My Sparkling Misfortune (The Lakeland Knight) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Laura Lond, Alla Alekseyeva
the lake--and against the big rock I was sitting on before. Yes, you can say "ouch" again.
"Hold it right there, lizard! Leave that man alone."
I looked up. It was the sparkling. He stood between me and the monster, sword raised.
The beast let out a louder growl and swung his paw at my unexpected defender. In the past, that had often been enough to make my bodyguards forget their duties, but the sparkling easily dodged the blow and responded with a series of quick strikes, forcing the beast to step back.
"That was a warning," he said, resuming his stance. "Now, go away, or I will use force for real."
I do not know what shocked me more: that he could fight the monster or that he was fighting it. Didn't I just release him? Not that I had any objections, of course.
The beast's furious roar indicated that he was done playing, too. He threw himself at the sparkling with all his terrible might. The battle that followed defied description, all I could see through the cloud of sand were glimpses of paws, fangs, and flashes of orange sword and hair.
I cannot say how long it lasted, but when the whirl suddenly stopped, I couldn't believe what I saw: the beast was running away. The sparkling actually chased him off!...
"What a bothersome creature. Look at that, he got me all covered with sand." He dusted off his clothes. "That's what I don't like about this world: you always get dirty here... Well, Lord Arkus, do you still say that I'm only good for shining boots?"
I sat up. My head was still spinning from hitting the rock.
"No. And I have changed my mind, I am not releasing you."
I know. It was not nice of me, at all, after he saved my life--something nobody ever cared to do before. But what choice did I have? The monster tracked me down, I needed protection, and this fellow had just proved capable of giving it.
"Remember," I went on, "I said, get out before I change my mind? You didn't. So you have lost your chance. Now you must serve your six years."
He crossed his arms.
"Is this what I get for a thank you?"
"Listen, I'm not trying to be mean here, I have little choice. I do need your help. That monster you chased away... He will be back. And I am in no condition to fight him."
"You mean, run from him."
"All right, yes, if you have to point it out. I can't run from him. Tell you what: I'll knock a year off. Let it be five years, not six. Just to show you that I am not lying."
"Five years of service and not six?"
"Yes. You have my word."
I expected some comment about a villain's word not being worth much, but he said nothing of that sort. He just looked at me with a strange, thoughtful expression, as if trying to evaluate something.
"Very well. I am bound to you for five years."
I knew I was going to regret this stupid generosity, but, oh well. What's done is done.
"Well, are you going to help your injured master or will you stand there like a statue?!"
He stepped closer and easily hauled me upright, offering his shoulder to lean on. I needed it.
"Are you always so irritable?"
"Yes! Get used to it."
"But there's no need to get angry. You could have just said, 'Help me up Tulip,' and I would be happy to do it."
"I will give my orders the way I like. And one more thing: no servant of mine will be named Tulip . I will call you Jarvi."
"Why Jarvi?"
Well... He didn't need to know that. And neither do you.
"Because that's what I want."
∗ ∗ ∗
I could barely walk. The sparkling saw that and offered to use his supernatural powers to take me home. "Home" was out of the question. I did not want to show up looking like this at the inn where I was staying, either, so I ordered him to find a safe place where I could recover.
The sparkling let out a whistle, and in the next moment I found myself in a slowly rolling carriage. I suspect he also did something to make me fall asleep, because normally I wouldn't be able to sleep after an encounter with the monster, especially such a bad one.
I woke up in a
"Hold it right there, lizard! Leave that man alone."
I looked up. It was the sparkling. He stood between me and the monster, sword raised.
The beast let out a louder growl and swung his paw at my unexpected defender. In the past, that had often been enough to make my bodyguards forget their duties, but the sparkling easily dodged the blow and responded with a series of quick strikes, forcing the beast to step back.
"That was a warning," he said, resuming his stance. "Now, go away, or I will use force for real."
I do not know what shocked me more: that he could fight the monster or that he was fighting it. Didn't I just release him? Not that I had any objections, of course.
The beast's furious roar indicated that he was done playing, too. He threw himself at the sparkling with all his terrible might. The battle that followed defied description, all I could see through the cloud of sand were glimpses of paws, fangs, and flashes of orange sword and hair.
I cannot say how long it lasted, but when the whirl suddenly stopped, I couldn't believe what I saw: the beast was running away. The sparkling actually chased him off!...
"What a bothersome creature. Look at that, he got me all covered with sand." He dusted off his clothes. "That's what I don't like about this world: you always get dirty here... Well, Lord Arkus, do you still say that I'm only good for shining boots?"
I sat up. My head was still spinning from hitting the rock.
"No. And I have changed my mind, I am not releasing you."
I know. It was not nice of me, at all, after he saved my life--something nobody ever cared to do before. But what choice did I have? The monster tracked me down, I needed protection, and this fellow had just proved capable of giving it.
"Remember," I went on, "I said, get out before I change my mind? You didn't. So you have lost your chance. Now you must serve your six years."
He crossed his arms.
"Is this what I get for a thank you?"
"Listen, I'm not trying to be mean here, I have little choice. I do need your help. That monster you chased away... He will be back. And I am in no condition to fight him."
"You mean, run from him."
"All right, yes, if you have to point it out. I can't run from him. Tell you what: I'll knock a year off. Let it be five years, not six. Just to show you that I am not lying."
"Five years of service and not six?"
"Yes. You have my word."
I expected some comment about a villain's word not being worth much, but he said nothing of that sort. He just looked at me with a strange, thoughtful expression, as if trying to evaluate something.
"Very well. I am bound to you for five years."
I knew I was going to regret this stupid generosity, but, oh well. What's done is done.
"Well, are you going to help your injured master or will you stand there like a statue?!"
He stepped closer and easily hauled me upright, offering his shoulder to lean on. I needed it.
"Are you always so irritable?"
"Yes! Get used to it."
"But there's no need to get angry. You could have just said, 'Help me up Tulip,' and I would be happy to do it."
"I will give my orders the way I like. And one more thing: no servant of mine will be named Tulip . I will call you Jarvi."
"Why Jarvi?"
Well... He didn't need to know that. And neither do you.
"Because that's what I want."
∗ ∗ ∗
I could barely walk. The sparkling saw that and offered to use his supernatural powers to take me home. "Home" was out of the question. I did not want to show up looking like this at the inn where I was staying, either, so I ordered him to find a safe place where I could recover.
The sparkling let out a whistle, and in the next moment I found myself in a slowly rolling carriage. I suspect he also did something to make me fall asleep, because normally I wouldn't be able to sleep after an encounter with the monster, especially such a bad one.
I woke up in a
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