The Majesty of Choice

Knights

"How is it that you have found yourself in the middle of nowhere dangling your life on a string?" Frank asks, not even bothering to tell the four very curious looking knights around him how on earth he could possibly know this man.

"Technically it was a rope," Gerard replies.

"Pardon my folly," Frank says.

"We... got lost?" Gerard offers.

"Sure you did," Frank nods, turning to look at Patrick who he feels is more trustworthy, and he probably is.

"That sounds about right, yeah," Patrick says, "We just, uh, were chasing a bunny."

"Yeah," Gerard continues, "chased a bunny."

"For twenty miles?" Frank asks.

"It was a damn cute bunny."

"Who's your friend?" Frank asks, looking at Pete, who feels very weird having the prince look at him. Pete had no idea what the prince looked like, he's never heard anything about his appearance other than that the prince is good looking. He would not have guessed from any distance that this man could be a prince though. He would have thought that the prince would at least be a couple of inches taller than him. Pete is fairly sure that the prince is the same height as himself. The prince could literally pass as an elf.

"I'm the bunny," Pete says, and Patrick hits him in the side.

"Pardon him, he's a bit of an idiot," Patrick says.

"I'm Pete," Pete says. Frank nods to him in acknowledgement before turning back to Gerard.

"So what brings you here on this fine day to the middle of nowhere?" Gerard asks, trying to sound casual, and failing abysmally.

"Yeah," Frank nods, not even bothering to answer him. "So where exactly are you trying to go?"

"Giantville," Pete says, answering for Gerard, which pisses him off, because Gerard would have left that part out. His goal was to try to avoid Frank at all costs. It's not working very well.

"For what purpose?" Frank asks.

"That much I can't say," Gerard replies, "Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way."

Gerard starts to walk around Frank, which entails walking through the complete strangers who just saved his life, but he avoids their eye contact firmly, only looking straight ahead. Gerard may not be good at avoiding the prince, but if there is one thing he is good at, it is making an idiot of himself.

"Not so fast," Frank says, and when Gerard doesn't stop walking he says, "Gerard, stop."

Gerard groans, looks up at the sky as if to curse off a deity, and then turns back to look at Frank, waiting for his feet to unstick themselves from the spot where they are now glued.

"What is it?" Gerard asks.

"You can't expect me to let you just walk away after you almost got yourself killed, can you?"

"I guess I got my hopes up."

"Why are you going to Giantville?" Frank asks him.

"It's not of your concern."

"It is now that I know you're willing to die for whatever task it is you're trying to accomplish."

"I'm looking for someone," Gerard says.

"Who?"

"Just someone."

"Why do you seek them?"