The Knight Protector: Love is Fantastic, #3

The Knight Protector

By Lisa Williamson

Contents

The Knight Protector

By Lisa Williamson

Chapter One

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter seven

Chapter eight

Chapter nine

Chapter ten

Chapter eleven

Chapter twelve

Chapter thirteen

Chapter fifteen

Chapter sixteen

Chapter seventeen

Chapter eighteen

Chapter nineteen

Chapter One

Elinor smiled at the children who sat on the ground around her. They had begged her for songs about heroes and damsels in distress, about how one man could save a city and of magic bright and strong. The girls shook their heads, wanting songs about quests that lead to an everlasting love story. She ran her fingers down the strings of her harp and the spill of the notes hushed them so she could sing. The parents, who were busy working the stands in the market, looked up and smiled. Elinor was their singer, she could be a pampered darling at the king’s court, but she stayed here and played for them. Even when she went up to the Baron’s manor house she always came back and entertained the children when their parents were too busy.

She lost herself to the songs that she played. Only while she was playing did the world seem a kind place, where she was wanted and loved. She hid how heart sore she was behind smiles and sang silly songs between the requests, making the children laugh and when their parents called them away for dinners in their warm homes, she nodded and waved before returning to her empty room and empty bed. This place, this town, was almost the perfect home for her. Now if she could only forget the dreams she once had.

When they brought up a tray for her, she smiled at the barmaid and thanked her. Will you be playing for us tonight, Elinor?

She shook her head. I don’t think so, though if you go out to the orchard you can listen as I practice. The barmaid nodded and smiled sadly when she turned away. The Bard only played out in the orchard when she was sad. They all knew it and knew why.

YASHA WAVED AT THE farmers as he rode back to town. The news in the capital was troubling, but he needed a break. Too often he was called in to deal with things that the guardsmen could not. He let out a sigh as he saw the gates to the town in the distance. He was determined to take time off. There were others that could do much of what he did. If he had to deal with one more fine lady who got herself into trouble just so he would be called in to rescue her, he just might decide to leave the kingdom. Not that he minded helping out when his services were truly needed. Cleaning out a den of monsters who were preying on villagers was something he knew he was honor bond to do.

What he needed was a week of good food, a soft bed and maybe a playmate to wile away the hours. A woman who wasn’t angling to have the Knight Protector become her husband. He wasn’t the catch they thought. He wasn’t rich, for he rarely took payment for his work, but too many thought the prestige of being his spouse would get them out of their father’s houses and into the capital where they were sure life was so much more interesting.

While King Michael Heimstal the first of his name, was a good man and friend, his court was filled with self serving courtiers and backstabbing priests. And of course more women who just wanted to bed him. Rolling his neck he patted the neck of his mount. Not much longer, boy, then you can eat yourself silly and cover any mare that you wish. He smiled when the big stallion snorted with interest. It may have been all the time he spent alone on the road, but at times the stallion seemed to understand him a lot better than the courtiers ever had. "Let’s hope we can just rest this time, buddy.

Looking up when he heard the rumble of thunder, Yasha sighed and nodded. At least we beat the storm. He narrowed his eyes and then shook his head. Though if I know weather, looks like that storm is heading away from town all ready which I am sure the lands that way could use.

MILES FROM TOWN, WHERE the lands became truly wild the old monastery had new inhabitants. The once pristine walls were broken and covered in thick vines. Creatures not natural now moved around its walls. The sound of chanting filled the air as dark clouds gathered over the walls. With a thunderous crash lightning lit up the sky above the monastery, striking down into the outstretched palm of the tall figure standing there.

Hargon let out a sound of pleasure at the energy coalesced around his outstretched arms. He sighed as the energy dissipated and then stood looking out over the parapets of his new home. The storm whipped his long white hair around his face, but he did little to restrain it. He reveled in the ferocity of the storm and raised his arms to embrace it once more. As the wind’s power lessened he dropped his arms and pounded a fist on the stonework before him. I shall have my revenge on those who thought to stop me! By all that is unholy I will have the soul of the one named Yasha and with his death I will become a god!

Chapter two

Yasha, known as the Knight Protector, walked into the crowded taproom with a relieved sigh. It had been a long journey from the capital back to this place he thought of as home. The people here were a mix of travelers, adventurers and towns folk. He could see sitting at the tables and couches scattered about the large open space groups of merchants, a squad of the local militia and those who he knew as friends. The babble that filled the room was both too loud and soothing for a man who had spent months on the road. There were even some of the scholars from the tower of learning, debating something he was sure was too deep for him. He shook his head when the robed masters tried to get his attention. They just wanted to talk and all the talking about the many and varied things that people talked of throughout time were too tiring for him this night. He wanted a chair by the fire, a bowl of stew and a mug of ale.

When a familiar voice called out across the tap room he paused and looked about. With a sigh he headed over to the table that held the head of the city guard. He might as well get it over with. They would pepper him with questions about the news from the capital and tell him of what bandits were doing what. It was all a part of his duty as a knight he supposed. He hadn’t asked to be knighted, hadn’t had a choice at accepting after dealing with the mad wizard in the outer marshlands. The king had everything set up when he rode back to the capital and it was easier to let it happen officially. After all he had been acting as a knight for years. He couldn’t stop people calling him the Protector, which was decided by the common folk. Adding Knight to the title just made him feel tired.

If it hadn’t been for the princess what he had done would have most likely been ignored, but rescue one pampered princess and of course you have to take some reward. He had gone there not for a rescue, but looking for a man who he had vowed to kill. It wasn’t him and really he hadn’t truly expected it to be him. Yasha had just gotten into the habit of following any story of a magic user who was using power from the dark side. Someday he would find his enemy and make him pay for his crimes.

He got his bowl of stew and a mug of the ale the inn was famous for when he joined the guard captain. He was allowed to fill his empty belly before the questions started. So, are you planning on staying here for a time, Protector?

Sighing, Yasha answered. Yes, until I’m called elsewhere.

Marx nodded a sympathetic look on his face. The past year you have spent more time on the road than here. I take it the King has finally given up trying to wed you to his daughter? There was a sly look on the man’s face.

She made the matter moot by running off a week ago with the prince from Ridoran. Yasha used a chunk of bread to sop up the broth from the stew. Kathy had a way with stews, simple basic commoner food that made him want every drop. It reminded him of life from long ago, before he picked up the sword. After a month of the fancy dishes that were a part of every dinner at court, Yasha had slipped out and didn’t look back.

So, it’s true! Marx laughed, shaking his head. And his majesty didn’t order you to go get her back?

Yasha gave his old friend a long look, shaking his head. He knew that he couldn’t. I’m not at the beck and call of the court for things that can be done by the Capital guard. He sat back, not as relaxed as he hoped. He sighed, looking about. There were few here at the moment who would gladly spent time with. He chatted back and forth for a while and then excusing himself he moved across to the stairs leading up. He kept a set of rooms here. They weren’t much, definitely smaller than the rooms he had back at court, but it was a place he could leave his things. He wanted to drop off his packs, get out of his armor and find the bath house. A long soak would relieve the aches of being in the saddle to long that even a man his age felt.

Here in this village he didn’t need to wear the heavy black iron and silver armor that both protected him and proclaimed him as the Protector. Laying his sheathed sword on the bed, he removed the armor, piece by piece. There were new dents that he would have to hammer out, places that would need tending. A knight normally would have a squire whose primary job would be to care for his master’s armor, but Yasha would never take one. He needed no one touching the magical plate. It was imbued with a magic that would do real harm to anyone other than himself.

Reaching into the chest at the end of the bed, he pulled out a bathing sheet and clean clothing. A part of keeping rooms in this inn was free access to the bath house behind the building. It was empty, as he expected and he stripped to the skin and settled into the hot water. If anyone had dared enter while he was there, they would have seen a tall, lean body. One covered in scars from more battles than he cared to remember. The long slice that went from his left shoulder to his right hip should have killed him, that had been the plan of the assassin sent after him. It was