Knights of Rose Chapter 9

There was a knock at the door "come in" we both said. I looked at him and couldn't hide my smile. The tailor entered the room holding a rather massive amount of cloth. She went toward the bed and placed it down. "Sorry you majesty I just now finished it." I gave him a questioning look. "Your covers" Kenneth whispered in my ear. "Oh, that just fine, let's see how it looks." To be honest I was so shocked by the room that I hadn't noticed that the bed did not have any covers. It was the softest thing I had ever touched. The color of gold with a beautiful vine design stitched into it in black. "Oh my! It's so beautiful!" I ran my hands over the soft covers. "Thank you so much!" I kissed both his cheeks then she excused herself.

Kenneth came to stand at my side. "This is too much." I muttered. "No, nothings to much or to good for you." I turned to look at him then. He slid his hand up the side of my face and then back down the back of my neck, he pulled me forward and I knew he was about to kiss me. My whole body was tingling, his lips pressed gently against mine while his hand wound itself in my hair. My arms went around his neck and his other hand went to my lower back pushing our bodies together. Our kiss intensified and now my back was against the wall with the weight of him pinning me. Our kiss broke at the sound of someone knocking at the door. I didn't want to stop, who ever it was could wait. The sound came again more urgent this time and I let out a sigh. We spaced ourselves apart and I called out "Come in!"

Bryan, Randall and Kelvin entered the room. "What is it?" I asked quietly I wondered what could bring them all here at the same time. Bryan spoke "Apparently one of the men" he was looking at me "is causing a bit of a stir in the market outside the bar" "wonderful" I said and did not hide the sarcasm. Kenneth looked at Kelvin. "How bad?" "We aren't sure yet, we wanted to see what you both wanted to do." A memory of my uncle flashed through my mind, of him telling Randall to make a point to the rest of the men when dealing with whoever was causing the problem at that time. "Well let's not wait to see what happens, Bryan, Randall please come with me. We will make a point with this one. A solid reminder that what we say goes." The men turned to look at me. "What?" "That's a very good idea, I completely agree." This coming from Randall. "Well we don't all need to Rose" Bryan said. "Oh but we do. I send one of you it looks like a big deal, but not that big of a deal. I send two, they know they are in trouble, but if we all go... well you get the point." Kenneth jumped in then "the last thing you need to be doing is going out and about in the cold." I sighed "I cannot be expected to rule if I can't even go deal with a simple squabble." I saw Kenneth's argument fade away. "Alright, but your wearing your heaviest cloak. "I don't have a cloak" "dresser" was all he said. I eyed him, as I walked to my dresser I opened it and found a beautiful brown cloak with gold embroidery hanging there. I pulled it out it wasn't heavy really but very thick. The hood was lined with fur that was so soft. "Its beautiful" I said but it was a whisper as I more closely examined it.

Kenneth came up to me and kissed the top of my head. "I never want to find you in the forest again without one" "I promise you'll never find me in the forest again without one." I said as I smiled up at him.

We met our horses at the door to the courtyard. They were saddled and ready. It felt good to ride lighting and be surrounded by people who cared for me when we made it to the market it didn't take long for us to find the trouble that had risen there. An older looking man, with a young woman pushed slightly behind him, with one of my knights standing in front of him. They were gathered in front of the bar. I sighed Bruce, my knight, was commonly known for stirring up trouble. I silently dismounted, followed by the others. Bruce was calmly, to my surprise, telling the man there was no harm done.

Kelvin, Kenneth, Bryan, Randall and I approached the scene. It didn't take long for me to figure out who had started the trouble. I walked passed the arguing men and straight to the girl being protectively shielded by the older man. "May I have a word with you young lady?" All of our cloaks still had the hoods pulled up and she looked at me skeptically. Before the young girl had a chance to answer the man in front of her turned to me and slurred "NO YOU MAY NOT!" "You sir are drunk and I wasn't speaking to you" I said as I turned back to the girl. I saw the mans hand move to push me away but my men were there along with Kenneth's men.

I grabbed the girl by the arm, no longer wanting to waist time with formalities. I slid my hood down as everyone else did and a small gasp sounded throughout the market place. I looked at her "Alright now, what happened?" "Oh milady! I am so so sorry, my father he is drunk. That knight there he was merely being friendly to me. A couple of men were following me from the vegetable wagon, he spotted them and came to walk with me; but my father, he has forbidden me to ever be with a knight saw us and assumed more." She hung her head as she spoke. "I see, wait here" I pulled Kenneth away and told him what had happened he laughed. "Tell me you're joking" I smiled back thinking how ridiculous the whole thing was. "No, not one bit" "alright, so what do we want to do?" all I could think is he's asking me?! I bet he is just testing me to see what I will say. "I think we should put her dad somewhere he can spend the night till he's right in the mind and let the rest sort themselves out." "Yes, I think that will work." He smiled at me.

I poked him in his side when no one was looking, and whispered "stop testing me" He laughed then. It was one of those manly laughs "how'd you know" "you make your own decisions, that's how. I haven't seen you ask anyone for help. Especially... on something this small." "Hmm" was all he said.