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He sat and watched her, her graceful, flowing movements beneath the moonlit sky. The way her raven hair billowed about her shoulders, wild and untamed. She probably had no idea he was there at all. He cleared his throat loudly, causing her to look up at once, gray eyes suspicious and wary.
"Relax, it's only me." He chuckled, seating himself on the window ledge. "You seem to have a lot of grace for one who claims to be a knight." He added, looking at her curiously. The girl bit her lip.
"Well... one must expect these things, sir. I am... a girl after all."
He nodded slowly, looking toward the moon. Bright and shining, an orb of purity up so high in the sky... he shook his head, looking across the rooftops to the castle not far beyond, bathed in the moon's radiant glow. A sigh escaped him softly. The girl came to sit by him and gaze out toward the castle with him.
"There resides the king you serve?" She asked. He looked over at her and nodded.
"His majesty, King Albert." He said quietly. "And soon, you too shall serve him, as you have wished."
She smiled, baring a pointed incisor. "Ah... if you wish it, it shall be, sir."
He turned his head to get a better look at her. Her wild hair had fallen across her face, hiding her features. "He brushed it aside and she looked at him in surprise.
"Something wrong?"
She quickly shook her head. "Not at all, sir! It's just that..." She trailed off, hesitant. He nudged her, focusing his serious gray eyes upon her face.
"Go on."
"Ah..." She shivered though the night air was warm. "I've been called many things during my time in Endiness. Dreamer, sweetpaw, pup... but my most reccent name... traitor. It is only your kindness, sir, that has spared my life until this point."
He smiled. "You helped me before. I'm returning the favor."
She sighed. "All the same... what if... your king doesn't want to let a-a former... Sandoran--" she spat the word. "l-like myself into your army?"
His heavy arm slipped around her shoulder and she was pulled into his side.
"What gave you that idea?" His voice murmured kindly in her ear. "King Albert is a just man. He won't turn you away just because you're Sandoran. He's merciful, even to his enemies."
She felt his grip around her shoulder tighten for a split second, then he'd risen to his feet and was walking slowly down the length of the roof, spear in hand. She watched him stand there and for a moment, grew fearful of him. He was the one who had saved her, when she was an inch away from death, at the hands of his own regiment. She remembered the event like it was yesterday.
Her abnormally large hands had clasped themselves around his spear haft, refusing to release it. She wouldn't dare to let him strike a blow upon her. It was only when another knight had prized her off by pinning her to a tree with his own spear haft did he recognize her. He'd called the other off, seized her, and protected her from the onslaught of Basilians and Sandorans alike. They called him leader, head of the first Regiment of Serdio. The old woman fast asleep in the house they stood upon called him son, the king of Serdio called him Friend, but in her eyes, she called him knight and nothing more.
But looking at him standing there, she remembered him as fierce as the first time they'd met in combat. Proud, dignified, with the moonlight glancing over his rough features and glimmering upon the shimmering surface of his armor and weapons. His fringe was spiked up, but the rest of his hair was brushed back tidily. He looked over his shoulder at her.
"Are you alright?"
She realized she'd been staring. "Yes, sir, fine."
He smiled warmly at her. "It's rather late for you to be awake." He paused, crossing his arms. "come to think of it, you've got a meeting with the King tomorrow, so you'd want to look your best, wouldn't you?"
"Appearance matters not to me." She muttered, looking down at her claw-like fingernails. "Just as long as he doesn't assign me to a travelling freakshow or lock me away in a cage."
He sighed, shaking his head. "I told you, his majesty Albert wouldn't do that to someone like you."
"I never know with your folk. The Sandorans lied to me, so there's a chance that you might too."
It was only when he seized her, warm in his embrace, did she change her mind.
"Albert would never harm you." He said into her hair, hugging her tighter. "Neither would I."
He was so sincere, she believed him. As soon as he released her, she took a couple of paces back, not wanting to be enveloped in another bear hug of his.
"Then... if that's your final answer..." She stretched. "I believe you, sir."
He grinned. "Then off to bed with you." he chuckled, prodding her lightly with his spear. "I expect you to be awake early tomorrow... just because you wish to be a knight, doesn't mean that the head of the first regiment will go easy on you because you're living under his roof."
"Sir." She said, saluting him. "You can count on me leaping upon your stomach early tomorrow morn to get you up early."
"Good." He replied. Stepping over the window ledge and onto a bookcase which was on the other side. "Coming?"
There was only slight hesitation in her granite eyes. A moment later, she'd leapt over the window ledge. Looking out through the window one last time at the moon that never sets, Lavitz closed the shutters for the night.