Sir Nicklaus

The Emperor had summoned his knights…and they had answered his summons. They knew that it was a matter of great importance. They waited patiently as their Emperor began to address them…

Except Sir Nicklaus who was sweating profusely under his armor, having forgotten to put on the protective covering that aided in preventing such an eventuality. He had been in a hurry, having been discovered by the messenger in a position deemed decidedly un-knight-like. In his bid to save both the messenger and himself from the ensuing embarrassment, he had dressed hurriedly, mounted his horse and ridden away before realizing he had left the messenger behind, had not eaten anything, not to forget the door he had forgotten to close, and oh that potion…throughout the ride, he had known even with all the things he had forgotten, there was one other he would be most vexed to have forgotten.

Now standing in the close company of several other knights, he had finally remembered what he had forgotten and as predicted, he was most vexed.

The Emperor finished his address and dismissed his knights. The Baron of Normandy, in the absence of the Duke who was away on another errand, gathered his knights for a tete-a-tete. He had seen that Sir Nicklaus, the recent recipient of a knighthood because he had bravely jumped in front of a lady and prevented her pretty frock from being splashed by mud, had not been paying attention. He gleefully stroked his armor, ready to take some revenge.

“So Sir Nicklaus, I hope you are ready to attend to your errand.”

All the knights snickered and Klaus on cue turned a bright shade of tomato red. He couldn’t possibly say he had no idea what the Baron was talking about so looked around, fervently hoping to locate his friend Sir Pitts. Just as he started to sweat in earnest, he had had no idea he could produce so much of this particular bodily fluid, he located Pitts who nodded imperceptibly.

“Yes sir,” he said loudly, beating a fist to his chest that let out a god awful clang.

The snickering turned into a guffaw. With sweat dripping down his nose, Klaus muttered, “I’ll be on my way then,” and made his way to Pitts who nudged him towards the stables.

*

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Find Lady Greta,” said Pitts reading from the scroll with the Emperor’s official seal, “and err…”

“What, what does it say?”

“Drag her back home. If she does not cooperate, we are authorized to…urm…”

Getting impatient, Klaus tore the scroll from his friend’s hands and quickly scanned the writing. “Kidnap her?”

Pitts groaned. He knew what the Baron thought of Klaus’ knighthood. To be fair, all of them, he was ashamed to say even he, thought it had been grossly unfair. But for the vociferous Lady Greta, he wouldn’t have received one. It was a sore point for all. “Yes, in effect, we have been authorized, by the Emperor no less, to kidnap Lady Greta if she refuses to accompany us.”

“This is madness, I hope you see that.”

“Go tell that to the Emperor.”

That effectively shut both of them up. Lady Greta was betrothed to the Emperor and a more willful character he had never encountered. It was one of the reasons he adored her so but also one he wished she would temper with her good sense.

“Do we know why?” Whatever his thoughts on his knighthood, Pitts did like Klaus. They had been best mates since they were twelve and he did not want the dark cloud to continue anymore than it needed to. It was a long journey and it would become tedious if Klaus was not in his usual good spirits.

“Only rumours.” Klaus and Lady Greta, after the incident, had become somewhat close leading to a whole lot inappropriate correspondence – from the lady’s side, nothing from his, mind. The last one had made him sweat with anxiety so much that he hadn’t been able to sleep till he had burnt the letter, collected the ash and sent it rolling to the heavens.

“Do tell.”

Klaus, a tad self-importantly, went into an abridged version of what he knew had transpired. The Emperor had discovered the correspondence between Lady Greta and Sir Nicklaus. She had brushed it off as a ruler getting to know a subject but the mounting jealousy of the Emperor and the mounting rebellion of Lady Greta had led to an explosive fight. She had then removed herself from her chambers, citing the need for some air away from the clawing confines of the Emperor’s temper and for good measure, left the engagement ring behind.

It was a mark of her ingenuity that her departure had gone unnoticed till she failed to turn up for a reconciliatory breakfast. Sir Nicklaus had been specially recruited for this errand to send two messages to the Empress-to-be: one as an apology and one as a sign of trust.

“The Emperor must genuinely love her,” whistled Pitts, impressed.

Klaus shrugged noncommittally, choosing to reserve judgment. Not that anyone was asking him but in his opinion, had the Emperor truly loved Lady Greta, he would have gone on this errand himself.

*

The Lady Greta had been reposing in an inn, an unscheduled stop in her itinerary, which is why it took the knights the better part of the night and the next afternoon to finally locate her. That was the only acceptable reason for two of the Emperor’s fearless and gallant knights to fail so miserably.

“We were expecting you sooner, weren’t we Prudy.”

“Aye.”

“How do men, do you suppose Prudy, fight in their big wars and be declared heroes, if they are unable to find a hapless lady with an entourage the size of a town?”

“Aye.”

The knights grimaced and Klaus had started to sweat again. “My Lady Greta…”

“I am not your lady Sir Nicklaus…” she purred, “not yet.”

“My lady we have been…” began Sir Pitts but was rudely silenced by Klaus.

“What would Lady Greta need for this to go smoothly?”

The lady simpered with delight. “Now there’s the man I fought so viciously with husband-to-be to be given a knighthood. You will have to do as I please and maybe then I will reconsider your offer.”

“But my lady the Emperor is most anxious…” Pitts tried again but stopped. Lady Greta’s eyes were on fire. He was suddenly afraid. Gulping, he looked at Klaus then turned to the lady. “What would my lady like us to do?”

Eyes gleaming with supressed mirth, she declared, “I would like both of you to strip to your trousers and duel for my party’s entertainment.”

*

“She is finally asleep,” said Pitts as he sat down on a stone. He groaned, massaging his back. “Did you send the messenger ahead?”

Klaus nodded, envious of the man who had been given a reprieve from the demands of the Lady Greta. He had changed his opinion. The Emperor loved the lady, and that was precisely why he hadn’t come himself. Imagine the Emperor doing everything Pitts and he had had to do in order to entertain her. Abomination! He would have become a laughing stock of the empire in no time. If anything, Klaus now had a deeper respect for the Emperor.

“She’s never going to leave us, is she?”

Sir Nicklaus glowered. “I heard talk she wants us as her personal bodyguards once she becomes Empress.”

Pitts let out a long, low moan. He picked up his beer mug that had gone hot next to the fire, “To our last night of freedom and pride then.”

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Written for the prompt given by Nidheesh Samant. Read more here about Finish the story collaboration.