The Robber Knight's Love (The Robber Knight Saga #2)(175)
“You can’t understand it? Well, up yours, you guts-griping maggot!”
Reuben’s eyes flew wide open. It took him a moment to realize it was not the Emperor who had spoken. Both of them looked down at the Robber Knight, lying bound on the floor. His eyes were open. Not seeming to care about the bonds that bound him so tightly they cut into his skin, the man pushed himself up, first into a sitting position, and from there up onto his own two feet.
“So.” Sharp little eyes regarded Friedrich II von Hohenstaufen, by God's Grace elected Roman Emperor, exalted sovereign, at all times furtherer of the Realm, and King in Sicily, Germany, and Jerusalem. “You’re this Emperor who wants me done away with?”
“Show some respect in front of the Emperor!” Reuben barked.
“Of course. Where are my manners.” And the robber knight spat onto the floor in front of Friedrich.
“You blaggard!” Reuben grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck. “How dare you insult His Imperial Majesty thusly?”
“Lick my ass, you shit-sucking fleebag!”
“Hold your tongue!”
“Or what? You’ll cut it out for me? Go burn in hell, you fawning, weather-bitten wagtail!”
“Shut up!” Reuben hissed. “This is the Emperor, you fool! God’s chosen ruler on earth!”
“God’s chosen ruler on earth can go kiss my a—“
“And there are ladies present!”
“Well, they can go and kiss my co—“
Not knowing what else to do, Reuben clamped a hand over the man’s mouth.
“I’m sorry, Your Imperial Majesty,” he apologized, feeling his face heat. “I cannot imagine where a knight, even one such as this, would have learned such foul language! And to use it in the presence of ladies—simply unforgivable!”
“Quite,” the Emperor agreed with a slight smile on his lips.
“Should I simply continue to hold him or—Ow!” Ripping his hand away from the robber knight’s mouth, Reuben stared at the man in disbelief. “He bit my finger!”
“You’re pox-marked, ruttish varlots, the lot of you!” bellowed Sir Franco. “You droning, dog-hearted haggards! Pigs! Paunchy, milk-livered—“
Wham!
Reuben’s fist coming down on his head cut the man off abruptly. Grunting, he crashed to the floor in front of the throne. A few of the ladies up on the gallery let out gasps of shock while, from the men, Reuben heard chuckles and sounds of approval.
The Emperor gazed down at the man lying in front of him. “Hm. I had intended to sentence him. But for that I’m afraid he needs to be conscious.”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” Reuben said, shaking the pain out of his hand. “But I couldn’t simply let him continue with his insults! The ladies…”
“Very commendable, Sir Reuben, I’m sure. And it doesn’t matter. Guards, take the man away! Let him rot in the dungeon for a few days before I sentence him to death. It’ll give him time to think on his life and improve his language.”
“As you command, Your Imperial Majesty.” Stepping forward, two guards grasped the robber knight’s arms and dragged him off, to renewed cheers from the crowd up on the gallery.
“And now, Sir Reuben,” the Emperor said, turning his gaze on Reuben, “tell me, what can I do to reward your loyal service?”
Reuben glanced up at the gallery, up at the dozens of adoring female eyes resting on him.
He smiled.
“I need nothing, Sire. I have a feeling that the deed is going to be its own reward.”
~~*~~*
Reuben’s feeling turned out to be quite correct.
“Oh…Sir Reuben! Please…!”
Bending forward, Reuben brushed his nose along the cheek of Lady…what was her name again? He was sure it would come to him again in a moment.
“Please…Sir Reuben…”
He leaned closer. “I love you,” he whispered inter her ear, eliciting a whimper of delight. It was true, more or less. He loved her at the moment. He loved how little clothing she was wearing and how intimately the two of them were intertwined. He would probably stop loving her quite so much once she was dressed again, but that couldn’t be helped, now, could it?
“Oh, Sir Reuben,” Lady Something-or-other (He was sure that he would remember her name in a minute!) whispered. “I love you, too.”
Reuben nodded contentedly. Of course she did. Lately, all the ladies at the Imperial Court seemed to love him, and he did his best to reciprocate. Sometimes, he was worried that some of the things he did might be considered sinful or against the knightly code of honor, but that had easily been taken care of by hiring his own private priest and going to confession every morning after leaving his current love’s bedchamber.
“Then prove it,” he growled into the lady’s ear, moving his hand from her face to more interesting places. “Show me love with all your heart, soul, and body!”
“Ehem…Sir Reuben?”
Reuben froze.
“These interruptions,” he growled, “are beginning to get on my nerves.”
The servant who had entered the room—a different one, this time, but he seemed to have the same fascination with the ceiling tiles as his colleague and avoided looking anywhere else—shifted from one foot to the other.