Re: The Woods -> The Deck
Look, the knight was all for equal opportunity in the workplace, believe it, but at the end of the day, someone had to get saved. This was basic supply and demand. And heroism was a fucking buyer's market, frankly. This kingdom had no room for more valor. Finding a voice in this competition was hell, even if this knight filled a certain sort of niche. When was the last time they flipped over the 'x days since last dragon smote'? Fuck if they remembered. They would take any bargain bin adventure at this point. A two-eyed cyclops. A really annoying ghost. Even a regular sized bear. Anything.
If rescuing a princess from her own shoes and shitty life choices counted? They'd take it. Champions can't be choosers.
"I said no such thing," the knight replied, but that enigmatic smile belied the words. "Mayhaps I am fond of madness, m'lady." If the princess wished for a little fire and brimstone in her persona, the knight minded not. Liked it, in fact. Infinitely preferred this to the digs at pride, for sure. The knight was dry vermouth to her bubbly champagne, a rough-and-tumble to their voice that brought to mind rogues before royalty. But a knight was charming. A knight kept manners. A knight behaved.
So like, two out of three, then. Not bad, right?
The knight presented the second shoe once cleaned, guiding it onto her foot. Whether or not they had a habit of wielding a sword on the regular, they had the hands of a knight. Lightly calloused fingers brushed the back of her ankle as the shoe slid into place. Was it absent-minded? Was it with intent? Practically Cinderella in Oz up in here. Whether the ruby slippers turned to pumpkins at midnight (or whatever, mixing their metaphors, fucking sue them) remained to be seen.
Wiping dirt from fingers with the sullied towel, the knight glanced up from kneel, eyes like verdant lightning. "My liege!" they exclaimed, and slapped a hand to chest as if shot. "Are you asking me to put my honor on the line and lie?" What travesty! Such horror! "If you wish for a good story in your name, well!" And a lazy smile bloomed across the knight's face, as they offered an arm to stand up with. "You would have to help pen a better one."