The Robber Knight's Protege

11 - Sir Antwerp

"What was that?" Xander asked Fye the following day when she rode into Luntberg Castle.

"Good morning," she said as she dismounted from Titan. "What are we doing today? I think I would like to try mounted archery again, and more jousting. And the melee, too."

"First, you explain to me what that was with your mother yesterday."

Realization dawned on her face—that face that had haunted Xander the previous night, chasing all sleep away. How was he supposed to win Sir Reuben's approval if people thought he was doing the exact opposite of what he had been ordered to do?

"Oh. Right," Fye said. She bit her lip. "Well, my mother is obsessed with finding a husband for me. But if she thinks you and I are courting, she'll stop harassing me about it, and I'll stop feeling like my existence is a disappointment to her."

Xander groaned. "And I suppose she isn't going to keep it a secret?"

Fye shook her head. "At this point, probably half the village knows already."

Another groan. "And did you bother to think your little ruse through?" he asked. "We'll have to make people believe it, or your mother is going to find out that it's just a façade. And what happens when we don't get married? It'll break her heart, and you'll be back where you started."

"Oh. Er..." She shrugged. "But that's down the road. When I'm a knight, I don't think she'll care as much about me getting married. Anyway, we can figure something out. I'll say I found you kissing another girl or something. In the meantime, we can make people believe that we're madly in love. What do courting couples do?"

Xander swallowed the urge to bang his head against a wall. This girl could rescue Sir Reuben from a dungeon, but she didn't know how courting couples were supposed to act? Gah!

"Sir Reuben won't like this," he said.

"Why not? You're going to scare off any other men who might be interested in me. It'll save time. I think Sir Reuben will approve."

"No, he won't!"

Fye's triumphant smile wavered. "What makes you say that?"

"Because he gave me explicit instructions before he left. No flirting. No touching that isn't strictly necessary for training. Otherwise, he is going to chop me up into little pieces and burn me. There was something about feces in his threat, too, but I don't remember the exact words."

"But we'll explain the situation to him. He won't chop you into little pieces."

"That isn't what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid of getting chased out of Luntberg by a madman in red armor."

"But you said you like him."

Xander wondered how Reuben would react if he throttled Fye. Probably not well. "But I want him to like me."

"Why?"

"Because..." Xander swallowed the truth. It wasn't time for that. Not yet. Maybe not ever. He'll think I have different motives than you."

Fye planted her hands on her hips, her face a mask of contemplation. Then she shrugged. "I don't care. I don't care what your motives are, either, as long as you understand what my motives are. And don't worry about Sir Reuben. It'll be fine. So, what do courting couples do?"

They don't think about murdering each other, Xander thought. But they do... some of his anxiety ebbed away. "Are you sure you don't want to know what my motives are?" he asked with a little grin. This is a terrible idea. Reuben is going to go full-demon-knight on me when he gets back.