Two Squires, Louise and Erwin
The yesterday night before the meeting.
The night prior had been a wonderful night, they had enjoyed a moment together where everything went well, and he remembered it as if it was just moments ago. He looked at her and all he saw was the night prior flash between his eyes.
Erwin smiled as they came through the gate, and he looked around for a moment, he just sighed softly as he looked over to his right at the woman riding beside him behind the carriage with his grandfather in it, then he smiled as a few men approached on foot.
"Our guard is over for now... it is late Lady Ironside." he said with a slight smile, they likely been quiet the entire trip there, a day or so of constant riding to get here the day before the meeting.
"I am sure my uncle has a place to host you for tonight, if not you can stay in one of the buildings on the north wall near me." The man was quiet as he rode closer to Louise, and continued to move them both towards the stables,
"If... that would be suitable to you, I... know you haven't read the letter, but, I would like to try getting dinner tonight with you. Seeing what we can do tonight before the meeting, and I will bring you along, I already told grandfather, you are strong, and I know that whatever it is they will be planning tonight is important, we could use you, plus... if something happened, I could use you to pick me up and drag me back.""I wouldn't mind for the dinner. I will accept anything that you will offer." Louise answered him, since he has her father's approval and planning to court her. She wouldn't mind the offered hospitality from Erwin's side.
"I am glad," he said dismounting, and taking his pack off his horse, he handed it to one of the younger boys at the stable, and smiled,
"The rest of the packs to my uncles northern rooms, for both of us. I am sure he wont mind us one bit." Then he turned to Louise and held a hand out,
"shall we then? I know a small eatery just down the main path in. They can get our things, and I can escort you back when we are finished. I am afraid this might be the only opportunity we get." he said quietly as he looked up towards her.
"Uncle and Grandfather can have their meetings and planning, tomorrow we can wake up, and go to the meeting, I'll make sure you are there too. Prestige and honor for our names, regardless of what is to happen.""It settle then..." She replied and smiled on him. That the first time for him to see her smile.
He smiled softly as he held his hands up towards her to help her off her mount, and he smiled brightly as he saw her smile,
"Come my dear... and with time, I will carry you.""I... I prefer to walk..." she replied but she offered her hand to him, as she got down, and the stable boy lead her horse into the stable.
"For dinner. To be honest with you. I don't have any dress for the outside stroll. I didn't expect this type of scenario. I just wear my off duty uniform during my break." She spoke up as the began walking together.
He shook his head,
"I just meant going right now... in what we are wearing." he said walking towards the gate with her, smiling a bit as he held her arm in his, and looking prideful in the moment.
"Just going, and it's just a small place, not too fancy, it isn't a ball, just a small place where we can sit, and eat, and not get looked at by everyone around us.""Is that so... I thought I was supposed to wear something like what women wear for a date... I guess those things I read don't happen in reality. Still, I will join you for dinner." She replied.
"Also, I wanted to go to a weapon shop, to browse on something. If you don't mind?" She continued.
"We have an armory here, I will take you there after." He said smiling a bit,
"what are you looking for, if it's something a bit off quilter I am sure that I know a blacksmith that can make it... With time for when we return next." He shook his head for a moment, and just kept walking, he moved his cloak around his shoulders more, and he looked at her.
"Plus, that's if they are still awake, sun is going to go down by the time we leave dinner.""Well we can browse it next time. I was looking for something foreign.
I heard from the Adventurer that the weapon shop from the capitol has something unique that comes from foreign land. It is quite popular for fresh adventurers.
What is it called, again..." She said and paused to remember it.
"A SA-MU-RAI SWORD!" She mentioned it with a cute face full of enthusiasm.
He just stared at her for a moment as he looked forward, and he just chuckled softly as he looked at her,
"you wont find any of those in these lands, they look interesting, but they are phased out by muskets... and our swords, they can hardly penetrate armor like ours." he whispered quietly,
"Though, they are fun, and come in several different varieties dear. If, everything goes well, I will get you a full set of blades from the east no matter how expensive.""Maybe we can travel there as well... Grandfather has been there a long time ago, he knows more about them than I do, he has a few books written about his time he saw there in foriegn lands far away. When in the future, we decide it is time to tie ourselves together, we can go off and see the world before coming home, letting our families watch our holdings and go for a year or so..."In that moment, all he saw was inspiration and future, hope and a lfie where he never had to work, where he could get away from the politics and life that he lived currently, where he could truly be free with someone besides himself.
"I would like to read his book... Also not just from that sword origin. I wish to travel around the world and learn their cultures when peace has been restored... I'll try my best then... Please take care of me..." She replied
He smiled and his other arm moved to squeeze hers,
"I will always take care of you..." he said quietly in a hushed manner as they continued to walk down the cobbled street, and he turned the corner as he looked over at her,
"may that brutish nation to the north end it's thing, and may whatever we have been summoned here for be quick." He leaned towards her, and he slowly stopped at the corner and he looked at a nice light coming from the darkening street before he continued forward, and stopping at a small door opening it after releasing her from his escort.
"My dear."Louise had been silent, with her heart is pounding. He was getting on her and her cheeks blushing proved it.
Erwins hand opened out towards the small restaurant inside, and he just smiled a bit,
"shall we?" he asked looking down at her, his eyes just smiling as she blushed, to which he replied with a faint one of his own.
She nodded as he moved behind her as they entered, and he found them both a small table to sit at relatively in the back, but just a place out of view of most of those there he pulled one seat out before sitting, "Is th
ere anything wrong, you are red and haven't said a word since we got here?""I don't know... I feel overwhelmed and nervous… This is my first time in life...." She replied.
Erwin smiled softly as he looked down at her,
"I will always be here, I will always come if you call me, but sit... I am here for you."She nodded still in blush and getting overwhelmed.
"Um... Why me? I can tell there are other beautiful women who have noble status..." She asked couldn't look at him directly.
She heard his reason but she wanted to know more.
"You are the first woman I've met that had some interest in me besides my name, and family, you want to explore and do all the things my father and grandfather do that I am just not smart enough to do. You like to read, but deep down you seek adventure away from the monotonous life we live."He just sighed a bit, as he stood there in front of her,
"Since we have met, since you picked me up from my drunken stupor, I have felt that one day, I will return that favor to you. Your beauty is one thing, but you are another.""Well... You see in all years of my life. My mind is only to follow my step of my family. I expected to die in battle as a warrior. I didn't think more about having someone who love me and to have a family.... But, as a woman. I can only do the cooking and house chores that's all, I did nurse some babies of my relatives too. For the stuff that noble women do. I don't know about it..." She replied.
"You will be the last of your family in name." he whispered quietly as he slowly placed a hand to her cheek,
"You are meant to keep a line going, your father was a warrior, he is with a family. Should you not have the same as him? Should you not... just have happiness in one thing at least? Have someone to hold you, and care for you? You will be a warrior beside me, we will be together in the end, who would go to war with us, why would we go to war? We will just be with each other, together. We can get married with time, all will be well.""I too. I wish to have a family. And loved by someone for the rest of the life. You have my father's approval. Try your best to make me fall in love..." She replied. Can't able to look at him, her heart is pounding and she keep overwhelmed.
He smiled softly, and he lifted her face, slowly stepping away as he moved to his seat awaiting her,
"I will do my best... I hope that you already had a spark within you, I just can't wait for you to see it, to be joyous of it, because when it happens I will see you be free of your thoughts for just a moment, like when I saw you smile.""I will try my best..."When she took her seat, he did across from her, and bread was placed in front of them,
"meat and cheeses please... Wine as well, a bottle and glasses." he said quietly to someone walking by before he held one hand across the table, still wearing his armor he just smiled a bit.
"What do you want Miss Louise?""Recommend me something... Sir... Erwin... I need calories that I can able to have some combat exercise in my free time." She replied.
"I was talking about, in life... I just thought some meats and cheese would do good for us with this bread. A bottle of wine, and well... Just, I wanted to know what you wanted, was I your envisionment for a happy life?""Oh I was focus about food... My bad, I thought I need to pick some. Hmmm... Perhaps I can give you eight healthy babies..." She shyly replied on blush.
He just looked at her, and he chuckled softly, and just reached out her,
"Are you sure you do not love me already?" he asked quietly.
"If things went well after sometime. Right. I can give you eight or I guess even more. I will continue my family's bloodline with someone I love. I actually like children, that is why I used to love taking care some of my relatives...""For someone who just has been told that a man has fallen for her, and is sitting across a table from him. I am glad that you are full with enthusiasm, but I meant. Right now, what do you want?" he asked chuckling a bit.
She burst out of redness and quickly shut her face cover by her both arms on the table.
"I... Don't know!"Erwin just smiled, as he just chuckled a bit enjoying her confusion and denial, and he looked at her as a small wooden tray of meat and a few small rounds of cheese came,
"well lets eat... and just, walk alright?" he asked smilinga bit. "And enjoy our night, because, honestly, I like this side of you... I like how quaint and beautiful you are right now.""Shut up...!" A precious cute denial... She regained back, still full of red and can't look at him. Despite her distraction, she is able to eat properly with an elegant table manner. She eats meat and cheese, skip alcoholic beverages with a safer alternative.
He smiled softly as he just began to eat slowly, and he stayed quiet for a minute, as he looked down at the table. Erwin's face just showed happiness as he relaxed a bit, and ate. He poured them both a small glass, and drank slowly. He slipped several coins down on the table for when they were finished, but he just ate slowly. Blushing as well as he looked down,
"I like to think you are enjoying this.""Honestly... Yeah. Well, um?""Yes?" he asked looking back up towards her.
"For the stay... I would like to see your room. I want to make sure... If you said it is true. I want to confirm that you don't hide some other women.""We will be going there, you'll stay in a side building." he said quietly,
"My home is open to you, though it is not much of a home, it's just a few buildings in the keep with my Grandfather and his staff."“Just to make sure that you really you don't hide me something, let’s share a bed.”He was taking a drink when she said that, and he almost spit it out. Coughing as he swallowed it and plenty of air, he just looked at her,
"Should we not wait till marriage?""No, let us share a bed. Let's see." Bluntly straight replied.
“Are you scared?" A smug face has given to him.
Erwin looked at her and nodded softly, as he was brighter and hotter than the sun in that moment, she had turned the tables in that instant, and he had no clue of what to think of it. He nodded softly, and looked at her, then down at the table as he had stopped eating. He looked back at her, as he pressed his lips into a smile.
"I am just surprised… Should someone catch us…""Is that so. From now on. You will be mine only. Since you have my father's approval and have a satisfaction to court me in the future. If you break it, you will be facing consequences from me." She keep her smug, her eyes turned into yandere eyes.
Erwin smiled back, and he nodded with confidence as he saw it as a challenge at that point,
"You are mine... but, this is not the place for my next question." he asked as he stood and held his hand down towards her.
As the two left, he smiled a bit, and he kept walking with her back up the street, and he slowly moved his cloak around them both,
"Will you marry me?" he asked softly as he looked towards her,
"if those words were true, I am willing to bind myself to you till the end.""Good... My answer is yes." A serious look to him. She put both her hands on his cheeks and then kissed him. She let him savor it for a moment and let it go.
Erwin smiled, and kissed her gently,
"You stole a kiss." he said chuckling softly as he kissed her again.
"Come on, you have a room to inspect." he said as he lifted her up into his arms, and he carried her there bridal style.
Morning before the meeting. Louise rose up with a night gown and looked at Sleeping Erwin.
"Erwin... Wake up... We are about to attend the gathering..."He slowly looked over as he was literally sown down into the bed, as he looked over at her barely awake as he just stared up at her,
"My love." he whispered quietly,
"I am bound to the bed by the maids... can you get me out before I suffocate?"Louise took time to set free the man under bed.
"I m going to wash myself first...."He slowly moved his arms around her now that he was freed from the encasement of the sown bedsheets,
"I'll just clean myself with a bucket, and get dressed quickly. We should have some time, I see the sun isn't fully up, knowing uncle and Grandfather, one is scheming, the other is making the thoughts reasonable.""I would like to tour around then..." She replied.
He smiled softly,
"Take your bath, and we can find something to do, but we could probably also meet some of the others... if we aren't too late.""Right..." She nodded him and proceeded to the room along with delivered family banner clothes.
He smiled a bit as he just slowly looked at her,
"I will leave you be for a minute, I will change, and then we can... rejoin each other here."Louise met Erwin in the room and looked at him. She is wearing her family tarbard of the Ironside along with a cape and a brooch on her hand.
"I don't know where I put this? Is it necessary?" She said to Erwin.
Erwin's hand went to hers, and he slowly moved it to her tabard right under her neck, as he smiled softly. He rested his hand to her cheek, and just smiled.
"It is ours, a sign of us. I think it should be included in formalities, no?""I hope so..." She looks at him straight and quickly proceeds for a morning kiss on his lips.
"Shall we?" She continued
Erwin took her hand as he placed it there, and he nodded, kissing back.
"Let's, Love," he whispered as he held onto her. With that, he took a step out and opened the door, pulling her along with him as he just smiled at the keep across the courtyard,
"Uncle's throne... let us just wait outside that room, and fall behind the others, hopefully, we are forgotten, and missed." he said quietly,
"maybe we can live peacefully."The two entered the meeting room.
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