Kiara said with a shrug.

  Nate smirked and nodded. “Yeah, I guess they were. Maybe I’ll get Gwen to sew me some new clothes.” The two chuckled, trying desperately to break the tension. “Is that Lady Elsie’s or someone else’s?” Nate questioned, motioning to Kiara’s robe and nightgown.

  “Oh, no, this was her maid’s,” she said, picking up a bit of the white lacy material, “But, this is Lady Elsie’s. I felt uncomfortable wearing just the nightgown because it wasn’t very thick material, so I wanted something else to wear over it.”

  “Oh, ok…” Nate paused and looked down to his own ensemble and grew jittery as he finally recognized that he was shirtless in front of her. “Uh, do you want me to put something else on? I know how you feel about me like this. I can put the tunic on, I just thought it would be a warm night and I wouldn’t need it, but if you want me to put it on, I…”

  “No, it’s fine,” Kiara interrupted, seeing that he was becoming a bit flustered just as she was. He cleared his throat and nodded, then tossed the tunic to the foot of the bed for in the morning.

  Kiara’s eyes wandered, as they should not have, over Nate’s tough, chiseled body. Her heart fluttered with excitement and Nate slowly settled himself down onto the bed to recline against a mound of pillows. “You certainly have a lot of scars,” she remarked breathlessly, eyeing every faint scratch and mark scattered across his upper body. She recognized the two recent ones that were on his side and shoulder, but they were facing away from her with Mr. Forger’s stitches still woven in to help them heal.

  Nate glanced down at his body. “Yeah, it happens,” he muttered, then closed his eyes in preparation for sleep.

  Kiara, not sure of what she was thinking, crawled out of her bed and cautiously to his side. She knelt down and timidly reached out to touch his forearm. “Where did these scars come from?” she asked, lightly stroking her fingers over the fading lines on his skin.

  Nate peeked at her from the corner of his eye, but did not move. “A fight.”

  She traced her fingers up Nate’s arm, her nails trailing along his strong biceps, sending a subtle shiver down her spine. “And these?”

  “More fights.” Nate chest rose and fell steadily, trying his hardest not to look as confused or bewildered as he really was by her odd behavior. However, he didn’t mind the pleasant sensati
ons he received from her sensual touch.

  Kiara stroked slowly up to his shoulder and collarbone, sending chills through both of them, their eyes blazing with a passionate fire. There was a large, deep scar that seemed to have been caused by a knife wound. Kiara slid her nail down its center.

  “This one looks recent… Did it hurt?” she asked, almost in a whisper.

  “Not as badly as some others,” he replied, trying to keep his breathing under control.

  Her fingers traveled down his chest, roaming tenderly across his skin and battle scars like they were precious gems. She had no idea what she was thinking by doing this, but something possessed her to want to touch every inch of this rogue’s body. She knew she couldn’t. She knew it was forbidden. But, maybe that’s what made her want to do it so badly. Her thoughts raced with ideas.

  Kiara let her trembled hand ease down his tight abs, noticing more scars and more ancient wounds. She felt a need to breath heavier as her insides constricted and twisted together with an aching feeling that would drive her mad if she didn’t quench this unknown and unfamiliar thirst. What was worse, was that Nate felt the same way.

  The fingers passed his navel and continued on, even though there were no scars past that point. Kiara felt the edge of her robe slip from her shoulder just as her hand reached Nate’s pant line. Suddenly, Nate gently took her hand in his, stopping its journey any further. His palm pressed against the back of her hand, while he reached up with his right hand and laced his fingers with hers with a heavy sigh. Kiara could their heavy breathing and his hand was trembling just as much as hers.

  They locked gazes, and for a moment, it was as if they knew each other’s thoughts. Kiara could sense that Nate was willing, but also hesitant. He had a code of honor to uphold and they both knew what they felt in that moment was wrong. Kiara bit her lip, looked away and pulled the robe back up to cover her practically bare shoulder.

  “I’m sorry,” Kiara whispered, sliding her hand out of Nate’s grip and retreating back to her own bed. Her wounded countenance made Nate want to burst up after her and give her what she might have been wanting, but he held himself back. He pursed his lips and took a deep breath to settle down before doing anything impulsive.