The Flower of Life and Death

☾ 11 ☾ Lakaris' and the royal guard

In the morning the king summoned Katherine and Adofo. As soon as they had entered the king sighed, "Once again I ask you, Adofo, to join the royal guard for the duration of the ball." "This time I will accept, your majesty", he lowered his head. Surprised by his answer the king opened his eyes wide before chuckling at her, "I think I really like the influence you have on him, Katherine." She stayed silent but smiled as a response.

Adofo lifted his head and looked at the king, "So do I, which means she will not be forced leave my side even when I am a part of the royal guard. It is my only request." "Do whatever you like", the king brushed his words away with a gesture of his hand.

The royal guard usually eats together so this time Adofo joined them and so did Katherine. The whole guard was already sitting at the table when the two of them arrived, as always, a bit too late. When they sat down one member asked, "What are you doing here?" "We are a part of the royal guard for the duration of the ball at the king's personal request", Adofo answered sounding slightly bored.

Some men at the table nodded slowly, others just stared at the duo. Nobody dared to speak or move except for Katherine and Adofo who started eating completely unbothered by the others. A member of the royal guard broke the silence, "So, are you guys married?" "No. We're just companions. I'll marry a prettier man", Katherine smirked while winking at the guard.

Adofo scoffed, "I'll marry a less stubborn woman if I even marry at all. You won't find a man who's a better warrior than me." "I won't find a man with a bigger ego either", she turned to him smiling at him innocently but raising her eyebrows challenging him to contradict her. Adofo held the eye contact but screwed up his eyes. But he stayed silent before turning back to the food and continuing to eat.

Katherine clicked her tongue scrutinising him, "Very unlike you to just give up." "Giving up? Plotting is more fitting", he smirked as he pushed her off the bench with one hand. She caught herself on with her arms before sliding off the bench and squatting on the ground.

Katherine laughed, "That is more like it. Bring it on." Adofo stood up from the bench slowly and dreadful.

Katherine pinned him to the ground with her knee on his chest. "Standing so uneven must be uncomfortable, let me help you out", Adofo smirked as he grabbed her thigh and pulled her leg over his chest to his side. Now she was sitting on top of him and with a swift movement he turned both of them around. In her surprise Adofo was able to grab both her wrists.

He was now kneeling above her with one of her legs between his and her other one bend besides him. Adofo pinned each of her wrists on the ground next to her head. "Truce! Truce. We would not want the food to get cold, would we?", she asked breathing heavily. He laughed breathing just as heavily as she, "Admitting you have lost, aren't you?"

Even though he was pressing her wrists against the ground she also held onto his wrists. Katherine smirked and angled her knee. She touched his leg and stopped her leg near his testicles, "So sure about your victory. I don't think so." "You wanted a truce. You have it", Adofo snorted, indirectly admitting his defeat.

Katherine laughed, "Why would I agree to a truce if I can have the victory?" "Because you don't care about victories. Never did and never will", Adofo smirked knowing he would get the truce he wanted.

Katherine clicked her tongue, "True. But I do care about the food and it's getting cold." She extended her leg and pushed him off of her with her other leg, which was angled at the perfect hight to hit the soft part of his side.

Both got up from the ground and sat back down on the bench and continued eating. The same guard that had asked them before asked them now again, "Why did you agree to a truce? You could have easily won." "Because the food is getting cold and I am starving to death. Besides he is right, I don't care about victory. As long as I am alive and free, I'll never care about victory and its glory", Katherine smiled at him unapologetic charmingly.

The guard knitted his eyebrows, "But everybody cares about victory." "No. Just because you guys do, by far doesn't mean everybody does", Katherine gave him a warm smile. She didn't judge them for that, but she didn't support it either. Adofo scoffed and raised his eyebrows at the guard, "If she would care about glory, traveling with a mercenary wouldn't be the best choice, would it?"

Katherine clicked her tongue, "There's a reason I don't care about glory. Someone I once loved had to choose between glory and me. He chose glory. I would never do that to anyone else." "I'm sorry to hear that", the guard actually seemed to be sorry. Many other guards at the table seemed empathetic as well as they all suddenly looked rather sad. She was lost in her thoughts, memories, but snapped out of it and gave them a sad smile, "Don't be. It hurt, but it did make me stronger."

Katherine smiled sadly and she looked beyond everything at something that no longer was, "I used to be a sorry girl. You would've laughed at me and probably robbed and raped me." "Not even I did that", Adofo clicked his tongue but had only warmth in his eyes. She chuckled as she stroked his cheek in a teasing manner, "You were near dead and I was the only thing keeping you alive. You'd never be that stupid. Not even you would bite the hand that feeds you."

Adofo chuckled and leaned back crossing his arms in front of his chest, "No. I wouldn't. You would. You did." "I never bite. I might have snapped, but I've never bitten", she grinned at him showing her teeth and running her tongue over her teeth. He just laughed, "If you had bitten, I had lost one finger or another." "You had lost more than just a few fingers", she grinned mysteriously raising her eyebrows to silently challenge him.

Katherine turned while dramatically tossing her hair back to the guard she had spoked with before and continued, "When he was better off, he was already under the spell of my irresistible charm." "How come I never notice any charm?", Adofo asked utterly confused. Katherine just kept eating as if she did not hear anything.

Adofo knitted his eyebrows, squinted his eyes and watched her closely, "It isn't like you to just let it go." "Some words are so stupid, they aren't worthy of a response. Besides I'm the bigger man. I'm able to condone your needling", Katherine raised her chin and scoffed at him. He smirked and scoffed as well, "You aren't t." "I'm not. But I'm hungry. Besides you just want to provoke me to even the score and I won't let you", she smiled but turned back to her food.

"Which pub?" "You are acting as if you will not follow me." "I will be right behind you." "As if I would not know that."