Re: Part 3 “Mending”
kramuschamberlain:
Kramus shook his head. “No….. it’s not just about our happiness. I won’t let him torment you because he wants to blackmail me. We will settle our differences the way nobles do.” he gripped his sword. “I will challenge him to a duel. No quarter asked…. and none given.”
He seemed determined to go through with this. He had been swayed by Freyja before, but this seemed far too personal.
Freyja was worried for a moment before, however she stood up straight as she took a deep breath. She nodded to agree with him. She knew Kramus was a good man and he is proving this to her once again.
She smiled a little as she stood in front of him. She leaned a bit closer but then leaned back. “I need to take the armour off“ She said as she took few steps away and started to untie the belts around her. dressing up or down into armour was not that easy, but she had no any helper in the tent right now.
Kramus blinked. Was…. was she okay? She seemed to suddenly shift moods…. was…..?
He walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Do….. you want me to help?” he asked. He was trying to gauge her reaction, was she on the verge of tears? Bravely putting on a front?
“Are you okay?” he asked. He just told Freyja that he’d have a duel, one to the death, but….. she seemed okay.
“If you could undo it on my back…” She said as she was trying to point at her back as she was showing her back to him.
She was a bit quiet now. She was not completely okay and she did want to be honest to him.
“As much as I agree, I also hate the idea of the duel. He is using me like a toy he can fun with, now it feels like the duel is about me as a final prize for the winner and you want this toy. I understand well your motivation and your feelings, but I feel so powerless here. I can’t stand up for myself.” She turned to him. “I am sorry.” She added.
She couldn’t really look into his eyes. She felt a bid awkward and embarrassed. She used to be a princess, a strong leader, a hope for a country, and now she was nothing just a tool that two men fight for. It felt really embarrassing for her.
Kramus felt like his eyes had been opened. Had he really been so blind to Freyja that he had turned her into a prize to be one? Rather than a woman he loved and wanted to make a future with.
He sighed and paused. “I….. I’m sorry. You’re right.” he said, reaching for a few straps. “I just….. I don’t know what else to do.” he said. “I don’t want to think of you as a trophy, or a prize, I don’t want to demean you in such a way….”
He sighed as he felt the ‘but’ grow closer. He loosened a strap and continued. “But…. he is threatening you…. and using you…. and hurting you….” he said. “Curse my own horrid soul, the only way I know how to fix it is death….” he looked at her. “I’m sorry, Freyja. I want to help you, but…. I don’t know another way.”
He unstrapped another piece. “Do…. do you……?” he seemed at a loss. She was the one being tormented, and here he was making it about himself again. He shook his head in disgust of himself.
“You truly are amazing, Freyja.” he said. “So many times, you knew the right answer, you knew just what to say, yet when you need me, all I can think to do is to use my sword, like I was some kind of bandit….”
Freyja took off the last piece. She was wearing a chainmail under them. She was about to take it off, carefully to not pull her shirt with it.
She fixed her shirt after she took the chainmail off. “I can understand, even if I am not agreeing with the solution to kill him, I have no choice but to accept.” She said as she turned to him. “I love you, and I want to give my body to you. His touch were freaking me out, I had no choice but tolerate it. He admitted he has no feelings toward me, I am nothing but a tool he can play with. I want it to end as soon as possible.”
She stood closer to him again. She wanted to touch him and kiss him, yet she hesitated to take a move. “The duel to death can be our solution, however you don’t know his strength or weakness, he might be good, and I am scared to lose you. You are good with sword yours form is great, yet we can never underestimate him.”
Kramus looked surprised and gulped as she stepped closer to him. He shivered, wanting to do the same thing, but restraining himself.
“I know.” He said, looking down. “I…. want to be a nice person, a kind one. I don’t like hurting people but…. no. I don’t have a choice. I will fight him because I have to, not because I want to.” He looked at Freyja.
“Then…. we…..” he kissed her hand, sering if that was enough. “I will make a world for us…. not just for me. You too.”
Freyna sighed, their situation was really bad. What should she do now? She gently took her hand away and packed her stuffs a little to act like busy.
She was not busy, she haf nothing to do that moment.
“Kramus….” she turned to him again. “Do you need me for anything now?” She asked for an order. She was still working for him and that was the only legal reason for her to stay around him. The only reason that she can keep her away from Boniface.
Kramus realized that this was a bit of a cry for help on her part. He thought to himself for a moment and then sighed. He knew it was a bad time, he knew it was a bad time, but he had to get this done now. He sweat a little and felt his stomach churn, must be his nerves.
“I need you to first fetch me my sword, and then you must help me into my armor.” he said, authoritatively. “Then there will be one last thing:” he said. “You will need to stand as my witness, and approve the duel.”
—————–
Kramus and Freyja would appear in the streets, the festivals winding down and slowly beginning to disassemble.
Boniface saw them both and stepped out to meet them, standing across Kramus in the street.
Boniface smiled and called out. “You and the lady out for-.” Kramus drew his sword on the spot and pointed it at Boniface, sweating more than usual. “Boniface, I, Kramus Chamberlain of Oakord challenge you to a duel.” he said. “The loser will neither ask for quarter, nor will it be given, and we will never have to suffer the other ever again.”
Boniface looked a bit surprised at first, and this sentence even shocked some in the crowd. Kramus gulped and kept his eyes on Boniface.
“Oh….” he said. “Didn’t realize you were that eager to get into my fiance’s skirt the minute I’m dead.” Boniface chuckled. “Isn’t that low of you….”
Kramus narrowed his eyes, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to embarrass Freyja like this anymore…. but now he… he….. was it getting a little warm?
“Fine, Lord Chamberlain, I accept such terms,” he said. “I think today is a good idea, though not right now obviously…..”
Kramus’s sword began to shake in his hand, like he had trouble holding it, suddenly, he lost the strength to hold it, and his arm fell to his side. He grunted, his knees shaking as he began to lose his balance.
Boniface smiled. “Oh my, are you feeling okay?” he said. “Because I’d hate for you to have to forfeit over all the fuss.”
Kramus began to fall over, his strength leaving him quickly as a sharp pain entered his stomach.
Freyja stood there proud, ignoring his words. She felt more embarrassed by those respond as the crowd around them heard it.
"My Lord?" She asked as she noticed Kramus seemed to feel not so well, she reached out to support him to stand. "What's wrong?" She asked.
How he reacted it made it a little clear he got pain in the stomach. Food poison? But she brought the food herself as usual...
She looked up at Boniface with a pissed expression. "What have you done?" She asked, already blaming the other man.
