Knights Without Kings

by J. M. Topp

  ‘And this is?’

  ‘King William’s son. He hasn’t been named yet.’

  ‘Did anyone else make it?’

  ‘No.’ Elymiah lowered her head. ‘Our queen fell on the road.’

  ‘And the Holy Silver Angels Platoon?’

  ‘Only Joan and I survived.’

  ‘I see,’ he said, sucking his teeth. Elymiah could not even guess the difficulty they had had in escaping Weserith.

  ‘When did you arrive?’ asked Elymiah. Trystrem looked up at the sky as if trying to remember. ‘We arrived the night before last. We wouldn’t have made it, but…’ He then glanced at Elymiah as if trying to forget the horrific events of the dangerous and nightmarish escape. ‘You need to rest. You and Joan can use my pavilion. I will have another raised for myself. Come, you must be exhausted.’

  Elymiah turned her head to look for Robyn, but no one else raced down the road to her. A lump caught in her throat as the worst possibility dawned on her. If he fell…I... She swallowed and clenched her jaw. She had a role to fulfill. She would think on Robyn later. Her world began to black out bit by bit as Elymiah allowed exhaustion to take over. Trystrem noticed, and he put his arm through hers to help her walk.

  ‘You’ve done well, Elymiah. Queen Gwendylyyn would have been proud.’

  ELYMIAH AWOKE WITH sunlight pouring through her small tent flap. She sat up with a start and immediately regretted it. Pain and soreness surged through her abdomen, arms, and legs. Elymiah grimaced and lay back in her bed. Joan was in a separate cot, curled up in a ball. She was snoring, lost to this world of horrors. A woman entered the tent carrying a pail of hot water. A handmaid? Why would this woman even agree to do something like this now?

  ‘What are you doing?’ Elymiah said, sitting up from her bed.

  The handmaid wore a simple brown dress with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her skin was pale white, but dark circles rested underneath her eyes. She seemed to be far away, even as she spoke to Elymiah.

  ‘Preparing your bath, my lady.’ Her voice gave her away as a foreigner, but Elymiah couldn’t pinpoint where. ‘I am supposed to inform you of the meeting the Hallowed Masters are having in an hour in the center of the encampment.’

  Elymiah watched her as she poured water into the tin bathtub. ‘That won’t be necessary. You don’t need—’

  ‘What else am I to do, Knight-Captain?’ Elymiah stared at the handmaid as she exited the tent in search for more water. What else can she do? Sometimes all people could do to cope with nightmares was work. Elymiah ignored the bluntness of the comment and stood from the bed as carefully as she could. She took her clothes off carefully and inspected her body. There were purple and black markings on her arms and legs from the rough journey. Her neck hurt when she turned it too much to the right. A bath will help, to be sure. Elymiah stepped into the steaming waters and slipped into the bath. For a moment, all her troubles faded—all except for one.

  Robyn.

  Elymiah bit her lower lip, afraid of the answer she might receive.

  ‘And what could I tell him if he is alive?’

  AFTER THE HOT bath, Elymiah put on a white silk shirt and padded brown leather pants. She would have given anything for her lost armour. Her shoulders and arms ached, but at the same time, it felt good to feel the wind without the barrier of steel she usually wore. Joan stayed in the cot, and Elymiah thought it best for her to rest. Elymiah pulled a brown cloak over her shoulders and exited the tent. As she walked out into the air of the Kingsoul, Elymiah noticed dozens of Weserithians huddled in small groups around even smaller fires. They all turned in unison at Elymiah. Some of them spat at her and returned to their hushed conversations. Elymiah felt sorry for them. They had rushed on foot from the burning city of Weserith. All their belongings and statuses had been dissolved, reducing even the elites to refugees. Elymiah gripped the cloak to her neck and closed the tent flap behind her. She walked to where the king’s son was being kept. The king’s tent was closer to the Kingsoul River and was different from the other blue and white tents. King William’s was red with frilled, golden edges. Four Crypt Knights stood guard by the door. Would have been nice to have a couple of them on the road. Elymiah closed her eyes but kept her mouth shut. The Crypt Knights recognized her and let her through without challenge. On the inside, a handmaiden and a page sat at a table with the king’s son in a crib. The handmaiden looked up, and a look of relief covered her face.

  ‘Knight-Captain Elymiah,’ she said, standing up and bowing curtly. ‘Hallowed Master Yngerame has asked to see the king’s son at the command tent. You are going to the meeting, aren’t you?’

  ‘I am. I simply wanted to see the boy before I went to the command tent.’

  ‘Well, who better to take Irilynd?’

  ‘Irilynd?’

  ‘Yes, Knight-Captain.’ The handmaiden turned her head slightly. ‘William named his son after his great-grandfather. I didn’t hear the whole story though. You’d have to ask William,’ said the handmaiden.

  Elymiah furrowed her brow. ‘That’s King William, handmaiden.’

  The handmaiden’s face turned to shock. She bowed low and stayed there. ‘Deepest apologies, Knight-Captain.’

  Elymiah sighed. ‘I’ll take Irilynd to the meeting.’

  The handmaiden again flushed with relief. She stood up and picked the child up from the crib. ‘It’s as if he has no idea of the horrors around us.’ The handmaiden handed the child to Elymiah. Irilynd’s blue eyes stared back into Elymiah’s without blinking. The child then smiled at Elymiah, almost as if recognizing her. Elymiah couldn’t help smiling back.

  THE COMMAND TENT had been erected in the center of the encampment beside the royal tent where William was tending to his wounds. As Elymiah entered the tent, warmth from a small corner fire embraced her like a cloak. She studied the four men inside the tent. Ansfrid and the commander of the city guard stood at the same time and bowed at Elymiah. Beside them were the Hallowed Masters, but something was off. An aide was securing a bandage on Yngerame’s head. The Protector sat in his usual silence, staring at the table before them. Ortengryyn was nowhere to be seen. Trystrem was also absent.

  ‘Elymiah.’ Yngerame smiled as she entered the tent. A load seemed to lift off his shoulders as he inspected her. ‘You are a sight for weary eyes.’

  ‘You have no idea how good it is to see all of you…If only you knew the evils we have faced.’

  Yngerame turned to his aide. ‘Enough with my bandage. Make sure the king’s son is comfortable.’

  Elymiah felt a sudden sense of motherhood when the aide took the babe from her. The child looked up at her and cooed, as if knowing he was being taken away. Elymiah looked on after the child as the aide exited the tent. Yngerame gestured to a chair on the opposite side of the table.

  ‘Tell us about your journey,’ he said with a voice of kindness Elymiah never would have thought to hear again. The memory of the Anointing burst into Elymiah’s mind. Yngerame had had the exact same smile then as he did now, yet everything else was backwards. Elymiah swallowed hard and told them everything, from the knight with the smiling skull helm atop an undead over-sized wolf, to the daemon horse that tried to rape her. Elymiah mentioned Joan’s unwavering sense of duty as she carried the king through miles and miles of road and sand. Yet when Elymiah told Yngerame and the other men about the queen’s death, they remained without words. Their lips were thin lines. Once Elymiah had given a full accounting, they sat back in their chairs, contemplating the sad news.

  ‘I was surprised. Oredmere forgive me for doubting, but I wasn’t expecting you to be here,’ said Elymiah, finally breaking the silence of the pavilion.

  ‘We almost weren’t.’ Yngerame turned to Ansfrid and nodded. ‘Knight-Captain, please fill Elymiah in.’

  Ansfrid nodded and cleared his throat. He paused before beginning to speak as if trying to find the right words. ‘Once Korhas, Lord of the Greenwood, went over the walls with the remaining White
Dagger guild and the explosions went off, we opened the gates and ran through the daemons. We charged the Dark, but when we came to the other side of the gates, there was nothing…at first.’ Ansfrid swallowed and cleared his throat once more. ‘Creatures began to pour from houses. They dragged women and children with them. They were without clothes, and it was clear that they had been having their way with them.’ Ansfrid shuddered at the memory. ‘We attacked the ones that came from the houses and slaughtered them first. But it was the ones that came further inside the Insolvent District that were tougher to take down. Some of them were built like giants and wielded great iron swords, bladed maces, and heavy warhammers. They cleaved through horse and man alike. That wasn’t the worst part. Some of our horses became possessed and began attacking us. We quickly realized that our own mounts were as much a danger to us as the daemons. I commanded my men to strike down any horse that began to convulse or foam at the mouth.’

  ‘We were able to break the daemon line and get a great many of the survivors out of Weserith. Meter after meter was plagued with the flying ones and ones coming up from the ground. But the one that gave us the most trouble was the knight atop the undead wolf. It jumped into the fleeing citizens, cutting them in two. It wasn’t until the sun came up that we were able to fend him off. Oredmere save us, I thought the damn thing would never rise. We arrived at the Kingsoul a day ago.’

  Yngerame nodded solemnly and finally spoke. ‘Oredmere guided our steps, and he hastened them. We are all here because of him.’

  Elymiah glanced around the room at the men sitting before her. ‘Where is Ortengryyn?’

  Yngerame’s smile faded into sorrow. Ansfrid was the one who answered. ‘Ortengryyn fell at the hands of a Thamnon. It grabbed him and tore him in half.’

  ‘Korhas also didn’t make it. If Oredmere is merciful, he died in the blast he helped set off,’ Yngerame said as he let out a sorrowful sigh.

  Elymiah could not hold back the question anymore.‘Did my lieutenant, Robyn Segarus, make it?’

  Trystrem entered the tent as she asked, and behind him stood Robyn, smiling.

  ‘Ely.’

  Elymiah’s heart jumped, but she maintained her composure. She glanced at the other men at the table to see if they had noticed her ears going red. Robyn stood before her in his light leather armour. His arm was bandaged, and he had scratches on his neck and arms. Yet he stood like a knight in the songs and legends. Elymiah stood and bowed to the men in the tent.

  ‘Please excuse me.’

  ‘Of course, Knight-Captain. You have earned your rest. On the morrow, we will discuss the tactics in returning to Aivaterra.’ Yngerame nodded and smiled as Elymiah turned to Robyn.

  ‘Lieutenant, a word?’ she snapped and exited the tent. Robyn stiffened but followed her outside. The air was crisp, but there was warmth in the breeze from the Kingsoul River. Elymiah walked past men carrying long, wooden stakes and hammers. One man carried a dozen swords that looked badly bent, and some had even been broken. He was bringing them to the blacksmith to be repaired. Robyn finally caught up to her heightened pace.

  ‘Ely.’

  ‘You bastard,’ said Elymiah without looking at him.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I have been here a day already. Where in Oredmere’s name have you been?’

  ‘I was on patrol. When Trystrem told me you arrived, I headed to the command tent right away.’

  Elymiah shook her head. ‘Yes, but you left me alone to fight those things. I needed you there the most. I can’t believe you volunteered to stay.’

  ‘I am sorry, Ely. You’re right. I—’

  Elymiah glanced to her sides and grabbed Robyn by his wrist. They ducked into an alleyway made by tents and stacked crates. She slammed Robyn against the barrels and kissed him savagely. Robyn must have been taken horribly off guard, because he was as stiff as a board.

  ‘Just stop talking,’ Elymiah said as she opened her eyes to stare intently into Robyn.

  ‘But, Elymiah, what if someone sees?’

  ‘Fuck them. I want you, Robyn.’

  ‘Should a knight-captain be speaking like that?’

  ‘I thought you wanted this.’

  ‘I do. I want all of you, Ely.’

  Robyn brushed his hand along her cheek and onto her shoulder. He unclasped her brown cloak and let it fall to the ground at her feet. He then untied the string of her silk shirt and lifted it over her head. Elymiah stared into his eyes as he gazed upon her breasts. He touched one, sending chills down her spine. Feeding the child must have made them even more sensitive. Robyn reached to unbuckle his belt, but Elymiah put her hand on his.

  ‘No,’ she whispered. ‘This time, I’ll do it.’

  She unfastened the clasp and pushed his pants down to his ankles. His manhood was already erect and throbbing. Elymiah grasped it like she grasped her own sword. Robyn grimaced.

  ‘Sorry, I’ve never done this before.’ She softened her grasp and moved her hands up and down the shaft slowly. She stared up at Robyn, studying his face.

  ‘It’s ok, Ely,’ said Robyn with a soft grunt.

  ‘Wait, you have?’

  Robyn went red, and he looked down at her. ‘Let’s not focus on the past, Knight-Captain.’

  ‘Yeah. You’d better call me that.’

  She kissed the tip of his manhood, and Robyn let out a sigh. It smelled of man, but at the same time, it filled her nostrils like a sweet fragrance. He trembled as she slipped her tongue up and over his cock. She smiled. It was a good feeling to give him pleasure. Elymiah felt a tingling in-between her legs, and she touched herself. It was already wet. She stood finally and pushed her pants down. She looked deep into his eyes. This was her love. Elymiah was home.

  He was her home.

  ‘I love you, Robyn.’ The words spilled from her mouth, but they didn’t seem wrong.

  ‘I love you, Ely.’

  Elymiah pushed Robyn on a barrel and climbed on top of him. His throbbing cock slipped into her with a little difficulty, and she gasped with pain, holding her breath as he widened her. Robyn grabbed Elymiah’s waist and moved her up and down as he pushed his cock deep inside her. Juices spilled from Elymiah, but she didn’t care. She kissed Robyn again, pushing her tongue against his. He grabbed at her waist even harder, leaving small red marks on her body. Elymiah grimaced, as the soreness from her exhausting trip wasn’t entirely gone. Yet the pain dissipated into pleasure, and Elymiah sighed as she hugged his head against her breasts. He sucked on them fiercely. Milk trailed down her breasts as she pumped her hips against his waist. She thrust her hips faster and faster. Elymiah let out a soft moan, but Robyn quickly put his hand over her mouth. Elymiah let off a muffled moan, her eyes going to the back of her head with passion. Exhaustion from the long voyage was catching up with her, but it didn’t matter. In that moment, Elymiah and Robyn were one.

  ‘Oh, Ely,’ Robyn moaned.

  Suddenly, she felt a thickening within her. She rolled her eyes to the back of her head and bit her lower lip in a combination of pain and pleasure. Robyn looked up to the skies with eyes closed, and he, too, bit his lower lip.

  But then he stopped.

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘I don’t want this to end, Ely. I don’t want this to ever end,’ he panted as he looked in-between her breasts, up into her eyes.

  ‘Me neither.’ Elymiah glanced through the tents. No one had noticed, and they weren’t being too noisy, yet. ‘But we must hurry, Robyn.’

  Robyn smiled and slipped off the barrel with Elymiah still on top of him. He laid her down on the wet grass. The blades of grass poked into Elymiah’s ass and back, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Robyn. He looked stunning and beautiful against the blue skies.

  ‘I want to return the favour, Knight-Captain.’

  Robyn dropped his head in-between her legs. She squeezed her thighs with pleasure as his tongue moved up and down inside her.

  ‘Ow.’ He tapped her legs to stop her from squ
eezing so hard. Elymiah frowned at Robyn and slapped his head playfully. ‘Don’t be a baby.’

  Robyn looked up mischievously

  ‘A baby, huh?’ He went down in-between her legs once more. Elymiah clawed at the grass beneath her as his tongue slipped in and out of her. When she couldn’t hold it in any longer, she pulled at his close-shaved head.

  ‘I’m ready, Robyn.’

  Robyn lay on top of her and slipped his throbbing cock inside her. She opened her eyes wide. It felt bigger than before. She clutched at the ground beneath her as she gasped with pleasure. Slowly, he pumped into her. Sweat fell from his brow onto her breasts. She cupped one of them, and he sucked at the sensitive nipple. Chills and warmth ran up her spine, and then, as he fucked her, her world went dark for a split-second. She blinked and curled her toes. Pleasure fell into her like a giant waterfall cascading onto thousands of little pebbles. It was even better than she had imagined—even better than that night in her bedchambers. She bit her lip for fear of moaning too loudly. Elymiah felt the thickening within her once more and smiled with delight as warm fluid shot deep into her. She licked her lips, savouring the moment. Robyn thrust his hips one last time and panted as he stared deep into her eyes.

  Elymiah didn’t know if it was just the flight of emotions or the draining voyage she had just undergone, but a wave of fear and sadness covered her. Robyn must have noticed it too.

  ‘Are you alright?’

  Elymiah didn’t know what to say to that. ‘It’s nothing.’

  Then, Robyn leaned over her forehead and gave it a soft kiss. ‘It’s ok to be scared sometimes.’

  ‘I’m not scared, Robyn.’ Elymiah stared back into his eyes. Robyn stood and moved to put his pants back on.

  ‘I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.’

  ‘So have I.’ Elymiah kissed his cheek. ‘I just didn’t know it.’

  Elymiah reached for her pants and shirt and slipped them on. She was red-faced, but she smiled at Robyn. Robyn fastened his belt and embraced Elymiah. Suddenly, like a cloak strewn of hot coals, the weight of her choice began to descend on her. She glanced at the outline of her body on the wet grass. She knew she had sinned, but this time it felt different. Perhaps it wasn’t sin—merely the celebration of humanity that Oredmere had created long ago. Embracing Robyn like she was now felt like a blessing from Oredmere. Robyn smiled at her and put a strand of hair behind her ear.