Honors Due

Lysa is knighted.

13.

Honors Due

 

Aaron didn’t see her for the rest of the night and amazingly he fell into a deep sleep.    Morning came and he jumped up, surprised that he had slept so long.

Rushing outside, he found things already buzzing.    Lysa stood with Zeatt on the deck of the Autumn Maid watching the sunrise.

As he approached, he could hear part of their conversation.     Zeatt was happily going over details of the wedding ceremony.    Lysa was listening intently, but had a rather dazed, weary look in her eyes.   

They brightened upon seeing him.

“Good morning, ladies, have you been up all night?”   He asked as he approached.    He slipped his arm around his fiancée and she nestled closer, “Good morning, My Lord.”

Aaron chuckled, “Lysa, you’ve got to stop using a title.   You are going to be my wife, you know.”

“I’m used to your title, sir.”

“Sir?    No, no, now that has to stop.   Aaron or some pet name, but no more of this ‘Lord’ or ‘Sir’ nonsense.”

“I’ll try, my Lor-… I mean, Aaron.”

Aaron turned to the Drow cleric, “So did you two stay up all night?”

Zeatt grinned, “We had a lot to discuss, but we have it wrapped up.    Lysa can sleep during the trip back on the Autumn Maid.   Now if you both will excuse me, I want to eat breakfast with my husband.”

She bowed to them and then disappeared through the door into the cabin.

Aaron looked down at Lysa, who was resting against his shoulder, “Are you alright?”

“My mind is spinning, Lord… sorry, I mean, Aaron.    There are so many details.   She knows about every aspect of weddings!   She talked and asked questions all night and took notes on the answers I gave.    I’m really not sure what I agreed to.    Maybe this is a big mistake, sir… um… Aaron.    If you want to change your mind, I’d understand.”

“Lysa-“

“I’d be willing to just be your mistress, if you need-“

“Lysa!”   He looked at her in alarm. 

She shrugged, “Well, it would be easier than remembering everything and going through a complicated ceremony.”

“You’re just tired, it won’t seem so bad once you have some rest.”

“I am very tired, Lord.”

“Aaron.”  He corrected.

“Sorry… it will take me a while.”

“Keep working on it.”

“Are you sure you want to marry me?   I’m not exactly suitable for the job as a wife of a Duke.”

“I’d say you are absolutely perfect, my dear.”

“Really?”

“Certainly!   I can’t imagine a more suitable match.”

“But why?”

“Because you think like I do.”

“I do?”

“Yes, and few of the fancy noble-bred ladies of the King’s court know anything of the challenges of running a duchy.  Yet you’ve seen all of it, by my side.    Who would be a more perfect choice for a duchess?”

“Duchess…”   Lysa repeated, realizing only then that this would be her title after their marriage.  Then she shook the thought away and looked up at him pleadingly, “I can’t be a duchess, Lord… I mean Aaron.”

“It’s not so hard, Lysa - I didn’t think I could be a Duke either, but I’ve faked it well enough.”

“I’ll mess it up, Aaron, I know I will.”

“You’ll be fine.”  He kissed her forehead, “Come on, let’s get something to eat before we leave in the airship - we’ve got a busy day ahead of us.”

 

***

 

They left for Westmark an hour later.   Lysa slept against his shoulder during the journey while Aaron spoke softly to Baron Alvis about the procedure to knight Lysa.

Westmark was bustling as usual and the royal court was especially busy as it prepared for the surprise announcement that evening.  Aaron felt terribly sorry for his future wife, for as soon as they disembarked, they were rushed to get everything done before that evening.

Matron Zeatt took possession of the demoness in the bottle and spent several hours with high ranking Yeshian clerics and wizards to decide what to do.      In the early afternoon, while Lysa was preparing to be knighted, the clerics broke the bottle and cast the demoness back to Hell.    Her frustrated screams echoed through the city, chilling everyone for several minutes on the hot summer day.

Lysa’s head spun from the whirlwind activities that she had to attend to.   First, Aaron presented her to the King and Queen in accordance with the Accolade ceremony.    Aaron decided on the option of a less formal, private ceremony, which was customary for a single squire who had earned the rank of knighthood.

Lysa was more than happy with the simpler ceremony and it was mid afternoon when it began.

Wearing the white tabard of a knight candidate, she was led bootless into the presence of King Eleazar and Queen Aurei by Aaron, who of course was her sponsoring knight.     Baron Alvis and Lysa’s brother, Captain Bruce, were the only other witnesses of the ceremony.

She knew what was expected of her and she knelt on a pillow in front of the King.

Eleazar stood, with his sword drawn and looked at Aaron, who stood behind her.

“Duke Aaron of Helios Valley, in the presence of these witnesses, do you hereby acknowledge that this candidate, Lysa, is worthy of the rank of knighthood?   Has she fulfilled the obligations of her training and do you find her valiant and worthy of the rank of knight?”

“I do, Your Majesty.    I have evaluated her skills and the purity of her heart.    She is devoted to Yesh and faithful to her Lord.    I would humbly request that she is knighted in service to you.”

“Very well, Duke Helios.   Lysa, I dub thee a knight of the Kingdom of Marksylvania.”    The King tapped her on each shoulder, then on the top of her head with the flat side of his sword.   As he did this, Aaron buckled the spurs to her bare feet, which was a symbolic gesture of knighthood.

“Arise, Lady Lysa.”    She rose to her feet and was congratulated by the King and Queen.   Bruce hugged her, whispering, “Father would have been so proud of you, Lysa.”

“Thank you -all of you- for this honor.”   She said somberly, “I swear to uphold the rank that has been bestowed upon me.”

“That is but the first ceremony.” Queen Aurei jested, smiling a knowing grin.    Lysa looked a bit alarmed and looked at her brother.

“Don’t worry, Lady Lysa, Duke Aaron spoke to me earlier and I know about your pending marriage.”

“You do?”  She said nervously scanning the Orc Captain for a sign of favor.    She didn’t have long to wait.     Bruce gave her one of his rare smiles.

“You have my blessing, my dear Elven sister.”

She took her brother’s hand, “I am Elven in appearance now, but I am still an Orc here.”   She brought his hand to her heart and he nodded, understanding her meaning.

“Lysa,” Queen Aurei said to her, putting her arm around her, “My aunt Zeatt informs me that you need an appropriate wedding dress.”

“Uh… well…I-“ Lysa stammered, not quite sure where the Queen was going next with the conversation.

“I have an idea - it would be possible of course to have one produced quickly using arcane seamstress techniques.    But after speaking to Zeatt for a bit, I think I have an idea that might work.    It will be yet another surprise for Aaron.” She smiled smugly at the young Half-Elf, “You don’t mind your fiancée being taken under my wing for the rest of the afternoon, do you?”

“She’s in the best of hands, Your Highness.”    Aaron bowed, though the somewhat terrified expression from Lysa filled him with some misgivings.    She certainly wasn’t scared of Queen Aurei, but she seemed to be very uneasy about being in the spotlight and being treated so royally.   She squeezed his hand and gave him a pleading look, but the Queen gently ushered her out of the audience chamber.

King Eleazar, Baron Alvis and Captain Bruce chuckled at the worried look in the young Duke’s eyes.

“Relax, Aaron, she won’t be harmed.”   The King joked and Aaron bowed, red-faced.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty, it is silly of me.    Lysa is rather fearful of being the center of attention.”   He looked to her brother for support of his statement, and Bruce nodded in agreement.

Eleazar leaned back in his throne, “Women tend to be terrified on their wedding day, though they claim it is the grooms who are the most nervous.   Yet there are very few who don’t have fond memories of that special day.      Lysa will be quite alright, Aaron.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, I’m sure she will be.”

“Now tell us of your adventure in the depths of Helios’ complex.    I’ve only heard brief summaries, but I am eager to hear all about it.”

Aaron and the others were bidden to be seated near the King and a few minutes later the young Duke was deep into the tale of the past day.

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[Elina]

"...it won’t see so bad..." I believe you wanted "seem."