RT Log: Poor Couch

[regal_rapier]

Characters: Knight Seth, Queen Eirika
Date: Oct. 07 - Morning - Early Afternoon
Summary: Seth stalks Eirika’s broken door. Eirika lets Seth take a shower in her apartment since he looks atrocious. Eirika is forced to offer Seth nourishment because he hurt himself too much. Seth thanks her by bleeding all over her couch.
Warnings: Eirika’s actually a bit of a bitch in this one…


It was in the middle of the night when Seth returned to the familiar apartment block. He was... so tired. The sword felt so heavy in his hand, and he longed to release it. He could not, however, for a knight do so only in death. Stumbling a little against the wall with his strained muscles protesting, the knight moved on. His armor was pierced and dented in certain places, though he had washed away the blood as best as he could. The bandages across his form were in place before he made the journey back here on foot. For it was a trial he must accomplish, and do so without aid of those contraptions. He had thought of hearing the voices of those long deceased, and he pushed them away, stopping in front of Eirika's door.

He kneeled on his right knee, and held his sword in front of him, the tip of the blade supporting the rest of the weapon, and both his hands resting upon its pommel. He bowed his head downwards, and began to pray silently. It was to keep vigil, and he was like a statue while doing so.

If he had been there the night Eirika had been coerced to Innes' quarters, he would not see her until the following morning. The sun had risen already and was turning the day into a rather bright one. Eirika was unsure of what to think. Her hair was damp, threatening to curl into ringlets from her morning shower. Her cheeks were touched by pink, perhaps caused by her thoughts, or events that had transpired, or the man she had spent the evening with. Her form was adorned by the same silk robe of ebony she'd worn the night before. Flowers were scattered along, with vines, and stems. It seemed traditional for Takarazuka, and was likely something she had acquired from the love hotel, like the rest of her wardrobe.

Her bare feet stepped carefully and at her door, she found the auburn-haired knight, although as always he was hiding beneath his helm, which seemed to repulse her, or at least cause some distance. She examined him carefully, wondering if he'd fallen asleep there, or if he was truly still awake. She thought about touching him, and thought better of it. She wanted nothing like that. There was something that told her he was... 'dirty' to say in the least. Or not worthy. Something like that.

"General?" she finally forced herself to ask, an arm resting across her midsection, and her right hand, fiddling with the ends of her hair.

He was in the middle of a recollection when her voice reached him. Seth maintained his position as he glanced over, the base of his helm creaking against his damaged collar guard. She looked... beautiful, as always, and probably spent her time getting better. And at that moment, neither envy nor jealousy was present towards the Prince, for he was well aware that it was his fault that things came to this.

"Nay, milady, I do not hold that position anymore," was his reply. The words came out a little hoarse, a result of his actions, most likely.

She wasn't going to ask. She knew that, but she wasn't going to call him by his name. 'Seth' was not appropriate any longer. She wouldn't call him that. He was a man, of some nature, as though she scarcely knew him from Renais. His presence only invoked a feeling of that same empty nature she had spoken to her brother of the day before.

"May I ask why you are an obstacle for my doorway? It happens to be unlocked for the public view."

"I am... keeping vigil, milady," he said, before he staggered onto his feet, allowing himself the luxury of the sword to push himself up. Once more his damaged armor protested as certain parts that should not be grinding against each other do so in their current state. He stepped gingerly along to one side, and resumed his kneeling motion again.

Keeping vigil? What the hell did that mean? Her ears ignored the sounds his armour made. In fact, she seemed to care very little over such things. "Please define." She really didn't want him at her door anymore. If he insisted on staying, she'd wind up getting someone to escort him away. It was terribly creepy and on the verge of stalking, which she had already gone through with one person. She refused to do any such thing with him.

"To confess my sins, to recollect my actions, to pray, milady," he answered softly.

"Would you please remove yourself from my residence? You can 'keep vigil' at one of the temples in Takarazuka, where it should be done," Eirika replied, lowering her hand from her hair to fold it across her chest with the other one.

"They... do not suffice," he murmured as he got up. At least the pain was acceptable now. Everything seemed to be behind a haze of mist between the aches of his muscles and the throbbing of his wounds. "They do not suffice for that, for they are not whom I have offended..." Seth's left arm was about to reach back for his shield as support, before the hand stopped as he remembered that it laid in pieces on the outskirts of Ares. Silly knight.

"I don't care for a man groveling for something he won't receive," was her reply.

I won't forgive you. You're going to have to work so hard in order for me to ever look at you with different eyes again. All I have for you is the briefest sympathy, and even then... No more.

She watched him and cautiously moved, careful not to stay in his radius. She didn't want to be any closer to him than necessary. Rather than even touching her door, since surely he had already, and her juvenile thoughts told her she was going to capture his idiocy, or something of that nature, she simply stayed near the wall.

His flesh felt cold despite the sunshine and the warm blood seeping in his bandage. Was it winter? Autumn? It was by chance that her words filtered through to him, and even then his mind could sense some of her thoughts. Perhaps he had simpy reaped what he sowed. An observer might laughed, for fault could be assigned to them both, yet he could not see it. Not now.

Shifting both hands to his side, with his right hand still glasping the blade, he bowed awkwardly and slowly. "Aye, milady." His hand and arm was informing him that a salute would be physically impossible at this moment.

A fault of two... Perhaps. Eirika knew well enough what she had done that was so wrong. After all, Seth had made it a point to throw it in her face, the way a woman would. Even she was more of a man than he was, and that was pathetic.

So what was she supposed to say? She was disgusted by his behaviour. "Go clean yourself up. You look atrocious. Or do something. I simply don't want you here. People will be given the wrong impression." Assuming he could even get up the stairs. She was not going to help him up those, and in that case, she'd offer her shower -- reluctantly. At least his hair would smell nice. She had that strawberry shampoo.

He supposed he did. The armor was unbecoming from all the damage it had taken. That impalement did not felt good at all. Neither did the swing that broke his shield. His gauntlet must be a mess to her, it le- Seth caught on to his thoughts before they could ramble on, and processed the rest of her words.

"I... apologise, milady. It will be as your wishes," he answered as clearly as he could. He started a few steps away, before stabbing the blade down on the ground with his right hand, and his left hand gripping the wall to support himself. Nay, he was not going to fall. He had lost almost everything, he did not want to be seen as a physical handicapped person, not by her.

She was right. She knew it the moment he moved. In fact, she had known it the moment she saw him. His resolve was a bit moving, however, in that part of her heart she oh-so-wisely hid away. "You may use my shower." If he ended up leaving her room in his state, she'd be the one blamed for it. She didn't care what he'd actually done. If she'd even chided him, he would have simply ignored her. It was all a ploy. A ploy to guilt trip her. This time, it wasn't going to work. She'd ignore it.

Seth did not protest. He had no right to do so, the knight turned after a few moments to bow his head, "You have my thanks, milady." And he began to inch past her towards her bathroom, using his sword and the wall as support. Why was it so cold?

Well, at least he could open her door, as she couldn't. Not without wanting to use unladylike words with it, that is. She closed the door after him carefully, noting to herself that she would need to call for someone to repair it for her. She waved off his gratitude, knowing his words were insincere. What did it matter? She'd wanted to ask herself such, and chose not to for his sake. While he managed to prepare himself, she noted the tidy fashion of her room after her brother's appearance, and shooed herself into the kitchen. The least she could do for Seth was to make him tea, as it was the very least Innes could have done for her.

The only part of his armor that was not heavily damaged was his helm, for if it had taken such, then he would have likely be thrown out of action from such a heavy blow to the head. As such, it was the first piece to be removed as Seth managed to stagger into her bathroom. Memories of it brought back some warmth, and he slid onto the ground beneath the shower head, sheathing his sword in what was left of the scabbard.

Looking to make sure that the door was closed, he reached up enough to turn on the shower, and sat back down again, allowing the warm water to flow over his shivering limbs, although they were still armored.

As she waited for his tea to finish, Eirika stood at the the sink, simply peering out the window. For only a moment, she considered how many times she had stood here before. She considered how many times she had thought of Seth as more than what he was. He wasn't completely washed out, was he? There was hope for him, she thought. She couldn't ever look at him the same. He had pressed her too far for that, but she couldn't entirely despise him. Only half way.

She made a note of the water, wondering what the utilities bill would look like for her, and then considered it fair as she had stayed with Innes and had done the same to him. A little extra, even for the knight, was acceptable.

Seth tore off his left gauntlet with a muffled scream, biting one of her towels. It seemed a spine had lodged within his gauntlet and his arm. Not quite remembering which creature had shot it at him, he pulled it out as well and tied the towel over it, his vision blurred by the tears caused from the pain. It... reminded him of when she had removed her pendant, and he could only stare at the bloodied towel for a long while.

He sighed softly at the beating of water upon himself. Most of his armor had already been removed, except his chest plate. It would be a little too obvious. The knight, if that was what he could still consider to be, shifted to one side to allow the torrent of water to beat down on his arms directly. It was soothing.

How long was this man going to take? Eirika was impatient. She didn't want him there any longer than necessary. Of course, she wasn't sure what she defined as 'necessary'. Most likely, sooner than Ephraim or Innes were to find out. She'd hear it from both of them for taking a little pity on the man, whom was absolutely wasting time in her bathroom. She may not have thought this if she had known of how badly he was injured.

Then queen of Renais, briefly thoughtful once more on the conversation her brother had held with her, found herself straightening her posture. Perhaps it would do no good for Seth to become so famished. He looked as bad as she had when her brother had gone to see her only the day before. The difference was, she knew she looked terrible.

The faint hint of blood together with the water as it flowed towards the drainage hole was almost mesmerising. Truth be told, he did not want to move at this moment. It was almost too comfortable at the moment. There was also the consideration that he... did not have anything appropriate to dress into. Perhaps he will retain his armor after the 'shower'.

He was not going to wear the gauntlets, nor the pauldrons. They would hurt more if he tried to reattach them. He struggled onto his knees, and turned the shower off. Taking a dry towel to slowly dry himself off only served to get blood onto it, and he stuffed the towel into his pouch after changing into long pants. It seemed she will not catch him in the shower, and thusly Seth took off his chest plate as well, replacing it with a black shirt. Dragging his pouch on the ground, the knight slowly made his way to her living room.

Gods forbid should Seth have emerged from her bathroom in simply a towel. After overcoming a furious blush, Eirika probably would have thrust at the very least a jacket at him, and then might have told him to get his armour repaired. She did not need to see that. Her ears picked up the sound of her bathroom door opening after the water shut off. She also heard his footsteps, and the sounds of his movement.

Pleased that the tea had finished at the appropriate time, she poured for him a rather large cup. All the better for him, she supposed. Without even a second thought, or a second look over him, she offered the cup. "Here."

Keeping his left arm behind him, the knight brought his right arm up to take the cup. When in his armor, the exterior did provide some form of support, and now, out of it, it trembled lamely under his efforts as it reached up before it fell down to his side.

Seth looked almost ashamed as he shook his head, "Nay, I cannot. I am sorry." Never before had he felt this weak. Never before had he felt this... inability to do much.

He was in pretty bad shape. As a result, she lifted it to his lips, "Then I will for you." The time for offering things here and there was over. She would give the orders. She would give the demands. She would be decisive, exactly the way he wanted her to be. And something very deep inside of her said she was going to put him through Hell because she was forced to be that way.

Seth blinked, and took a sip. His cheeks were red from embarrasement, yet deep inside, he felt a slight warmth. That the fact that she still... offered him tea.

Eirika took note of that colour and said nothing on it. Her eyes would not see him the same. He was not endearing. He was not adorable. He was pathetic. She was doing what she had to in order that he would stay alive. Imagine the bad publicity she'd receive if he died in her apartment. She had motive to kill him. She had motive, but never the emotional capacity to do such a horrid thing. But the idea that she had motive would pin her as guilty. She kept up that teacup and stared past him, as though she wasn't seeing him at all, but rather was posing for an intricate photo or something of that variety.

He took a few more sips before stopping. What was he to do now? He did not know how to proceed at this stage, he was at her compassion, at her mercy. He watched her almost unconsiously as he ignored the warmth gathering on the towel upon his arm.

"You need to eat something."

Before you wither away, fool.

She lowered the cup and gestured to the couch, "Sit down." Her compassion, right. Her mercy, not so much. Her blue eyes were burning with a dislike, one that she didn't hold very often, but likely the one she'd had when she faced the Demon King and when she'd faced Valter.

He recognised that look, and he felt another part of himself disappear into that despair he had. He bowed his head away, willing away the yet unformed tears, "Aye, as you command." He settled down on the couch, the bag near his feet as he adjusted himself minutely, his right arm over his left, idly covering it as he waited.

Damn right as she commanded. He knew far better than to argue with her now. If he even so much as said one more thing to insult her, Eirika would have gone ballistic. She left his tea upon the coffee table and excused herself to the kitchen, instantly feeling calm the moment she'd left his immediate presence. There was something about seeing him that simply made her blood boil. She couldn't remember disliking anyone so much during the war with the exception of that fated general responsible for her father's passing. It was a different type of loathing, however, and even she knew that. She also knew, however, that she didn't want to feel that way towards Seth. It would remain until she could forgive him, which... was undetermined.

So... what to make him then?

Seth sighed softly. The pain of his form was nothing compared to the pain he had within. At the end, he could not even protect her from himself, it seemed. When had it gone so wrong? When did he start to fail her so? He bit his lower lips as he tightened the bloodied towel around his left arm.

Eirika decided soup would probably be easiest and most likely better for his condition. After all, in her condition, she'd been limited to tea and crackers, which wasn't much of a food at all. In fact, she still couldn't eat real food yet, and she knew that. Likely, anything she made for Seth, she'd finish leftovers of. She remained in the kitchen long enough to prepare his soup, which only took minutes, with thanks to a gas stove. She returned with a bowl and a spoon and sat down beside him, placing aside her reluctance.

"Open," she commanded as she lifted the spoon. How pathetic.

He bit back any remarks, and moved his left arm away from her as he obeyed her command. He could only try to not inconvenient her too much at the moment.

As she fed him, she realised that she would be far more giddy to do such for Innes. Of course, that man had too much pride to let her. Then again, some of it had melted that night in the hot springs. The thought caused her expression to soften. It was odd how thinking of the arrogant archer and his thoughts of her could remind her to have a little compassion, even for a man who had very little place in her heart. "I want you to eat soup for a couple of days. Your body would not be able to handle regular food, so please eat only foods that are more liquid in form."

"Thank you, milady," he inclined his head at her.

"Stop that," she replied gently as her lips vaguely upturned. Unfortunately, it wasn't for him, but he might not know the difference. "That title is only reserved for a retainer. I believe you sacrificed that position." To her future guardian, whoever that would be. A certain prince believed it was him, but Eirika was not so certain.

"I have received no orders to the contrary, milady," Seth replied quietly. Was she aware of how much hurt she was causing him? Perhaps, perhaps not. Unlike her, however, he had no one to turn to after this.

"Which means you should not be calling me that. I think Lady Eirika shall suffice. It would be more appropriate. Your views on me are a bit jaded, I would think." And it was a good thing Ephraim had come to her, for she was talkative again, even with Seth, who she hadn't even wanted to see. Fortunately for her, Ephraim had not tried to push the views that she needed to forgive the knight, because he seemed to understand well enough why she was so enraged.

"I do mean, that I have not received any orders to indicate that I am no longer a retainer of the royal family of Renais," he said softly. And more more, he could feel the beginning of this ringing in his ear.

"No. You are not my retainer." She sounded almost... happy when she said it. Maybe it was because she wouldn't have him constantly hovering over her. She felt so completely trapped by his authority over her, that she would have preferred to hold him close as a simple knight or even the general of Renais as long as he wasn't her retainer anymore.

"Is that your command, milady?" he grinded out.

"I believe this was decided when you said, 'You have no need for me.' You do remember saying that, yes? After I knocked some sense into you to quell your asinine jealousy, and about the time Prince Innes arrogantly thought he should come to my rescue." No, she didn't quite approve of the Frelian prince's actions. Fortunately, it was only an arm that slipped around her. If he'd tried anything else, she probably would have stormed off in a huff. Assholes belonged with assholes, after all.

"Is that your command, milady?" Seth repeated. Nay, he was not going to assume anything about this.

She withdrew vaguely and lifted the spoon to wag it at him, "I will answer that when you stop calling me 'milady'. I don't like that."

"Is that your command, Lady Eirika?"

That was so much better. "I think I could withstand your company a little better if you were not, yes. I think you would benefit more as well and that perhaps your envy could probably dissipate and let me live in peace."

He wanted to cry.

Seth breathed in deeply, ignoring the hurting of his ribs as he acknowledged her, "It shall be as you wish and command, Lady Eirika."

She knew that sound. Gods, he was pathetic. What the hell had caused his perfect stature to fall? Seth was a strong knight. Well known for his strength, courage, and valour in battle, and he was pulling this bullshit? He had to be joking.

"For now," she added.

She should know the cause well. He nodded again, "Aye, Lady Eirika."

Eirika paused for a moment before offering him another spoonful. "...I promise I won't be angry forever. Please don't expect me to squeal in delight at the sight of you. I'm still annoyed with my brother as well. And I wouldn't exactly say Prince Innes and I are on the best of terms either. We are, but we are not… I'm avoiding all three of you for individual reasons."

Was that some form of consolation? Seth did not know. She had not kept her promises to him prior to this, and a part of him warned him logically that this might happen again. The knight could understand her somewhat, however, though not her apparently cruelty. He swallowed the contents of the spoon before responding with a nod.

"Well, I can't really promise I won't be angry forever. I don't like being angry, is a better way of saying it. I'm still deeply insulted by you, offended by your presence. I don't really want to see you at all, but I also know there are parts of me that won't change. As much as I want to lie to everyone, Innes said it to me best last night."

She sighed as she inclined her head, "'The only person you're lying to is yourself.'"

He could not help but wonder if she would be even angrier when she discovered that he was bleeding into her couch. At least it was hidden right now, with his back pressing against the couch. Seth nodded again, indicating that he was listening to her words.

Technically Seth's blood in her couch was no different when the girl items didn't work and she had to scrub her couch with a toothbrush. She lifted the spoon and offered him another sip of soup, chicken and stars, as that was the only kind she would ever eat. "Sorry. I'm talking a lot. I guess it's because lately I've done so much thinking and not much talking. I... didn't even talk much to my brother. I think... I just cried a lot. And then I yelled a lot."

Seth shook his head and replied quietly, "Nay, I like hearing you talk." She definitely needed more than a toothbrush when he was done though, his limbs feeling cold once more before he quickly swallowed another mouthful.

"You sound like the prince. He always says that. He said he likes hearing what I think and how I feel. You men don't make any sense at all. Sometimes I really don't want to hear what anyone else says. Sometimes. And then other times, it's okay." And it seemed she was started. Once she got talking, well... Eirika had a difficult time stopping, especially with Innes on her brain.

"Aye, we do not make sense at times," Seth breathed out softly. It was comforting to hear her talk, even if it was about another man.

She nodded, "We don't make much sense either. And by 'we', I mean girls. Like me. I don't make any sense... ever. Unless it's for negotiations for peace treaties. When it comes to talking about me, though? I can't talk at all. I trip and stumble all over the place and look like such a complete fool. I dislike that so much. I wish I could just come out and say things just like him. I'm working on it, though. I'll get there."

"Aye, you will, and with tact as well," he nodded weakly.

"I don't like having tact," Eirika confessed. "The point gets along much better if I just speak without contradicting myself. My brother said something else that was wise to me. He told me that no one else can be happy if I am so miserable. I wondered how true that could possibly be. I have so many people telling me what I should and should not do. I don't... get it at all."

"Having tact... does not mean you have to... contradict yourself, lady Eirika," Seth got that as smoothly as he could. "Most of them... do so... because they care." And he nodded.

"Almost everyone is saying the same thing, though. It upsets me. How am I supposed to be able to act on my own impulse when everyone else wants to have a say? It's my life, right? Meaning, I get to make the decisions, yes? So... I want to do things on my own... No one else knows what's going to make me happy. I want to do what will make me happy." She lowered his spoon to his now empty bowl.

"Aye... make yourself happy... lady Eirika," he said. She deserved that, after all. And he was... optimistic that along the way, she would not be hurting others intentionally.

"It doesn't really seem fair, though... After all, that's why I made the decision I made..." A wrong decision, perhaps? Ephraim had told her to own up to her feelings and that she needed to say them, after all. And she'd specifically lied to the archer, but... he'd been unwilling to accept it.

"You...are not responsible for the happiness of.... everyone else... Lady Eirika," he murmured and took a deep breath before continuing, "There are those...who will inevitably be....not pleased. You try... to do your best... and move on."

"You try to do your best, and move on."

Eirika sped up those words and she nodded slowly. He had a point. "I know that I'm not. And I know it isn't possible for me to make everyone happy. I honestly thought, however, I could get away with being the only one who would be unhappy, though. I would prefer that outcome as opposed to any other."

"The fallacy in that... Lady Eirika, is that when you are unhappy, some of us will be... unhappy as well," he replied.

"...Well... That's what my brother said too, but I also assumed I would not... I... Well..." Her expression contorted vaguely. "I never had any intentions of telling anyone how I did or did not feel. My brother knows this and has known it from the very beginning. As a diplomatic leader, that isn't my right. My feelings are a privilege, not something that the gods gave to me, so I could be treated equally. Sacrifices have to be made, and sometimes even I have to give up what I want most of all for the better."

Seth closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, formulating an answer through that ever present haze of pain. "Aye, but I- some of us can see... how you are feeling, Lady Eirika," he said. "You can... still be... happy, however."

"You were only allowed to see what I showed to you. I shouldn't have shown you anything. You would have been better off if I had continued to play my part," the queen admitted. She raised to her feet and eyed the bowl she'd fed to him from. "Are you still hungry? Or will you be resting now? That may be best for you."

"Nay, I would not," Seth murmured what would be his first disagreement with her for the morning. He took another deep breath, "I thank... you for your hospitality, Lady Eirika... I should retire to...rest." He nodded.

Eirika nodded. Compassion. It was the one thing she had to remember. Eventually her anger would fade. Sometime. Somewhere. "Do as you must. I will inform my brother of your status." She gestured to the door, "You know your way."

"Aye," he inclined his head politely, but made no move. He wanted to wait for her to move away first before he lifted himself away from the couch. The blood stain would not be pretty to see.

She folded her arms across her chest knowingly, "Go on then. I already know. You can hide nothing from me, sir." Conforming to his tastes was not in her schedule.

He sighed, "You are unnaturally sharp, Lady Eirika. I apologise for... the mess." With that, he slowly got to his feet and offered a stiff bow before moving off, a large patch of red upon the couch and on his back. At least the black shirt hid the true extent of the bleeding well. He hoped.

"It's not so much that I'm observant. You cannot take care of yourself. Everytime something displeases you, you go and get yourself hurt. It's simple common sense. It's your irrational behaviour and your attempt to sway me. It usually works, but unfortunately for you, your plan has backfired this time." She eyed her couch and made a face. That'd make for a fantastic conversation with Frelia's prince later on.

Seth turned sharply, or as sharply as he could with his current condition, "There was no plan...nor attempt to sway you." He was irrational, at least a little. Then a soft sigh emitted from his lips before he shook his head. Everything he did or do was going to be seen in the worst possible light by her, it seemed. Biting back further retorts, he bowed once more, "I apologise...for my rude.. tone. By your leave, Lady Eirika."

She nearly scoffed. It was such... a ridiculous lie to hear from him. So stupid. Such nonsense. "You are no longer required to be polite towards me. I don't expect you to be, so you can act however you wish." Then she nodded to him, "By your leave, knight."

And yet it was the truth. Seth turned away from her again as he hobbled away, looking almost comical in the way he dragged his bag, "Even if you strip me of my knighthood, Lady Eirika... I will still be... polite." It was not simply something that could be removed at the drop of the hat.

"I do not have that ability. My brother is the one who rules Renais. I am simply a figurehead. I trust his judgement. He wishes you as you are--were an appropriate swordarm. Weakness does not become you. You had best impress him." She nodded, as though reassuring him of this. There were no positions in Renais' military for a broken man. Seth would become a vulnerability to her kingdom and her people if he did not withdraw himself from drowning in his self-pity.

"You do, and you have already exercised... similar authority," he said, and a fresh wave of pain hit him. He was no longer a retainer... Biting his lips, he continued to move away.

"On the contrary," Renais' queen began, "I am not in the expertise of Renais' military. Once more, I am a diplomat. Raising a blade for me should only be done in the more dire circumstance. "That you should continue to argue with me says you are more interested in that than recovery."

"You win," he hissed out softly as he moved along. Any other reponses to her words were lose-lose to him, and he was not in the mood nor condition to think about alternate replies.

She lifted a hand to her lips, trying to hide the glee. It was about time. She had to push him so far to get him to submit. What an impossible man. She eyed him once more, considered the cleaning involved with her couch, and then carried the tea and the empty bowl back into the kitchen. He could let himself out surely.

The knight slapped the door open on his way out, ignoring the stinging pain of his hand. He had spent a whole day slaying monsters, and it seemed that peace of mind was not to be gotten.