Her Lover in Armor

I

Lady Agnise was a noblewoman who had no brothers. She was 17 and of marrying age. As her duty as the only heir to her father, she inherited a fief (basically a piece of land). The rules stated she must have a knight to fight in her place under the lord who gave her the ground, around this time of searching where her story gets interesting.

Lady Agnise had just come from another meeting with a knight looking to be her suitor. The suitor was a bit more humble and tricky than the last but his game didn't fool her. Every suitor out of 23 had just come to impress her for the plot of land she would get as soon as she got a knight. The trouble it took to just find a knight who actually would want to help her or even just marry her for her.

The walk down the hallway to tell her parents that she didn't want the newest suitor that had come kept getting more unbearable. It had been two months since she pledged under Lord Theo and she had yet to find a knight. The messages from Lord Theo came every week and every week she had to tell him yet another knight was not an option.

She walked into the grand hall and saw a knight talking to her parents. The knight did not take off his helmet and this caused curiosity to rise in Lady Agnise.

"Mother, Father, I have come from seeing Knight Wolaf of Bringingthon," She informed her parents as she also announced her presence.

"Ah! Agnise, what do you think? I don't expect a 'yes he is the one, I wish to have him as my knight for the fief.' No, I expect that from this young lad!" her father laughed as he patted the knight on the back. The knight nervously laughed along with her father. The knight was peculiar.

"Well, you would be right, father. But who is this that you have such high hopes for?" Lady Agnise questioned. Her father stopped laughing to remember what he was saying before.

"This lad is Florian of Halderberry, with a fine reputation of humility and respect," Her mother butted in. The knight bowed at his name.

"It is an honor to be in your presence, Lady Agnise," The knight said. His voice wasn't as deep as it usually was in other men. She assumed this lad must be in his adolescence. Florian did have a different aura around him. He didn't seem like he was after anything but her heart. She would test that.

"Well shall I meet with you alone now or are you staying awhile?" Lady Agnise questioned. She was very curious about Florian.

"Well, I cannot stay long, so alone now would be best for me but I wouldn't want to make you not consider yourself," Florian spoke smoothly. Lady Agnise was adding up his points. She nodded. Agnise's father cleared his throat.

"Well, now would be a great time. So Agnise, darling, go take Florian to the room," Lady Agnise nodded. She waved her hand for Florian to follow. She walked down the hall at a quick, elegant pace for Florian to follow. At the 5th door on the right, next to her father's prized sword, she turned into the room. It was the normal size of an office with a couch, 3 padded chairs, and a desk.

Lady Agnise took a seat on the sofa as Florian continued standing. All the other knights had automatically sat down in the chair across from the sofa; curiosity arose in Agnise once again about this knight.

"You may sit," she said, gesturing towards the chair across from her. The knight sat. Florian kept squirming in his chair trying to find a more comfortable position. Lady Agnise noticed this. Trying to sit still in a ladylike manner was hard and Florian was trying to sit in a formal manner. "Florian, this is a room where I shall question you and you have to answer honestly," Florian nodded. He still had not taken off his helmet.

"Well, first question, why do you keep your helmet on even when indoors?" Lady Agnise questioned. Florian stiffened.

"W-well, I do not wish to show my face, lest you find it unappealing and turn me away with just one glance," Lady Agnise thought back to one of her ugliest suitors. Palmer Westnose of Trivalnie was very hideous for a knight but he wasn't the worst of personalities.