Brave Shine (Typical Blue Haired Dude x Lusterless Nova)

[Mini Magi]

It seemed she did quite well in making her intend clear. Not a shred of doubt on his face. Quite a lot of nervousness and red however. How it came to be? Technically, it started a few months ago.

The new king, Arthur Pendragon, had declared a new tax policy. It made it possible for the common folk to spend money on themselves, and the nobles in all honesty could take the hit. Business boomed, and there was no shortage of work for sellswords, craftsmen, and foragers alike. It was the natural course for when people could spend money. Part of that gold had to be re-invested into the country however, which gave birth to the royal tax caravan. A heavy armored carriage, escorted by experienced knights, going to a couple provinces before returning back to the capital. It gave back to the people as well by hiring guides, sometimes even extra guards.

The carriage was attacked often by bandits, sometimes monsters, but it was at this time that something different happened. Because it was easier to avoid a follow up cut, Artoria had lost her sword on purpose after a clash. What followed happened so fast she hardly believed it. Their guide, a kind and competent soul by first impressions, actually grabbed and wielded her sword. A sword that couldn't be lifted by anyone not fit to be a ruler. The shock settled down quick, the bandits were fended off, and the carriage arrived in an idyllic little village. The kind that artists would immortalize on a canvas~

The knights were chatting amongst themselves, taking of pieced of their armor to get a well deserved rest near the town hall, and chatting with the locals who got interested in the knights. One of the knights had a different idea however. She was of course just as exhausted as the others, causing her to rest at least her arms using her sword, but this was a high priority matter. Actual rest could wait. "Excuse me. May I have a word? I have business with you." Artoria went to their guide, who had guided them up to this point, and held a little pouch to him. "First of all, this is for you. I allowed myself to add 20 silver to it for your skill and courage. Please accept it as a sign of my gratitude." 20 silvers were enough to buy food for about half a month these days. He had the option to run away, but instead chose to fight. Such skill and courage were worth more, but even she had limits on her. "One more thing. Would you be interested in taking me as your wife?" That was the point where she in all honesty broke his cool. But again, that was good. She appreciated the honest reaction. She in turn had a confident smile on her, resting her hands on the pommel of her sword. And not a hint of malicious intend on her. Simply because there was none, and her words were as honest as could be.

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by Lusterless Nova

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

The knight’s proposal stunned the young escort and caused his jaw to drop and practically hit the floor.  Sure the extra money was rather generous, and sure he got a few flirts from the locals every now and then, but a full-on proposal was something he never dealt with before.  What did this knight see in a commoner like him that prompted her to ask for his hand in marriage?  Taking in a deep breath, he attempted to calm himself down so that he could flush away the bright red that colored his entire face and thus think properly about this sudden bomb drop.  “W-Well, this is rather sudden coming from an esteemed knight such as yourself.  I really appreciate your generosity, but I am still a commoner.  While I have some decent skills in fending off against beasts and thieves, I lack the strength to defend a nation like that of a knight like you.  Are you certain that you see something in me that would make me worth your while compared to all of the other men that you may know?”  Of course, he severely undermined his own value as he remained unaware of the sword that he wielded while protecting the carriage.  Even if he were to know, there would still be doubt in him about whether or not he really was good enough for her...or if he could even manage a marriage while his hands were full with his own duties.   
 

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by Typical Blue Haired Dude
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[Mini Magi]

Their talk by now began to get some attention. Knights who relaxed nearby made themselves comfortable, as if they watched a performance, mumbling amongst themselves. No doubt about it. Some of that mumbling was of a jealous nature, others were taking bets. One of them even went to the carriage, but seemed to only talk through its door. As for Artoria though, his humility did little to deter her. Quite the contrary. It was a virtue to be humble even while possessing skills not everyone had. "Absolutely. So if you don't mind me asking again..." She sheathed her sword and took a few steps towards him. Not a hint of doubt in her gaze. She lifted her right hand to him, palm facing down, and fingers relaxed. "My name is Artoria. Would you take me as your wife?" Truth be told, she was a little nervous. This wasn't some mild everyday decision. But he was right. She did see something in him that made her want him in her life. Or at least try to do so.

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

It wouldn't take long for him to notice all of the chatter amidst the knights.  He could infer that she was indeed popular among her fellow knights, and that only added more pressure to his situation.  Doing his best to think as quickly as he could, he came up with an idea to compromise.  "Artoria.  You have a wonderful and beautiful name.  My name is Nathaniel Conwell.  How about we get to know each other first before we make such an important decision in our lives?  I am willing to court you.  That way, we can still be in a relationship while we have time to make our decision.  I have a feeling that we will have a wonderful time."  He waited for her response before he could reach out his hand to take hers.  He wanted to see if she was patient enough to take things slow.  Surely as a knight, patience would be one of her virtues.  Plus, he did not wish to make the other knights jealous so soon.  While it was true that he would make a great living and potentially adventure to many places in the world under the king's care, he was still uncertain whether he deserved such blessings on a silver platter.  Perhaps this courting time would help him get his head straight.

[Mini Magi]

That sounded fair. It was a big decision, and taking it in smaller steps was a reasonable approach. But she shook her head, took her hand back, but still smiled as she kept talking. "I'm afraid I can't accept that." She didn't like refusing a more reasonable approach, but had little choice. "As a knight, I can not leave the royal army unless it is for a very special reason." She let out a sigh, mostly because how much she wished for a better result. But some things couldn't be helped... without applying a bit of pressure.

The knights caught on, and the jealous remarks had turned into sympathy. Artoria might be a kind soul, but stubborn when she had her sights onto something. Artoria caught none of it though, still keeping her focus on Nathaniel. "I'm afraid I can't accept anything but a straight answer. So what will it be, Nathaniel Conwell?" And she was smug about it too. She knew she had him in a corner now. So what would it be? The same old life, or the unknown that adventurers were oh so fond of?

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

Slightly taken aback from her decline, his smile quickly faded when she brought about her ultimatum.  It was worse that she seemed fully confident and smug about it too, as if she knew exactly what he wanted!  Could she see right through him?  Did she learn about him from stories of others?  Whatever the reason may be, he now had a choice to make.  Would he truly be willing to give up his life and everyone he knew for a chance to fulfill his dream?  Would he be able to live with himself if he willingly said no to his dream for the sake of his own people?  Several thoughts rushed into his head as he desperately reasoned with himself to figure out what was the best option.  

"Artoria.  I understand that you may have your reasons, but you are asking me to sacrifice everything I have in doing this.  That is not easy for me to do by any means...but I am also aware that this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.  I'm afraid I cannot simply let this go by.  So I accept your proposal.  From this day forth, I will be your faithful and loving husband." 

Although his movements were slightly hesitant, as if he were debating on a final decision, he eventually reached out and took her hand, sealing the proposal by taking her hand.  He felt his heart pumping from anxiety as he was uncertain whether or not he made the right decision.  Of course his village could survive without him, but they would most definitely miss him.  And would she truly grow to love him...more importantly, would he be able to grow to love her back?

[Mini Magi]

She put quite some pressure on him, didn't she? But as far as she was concerned, he did the right thing. Fortune favored the bold, and the whole point of being an adventurer was to get gold, a cute wife, and reputation right? He was in for a treat, and while smiling, she replied in kind. "And from this day fort, I will be your faithful and loving wife." A round of mild applause came from the knights, and also one whole knight with a sack. The knight himself looked kind, but strong. Something about his whole aura was a bit intimidating. Most likely because of his expression. "So you really went through with it Artoria." She let go of Nathaniel's hand to face the presence of the dark haired knight, unfazed by his clear annoyance. "It was the right thing to do. Will you explain everything to the others?" She wasn't referring to the knights already present, but the place she called home. He nodded, and handed her the sack he carried to her. "Of course. Though I doubt I have any choice. You missing is hard to overlook." True, but they would have to deal with it.

After addressing her for a bit, the knight turned to Nate, still with a stern expression, but nothing evil or annoyed. Poor lad was pretty much drawn into this after all. "Nathaniel, was it? My name is Sir Lancelot. On behalf of the royal knights, I wish you the best. But there is a catch she hasn't mentioned." Now having his attention even more than before (probably due to him realizing which knight he talked with), he continued. "Artoria isn't in a position where she can leave the knights. It's complicated. But I do respect her wishes. To not take more of your valuable time than needed, you have 3 months to decide whenever you want this marriage to last or not. You would be expected to travel to her home if you accept, or stay here if things do not work out. You have my honest apologies for the stress this might cause, but there are good reasons for it, and I wish your the best." He turned to Artoria and nodded. "Please make sure to send letters every now and then." She nodded to that, and Lancelot made his way back to the knights.

Artoria meanwhile opened the sack and looked through. It was quite big, but contained nothing too valuable. Her clothes mostly, and a bit of gold. The heaviest thing in her possession was her armor and sword, but those were already on her. After checking the contents, she turned to Nate again. "Considering we are newly wed, what would you like me to call you? I've heard Darling is quite popular~" She was already having fun with this