Luck and Lives
“If you weren’t so stupid, we wouldn’t be in this position.”
“How is this my fault?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, were you not the one kissing a married woman?”
Eleanor stopped what she was doing to look over at Lizzie, who was staring at her with a raised eyebrow.
“In my defence, I didn’t know she was married.”
“Her husband was sat right next to her!”
“…I thought he was her brother. Besides, she started it.”
Lizzie rolled her eyes but said nothing.
“She did! All I did was compliment her.”
Lizzie scoffed.
“You told her you felt as if you could spend forever drowning in her eyes! That’s a bit more than a compliment, don’t you think?”
“Well…her eyes are beautiful, and so very, very, blue.”
Eleanor sighed, staring off into the distance. Only to be sharply brought out of her daydreaming by Lizzie slapping her upside the head with a glove.
“Would you focus? Please?”
“It’s only a little duel, nothing to worry about. Now, help me tighten this strap, I can never reach it properly.”
Lizzie huffed by moved behind Eleanor to tighten the armour strap.
“It’s not only a ‘little duel’. He’s not just some peasant, he’s a nobleman. And you not only kissed his wife, but you then insulted him as well. What if you get hurt?”
Eleanor spun round and placed her hands on Lizzie’s shoulders.
“I’ll be fine, Liz. You know I’m the best, even if I’ve got nothing but my life to show for it. I’ll win the duel, and the hand and heart of the fair maiden, and then we can continue gallivanting about the country. Just as we always do.”
“Won’t you miss your fair maiden while we’re on our travels?”
“I see no reason she can’t come with us?”
“She’s a lady, El. They don’t gallivant. I don’t think she’d want to come with us.”
“Well, all’s well that ends well, I suppose.”
“I don’t quite think that means what you think it means.”
Eleanor shrugged, squeezing Lizzie’s shoulders as she did so.
“Probably not, but I like the way it sounds.”
Lizzie placed her hands over Eleanor’s and pressed their foreheads together.
“Promise me you’ll be fine?”
Eleanor chuckled.
“You know what mother always says; I was born with the luck and lives of nine cats. I’ll be perfectly fine.”
“I know, I know. I just worry about you. You’re always getting into trouble, and I can never quite seem to get you out of it.”
“Just imagine how bored you be without me. You’d probably be sat at home basket weaving with mother or some such nonsense.”
“Very true.”
Lizzie leant to the side and picked up Eleanor’s sword, presenting it to her.
“Here. I polished it for you earlier.”
Eleanor took the hilt and held the blade up at eye level, gazing down the length.
“Perfect, as always.”
She sheathed the sword before linking arms with Lizzie.
“Shall we get this over with then? I quite fancy going for a spot of lunch in the field afterwards.”