October third, fourteen twenty.

Luz was back!! Amity was eager to wake up this morning and readied herself early. Right in time for Luz to knock and greet her through the door. Amity opened the door, pulling Luz in and closing the door behind her. "Woah there Princess, a little eager there aren't you?" Luz teased, moving Amity's hands down.

"Yes! I missed you, please give me the affection I didn't receive yesterday." Amity stood on her tippy toes.

Luz smiled, nodding and placing a kiss on Amity's lips. The princess pressed up against her, arms wrapping around the knight's neck. They paused briefly before Luz gave her another kiss, caressing her cheek. "Princess!" A knock. "Princess breakfast is ready!"

Amity pulled back slightly, sticking her tounge out at the door, huffing and hugging Luz. The knight kissed her head, nuzzling her cheek and assuring her kisses would be given later. The two left the room, Luz escorting Amity to the dining hall, taking her to her seat.

She was so close to leaving Amity's sight, but her arm was grabbed. Luz sighed, standing by Amity again, the princess letting her arm go. The king came in a minute later, the two being served. After breakfast, papers were brought out, and the king looked over them.

He nodded, sliding them over to Amity. She held it up, allowing Luz to glance over it while she read. "You've settled." Amity hummed.

"Yes, Cheshire is a wise cat. Farmers are to be payed 630 (six hundred thirty) snails per month, four acres per farmer a day, twenty-eight (28) per week and so on and so forth. Any acre over that limit they get an extra two snails." Alador explained.

Luz shuddered, needing to keep back a happy feeling or two. "What about the shops?"

"Cheshire will pay a thousand (1,000) snails for all one hundred (100) shops. Then rent for said shops will be eighty a month. Forty comes back to us per person."

Amity perked, "That's amazing!"

"Yes, but they will keep half of the guards, and they get to choose-"

"Not Luz-" Amity blurted out. "I like my current one and would prefer it if she stayed with me.."

Luz gently used her knee to hit Amity, the princess hushing up. "I'm aware. You put in eighteen requests for her back during her week with Cheshire.." Alador pinched the bridge of his nose. "Remember?"

Amity sheepishly smiled, drawing back, "My apologies..I feared she was injured or-"

The doors opened, a knight panting quietly, "He's..Huff- He's here-"

The king stood quickly, "He's here--?"

"He's HERE!!" The knight cried. "Just thought you should know.." He fell back.

Luz stiffened, stumbling towards the door. She pulled out her sword, stabbing it in the ground, holding on to it tightly. Yells and cries came from the other guards, being dragged to the large doors. Luz hissed softly, Amity rising from her chair, kneeling by the knight. "What's wrong? Luz?"

The doors opened, a large man in a yellow getup walking in with a masked guard by him. He stopped in front of the doors, looking to the dining hall. "My my..You've held on, haven't you?" He waved Luz over.

She winced, gripping her sword as that dreaded force to line up grew. The man growled, then lightly chuckled, "You've got a talent.." He looked to the king. "I'd like that guard of yours.."

Amity looked to the king, eyes wide, "Father--"

"I'm not into trading my guards at the moment.." Alador uttered. "And she won't be involved in the trades.."

The man hummed, looking to the guard by him, "Hunter, tell him, that wasn't a question."

"Sire, forgive me, but you are much the same." Hunter looked to the man. "It is best not to push the king, he is in charge of all the crops.."

The man hissed softly, "Tsk. You are right..But, I'd like to borrow her.." He slowly clenched his fist.

Luz cried out, gripping her hauberk, "Mmngh-" She swallowed. "W-With all due respect- Urk- I-I'm on duty-- And I ne.." Luz faltered. "Titan.."

"Noceda--" Amity lowered herself, moving her hair back. "Luz--? Luz!!"

The man took a step towards Luz, the knight struggling to push herself up. Each step he took, Luz regained just a bit of her strength. Seven steps away, Luz was standing, leaning against her sword. Four steps away, she was nearly passing out, but when he got too close for comfort, Luz was up and ready.

She held her sword out, glaring at the man who dared to step close to the princess. She glared, the man chuckling, "I'd be..Willing to waive your debt if you let me borrow her.." The man looked to the King.

"Your highness--" Amity looked to Alador. "Please-- She's my knight--"

He gulped, "H..How long..?"

The man cooed, raising his hand to grab Luz's chin, but she jerked back. She held her right arm out, making the princess step back, behind the knight. "I don't know who you are, but if you take one step closer to my princess I'll have no choice but to tear you apart.." Luz growled.

Behind the mask, his eyes glowed blue, "A week. I'd like to borrow her for a week. She'll be easy to train..And she's young! You somehow survived training..And with no visible scars.." He waved his hand, Luz being surrounded by a red glow.

Luz dropped her sword, falling to her knees. Her eyes never left her target, the human glaring at the man before her. Amity gripped her skirt, biting back a flood of threats and a few tears. "That's enough." The king uttered. "We'll..Think this offer through.."

The man brought his hand back, Luz picking her sword up, stabbing it into the ground, pushing herself up. She stepped back until she could feel Amity's arm, moving her arm behind herself to be around Amity's waist. "It's always nice to be focused on the threat, Luz Noceda, was it? But it shouldn't be focused too much on me."

Amity gripped the back of Luz's shirt, lowering her head. "Oh but he's not as much of a threat as you are..He won't hurt the princess until you give the command.." Luz glared to her right at the guard. "But I know I can't win a fight when I see one.."

She put her sword in its place, lowering her head. "That's always good to know. Hunter, at ease." He waved his hand.

The guard lowered his staff, walking back to the man, at attention. "Let us take our talk to..A different room.." Alador cleared his throat.

^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^°•^

"Luz..Are you doing any better..?" Amity took the empty cup, handing Luz a new one.

The knight's leg was bouncing up and down, her eyes focused and glaring at a dent in the wood. "I couldn't protect you.." Luz uttered, squeezing the cup. "I couldn't keep you safe even if I tried- I could've gotten you killed--!"

"Luz! Luz, it's okay.." Amity kneeled down in front of her. "Luz..That's Belos..He's fron a different region, and prefers to be called an emperor.. He's the one that changes the laws, the one who decides fates for others.. He's the most powerful person we know, and he likes to threaten us when things don't go his way.."

Luz set the cup down, "But I couldn't protect you! Amity-- If I lose you-- I don't know if I could ever live with myself-- Please understand that you can't help me feel better right away-- I-I require a day or so to regroup my thoughts so I'm focused.."

Amity sighed, nodding slowly, "I'll allow you the rest of the day off..As long as you stay here where we can protect you.."

Luz shook her head, "Mama and King are at the house-- He knows my name, we're the only family with the last name Noceda..He'll find Mama--"

"We'll bring them here. Just for the night. We'll make sure he doesn't find anything else, and we'll explain everything to Camilla. Okay?"

"...."

"Luz.."

"Okay.."

"I'll go get the guards ready.."

Tis, the adventure continues.