Chapter 6. A Hero's reward

While the other nobles clustered around the beaming Bann Darin to praise his skill, Michael decided to move away. He nodded to one of the soldiers assigned to him as escort and headed away from the others. Everything was just as much of an organized slaughter as he had feared.

"There you are, your Highness," he heard Ywaine's voice behind him.

"My lady, you really should go back to your father," Michael said uncomfortably. "I'm sure he'll worry if you go wandering off like that."

"But how can I be in any danger, with the finest warrior in Ferelden to protect me," she replied smiling.

Michael was about to try and explain to her about the impropriety of the situation as a rustle and sound of thundering hooves was heard from the woods. In the few seconds left to him, Michael realized that his crossbow wasn't cocked and from the looks of it, both the soldier and Ywaine was too startled or afraid to even act as a gigantic boar charged out of the bushes.

Without another thought, Michael tore the spear from the soldier's limp grasp and dived in front of the man. He planted the spear in the ground, grasped it tightly and aimed the point forward. It was a frightening sight to watch the gigantic beast launch itself at him impaling itself on the spear. The sheer force of the impact broke the spear and the huge bulk of the animal crashed into him and rolled right over him, felling the soldier behind him too.

Stunned by the attack, Michael remained lying a moment, before he could try and look around and see what had happened. The boar was dead. The broken shaft of the spear protuded from it's chest. In it's death throes it had knocked the soldier senseless. Ywaine seemed to be in shock and screamed wide eyed.

Michael got up and looked at the dead boar.

"Don't worry my lady, the beast is dead," he said and went to inspect the soldier's wounds. The soldier seemed to have suffered no permanent damage, other than a concussion and a nasty bump in the head from falling to the ground.

He heard a sob behind him, and when he turned around to see how Ywaine was doing, she threw herself around his neck. Michael tried to extricate himself from her embrace telling her everything was all right.

Soon thereafter Bann Odwin and the other group came running, brought by Ywaine's scream.

"Oh pa! Ywaine sobbed, still clinging. The Prince, he saved my life!"

"Is this true?" Bann Odwin said.

"Your daughter was never in any danger," Michael replied uncomfortably. "Although I fear your soldier here have taken a nasty fall and needs looking after."

"No, no. The beast would have killed me. He saved my life," Ywaine insisted hysterically.

Michael pried her arms off him and let her father take care of her. Then he went to instruct the men at arms who tried to wake the unconscious soldier, to go easy and carry him home.

Soon the other nobles surrounded him to praise his skill and begging him to tell how it had happened. If Michael was reluctant to make much of it, Ywaine was more than willing to retell the story over and over.

Michael found the whole scene distasteful. Everyone wanted to congratulate him for saving Ywaine, and listen to her retell her story. None of them seemed to care about the wounded soldier, who, as far Michael was concerned, was the only person's life he had saved . Maybe the girl got a shock from the event, but she had been in no real danger.

The hunt was declared over and everyone returned to Bann Odwin's estate. Ywaine rode beside him and tried to praise him again, but Michael didn't have the patience to be polite and just accepted her words silently.

"Don't overdo it my dear," Bann Odwin said. "You are embarrassing the Prince."

Ywaine grew silent and smiled at him, then she let her horse fall behind his.

"You must forgive my daughter, but I believe you have made quite an impression on her," Bann Odwin said and winked.

When they returned Michael's heroic intervention immediately became the talk of the whole manor.

Michael saw Anora come out of the manor with a cluster of other noble and servants. He hurried to her side.

"The Prince is the hero of the day," Bann Odwin said "He saved my daughter's life today."

Anora looked at him for a moment and then she smiled at the Bann.

"I'm not surprised," she said. My husband is not an... ordinary man. We all owe him for much."

Michael had to endure a teary eyed thanks from the Bann's wife, a round of cheers and a long clingy hug from Ywaine, before he could excuse himself.

He hurried to Anora's side and with his face grimly determined he took her arm and escorted her away from the guests to dress for dinner, followed by Erlina.

When they finally were alone Anora regarded him coolly.

"So... the great hero of Ferelden is out to rescue fair damsels?" she finally said acridly. "I suppose there was no other handsome knight available to rescue her."

Michael closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He had somehow known Anora would get everything wrong.

"No, he said," almost harshly, "it was just Ywaine, me and a soldier who was unconscious. Are you happy now!"

Anora raised her eye brows and stared at his outburst. Erlina ducked away and excused herself.

Michael sat down on the bed and began to kick off his boots violently. He was so sick of the whole situation.

"You can believe whatever you want Anora," he continued still kicking angrily. "But that woman Ywaine didn't have clue about what was actually happening. I saved the life on some poor soldier who would have been mangled if I hadn't killed that boar. Ywaine was yards away and would never have been hit."

Anora stared at him with nostrils flaring, but then she just sighed. She went to him and to his utter surprise she gently took his head and held it gently to her bosom.

"Of course, dear," she whispered into his hair. "She had no clue what was really going on."

Anora called Erlina back and sat down to let her arrange her hair. She watched her husband getting ready for dinner. He truly wasn't pretending she thought. He doesn't see what that little vixen Ywain was up to. It was hard to believe that someone so clever as he was, could be so blind. Then again, her father Loghain had been blind about many things too.

She rose when they were ready and let him take her hand. If he's too blind to see, then I'm not, she thought and put on her most Queenly smile.

In the main hall a big banquet had been prepared. As they descended down the stairs, horns were sounded to announce the royal couple's arrival and the gathered nobles greeted them.

Anora steered Michael towards their host who stood next to his daughter.

"Bann Odwin, what a wonderful banquet," Anora said.

"Nothing is to good for the hero of the day," Bann Odwin replied and tugged at Ywaine's hem. Ywaine looked at her father and then turned and smiled happily at Michael.

"Of course," Anora said loudly so the whole hall heard it. "My husband told me all about how he saved the life of one of your soldiers. I do hope he suffered no permanent injuries?"

"Why, you were there dear," Anora said, and turned towards Ywaine, still smiling. "Do you know how the poor man is doing?"

"N..no, your Majesty," Ywaine stammered.

"Pity," Anora said loftily and turned away from her. "Let's be seated shall we."

Michael was seated with Anora on one side and Ywaine on the other. Michael tried to speak as little as possible with Ywaine without being impolite, which turned out to be less of a problem than he had thought. Ywaine didn't speak much only smiled, whenever he looked her way. The few words they traded, Michael could have sworn her eyes kept darting towards Anora nervously.

The banquet was long. One after another various dishes where served. Jugglers and a minstrel entertained them while servants cleared dishes and served new. Eventually Michael rose and asked a servant for directions to the privy.

When he walked down the long dimly lit corridor back to the main hall he heard a voice from one of the side rooms.

"Your Highness, please!" It was Ywaine who waved at him.

"Maker's breath, what are you doing Ywaine?" Michael said horrified.

"Please. I must apologize to you. You must think I'm such a goose," she whispered.

Michael sighed. He felt almost sorry for the girl, the way Anora had dressed her down.

"There's nothing to forgive Ywaine," he said. "Maybe you were in shock, but you really were in no danger."

"I just... I just was so scared," Ywaine said lips trembling. "I'm sorry I made a fool of myself."

"There you are my dear," Michael heard Anora behind him. "I thought you had gotten lost here."

Anora took Michael's arm in a firm grip and then she looked at Ywaine with a cold gaze.

"Ywaine, my dear. You are young still so you can be excused, but you must try to learn how to behave at formal occasions. You wouldn't want people to get the wrong impression about you, do you?"

"Y... your Majesty?" Ywaine asked wide eyed.

"Why some unkindly person might falsely think that you were stalking married men if you go on like this," Anora replied with a voice of steel.

"My Queen! I didn't..." Ywaine stammered.

Anora had already turned away from her.

"Come my dear. We mustn't keep our host waiting."

Michael saw a last look of the stricken girl before he left with Anora. Ywaine's fearful countenance had been replaced by a look of raw hatred.

"Thank you," he whispered to Anora.

"Idiot," she murmured back to him.

When they came back into the main hall, the nobles had risen from the table and stood in knots talking to each other, while the minstrel sat in a corner playing on a lute. Bann Alenna sought them out and addressed Anora.

"Then it is settled, your Majesty? You will visit my humble estate on the morrow?" she said.

"Yes, my lady. It will be our pleasure to do so. I much look forward to seeing your rose garden everyone speaks of," Anora replied.

Michael supposed this was something that had been agreed upon, while he was at the hunt. The arrangement suited him fine, He didn't want to remain another day in the same house as Ywaine or her father if he could avoid it.

"As you wish, your Majesty," Bann Odwin said, joining them. "But I beg of you not to steal away both my guests Alenna. Surely the Prince can remain to display his skills tomorrow. We are organizing a melee and everyone is anxious to see you display your skill."

"No!" Michael said, a little more forceful than he had intended. "I do not want to let my wife travel alone. Besides I am very interested in... roses."

For a moment Bann Alenna gave Bann Odwin a strange look, but then Bann Odwin suddenly smiled.

"So be it your Majesty," he said. "We will arrange the melee the day after tomorrow instead."

Bann Alenna, looked quizzically at Bann Odwin, but then she was also all smiles.

"Very good. Now if you'll excuse me I think I must leave you. I must leave ahead of you to prepare my estate to receive such honoured guests," she said. "I am so looking forward to showing your majesty my roses."

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, and Ywaine was not to be seen anywhere.