Lèse-majesté

Part 10

Chapter 9

It was chaos at the guard post when Astrid and Hiccup arrived. Atali and Edwin were right behind them and Edwin looked curiously at the scene unfolding. The wooden door had been left open so the group heard most of the shouted exchange. There were also several more knights milling around but they did nothing but watch the prisoners insult each other.

"Let me out of here! Do you know who I am?!"

"A crazy redhead who can't take a punch?!"

"May your heels be like your talent! FLAT!" This was followed by an audible gasp of shock and incredulity.

"You bit me!"

"May your crinoline be square!" Another shouted.

"How dare you!"

"NO, HOW DARE YOU!"

"Your petticoats are as plain as your ideas!"

"You couldn't embroider a walking boot if the needle was treaded for you!"

"You take that back!"

"WILL THE LOT OF YOU SHUT UP!" Someone finally shouted causing silence to reign. That was when Astrid decided to flag down one of the knights.

"Excuse me, we'd like to bail some people out." The knight looked rather uncomfortable as she said this. "Money isn't a problem I assure you." Astrid then added.

"I'm sorry miss but you would need to talk to the arresting knight about that. They are currently...." The armored man gestured slightly to a closed door near the back but Astrid didn't catch that.

"Currently what?" Astrid frowned. The knight now really looked uncomfortable and fidgeted somewhat. Suddenly the shouting picked up again but this time it wasn't from those arrested. It came from one of the offices further in the room. That wooden door had been closed but they could still hear a deep voice shouting.

Said door soon slammed open and the female knight walked out with quite the angry stride and the clinking of her armor. She was followed closely by a burly man that might have been her commanding officer. "Do you even know who you arrested?!" he snarled "He's an Earl damnit! AN EARL!"

"I don't care! They were disrupting public order!" The woman retorted.

"Oh she's done for now...." Astrid and the others heard some of the knights whisper and snicker around them as the argument between the woman and her commander was ongoing.

"What was she thinking, arresting a Noble..."

"This is why women shouldn't be allowed to hold a sword,"

"She's been getting on the Captain's nerve for a while now..."

"Think she'll be finally chased out?"

"Why do we even have to work with such a disgrace of a wench?"

"It would have just been better if she'd joined a brothel," Astrid bristled at the comments she heard and the quiet laughter that followed at the female knight's expense. She didn't know this woman's circumstances but to go against the status quo of what was expected of women, in general, was something to be admired. She clenched her fists and then turned back towards the spat as it was nearing a crescendo. The older commander looked about ready to draw his sword on the woman and just barely held back.

"Apologize," The man commanded again, "Apologize and release the Earl."

"You want me to apologize for doing my job?" She asked before crossing her arms. The hostility between the pair could be felt by everyone in the room.