A Knight's Worth of Trouble

Lord Dulla Tyranus sunk into his firm bed, gingerly laying his head on its pillow before clumsily laying down the rest of himself. This week had been a long and exhausting one, filled with unexpected revelations and emotions that he had not anticipated. He'd had to listen to a lot more than he wanted to about a woman's past over the course of it.

A very strange feeling stirred within his stomach as he glanced over at his carefully stored armor and sword. It was some mixture of anger, sadness, and a certain kind of empathy—one he never expected to feel toward someone, especially not someone he'd only met recently.

The woman had been raised in a place of constant strife, with her father's antics causing chaos wherever he went. She had been forced to navigate the dangerous world around her without guidance or support, all until she was of age.

But worst of all was the 'blessing' that he'd bestowed upon her.

His mustache curled with anger and his fist clenched tightly, nearly cracking his own headboard as he thought of the sheer cruelty of it. That fool of a man had been so obsessed with the idea of 'heroism' and 'righteousness' that he'd cursed his own child with a twisted magic. One that had the power to heal, but at a cost too perverted for this world.

Her father had cursed her to crave pain, and to be healed by it.

Lord Dulla let out a heavy sigh, his fingers unclenching from the headboard. It was clear to him now that the woman was not a threat, but instead, a victim. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done to untangle the curse from her, at least not by his hand.

He'd already attempted to remove the damn thing several times and had even consulted with the ancient sage of his domain, but to no avail.

She'd insisted that she was fine with it—that even without the curse she still harbored masochistic tendencies. However, he refused to believe that an otherwise beaming maiden of sunlight and justice would willingly choose to suffer.

That was, after all, the antithesis of both. Suffering was more his style.

He was already thinking of ways to get revenge against her father for what he had done to her. Perhaps a necromantic ritual of some sort, or a vengeful curse of his own to bring him back, only to kill him again—preferably in an ironic way.

*creak*

The sound of his door opening immediately sent his thoughts into a frenzy, and his eyes shot towards the source of the sound. He cursed his luck when he saw that same golden-haired maiden standing there, her hands clasped together behind her back, a sweet and innocent smile on her face.

WHAT WAS SHE DOING—Oh, wait. That's right. He'd offered her the use of his guest quarters for the time being.

"Hello, Dulla-sama," she said, her voice filled with hope and joy, and her eyes twinkling as if the stars had been stolen from the night sky and placed within them.

"Hmph, I thought I told you to stop using that honorific. It is grating to hear." His mustache bristled with irritation as he rose, put his head back on, and tried not to focus on the way her hair almost glowed in the moonlight.

"But I heard that it was the upmost form of politeness and respect in a faraway plane," she said, tilting her head with a confused expression that made him feel like a fool for not having that explained sooner. "I just want to show you how much I care for you."

"…" A sigh left him as his magic levitated a seat over for her to sit in, and then another one for himself. He sat down in his bed clothes—the wood thankful he wasn't in his usual armor—as he gestured for her to do the same.

"Fine. I'll allow it. Either way though, what brings you to my bedchambers?" he asked, a slight hint of suspicion creeping into his voice as he leaned forward. "If you're here to try and seduce me or the like, then you can turn right around—"

She immediately pouted, and it was so adorable that it made him feel uncomfortable. "B-but, I'm already married to you, Dulla-sama~!"

"…You are not," he deadpanned, his eyes narrowing as his mustache bristled with annoyance. "You are simply using the room that had originally been meant for my betrothed before my death."

"Aww, but I thought you loved me~!" she exclaimed. "Why else would you have been so nice to me all week, and even invited me to stay with you in your home?"

He stared at her, his expression a mixture of disbelief and exasperation. He couldn't believe that she truly thought that his actions had been anything other than a sign of basic courtesy. It was only natural he share the delights of his table, the comfort of his home, the warmth of his fire, and the luxury of his keep with her, because… because…

Dammit.

"Listen, I was simply attempting to be a good host," he said, trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible. "After learning that your father had done such a terrible thing to you… Well, I couldn't in good conscience leave you to your own devices without at least making an effort to help in some way. And besides, you were already staying in my domain anyways. It was a logical decision."

"I see," she said, nodding sagely. "But my love, I must ask you, what do you plan to do now that you've learned about my past?"

His gaze drifted to the window, taking in the night sky.

"I have several plans, some of which have already fallen through. However, the one that I will continue to insist upon is the one for your well-being," he said, his mustache quivering as he contemplated his next words. "I will not stand idly by while you suffer from the curse that your father has placed upon you."

"But my love, I am not suffering—"

"Silence. I have already unearthed some potential leads from my archivists. It may take years, but I swear that I will lift that curse from you—"

Her finger pressed up against his mouth in a shushing gesture. "Dulla-sama, I already said that I am fine with this. It's a part of who I am, and it makes me the perfect partner for you."

He gently took hold of her hand and pulled it away, a stern look on his face as he tried not to linger on how not unpleasant that was.

"What in the blazes are you on about?"

"You're effectively immortal, right?" she asked, her voice soft yet firm in its conviction. "My blessing also grants me a form of immortality, albeit in a different way. I can be here for you, by your side, forever."

"…And why do you want to stay by my side forever?"

"I know it sounds cliché, but I love you," Eirlys said, a mischievous glint in her eyes that made him squirm. "You are a dark, powerful, and broody man, and I have a weakness for those kinds of guys. Father ranted a lot about you too, so that's where the interest started. But after our fight and getting to know your hidden heart? I can safely say you are definitely the person for me. There's no one else in this world or the next that I could see myself with."

Lord Dulla felt his mustache bristle as the silence stretched on, a sense of unease settling over him. The weight of her words hung heavily in the air between them, their implications as vast as the sky that twinkled outside the window.

She shifted slightly in the chair, looking a little embarrassed as if she were contemplating saying something else—perhaps to enhance or change her prior statement.

"Out with it," he ordered, more curious about her thoughts than he was annoyed. "What else is there to add?"

Her cheeks flushed as her eyes flicked to his, and she gave him a shy smile that only made him more intent on listening.

"… I also heard you were a sadist. So if we do marry, you could beat the tar out of me every day and I'd be the happiest—"

Well, the mood was over. He used his magic to lift her up, completely done with listening to her. He'd never met someone who was able to get under his skin like she could.

"Out."

"Dulla-sama, please! I was just—"

"I said OUT!"

She gave a girlish giggle as she was deposited in the hallway, and he securely locked the door behind her.

He stared back at his bed dejectedly, wondering just where the sanctity of knighthood had gone in the world.

"I love you~!" her voice called out to him, the words muffled by the thick wood of his door.

Lord Dulla sighed.

It was going to be a long several years.