The Robber Knight's Protege

1 - A Convenient Opportunity

Greetings! Just a few notes on this:

This is a fanfic of Rob Thier's Robber Knight Series. It takes place twelve years after "The Robber Knight's Secret."

I'm not a historian. There are probably inaccuracies.

I have several chapters written already, but I don't know where the story will ultimately head. Therefore, as I go along, I'll probably make changes to earlier chapters in order to properly set up what happens later. Please point out any inconsistencies!

Oh, and as you read the story, you might notice that it doesn't have the same type of action as the original Robber Knight series. There will not be as may heads rolling around because that makes me queasy. I'm going to try to keep it pretty PG.

Also, thanks to @words_and_witchcraft for the amazing, beautiful cover. It's cool, right?

"This is very serious, Fye."

Fye swallowed a giggle. Lady Ayla might think it was serious, but she hadn't been there to see the idiot's face when it happened. Where was Sir Reuben? Surely he would appreciate Fye's latest victory.

"I'm yours to punish as you see fit, milady," Fye said with a curtsy, still waging war with the enormous grin that wanted to break onto her face. If Sir Reuben were there, he would have some amusing suggestions for punishment. Last time, he had suggested that Fye be forced to brush her hair every day for a month. He had also put forth that, in order to prevent the problem in the future, all eligible young men between the ages of seventeen and thirty in the fiefdom be castrated.

"You cannot keep doing this," Lady Ayla said.

"Why not, milady? I think it's a very effective way to protect myself."

"Protect yourself? Ashley is a very nice young man. He won't be able to walk for weeks."

"Then I won't have to worry about him bothering me for weeks, milady."

Lady Ayla sighed, and it was only then that Fye noticed the shadows under her eyes and the way she did not sit as upright as she usually did in her great chair. Maybe Sir Reuben hadn't let her sleep the night before? Fye didn't know exactly what went on between married people, but Sir Reuben spoke of it often enough that she gathered it was something he did frequently with Lady Ayla.

"Fye, do you remember that oath you took when you were seven?"

Fye cringed. How could she forget? She had been so insistent on becoming a knight one day that she had given Lady Ayla her oath of fealty-in front of Sir Reuben and dozens of the castle guardsmen. Some of them still called her "Sir Fye" down to this day. She had reveled in it back then, but now it made her want to punch something. It was still stupid that peasant women couldn't be knights. She was five times as brave as Sir Rudolphus!

"Yes, milady."

"You promised to obey me as your liege lord."

Fye ground her teeth. "Yes, milady."

"Therefore, when I order you to stop causing physical harm to your suitors, you will obey me."

Well... maybe. Sir Reuben didn't seem to think it was necessary to live up to every oath he had ever taken. Then again, Sir Reuben, although he was the best knight in the Holy Roman Empire, was also one of the worst knights in the Holy Roman Empire.

"Yes, milady." Saying it almost killed her, but a new idea sparked in her. Something even more delicious than causing her suitors physical harm. Psychological torture could be just as much fun, right?