Melee Academy of Higher Learning for Boys
Year Three
-Three-
September left as quietly as it came, leaving multi-coloured leaves showering down on anyone passing under a tree as it did. With such a beautiful change came cooler breezes as October strolled in, taking over for a thirty one day period. It was needed for the transition to freezing temperatures in place of warmer skies.
A particularly strong breeze lifted up the fallen leaves and whirled them into a mini cyclone, an interesting sight to watch. Young Link was standing on the front porch and watched it, the wind blowing through his golden hair as the door rattled behind him. It was made of flimsy aluminum that barely held itself together during a drizzling rain, never mind strong winds as these. As long as the door didn't hit Young Link on its way to blow off the Manse, he didn't really care.
The sun filtered through the blinds, casting horizontal slits of golden yellow onto the blue carpet and the beds occupying the room.
Marth awoke first surprisingly; it was a Saturday off, and he usually slept in just a little later than normal. Figuring it was bad to disrupt a routine schedule, he sat up and stretched, the light blue sheets tumbling off him as he moved to leave the bed. It was still too early to wake Roy up, and there was still so much to be done yet. Combing a hand through his almost shoulder length hair (and reminding himself to get it cut today), he left the bed and got his things together.
Link better not be in the bathroom again. He has his own, I hope he realises.
And there, slumbering in the bathtub was the aforementioned youth. Marth sighed. When would Link learn that, just because the tub was more comfortable (for whatever reason) than a warm bed, didn't mean that he couldn't use his own.
-x-
The high afternoon sun peeked through the clouds, its rays dancing across the walls and floors of the Manse, casting multi-coloured light on everything they touched. Master Hand was cheap with everything else in the Manse except for the stain-glass windows on the main floor. "Status symbols" were what he usually called them. Now if only he could get the heating fixed and not worry about trivial things such as the expensive as hell windows and the marble floors Link slipped on at least twice a day.
"You look different today," Roy remarked to Marth as he swung around the banister at the foot of the stairs. The banister wasn't far from the kitchen and so Roy had a clear view inside. Marth sat in his usual place, newspaper open on the table, with tea Roy thought smelled like a combination of mint and chocolate by his idle wrist.
"You look like you just woke up," Marth retorted after swallowing a sip of his scented tea.
Roy commandeered the chair next to his boyfriend and sat down on it, right next to the tea Roy thought smelled unnaturally sweet.
"You cut your hair," Roy said, stealing the 'Entertainment' section of the 'Nintendo Land Saturday Post'. Seeing the headline on the front page, he continued on to say, "Oh man, the Radical Dreamers are on hiatus!" That last comment was more to himself than to Marth, so the prince ignored it.
"Yes, I did." A good four and a half inches shorter. "And I'm sure you did just wake up."
Roy nodded and turned the page, folding the paper back so it was easier to manage. "Yee-up. I enjoy my rare Saturday off."
Link came running into the brightly lit kitchen; an armful of books came crashing down onto the wooden table, causing Marth's teacup to rattle on the saucer. The table groaned from the sudden change in weight, and both Marth and Roy winced from the loud noise.
"What's with all the books, Link?" Roy asked, looking up from his paper.
Link pulled out his chair from underneath the table and kneeled on its seat.
"All of the stuff I have to do for homework," Link replied wearily, collapsing onto the seat now. "Stupid History, Geometry, Japanese, and English homework!"
Roy snickered and Link looked annoyed.
"Oh, and thank you, Marth, for giving me about a billion exercises to do for homework," the Hero of Time said sarcastically, opening up the book with Yookoso! emblazoned on the cover.
"I also put evens only, Link," Marth replied in his best 'teacher' voice. "That means that you only have to do two to three questions per activity."
Link gazed at activity thirty-one on page 215 blankly.
Roy blew a stray strand of red hair out of his face. "Do you need help, Link?"
Without looking, Link shoved his Geometry book under Roy's nose, and did the same to Marth with his history book.
"Help that way."
Roy gripped the book in his hands and opened it carefully, like one of the scholars back in Pherae often did with old and dusty tomes. Marth just stared at the history book and then at Link.
"History was never my best subject." Marth got A's in the class regardless of how much he liked it.
Link shrugged. "I have crap from chapter fourteen to do, so chop-chop, Mr. Lowell."
Marth, being the helpful person that he was naturally, opened up to chapter fourteen and nearly snorted at the topic. (Marth, being the dignified prince his father taught him to be, managed to stop shortly before he made such a rude noise.)
"'The Beginnings of Akaneia', Link?"
Link grunted. "There're questions at the end of the chapter you need to answer, too."
Marth looked at Link dubiously. "In case you didn't know, Link, you and I have completely different handwriting."
Link's handwriting was a messy scrawl that slanted so far to the right, it looked it like was touching the bottom line of the paper at times. Marth's was perfectly straight and perfectly formed, each letter curving just where it should and connecting the way it should. (Marth learned to write so straight and neat and utterly perfect from his high-paid tutor, who smacked the back of his hand (and sometimes knuckles) with a ruler if he did it any other way. "A prince should have penmanship befitting his title.")
Link didn't seem to really care.
"I'm sure he doesn't care, Marthy," Roy said, half-way done with Link's maths assignment. "He'll probably just recopy it later, like he always does."
Marth opened his mouth to speak, but shut it when he thought better of it.
"You could just ask Marth the history questions, Link."
Link shoved his Japanese homework to the side and took the Outside Nintendo Land History book from Marth.
"Okay then," Link said, flipping to the end of the section. "'What two kingdoms were around during the beginning?'"
Marth finished the remains of his tea off and then replied, "Akaneia and Dolua."
Link scrawled that on a wrinkled page from his binder. "Okay... 'What race populated Dolua during this time?'"
"Done!" Roy chirped as he placed the Geometry stuff on the chair at the end section of the table. "I'll do your Japanese homework if you want me to."
"You wouldn't mind?" Link asked, interrupting Marth, who was about to speak.
"Nope."
Link nodded. "Do it, then."
Marth cleared his throat and leaned across the table. "Dragons. Fire Dragons, Earth Dragons..."
It was the first time Link didn't actually cheat off of someone. Perhaps Link matured a little when it came to homework. Perhaps he figured out that homework could make the difference between a failing grade and a passing one.
-x-
"What'd you do, get a new wardrobe?"
Roy was at the computer desk, swiveling in the leather-lined office chair from side to side. He watched Marth lay out his clothes on his bed, deciding which would go best with what. Marth chewed thoughtfully on the earpiece for his reading spectacles as he went over each article of clothing. In the months after his graduation, Marth had been dressing less formal and more casual. He remembered the look of shock-horror carved into Roy's face at seeing him in a pair of jeans for the first time ever. But to Marth, 'casual' was not synonymous with 'schleppy'.
"Remember those boxes I received for my birthday?" Marth was still rummaging through his wardrobe, checking every last nook and cranny for every last article of every last outfit Marth had the pleasure of owning.
"Sorta," Roy said, feet resting on the legs of the wheels.
"It was all clothes from Peach and Zelda. They're either great at guessing someone's size from looking at them or someone told them."
Roy said nothing as Marth stripped off the plain shirt and threw it in the hamper. Roy looked through his Winamp playlist and saw a strangely-appropriate song for Marth dressing. Double-clicking it, the first few notes began playing.
Marth is going to love this one.
"I'm bringing sexy back."
Marth stopped with his dark wash jeans half-way up his legs. He shot Roy an evil look and resumed dressing himself once he realised Roy was trying to be funny.
"I should make this your theme song," Roy teased, drawing his knees to his chest as he faced the computer once more.
"Go right ahead," Marth answered, pulling a light blue shirt over his head, and poked his arms through the respective holes.
"Y'know, I laugh every time I see your clothes." Roy was embroiled in a heated game of Minesweeper out of boredom.
Marth pulled on the finishing piece of clothing and straightened out the hood on it.
"Why is that?"
Roy exited out of a losing game of Mouse Pointer versus Smiley Face versus Mines and turned around in the chair once more.
"Because it's all blue. Dark blue, light blue, grey-blue, navy, midnight blue... Every shade in between and then some..."
Marth shrugged and sat down on Roy's bed. "It's my favourite colour, what can I say?"
Roy gave Marth a look over and whistled. "I must say, you look mighty sexy in those jeans." He stood and walked over to where Marth was; once there, he pushed Marth back and pounced onto him.
A knock punctuated through the air and before either of them could bid them entrance, there Link was. The scene before the Hero of Time ceased to bother him - he had walked in on them in much more sexual positions than the one they were in now.
Link caressed the cheap wood on the door and leaned against it, waiting for them to collect themselves.
"Hey, at least I knocked first," was all Link could think of to say.
Marth would have preferred Link knock on the door and then wait until told it was safe.
-x-
Roy, clad in his 'Melee Academy Fencing' hoodie and favourite pair of jeans, stood outside as Marth grabbed his coat from the nearby rack.
"Oh, Marth," Roy said, headed for the stairs, "it's not that cold out."
Marth closed the door behind him and dug his hands into his pockets, looking to his left and then his right. Marth did it out of habit - back in Altea, a country with so much experience in war after war, Marth would often have to look before he left his own quarters, let alone the castle.
"The leaves look really nice for the beginnings of October," Roy remarked as he and Marth walked down the stairs and then down the little pathway to the street.
Marth breathed in the autumn air and sighed, oddly content with everything at that moment.
"You look complacent."
Marth wrapped an arm around Roy's shoulder and pulled him close, relishing the added warmth in the chilly atmosphere surrounding them. A squirrel scurried up a nearby tree with another following it, shaking a branch and sending leaves flying everywhere. The greenish-red leaves, in their beginning stages of transformation to beautifully bright reds, gently floated down to the sidewalk. They either went 'crunch' from being stepped on or stayed to the side, out of people's way, to be admired as apart of the scenery.
The sun tried to poke through the clouds, but they wanted their space for once and instead blocked it, making the air just a bit colder than it was in the morning. A shiver made its way up Roy's spine as he snuggled closer to Marth's side. There was an odd sense of serenity and Roy couldn't place why he felt such, just that he did. Perhaps it was because it was a quiet day, a nice autumn day, and he was spending it with Marth.
"So where are we going?" asked Roy, who was careful to avoid the one part of the sidewalk that jutted out at an almost-completely-vertical angle, lest he fall and take Marth with him.
"Riveria's and then the park to enjoy the sights. Is that okay?"
"How about, instead of going to the park, we go and do something else?"
They rounded the corner of the street, turning onto one of the busiest sections of the town.
"Like what?" asked Marth, looking at the window displays without really seeing them.
Roy shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe ice skating? The rink should be open by now..."
There was a traffic build up along the Avenue, and impatient drivers began honking their horns at the person in front of them, some complete with rude hand gestures.
"The last time we went ice skating, you injured your shoulder really bad," Marth said, casting a look to his companion. "You could barely even keep your balance on the ice."
Roy pouted. "I blame Link. He was there and so I...couldn't concentrate because he was swinging me in circles and--"
There, across the street, was a medium sized building with 'Riveria's' on the front of it in red neon lighting. It was a coffee shop type deal with a few seats and tables here and there, all by the windows with a wonderful view of the Avenue. Marth stumbled on it accidentally during the summer to meet Sheeda once.
"--And then I got kind of nauseous and then I fell and knocked into some guy with his little sister... Link giggled the entire time and--"
Marth sighed and Roy chattered away, emphasising certain points with hand movements. Marth smiled softly - Roy couldn't talk unless he could use his hands, a quirk Marth found odd but amusing all the same.
Grasping Roy's hands, Marth pulled him along, across the busy street, and to the entrance of Riveria's. The subtle scent of mocha-flavoured coffee escaped from the inside, enticing passers-by to come inside and sit for a while.
"When was the last time we sparred together?" Marth asked, opening the door to the coffee shop. It was warm inside, and not too many people were around. Clearly most people were at work still, their lunch breaks having passed.
"Last night," Roy replied without thinking as he rubbed his hands together.
A light blush appeared on Marth's face as he led Roy over to a table. It was a good thing no one was really around, otherwise someone might have overheard. Marth didn't understand that most people either wouldn't get the nuance of the conversation or they wouldn't care. In Altea, since he was its crown prince, he had to be careful of everything he said, for it might cause a scandal depending on how someone interpreted it. And since Marth was used to living in such a way, he didn't think twice before wondering just who heard it - even if it was only Joe the plumber.
"Eh, no, not that kind of sparring," Marth clarified, sitting Roy down before himself like only a proper gentleman would.
Roy blinked before realising what he said before. "O-Oh. Right. Yeah. I totally understand what you were talking about and..."
Marth cocked his head to the side before resting it against his palm. "And?" He raised an eyebrow.
"And...obviously my mind went elsewhere and...yeah."
Roy drummed his fingers against the laminate wooden table top.
"So, Mr. Pherae, when was the last time we had a sparring match?" Marth wouldn't admit that Roy's brain-to-mouth malfunction amused him.
Roy shrugged. "Uh... Not since... Shoot. Are we counting ones that led to other activities or ones that just involved swords?"
Roy didn't realise he made another metaphor, and Marth ignored it, figuring the general was flustered enough.
"Both, I guess."
So Roy began mouthing things to himself, his eyes trained at the ceiling as he counted on his fingers. Marth waited patiently, shifting in his seat so he was more comfortable.
"A few months ago, if I did my maths right," Roy answered at last, looking at his hands.
Marth nodded once, absentmindedly fiddling with the collar of his shirt. Roy was so used to Marth doing his 'nervous quirk' that he hardly noticed it anymore.
"Then we should have a good spar later," Marth said. "So you don't get rusty."
Roy pressed his hand to his chest and cocked his head slightly. "Me? Get rusty? Ha. What about you, dear Marth?"
Marth crossed one leg over the other and slung one arm over the back of the chair. "I am perfect. I need no practise." He smirked.
"Is that a challenge?" Roy had his game face on. But Marth, the calm person he always was, looked unfazed at Roy's suggestion.
"Perhaps."
Roy mentally cursed at himself.
Dammit, Marth, you're so hard to read sometimes.
-x-
"Are you sure you want us to use our regular weapons, Marth?" Roy asked as he slung the Sword of Seals over his shoulder, sheathed.
"Why not?" Marth responded as he tightened his boot. "They're what we're most used to, right?"
Roy merely shook his head and, balancing the Sword of Seals' sheath on his forearm, adjusted his gloves.
"We'll need armour, then."
"Do you honestly think you'll be able to hit me with all of that weighing you down?"
Roy gave Marth an incredulous look. "Do you want to commit suicide or something? 'Cause if you do, by any chance, don't use my sword to do it - fall on your own¹."
Marth stared back at him, brushing out the creases in his outfit. "Don't be ridiculous. There are safety barriers in place to make sure no serious injury takes place. Besides, it's not an actual Melee, so it's not required. And I've seen the stuff you wear and it's too heavy for you. A swordsman is useless if he can't move quickly. Go without the armour, unless you have some sort of security issue."
Roy responded by shoving Marth through the doors to the arena. "We'll see, Marth. We'll see. I've beaten you before, with or without armour."
"Yes, and that was only because you side-swept my leg and broke it."
The training arena was only slightly smaller than the stadium arena used for actual tournament battles. Like it, the training arena could mimic various stages one could fight on, and had special barriers surrounding the stage so no one suffered any life-threatening injuries. The worst you could get in the training area was a broken bone or two if you were really unlucky. In its 'dormant' stage, the walls were a greyish hue, almost metallic, with metal tiling on the floor. Right by the doors leading from the 'locker rooms' was a panel built into the wall. There, one could set the battle conditions, the stages, and the items, if any.
"You brought the key to operate this thing with you, right?" Roy asked, resting against his sword. Marth reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a keychain with various keys on it, all colour-coded depending on function. Flinging them in the air and catching them by the grey-coloured key, he waved it in Roy's face.
"Of course," Marth answered, "since I knew you would forget yours otherwise."
Roy scoffed and Marth laughed as he jammed it into the top of the panel and turned it to the right. The keys and switches all glowed a reddish tinge and the lights in the place turned on automatically.
"Please enter identification number to confirm you are Smasher Marth Cornelius Lowell," a robotic voice droned, scrolling a message on the input screen above the keypad.
"You do remember your ID number, right?" Roy teased, sidling closer.
"Of course," Marth replied as he typed in '078147'. There was a beeping sound and the buttons on the panel raised up.
"Smasher Marth Cornelius Lowell confirmed. Welcome to the Smash Brothers Training Arena."
"Y'know, we would've been better off fighting in the backyard," Roy complained as Marth customised everything. "This takes forever."
"And then Peach would yell at us, saying it sets a bad example for the kids. It's better we do it in here, where it's a lot safer and more controlled."
Roy stretched, warming up a bit before they started.
"Why Fountain of Dreams? There aren't any walls!" Roy huffed, swinging the Sword of Seals over his shoulder once more.
Marth smiled and replied, "Don't you remember? This was where our first match was held."
Roy shrugged. "So? I want a stage with walls. I need to be able to pin you up against them and steal a kiss or two before smashing you off the stage."
Marth rolled his eyes and selected another stage. "I hope you realise there are few stages with any walls on them."
Roy pressed the 'enter' button on the keypad and smirked. "Hyrule Temple will do, then."
The metal tiling in the middle of the training grounds slid away to make way for the Hyrule Temple ruins, spanning almost the whole length of the area, with the little 'island' underneath the main area Marth had thrown Roy into many a time. Two glowing tiles appeared a little ways from the control area - these tiles were 'transport tiles', which allowed match participants access to the stage itself. No one was sure how Master Hand managed to create such complex and mechanically sturdy technology such as this, and Master Hand refused to give away the schematics for them. It was safe to say Master Hand was a mystical being of sorts who had power beyond mortal comprehension. It was like trying to explain how Master Hand could do things of his own accord without a body.
Marth stepped on the nearest tile and Roy followed suit, each disappearing and then reappearing on opposite sides of the stage.
"No items, no timer, no nothing," Marth recited. "This way it makes the fight fair and neither of us has an advantage."
"The practise match will begin in five...four...three...two...one..."
Marth unsheathed Falchion and took a few practise swipes, warming up for the upcoming spar. Roy too unsheathed his sword, but stood their idly, already calculating a plan.
"Fight!"
Roy immediately ran at his opponent whilst Marth merely stood there, looking at an invisible watch on his wrist. Despite his looks, Marth took the match seriously, and was waiting for the right opportunity to arise.
After Roy lunged, he swung his sword hard, hoping it would connect with Marth's shoulder.
"Running into a battle with a flawed strategy is not the best way to start off a fight," Marth said, now behind Roy.
When did he move?
In his moment of vulnerability, Marth took that as his opportunity to strike. And he struck Roy hard, enough to send him to his knees, enough to get a bigger opening.
-x-
"Hey, hey Older Me," Young Link said, entering the room he and Link shared.
"What?" Link responded, shaking the game controller in an attempt to get the on-screen character to listen to him.
"Do you think you can help me with something?"
"Ask Marth," Link replied automatically, too used to blowing his younger self off.
"I would," Young Link said, walking further into the room. Link was cursing at the TV screen now, ready to throw the controller if the need arose.
"But?" Link wasn't really up for talking at the moment.
"But he's not around, so I decided to take a chance that you would know something and be able to help me."
Link paused the game and turned around from his place on the floor.
"Mkay, so... In Japanese class, we're learning how to say 'I like this' and 'I don't like this', and...I have homework and I'm just not really getting it."
Link turned right back around and continued on with his game. Young Link stomped his foot and clenched his hands into fists.
"Link! I'm being serious!"
Link waved Young Link away. "Goodbye, Younger Self. Go ask Marth when he comes back from wherever he went off to."
So Young Link stomped off to Ness's room. Kicking the door open, he found Lucas and Ness together on the floor going over Geometry homework. Ness looked up when he heard the disturbance in the PSI force surrounding his room (call it his alarm system, he often said) and saw the miniature Link standing there, Japanese text in hand.
"Ness," Young Link said in a sing-song manner. "Help me."
Ness chewed on his eraser. "Shoot, YL."
Dropping to the floor, Young Link shoved his Japanese book under Ness's nose, as if that would tell Ness the exact problem.
Ness, understandably, looked at it confused.
"...What about likes and dislikes?"
Young Link threw up his arms. "I don't get it!"
"...What's not to get? Did you read the dialogue?"
Young Link said nothing.
"It says, 'Machida-san wa sakana ga suki desu ka.' Do you know what that means?"
Young Link shrugged. "Something about fish."
Ness resisted the urge to bang his head against the floor.
This is gonna take all day.
-x-
Marth shoved Roy against the middle pillar of Hyrule Temple, the edge of Falchion's blade held inches from Roy's throat, the point in the actual brick as a balance point. Against his own throat was the Sword of Seals held at almost the same distance, though there was no where Roy could go for more leverage. The Sword of Seals was a heavy sword, and to hold it up for this long in one position made his arm ache. Being this close meant Roy couldn't exactly get away, for he didn't have a clear enough path, and Marth was a lot quicker than he. Roy was cornered, boxed in, with the only way being up and he wouldn't get very far with such a strategy.
"Give up?" Marth whispered, his voice deep, dangerous sounding, his mouth almost touching Roy's forehead. His grip on Falchion tightened, but he didn't move it closer or withdraw it. Roy suddenly side-stepped forward, moving in such a way so his arm didn't move far from Marth, so his sword was still at Marth's throat. Before Marth could so much as register Roy's move and turn to counterattack, Roy had Marth pinned to the wall, the flat of the blade resting against the upper half of Marth's torso. Because of the way Marth was pinned, the prince had limited movement, and Roy took advantage of this by seeking out Marth's lips hungrily, leaning against his weapon, pinning Marth further.
Marth supported himself against the wall by using his arms, waiting again for an opportune moment to strike.
Let Roy have his fun while he still can, Marth thought. Attack him when he least expects it.
Roy became more forceful, more eager, his kisses more daring, more aggressive.
And then Marth pushed him away and tried to attack Roy, but the latter dodged, repositioned himself, and analysed the situation once he was a safe distance away. Marth followed and came down hard. Metal clashed against metal as the two swords met, Marth landing perfectly on his feet as he put his weight into the sword. The contact was broken only for a moment as the sound of metal scraping against metal rang throughout the arena once more, blades beating against each other.
There was no way Marth was going to let Roy attack first.
-x-
"So do you get what I mean now?" Ness asked, closing the book with a slam. Young Link's eyes were glazed over from sheer boredom, and once he realised Ness had stopped speaking, broke out from his stupor.
"Uh, yeah, I guess."
Ness's eyes narrowed a little. "You have no idea what I just said, do you."
"Nope, not a clue." There was no sense in lying to the psychic. "Half the time I have no idea if you're even speaking English."
Ness didn't realise just how fruitless his efforts were. For someone who didn't want to become their older self, Young Link was good at being Link. Which would have been considered a bad thing, because he swore he would rather die than become Link.
Too bad Destiny decided that, because Young Link was just a younger version of Link, he was to become him. Even though Young Link was very much his own person.
And Ness felt sorry for him.
-x-
Roy knocked Falchion clean out of Marth's hand and dropped his own on purpose. Met with a look of confusion, Roy made his way over to Marth, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and threw Marth onto the ground, following him to the cobblestone of the stage.
"Roy, what the heck are you--"
Roy was gifted in the art of Shutting Marth Up. Many simply called it a 'deep kiss', but this was no ordinary kiss. There was so much passion, so much need behind it, fueling the already raging fire inside Roy, all expressed in the simplest gesture. Roy knew exactly where to caress Marth to get the most subtle of gasps, the way Marth would press into Roy if he licked and suckled the right spot on his neck...
There was a knock on the door, followed by a shove against the doors in an attempt to open them. Like the flooring and walls, the doors were made of a tempered steel able to withstand a nuclear bomb going off right next to it. Marth didn't hear the knock and Roy ignored it, figuring it was no one important anyway. Marth gasped and mewled at Roy's ministrations, his fingers in his hair, and the person at the door knocked again; it went unheard as Marth forced Roy's head lower, wanting more, begging for more. Roy straddled Marth's waist and ground against him, a smirk on his face the entire time.
Marth, still on the floor, reached for Falchion and grasped the pommel of it, enough of the hilt so he could at least move it to get a better grip. Once he had a firmer grip on his sword, he held the blade to Roy's exposed neck once more, this time with a triumphant grin plastered on his face.
"Touché."
Right where I want you.
-x-
Author's Notes: A sort of abrupt ending, but I like it that way. I think it gives more of an...impact that way. Anyway, chapter four is already like, mostly written, so expect to see that soon!
Until we meet again in the next chapter!
Footnotes:
¹ to "fall on one's sword" basically means to commit suicide. It was considered cowardly for a knight to kill himself, so they would often fall on their swords after a battle to make it look like they were killed by the enemy instead. An honourable way to kill yourself, in other words. Marth is a prince, but he also follows the code of chivalry, as a knight, and would therefore know this, as would Roy.