Chapter 2: Chapter 2

All air was forced out of my lungs. I blacked out and felt dizzy. God in heaven! My eyes burned. Air! I needed air!

"It doesn't get any tighter, my lady." Florence's maid came up to me and tugged at the cleavage of the corset. She squeezed and pressed my breasts into position. I wanted to get home before I hurt anyone...

I felt a hit on my thigh and tried to hold myself upright. Florence circled me for the thousandth time and clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Hopefully the dress hides the rest. What are you waiting for?" Put it on her!"

"Yes, my lady." A dozen skirts were pulled over my head and placed on my hips. I felt tons heavier. Then came the dress proper.

It was light pink, with a velvety fabric and the finest white lace around the sleeves and neckline. The sleeves came down to my elbows. The filigree embroidery pattern on the bodice and the finely finished seams clearly showed how expensive the dress was. I had never worn something so beautiful and expensive.

I hardly dared to touch it. If I hadn't been scrubbed and creamed for almost two hours, I probably would never have dared to do it.

When will this monster finally shut up? Arin wondered annoyed after Eberhart had described to him for the thousandth time how many horses he had and how many more he could afford – if he only wanted to. Earlier he had told Arin at length how dearly they dined after mass every Sunday. Syman had almost dropped dead at the performance.

Once again he had to drag his squire away from the table. He tugged at his ear, glaring at him menacingly. Nevertheless, he tried two more times before Arin got so angry with him that the younger one quickly wanted to help with the horses. How much he would have liked to do it himself. Instead of having to listen to the bragging rights of this man he found so repugnant. Arin cocked his head, his jaw clenching in exasperation.

Eberhart was strong and tall. His dark brown hair was short, his chin was square, his chest swollen. In itself a dream for women. But Arin could not bear him.

"What do you think, Campbell? Can't you live well here?" Eberhart's chest swelled a little more.

"If you're interested, sure."

Eberhart looked at Arin, obviously taken aback. Apparently he gets it. Very good! Arin thought wryly, turning her toward the door. “Unfortunately, I still have a long journey. Now if you're ready, I'm leaving."

But then footsteps sounded next to him on the stairs.

Arin turned. And what now?

I felt like a princess as we walked down the stairs. Even if the skirts were so heavy that I threatened to fall - still. That was one of the fewest moments in this castle that were special.

At the end of the stairs was Eberhart, who looked me over and let his breath out, apparently relieved. I wish I had enough air for something like this.

There was someone else standing next to him. A young tall man. A knight. A strong hand resting on the hilt of his sword, a slight growth of beard, clear and shiny brown eyes and thick black hair. A picture of a man.

"My lord, this is Elain. It's about her today."

The knight didn't say a word. Nothing on his face betrayed what he was thinking. My cheeks were starting to burn because he kept looking at me. But he didn't look at me like the others - pejoratively, like an insect. He seemed to get an idea of me.

Eberhart sat down at a table with the knight and barked orders into the kitchen to have others bring him wine and cheese. The maids of Florence led me a little way down the room. It was difficult for me to hear what they were talking about by the door, which was no doubt intended.

Florence sat down with a friendly smile next to the gentleman's chair on which Eberhart was sitting. The knight sat with his back to me, facing the two of them. He didn't touch anything that was put in front of him. Neither does the wine. Why not? Did he have no idea how rude that was? Perhaps customs in the noble circles were different from those in the fields. What did I know?

"Elaine. She is proud twenty years and still completely untouched. No man has ever seen her, nor had much dealings with her. Even if she is naive, she will quickly learn to obey." Eberhart explained objectively.

As matter of fact as if I were a damn horse!

Florence nodded in agreement and casually pointed to me with a hand movement. "She has no obligations to anyone other than your future husband. She will be faithful and quiet. She hardly speaks a word now."

What's that supposed to mean? Which man? And what duties? I won't let myself be forced into any obligations here!

When the deep melodic voice of the knight penetrated to me, I got goosebumps.

"That's very decent of the lady. What's that got to do with me?” Clearly annoyed, he stared at Eberhart, who smiled his brightest. As so often when trying to impress, he hoped for his appearance. “Do you like it, Campbell?”

Eberhart and Florenz looked at me, hoping the knight would turn around as well. But he didn't.

"Why would that matter?"

Suddenly, the door next to me was thrown open and a little boy rushed in. His black hair was on his forehead and his brown eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Arin! You won't believe what the villagers are saying!" The knight immediately turned around at the sound of the voice. The boys suddenly realized that he was disturbing them. "My lord." he added more calmly.

The knight only looked at him briefly, then turned back to the conversation. Florence and Eberhart seemed angry, which of course immediately pleased me.

The knight's gaze didn't seem to bother the boy at all. Completely unmoved, he now stood next to me and looked at me a little bashfully. "Excuse me, my lady..."

"But nothing happened."

"My name is Syman."

"Elain." He grinned, dimples forming in his cheeks. A hard laugh from the knight made the little one sit up in surprise. The same went for me.

"It was all to force your daughter on me?" the knight got up and marched towards me and Syman with an expressionless face. Involuntarily I felt hot and cold.

"That's not Eberhart's daughter, my lord!" Syman exclaimed. "That's what I wanted to tell you... I mean you."

The knight grabbed Syman's ear and pulled. He just closed one eye. "Shut up, boy. You're incredibly annoying today."

Syman grimaced again, then the knight pushed him out the door.

"Arin, she doesn't even live here!" he protested again as the knight stepped outside.

"Get our horses, squire!"

Florence suddenly stood in front of me and glared at me angrily. "If he disappears here without you, you can experience something! So get your act together!"

She shoved me outside so surprisingly that I stumbled onto the knight's back. He hardly seemed to have noticed.

"My lady?" he asked politely, waiting for me to find my footing before moving. "Syman! I said fetch the horses."

"Campbell! Listen. People know I don't really let them live in my castle." Eberhart and Florenz followed the knight who walked away from the castle.

He turned around, clearly displeased. "What should I care about, Eberhart?"

"I want to marry her so that she gets a good reputation!" Probably more to direct the focus of the rumor mill to something else than Eberhart's lies.

"So thatyouget a better reputation, not the girl." The knight stated coolly. Eberhart seemed to shrink under his gaze. Me too. And by far nobody had managed that yet.

"Either way. She needs a man who can stop her. One like you, my lord!" Florence tried again.

Then my patience snapped. How could these pigs try to marry me off!? I would not marry! I had to go home again!

"Oh no, Florence. Do you know why you want me? Because I'm the infamous Black Knight."

Thunderstruck, I tried to understand. He? He's supposed to be the bloodthirsty, family-killing, and cold-hearted Black Knight?

"And since I'm well known, word would quickly get around that the generous Duke Eberhart condescended to sell his wife's bastard to a man. Am I not right?"

Black Knight. And he called me bastard. It hurt me that he called me that too.

Syman raised the Black Knight's familiar horse.

"I have to disappoint you both. I'm not marrying her and I'm not taking her with me."

The knight walked to his black wild horse. Without much effort, he pulled himself into the saddle and motioned for Syman to do the same for his own horse. Eberhart watched them, trembling with anger at his first rejection. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Florence rush towards me.