The Arrival
Jul. 24th, 2012 02:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knightoftheswanEven with his mask on, Lohengrin could easily see the scene unfolding below the airborne chariot.
"Witch!"
"Murderer!"
"How could you kill your own brother?!"
The accusations hit the defenseless girl huddled low to the ground, her hands on the back of her head as if that can somehow shield her from the surrounding mob.
"And to think she is the Duke's daughter!"
"She should be put to death!"
They close in tighter and the knight can see some of them are holding nooses.
A sudden honk from the swan drawing the golden chariot startles the lynch mob. Some of them wisely back away as the huge fowl lands. Lohengrin leaps from the chariot and stands in front of the girl, his sword drawn and facing the mob.
"You will stop this now," he says, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"You are defending a murderer!" one in the crowd shouts.
"She is not a murderer," the knight answers back. "She couldn't have called for me if she had done such a thing. If you have a problem with her, take it up with me."
And some did, though it didn't take long to fell them. The others did not linger after the example of the knight's strength. The mob now dispersed, the girl stands and the knight turns to face her. She opens her mouth to speak but he holds his hand up to stop her.
"Before you say anything, I must make a request of you. It's the only request I will make, the only condition of my service to you: Do not ask my name."
She nods and he drops his hand.
"Then what-?"
"The Knight of the Swan," he says before she can finish, glancing at the creature in question. A brief nod and the swan departs with the chariot.
"May I see my protector's face?" she asks.
Lohengrin hesitates. Hiding his face is not part of the condition, at least not in the long-term. The initial approach required more caution. But it is only the girl, Elsa he recalls from Siegfried's briefing. As long as his connection to Siegfried isn't known, what harm will it do? So he carefully removes his mask.
"Knight of the Swan," Elsa says, putting the title and his face together.
He nods and replaces his mask.
Elsa, who certainly hadn't been expecting any sort of defender, awkwardly gestures in the direction of a nearby castle, presumably her uncle King Heinrich's.
"I'll arrange a place for you to stay and show you the stables should you need a horse," she says, unsure of what she's gotten out of or getting into.
He nods again and follows her lead, his hand on his sword should he need to defend her on the way.
"Witch!"
"Murderer!"
"How could you kill your own brother?!"
The accusations hit the defenseless girl huddled low to the ground, her hands on the back of her head as if that can somehow shield her from the surrounding mob.
"And to think she is the Duke's daughter!"
"She should be put to death!"
They close in tighter and the knight can see some of them are holding nooses.
A sudden honk from the swan drawing the golden chariot startles the lynch mob. Some of them wisely back away as the huge fowl lands. Lohengrin leaps from the chariot and stands in front of the girl, his sword drawn and facing the mob.
"You will stop this now," he says, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"You are defending a murderer!" one in the crowd shouts.
"She is not a murderer," the knight answers back. "She couldn't have called for me if she had done such a thing. If you have a problem with her, take it up with me."
And some did, though it didn't take long to fell them. The others did not linger after the example of the knight's strength. The mob now dispersed, the girl stands and the knight turns to face her. She opens her mouth to speak but he holds his hand up to stop her.
"Before you say anything, I must make a request of you. It's the only request I will make, the only condition of my service to you: Do not ask my name."
She nods and he drops his hand.
"Then what-?"
"The Knight of the Swan," he says before she can finish, glancing at the creature in question. A brief nod and the swan departs with the chariot.
"May I see my protector's face?" she asks.
Lohengrin hesitates. Hiding his face is not part of the condition, at least not in the long-term. The initial approach required more caution. But it is only the girl, Elsa he recalls from Siegfried's briefing. As long as his connection to Siegfried isn't known, what harm will it do? So he carefully removes his mask.
"Knight of the Swan," Elsa says, putting the title and his face together.
He nods and replaces his mask.
Elsa, who certainly hadn't been expecting any sort of defender, awkwardly gestures in the direction of a nearby castle, presumably her uncle King Heinrich's.
"I'll arrange a place for you to stay and show you the stables should you need a horse," she says, unsure of what she's gotten out of or getting into.
He nods again and follows her lead, his hand on his sword should he need to defend her on the way.
