Robin Many Feathers

Chapter 3

The King decided to return to the castle rather than continue the hunting trip. While no game or trophy's had been gained on this outing, Garth decided that keeping the 'prize' that he had acquired was more important. He had seen the nervousness and skittishness of the newest member of their party and did not want to take the chance that Robin might disappear back into the forest.

The trip back was quiet for the most part. Several of the hunting party were curious about their new member, while others resented his presence. Roy was especially curious as several factors about the boy did not make sense. When Roy had been chasing Robin through the forest, he had seemed older and stronger than the youngster they had bagged. If left to his own devices, Robin had a neat seat and easily rode his horse and kept aware of his surroundings. He had neatly maneuvered his mount in between Wally's and the hornets nest when he had seen Wally's horse start reacting to the buzzing insects. But the moment anyone commented upon it or watched him a little too long, the confidence was gone. Awkward, gangly, head down and blundering became the norm. Roy was very puzzled. And very, very curious. There was something odd about this new bird, and Roy felt a need to find out, if only to protect their king.

When the party returned to the Castle of Atlantan, there was the normal chaos and confusion that accompanied such a return. Amidst the horses, servants, guards and courtiers come to find out about the early return; Robin became lost in the shuffle.

Backing up against a wall of the bailey, Robin was amazed at the smell, the noise and most of all, the people. Even when he lived in Haly, he had never been surrounded by so many people. In the Laughing Kingdom, he had been isolated and kept apart. He flinched back and looked for a safe place to go away from the bustling crowds. Robin almost startled out of his skin when he felt a light touch upon his arm.

"Whoa! Sorry about that, didn't mean to startle you." Robin looked up into the blue eyes of Roy. "You seemed pretty skittish with all these people around, I didn't want to lose you now that we've got you here." He smiled down at the young boy in front of him. For some reason, the youngster seemed awfully familiar… Roy shook his head. He would have time to peruse this puzzle later. He took Robin by the arm and escorted him across the bailey. "Why don't we find you a place to sleep and work that you're good at? I think we'd both be happier away from this madhouse." Robin went with Roy easily, thankful for an escape. Neither one noticed purple eyes following their hasty departure.

Quarters were found for Robin in the loft of the stables and he seemed very content to work as a stable hand and in the Mews with the hunting birds for the castle.

The days seem to fly by as Robin worked around the horses and birds and settled into his new environment. As the newest addition to the household, Robin was assigned to the nastier tasks associated with the animals but was content as it kept him out of sight and mostly forgotten. There were times when wished he could have remained in the forest and thought of going back to its deep silences, but then he would not longer be around King Garth. The young king had truly captured Dick's affection and imagination. The man was handsome, strong, and gentle. No member of his household was too lowly for Garth to spend time with. He inquired after all and made sure needs were met. A true monarch of diplomacy and good will.

And a monarch who was unmarried. It seemed that everyone in the kingdom, from Garth's advisors down to the stable boys thought he should be married. It would make for a more stable government. The king would be happier. It could create an alliance with another kingdom. All sound reasons for the king to be married. There was one stable boy, however, that did not want to see the king married. At least, not yet. Dick had day dreams of telling Garth who he really was. Or showing up on a charger and sweeping the handsome man off his feet. Or at least being able to say hello without stumbling over his own words. Dick shook his head and sighed. By the time he could possibly do anything about it, Garth would be happily married to some young stud and Dick would probably end up married to a shrieking harridan in the name of alliance. Maybe he would be better off staying in the stables of Atlantan. At least here, he had a feast for his eyes and fuel for his fantasies.

The married status of King Garth, or lack there of, was given long and serious thought by the advisors of his council. It was decided that the kingdom would hold a series of competitions and tournaments during the day and feasts and dancing held during the night in honor of the winners of the competitions for three days. Out of the competitors and participants, King Garth would choose a consort.

Invitations went out all across the Kingdom of Atlantan and into neighboring kingdoms as well. Nobles, knights, ladies and the common folk from all over flocked to Atlantan. Many came to compete and to try and win the right to sit at the young king's side. Others hoped to form alliances and seal partnerships. It was one of the largest events in the history of the area and would be a grand memory for many people.

The morning of the first competitions arose bright and full of promise. Robin got up full of excitement and nervous energy. He had made a bargain with one of the other stable boys. In return for taking the other boy's night duties, Robin was free to 'watch' the competitions during the day. As soon as Robin saw Mic, he flew out the door. Finding a quiet unobtrusive corner, Dick cleaned himself up, put on the tunic and hose of Undermoutain, and the green Mask of Forests. The cape of feathers was packed away and the crystal rope rode lightly on Dick's hip as he went to join the competitions.

Dick reveled in the competitions. To him, the movement of limbs, the strain of muscle, the sheer joy motion, caused him to laugh out loud. Many people, competitors and spectators alike, were amazed by the mysterious young man in the green mask. He was always courteous and pleasant to the other contestants and did not boast or brag when he won many of the competitions. Those that competed against him said you could hear the wind from the mountain tops and smell the pines that lay deep in the old forests. The young man was grace in motion, power caged in the body of an Adonis. And after the first of the competitions involving teamwork, he had no end of volunteers to be on his team.

The Master of the Hunt, Roy, was in charge of the competitions. His word was law upon the field and all deferred to his rulings. Roy ran the games fairly, and was known for his equal treatment of commoner and noble alike. His eyes narrowed in thought and concentration whenever the lithe form in deep black came into range of his sight. He knew that man. The masked figure moved in ways that tickled memories deep in Roy's mind. He had seen him before, but where? Roy kept sharp watch on all the contestants, but always watched the masked figure a little longer. Word of the masked young man spread.

Wally worked his way rapidly through the crowd to get to Garth's side. Excited, he could barely contain himself as Garth finished congratulating a knight upon his triumph on the jousting field. His words tumbled over themselves as he started pulling Garth towards the competition fields. "Garth! You'vegottocomeseethis! He'sfantastic! Unbelievablygood! Hemayberightupyouralley! C'mon,c'mon,c'mon! Garth laughed and let himself be led along by his hyper friend, trying to get Wally to slow down so he could actually decipher what the redhead was saying. His words were lost when he looked over the competition field and saw the handsome young man in black.

The competition was an obstacle course. Who ever could get over, around or under the walls, pits and small buildings the fastest, would win. There were three heats left. Two were comprised of the winners of the previous races and the last one would be the final between the two winners. Many of the men and women scrambled, ducked and clawed their way through the obstacles, taking the path of least resistance, eye always on the prize. The young man in black seemed to fly through the course. Where others would leap, he would gracefully arc through the air, twisting and somersaulting. Where others would go around, he would go up, laughing in joy as the sun glinted off his black hair. It was wonder and grace to see him moving over the course. It was not surprising that he won.

The final race was between the masked, young man and a pretty, black haired woman named Donna. The two contestants readied themselves at the starting line, looking over the field and eyeing each other.

Donna was amazed by the young man next to her. He was a fantastic competitor and a gentleman to boot. She hoped to win this race and catch the eye of the Master of the Hunt. If she had her way, there would be more than one marriage to come out of these three days. A soft, quiet voice interrupted her thoughts. "Would you care for the left side or the right? The master of the hunt will be standing on the right, but the rope over the third pit is starting to fray out on that side." The young man standing next to her had been quiet through most of the day except for courtesies and occasional laughter of pure happiness at whatever he was doing. Donna looked at him thoughtfully, trying to see past the mask, getting caught in the heady feel of distant mountains and forests. "If it's alright with you, I'll take the right side." The young man moved to the left, leaving her room on her chosen side. "Please be careful of the rope. It would be awful if something happened this late in the game." Donna smiled and blushed. If she had not already set her sights on the redheaded huntsman…

The race between the two was one of the most exciting competitions of the day. The two stayed dead even for the first part of the course, bounding and leaping over the obstacles as if gravity had renounced its hold upon their forms. In the second half of the course, Donna slowly started to pull ahead of the masked man. She was bound and determined to win the competition. In her determination, she forgot the frayed rope. She remembered just as it snapped and she began falling towards the rocks thirty feet below.

Dick saw the rope break, he saw the horror and anguish in both Donna's and Roy's eyes as she plummeted toward the ground, gravity reasserting its control. Dick put on a burst of speed, leaped, twisted and somersaulted, gaining more momentum. Flicking out his crystal rope, It twisted and grabbed at the dangling length of rope left of the right side. Dick dived down, the crystal flashing and lengthening in the afternoon light. Dick hurtled down and passed Donna as if to beat her in a sad game of death. Just at the bottom of his dive, Dicks swing curved back up, as fast as his downward spiral had gone. Hanging on to the rope with one hand, he snagged the lovely brunette around the waist and using both of their momentum to twist and land on the other side of the pit. The crystal rope loosened and coiled back at Dick's hip as he set Donna down gently. Her face was pale but her eyes were filled with astonishment. "How did you…"

"Shall we finish the race, my lady?" Dick bowed and waved a hand to the rest of the course. "Your red haired conquest, awaits!" Donna grinned at the man who had just saved her from massive injury if not her life. The race was on. Dick beat Donna by a hairsbreadth. If he had not somersaulted and flew across the finish line, Donna would have had the race. Donna fumed over this until she realized that the Master of the Hunt would be awarding second place. The king would be awarding the first place prizes. Donna decided she didn't mind losing so much after all. She looked over at the dark haired man that had saved her. Did he just wink at her?

Dick was happy for Donna. He had been watching her catch Roy's eye, courting him as only a warrior can, with physical prowess and ability. By the second competition, Roy appeared to be head over heels. Dick grinned. It had been fun helping someone gain their heart's desire. The group that Dick had been standing with had dwindled as awards and prizes for the day's competition had been handed out. He had watched with glee as Donna boldly took her gold from the Master of the Hunt and then took Roy in a deep kiss of passion. The spectators had applauded and whooped much to Roy's embarrassment. He did not let the stunning brunette leave his side however.

Dick was startled when he felt a nudge from behind. Turning to the man who had pushed him, he got a smile and another push. "You need to go up there. They're waiting on you." With another nudge, Dick started up the steps to the small pavilion where they had been handing out the prizes. Dick came to a halt next to the herald who had been calling out the triumphs of the men and women who had competed that day. "THE WINNER OF THE MOST COMPETITONS IN A SINGLE DAY AND SAVING THE LIFE OF A FELLOW COMPETITOR!" Dick was stunned. He had won so many? He felt another nudge. The herald who had made the announcement was pushing him forward. "You need to go accept your reward." The herald nodded toward the other side of the pavilion. Dick shrugged, walked over and looked into purple eyes. Dick wasn't sure if he'd blanked that king Garth would be handing out the prizes or just hadn't considered the fact that he had won. He did know that this close, the king was even more handsome than he remembered.

Garth was pleasantly surprised. The young man was astounding. He had watched him in the obstacle course and been amazed at his strength and agility. That he had saved the life of his fellow competitor showed a nobility of spirit. That he was this good looking was a bonus. To see the flash of surprise and heat in the masked man's eyes did wonderful things to Garths ego. And other areas.

"Congratulations. From what I understand, your performance during the competitions was astounding. I'm sorry I only caught the last one." Garth looked into the deep blue eyes of the young man before him. They were of a height and it would not take much to step forward and find out if those lips were as firm and inviting as they looked.

"Um, thank you, your highness." Dick was lost in those purple eyes. He had not expected to see them so close ever again. He felt heat flush through his body. Garth was looking at him in a way that made him nervous and excited all at once.

"…attending the ball, won't you?" Dick shook his head. He had been so lost in that amethyst gaze he had lost the thread of the conversation.

"I'm sorry, your highness. What was that again?" Dick blushed at his own statement.

Garth's inner glee heightened. The Adonis before him seemed just as besotted as he was.

"I was hoping to see you tonight at dinner and the ball. You will becoming won't you… What is your name? I don't think I've heard anyone call your name yet."

Dick felt as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold river water over his head. Dinner? Ball? Oh crap, a name? Dick took a step back, a bit of panic creeping through the haze of lust and attraction that he had been swimming in.

"N-name. Yes, I have one. It's, um…" Garth waited patiently as the handsome man stumbled over the simple question, amusement gracing his features.

"Nightwing! Yeah, that's it. Nightwing." Dick abruptly remembered the formality that had been drilled into him since he was a child and bowed to the king. "My apologies, your majesty, for forgetting my manners. It is an honor to meet you again, and to receive such praise and gifts from yourself." Dick bowed again to the king and started to leave.

"Wait. Nightwing, you haven't answered my question." The young king stopped Dick in his tracks. "Will you be attending the evening's festivities? Again? We've met before? If so, I would like to become better acquainted." Garth took several steps towards Nightwing, hoping to keep him from departing. Planning to keep him by his side for the rest of the night and find out who this mystifying young man was.

"Well, your highness, it's like this…" Dick was slowly edging away even as the handsome king kept advancing. Dick couldn't go to the evening celebrations; he had to take care of the horses! And he didn't have a thing to wear. Wait. He didn't just - no. But he really didn't. Either as Nightwing, or anyone else. Dick hopped off the back of the pavilion and looked up into Garth's face. "… I have to go. I'm sorry."

Dick slipped away into the lengthening shadows, leaving a puzzled and slightly frustrated young king behind.

Dick quickly found a sheltered spot and changed back into his normal clothes and The Cloak of Many Feathers. Mic was waiting impatiently for Robin and left as soon as he had brought Robin up to speed on what was going on in the stables.

The stables were busy with extra horses and carriages as many nobles and dignitaries were visiting for the evening events. Robin had his hands full finding stalls and space for everything and all the horses, but soon the horses were settled, the nobles dancing at the and everything was quiet and peaceful in the stables. He could hear the music and laughter from the main castle. He would have loved to have gone and maybe spoken with the king again, but he had promised to watch the stables. But there was no reason why he couldn't enjoy himself while doing so…

Garth was bored and irritated. The evening's entertainment was going off without a hitch. Everyone was enjoying themselves, and the kingdom was prospering in alliances and partnerships. Couples were pairing off and love seemed to be flowing through the air. Roy had yet to have that young amazon leave his side. Garth himself had been courted, praised, flirted with and groped once to his astonishment. The groper was summarily ejected from the castle grounds. But the one person he had wanted to show up, had not. He had hoped to see a handsome head of dark hair and deep blue eyes, sans mask, come find him and talk with him. Amongst other things.

Garth slipped out onto one of the balconies that overlooked the castle grounds. He took a deep breath of the cool night air and looked out at star studded sky. Garth lost himself in the constellations until he saw a flash of light off to his left. Puzzled, Garth looked in the direction of the out buildings, straining to see a candle or a lantern held in a servant's hand and bobbing along on some task. He saw the flash of light again, from the upper windows of the stables. It was not the steady light of a lantern or the weaker flicker of a candle. It was as if someone had taken light, encased it in a diamond and then released it to flash and wink like a kaleidoscope. In his stables. On the dark balcony, Garth felt a breeze caress his face and neck, bringing with it the light sounds of laughter. It too, seemed to becoming from the stables.

Someone was having a better time than he was in a ruder environment than his. Garth's curiosity was piqued. He was going to find the source of the light and laughter.

Return to Robin Many Feathers