🕸 III 🕸

Dagger tossing? I never heard of such a sport. Ax throwing and darts were a popular pastime amongst the common folks. Throwing daggers seemed more suited with assassins and brigands.

But here were the noble Longropers ready to engage in a friendly sport of throwing daggers at a target.

It was all rather ridiculous yet the excitement overwhelmed me.

I salivated at the thought of seeing my dark angel in action. Lurkson was outwardly dark and delicious and his brain proved to house a wondrous and interesting personality. But what was the extent of his physical capabilities?

The target range was outside and in the backyard which seemed to stretch for several yards. The Duke sat in an armchair and was surrounded by a harem of attractive maids. One maid held an umbrella over the Duke to keep the sun off him.

Maggy stood with our maids behind her. One maid was at her side with an umbrella and shading her from the sun. I stepped to Maggy’s free side as Lurkson approached his brother. The Earl had his suit coat off and rolled up his sleeves. Lurkson did the same and I admired his ashen skin.

Maggy said words to me as I drooled over my Lurkson. It was not until she poked me that I paid her any attention. She looked rather stern but curious.

“You seem to be taking a liking to that boy,” commented Maggy.

“Oh, yes, he is positively dreadful,” I said.

“We have barely been here for an hour and you're already smitten with him?” critiqued Maggy.

“‘Smitten’ is such an adolescent term,” I said with my head held high. “‘Lustful’ would be more accurate. Mmm, and ‘thirty’ too.”

“Oh, so it is purely physical attraction then?” asked Maggy.

“Mmm, that is a given but there is something more happening between myself and Lurkson,” I explained. “I cannot quite put my finger on it. Words fail me because I had never felt this way before. It is a deliciously dreadful sensation.”

“Wish my prospect was like that,” said Maggy. She then whispered in my ear. “The Earl is handsome and strong, yes, but his personality leaves much to be desired. He is the most dull nobleman I have ever been paired with.”

“My condolences, dear Maggy,” I said.

And I did mean it. A good man was close to impossible to find. And I had my eyes set on the impossibility before me that was Lurkson Longroper.

An array of knives and daggers were stored atop a stand. The Earl went first and he took his time aiming. His throw was rather boorish and lacked finesse. He did hit the bullseye in the center though and we all applauded.

All but Lurkson, who tossed a dagger in his hand eagerly.

“Good show, Alberto,” said the Duke. “You are up, Lurkson.”

The Earl and Lurkson traded positions. Lurkson had the dagger by the handle and held it straight in front of him. He only took a few seconds to aim. His movements were so elegant that it was like watching a vulture take flight.

The dagger sang as it flew and it hit the target in less travel time then the Earl’s first toss. The dagger hit the bullseye and bore deep into the wood. And it struck the target with such terrifying force that the Earl’s dagger was dislodged from its place.

Everyone was too in shock to react. All but the Duke who laughed heartily.

“Ha-ha! Looks like good Lurkson is not holding back today,” said the Duke. “He would make a fine soldier, if not for his eccentricities.”

“It would seem your brother is not playing around, Earl Longroper,” said Maggy. She then nudged me with a smile. “Perhaps he wishes to take this competition seriously?”

“Yes, well, Lurkson has a habit of being inconsistent,” explained the Earl. “And he lacks a serious bone in his body.”

“Earl Alberto Raphael Longroper, I am a woman who takes all matters very seriously,” said Maggy. “Please refrain from making any excuses for your shortcomings and show me that you can overcome any obstacle.”

I gazed at Maggy in awe. She was provoking the Earl. And it was working. Lurkson did not say a word as the Earl challenged him to a twelve round match.

Lurkson accepted the challenge and gave me a wink.

And so the daggers flew!

🕷

The Earl was no pushover. With each dagger, he hit his mark and with incredible accuracy. He proved to be a capable opponent against Lurkson.

However, Lurkson was a force to be wrecked with. The Earl threw his next four daggers all around Lurkson’s first. But Lurkson threw his second dagger into the hilt of his first. Each dagger bounced off Lurkson’s first with such force that his first dagger bore deeper and deeper into the target.

And each time Lurkson’s first dagger bore deeper into the target, another one of the Earl’s daggers was thrown from its place. After Lurkson’s fifth dagger hit his first, the target was split in half.

A new target was placed and the Duke changed the rules of the game. For the next six dagger, the Duke would declare a potion on the target and the thrower was to hit the mark declared. The Duke used directionals and numbered the circular marks of the target.

“Alberto, south on mark five,” declared the Duke.

The Earl hit his mark with a few degrees off to the east.

“Lurkson, northwest on mark four,” said the Duke.

Lurkson threw seconds after the Duke’s instructions and hit his mark without any error.

And that is how the game played out. The Earl’s performance was admirable but Lurkson was something else. His power and accuracy could not be matched.

The final daggers were to be thrown as close to the bullseye as possible. But the Duke ordered that the target be moved further away. The maids moved the target so far that it was impossible for me to see the different marks.

The Earl went first. He took his time and steadied his aim. He threw his dagger with enough force for it to reach the target. And he struck the bullseye.

A maid stood by the target to declare the position. “It is slightly north but it is within the bullseye,” she shouted before taking cover by a nearby tree.

The Earl was smug about it outwardly but said nothing. Lurkson ignored his brother and took his position like a calm before a storm. He then fell into a meditative state and his body went limp. He then threw his dagger with such horrid force that a gust of wind birthed from the release.

There was a loud thud as the dagger hit the mark. And it was in the bullseye. A maid approached the target and declared that the dagger was right at the center. We all approached the target to see with our own eyes.

Lurkson’s final dagger was indeed closer than the Earl’s dagger. The brothers shook hands and Maggy took it upon herself to complement the Earl for his efforts. And I slowly walked back to the manor with the victor, Lurkson.

“That was dreadfully stimulating,” I said.

Lurkson was sweating and seemed very pleased. “Horridly happy to hear that.”

“I have been to circuses where the assistant is tied on a target and the master throws daggers at her,” I said with a not-so-subtle eagerness to try such a thing.

“Mmm, another activity for us to put on our agenda,” said Lurkson with a teasing smile.

We approached the stand still filled with daggers. I pouted with mild disappointment but with our families present, such a daredevil activity would have to wait when we could be alone. I then looked up and saw something very entertaining.

“Oh, look, buzzards,” I pointed out. “They must have smelled the dead bird we played with before.”

“Yes, they hang about in the old abandoned barn not far from here,” said Lurkson. “The previous owners used to grow hops. I have considered purchasing the fields to grow my own crops.”

I looked at the daggers on the stand and smiled. “Perhaps I could offer you an investment in exchange for a bit of entertainment?”

“You would like for me to use my talent on the moving targets above us?” asked Lurkson.

“And with the wretched sun above, it will make it all the more challenging,” I said.

Lurkson licked his lips and said, “I accept your challenge however, I am not interested in monetary gain.”

“How about—” I had to think for a moment. I was not prepared to offer any reward since the game was so spontaneous. “I shall lift my skirt up with every dagger you throw upwards.”

“And if I hit my mark?” asked Lurkson.

“Mmm, you take me . . . to your library,” I said with an intentional pause.

Lurkson quivered then grabbed a dagger. He threw upwards and I raised my skirt but only a little. And so Lurkson gathered daggers and commenced launching them into the sky.

With each throw, I inched my skirt up more and more. Lurkson did little aiming and threw with all his might. But he was not as elegant as he was during the match with the Earl.

It was as if he was possessed.

One of the maids screamed, “Master Lurkson is throwing daggers in the air again.”

The Duke and the Earl shouted at Lurkson to stop. This went on for a whole minute until he held the very last dagger available and threw it with all his might. And with that final dagger he hit his mark.

“Gawh!” cried out one of the buzzards as it fell from the sky. Daggers rained down around us and I could not help but spread my arms out and spin. I hoped one of the daggers would strike me in the heart.

To parish in such dark and wondrous ecstasy would have been so very dreadful!

Our families were not amused and took shelter under the manor’s alcoves. They did not emerge until all the daggers had hit the ground. The strikened buzzard landed in the Duke’s armchair. It relieved itself upon impact.

I knew Maggy would blame me for the incident but it was such dreadfully good fun.

🕷

“What on earth were you thinking provoking that boy? Seriously, Gothia! We are guests and you are acting like some temptress hell bent on causing trouble. And another thing—”

I went deaf to Maggy’s shouting as we stood in private. She pulled me aside to the entrance of a hedge maze. I could not help but wish to get lost in that maze with Lurkson.

“Honestly! You are making this whole thing far more difficult than it needs to be,” said Maggy.

“Yes, Lady Maggy,” I said.

“Why must you be so difficult?” asked Maggy. “You have been mischievous but you never misbehaved like this in all the other meetings.”

“That’s because I never had a Lurkson during those outings,” I said.

“I am very tempted to forbid you from being near that boy anymore,” said Maggy as she crossed her arms and turned away from me.

I then grinned wickedly. “Oh? Then I shall remain by your side as you awkwardly handle being around such a dull suitor.”

Maggy opened one eye and glared at me over her shoulder. “When you put it like that, Gothia, you leave me no choice. Very well, you can continue to interact with that Lurkson but not alone.”

“One of our maids then?” I asked.

I was on friendly terms with our maids. Some of them were secret admirers of Maggy’s and confided in me with their feelings. It would be simple to ask one of them to look the other way, while Lurkson and I continue our fun.

“No, not one of our maids,” said Maggy as if she was wise to my ruse. “I will inquire with the Earl of a suitable maid amongst the Longroper staff who will tolerate yours and Lurkson's eccentricities.”

There was that word again. A simple usage of “odd” or “weird” would suffice. But all the nobility wanted to sound intelligent. And the longer the word the more intelligent the simple fools believed themselves to be.

Such dreadfulness made me want to puke!

Maggy then finished nagging me and she set out to find a suitable chaperon for Lurkson and I. Our families reunited at the target range again. Lurkson too was lectured though he was allowed to spend time with me as well.

I stood with Lurkson as the Duke, the Earl, and Maggy debated on which servant would be our watchdog. Their choice was the same maid that fetched Lurkson and myself from the garden. Lurkson quietly grinned as the maid approached us.

“Greetings, Madame Vineharth, allow me to properly introduce myself,” introduced the maid as she curtsied and bowed. “I am Miss Raven Easter and I will be your escort with Master Lurkson.”

There was a carefree air about her I found welcoming. She was very plain looking with brown hair and an unremarkable face. Her body type was appealing but nothing about her figure stood out. Miss Easter’s skin was tan and her cheeks were rosy.

She wore her white and black uniform with dignity and grace yet I could sense it was a disguise. She had the history in her eyes that suggested an interesting life before becoming a maid. A woman who intentionally wishes to not stand out with such eyes was most interesting to me.

“Where would you like to explore next, Madame Vineharth?” asked Miss Easter.

“You may call me Gothia,” I ordered. “And I wish to explore the hedge maze.”

She bowed and said, “Very well, Madame Gothia.”

“No, no need for the—oh, nevermind,” I said.

My title was more of a formality. But Miss Easter was a servant and was obligated to address us appropriately. And I was the daughter of nobility and I had to accept the etiquette and traditions, despite my feelings towards all that nonsense.

“Thank you for chaperoning us, Miss Easter,” said Lurkson with a smile.

“Of course, it is my pleasure, Master Lurkson,” said Miss Easter as she bowed and winked.

I sensed that Lurkson and Miss Easter had a strong connection. I followed Lurkson to the hedge maze with Miss Easter following behind us. I looked back at her and she flashed a little smile.

Did I have a rival for my Lurkson’s heart?

🕷