Disclaimer: No AKT people are mine, fic is for fun, etc, etc...
Ismene began to dress with more care than usual that evening, then realised what she was doing and mentally reprimanded herself. It wasn't like her to make an effort – she was firmly of the opinion that if someone liked her, they'd like her no matter how she dressed – but looking in the mirror she was actually pleased with what she saw. She'd bathed, and her hair looked silky, simply tied back with dark tendrils left loose to curl about her face. Her eyes were quite blue against her pale skin, and her lips, she decided, were full and red and altogether kissable.
She laughed out loud – these thoughts were stupid. She'd spent so long refusing advances it was an odd thing to invite them. She dressed in breeches and a fitted shirt, and put on a long coat before leaving her room to meet everyone at the inn. Thomas, having made up with Kate, would be calling on her beforehand, leaving Ismene to make her way alone.
She stepped out into the chill night air and breathed deeply. At the moment her life was looking up – money was coming in from the tournament, her new clothes were a testament to that, and the friends she had made brought much needed laughter and a sense of belonging which had been missing since she'd been forced out of the house at Durham. Walking down the streets of Oxford, she smiled to herself at the thought of Thomas and Kate, and at the sight of people going to and fro, most of them talking about the tournament.
The Bay Horse was in a quiet corner of town, and Ismene turned down an empty side-street she thought would bring her out a few doors down from it. The air here was quiet and still – the street dark except for a dim glow coming from a window high above. It was a little sinister and she quickened her pace, not pausing when she heard a door open behind her. Men's voices sounded, then suddenly one called out;
"Hey there!" Ismene faltered but didn't stop, and the voice came again; "Hey you!"
She turned, and the man who had spoken looked startled, then quickly recovered himself and grinned at the two men accompanying him. He was blonde, tall and well-built. He took a step towards her, smiling. "Where are you going?"
"What's it to you?" Ismene asked guardedly.
"Well, a young girl like yourself out all alone at night..." he stepped forwards again. "Maybe I just want to make sure you're safe."
"I'm fine." Ismene said. "Goodnight, sir." She turned to leave, but stopped dead when she saw that two men had stepped out from the shadows, barring her way. They had no visible weapons, but the three men behind her might. She turned back to face the blonde man.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Lord Chiswick" he said. "and you're awfully pretty to be here all alone. You'd better come with me." As a noble he was used to taking what he wanted, especially women.
"And if I don't?"
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." He grinned nastily, then stepped forwards and grabbed her arm. She pulled away, but he was strong and in her happy mood she'd forgotten to bring her dagger. The other men closed in around her as Chiswick began to laugh, and just as Ismene was about to try and punch him and run, an angry male voice demanded he release her at once. Chiswick turned, and a tall figure stepped into the dim light.
"I said, let her go"
"Or what?"
"Or I will cut your throat" This came in a French accent, and Count Villeux, dressed in full armour, sword drawn, stepped past Geoffrey and looked imperiously at Chiswick the Younger, who let go of Ismene with a snarl. Geoff hurried over to lead her out of the alleyway, leaving Villeux and the two other knights he was with to settle the score with Chiswick and his men.
"Are you alright?" Geoff asked once they were back in the street.
"Yes, thank you" Ismene said. "You came along at just the right time."
"You should be thanking Villeux" Geoff replied. "Those men would have slaughtered me, but they won't argue with three fully-armed knights"
"What are they doing?" Ismene asked as they started towards the inn, whose sign was visible a few doors down.
"Showing off at a party near here, hence the dress code. I thought I'd walk down with them. Who was that man?"
"Lord Chiswick the Younger. He might carry word of Villeux to his brother."
"I know I said I hoped he'd take Villeux down a bit, but now I want Villeux to win, preferably at the cost of Chiswick's head."
Ismene blushed a little, but they'd reached the inn and now ducked inside, met by welcome warmth and the hum of merry voices. They were the last to arrive and had already been bought drinks – Ismene recounted what had just happened to her and was met with Thomas's vow to meet Chiswick in battle and kill him, and Wat's promise to meet him outside the inn, or any other place she cared to mention, and kill him too.
"I just wish I'd brought a knife or something – it's a little humiliating, being rescued."
"Even by the stereotypical knight in shining armour?" Geoffrey asked.
"Well, if I had to be rescued any way, I'd choose that" she allowed. "How'd you be rescued?"
"By beautiful poetry, which would bring me back from the depths of despair"
"How about you Roland?"
"I'd be rescued by a young maiden bearing food and drink" he said, grinning at a serving girl who came to take their orders.
"Especially drink" Wat said, before asking for his mug to be refilled.
"I'd be rescued by flying away on the back of a dragon." Thomas said. "I've always wanted to fly."
"I hear there are dragons in the East." Roland said.
"I met a Chinaman once" Ismene recounted. "at a tourney. He said there were loads where he came from, and the people worshipped them."
"Godless place" Wat muttered.
"Fascinating culture though" Geoff said. "The things there'd be to write about..."
"Take about a year to get there though, if you didn't get killed on the way" Roland observed.
"Or eaten" Wat said, his face in his mug. "by a dragon."
"I thought St. George killed the last dragon?" Kate asked. She and Thomas were talking together, only dipping in to the general conversation to keep up appearances.
"The last dragon in Christendom, perhaps" Geoff said. "but the East is outside the realm of Christianity."
"Godless place" Wat repeated.
"Why don't we have mythical creatures over here?" Ismene wondered. "You only ever hear about these things as being in some unreachable place. All the animals anyone's ever *seen* are boring, like sheep and horses..."
"Maybe your Chinaman had travelled to the tournament to see the mythical 'horse'." Roland suggested, causing everyone to laugh at the thought.
Shortly, their food arrived, and for the second time that day they feasted well, sitting long into the night drinking and talking. After settling the bill sometime past midnight, they left the inn and started back through town. Wat and Roland walked on ahead, followed by Kate and Thomas, who had been looking longingly at each other all night. Geoff offered Ismene his arm and she took it, glad because not only did she feel tipsy, it was a cold night and being close to him felt good. After the events of earlier she also felt safe.
"Do you ever wonder about the stars?" Geoff asked, looking upwards to where they twinkled brightly in the clear night sky. "How they got there, if anyone lives on them, if they think about us..."
"Yes...I wonder how far away they are, and if we'll ever get there"
"I think we will. We won't live to see it, but one day mankind will get off this Earth."
"And reach the abode of the Gods? What will the church say about that?"
"Maybe they'll find heaven"
"Maybe...maybe they won't"
"If they don't find it then it mustn't be visible"
"Good point. I don't think God would have made it visible if he knew his creation had the ability to reach it while still alive."
"Yes..." Geoff agreed, "...that would be a bit of an oversight..."
Thomas and Kate had stopped walking and were waiting for them to catch up.
"Erm...we're both going to Kate's tent, so I'll say goodnight now" Thomas sounded a little awkward.
"Oh, ok" Ismene replied. "Just make sure you're back in time to get ready for the fight." Thomas could have just meant he was walking Kate home, but Ismene assumed correctly that he was staying the night there. He and Kate struck off on a different street, and one corner later Geoff and Ismene were outside The King's Arms.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked as she let go of his arm.
"Yes – Villeux is jousting in the afternoon so I'll be watching you in the morning." Ismene grinned. "You can commiserate me afterwards then"
"I shall do my best"
"Well...Goodnight" She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, before disappearing into the inn. Geoff stood for a few moments, a little stunned, then broke into a grin.
"Goodnight" he murmured after her.
Ismene began to dress with more care than usual that evening, then realised what she was doing and mentally reprimanded herself. It wasn't like her to make an effort – she was firmly of the opinion that if someone liked her, they'd like her no matter how she dressed – but looking in the mirror she was actually pleased with what she saw. She'd bathed, and her hair looked silky, simply tied back with dark tendrils left loose to curl about her face. Her eyes were quite blue against her pale skin, and her lips, she decided, were full and red and altogether kissable.
She laughed out loud – these thoughts were stupid. She'd spent so long refusing advances it was an odd thing to invite them. She dressed in breeches and a fitted shirt, and put on a long coat before leaving her room to meet everyone at the inn. Thomas, having made up with Kate, would be calling on her beforehand, leaving Ismene to make her way alone.
She stepped out into the chill night air and breathed deeply. At the moment her life was looking up – money was coming in from the tournament, her new clothes were a testament to that, and the friends she had made brought much needed laughter and a sense of belonging which had been missing since she'd been forced out of the house at Durham. Walking down the streets of Oxford, she smiled to herself at the thought of Thomas and Kate, and at the sight of people going to and fro, most of them talking about the tournament.
The Bay Horse was in a quiet corner of town, and Ismene turned down an empty side-street she thought would bring her out a few doors down from it. The air here was quiet and still – the street dark except for a dim glow coming from a window high above. It was a little sinister and she quickened her pace, not pausing when she heard a door open behind her. Men's voices sounded, then suddenly one called out;
"Hey there!" Ismene faltered but didn't stop, and the voice came again; "Hey you!"
She turned, and the man who had spoken looked startled, then quickly recovered himself and grinned at the two men accompanying him. He was blonde, tall and well-built. He took a step towards her, smiling. "Where are you going?"
"What's it to you?" Ismene asked guardedly.
"Well, a young girl like yourself out all alone at night..." he stepped forwards again. "Maybe I just want to make sure you're safe."
"I'm fine." Ismene said. "Goodnight, sir." She turned to leave, but stopped dead when she saw that two men had stepped out from the shadows, barring her way. They had no visible weapons, but the three men behind her might. She turned back to face the blonde man.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Lord Chiswick" he said. "and you're awfully pretty to be here all alone. You'd better come with me." As a noble he was used to taking what he wanted, especially women.
"And if I don't?"
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." He grinned nastily, then stepped forwards and grabbed her arm. She pulled away, but he was strong and in her happy mood she'd forgotten to bring her dagger. The other men closed in around her as Chiswick began to laugh, and just as Ismene was about to try and punch him and run, an angry male voice demanded he release her at once. Chiswick turned, and a tall figure stepped into the dim light.
"I said, let her go"
"Or what?"
"Or I will cut your throat" This came in a French accent, and Count Villeux, dressed in full armour, sword drawn, stepped past Geoffrey and looked imperiously at Chiswick the Younger, who let go of Ismene with a snarl. Geoff hurried over to lead her out of the alleyway, leaving Villeux and the two other knights he was with to settle the score with Chiswick and his men.
"Are you alright?" Geoff asked once they were back in the street.
"Yes, thank you" Ismene said. "You came along at just the right time."
"You should be thanking Villeux" Geoff replied. "Those men would have slaughtered me, but they won't argue with three fully-armed knights"
"What are they doing?" Ismene asked as they started towards the inn, whose sign was visible a few doors down.
"Showing off at a party near here, hence the dress code. I thought I'd walk down with them. Who was that man?"
"Lord Chiswick the Younger. He might carry word of Villeux to his brother."
"I know I said I hoped he'd take Villeux down a bit, but now I want Villeux to win, preferably at the cost of Chiswick's head."
Ismene blushed a little, but they'd reached the inn and now ducked inside, met by welcome warmth and the hum of merry voices. They were the last to arrive and had already been bought drinks – Ismene recounted what had just happened to her and was met with Thomas's vow to meet Chiswick in battle and kill him, and Wat's promise to meet him outside the inn, or any other place she cared to mention, and kill him too.
"I just wish I'd brought a knife or something – it's a little humiliating, being rescued."
"Even by the stereotypical knight in shining armour?" Geoffrey asked.
"Well, if I had to be rescued any way, I'd choose that" she allowed. "How'd you be rescued?"
"By beautiful poetry, which would bring me back from the depths of despair"
"How about you Roland?"
"I'd be rescued by a young maiden bearing food and drink" he said, grinning at a serving girl who came to take their orders.
"Especially drink" Wat said, before asking for his mug to be refilled.
"I'd be rescued by flying away on the back of a dragon." Thomas said. "I've always wanted to fly."
"I hear there are dragons in the East." Roland said.
"I met a Chinaman once" Ismene recounted. "at a tourney. He said there were loads where he came from, and the people worshipped them."
"Godless place" Wat muttered.
"Fascinating culture though" Geoff said. "The things there'd be to write about..."
"Take about a year to get there though, if you didn't get killed on the way" Roland observed.
"Or eaten" Wat said, his face in his mug. "by a dragon."
"I thought St. George killed the last dragon?" Kate asked. She and Thomas were talking together, only dipping in to the general conversation to keep up appearances.
"The last dragon in Christendom, perhaps" Geoff said. "but the East is outside the realm of Christianity."
"Godless place" Wat repeated.
"Why don't we have mythical creatures over here?" Ismene wondered. "You only ever hear about these things as being in some unreachable place. All the animals anyone's ever *seen* are boring, like sheep and horses..."
"Maybe your Chinaman had travelled to the tournament to see the mythical 'horse'." Roland suggested, causing everyone to laugh at the thought.
Shortly, their food arrived, and for the second time that day they feasted well, sitting long into the night drinking and talking. After settling the bill sometime past midnight, they left the inn and started back through town. Wat and Roland walked on ahead, followed by Kate and Thomas, who had been looking longingly at each other all night. Geoff offered Ismene his arm and she took it, glad because not only did she feel tipsy, it was a cold night and being close to him felt good. After the events of earlier she also felt safe.
"Do you ever wonder about the stars?" Geoff asked, looking upwards to where they twinkled brightly in the clear night sky. "How they got there, if anyone lives on them, if they think about us..."
"Yes...I wonder how far away they are, and if we'll ever get there"
"I think we will. We won't live to see it, but one day mankind will get off this Earth."
"And reach the abode of the Gods? What will the church say about that?"
"Maybe they'll find heaven"
"Maybe...maybe they won't"
"If they don't find it then it mustn't be visible"
"Good point. I don't think God would have made it visible if he knew his creation had the ability to reach it while still alive."
"Yes..." Geoff agreed, "...that would be a bit of an oversight..."
Thomas and Kate had stopped walking and were waiting for them to catch up.
"Erm...we're both going to Kate's tent, so I'll say goodnight now" Thomas sounded a little awkward.
"Oh, ok" Ismene replied. "Just make sure you're back in time to get ready for the fight." Thomas could have just meant he was walking Kate home, but Ismene assumed correctly that he was staying the night there. He and Kate struck off on a different street, and one corner later Geoff and Ismene were outside The King's Arms.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked as she let go of his arm.
"Yes – Villeux is jousting in the afternoon so I'll be watching you in the morning." Ismene grinned. "You can commiserate me afterwards then"
"I shall do my best"
"Well...Goodnight" She stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek, before disappearing into the inn. Geoff stood for a few moments, a little stunned, then broke into a grin.
"Goodnight" he murmured after her.