Seven Knights: For Just a Moment

For Just a Moment

The first time Rudy met Kris, it went this way.

Rudy was helping around in the tent of Terra Kingdom Knight in Training—polishing armors, oiling swords and scrubbing shields— when someone, a young man, probably in the same age as Rudy (fourteen or fifteen?), stumbled inside the currently unoccupied tenth sans him.

Rudy blinked as he glanced at the boy. He had neatly combed dark hair with strands of silver on each side and the middle of his head. His eyes were blue, a shade darker than the color of sky, but lighter than a sapphire. His attire was that of a noble with fine silky dark grey tunic and black breeches. He also wore a shiny black cape with silver clip on each shoulder. His noble family crest was emblazoned on the outer part of his cape in silver threads, forming an image of a crystal snow.

"Hello," Rudy decided to greet him first despite the disparity of their status—he never regarded appropriateness when it came to making acquaintance after all— before the boy could panic, since he already looked rather flustered as he came in.

"Oh, sorry," the boy apologized. "I thought this is the Knight in Training tent?" He made a move, about to get out, probably to double check if he had the right tent, but Rudy spoke before he could proceed with his intention.

"Yes, this is the tent of Knight in Training," he confirmed, standing up from his seat. "May I help you, Sir...?"

"Kris," the boy immediately answered, turning to face Rudy once again. "My name is Kris."

"Sir Kris, I'm Rudy," Rudy bowed slightly, politely, like his father used to teach him to behave in front of a noble when he spoke to one, not bothering to put down the armor he had been polishing before. Instead, he held it close to his chest, not minding the dirt sticking to it and to his own more modest light blue tunic.

"Please, Kris is fine. I believe we are the same age?" Kris' tone was slightly questioning as he offered and Rudy blinked once again, straightening his body in surprise. It was the first time that a noble spoke to him like that, as politely, yet less formally. It seemed that this Kris was rather different from other noble born.

"Alright, Kris it is," Rudy smiled at him, mildly amused, and Kris sent him back a small smile, looking calmer. "May I help you with something then, Kris?" Rudy asked further and Kris snapped, as if he had just remembered something.

"Oh, right. I am supposed to report to the knight in command of The Knight in Training division, that I will be joining their training session starting tomorrow. I have a recommendation letter from Commander Aragon to give to him and to speak of arrangement for me to stay at the trainee quarter," Kris said, reaching the inside pocket of his tunic to retrieve the said letter to show Rudy.

"Oh, in that case, you should be at the west wing of the main castle, since the office chamber for Sir Chancellor is there— ah, Sir Chancellor is the knight in command for Knight in Training division." Rudy informed before he looked at the letter in Kris' hand and nodded, confirming Commander Aragon's family seal on the envelope and his neat handwriting. "Here, let me show you the way, Kris."

Rudy decided to help Kris by showing the way directly rather than just giving him direction. The main castle was very large and spacious after all. People that were not used to walk around the maze-like, inner hallways would easily get lost in it! Besides, the commander vouched for Kris with that letter of recommendation. He must have known him well. A friend of Rudy's adoptive father was Rudy's friend. It would be rude not to help a friend in need, wouldn't it?

Rudy put the armor that was in his arm down on top of the wooden table he sat at earlier and then led Kris out of the tent.

"Oh, but wouldn't I disturb your duty here?" Kris seemed about to protest as he followed Rudy.