Page 70 of Chivalry in the Meadow
Sir Thorne stepped into the tent.
Mia glanced at him and scowled.Now he shows up. He’s never around. Lot of help he is.
She dumped her bag on the bed and picked up piece after piece of underwear, socks, t-shirt and pajamas. “Looks like they shredded all of mine.” She shook her head. “Geesh, I sound like I’m telling a very bad version of Goldilocks. Look mom they took all of mine.” She sat shaking her head and looking at her things. “There’s nothing left worth taking home but the bag. I’m surprised they didn’t shred that too.”
“Not enough of your scent on it,” Sir Thorne said.
“What?” she looked at him.
“They hunt by scent,” he said with a wry smile.
Is he trying to make me afraid?
She watched him without speaking, then turned away to look at Lilly, while the knights grumbled amongst themselves. None of them were getting any sleep, except Lilly, and everyone was tired.
I’m not going to let him scare me. I’m tired of being afraid. I have Lilly here with me, and all these knights protecting us. I’m going to be okay, and when the sun is up tomorrow, and those things are back in their dark places if not dead, Lilly and I are going home.
“Looks like I’m stuck in a princess dress,” Mia said. “But I’m supposed to turn this in.”
“I’ll let you borrow my hoodie, and erm, unmentionables,” Lilly said. “Anything you want to borrow.”
“But you didn’t even bring a change of clothes,” Mia said.
“I’ll wear what I wore here, and you can wear my pajama bottoms and my hoodie,” Lilly said. “It will be okay Mia.”
“Our cook is going to get up early and fix you breakfast,” Sir Alaric said. “I’ll bring it to the tent, and you can eat here before you get on the road.”
“Thank you, Sir Alaric,” Mia said.
“Yes, thank you,” Lilly said and then she laid back down. “I’m going to try to get some sleep, so I won’t be sleepy driving us home.”
“Okay, yeah, there’s nothing to stay up for,” Mia said. “Sleep.”
Lilly gave her a thumbs up and then closed her eyes.
The other knights filed out of the tent and Sir Alaric was the last to go.
“Wait,” Mia said. “Can you stay and talk to me?”
“Yes,” he said, then he sat on the ground and folded his legs.
He had to be tired.
“So many strange things have happened this weekend for which I have no answers,” she said. “Can you help me to understand what’s been going on?’
He closed his eyes and nodded. Then opened them again to look at her.
“Ask away,” he said. “And please, just call me Alaric. The Sir is just for out there in the Ren Faire.” He waved his hand. “Not between you and me.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Alaric.” She glanced down and then up again. “Is there a you and me?”
His eyes searched hers. “Do you want there to be?”
“I think I would like that,” she said. “If you do.”
“I know I would like that. You’ve just been through so much.” His eyes searched hers again, assessing. “How are you doing now?”
“I was afraid before,” she said. “But not right now. You stopped them and we are protected. So, I guess I’m doing okay, considering.”
