Chapter 2: A good reason
"I don't want to follow you too but I have to make sure you are safely returned to wherever you came from and most importantly away from the royalties of Maverick" Keenan was calm and collected. The poking of finger at his chest didn't elicit any reaction from him. He simply ignored her action.
Tia replayed his words over and over in her head. He wanted to safely return her to her chamber? What was she… a cow or a piece of missing item?
" Now, listen very carefully, it's either I walk you back to your chamber or I simply lift you up and throw you over my shoulder...the choice is yours, Tia"
Tia smiled then it turned into a mocking laughter. He dare not! That he was a smug good looking, jaw dropping hulk of a man doesn't give him the right to treat her otherwise.
Tia scoffed again. This situation was almost hilarious... insulting but hilarious. It was about time someone put the demigod look alike in his place. She moved closer to him with eyes shooting darts. She wanted to be sure that when she spoke that he heard her.
"I. Dare. You. Keenan Del'matal. I dare you!"
Tia stood her ground except suddenly her feet had no ground to stand on.
Wait! What?
She watched with helpless terror as a mere knight lifted her and placed her over his shoulder. How insolent! This was treason.
"Have you gone mad? Put me down!"
Keenan started walking towards the exit with the struggling lunatic on his shoulders. It was like he was carrying a pack of feathers, her struggles made no difference to him. He was enraged beyond reason.
"I will have your head. I shall demand it. Put me down, you penguin!" Tia yelled on top of her voice.
Keenan stopped midway. He blinked. What the fuck did she just call him?
"Did you just call me a penguin?" His voice was gruff and he sounded like he was so close to tears and ready to flip Tia to use her as a hammer. The ground would serve as the solid object.
"Did you just call me, a penguin?"
He first felt the vibration, then the actual sound. At first, he thought she was crying but then he listened closely, the crazy girl was trying not to laugh.
"Ha-ha-ha... penguin" Tia pictured a bird with counter shaded dark and white plumage and flippers for swimming, that eats fish, swig and krill. They were harmless creatures and she had just described the knight as harmless.
"Please don't call me that" Keenan took another step towards the entrance in a blind rage.
He was a lead knight, one of the greatest warriors of the highlands. The only one that could hold his own in a fight against the King and the little girl just referred to him as a penguin?
"Put me down! Put me down!" This kept yelling and she thought it finally worked when the Giant stopped. It was more like he froze.
And slowly he placed her on her feet.
"I thought you won't put me down, you dunk head-" Tia froze too when she turned around too.
"Your majesty!" Keenan lowered his head immediately.
Tia recognized the man in front of her. He was Joan Raven, King of Maverick. He was the man she thought she was following before her encounter with the rude knight beside her.
King Joan stared at his normally sane Knight as he dropped a lady he had over his shoulder.
Has everyone gone mad in his Kingdom? It would be better if he was the only one but he wasn't. Seven kings and their Queens, three princesses and two crown princes were present including his sister.
"What is going on?" Joan asked in a raised voice.
"He was attacking the Queen of the Midlands!" One of the princesses exclaimed.
Keenan turned sharply to the voice to be sure she was joking.
"She can't be a queen. She's a lunatic that entered the king's private garden"
Joan moved closer and watched the lady.
"I assure you, Sir Del'matal. She is Tiamat Cypher-Dumont, Queen in her own rights over the Midland" King Joan spoke angrily to his formerly sane knight.
"He was manhandling her!" One of the princess screamed
Keenan's face showed no emotion whatsoever. He didn't need anyone to know he had just signed his death warrant when he laid hands on a Queen.
"No. No-no" Tia started but her voice was drowned out by the voices of everyone else. Keenan stood like a statue. It irritated her more that he wasn't doing anything to defend himself further.
"Everyone! I am sure Sir Del'matal and Queen Tiamat have a very good explanation to give us-" King Joan was interrupted by his sister.
She looked like she was about to throw up
"Like the king said, there has to be a good explanation and we will hear it after lunch, tomorrow. Let's face it, we are all famished and the evening Hunt is almost near"