My Sparkling Misfortune (The Lakeland Knight) (6 page)

"You are mistaking me for someone else, madam..."

"No, no, I think I am right!" She was growing more excited each minute. "The man who took residence on the
Lakeland
border, nobody knows exactly when, and who, as everyone thinks, has built those two white towers that now protect us from gormacks!"

The princess's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Is this true?!"

"Oh, he will not tell us, of course!" the impossible Clementina interposed before I could answer. "Modesty, remember? We should ask his attendant here." She turned to Jarvi. "Tell me, young man, was it your master who built those white towers?"

"Jarvi, I will be
very
displeased if you start saying things you shouldn't!!"

What I really wanted to say was, of course, quite a bit stronger, and I hoped he could read it in my eyes.

"So you are called Jarvi," smiled Madame Clementina. "What a lovely name... and what remarkable hair, I must add, I thought your head was on fire when I first saw it. Well, Jarvi, don't be shy, tell me. I am sure your master is kind and generous, he will not be angry. Did he build the towers?"

"No, madam," the sparkling replied.

At least he had some sense... I hoped...

"No?" She looked disappointed. "Now, you would not lie to me, would you?"

"Of course not. I never tell lies."

"Perhaps you do know who built them though?"

"Yes. I did."

"Ah! By your master's order, of course?"

"Yes."

Clementina turned to the princess, triumphant.

"See, Your Highness?! What did I tell you?"

∗ ∗ ∗

You cannot imagine how long it took to finally get rid of the princess and her companions. Madame Clementina begged that I escort them to the city, fearing that the raiders might return. I tried to assure her that it was very unlikely, but when the princess joined her in her request, I had to oblige. Forced to ride next to the carriage window, I endured the silliest questions and comments. To Princess Litinia's credit, they were not coming from her, and she even tried to restrain the others, but with little success.

Refusing to go all the way to the royal palace, I managed to disengage when we left the forest and saw the walls of Traban, the capital city, showing up ahead. As soon as the carriage disappeared from view, I turned on my treacherous servant.

"Jarvi, you trickster, I'll strangle you!!"

"You can't, I'm an immortal spirit. What's the matter, anyway? What did I do?"

"What did you do, you ask?! You set it all up, on purpose! You've made me look like a hero, that's detestable!!"

"I didn't force you to rescue the princess. You did it yourself."

"Don't be trying to hide that grin, I saw it! And it tells me you planned it all!"

"Are you suggesting that I invited the raiders?"

"Did you or did you not know that they were going to attack?"

The sparkling stepped a little away.

"Well... I have to admit that I did."

"I knew it, you wicked orange rat!!"

I chased him all the way to the house. I was on horseback, as you remember, and he wore out both me and the horse, dodging, ducking, always staying just a step ahead and yet out of my reach.

"If you entertain hopes of turning me into a hero, forget it!" I told him when I caught my breath. "You hear me?"

Jarvi sat down on the ground in his favorite position, hugging his knees.

"What a funny notion. Nobody can be turned into a hero against their will."

"Well, if you understand that, then why are you wasting time and messing up my life?!"

He shrugged.

"I am a sparkling. I do what sparklings do. If you don't like it, you can always release me."

He had no idea how much I would love to get rid of him. If it wasn't for the monster...

"Don't get your hopes up. You will serve your five years, and I'll make it as painful as possible."

"I don't understand why you're so upset, anyway. The king will reward you. You wanted gold, and you will get it, only without the risk of being caught and executed for kidnapping."

"The princess was talking about knighthood, not gold."

"But you refused it, and the king still must reward you, it's a matter of honor. Gold is the next best thing. Trust me, I know kings."

He was right. On the next morning, a messenger from the king showed up at my door, accompanied by two guards. Staring at me with the same wide-eyed delight I'd had my fill of the day before, he relayed in many eloquent words that King Osmund of Ulkaria was
humbly asking
me to accept a small gift, too insignificant to represent even a tiny portion of the king's deepest gratitude to me for saving his daughter. The insignificant gift was a set of five marvelous daggers in golden sheaths, decorated with numerous gemstones. Each was worth a fortune, and sold as a set they'd probably bring a sum sufficient to hire a hundred men, long term--if I was foolish enough to get rid of something so precious.

So yes, I granted the king's request and accepted it. The messenger was elated, he must have been worrying that I might refuse, for which he'd probably have to answer. Much relieved, he proceeded to tell me that the king
begged
me to make him and the rest of the royal family exceedingly happy by attending a dinner in my honor that he was going to have that evening at the palace.

I did not know what to say, really. As you can imagine, nobody ever hosted a dinner in my honor before. I wasn't exactly used to kings humbly asking and begging me, either.

I looked at Jarvi. The sparkling winked.

"If you go to the dinner, you'll save a small miracle," he whispered. "I won't have to conjure food today."

He had a point. Besides, the king's cooks would certainly treat me to something better than his well made but always simple dishes.

"Very well," I said to the messenger. "Please relay to His Majesty that I certainly did not expect any of these generous gestures, but I appreciate his attention, and it will be my pleasure to come."

The messenger jumped for joy (no exaggeration) and hurried to inform that the delivery will be here at
three o'clock
to carriage me to the palace. Jarvi snorted at that; the messenger caught himself, turned bright red and bumbled to explain that, of course, it was the other way around, he meant the carriage, not delivery, the carriage to deliver me, that is. I couldn't help laughing, which made the fellow even more miserable. Before I could think what I was doing and why, I patted him on the shoulder and told him it was all right.

"Delivery or carriage, I'll be there, so your mission is accomplished," I told him. "Don't fret, you did good. The king will be pleased."

His wide-eyed delighted stare returned. He profusely thanked me, bowed, added that my attendant was invited to the dinner as well, bowed again, and finally left.

"That was very nice of you, Lord Arkus," Jarvi remarked.

"Shut up. I just had to play my part."

"No, that was sincere. I saw it."

"Shut up!!"

∗ ∗ ∗

The carriage arrived exactly at three. I'd had a serious talk with Jarvi prior to that, laying out strict rules of how he was to behave. First and foremost, he was forbidden to reveal that he was a sparkling. Secondly, he was not to tell anyone my name or any information about me that could lead to it being discovered. He was to keep quiet and avoid answering questions as much as possible. The sparkling had no objections.

I expected some kind of a fancy reception, but what I saw as we entered Traban went far beyond anything I could ever imagine. Starting at the city gate that featured a huge
Welcome Lakeland Knight
banner and all the way to the palace, the streets were lined up with exuberant crowds. People cheered as the carriage passed, waived their hats and handkerchiefs, clapped their hands, tossed flowers, and did all kinds of other silly stuff.

"What's wrong with these fools?" I wondered. "Have they no work to do?"

Jarvi, who modestly kept away from the carriage window and only peeked out from afar, turned to me.

"You have conquered their hearts, Lord Arkus. Which is far better than conquering their land, wouldn't you agree?"

"Don't you start."

"I'm not starting anything. Just making an observation."

"Well, keep your smart observations to yourself. I say these people are idiots."

"Don't tell me you dislike being greeted like this."

"I do!"

"You're lying."

Things did not get any better at the palace. As I emerged from the carriage, an orchestra saluted me with a deafening march. A richer dressed crowd of noblemen stood along the passage that led me to the king and queen; more cheering, more admiration, and more
Lakeland Knight
banners everywhere.

"I thought I refused knighthood," I said to Jarvi.

"Yes, but, not knowing your name, they had to come up with something to call you."

I took one look at the king and knew why Jarvi had said he would not stand against me: King Osmund was way too chubby to be a decent warrior. He had a good height and broad shoulders, so I could believe that he used to be one, but not anymore.

The king greeted me with a speech, which he obviously had no time to rehearse, and it was making him very nervous. He had a scribe standing closely behind, holding a scroll and prompting him as he spoke. I wasn't supposed to see that, of course, but I did, and it made the whole thing rather amusing.

"... the whole nation of Ulkaria... our eternal gratitude... the great honor..."

I didn't care for any of that, so I missed most of the speech, watching the scribe instead; but in the end, the king said something that instantly caught my attention.

"We have also dispatched a letter to Prince Kellemar of Dalvanna, to whom our daughter is engaged, telling him about the grave danger his bride has been delivered from. We are certain that he and his father King Ramian will not delay to express their gratitude to the fearless hero known as Lakeland Knight as well."

Prince Kellemar?

I had no time to reflect on that. Happy to be done with the speech, the king walked up to me and shook my hand, not allowing me to bow. The music thundered again as he led me to the queen.

"Jarvi!" I hissed. "Why didn't you tell me that the princess is Kellemar's bride?! I would have never released her!!"

The orange rat grinned.

"Which is exactly the reason I didn't tell you."

And I couldn't even attempt to whack him, with all those people watching.

I was still seething when King Osmund introduced me to the queen. I made some distracted compliment, which she nevertheless liked; not only that, I heard it immediately picked up and discussed by the courtiers, as if it was something extraordinary.

The princess, who stood right next to the queen, looked just as happy to see me as she was on the day of the unfortunate rescue, if not more. I was way too reserved in return, I'm afraid; I couldn't even fake some polite conversation. Had I only known... I saved my worst enemy's bride. Wicked sparkling!

"And now allow me to introduce someone who has been more impatient to meet the wonderful Lakeland Knight than all of us taken together," I heard the king say. "His Highness Prince Philip."

I turned to the boy who eagerly stepped up to me, and for the next several seconds I was too stunned to move. He looked exactly like... like someone I used to know. Many years ago.

"It is true," the prince said in a fluttered voice. "From the moment I first heard how you fought and chased away hundreds of raiders, all alone... that's all I could think about."

Same big brown eyes. Same disarming smile. What kind of a spell was this?!

I glanced at the sparkling, but his sincerely innocent expression told me he was no part of it. It had to be just a coincidence... An unbelievable coincidence. I'd never think that two different people could look so much alike.

"...There were no hundreds, Your Highness," I managed to say. "Maybe a couple dozen."