Chapter Text
He really thought that was the last time he would see her. They were in a ball in the king's castle and she was in a corner, next to her father. Quiet and sad. As always.
He had always wondered what could be the reason for her sadness. She had no mother but her father clearly doted on her. She had money, maids, she lived in a big, beautiful castle and all her needs were tended for.
Since the campaign was over he could come back to Anatol and retire if he wanted. He would have to be at the king's beck and call but he was sure he would be given some years of tranquility. He had done enough.
He had enough. Right?
Looking at Lady Croyso his thoughts melted again. He was not sure how this was possible. So many years had passed by, his father had promised her to another man, a Balto bastard to make things worse, and he was still no one to her. She trembled every time their gazed crossed and her father looked at him as if he was dirt.
Why had his father promised him to that bastard? That man lived far away and he knew from a reliable source that the marriage was arranged, that bastard had never set eyes on her, had never spoken to her, did not know what he had been given.
No man deserved Maximilian Croyso but if a man had to have her, it had to be him, right? He had been longing for her for the longest time and had done all he had done with the hope to be one day deserving of her.
However, it did not matter. He had killed a dragon, who cared? He was from poor parents and his true origins were unclear. No noble man would willingly give his daughter to him and, less of all, the proud Duke of Croyso, who doted on his daughters as if they were precious jewels.
He was surprised to see Maximilian here, she never left Croyso castle. Later he learned her sister was promised to the crown prince and she was there attending the engagement celebrations.
As he looked at her once again, a sudden urge to speak to her overcame him. This was maybe his last chance to speak to her, to hear her voice, to get to know her. There was no harm in that, right? It was perfectly right for a knight, even if he was lowly born, to ask a lady for a dance.
He drank the rest of the wine in his cup and took the opportunity, as he saw her father speaking with the Crown Prince in another area.
He walked all the way to her, avoiding everyone’s gaze on him and the whispering. With all the bravery he could muster, he stood in front of her.
How could it be so difficult for him to face Maximilian Croyso? He had killed a dragon, for heaven’s sake.
Her gaze was down but, because of her body language, Riftan knew she was aware of his presence.
“Will you do me the honor to dance with me, Lady Croyso?”
Her eyes were suddenly fixed on him. Those gray eyes that haunted his dreams.
Her expression was fearful and it became even more so when she noticed her father coming to them from the corner of her left eye.
Before receiving an answer from her and before her father got to them, Riftan took her elbow and directed their steps towards the dance floor.
She did not hesitate, which Riftan considered a good sign, given the circumstances, but he noticed her face was flushed, maybe of embarrasement? Embarrasement for dancing with a lowly knight like Riftan?
He was soon to find out what kind of woman Maximilian really was.
Dancing was not one of his strengths but, thankfully, she was not a great dancer either so they merely waltzed around slowly, being careful not to step on each other’s toes.
Riftan had not realized that dancing with her would mean being so close to her. He had to fully concentrate to ignore her smell, intoxicating, which impregnated his nose and allured him to look at her, to get even closer.
Looking at her was not a great idea either. Her father had not dressed her modestly and the tops of her full pale breasts distracted his mind and took him to dark places. It was clear Duke Croyso had wanted to show her around and prove to the world that he had a valuable asset that was not available anymore. An asset that had already been bought.
Riftan decided to stop his gaze on her eyes, which avoided him yet. He was finally able to speak:
“I believe congratulations are in order, right? You are to be married soon.”
Her sad face reassured Riftan on his beliefs: she did not want to marry that asshole.
“T-thank you-u, my-my Lord.”
Her quiet voice was lovely. Wasn’t it ironic that the woman with the most beautiful voice in the world did not want to speak?
Surely people gave her a hard time due to her speech impediment but Riftan could not care less.
“When are you leaving for Balto?”
“To-tomorrow mo-morning, my-my Lord.”
“Who are you travelling with?”
She looked up at him and Riftan understood he had stepped a line. He was asking too many questions.
But he need to know, he had to know, he wanted to know that she was a lamb, slaughtered. This is how the world worked: fathers married off their daughters to the highest bidder without taking into account if they were bastards who only wanted an heir from Roemian descent.
“My-my maid and so-some knights will co-come with me-me.”
“Are you excited to see Balto?”
Again, her sad face gave Riftan all the answers he was looking for. She knew Balto was full of mountains, thieves, monsters and Balto men trated their wives as slaves.
“Have-ve you ever-r been in-in Balto-to, my-my Lord?”
That was her first question so Riftan decided to be sincere.
“Yes, many times.”
“And-and could you-u describe-be it-it to me-me?”
“It’s just like the rumors say.”
She suddenly stopped dancing and that attracted some looks around them so Riftan tried to act normally and encouraged her to continue.
After some seconds she continued.
“Is it-it true that Ba-Balto men hit-hit their wi-wives?”
This time Riftan stopped dancing and she was the one encouraging him to go on.
Just the mere thought of that bastard laying a finger on Maximilian made his blood boil. He continued waltzing and a sudden idea occurred to him.
“Run away, my Lady.”
Her eyes snapped open and were suddenly fixed on his eyes.
“I-I can’t do-do that-that”.
“Yes, you can. I will help you.”
His mind was so excited about the prospect of helping Maximilian that he did not stop to think about the consequences of what he was saying.
Just one thought was in his mind: even if that was the last thing he did in his life, even if it cost him his life, he would not allow Maximilian to have that future. She deserved the best life that could be offered to her and, if his father did not want to grant her that, he would do it.
“Listen to me, the song is about to end and we must plan quickly. I will wait for you at dawn in the gazebo that is in the southern garden of the palace. If you want to run away, I will make sure you disappear from here and I will take you to a safe place, where no one can force you to marry anyone you don’t want.”
Maximilian was clearly in a shock state. She was clearly not ready for this proposal and her face was of pure and clear shock.
“Why-why would you-you do-do that?”
He had the answer ready.
“I am a knight, my Lady. This is my job, to help people like you.”
For a second, he saw a speck of hope in her eyes, which disappeared quickly.
“My-my father wo-would find me-me.”
Riftan decided to try his last resource.
“My Lady, do you know who I am? I am Riftan Calypse, I just killed the red dragon, Sektor. Do you really think I am not capable of doing what I am proposing you?”
Again, there was some hope in her eyes. Her gaze fell upon her father, who was looking at them with a concrite look.
“Smile, my Lady. We cannot let your father suspect anything.”
Her nervous smile made his heart hurt. How was it possible that this tiny woman held his life, his wellbeing and his entire happiness in her hands without knowing it?
“What do you say, my Lady? Do you trust me?”
She nodded her head and he felt the happiest man on Earth. He had earned her trust. That was enough for him. For now.