{Luhea Deveros}

Luhea Deveros (McDonalds) was in her Knight, It was freezing and she hated that she had to sit here in winter, but it would all be worth it as soon as she had her love. He had stayed in the town, Happy Valley and refused to leave it. This had to be because they were holding him hostage. That had to be the only reason he would stay away. She would save him though. A slave collar dangled at her belt. This is how she would save him. She would make him hers and care for him until he realized that he loved her. A drop of something hit her hand as she leaned over the controls. She was drooling, thinking of the things that she heard he had done to that animal. It was shameful, disgraceful, but he was a wanderer and didn’t know any better. Only she could save him from himself. She was a noble, from a noble family, he would come to love her. She had sent spies into the town and found out that he had been tricked into using a time-honored training tool as a game for peasants. They were forcing him to build abominations for a child beast and toys for the unwashed masses. The worst part is he was being forced to breed with animals and take care of their offspring. Forced to the worst humiliation. She couldn’t leave him like that. She had to work so hard just to reach this point, just to be here to save him. She had betrayed Von Gon Halthos and signed up with bandits, wrecked his caravan just to get back to him. That and the trophy from that animal that had the nerve to touch him. That was for her and her alone. They stopped just before the tree line and waited. Pulling a blanket from behind her chair, she wrapped it around herself and waited. Soon the two remaining Knights will leave only leaving behind a Squire in an old useless Astreal. She scoffed thinking of the Squire being a lowly woodsman. It wasn’t right. This whole thing wasn’t right. Hovioys had his Knight sit. His older model was not as useful or beautiful as hers was. She started drooling again thinking of what it will feel like to have him in her cockpit, holding her and apologizing for not staying by her side. The ground shook as a Knight walked away in the distance followed by what looked like a huge, armored wolf. That must be the monster they are forcing him to work on. That thing was a blight on this world. Once she had her love safe, she would have to come back and rip it apart. She was sure that he would be grateful that his shame was erased from this world. They waited in the trees for another hour. Those two would be gone for a few hours chasing the story of a pair of giants roaming the woods. She and Hovioys had placed leather blankets over their Knight’s feet to make the footprints and walked to a clear spot before coming back. It was a common plan used a few times before on towns like this one. Normally one would stay behind and Luhea had gotten lucky as the third Commander had just left with the last caravan. Truly the Gods must be smiling on her. Once time had passed, she removed her blanket and Hovioys stood. She could almost see the smile of the man as they walked forward. Once in the open, they could hear an alarm bell ringing across the valley. They just kept walking slowly and calmly. She could see her loves prison where he was held captive. She had heard that he was under constant guard by a huge ugly orc. Just one more injustice her love had to endure. “Stay strong my love. I am coming to rescue you.” She said to herself and walked closer. They stopped on the road leading up to his prison and she turned on her magical speaker. “Alex,” her voice boomed out over the small town. “I Lady Luhea Deveros is here to save you. I will leave you evil doers alone if you bring me my one and only true love.”

“And all the coins you have.” Hovioys added.

“Yes, those too, but I will not leave without Alex.” The door opened and she gasped when she saw him. He looked pale and far too thin. They were starving him. “Alex my love. They have been torturing you, starving you, but worry not my love I am here to save you.” He frowned up at her.

“NO THANK YOU! GO AWAY!” He yelled up at the Knights. They must have forced him to say that.

“I am here to save you and show you the love of a real woman and not the fake love of that animal Yen.” He just growled up at her. They must be true monsters to make him turn against her. “It will all be better my love once I get you out of here and get a collar on you.” He covered his face. He must be so overcome by her show of compassion and love. “Just come here my love and I will whisk you away from here and to my bed.” she had to wipe her chin again as she had started drooling. She was starting to pant too. Her love was just too manly for her and he was just so close. Surely that animal had tricked him to make him turn her away that time. She held out her hand to him standing on the ground and willed him to get into her hand. Hovioys called out.

“Get us the coins or we start smashing houses. We don’t have all day.”

“Hush, you are scaring my love.” She scolded. Couldn’t he see what all this was really about? The doors opened and Astreal stepped out. It looked a bit strange though. They had forced him to butcher that Knight. Does the offense these villeins offer never end? “Come with me my love and I will make sure these fiends can never hurt you again.” The strange Knight swung a spear and there was a flash. She heard Hovioys cry out and she looked over at the ground. Why was his leg missing. Had the idiot forgotten to fix his Knight again? That thing was always breaking down. She looked back at Astreal and saw a red bolt fly at Hovioys again. He was using a wand. How dishonorable. This Squire was using a ranged weapon in a fight between nobles. She would expect nothing less from swine like that. Alex ran back to the door and just watched. He must not be willing to leave her side even in the sight of a fight between Knights. “Very well fiend. I will cut you low and prove to the world that my love for Alex is strong.” Alex was covering his face again. He must be so overwhelmed by her strength and beauty. She grabbed for her sword and pointed it at the Knight. It just moved slowly raising the spear. She knew how to handle a sword vs. spear fight. She would wait just out of range for him to strike and then knock it aside and lunge in for the kill. She had done this several times in duels in the past. So why was she falling? She tried to move her legs, but they didn’t respond. She looked at her controls and frowned. They were missing. Now her right arm was showing a disconnect. What foul magic had he used. She didn’t see him move. She tried to move her left arm and it disconnected too. She was now just a torso. She turned her head and saw Astreal standing over Hovioys. That bastard had taken off Hovioys’ arms. They were both stuck there unable to move. She heard a knock on the hatch and sighed as she unbuckled and stood ready for a fight. A strong swine of a man looked in at her. This must be her love’s jailer.

“My Lady, your cell awaits.” he growled down at her pointing a wand sword thing. They must have forced Alex to make those too. Dishonorable.

“You evil bastards will not keep me from my love.” He just blinked at her and handed cuffs down to her.

“It’s freezing, let’s get back inside.” he closed the hatch. She wasn’t strong enough to get out on her own and started crying. They were going to leave her out here to freeze to death.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

“You monsters are going to just leave a beautiful woman out here in the cold.”

“Fucking hell you idiot. Put the cuffs on and we’ll bring you inside.”

“Where are you going to rape and sell me?” She cried back at him.

“NO, I’M FUCKING MARRIED!” he screamed at her. “We are going to put you in a nice warm cell. If you play nice, we’ll even give you a blanket.”

“Will I get to talk to my love?” Her heart fluttered thinking of being this close and not getting a chance to talk to him.

“No. now cuffs or freeze. Your choice.” He turned his back on her and she cried as she put the cuffs on.

{Alex}

I am never going to live this down. That is, it, I’m going to go home and lock myself away until this all blows over. Woodcutter was dragging those two hunks of metal into the shop so I could play with them later. It was child’s play for him, and I was happy he could keep the engines intact. That being said, cleaning them out would be a challenge. Boss poked his head out of his office and growled at me.

“My fucking office now, Runt.” I hung my shoulders and dropped my head as I walked in. This is where it starts. He slammed the door and frowned at me. “This is the shit I was talking about. You need to take days off, eat and sleep. Otherwise, people will think I am working you to death.” What? This isn’t about her being a lovesick fool.

“I do take days off and do eat?” He blinked at me and frown, letting his voice rase to mock mine.

“I’ve only passed out five times today. That is far below my normal.”

“It hasn’t been five?” I growled.

“I’ll eat when I’m done with this part.” I huffed and crossed my arms.

“That one is fair.”

“I just want to get this done and I’ll go after that.”

“Okay I do say that.”

“That isn’t a wrench glued to my face.” I frowned at him.

“One time that happens. One time and I never live it down.” He crossed his arms and frowned at me.

“You know what I’m talking about. Take care of yourself or I will take matters into my own hands.”

“What do you mean?” He smiled and showed his teeth.

“Test me Runt. Test me and find out. I gulped and went out.

The rest of the town seemed happy about getting attacked by rogue Knights. They seemed happier to poke fun at me saying “My love” as they laughed. This was embarrassing. How could that idiot McDonalds even think I wanted her? I would need a night with Lily and Uta just to wipe my mind of this God-awful day. Even Gorloth got in on teasing me. I walked through the door to see Lily cleaning the counter. She looked back at me and smiled sweetly. I need her today. She turned to me and tilted her head, smiling.

“Master, who is Yen?” She asked the smile not fully reaching her eyes. FUCK ME! I inwardly growl. This was just not my day.

Meathead came back and laughed hard about what he missed. “Runt, my love. Come with me.” He laughed.

“Maybe Woodcutter would do better in Lobo? He did take out two Knights without effort.” Meathead gulped and looked worried.

“I get your point.” He walked away and said over his shoulder “My love.” I just growled at his back. I hope this blows over soon. Lily didn’t seem too worried about Yen but was more worked up about McDonalds. That being said, I wasn’t getting laid any time soon. Upside, I have two junk Knights to take apart and turn them into things like Woodcutters Knight. We wouldn’t be selling them until spring, so Boss was happy to let me play with them.

{Luhea Deveros}

Luhea Deveros sat in her cell crying. They didn’t let her see her love. “Shut up my lady” Hovioys said to her. She just kept sniffling. She was being treated like a common crook and not like the noble she was. A mean looking thug placed bowls of stew and small rolls on a tray and placed it in the gap under the cell door.

“Eat up you two. We are turning out the lights soon.” He said and walked out. She picked up the roll and frowned at it. It smelled like peasant food. Food for the low born and not befitting her class. He was gone though, and she couldn’t protest. She would just have to suffer this indignity for now. At least she was not given only bread and water. Hovioys was just eating like the pig he was, and she could hear him slopping and slurping his soup. Was her love allowed to eat tonight? She hoped he was safe. Would they give him a blanket or force him to breed with those animals? They should force him on her instead. She would happily bear his torment. She licked her lips thinking of him forcing himself on her. Treating her like that animal Yen. The lights went out and she pulled her blanket around her. Now that she was alone, she could touch herself in the way she needed. In the way she wished he could. A window popped into her mind making her hand pull free of her pants quickly.

NEW QUEST UNLOCKED. THE GOD OF JUSTICE HAS HEARD YOUR PLIGHT AND HAS DEEMED YOUR QUEST TO BE A NOBLE ONE. LEAVE YOUR CELL, STEAL THE KNIGHT THAT WRONGED YOU, BUILD AN ARMY AND SAVE YOUR LOVE. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE LUCK OF THE BOLD SKILL. WHEN FOLLOWING YOUR HEART, YOU WILL FIND DIFFICULT TASKS EASIER.

Even the Goddess saw her noble nature. She would break out and work to save her love. She looked closely at the food slot. She tried the door and found it locked. How was she to get out?

USE THE KNIFE IN YOUR BOOT TO PRY THE LOCK.

The goddess was smiling on her. She had forgotten the knife and those thugs had failed to find it. She pulled it out beaming and pried the lock escaping the cell. She made her way slowly from the underground jail to the empty office above. She peered out and saw nothing. Everyone seemed to be asleep or gone. This had to be the Goddess smiling down on her. She turned to Alex’s prison and wondered if she could steal him away?

LEAVE HIM FOR NOW. RETURN WITH AN ARMY.

“Thank you, Goddess.” she said under her breath. Still, she lingered. She could at least look at him once more before she was forced to run from this den of thieves.

NO RUNAWAY YOU IDIOT.

Maybe she was testing her Goddess’s patience. She made her way to the Knight Hall and found the door unlocked. No one was in here. Must be the work of the Goddess. She made her way to the bastardized Knight. Her Knight lay in parts and couldn’t be fixed by her. She sighed and made her way up the catwalks to the seat. It looked nicer and smelled nicer than her old one. He must have known she would be able to get out and get to this Knight. This had to be proof of his love for her. She sat proudly in the seat and started powering it up. It came to life smoothly and she made her way clear of its cradle and out into the center of the room. She looked around and frowned as she was forced to take the strange spear as a weapon. She thumbed a strange disk and smiled as it shot out a bolt of fire carving a hole in the roof. That is how he took out Hovioys. Only her love could be this clever. This had to be a gift for her. She could easily take out the other and jumped as another window popped into her mind.

NO RUNAWAY YOU IDIOT.

Maybe she was pushing things. It was a crime punishable by hanging if you took out a city’s Knights. She fired at the main door and ran out into the night as the alarm bell sounded. She was free and in the clear. Her Goddess was with her, and she would be back to save her love. She would stop at nothing to save him from this pit of rot. She would take this Knight to her mother and let her make more. An army of her love’s gifts could easily set him free, free to make him hers for the rest of their lives.

{Alex}

What the actual fuck? She broke out, stole my Knight, broke the door and roof. Today looks it is shaping up to be a repeat of yesterday. Boss even called Lily in. She was sitting in his office talking to him. What the hell was that about? She came out and beamed up at him. This can’t be good.

“Master, I am in charge of you while you are here. You pass out three times and you are required to take the rest of the day off.” she said beaming at me. It looked like she enjoyed the idea of being in charge of me.

“Runt, you listen to her, or I kick you out myself.” he said crossing his arms. Well, this sucks. My cute bunny was now my babysitter. She was true to her word though and I was at home about two hours later after fixing the door and roof. I only just took one arm off of those two junk heaps. She pulled me into the bathroom and demanded I take a long hot bath. The upside of this was she joined me.