... even for Thidrek. So I sneak out of Queen Audofleda's following, surreptitiously pluck some flowers from the nearby flowerbed and approach the young knight.

He turns and looks at me, and though he is already arming and thus looking as fierce as he can be, he smiles like a child. I love this lad. He takes the flowers carefully. "I shall wear them on my tunic when I am ready, my lady," he says. "So everybody will see I am fighting for you."

I blush. Damn my traitorous cheeks. "You can do only one thing for me," I say brusquely, "and that is NOT GETTING KILLED!"

Then I turn and flee, lest he sees the unworthy fear in my eyes.