Antithesis, The White Knight
#3 of Antithesis
Alrighty, the next installment of antithesis is finally ready for uploading. I hope you will enjoy it.
As always, comments are apprecaited and requested.
Continued from '...and Night'
15, 044 years AME
The quiet click of stone on stone was barely audible over the hubbub of the main hall of the Kit'ranth manor house. Shandi smiled across the small table at Kaia, waving with a hand. Kaia was originally a servant that her father had insisted tend to her needs, the first servant that had served her and her alone. As Shaden had been given Lani, Shandi had been given Kaia. At first, she had resented her father just giving someone to her, as if Kaia had been a piece of property, but it turned out to be a very good relationship after all. Kaia was intelligent, thoughtful and actually very nice. She took good care of Shandi and the young noblewoman had declared her a handmaiden rather than just a servant, raising her status in the eyes of the other nobles. But still, even though she was close to being a friend, Shandi didn't truly trust her, not with her deepest thoughts and concerns at any rate. She had decided years ago that there was no one she could trust with those. Still, all in all, she was happy to have her. Kaia scanned the tabletop and then smiled, moving one of the black rooks forward a few spaces. Shandi carefully scanned the new arrangement of pieces spread across the chessboard, trying to come up with a strategy that would end the game in a victory for her.
The hall where the two were seated was an airy, open room, easily a hundred strides across in both directions, many stories tall and well lit by a dozen towering windows, some filled with elegant designs of stained glass. It was shaped with many elegantly carved pillars supporting the roof, rising in a double rank up from the middle of the wide hall, the rows connected at the top by beautiful arches which had taken master artisans years to complete, creating a towering vault along the center of the hall, giving the illusion of openness. On the far western end of the hall, a chair much like to a throne rested upon a short platform, facing the entrance set into the easternmost arch so that at the right time of day, a person seated upon it would be framed by the setting sun.
The room was designed with raised galleries on the north and south sides of the hall, built off the line of pillars so that one had to pass through an almost enclosed space of stone before coming into the open space before the chair at the western end, the narrow space channeling the sunlight down its length. But the way the second floor of the huge chamber had been designed, the wide columns created small alcoves, each placed below one of the windows that lit the lower floor, illuminating the enclosed space, and providing platforms from which one might look down on the proceedings below. Sometimes ranks of guards were placed there, providing extra protection for the leader of house Kit'ranth that would sit within the carven chair. But today the alcoves stood empty for the most part, the extra guards not needed for this occasion.
Shandi and her handmaiden were currently occupying an alcove on the south side, near to the middle of the hall. The sun streaming in from the high window beside them illuminated Shandi's brilliant white fur and wings, making her seem as if she glowed, which, to any magic user, she did, so much power did she now command. If one were to see her from the main floor, it might look as if she were a spirit only, some servant of the gods sent to the mortal plain, not a young member of house Kit'ranth. Not that most of the people who had gathered on the main floor of the hall today could see her. She had moved the short table with the chessboard back from the edge of the balcony, though both she and Kaia could still see all but the part of the room directly under the southern columns.
Smiling as a new strategy took shape in her mind, Shandi shifted the position of her queen, threatening the black rook Kaia had moved and the black priest that was supporting it. Normally, the pair played their daily chess games outside in the gardens, enjoying the warm sunshine and the scents of the garden's wildflowers. But today of all days, she was required to be here, inside the stuffy manor house, though the main hall was more to her liking than most of the rooms, open and airy as it was.
Today was an important day for house Kit'ranth, a day so important that representatives of all its worlds, and all of its political allies as well, were present in the hall, their entourages lining the open-topped corridor on both sides. Lord Nael'eth himself sat in the raised throne on the west end, his brother flanking him on one side, and Shaden on the other, the black fur of Shandi's twin brother standing out among all the grey spotted leopards of the family's guards. The guards lined the raised dais upon which Lord Neal'eth sat, dressed in ceremonial armor for the occasion. While their everyday armor was simple steel, this armor was painted an elegant black, trimmed in light blue, the colors of house Kit'ranth. Nael'an was dressed in armor similar to that of the guards, only much more ornate, and accompanied by a long black cloak with the insignia of the family upon it, as befitted his place as the head of the family's personal army. Shandi's brother was dressed in clothing that was all black, as was his usual style for formal occasions, though for today he wore clothes with the crest of house Kit'ranth standing out in blue upon them. He had assumed a major role in the political maneuverings of the family since he had come of age a year ago, already pulling off political maneuvers even her father could not have done.
Standing nearest her family on the north and south side of the hall were members of the four noble families currently aligned with house Kit'ranth. Three of those families were snow leopards, their representatives dressed in green, blue and yellow clothing of velvet, trimmed in varying colors, their entourages clothed in similar, though less finely crafted garments. The fourth family was leopards as well, though their fur was of brighter yellow and brown. That family had been the most recent of the four to become an ally, and some of their other allies still looked on them with suspicion, and with good reason. Originally, that family had been allied with house Kirinus, their main political rival, but Shaden had lured them away, though he refused to say how. Unlike the other allied families, their clothing was all of fine silk, dyed purest violet, with elegant black designs picked out upon it. Each of those families had been allowed to bring along a small group of guards, as well as servants and heralds, though fewer as a rule than stood with Neal'eth, their guard's ceremonial armor painted in the colors of their houses. Shandi thought that they all looked a little overawed by the size and splendor of the great hall, but most of them concealed it well. Not so the representatives of the worlds under Kit'ranth's control.
Shandi's wandering thoughts were drawn back to the chess game a moment later when Kaia moved her own queen forward to defend the threatened pieces. Shandi took a moment to examine the board in its new configuration, making sure that her plans would still work, that she had covered every possible countermove. Then, still smiling, she shifted one of her own priests, advancing it into an open position, hoping her handmaiden would take the bait. While she waited for Kaia to make her next move, she returned her thoughts to the gathered nobles and representatives below her. Next in line after the noble families were the worlds that house Kit'ranth controlled. They were always far more interesting to look at than the members of the other noble families, all of whom were as much alike to her own family as they could be.
These other representatives varied from people as much like the families of the ruling class as the nobles themselves to wild, barbaric individuals clad all in hides and leathers, the latter coming from the primitive worlds that had been conquered by house Kit'ranth. These were only allowed a trio of servants each, though many came with less. Still, the hall was filled with interesting people as it never had been before. Even the priesthood and the orders of magi had sent representatives to this important meeting. For today was the day when the most sought after world in existence would seal its alliance with house Kit'ranth. It had been only after the Antarian King had agreed to ally himself with their house that Lord Neal'eth and his family had learned that all of the independent houses had been trying to get the Antarians, and their massive army, to ally with them. But today, Antaria would become the ally of Kit'ranth, and they would pass their rivals in strength.
Already, the official treaty had been signed by both houses, pledging friendship between them. Only the members of house Kit'ranth knew just how much that treaty favored them. Though the Antarians were now called allies, they were closer to being under the direct control of house Kit'ranth then not. But despite this, the Antarian king had insisted upon sending some representative to seal the agreement, as if the treaty wasn't enough. Shandi personally didn't know why her presence was required for this occasion. She had long since made it clear that she had no interest in politics and her father, though disappointed, had seemed to accept that fact. But both he and Shaden had asked her to attend, obviously thinking it important, though the reasons why were not apparent to her.
Judging by the amount of activity on the ground floor, the time was fast approaching that the Antarian representative was slated to arrive. Sighing out of frustration at her family, she watched as Kaia took the advanced priest with her queen, playing right into her mistress' paws. Shandi smiled, reaching out to move the last piece of her plan into place, listening as Kaia spoke quietly, asking the question that Shandi herself had wondered at for some time.
"Who do you think the Antarian King is sending, my lady?" She asked, watching as Shandi took hold of the last remaining white knight on the board, moving it forward and to the left, taking up a position where it threatened both the queen and the rook, the loss of either piece being one that opened Kaia's defenses.
"I don't know Kaia, probably some sycophant or ambassador." Shandi replied, her tone scornful, for the family had far too many of those around already. And then, at the exact moment her hand left the white knight in its new position on the board, the commotion of the chamber below was cut off, all present falling silent with a suddenness that made it almost jarring, as if a spell had been cast upon the assembly. Shandi looked up from the chess game, both her and her handmaiden turning to face the doors that led into the hall. A great feeling of anticipation rose within the room, making the fur of all present stand on end. For a few moments longer, there was silence, and then, the doors were thrust aside by the guards with a hollow boom, the sudden movement startling a few of the guests in the silent, charged atmosphere.
And, when the representative of Antaria entered the hall, Shandi found herself rising to her feet, walking to the edge of the balcony in surprise, for the representative was not as she had expected. She had expected some courtier accompanied by servants, but that wasn't even close to what had just walked in. At first, she thought that somehow the King of that far world had sent a being of pure white light, so brightly did the lone individual gleam in the light streaming in from the windows. But, as her eyes adjusted to the brilliant reflection, she realized that it was not so; the Antarian entering the chamber was flesh and blood. But she could not help but stare at him, so different was he then the people she had seen her whole life.
His muzzle and ears were more angular than a feline's, giving him a look that was exotic, fierce, and, after one got over the different shape, noble as well. He had appeared to be made all of white light because his hair, a long mane that stretched down his back, and his fur itself were both pure white. But more than that, he was clad in plate armor and chainmail of glittering, polished metal, the light reflecting upon them brightly. But the plates of the armor could not be crafted of steel, for its luster was almost perfectly akin to that of a mirror, pure and shining, much brighter than any steel that Shandi had heard of. Hung at his side on a baldric of oiled red leather was a long hand and a half sword in a jeweled scabbard, the cross-guard and hilt cap on either side of the hilt's leather wrappings shining of pearl and silver. He wore no cloak, no badge of rank as far as Shandi could see, only a kite shield that hung at his back, bearing a coat of arms. The lower three fourths of the shield was royal blue, the remaining forth bright yellow-gold. Three white fleur de lis outlined in black floated in the golden field, evenly spaced within the gold. Though simple, it looked like a proud insignia, though Shandi could not guess what it entailed.
The warrior walked with an even tread, the clank of his armored boots the only sound in the still hall, echoing high up into the vaulted ceiling in the sudden silence. His very appearance exuded confidence and strength unmatched, so much that even the fierce, war-like barbarians along the hall's edge seemed awed by him. His face showed nothing, not fear or anger or even anticipation, his gaze focused on the three nobles at the end of the hall, as if all the other people present were of no consequence whatsoever. He gave the impression of fearing nothing at all, though he was surrounded by strange warriors and nobles, most carrying weapons of some sort. And yet, for all of that, he didn't look fearsome, or foreboding as other professional warriors did. In fact, he looked quite magnificent, almost majestic, though Shandi did not know what made her think that at first.
And then, as he drew nearer to where she was standing, more details came into view. While most of his armor had the brilliant, almost unnatural silver luster, she realized that each piece was also bordered with pure white tracery in beautiful, ornate patterns; braidwork intertwined with leafy vines and runes of a kind she had never seen before. She could sense something odd about the armor, though what it was she couldn't place; an odd quality within its shining surface that drew her attention. She could also see that the warrior was young, hale and in his prime, his face unlined by age or weariness. And then, as he walked near to where she stood, she saw the warrior's eyes flick upward briefly, catching her gaze for a moment, never pausing in his stride, but the brief look was more than enough.
His eyes were blue, piercing and thoughtful, with a depth and wisdom behind them that did not match the age of the face they stared out of. They were the eyes of one who was seen a lot in his years, perhaps more than he should have. But it was the look in them that most stuck in her mind. Shandi got the immediate impression that he could see right through her, could tell everything about her in an instant, though that was almost certainly impossible, especially since, until recently, magic was unheard of on his world. And yet, the impression was inescapable. Somehow, as his piercing gaze returned to the nobles at the end of the hall, she felt as though he had seen into her soul and, though he had given no sign of his thoughts, she felt sure that he had judged her to be of a good heart. It was a sensation both alarming and oddly comforting.
Shaken, Shandi shook her head to clear it of that odd thought and watched as the armored knight continued his measured walk until he was within a pace of the raised dais. As he past her, she realized he looked a little odd, even more so than one might guess a lone canine to be in room filled with felines, but at first, it did not occur to her why it was so. Then it hit her. While he quite obviously had a tail, it wasn't visible, probably protected inside his armor.
The moment he stepped up before the dais, he stood perfectly still for a few moments and Shandi marveled at his appearance. Her father looked powerful in his formal robes; her uncle looked tough and authoritative in his armor, which had been polished by servants until it gleamed; even her brother looked mysterious and noble in his black garments. But this single strange warrior somehow put them all to shame, standing proud and almost defiant before them. Her father rose to his feet slowly as the armored warrior stood before him, showing only pleasure at his appearance, though one might have taken the Knight's unwavering gaze as disrespectful. Lord Nael'eth towered over the foreigner even without being on the raised dais, indeed, he towered over nearly everyone in the room, but somehow the white wolf seemed to equal his presence.
"You were sent here by King Aronus of Antaria as a show of friendship, correct?" The warrior simply nodded once in reply and her father held out a paw in a welcoming gesture, as if he was going to take the warrior's hand, but the warrior did not extend his own arm. Instead, one gauntleted paw went to his side, taking hold of the weapon bound there. Shandi wasn't the only one surprised when the warrior drew his sword a moment later, the weapon making a hissing rasp on the leather of its home as it was drawn; indeed most of the warriors in the hall looked on the verge of drawing their own weapons in reply.
But, the moment the blade cleared the scabbard, all such thoughts were put out of her mind, and Shandi knew that, like the warrior's armor, it was not normal. Though shaped like any other bastard sword, the blade shone with the same pure luster as its owner's armor, bright reflections of light wheeling about the chamber as he drew it. But that wasn't all. Its length was covered in more of the odd tracery, and letters, clearly engraved near the hilt, but letters of a language strange to her. And, though the thin lines nearly matched those upon his armor, these seemed not to be of a single color. Instead, they seemed to shift as they moved in the sunlight, light blue, white and yellow flashes seeming to pulse through them. And more, the sword glowed. It wasn't the reflection of the light coming in through the windows upon its burnished metal, but the glow of a magic aura, visible only to those initiated in the magic arts.
So serious was the wolf's face as the sword cleared the scabbard's opening that she half expected him to attack her father, but instead, he turned the blade over in his hand and knelt upon one knee, the point of the sword resting upon the smooth stones before him. Then, with his head bowed against the sword's hilt as if in prayer, the warrior began to speak.
"I, Knight of Antaria, speaking with the favor of his majesty, Aronus, High King of the Empire of Antaria, and at his behest, do hereby swear fealty and loyalty to the house of Kit'ranth, ally of the king." He paused for a moment, as if letting his words sink in. His voice was rich, rolling and powerful, echoing along the length of the chamber so that all present could hear him. "I swear upon my honor to serve and protect the members of this noble house from all dangers that beset them, until such time as my liege release me, even onto death and beyond."
A murmur of surprise welled through the gathered representatives and Shandi felt a flash of surprise well within her as well. It was clear that no one had expected such an oath. Even her sibling and their uncle looked surprised. In fact, Shandi got the impression that this single knight and his solemn vow of honor had been as much of a surprise to them as it had been to her. Neal'an looked stunned, as if he had expected the knight to do anything but effectively swear allegiance to their house. And Shaden; while it was not clear to anyone else what he was thinking, it was obvious to Shandi, the mental link of the twins telling her all she wanted to know. He hadn't expected this either, his surprise lowering the barriers that usually separating their minds. But, as she watched her father, she realized that he was the only one in the room who was not taken by surprise. For a few moments, the knight remained bowed in silence, sword drawn, and then her father spoke once.
"I, Lord Nael'eth, master of house Kit'ranth, and sovereign ruler of fourteen worlds, do hereby accept your service, and welcome you into my house as a retainer, protector of my family." Her father replied, reaching out with his hand and, taking the knight by his arm, gently raised him to his feet. Then, at a gesture from his brother, Neal'an walked forward stiffly, bearing a folded garment of black and light blue cloth. With a slight grimace on his face, he held out the garment to his brother and suddenly it came to her why he looked so grim. He must have expected the knight to be placed under his command.
In effect, her father had made him a bodyguard of their family, not a soldier in their employ, and therefore not part of their army. Shandi couldn't help but smile at this, since she had long thought that her uncle was too greedy when it came to soldiers and warfare, always wanting the glory that came from a victory, no matter how small it might have been. The folded garment turned out to be a long cloak bearing the seal of their house, similar to that worn by Neal'an and the knight allowed Lord Neal'eth to settle it around his neck, clasping it closed with a broach of silver, marking him as a member of their house. But, as much as Shandi appreciated what it meant for him to be wearing the cloak, she felt it was a shame to cover up the elegant and beautiful armor the Knight wore.
Then, with a wave of a hand, her father ended the short ceremony, allowing the guests to file out of the main hall, headed for their temporary quarters to prepare for the customary evening banquet. Doubtless, Shandi's father expected her to join in at the banquet and she sighed, starting to turn back to the small table and her handmaiden. She hated formal dinners, since it meant she was required to wear the formal clothes of a noble woman, not her much more comfortable dancer's garb, and act like a noble woman, which she despised. But as she turned, she saw her father look in her direction, motioning for her to come down and join them. Grimacing slightly, she walked off towards the staircase at the west end of the hall, her handmaiden following behind her in silence. It took her a minute or so to get to the first floor, but when she did, she didn't even look at her father as he beckoned her nearer.
The knight was even more interesting up close. Now that her eyes were able to resolve details when looking at the brilliant white fur of his head, she noted that it was not in fact pure white; he had a patch of silver fur there, roughly V-shaped, following the line of the top of his muzzle back from his nose, spreading out over the top of his ears and down onto his neck, making it look almost as if he wore a circlet on his head. And more, as she drew closer, she realized that the knight had a long scar that started on the left side of his muzzle, stretching over the top of it and on up above his right eye, almost following the line of silver fur, though it blended in so well that it was hardly a wonder that she hadn't seen it before. He was actually only about an inch or so taller than her, but there was something about him, perhaps the way he was standing, erect and proud, that made him seem taller.
"Sir knight, may I introduce my daughter, Shalendrea." Her father said when she stood beside him, and she offered the knight her hand, as was proper among the noble families. The knight's reaction was as different from what she was used to as his species was. He gently took her paw in one gauntleted hand and planted a light kiss upon the back of it.
"My lady, it is an honor to meet you." He said, bowing deeply to her. His speaking voice was a pleasant tenor, polite and sincere in tone, and so different from the rolling thunder it had held when he had spoken before that she thought at first that both voices couldn't have come from the same man. Shandi was embarrassed to feel herself blush, suddenly shy, since her own people didn't use such an intimate greeting. Most of the time, a meeting between new people was accompanied by a simple touch of the hands, a formal acknowledgement that signified that they were trusted enough to be allowed physical contact. But somehow, the knight's greeting meant more than the one she was used to. It made her feel important, which no other gesture had ever done. What was more, she felt a wave of irritation pass through her from the link she shared with Shaden, and that was far more unexpected. For some reason, as odd as it was, the knight's greeting had made him jealous.
"This evening, I would like you to attend the banquet, then I will have a servant show you to your rooms." Nael'eth said, seemingly pleased at the knight's foreign and yet obviously polite greeting of his daughter.
"As you wish, my lord." The knight said, bowing slightly to her father. With that, Nael'eth led the way out of the room, his brother and son following him. The knight fell in step behind them, his armor clinking, re-sheathing his sword as he walked. Shandi watched them go, wondering about the new member of their household, wondering why she had reacted that way. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear her handmaiden the first time she called to her.
"Mistress?" Kaia called again, touching her on the arm. Shandi jumped and looked at her, startled.
"Hmmm?" She asked, looking at her handmaiden in alarm. "What is it?"
"We must go and prepare for the feast." She said, taking Shandi gently by the arm and leading her back to the stairway. Shandi walked slowly back up the stairs with Kaia, pondering again why the Antarian King would have sent such an emissary, and why, for that matter, was the wolf to swear himself into the service of her house? Perhaps, on a world where times of peace were the rare exception, it was customary to seal alliances this way. Shaking her head, she returned her attention to the chessboard, intending at least to finish the game before they went off to prepare, and froze suddenly, her hand halfway towards her pieces, an odd thought circling within her mind. In the center of the board, standing alone amid pieces of both white and black, was the white knight...
***
Shandi grinned to herself, setting back in a fighting stance, her whip in one hand, the other held up before her, ready to shield herself if she needed too. Her opponent was one of the guards employed by her father, and he was more heavily armed than she was, carrying a long sword in one hand, a short sword in the other. What was more, he was clad in armor, while she wore only her dancer's garb. And yet, he was getting the worse of the fight. Still grinning, showing her sharp teeth to the guard, Shandi flicked her whip forward, the end swirling around the blade of the guard's short sword, the clawed tip tying a loop in the leather. With a quick jerk, she stripped the smaller weapon from the guard's hand, sending it flying back behind her. The guard responded by coming towards her, using the momentum of her own pull to close with her quickly. The long sword in his other hand came right for her, aiming to strike at her face, but Shandi was ready for it. Her smile not dimming in the slightest, the young noblewoman bent backward, almost folding herself in half, ducking the blade with incredible grace.
Then, not bothering to bring her whip back into play, the young woman continued the move, turning the duck into a backwards dive, rolling back onto her free hand. The look on the guard's face was classic. Confused, startled and obviously aware that he was in trouble. Then the guard moved out of her line of sight and she was left acting solely on instinct as she moved back, her legs coming off the ground. Without looking, Shandi hooked her feet under the armpits of the guard, ignoring the pinching sensation of his chainmail on her fur. Then, she spun hard, moving fast, and the guard let out a startled yell as he was lifted off his feet. Shandi grinned as she spun on the heel of her paw, throwing the surprised guard across the room into a stand of polearms. While the long weapons clattered to the floor, falling all over the stones, some even striking sparks as they hit, the young woman settled back into a crouch, her tail flicking back and forth as she grew still once more, the whip at the ready. Then, her smile widened fully; it wasn't needed.
The guard lay sprawled in heap of tangled wood and metal, not moving beyond the rise and fall of his chest. Getting up from her crouch, Shandi moved over to check that no lasting damage had been done to him. He was out like a light, but aside from a few slight injuries, he was unhurt. Shandi chuckled to herself as she coiled the whip at her side, panting slightly from the effort of moving such weight. She had learned long ago to use her flexibility and agility to her advantage in a fight against a larger foe. Kaia applauded her as she waved a pair of guards forward to haul their unconscious comrade up, the noblewoman smiling in acknowledgement of her handmaiden. She still didn't much like fighting, but she did find it oddly satisfying now and then to duel one of the guards, all of whom seemed more than happy to spar with her, even if it meant suffering being knocked out or injured, which she couldn't help. She had been taught to always fight as if her life depended on it, even in practice duels.
Kaia handed her a goblet of fresh water and Shandi drank thirstily, leaning against the wall beside where her handmaiden had watched her fight. She had always been embarrassed about allowing others to watch her practice when she had been growing up, but since Kaia had become her handmaiden, she had found it useful to have the servant watch her, since she often had words of advice. Still, by and large, she usually only came up here when the armory was empty, so that few would see her fight. But today, the pair weren't alone. Behind where she had dueled the guard, another duel was taking place, a duel that many were watching. The Knight of Antaria stood there, surrounded by guards, but all of the soldiers that surrounded him had their weapons sheathed, merely watching the fight and Shandi settled in to watch as well.
In the week since he had come to her world, Shandi had grown to admire the knight, even though she was still wary of the stranger. At the banquet, he had been perfectly polite, exhibiting impeccable manners, unlike some even among the noble families. And, in the days since, she had found that his courtesy extended to everyone, servant and noble alike, especially to women. And that courtesy had made her wary. In her experience, no one that polite was being truthful with their intentions. And what was more, she had quickly decided that that her first impression had been right. He didn't seem to feel any fear, not even when faced by magic users.
Her father had decided to test him, test his prowess in combat, and everyone had been quickly impressed by his skills. Shandi had watched him take on warrior after warrior, sometimes two or even three at a time, and he hadn't even been marked by them, the only blows that made it past his shield and the flashing sword had glanced off his armor, making him seem invincible, while his own sword strokes were perfect, quick and innovative, easily defeating the men who tested him. Then, her father had had the magi test his resistance to magic. While it was obvious that he wasn't a magic user himself, the knight had shown incredible agility and strength, even while wearing his plate armor, his enchanted blade allowing him to block that which he could not dodge as spell after spell was slung at him. Even Shaden had seemed impressed by the knight's skills, and he himself, in addition to being an accomplished offensive magus, was a very good swordsman. But the knight had been quiet, modest and self-effacing when complimented on his skills. In fact, he was always quiet, rarely saying a word beyond the polite niceties he observed. But perhaps the oddest thing about him was that she still hadn't caught his name. No one had in fact. To everyone in the manor, even her father, he was simply 'knight', or 'sir knight'.
But today, the knight wasn't wearing the glittering suit of plates. Today, he was clad in his chainmail only, his tail free to move in the lighter armor. His enchanted blade was in his right hand, the baldric and sheath laid against the wall with his shield. He was weaving the sword in figure eights, scribing glowing arcs in her vision as he warmed up. None of the guards seemed to have any inclination to fight him, and Shandi really didn't blame them. He was indeed a very capable warrior. But his opponent this time might just be his match.
The tall snow leopard across from him was clad in smooth leathers, dyed so dark a shade of brown they were almost black. In his hand, he held an elegant long sword of steel, the enchanted blade a gift from her father for nearly a century of loyal service. This was the family's swordmaster, the warrior who had trained all of the family's guards, who had tutored Shaden in the ways of battle. He was the best warrior that Shandi knew of, the champion of the royal tournament twenty five years running. He stretched easily, showing off his feline flexibility, and then set back into a fighting stance, whirling his blade in a complex flourish, beckoning the wolfish knight to come forward, a confident smile on his face. The knight simply gave a slight nod of acknowledgement, setting with his sword towards the swordmaster, but coming no closer, his face neutral. For a moment, the two circled each other, looking remarkably like their four-legged counterparts, each evaluating their foe, looking for weaknesses to exploit. And then, suddenly, with no sign that anything was about to change, they moved. But the two warriors clashed so quickly that even Shandi, with her enchanted perceptions, didn't see what had happened. All she did see was that the swordmaster's sword was now on the ground, the knight's enchanted blade resting with its point upon the snow leopard's breast, the runes spread across its length blazing a pale blue, like to that of the distant sky.
The watching guards gasped, and a murmur of conversation washed through the crowd as the knight lowered his sword, allowing his opponent to retrieve his own blade. The two set into fighting stances once more and continued their slow circle, the swordmaster's face now wary. Shandi straightened up, watching closely, determined to see what happened this time. Again the two warriors clashed, and this time, Shandi heard four distinct clangs in rapid succession as the two warrior's swords met, but the pair were nothing more than blurs as they fought. And then the sword master was sent staggering backward by a swift kick, his sword flipping up into the air to be caught in the knight's free hand.
"So fast..." Kaia whispered from beside her, awe in her voice. "I can't even see what they are doing."
"I can't either." Shandi admitted, watching as the knight returned the sword master's blade with a bow. Now the watching guards were totally silent, most looking stunned. As the pair set back into their dueling stances once more, Shandi leaned forward, tempted to use a spell to allow her to see the individual strikes, but she restrained herself, content for the time being just to watch the blurred movements.
The pair continued to duel for another fifteen minutes, and always, the fight would take only a few strikes, and always, the swordmaster would be disarmed. And every time the master was disarmed, the knight bowed to his opponent, returning his sword to him with a look on his face that was, if not pleasant, then at least polite. And then, finally, as the sword master was disarmed once more, the duel changed, but not for the better. The knight offered the swordmaster's blade to him once more, holding it out hilt first in one hand, and the swordmaster came forward, a smile on his face. But Shandi sensed immediately that his smile wasn't sincere; it was hollow, stopping before it reached his eyes. The noblewoman opened her mouth to call out a warning, but she didn't move nearly fast enough. The swordmaster seized the hilt of his sword, and with a swift jerk, swung it towards the knight's flank.
The sword's blade was bare inches away from his body, and Shandi knew it was far too close for the knight to move in time; even with his mail, a wound was inevitable. Or, so she thought. Well before anyone around him could react, the knight and the swordmaster became a blur once more. The blur resolved itself a moment later, the swordmaster lying on the floor, his sword clattering to the stones, well out of his reach. His eyes were wide, and it was easily apparent why. The knight's enchanted sword had pierced him just above the hip, pinning him to the floor, the runes along its length burning brilliant white, a light shining from them that was so intense it was almost painful, as if the sword itself were enraged by the cowardly blow.
"You should learn to curb that arrogant streak of yours." The knight said quietly, his eyes suddenly as cold as ice, his expression menacing, withdrawing the blade from the swordmaster's flesh. "It will get you in trouble. Know that among the Knights of Antaria, such a dishonorable blow will earn you only a quick death. You live now only because you were ignorant of this, but know that if you do such a thing again, your life will be forfeit."
With that, the knight turned his back on the fallen warrior, wiping his bloody sword off on a cloth before retrieving his baldric, the royal blue and deep green jewels set into the scabbard winking in the light as he sheathed his sword. All the guards moved aside before him, their eyes wide with astonishment as the knight made to leave the armory. At first, Shandi and Kaia both shared in their surprise, though Shandi was surprised for a different reason than the guards were. The knight had gone from polite and pleasant to cold and menacing in the blink of an eye.
And yet, as he passed the last guard, Shandi saw him shake his head, regret clear on his face, as if he was ashamed of how he had reacted, though he clearly wasn't the one who was at fault here. And that was as surprising as anything to her. The knight was clearly a blooded warrior, no stranger to death and killing. All the warriors she had ever met who had actually served in conflict seemed to have no problem dealing death and pain, the horrors of war and battle hardening them. And yet, it seemed to her that this one regretted causing even the slightest pain to his foe. From the expression on his face, one might think that he himself had felt the pain of his blow. Shaking her head, Shandi turned away from the fallen swordmaster, heading for the distant sunshine of the gardens. She needed to think, needed to consider what she had seen. For a while, she had thought that this stranger was like any other person she had met, hiding his emotions and his intentions behind the shield of polite nobility while his true purpose and thoughts were devious and convoluted. And yet, for some reason, it seemed it was not so; while he did hide his emotions, she got the feeling that his intentions were exactly what they seemed to be...