Coming to a Head

Ethyn wished desperately that he had been more aware of the other knight's presence. He had let down his guard for too long and Nuall had caught him in his snare.

"Nice to meet you, Sir Nuall. Always glad to meet another knight fully dedicated to our king. Are you new?" Ethyn lowered his voice below his normal pitch. That coupled with the metallic distortion made him flinch at how strange he sounded. 

Although Ethyn had no desire to actually converse with Nuall, the question served to draw attention away from the fact that the helmeted knight had not given his own name.

If Ethyn had made up a name, then Nuall might realize he was a fraud, and if he named another knight, Nuall might actually know them. So he distracted the pompous man by focusing on the one topic Nuall could never resist: himself. 

It worked. "I was recently knighted, yes." Nuall ran his fingers through his thick head of hair. "It was a grand event. I don't suppose you were there." 

Ethyn loosely saluted with two fingers. "Indeed I was. I thought you looked familiar. Quite a display. I must say I am impressed." 

'Impressed the sword was able to lift over your swelled head.' Ethyn kept his inner thoughts hidden from his voice. Thankfully his face was obscured enough that his ironic smirk was not visible.

"People do tend to notice me," Nuall winked at a nearby woman. It was the same one who had wanted Ethyn's attention before. She blushed and went to gossiping with the ladies nearby. 

"I can see that. Well, it was nice talking to you." Ethyn turned, but Nuall caught him on the shoulder.

"What do you suppose we are gathered for?" Nuall said in a conspiratorial tone. The nosey knight pulled his head close, trying to covertly peer into Ethyn's visor. 

"I've no idea. I was ushered in here on my way to...make a delivery." Ethyn leaned back slowly, trying to give himself space. 

"Delivery?" The traitor raised one eyebrow at him. 

"Yes!" Ethyn pulled the candlestick holder between them, forcing Nuall to back up or be hit. "My lady love was supposed to be here and she really loves this kind of token. I was hoping to surprise her."

"Your lady love better not be the princess," Nuall warned. "I do think she has her sights set elsewhere." 

Ethyn wanted to follow up on where he thought the princess had set her sights when Nuall suddenly changed the subject.

"Your armor looks vaguely familiar..." 

Trying not to panic, Ethyn shrugged as casually as he could. "I told you I was at the ceremony. I am surprised you don't recognize me." 

The green-eyed man wanted to hit himself in the face for of course he knew exactly what Nuall would say next. 

"Apologies, but it is a lot easier to recognize someone when they don't have a helmet on their head. I am a good guesser, but not that good," Nuall gave a small smile. 

"I suppose that is my fault. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." Ethyn again tried to slip away, but Nuall fell into stride beside him. 

"It is very curious to me how you see out of the helmet at all. Either you have a very long neck or something does not fit right." Nuall once again tried to pierce through the metal with his gaze. 

"My normal helmet is at the...cleaners getting polished. My back-up seems to have shrunk." Ethyn cringed at his own explanation. Metal didn't shrink like cloth!

"Did you perhaps get this one...stuck on your head," Nuall persisted. 

"What a question!" Ethyn pressed his fist to his chest indignantly. 

"I can help you get it off. You really shouldn't be wearing it in court anyway. But I am sure an esteemed knight like yourself already knew that. Allow me." Nuall's determination went so far as to grab onto Ethyn's helmet with both hands. 

If he pulled incorrectly, it could break Ethyn's neck! Perhaps that was what Nuall was after. One less fighter when things went down could only help their cause. And under a guise of such niceness, Nuall could make it look like the other man had passed out. Then when he collapsed, Nuall could drag him away while pretending to get help. 

Deep down, Ethyn knew that was exactly what was about to happen. His blood ran cold as he instinctively tried to make it out of Nuall's grasp. But the cunning man already had his fingers slipped into slit of Ethyn's visor. 

"Unhand me!" Ethyn squirmed. 

"Hold still," Nuall hissed. His voice was suddenly less pleasant. 

The horn at the front of the hall sounded, stopping Nuall and Ethyn in their tussle. The pompous traitor reluctantly released the helmet with a bow. 

"I will have to help you in a little while, it seems."

Ethyn nodded and moved away from the other man. He wasn't sure that Nuall wouldn't make a move in the coming events, and the redhead wanted to have as good of a view for whatever was about to happen as he could. 

The stalwart knight alighted up on a raised step surrounding the walls and pressed himself between two of the soldiers clad in purple and gold. 

The guards threw him sidelong glances, but of course he couldn't see. They knew better than to object just now. There would be time to deal with the knight later if there was a need. 

In the center of the room, the royal party marched forward amid great fanfare. The king wore robes of the deepest crimson, and had his coronation crown on his head. 

Ethyn understood the subtle message: Rhodri was no longer purple and gold. The crown was being turned crimson-the royal color of Lakyle. Of course no one else knew that yet, but they would soon enough.

The king was flanked by two ceremonial guards of Birle--well, fake ceremonial guards--and a dozen more surrounding them. The helmets of the two warriors gleamed almost as brightly as the king's crown. 

Behind them, Borit and Kaarel walked side by side. The Commander's hands were behind his back, but a keen observer would have seen that they were tied. Kaarel had his hand resting lightly on Borit's shoulder. It looked like solidarity, but it was really a reminder to both the king and the Commander to not get out of line. 

The commoners and nobility made plenty of space for the group, bowing humbly before their monarch. The king looked tense. What could his announcement possibly be? 

"Is he at last going to announce a groom for the princess?" One courtier whispered in front of Ethyn.

"If so, His Majesty must not be pleased with her choice!" Another twittered back. 

For his part, Ethyn was glad to see that the princess was not with them. His hope that she was free somewhere out of Kaarel's grasp seemed justified.

His relief was short-lived. Behind the procession, the doors were slammed closed and barred with men. 

Ethyn bit his lip, there was no escaping now. His decision on where to be had been made for him. 

One way or another, things were about to come to a head. 

The show was starting.