Her sentence sent him into shock; he was frozen where he knelt. Her words left a foul taste in his mouth and a sinking feeling in his stomach. The queen was not known for fidelity; no elven queens were, as they historically had several husbands and even more illicit lovers, but suddenly being faced with her lust cast him into a chasm of bitterness and bit him with the fangs of reality.
There was no right answer to the queen’s proposition. If he said yes, he would get his knighthood, he would sleep with the most beautiful and sought out woman in the kingdom but it wouldn’t feel earned. More importantly…
The thought of going through with something so dirty, so cheap, and so easy, made something intangible deep within him squirm and writhe. Waifs and humans believed in the concept of a soul, and perhaps that was the thing that was writhing.
But if he didn’t sleep with her, he didn’t know what she might do to him; she might have him expelled, thrown in the dungeon, or worse.
But something his father had told him once echoed in his mind.
Terran, there are going to be people in this world who will try to make you do things that you know are wrong. Some things you will know are wrong based on our laws or our religion, others you will only know are wrong innately. These are the things people ask you to do that hurt your insides and damage them; these are the things that seem harmless, seem like they can only do you good, but they are still evil. Only cowards do these things. Are you a coward, Terran?
Terran decided, in that moment, that he was not a coward. He clenched his trembling fingers and told the queen determinedly, “My queen, I don’t want a knighthood unless I’ve earned it. I’m sorry, but I must reject your offer.”
The queen looked utterly shocked—like he had spat in her face—after that moment of shock passed, she glowered and made the darkest, most vicious face he had ever seen. The queen muttered, “You will regret it if you don’t take me up on this offer. You won’t get your knighthood, and I will make sure that you have difficulties receiving one. I'll make sure you suffer here on out.”
Terran felt a surge of rage at her disregard for his independence and personhood. She had hung around slaves so much that she seemed to think he would just roll over like they would. His rage led him to climbing to his feet—no longer respecting her with a bow—and looking at her defiantly. “So be it.”
After that, he left the room. The adrenaline of the moment left him feeling utterly wiped and exhausted. He needed some time alone, so he decided to go home for the day.
***
Snapping back to reality and having a meal with his dear friends, Eliita and Them made him feel the same gratitude he had all those years ago when he was admiring the interior of the academy. The only thing that was missing was Eory, who was late to dinner. His empty chair was eerie, and Terran felt an aching in his heart when he thought that Eory might be gone for good in a month, if the Red Moon Knight turned out to violate his promise of not killing Eory.
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