I sat bolt upright and saw her, in front of the mirror in the sitting room. She had donned her full suit of armor which meant Waldinor was in there helping. She cradled her helmet under her left arm and her sword and scabbard were secured to her back over her cloak of woven wool dyed lavender. I could see her watching me in the mirror.
“We leave in fifteen minutes, Sleepy Head. Hurry and I'll help you with your armor.”
I sprang from the bed, quickly washed my face and began to dress. May had stepped out onto the veranda to watch the boulevard below.
I wore my usual battle attire — white tunic, black chausses over black hose, and black shoes. My scale mail on, I had May come back in and lace me up, then wrapped my cloak of hunter green about me. My belt, rapier and scabbard, dagger and scabbard, satchel, and I was ready.
“Is your satchel packed, Love? Don't forget, you'll need your clothes for your stay in Kruklig.”
"It's on the couch, Darling. I'll grab it when we're ready to go. Are you ready?”
"As much as I can be, May. My heart is beating out of my chest.”
"It's not your fight yet, My Love. This one is all mine. If I were to lose, then you may give Shardish a try, but not until then. So calm your heart. It's not helping either one of us. Let's go.”
In less than a moment, we were at the Daggers. This time situated on the leeward side of the rocks, and out of the fierce desert wind. The sky was just beginning to go orange as the sun began its descent into the Western horizon.
And he was there. He and Lasca. Shardish, resplendent in his copper armor, helmet under his arm, freshly oiled hair, the smell of sandalwood and myrrh coming off of him and carried on the breeze.
Lasca was in black robes with silver accents, funerary flowers and vines. She wore a tall black headdress with horns that mimicked those of Shardish's helmet and she carried a long staff that looked to be made of ebony, ending in twined snake heads. They were a terrifying sight.
“Your Majesties," Shardish said with a deep bow, “welcome to the Daggers. I must say, Queen May, your armor looks stunning this evening. Those of your alignment are typically so drab and drear. It's nice to see that you are as narcissistic as am I."
"There's nothing wrong with looking good for those special occasions,” May answered.
"It's your choice, Sir. Will we be in god form or nay?”
"I'll leave that up to you, Your Majesty. It makes no difference to me. I will be comfortable either way.”
"Very well, Sir. We go as is. No sense in doing it any other way. We are Paladins. This is what we do."
“Here, here, Ma'am. To the death.
“Draw steel, Sir!"
The two warriors pulled their swords from their back scabbards and began circling. My heart was beating like a stallion after a cavalry charge and my head was throbbing. It wasn't settling in that this was my May I was watching putting her life on the line like this.
I also had to keep an eye on Lasca to make sure nothing irregular was happening.
“You know, Dear Queen, I think I've changed my mind."
Shardish spoke some guttural words in the Black Tongue and promptly grew to giant size. He had decided to fight in god form after all. No matter. May was quick to follow his lead.
Lasca and I both backpedaled a hundred feet or so to give the gods ample room for their contest.
After several feints and sword touches, Shardish finally came in hard on May with his sword over his head yelling a shrill war cry before coming down at her vertically.
She spun to her right and came up at his exposed chest with a sweeping motion, startling him more than anything else. You weren't going to slice through full plate armor.
The two withdrew again, resuming their circling. As if on a cue, both Paladins began their own prayers of some sort and began to glow. The soft, shimmering light pulsing up and down the length of their weapons.
Shardish was the first to attack again, bringing his sword from behind his left hip and swinging with all of his might like he was threshing wheat. A quick step back allowed May to dodge the effort and she grabbed her blade with her left hand and thrust upward into the Pretender's codpiece. The sword gave off a blast of radiance, but the blade barely wedged through the chink there. It got through though enough to get to his thigh and pelvis, drawing blood and causing her enemy to stumble a bit as he stepped backward.
Without wasting a moment, Shardish rushed May and tackled her to the ground. He sat up on her chest and began to beat her in the helmet with the pommel of his sword.
One good buck of her hips though sent the villain sprawling. His injury making it a little more difficult to get back up. May raised her right leg and delivered a steel shod kick to the Paladin's head, knocking him on his back as he tried to rise to hands and knees.
Shardish quickly rolled across the sand in an effort to distance himself and May allowed it. Some damned sense of fair play or something. She couldn't do that with him. Not for this fight.
The Fire Elf scrambled to his knees and then stood with some effort. He put his hands forth, palms outward, and a humming bolt of glowing blackness shot at May across the distance. She dove to her left and the ink colored light just grazed her right ribcage. The amethyst on her chest lit up with a sudden brilliance and it seemed she hadn't been harmed at all.
Then it was her turn. She ran full bore at Shardish, taking him down hard to the sand. My feet momentarily leaving the ground as their several tons of body weight sent shockwaves across the desert floor.
She was up like a shot, pulling her dagger from its scabbard on her right hip and stabbing ferociously at any chink in his armor she could find. Shardish was reacting out of desperation now, struggling, twisting and turning to avoid the dagger's blade.
As she withdrew the thing, its length was covered in blood, bright crimson in the dwindling sunlight. Finally he was able to buck her off, but she had done some real damage. Through his helmet, you could hear the Oathbreaker struggling to catch his breath — blood dripping to the sand from several places in his armor.
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He bent and retrieved his monstrous greatsword as did May, and they resumed their quiet circling of one another. Shardish wasn't defeated, but he was obviously more bent over, his side steps less sure, his breath heavy and ragged. Then May began another prayer and her body began to glow with an intense light causing her adversary to momentarily shield his eyes. When he finally put his gauntleted hand back on the hilt of his sword, he got a steel point at the back of his neck, between helmet and armor and then a quick and his world went dark.
May left her blade there, held upright by Shardish's corpe. She once again unsheathed her dagger and began sawing the Pretender's head off, helmet and all.
I looked across to Lasca and she promptly vanished. Nothing left here for her. May and Shardish had both resumed their normal sizes.
“Bring me my satchel, My Love," she called out to me, and I did.
Rummaging for a moment, she produced a flask and proceeded to douse the fallen Paladin's body with oil. Using her flame cantrip she ignited the thing, sending it to the Flat Fields.
As she stood, I grabbed her and pulled her to me in a powerful embrace. My Warrior Queen.
“Let's get you home and cleaned up, My Precious. You were incredible this day. Let no one doubt who is the greatest Paladin in all the lands."
“I just want to lay quietly with you for a bit after I get this armor off and have a hot bath, Darling. Tell me we can do that."
“Of course we can, My Love. Let's go."
As soon as we were back in Nez Ambril, I had one of the young Wizards produce a hot tub of water in our rooms and had Waldinor produce the coldest bottle of rosé he could find. The tub was made big enough for two, and May and I just sat quietly in the steaming water, enjoying the wine and the moment until it was time for her to leave.
The rest of the party had already left for Kruklig. It would be lit for night, the city still alive with its endless thrum of activity.
With many kisses and tears between the both of us, I saw May off at just past eight bells. It would be different this time, though.
Janiver had done some things to improve the distance over which we could communicate via our lockets, more than doubling their range. So we would be in constant contact with the group in Kruklig. They just needed to be sure that no one saw them speaking into their lockets and thus giving anything away.
Once the first of the three teams met with Brevid's father, Ravin, and secured their rooms at Tyner's Rest, everything went smoothly. Eventually, May and I said our good nights and I meant to get as much rest as I could in a large and lonely bed. It had a different character without her. Soft but indifferent.
I couldn't sleep. I tossed, turned, kicked covers off, bundled up, flipped my pillows. It simply wouldn't come. The clock in the town center tolled one bell.
I debated having Waldinor prepare a hot milk for me or perhaps a toddy? But no, I had made a promise to May. I would keep a clear head whether it be exhausted or not.
Something peculiar happened then. Growing up on the coast you only miss the smell of sea salt in the air when you've been away for too long, but I was smelling it now. Then a rap came on the corner post of the bed and I jerked up.
“No need to be alarmed, My Prince." That last word dripped with derision. The voice was that of the Lasher. "Now is not the time.”
I was utterly defenseless.
"What are you doing here? What do you want?”
"I'm no Assassin, Mister Bascombe. If I were, you'd be wandering the Flat Fields right now."
I quickly thought of the Ethereal Plane, arrived there, and took on god form. He was right there within moments. I drew steel.
“No need for that, Sir. I'm not here to fight. I'm merely here to set the date for one. Where's the wife?”
"That's none of your concern, Mister Lorquayón, and I'm ready any time you are. Now kindly get out of here before my dishonorable side dictates my actions."
“Ah, we've been doing our research, haven't we? My whole name and all. Likely you know my sordid history as well. Research like that is time well spent, I believe. Kudos to you. As far as your threat of violence — it's been hundreds of years, Mister Bascombe, since I've so much as flinched at a threat. But I don't like loose ends, so I typically dispatch the one with the tongue so that they become an afterthought.
I think you'll make me exert myself a little more than my usual fights do, but scared? Concerned? No. Especially where a Human is concerned.”
"I like it when I'm underestimated, it gives …”
"Stop lying, Young Prince. You hate to be underestimated. You're truly a very insecure person and one of your greatest fears is that the things you do well will be overlooked. Probably has something to do with your parents. I'm guessing they weren't around much when you were a child.
Can we go back to your rooms, Prince? I find the Ethereal Plane to be terribly unnerving."
“No, this is where we part ways, Monk. When is the appointment?”
"Are all Humans so impolite? I think I've been rather cordial. Too cordial to be treated poorly.”
"Just give me the date, Mister Lorquayón. You don't count among those I consider worthy of my better social graces.”
"Very well, Mister Bascombe. Two days hence at sundown. You choose the location.”
"You know the Daggers?”
"Of course I do. Is that the spot then?”
"Yes. Two days from now, at sundown, at the Daggers, and we can settle this thing."
“Okay, Prince. I'll leave you to your attempts to sleep. That looks to be an utterly hellish nightly ritual, tossing around like that. Until our next meeting.”
And he vanished.
There was no going to sleep after that. I closed my eyes and tried, but it was too elusive for me after having the Lasher in my room like that. So I just laid there and stared at the ceiling. The last thing I remember was hearing four bells toll.
The next thing I knew, I was hearing a small voice saying “Your Majesty, Your Majesty !” over and over.
I slowly opened one eye to find Waldinor standing over me. The full sun was shining through the window and I still felt like I hadn't slept a wink.
“Your Majesty, it's after ten bells. You've slept all morning. People are worried about you."
“Who's worried about me Waldinor?"
“Well, um, Timmins is. And I am. Lady Valeria asked if I had seen you!"
“Well, I'm sorry I've caused so much anxiety. I barely had any sleep last night. There's just a lot going on right now, Waldinor. Things I can't discuss with you. Things I can't discuss with anybody.
Seriously, I'm deeply sorry if I've caused you the least concern. Or Timmins, élois bless you both. Would you fetch my usual breakfast for me, please? With a full pot of coffee, please?”
"Of course, Your Majesty!”
As he ran off, I opened my locket and May’s face appeared almost immediately.
"Ah, there you are! I was getting a little worried.”
"I barely slept last night, Love. I had a late visit from the Lasher.”
"What! He was there?”
"Yes. With an invitation he wanted to deliver personally. I am to meet him tomorrow at sundown at the Daggers. You can come, but no interference. Agreed?”
"Of course, Darling! I would do nothing to damage your honor. You know I expect the same. But by élois how I worry for you, My Prince.”
"What are your plans for today? Surveillance?”
"Yes, Dear. Janiver is setting up something. I think she's going with the vultures as well. Have them circling the place until we see some activity with supply wagons or whatnot.”
"You mustn't do anything to arouse suspicions in the city.”
"Certainly not. Janiver has us covered there as well. She's using her spell to try to collect what information she can from any Elves or anyone looking slightly suspicious.”
"Darling, if I didn't say it last night, I want to express how very proud I am of you. The way you handled Shardish is one for the legends. I couldn't be more proud to call you my wife.”
"Thank you, Dear. I love you too. And it was a pleasure doing what I did last night. I usually try to not let hatred consume me. It can cause slip ups. But against him, it was like a raging fire that focused me.”
"The brooch might have helped in that area a little as well, Love. That's one of its attributes.”
"Ah, yes. I forgot about the brooch. It likely helped against that bolt he sent at me as well. Thank you for that, Love.”
"Well, it's not as if you wouldn't have beaten him anyway. We've seen a pattern with the Pretenders. Their egos trip them up quite often. It causes them to make rash decisions and act on impulse. Meanwhile, you stay cold, level-headed. Let them come to you. It's a good strategy. I don't know if it will work against the Lasher. He is very smart for a martial. And, like you, he is in control of his emotions and his mind. He'll be a formidable opponent. But you inspired me last night, May. You truly did.”
"Thank you, My Beloved. I must go now. I think Janiver has spotted something of interest at the castle.”
"Okay, Love. Just keep me posted on whatever you find. And if you run into trouble, I'm right here. Be careful.”
"Always.”