This is Ch. 3 of 4!
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Saint woke up just as the sun started to rise in the sky. He stretched rolling his shoulders and looking around. He pondered on what happened last night definitely confused but satisfied by the experience. He sighted standing up looking out the nearby window. He could see the guard's changing shift outside. Banners had been pulled up over night for the upcoming ball.
He took a few moments to gather himself before deciding to polish his armor. He eyed over some of the marks reminiscing on what caused them. It brought a smile to his face to think of the years this armor had sheltered him from blow after blow.
He pulled back his hair into a short pony tail placing all his necessary armor onto his body. Double checking in his mind the colors he needed to match for tonight. He placed his sword at his side before heading out the door.
What was his duties for today? He posted the assignments for the men yesterday on the board outside of the barracks. He made sure to add extra notes on etiquette and what was needed by the guards that were to be on duty. Those men may be meat heads but he was glad that they were his men. They respected him and he respected them.
He rolled his eyes as he passed a maid carrying a bouquet of purple flowers. Were those tulips? He was never good with the more feminine things he occasionally had to know to entertain the nobles. They reminded him of that stupid bitch Marianna. He needed to corner her during the ball tonight, that was his top priority. She was the one who made him feel all those feeling towards the princess. It must of been some sort of lust spell or maybe a love spell.
The taste of the princess ran through his mind, her wet sweetness accompanied with those soft moans. He could feel his cock swelling at that thought. He needed to get his mind off of that. He needed Marianna to end this. He huffed at all this swirling thoughts. What even happened to cause all of this? Maybe Marianna was getting back at him.
He walked his way to the courtyard in front of the building he was trying to head to seeing the servants scurrying their ways towards the ballroom. Trays upon trays on food, bouquet after bouquet of flowers, man after woman all running around like mice. He peered around a few more times noticing a young man attempting to pull along one of the queen's dogs.
"Young man! Do you need some help? I know her dogs tend to be quite picky."
He hollered over to him as he jogged over removing his helmet. The young man nodded quickly quite appreciative of the help. The little puff ball of a dog stood its ground barking at the armored hand of Saint. He rolled his eyes picking it up. It weighted practically nothing.
The young man looked rather puzzled opening his mouth to say something but quickly closing it. He sighed thanking him for assisting with the dog. He lead him to a room that had a few of the other dogs that had been gathered.
"I appreciate your help, sir. Grace is known to be feisty. I apologize for troubling you."
He gave a bow to Saint with a worried expression. He just gave him a pat on the shoulder before leaving. He didn't want to give the young man grief over a simple mishap of a unhappy dog. That dog was a terror anyways. So small yet so angry.
He hurried his way to his office as soon as he remembered something he was supposed to do. He needed to sign off on someone bringing a certain gift for the princess. He couldn't understand why anyone would want to bring a live goose and present it to Her Highness but to each their own.
He opened his office door setting his helmet down. He unlocked one of his drawers pulling out his set of stamps. He lit a nearby candle so he could get this signature and stamp out of the way. He sat there organizing some of his leftover items he had accidentally left out after last night. The scattered papers on his desk he double checked before placing them in the correct locations.
A knock on the door soon arose as he picked up his head to see Sir Jeffery Gonefellow. Gonefellow was a short man who happened to be a knight. Wasn't he the knight of Underpass Hill? He stopped a uprising before it even started. He was an older gentleman probably close to retirement at this rate.
"Gonefellow, how may I assist you?"
"Oh! Saint! It's is a pleasure to see you! I have a letter here for you! It's something or another about another gift someone needs your stamp on."
Jeffery spoke rather slowly with almost a drawl to his voice. Saint nodded outreaching his hand for the letter. Jeffery handed it to him and he unfolded it to read. Someone wanted to bring a bloody buffalo to the ball. Why in the world? For the love of the Holy Mother.... These nobles need to stop with their odd requests. He rolled his eyes after stamping it leaning back.
"I say Gonefellow, these nobles are getting more and more bizarre in their requests by the day. Someone is trying to bring a fucking buffalo to the ball tonight."
"Oh well that is rather dreadful is it not? Why did you even stamp it?"
"You see if I don't say yes to ever suitor that wants to bring gifts for Her Highness I might as well be replaced. Her Highness needs to find herself a good husband and I'm not someone to say who is the best fit for her. Her father is the judge of that. I am just a lowly man compared to our divine rulers."
He gave a chuckle as he spoke the last bit. Jeffery did as well giving him a warm smile. Jeffery excused himself soon after that not wanting to hold the captain of the guard up any longer. Saint rose after completing the few things he needed to, heading out to find the correct people to deliver the approvals to.
He decided to rest on a bench he found in the gardens as he passed through. He glanced around at the soft pink buds coming out of the nearby bushes. How much longer till the sun was gonna fall so he could get this ball over with? Hopefully not too much longer. He decided to pass the time by freshening up. He might as well look his best for tonight.
He exited where he had bathed redressing himself in his armor. He peered out the window seeing the fading sun greeting him. Finally, he could get this over with. He started his trek towards the ballroom, it wasn't particularly a long walk but with the crowds of people made it a noteworthy experience.
He found his place with some knight directing his men towards their spots.
"Remember to mind your manners and report to me anyone suspicious!"
He yelled at the hoard of guards surrounding him. He didn't have to worry about most of them but a few he just hoped they didn't open their mouths to speak. He just prayed that they weren't stupid enough to do that.
He watched and waited as guests piled on in one after another. Carriage after carriage after carriage of people arriving in droves. He stood there watching them all, some so excited they could barely breathe, and some weren't so happy complaining about the decor and how cheap everything looked. Snobs. He thought to himself.
A few hours passed as he could hear the music from inside starting to swell and crescendo. It sounded like a waltz of sorts. He hummed along setting his head on the stone column. He could hear some lovebirds chattering about how they were destined to be together and how their parents couldn't know. He rolled his eyes at that.
A tap on his shoulder made him look down to see one of his guards. The guard removed his helmet and placing his spear on the wall beside him. He sighed looking at his captain.
"Sir, everything is going well. If you wanted to go inside to mingle we shouldn't have any problems that would pull you away. I know that everyone has been excited to get a glance at the princess in all her glory and I bet you would like to as well."
The guard gave a blush looking away as he rolled his eyes at him. At least his men were still men and they longed for the company of women. He gave a nod to him removing himself from the wall heading into the ballroom.
He gave a scoff thinking about how everyone was lucky to even get a glimpse of the princess in her dress. When he had gotten a private audience and saw her first in all her glory. It made his mind race for a moment.
He made his way along the wall to look out into the beautifully decorated room. There were flowers hanging from the ceiling everywhere. All the ladies gowns matched the delicate theme the princess presented with her dress and decor. Soft pinks and blues swirled around the room. Pedestals made of marble held up many of her presented gifts, some littered in jewels so rare he had never seen them before, some layered with literature bound in fine calves skin. He gave an impressed look at some of them.
The nearby guard gave him a nod as soon as he removed his helmet to look around. He found the atmosphere of the room absolutely gorgeous. The way the women and men were dancing. Of course he knew how to but he didn't want to get roped into that. He hung close to the walls looking at how the room shifted with the energy of who was doing what. The gossip seemed to extra potent tonight.
He always enjoyed how the women of the court seemed to pick up every detail around them but they never seemed to pick up some of the most obvious ones. He manage to get a glance of the princess who looked as stunning as always. He smiled as he reminded himself of what it felt like to be inside of her. The way she squirmed against him. The way she had so badly wanted him and now here she is all innocent and naive.
He was so filled with bliss peering at the princess and all the lovely women till he saw... Marianna. That wench. He scowled. He needed to make his way to her to talk to her. She needed to explain herself.
