The Midnight Guardian
1320 Words
As Emily embarked on the rugged country path once more, she stubbornly declined the knight's offer to carry her. She pressed on, stoically, stepping unevenly across the bumpy road. Her graceful silhouette belied her true distress.
Her feet ached with every step. A princess nurtured in a greenhouse had never tread so far. In merely twenty minutes, the journey became unbearable. Her large eyes fleetingly glanced at the knight. His broad shoulders and powerful arms, well-defined muscles straining under a thin shirt, seemed a perfect seat—comfortable, undoubtedly.
Temptation gripped the princess.
But—no.
Without armor, the knight exerted an immense, oppressive presence. Emily had always regarded Arthur as a kind of mobile treasure chest, to be directed wherever needed. Only now did she apprehend that Arthur was far from an unfeeling automaton. His robust physique and vibrant vitality exuded an overwhelming aura, even as his towering shadow threatened to engulf her entirely.
Emily, ever cautious, remembered her Aunt Mary's teachings: it was unwise to stand alongside danger. She resolved to part ways with Arthur, to find her brother. Maintaining her most composed demeanor, she made the most rational decision.
"I can't go any further—"
Within thirty seconds, the pampered princess relented to self-abandonment; the pain conquered her resolve.
She tilted her face upward, voice imperious, "Arthur, I command you to carry me!"
It was foolishness not to seize comfort. Should she take even one more step upon the muddy, uneven ground, Emily was certain she would perish on the spot.
As for danger...
Her brother could handle Arthur later!
*
Evening fell, stars dotted the sky. Standing on the highest point of the hill, Emily surveyed the endless mountain range, boundless before her. Behind sprawled a verdant forest. The gentle night breeze toyed with her curling gold locks, its touch tender.
They had journeyed the entire day.
The knight, stationed behind his princess, spoke with a voice that melted into the moonlit backdrop. “Miss, tonight we may have to shelter in the forest.”
Emily turned, surprise flickering across her features.
Arthur inclined his head. “The nearest town is over two hundred miles from here, and at night the forest is rife with wild animals. Continuing would be unsafe.”
Arthur’s reasoning was articulate and logical. His ever-steady and unhurried tone painted him a portrait of reliability and fidelity. So much so, Emily easily overlooked that the knight neglected to inform her of the evening's plan before setting out.
Perhaps he had forgotten?
Maybe.
Emily, reluctantly: "Is there no other way?"
Yet she knew better.
The forest loomed thick with foliage, light barely filtering through, shadows grotesque and vicarious as if concealed threats lay hungry and patient. Silence reigned, disrupted only by the shush of wind. It was indeed unsuitable for night travel.
Arthur: "I will keep watch over you."
From his pack, the knight retrieved woolen blankets, plush pillows, and other items for a night spent outdoors. His meticulous preparations suggested prior knowledge of their impending forest lodging.
"Rest easy; anything that dares disturb your slumber shall meet my sword."
His voice was a steady reminder of assurance.
Emily bit her lip.
Staring at the knight's resolute countenance, she longed to admit he was the foremost impediment to her sleep.
But options had run dry.
She could only stress, repeatedly reinforcing her expectations: "While I sleep, you are not permitted to look directly at me! Stay at least a meter away! No odd noises to rouse me!"
Wait—what was she saying?
What were these odd noises?
Conscious of a slip-up, Emily shot Arthur a swift glance. He remained respectful, attentively listening to her litany of commands, no trace of confusion concerning her words. The relief she felt was immense. Arthur's speechlessness meant no further questions arose to force awkward realizations from her.
After all, could she possibly rehash the memory of how one night, not so long ago, the knight sat at the foot of her bed, panting coarse breaths like a restrained beast?
Unthinkable.
Yet, they resumed contact after such times. Both opted to skirt past the bygone events silently. Before reunification with her brother, Emily resolved to abstain from revival.
With lip caught beneath her teeth, Emily grappled with uneasy resolve.
Delicate indents marked her lips—a crescent shadow imprint upon soft pink petals.
Conclusively set, Emily feigned disregard for the situation. Her assertive command: "Pretend you don’t exist; don’t disturb my sleep!"
Arthur: "Understood."
Relief coursed through Emily.
Shrinking into the inviting cocoon of her blanket, her features relaxed against her pillow; eyes drifted shut, faintly kissing the blanket with a hint of her nose. Soon, she was asleep.
*
His mistress slumbered.
Before him.
The breeze and forest stood tranquil.
Occasional curious glimpses were rebuffed by the knight’s stern, vigilant gaze, retreating swiftly. Only the dreaming Emily lay cradled in the blanket prepared by him.
The knight’s demeanor softened; his mood uplifted.
Here in the familiar forestry, with only his lady and himself in serene seclusion—an existence he often dreamt, as though conducting scenes to his design.
The pale moonlight framed the princess’s visage; gentle, curling lashes casting shadows, an image of obedience.
Arthur extended his fingers, driven by impulse to brush her eyelashes, but stopped short. Invisible bounds restrained the knight—a reminder; the servile contract enforced at least a meter's distance from her this night.
Arthur chuckled softly.
His princess was distinctly wary of him.
He retracted his hand.
But a beast never halts for barriers, nor would Arthur. Eyes bright in the night, locked upon the maiden's countenance, his ambition unfurling.
His princess’s suspicion was endearing—almost provoking a proprietary hunger.
Her order forbade man from nearness, yet, she spoke not of beasts approaching. Beneath the seemingly inescapable human covenant were known gaps, and Arthur, incidentally, understood them well.
For the first time, the stern knight smirked, revealing a clandestine mischief.
His best-kept secret.
*
A cloud drifted to veil the moon.
When celestial glow resurfaced,
A shadow stood absent beneath the tree—a knight replaced by a pitch-black wolf.
Noble in posture, the black wolf poised statuesque. Extension graced each limb, with a polished coat and sharp-eyed intensity. A stout tail swept an eloquent arch.
He was the epitome of magnificence—a prime beast.
The black wolf closed in on the princess.
With care taken to conceal sharp teeth, the wolf longed to graze soft lips over her skin.
Yet at the brink of prestidigitating touch, Arthur halted.
Realizing the newness of this experience presented an unpracticed challenge, he couldn't guarantee zero disturbance to her rest.
Cautiously, he extended only the tip of a crimson tongue, probing gently at her cheek.
He left a trail of ethereal possession.
A damp brush elicited a gentle hum from Emily.
"!"
Arthur froze entirely, body unimpeachably rigid, ears flattened taut in anxiety.
Tail instinctively lifted high.
His relief arrived only upon ensuring Emily hadn't awoken. Arthur exhaled soundlessly, hefty muzzle reluctant to retreat.
Rather than depart, he coiled his tail to wrap her delicate waist, a plush appendage securely enfolding her, gently elevating her into the air and nestling her against himself.
The black wolf sprawled on the earth, indulging in the proximity of the princess long coveted.
Under moonlit benediction, they entered shared slumber—a girl and a wolf united in dreams.
*
In dreams, the young princess found her palace anew, ensconced within her grand feather-filled bed—a comforting mixture of down and plush.
Even the ambiance—a familiar embrace.
Instinctively, the princess nestled into the woolen cushion, adopting an instinctive poise. Half-asleep fingers strayed in search and found a plush toy, gathered and clutched to herself.
And yet…
Why was her plush toy so warm today?
Moreover, slightly prickly…
*Author Annotation:*
Arthur’s identity: the princess's knight, steed, mattress, plush toy… (more forthcoming).
- Writer
