Fantasy Drops of Ember (with TheDarkButterfly)

[TheDarkButterfly]

Knight nodded. "Good. We'll have one ready to go for you when the time comes, then. The ride won't be hard, so don't worry about that."

Ame cleared her throat. "Anyways, do you have any more questions for us at the moment? We'd be happy to-"

"I think that's enough questions of you guys for now." Knight cut in over her, ignoring the irritated look on Ame's face. "If you don't mind, I would like a moment with Cinder. Alone." He emphasized and Ame and Triever exchanged looks.

"Just....don't say too much." Ame warned him as they stood to go. "Remember to leave some of the explanation for the Lady." At Knight's nod of agreement they left.

Knight waited a moment to be sure that they had gone before turning to Cinder, concern in his eyes. "Are you alright? Do you want to sit down?" He offered her. It seems that he had noticed her distress where the other two had not.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She wrapped her arms around her middle, finding it hard to push out the words she needed to say. That she needed time to herself, that she wasn't in the right mind set to continue the questioning. That the prince's death, even at her own hands, had messed her up. Stars, what were they going to say when they found out? Could she even be what they expected her to be at this point? Her stomach twisted, turning into knots.

Thankfully, Knight's words cut through her growing chaos. Her head snapped towards him and it's then that she noticed her hands balling tightly against her sides. With some difficulty, she forced herself to loosen them. She blinked owlishly as Knight expertly kicked them out, with all the manners that she lacked.

"I --" She hesitated, raising a hand to run over her face. But she stopped as she noticed how much her hand shook. The mere sight of that made her suck in a sharp breath. "That... Would be for the best." Her voice seemed to come from a great distance, like she was underwater. Finding a tree stomp, she trudged over and sank down. Then she rubbed a hand over her face, listening to the bird call and the gentle, bubbling brook in the back ground. The sounds of nature helped somewhat, but she still had to say it. "I don't know if I can be what they want me to be." She didn't bother looking up to see what Knight was thinking.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

He was silent a long moment at her words and then gently knelt in front of her on one knee, properly looking the hero in the way the light can down and shone on the white of his outfit. "Then don't be." He said simply. "Life holds many expectations, Cinder. It is not our purpose to meet each one, but to meet the ones we want to. It took me a long time to understand that." There was an undercurrent of....something...in his voice. A tone that spoke of experience and that he truly believed his own words. "What you did, while it does help our efforts, you still suffered for it. It's nothing to be ashamed of if you find it distressing."

He fell silent again and sighed after a second. "Cinder, there are many things that I wish we could explain to you, but they are not our place to do so yet. Just know that I understand, even a little bit, the difficulty that comes from expectations of others and yourself."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She couldn't look at him, ashamed as she was by her own admission. She sensed him coming though, and her shoulders bunched up towards her ears. When he knelt down in front of her, she suddenly couldn't find herself looking away from him. She'd expected him to be disappointed in her. Perhaps a little upset? Not this. There was a tone in his voice that she tried to place... But she didn't know to what he could be referring to.

Looking down at her hands, she clenched them together. Taking in a deep breath, she nodded. Like she, he also had a lot of expectations placed on him. She wasn't alone here, she had to remember that. "Thanks and... Sorry. I shouldn't have unloaded that onto you, like that."

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

He smiled and it was almost....sad. "Cinder, never ever think you have to apologize to me. Especially about something like this. I am as much of a stranger in this place, despite what it may look like. Ame and I have barely known each other for three days. So let's make a deal, eh? You rely on me, and I shall do the same. Sound fair?" He held a hand out for her to take, his eyes serious behind the mask. "And no matter what happens Cinder, I will always be on your side. This I swear to you here and now." It was clear that he meant every word to her. "Even if you choose to leave this place, here and now, I will be on your side."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She was... hypnotized, almost, by his words. They were pretty words, true; but more than that, they were sincere. She felt like she could trust him, despite how long they've known each other so far. He'd literally saved her life, after all. Biting the inside of her cheek, she considered his outstretched hand. She needed someone that she could trust, she wasn't blind. Not just to watch her back, but someone that she could rely on. Letting out a soft breath, her eyes fluttered up to his as she reached out to grasp his hand. She still felt somewhat shaky, but she no longer felt like she was about to break into pieces.

"Thank you," she breathed, and really, she could not have meant it more if she tried. A lump entered her throat and she tried to swallow it back. And yet, she couldn't help but wondering in the back of her mind... Where did that vast loyalty come from?

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

He gently squeezed the hand she gave him. "Of course Cinder." He gave her one last squeeze and released her, standing. "We can stay here for a while if you'd like, or I can leave you be for a while. I will still be near just in case, but some time to yourself can be given." Knight offered to her. "Quiet time to yourself is always a good thing, I would say. Later it will become harder to take these moments. Or I can stay with you and we can talk, or even just stay together in silence. The choice is yours, Cinder."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

Her brows furrowed at the feeling he gave her. It wasn't really a sense of euphoria, but more so a sense of calm. It wasn't something she was used to, being able to rely on someone else. As he stood, she cocked her head back to consider him. She thought about what she wanted, and what would make her feel better the most. Squaring her shoulders, she tried to offer him a reassuring smile, even if it came across more tired than she was hoping. "I appreciate all you've done today," more than he could possibly know, in fact. "But I think I'd like some time to myself." Especially since she didn't want to blow up at him...

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

"Of course Cinder. I'll just be a call away. Let me know when you're ready to go back." He gave her one last gentle smile and then was gone, fading into the surrounding woods rather quickly despite the white of his garb.

He walked a distance, being careful to stay within earshot of Cinder, and selected a place to sit in the sun filtering through the leaves. He sat in silence for a while, thinking on everything that he wished he could tell her. It was unfair to keep his identity from her, but so painfully necessary that it kept him from pulling off his mask before her and revealing himself. He sighed, touching the mask, feeling the details of the silver workings beneath his fingers. He didn't understand why he was given this chance to be better, but he was grateful for it. For the sake of the kingdom and its people, he would do whatever it took to dethrone the Queen and place a new Monarch on the throne.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

After he left, she wasn't sure how long she sat there. Her ears were attuned to the sounds of the bird call, and the bubbling brook not too far away. She tried to keep her head from cycling back to that night. More difficult than she was hoping considering how she could see so many reminders. And strangely enough, there was something about Knight... He reminded her of someone. The deja vu was there, elusive and just out of reach. She shook herself a bit and closed her eyes, tilting her chin up towards the air. Anything to brush aside troubling thoughts. It took her a bit to fully lose herself to the gentle brush of warm air, but soon enough, she found herself relaxing.

After what she'd done, it'd take her some time to get over it. It didn't matter if it was for the 'good of all'. As much as she detested the thought, she had to be patient with herself. But at least she had Knight on her side, and speaking of that...

She suddenly leaned forward, thinking carefully over that moment. How she'd almost had a panic attack. It could happen again. Maybe she could develop some kind of code with him on the off chance that it did happen again.

That was probably a good compromise.

Certain of her next step, she stood and brushed off her pants of imaginary dust. Then she turned and called out to Knight, "I'm ready to go back!"

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

He heard her call, tensing for a moment before realizing that there was no urgency in her voice. He stood from his spot and dusted his pants off before heading back towards her. He materialized out of the trees and smiled slightly at her. "Feel a little better now, Cinder?" He asked her, having enjoyed the bit of time to himself as well. "Also, I wanted to tell you that Triever means well, but he can be a bit.....exhausting....sometimes. Don't feel bad if you need to take time away from him. I know that I had to spend time away from him as well so I didn't try to strangle the man. You do get used to him, though."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She waited, arms crossed, for him to show up. Really, she sensed him before she saw or heard him. The heat that radiated from him made her feel like she'd burn beneath it. A small frown pulled at her lips as she resolved to keep a bit of physical distance between herself and him. When he materialized from the trees, she was dismayed to find that the heat budding from him worsened with the proximity. She couldn't help but pull a face, only to roughly rub at her nose. As if that would change the sudden heat setting her nerves ablaze. And yet, before she could scarcely pay it any attention, the intense heat had faded.

"I'm... Fine." She licked her lips, her eyes suddenly drooping. Maybe... Maybe I'm just tired. That had to be it. It took her some effort to focus on Knight's words, with the exhaustion dropping into her mind like an anchor. It pulled at her, threatening to tug her down to drown beneath it. "Yeah, I'm sure he's... Not bad." She offered with a slight shrug. She'd met plenty of people like him. It was just unfortunate luck that he picked the one part of her life where she was currently struggling with... Well, all this. "But I'll keep that in mind," she promised him and offered him a reassuring smile.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

He returned her smile gently. "You look like you could use some more rest. Come on, let's head back and you can take a nap if you'd like. You've been through a lot in these past few days. I'm sure it's catching up with you." He looked around a moment. "I'm sure you'd prefer a bed to nap in instead of finding a spot out here. Although if you'd really want to, I'm sure I could find a nice tuft of grass for you to curl up on." His eyes sparkled with amusement beneath the mask as he teased her a little. "Or I could lend you a shoulder to drool on."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

Yeah, she definitely needed the rest. Stifling a yawn behind the back of her hand, she offered a tired nod. As tempting the thought was to just find a good spot to nap outside, she doubted that she'd get enough sleep. For one, the bed would be far more comfortable. For two, her anxiety was bound to convince her that there was some hidden danger. Which was fair, she supposed, but was still a valid reason for why she might not get much sleep out there. It was the man's last words that really provoked a reaction out of her. She snorted, pinning him with a deadpan look. "No thanks, I'd much rather have a comfy bed." She started past him with her head held high, trying to ignore the heat that radiated from him. Before she could completely get past him, she found herself huffing. "Perhaps you should cool off."

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Knight chuckled at her reply and followed after her. "I thought most people found comfort in heat? Although I'd like to think I'm rather cool-headed." He joked. "But yes, I'm sure a bed is a much more comfortable option than my shoulder." Even though he knew that they were safe in these woods, he still scanned the trees for any suspicious movement as they walked. One could never be too safe when it came to the Queen. These white clothes made him quite conspicuous, but that had been a bit of the point of them. The Lady had wanted him to be visible, a beacon of the resistance against the Queen. Putting a target on his back also took it off the others as well.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

The next few days were spent with Cinder settling in to her new home. Or trying to, that is. With every moment that seemed to pass, she only grew more and more antsy. She needed a next step, a clear way forward. Seeing the Lady seemed like the next logical step. Knight and Ame were both patient with her, for the most part. And that time in the forest hadn't been the first time she'd freaked out, nor did she really think there'd ever be a time when she wouldn't freak out. Knight had been as reassuring as he possibly could. Over those next few days he'd become more than an ally, he'd essentially become her rock. She relied on him more often than not. Cinder was afraid that it'd make her feel weak but...

No, it made her feel more sane.

Perhaps that feeling of saneness was what drove her to seek them out that morning, to tell them that she was ready to meet the Lady. Regardless of her feelings, regardless of if she was actually ready or not. That feeling that pounded in every fiber of her being said that she had to be ready. That every moment with the Queen at rule would only prove to worsen relations, between her and the people, and the countries.

So she had to do something more than just wait.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Knight was tending to the white war stallion that had been given to him by the Lady to use. It was a surprisingly gentle beast despite its size and training and had taken to him immediately. He clucked to it softly as it lipped at his cloak, brushing the muscled neck free of the dust it had rolled in. He still hadn't come up with a name for the creature despite all the time they had spent together, but it didn't seem to mind. Ame had teased him a couple of times for it, but it didn't make choosing a name any easier.

A chestnut mare came over to also nibble at him, demanding attention from Knight as well. He patted her nose a moment, promising her a brush as well once he was done. She snorted at him in annoyance, tugging at him again before moving to lip his hair. He chuckled at her impatience and turned to her, brushing her instead. She whickered in contentment, leaving his hair alone.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

"You love them, don't you?" She raised a brow, hefting a bag up onto her shoulder. She'd packed as lightly as she possibly could in order to lower the weight for the horses. Sure, they might have been trained to carry large things great distances, but she still wanted to make the journey as easy as possible for them. Not to mention, carrying lightly would be easier on her as well. She eyed the horses cautiously as she ventured closely. Horses could be rather rude when they wanted to be, especially towards strangers.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

"Horses are easier to understand than people are." He answered, smiling at her over the mare's neck. "And they understand you more than people realize." The mare turned her head, pricking her ears forward at Cinder. She watched her a moment before deciding to leave Knight to snuff at Cinder's pockets for any treats. Knight chuckled again. "Alright, greedy-guts. Leave her be." He patted the mare's rump before turning to the stallion again, checking the straps of the saddle one last time before patting him affectionately. "REady to go?" He asked Cinder, glancing at her over his shoulder.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She wouldn't have considered that purely over horses alone. She liked animals, don't get her wrong, but she'd rarely been around horses. Not to the point where she really understood their temperaments. Nodding at Knight, she considered the two horses before her and felt... Distinctly amused. As she reached out to carefully pet the chestnut mare, she gestured to the white stallion. "Let me guess. That one's yours? Very on brand, I must say." And as the mare turned to sniff at her pockets, she let out a small laugh. "Sorry, I don't have anything for you." She shook her head slightly, before meeting Knight's look.

The journey ahead made her somewhat anxious, but she couldn't not be ready. With a small smile, she nodded. "I'm ready."

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Knight laughed. "I must say, I didn't choose him, but he certainly chose me. The Lady gave him to me as a gift before I left her realm. She said that a White Knight couldn't be without a steed as noble as him." He scoffed slightly at the idea of him being noble before turning to Cinder fully. "Anyways, both of them have made the journey to the Lady before. They knew the way as well as I do." He scratched the ears of the stallion as he pushed his great head against Knight's chest. "That one there is a bit sassy sometimes." He warned Cinder about the mare. "She's got a mind of her own and can be as stubborn as a mule when she wants." The mare snorted indignantly, swiveling her head around to stare at him sharply. Knight just laughed out loud. "Sorry, my lady." He bowed to her. "That was rude of me." He pulled out an apple from his pocket and sliced at it with a knife for a moment, splitting it in half for the two horses. The mare took his peace offering gracefully.

He chuckled as the stallion took his own share and slid the knife away. "Need help getting that tied?" He asked Cinder about the bag. "And I can give you a boost if you'd like."

 

[Shy2Infinity]

Even she had to admit that his cheer was infectious. She found herself smiling a lot more in his presence, a miracle to be sure. Really, she didn't expect herself to be feeling much of anything after those first two days. We're allies now, she told herself and maybe if she told herself it enough, she'd believe it. As Knight spoke, she smothered the snicker that threatened to burst from her lips. "I'm starting to realize that you and the Lady have the dumbest humor." 'Knight' being a knight in shining armor, with a heroic attire and a horse as white as purely driven snow? Honestly, one had to wonder if they weren't overdoing it with the symbolism.

On cue, she turned her attention to the mare at her side. Well, if the mare could be stubborn then she could be just as stubborn as well! Once again smothering a smile, she reached out and tentatively brushed a hand along the mare's mane. "At least my ride won't be boring." And wow, when the mare turned her head towards Knight, she could see a lot of personality in those eyes. It almost made her laugh.

As Knight offered his help she shook her head and waved away his concern. "Nah, I've got it!" ... Maybe. She'd only done this once, or twice in the distant past after all. But she'd watched Knight tie off his pack, so she was willing to try herself. While she attempted to tie off her pack, she struggled somewhat, until it seemed like Knight had to help her after all. She shot him a stubborn look, but offered little other than that. And once the pack was tied off, she grabbed the reigns and hauled herself up onto the horse.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

He smiled to himself at her stubbornness and easily swung up into the saddle, an easy and practiced movement that spoke of years of riding. At this point it was just natural. He cut quite the figure on the white beast, all of the white in the sunlight making them almost glow. The stallion's own size made Knight all the taller, making him almost tower over Cinder on the mare. The stallion snorted, shifting beneath Knight before quieting at a pat on his neck.

Ame came over to them, handing Knight a pack to take along with him for the Lady. "Safe travels." She told the both of them, giving Cinder's mare a pat. "Give Triever my best."

"Of course, Ane. I'll come back as soon as I can. Hopefully, the Lady has good news for us."

Ane nodded. "Hopefully. Take your time there, though. There's no rush getting back, as you know."

"Right. See you later, Ane." Knight gently nudged the stallion into a slow walk, the others of the village watching as the two of them disappeared into the woods.

 

[Shy2Infinity]

She bit the inside of her cheek, resisting the ridiculous urge to roll her eyes at him. She had no doubt that he enjoyed all the ironies of being the 'Knight'. Why else would he look so at home on a white stallion, with his pure disguise? She wrung the reins between her hands, noticing how Knight's size immensely dwarfed her. It was insanely unfair.

Tilting her head slightly, she noticed Ame coming towards them and her mood got significantly more serious. As Ame offered Knight a pack and spoke her peace, she nodded. She looked away as the two spoke, considering the woods surrounding them. It'd be unrealistic of her to think that nothing would happen on their journey, no matter how short of a travel it was. Come what may, she had to be ready.

She felt strangely subdued, as she noticed other people from the village. It was hard to get any words pass the strange feeling that settled in her chest. "I'll try to keep Knight out of trouble," she huffed and stood a little straighter, fighting back the awkwardness through her will alone. With a deep breath, she gently nudged her own mare into a walk and led her after Knight's stallion.

 

[TheDarkButterfly]

Knight was quiet until they were out of sight of the village and then spoke to Cinder. "There are things you should know about the Lady's realm before we enter it. Her realm is very special. Time flows differently there. I spent a long time there myself before I came to the village and ultimately to rescue you. It's a bit hard to judge how it flows exactly, but you can spend days there and it only be hours here. For us, it will feel like it'll take a few days to get there, but hardly any time will pass here at all." He glanced back at her, gauging her reaction and waiting for the inevitable questions of who the Lady really was, their purpose for going to her, and who he was and why had he gone to the Lady himself. Those last two would be very difficult to answer.