Chapter III: The First Knight

I woke up the next morning a later than usual. The sun was already well over the horizon. I turned over in the bed and jumped, falling out of the bed. Morgana was laying next to me, fully clothed. She was not wearing her cloak, but a dress made of fine green silk. Matching her eyes. She smiled at me and stretched, which brought my attention to her chest. Her breasts were pressed up high and were an eyeful. When she spoke, I managed to tear my eyes back to her face. It was the first time I'd seen her out of that cloak, after all. "I was wondering when you'd be up. I don't know how you could sleep on this thing. It's so uncomfortable. Very lumpy."

"B-b-b-but I locked the door!" I stammered, crawling back until I hit the wall behind me.

"I noticed. That was very rude of you. Come. Breakfast is ready." She said, failing to suppress the smirk on her face. I looked down, realized I was naked and had been the entire time she was here. My face went crimson and I quickly dressed and muttered to myself about pesky nobles just doing as they please. When I finally got down to the kitchen area, she was sitting at the table, eating a piece of toast and reading a book. Wait, that's my book. I was reading that before I fell asleep. There was again a plate of some beef, eggs and toast and another cup of juice waiting for me.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I reading? Because I want to."

"No!" I shouted and she jumped and stared at me. "Why are you here? Why did you break into my house and make me breakfast? Why do I need to make you another sword? Why me?"

She returned to her book and casually waved her piece of toast at me. "Nevermind that. Eat up. I'm hoping to finish that sword today."

I sat down across from her and eyed her, staring. She kept her eyes firmly on the book until I gave up and started eating. I saw her smile; I swear I did. After finishing, I took the two plates, gathered the water and washed them and threw out the water and started heading down to the shop. People watched us as we passed through the town square. I didn't greet anyone. I was too frazzled. She's just infuriating, I thought. Another voice in my head countered, Why? Because she snuck into your bed? You wanted her there. I tried to deny that, but I had been trying not to think about the gorgeous noblewoman like that. When we finally arrived at James' forge, she watched me shape and form the sword into a proper weapon. After a few hours, it was a perfectly functional weapon, fit for a battlefield I'd never see. She had watched me throughout the entire process, eyes subtly tracing over my hand motions, like the alternating hits, done to a rhythm that had been instilled in me from when I started fifteen years ago. When I was finished, I put it down in front of her.

"Here." I said it with a little more ire in my voice than I meant to. I was still mad at her; or maybe I was scared of her. I just never know what to expect around her. She is just around. Doing things. I don't get her.

"No. It's not done."

"What do you mean it's not done? It's a sword."

"No. Well, yes it is, but it's not done. You need to add the designs to it. Like the other one."

"No!" I shouted again. She took a step back. "Damn it, no! I won't."

"Blacksmith!" She shouted back, steeling herself. This time I jumped. "Blacksmith. You will do it. You must."

I stared at her for a long time. Then I took up the sword again and looked at it. Then I looked over to its sister sword. I hesitated. She's right. It needed something. I grabbed my etching tool and started going to work on the blade. She watched me work for a while longer. This time I caught her when she was leaving. I did not say anything. I was still fuming at her. But she paid me to do a job. And I'll see her tomorrow.

I did not see her the next day. There was no breakfast waiting for me. After I had gotten home, I did not bother to lock the door, since it did not keep her out, and no one else would rob me here. It was a peaceful little village, and the lock was cheap. Any child could pick it. When I got to the forge, the sun was already high above the ground. I kept looking around for her, expecting her to just appear out of nowhere. That's ridiculous, I thought. She's no witch. Just a pretty noblewoman, seeing how the peasants live. When I opened up the shop, she still was not around. One of the swords was missing. The first one I had made. The second one was exactly where I left it. There was no note. The coins were still in the chest that I kept. I looked around and after waiting for a bit longer, I got to work on different projects that I had put to the side. Another silverware set. It came out fine. But every once in a while, I would look up at the second sword. Why didn't she take both of them?

Stella stopped by after a while, bringing lunch and smiling sadly as she looked around. After a bit of small talk, she said, "I heard you had a lady friend around here for a couple of days. Are you getting married?"

I noted the hope in her voice. Some of the women in the village had talked to me for a while, but it always seemed to end shortly after it began. Stella wanted me to settle down. She had been trying to get that to happen since I was fifteen and first took up the hammer. I just figured I was not anyone's type, exactly. I'm not handsome or particularly big. Especially not for a blacksmith. I'm average. Blue eyes and blond hair and a beard that comes in darker than my hair, with eyebrows to match. I keep it trimmed and I keep clean. Or as clean as I can in a forge. At this point, I was more or less content to live alone. But it was nice waking up to breakfast every day.

"No, nothing like that, Stella." I said tersely, dismissing the idle thoughts of the noble. Of her at my breakfast table. And especially of her in my bed. "She was just an overbearing client."

Stella made her way over to the sword that lay there, bare, with no scabbard. She wrapped her wrinkled hands around the hilt and picked it up, with some difficulty, despite its weight. Or lack thereof. The material was incredibly light. She was old. Her age and grief had thinned her out some. Not too long ago, she would have been considered stout and healthy, but now she was thin and willowy. She fingered the sword, following the etching. "It's fine work, Johann. You should be proud."

"I guess." I responded absently, returning to my work.

"Are you going to be making swords now? Weapons? Daniel wouldn't be happy to hear that."

"No, it was just a custom job. She'll be back for it, I'm sure. Then I can go back to my life. Making gates and silverware and horseshoes. What I'm good at."

Stella clicked her tongue at that and put the sword back down. She stayed a little while longer. This time she did not cry. She just eyed everything sadly. Even me.

A few days later, Daniel came down to take a look at the sword and talk about business. While deftly spinning the blade in his hand and making sharp thrusts and quick slashes with it. He's way too comfortable with a sword in hands, I thought, unable to peel my eyes away from the practiced motions. It is beautiful; in its own way. Without stopping his routine, he asked, "Where'd she go?"

"I don't know. She was here, she took one of the two swords I made and left that one behind. I don't know why."

"It's good work. Honestly better than I figured it would be." Daniel made another slash through the air, which whistled as it was cut in twain. I shrugged noncommittally. Daniel laid the blade back down and looked at me. "You are a good blacksmith, my boy. You did something special with that blade and probably the one she took, too. It's a little flowery for my taste, with the little design. A little light too, but it's good work."

"Then why didn't she take that one, too?"

"Bah! The girl's daft. That's why. She overpaid you for it and provided materials well beyond your years to boot. And you managed it better than anyone. 'Cept for me of course, lad." He sobered up a little bit and met my eye and raised a finger. "And don't ya forget it, neither. Just cause you made two good swords, doesn't make ya a weaponsmith! Only room for one in this village, alrigh'?"

"Don't worry, Daniel." I nodded, smiling. "I've no intention of making any other weapons."

"That's good, boy. Let's go get a drink."

I did not get any word until near the end of Yekava, almost three months after I'd last seen Morgana. I could scarcely believe that I'd not seen her since the last week of Char, Outside of my dreams at least. And idle thoughts. Late night what ifs, I thought. On the 48th day of Ciat, I put the sword up where no one could see it. If she came back, I could always retrieve it. It took me a while longer to figure out how she had heated the forge enough to melt the last two ingots down. I tried recreating the motions with her hands, but that didn't seem to do anything. Slowing down my billowing did help some and got me closer, getting a more consistent heat throughout the forge. I couldn't get it to fully melt until I just lost myself in it. I'm not fully sure of what the difference was, but they melted eventually. I did not really know what I was going to make at first, but eventually I decided that I could make a pair of daggers to go with the pair of swords. It came to me after seeing a puppet show in town of a master fighter using a dagger to defend himself while slashing ahead with a large sword. The image of the noblewoman fighting with the shortsword in one hand and not having anything to defend herself haunted me. But her recreating the swordsman's stance with the dagger in her offhand seemed right. And it meant that she might be able to hide something on her person if she had to relinquish the short sword. I remembered her in the green dress. It was fine silk and tight on her. I don't know where she'd conceal it, but she'd figure it out. I tried not to dwell on the sight of her in my bed, in a tight dress, pushing up her chest, staring at me with those eyes matching the dress.

I did not tell Daniel I was doing this. It was a sore subject with him. Especially when I would not let him sell the sword. He thought I was going to try and muscle in on his territory. It took me a while to figure out how to make a proper mold for daggers, but I managed it. Work was a bit slower in the winter and I had plenty of time. I designed them to be perfect pairs to the swords and etched them carefully and intricately. Then I put them away with the sword. I figured I would never have to look upon them again.

That is, until the first day of spring. I was clearing out the last snow of winter, or at least what I was hoping would be the last snow of winter, from my forge, when a person in full platemail walked up to me and all but shouted in an echoey distorted voice, "Are you Johann the blacksmith?"

"Uh," I began, before fully processing what the knight had asked. "Yeah. I'm him. How can I help you? If you're looking for weapons, you'll be wanting Daniel."

"You are to come with me, sir." The voice in the helmet said, tinnily.

"With all due respect, I have work I need to do. I need to get started on Davidson's hoe and scythe." I said, tiredly. The warrior grabbed my hand and started leading me down the road towards my own home. I struggled, but his grip was like a vice. When we got to my place, the knight finally let go and gestured inside.

"Start packing. We have to leave today."

"Leave where? Where are we going? You know what. No. I'm not going anywhere. I live here."

The knight grimaced and started ruffling through a bag at his side, before finding a missive and thrust it into my chest. It read:

Johann the blacksmith is to be escorted to the capital by orders of the queen. He will likely try to resist. He is a guest and is not to be hurt, but he will come. He is in possession of two daggers and a sword made of Myrnil. Have him bring those with him.

"What in the sixteen hells?" I demanded as the knight pushed me inside. He made his way to my bedroom and started pulling clothes down and throwing them into a bag. I just stood there and watched him, flabbergasted. I didn't think to even attempt stopping him. He stood a head taller than me and also had a thick sword sheathed at his waist. The knight looked around and then directly at me.

"Where are the daggers and the sword?" My eyes flicked to a loose floorboard then back before I could stop them. The knight stomped over there and pulled it up and then the daggers and sword, now with a full sheath, out of the hole. He did not bother to replace the floorboard and simply pushed the bag of clothes and weapons into my arms. "Let's go."

I blinked in confusion at this as I was rushed out of the door and back down the road. We stopped by the town long enough for the knight to purchase a horse and for me to tell Daniel that I was going out of town.

"Why?" My friend asked, eyeing the knight who was looming behind me suspiciously.

"I have no idea. It's by order of the queen, though. So, whatever I did, it's important," I replied bitterly. "Here's the key to James' forge and here's one to the lockbox. Make sure Stella gets both."

"Mm," was all he responded with.

After that, the knight and I were on the road. I had never really ridden a horse before, but it was easy enough after a time. They are really quite nice animals. We traveled until dusk when the knight set up camp and I tried to build up a fire, with mixed success. Most of the vegetation was still soaked through from the snow, so it was slow going. Eventually, the knight took off the helmet and I found out that he was actually a she. She had short blonde hair and intense green eyes. There was something familiar about her, but I could not place it. She watched me the entire time, as though trying to puzzle something out. I hadn't been in the right headspace to notice it at first, but her armor was immaculate. Freshly polished with no dents or scratches on it. I'd seen some of the armor that adventurers sold to Daniel. It was always half destroyed, bloody and rusting, I thought. Maybe she's a new knight. She looks young.

"I never asked, because we were a little... Rushed." I said, trying to focus on stoking the fire and not her gaze on me. "What's your name, Lady Knight?"

"Carmella." She said flatly. "You may address me as First Knight Lady Carmella, blacksmith."

"I'd prefer it if you called me Johann."

"Mm," was all she said. It honestly reminded me a little of Daniel. Just matter-of-fact. Despite her relative youth, every movement she made was graceful; her hands never slipped, her footing was always sure. It was even light, somehow, despite wearing armor that must've weighed half as much as I did. She spent the night brushing out the horses and feeding them apples from her pack. Her features softened considerably when she was doting on the horses. She looks almost approachable like that.

The next day we got up an hour before dawn. Well, I say we. She got up before me and demanded I get up and make her some breakfast. "Blacksmith, get up."

I rolled over and tried to ignore her, but she put her foot on my back and kicked me. "Blacksmith!"

I grumbled and pushed myself to my feet. At least I was dressed this time. I had dreamed about the time Morgana had accosted me in the morning. I did not know why I was thinking about her. Probably because of the sword and daggers. I glared up at Carmella and brushed myself off. "You didn't have to do that, Car-"

"First Knight Lady Carmella," she cut me off, nudging me with her foot again.

"Of course," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Make me breakfast, blacksmith." She said, impatiently tapping her foot.

"I thought I told you to call me Johann."

"I wasn't listening, blacksmith." She emphasized the last word. She began taking care of the horses again, fawning over them a little, giving hers an apple and mine some sugar. Great. I'm less than a horse to her. I set out to make breakfast. It was a small, simple meal. I had never been much of a cook. I knew how to cook for myself and never really had to cook for anyone else. But it was fine. A little burnt, but serviceable. Carmella did not comment on it.

We traveled all day again and after we set up camp, I started getting out things for dinner, but she stopped me. "Take out the sword and one of the daggers, blacksmith."

I frowned but did so. She pulled out her own sword which was a foot and a half longer than mine and spun it in her hand, perfectly. She then charged forward, blade pointed forward. Out of instinct more than anything, I managed to bring up the dagger and deflect the blade. "What the hell are you doing, woman?"

"I am First Knight Lady Carmella." She took a few steps back and stood tall. "You will address me as such, blacksmith."

With that, she thrust her blade forward again and this time I stepped out of the way and stared at her, flabbergasted. I barely managed to say "I-I don't want to fight you!"

"This. Isn't. A. Fight." She punctuated every word by swinging her sword at me. I managed to block each of them with either the sword or the dagger, until she kicked me in the gut. As I started to get up, she pointed the tip of her long blade down at my throat. She pressed the flat of it into my chin, forcing me to raise it. I stared up at her. She wasn't wearing her helmet and her green eyes seemed to glow in the dying light. She looked like a painted warrior, descending from the heavens. I think she was smiling softly down at me. "Your instincts aren't bad, blacksmith."

"Th-the letter." I stammered, hands at my side. "It s-said that you c-couldn't hurt me."

"But you're a coward. That won't do at all."

"W-won't do for what!?" I demanded, trying to stop the tremble in my voice.

She ignored me and looked up at the sky, muttering something I couldn't hear. I watched her for a moment and then gripped the dagger, brought it up and pushed her blade out of my face, then swung the sword at her leg. She easily stepped aside and brought her blade down on mine, pinning it to the ground. For the briefest of instances, another smile stretched her pouty lips. "Like I said. A coward. Attacking someone who isn't paying attention."

I pried the blade out from under hers and stood. "Oh. So attacking someone when they don't know they're going to be attacked is cowardice, huh?"

This time her smile lasted a moment. She swung her sword in both hands and I managed to get out of the way and slashed through the air, losing my balance and stumbling. She whacked me in the ass with the flat of her sword. I yelped and spun around, facing her. She stood there, watching me, her smile having mostly faded. "What is this all about? Who are you?"

"I am First Knight Lady Carmella." She responded before closing the distance and slashing down at me. I managed to catch her blade between my two and push it away. While I did that, she brought up a fist and decked me in the jaw. I stumbled to the ground, losing both of my weapons. I rubbed my jaw, watching her. She put her sword away and walked back to the fire.

"What the fuck?" I muttered. I scrambled to my feet, retrieved the weapons I'd dropped and followed her. "No, Lady Carmella! Seriously. What was all of that!? Why did you attack me? Why did you drag me out here!?"

"It's not my place to say." She responded, sitting down. "But we'll be practicing your swordsmanship every day until we reach the castle."

"Why?"

"Because you'll need to know it. Now make dinner."