The Knight

Chapter 6

     I kept my sword at the man's throat. "Why are you here?" I hissed.
     He gulped. "I swear, we're not from that group that's attacking you."
     "What?"
     "We're not! You're being attacked by Reinguard, with the turquoise and lavender flag! We come from Ashenn!" On the ceiling, his partner nodded quickly and yanked from his pocket a cloth colored lime green and gray.
Those were the colors of Ashenn, and now that I thought about it, turquoise and lavender were Reinguard's colors. But....
"How do I know you didn't just steal it?" I growled.
The man's hands didn't shake as he took his own colored cloth from his pocket. He'd probably angered others enough for them to hold a sword at his neck before.
"And just how do you both happen to have cloths with the colors of your kingdoms?" I asked.
"You haven't heard?" He asked. I frowned and shook my head. "It's become law that throughout the kingdoms, everyone must carry a cloth with the colors of their kingdom. It must have spread here to Blazier last, but you couldn't get them because you were attacked! It was decided by all the kingdom leaders because there's been a problem with rogues lately!"
"So you're not here to harm us?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He shook his head. "No, I swear! We came to see if there were any survivors."
Reluctantly, I let him go. "But don't try anything." I warned.
"Believe me," I won't. He said as his partner fell from the ceiling. "Now, who else is in here?"
"What?" I asked, surprised.
     "You said 'us.' So someone else must be in here. Are you protecting them?"
     Not taking my eyes off him, I said, "Anne, you can come out."
     He looked down at her as she came out, and I watched from the corner of my eye. Anne was so beautiful, she made something as awkward as crawling out from under a bed seem graceful. I watched the man's eyes widen as she stood, and his jaw drop.
     Some resentful feeling flared up inside me but I shoved it down. "Who are you?" He asked her.
     "I am princess Annabelle of Blazier." She said regally.
     Immediately, the man dropped to his knees. "Your Majesty." He said.
     "What?" She asked. "You must be confused. My mother is the queen. I am just a princess."
     He shook his head. "The queen is gone."
     Anne's eyes widened. "What?"
     "Reinguard has completely decimated your castle. You guys are the only survivors we've found. The queen was spirited away, hopefully to safety though no one is sure."
     Anne stood there for a long moment, shocked. Finally, she said "Don't call me Your Majesty. I am sure my mother is fine and will be back soon."
     The man shrugged. "Either way, they wouldn't want to know you two somehow survived in the castle. You had better come back with us to Ashenn."
     "What is your political status?" I inquired immediately. "How will you get us to be accepted there?"
     "I am a knight, much like you." He said. "But my father is a lord." He turned back to Anne. "My lady, I will get you the recognition you deserve."
     She nodded. "Thank you."
     The two started towards the door, but I hesitated. "Before I go with you, tell me your names." I said.
     The young man inclined his head to the older man. "This is my uncle, Kenneir. And my name is Ray."