The Deal

Alexa glowered at Ivy, perturbed by the disruption but fascinated by the offer. “Just tell me where your little pet is holing up,” she demanded, a truculent expression on her pretty face.

Ivy shook her head, expression firm, “Only if you yield up the knight,” she said.

How did Ivy know about the knight? Alexa shook her head, “No, he’s mine,” she said bluntly, unwilling to budge. “Tell me where the lair is, and if I find treasure, then I will give you the knight,” she counter offered.

Ivy nodded, “No deal,” she said, turning to leave.

Alexa flicked a quick glance back to her chamber pot where George was confined. “Wait!” she barked, halting Ivy’s departure.

Ivy turned back, eyebrow raised, “Yes?”

“Why do you him?” Alexa asked, eyes narrowed.

Ivy frowned.

“Well?” Alexa pressed.

Resolved, Ivy nodded, “That’s none of your affair,” she replied, extending her closed right hand and opening it to reveal the two coins she had been holding, one gold the other silver.

Alexa’s eyes shone greedily as she looked down at the coins.

“I did find these near what I think might be the entrance,” Ivy said.

“Give them to me!” Alexa snapped, reaching her hand out.

“Sir George?” Ivy replied, closing her fingers and retracting her arm.

Alexa wrestled with the decision. While it had been fun to play with the knight, his lack of participation was certainly wearing very thin. Besides, if she made the trade, she could get the treasure and then just take the little plaything back after. “Alright,” she blurted, opening and closing the fingers of her right hand.

Ivy shook her head, “Give me the knight and I will give you the coins and tell you the location,” she stipulated.

Growling, “Fine,” Alexa said, “I will bring him to your room and we will make the exchange,” she offered, mind already imaging all of the things she could purchase with the gold coin she would be getting.

Ivy nodded, “I agree to those terms,” she said.

Stepping back, Alexa closed the door, rubbing her hands together as she walked across the room and looked down into the chamber pot. “I suppose you heard that?” she said.

Looking up at her, Sir George nodded once, sharply.

“You will keep your mouth shut and not speak of this,” she cautioned.

George snorted, “The ignobility of standing in your piss? Not something worthy of telling,” he scoffed.

Alexa nodded, “Good,” she said, not veiling the menace in her tone.

“Now remove me hence from the place,” he instructed, raising his arms.

Reaching into the chamber pot, Alexa pinched his left arm between her thumb and forefinger, lifting up and out of the basin, urine dripping off his feet. “Disgusting,” she murmured, making a sour face.

“It’s your pee,” he retorted acerbically.

Walking over to her dresser, she set him down on one of her kerchiefs, dabbing what wetness she could. Examining him, “It will have to do,” she surmised, unable to do anything about his wet clothing.

“Indeed girl, be about your business and let’s get on with this,” he instructed.

Alexa frowned, “I want you to know, you and I are not finished. Do you understand that?” she asked, picking him up around his torso and squeezing him roughly.

Grunting under the pressure, he waved his hand, “I however, am finished with you,” he stated.

Scowling, she dropped him back down and then picked him back up by the arm, carrying him to her door before opening it and moving into the hall. Walking to Ivy’s room, she knocked on the door.

Ivy crossed the floor of her room and opened the door, looking at the knight dangling from Alexa’s fingers.

“Here,” Alexa said, thrusting the knight forward.

Studying George a moment, she put her hand out, palm up.

Alexa shook her head, “Not until I get the coins and the information,” she said.

Ivy nodded, walking over to her dresser, picking up the two coins and the small folded piece of parchment they had been sitting on. “In here,” she said, holding up the paper, “Is the location of where I believe the lair to be located, she advised, returning to the door.

“We trade at the same time,” said Alexa, eyes glued to the paper.

“No,” Ivy replied, shaking her head. “We will each put our respective trade items at opposite sides of the room, then we will cross over to collect them. This way there can be no trickery,” she stated.

Alexa was about to make a comment about trickery, but the lure of the gold piece and the thought of dragon treasure superceded her need to be petty. “Okay,” she agreed, nodding.

“You put Sir George on my bed, I’ll put the coins and map on the dresser,” she stated, moving back over to stand beside the piece of furniture.

Alexa moved quickly over to the bed, unceremoniously tossing the knight onto it. “There,” she said, taking a couple of steps toward Ivy.

Stepping to the side, Ivy moved over to the bed while Alexa rushed to the dresser, each girl picking up their prizes.

Alexa’s eyes glittered as she unfolded the paper to look at the rudimentary drawing Ivy made depicting the fictitious location of Ella’s lair.

Ivy on the other hand looked down at the damp knight in her hand, “Why is he moist?” she asked, frowning.

Alexa laughed, “He was so scared he wet himself,” she asserted.

George snorted but did not contradict her as she hurried back across the room.

Raising her hand, Ivy brought George near her face, “I am Ivy,” she said, introducing herself and giving a slight curtsy.

He bowed politely, “It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Sir George,” he reciprocated.

Setting him back down on the bed, she crossed her room and locked the door before returning, “You can come out now Daffyd,” she whispered.

The knight’s squire emerged from between the pillows at the head of her bed.

Sir George’s face split into a broad grin, “Good heavens lad, it is good to see you well,” he said, walking toward the boy.

Daffyd nodded, trotting toward the knight, “And you Sir George, I feared you dead whence you fell into the stream,” he said.

George laughed, a hearty sound, “It would take more than that to bring about my demise,” he boasted, clapping a hand on Daffyd’s shoulder. “Now tell me about your comely young lady friend here, she seems much more agreeable that the foul creature who was detaining me of late,” he invited.