Back in Roy's manor, Roy had ordered the servants prepare a feast, and while he waited for it to be cooked, he sat with Martha at the end of the long dining table and talked to her. Well, he intended to talk to her, but it was her that butted in first with a question.
"Lord Roy, what does 'gay' mean?"
"Gay?" A frown of distaste crossed his face. "They are filthy people; they should not be talked about, or even thought of. Why do you ask?"
"Lord Ike said 'Princess Rapunzel, even if I wasn't holding you hostage for cash, I wouldn't love you anyway, no matter how beautiful you are. I'm gay.'"
"I'm not surprised he is, horrid man. But was he really holding you hostage for cash? My god, I had thought him bad at heart, but even I had credited him with better intentions than that."
"Yes, that's what he said, he was holding me hostage. He was scary. But he wore silver armour and rode a white unicorn, and I just don't understand, because that was what my saviour was meant to look like."
Roy laughed at her innocence. "And do you think I am bad?"
"No, no, you are wonderful," she cried, her eyes sparkling with joy.
"Well when I first headed for the fortress where you were being held, I wore shining black armour and rode a black stallion, you know. So you see, appearances can be deceptive."
She paled at this remark, and he frowned in response, and placed a loving hand on her arm. "I did not mean to put it so slyly. I meant only that just because I wore black armour and rode a black horse does not mean I am a bad person."
"Oh. But if you have a tail doesn't that make you a mermaid and if you have wings doesn't that make you an angel? So why doesn't having black armour and riding a black horse made you a bad man?"
"You may have a tail but you might not like water, you might have wings but not be angelic. Black armour only signifies that the wearer is a Lord, not that they are a bad person."
"Oh." She looked a little confused. Presently the servants filed in and placed the starter course in front of them, and Roy replied through a mouthful of prawns,
"Were you brought up with nothing but fairytales?"
"Yes!" she nodded enthusiastically. "How did you know?"
Roy just sighed. Was stupidity the price to pay for beauty? And was she truly that beautiful? Roy thought for a moment. There had been something strange about her as she had said it, something briefly different about the jaw and the cheekbones, something almost…masculine.
*
Ike ran as fast as he could, but Roy and his hostage were soon lost from sight. He cursed himself for leaving Martha alone in the bedroom. If he had been of a different persuasion he would surely not have left her alone in the bedroom, but he wasn't that way inclined, and now his latest plan for gaining a fortune had gone awry. Curse these hectic streets! He would never find them now! His only hope was to head for Roy's manor, and hope that Roy had intended to return there with his hostage.
It was now quite dark apart from the streetlamps, which barely illuminated anything except the poles that supported them, and often Ike found himself stumbling through puddles or slipping in mud. But he would not give up, he had a will of iron, and that money would be his. He picked up the pace, his not lacking muscles already tiring with the excursion.
*
After dinner Marth followed Roy upstairs, and wondered where he would be sleeping tonight. Naturally he would be marrying him tomorrow, so tonight would be the last night he slept alone. He was still a little unnerved about realising that the man he had called intruder not so long ago, the man who had worn the black armour and had been reduced to his underpants by the guards of the tower, was this Lord Roy who seemed so good and kind to him. If only he had worn silver armour and ridden a white unicorn like the other man, then he could rest assured. However, he still hoped for his happily ever after, with an amazing wedding and lots of little children. The thought made him smile.
But he was soon made nervous as instead of being shown to a separate room, Roy lead him into his own room, and then began to kiss him strongly in a way he did not like.
"Stop!"
"What is wrong?"
"What are you doing?"
"What couples do!" he said, kissing him again. Marth thought a moment.
"But doesn't that happen after the wedding?" Roy thought for a moment.
"I suppose it does. But you don't mind if I have a look at you, do you?"
"Here I am." Marth was very puzzled. What was Roy getting at? His naivety made him even more shocked when Roy ripped at his clothes and left him naked. He blushed and tried to turn his face away, but he couldn't hide under his long hair anymore, and he saw Roy's horrified expression.
"You're a, you're a…" He was backing away in horror. Marth, terrified, looked down at himself, but he seemed to look as normal as he thought he should. Quickly he pulled his dress back on, though slightly torn, it was still wearable.
"You're…" Roy seemed to be at a loss for words.
"What's wrong?" Tears filled his eyes. Was he so very ugly? He began to cry. But Roy only swore, in a way that a well-bred Lord never should.
"To think I actually kissed you," he said, spitting to one side. "No wonder you looked strange for a moment at the dinner table…"
Marth, completely uncomprehending, backed away into one corner of the room and knelt in the corner, watching the enraged Roy pace the room. Then finally Roy managed to say what was horrifying him so much.
"You're… a boy." And then, at the effort of finally expressing himself, he sat on the bed, exhausted.
"I…" This was what Roy objected to? But how was being a boy wrong? Marth, sobbing, finished fastening the remains of his dress and stood up, his grief turning into anger.
"I have always been a boy! Didn't you know? But you rescued me and now… now you hate me! I don't understand! I don't understand!"
Roy was equally confused. "But you're a princess!" he exclaimed. "You had long hair… you look like a girl!"
"I am a princess. I am pretty and I was locked in a tower and waiting for a knight to come and save me! Doesn't that make me a princess?"
"You idiot!" Roy swore. "Remember when I said wearing black armour didn't make me a bad person? Being locked in a tower with long hair does not make you a princess!"
"But…then…"
Roy was standing now, he had recovered, and he was heading for the door. Marth could see he was about to leave, to abandon him, possibly for ever. No happily ever after. No marriage. No love.
"What am I then?" he asked. But Roy had already left.
*
