My Knight in Shining Armor

Back on the shores of Valencia, (but away from the path, out of the way)

Jonathan, Patrick and Val are herded away by a gang of six pirates. Their wrists are bound together by ropes and their belongings have been confiscated by the pirates, including Jonathan’s sword. They are rendered helpless and in a predicament.

“Please tell me again how someone didn’t warn us about the pirates ahead of time?!” Patrick hisses.

“Yeah, well sorry that is, but you snore!” Val snaps back. “Loudly. Like a bear!”

“Do not.”

“Do to!”

“Do not!!”

“DO TO!!”

Val and Patrick stick their tongues out at each other, childishly.

Jonathan sighs in the middle of them. “Would you both shut up? It’s not because of Patrick’s snoring or Val’s incompetence at being my loyal squire.”

“Huh?” Val questions, cocking his head to the side. “What you say about Val?”

“You suck,” Patrick translates.

“No, Patrick, shut up. Let’s not fight here, we have to figure out a way to get out of these ropes and get back to the shores to get to Valencia.”

At that moment, one of the pirates - probably the leader - steps forward and comes up to Patrick. He grabs the blond’s chin roughly. “You’re a pretty little thing aren’t ya?” Patrick attempts to jerk his head free, but the pirate digs his nails into his skin, signaling him to do absolutely nothing.

“Leave him alone!” Jonathan snaps from the side.

The pirate turns to Jonathan with a furious glare. Jonathan narrows his eyes at him, giving the villainous man a stern look. “What did you just say?”

“I said, leave him alone!” Jonathan repeats.

“And you’re his-- what? Boyfriend or something?” the pirate guy snarls. “So, you won’t mind it then, if I do this…?” He reaches one of his hands around and places it on the blond’s butt. “Heh?”

“Get your filthy hands off of me!” Patrick screams, shoving at the pirate, who ignores his wishes and instead squeezes his butt in answer, making Patrick squirm in place. “JONATHAN!!”

“LEAVE. HIM. ALONE!!” Jonathan storms forward and grabs the pirate by his collar and shoves him away from Patrick before he is grabbed by two of the pirates and dragged backward.

Patrick gawks at him, as the brunette is led off. Jonathan has saved him. He smiles, cocking a cute grin, while he is shoved forward. The pirate who groped him, scrambles to his feet and runs ahead to Jonathan. He is obviously the lead pirate...like the Pirate King or something.

They all enter a camp and are forced to sit down on a log bench. The lead pirate turns to them, grinning. “So, ye troublesome folk. What’s a dickheaded knight, his squire and a pretty young Prince doing wandering the shores of Valencia at this time?”

Jonathan lifts up his bound hands. “Allow me to explain.”

“You pushed me, you’re not speaking.”

“Because you groped my ass!” Patrick snaps. “Who does that?”

“I’m establishing power...it’s sort of this “pirate code”. I have to be ruthless.”

“Pirates live in water….in ocean though. Right?” Val attempts to ask.

“Yeah, aren’t you all rulers of the seas? What are you doing kidnapping us - or whatever you would call this - on land?” Jonathan questions. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“First of all, we can do whatever we want, we are the Pirate Lords of the Land and Sea!”

“Right!” the five other pirate men exclaim in unison.

“And I am the Pirate King!”

“Is that so? And you’re stooping to low-levels hitting on Prince Patrick Kane?” Jonathan snaps back, trying to stall them, as he works the ropes around his wrists. He shakes his head in a scolding motion.

“Whoa, whoa, wait Patrick Kane? The prince of Valencia?” the pirate gasps.

Patrick winks. “Patrick Timothy Kane Jr. of Valencia.”

The pirate comes forward to him, studied him and then finally unties his wrists. “Sincerest apologies, kind prince, do forgive me!” He helps Patrick to his feet. “Can I get you anything or do anything?”

The blond turns to Jonathan and Val, who are looking up at him with question and awe. He spins back to the pirate. “Can you release my friends too, we kind of are on a journey?”

Before the Pirate King can move, a bunch of swords cross-cross in front of them all, keeping them at bay. Jonathan and Val are left alone, because they are sitting on the log with their wrists bound before them still.

“So, the noble Prince Patrick Kane of Valencia has wandered from his home, eh?” a new voices sneers. “What luck!”

Patrick gulps at the wicked sounding sneer. He feels himself get grabbed and yanked backward. His wrists are once more bound together and some kind of cloth handkerchief is tied around his head. A longer strand of rope is then wrapped around his arms and elbows, pinning his arms to his front. He struggles and grunts in place, but can’t get free. During the struggle, he finds that two men wearing black hoods are holding him.

“Gemm mof mof mmee!!” Patrick muffles.

Jonathan gets to his feet at once. “I’m Jonathan Toews, a knight and I demand you to release the Prince of Valencia!”

The newcomer steps forward, shoving the pirate to the side, out of his way. “You see I would, noble knight, but having him and his priceless golden hockey puck is much better. Now I can demand a ransom for him!”

“You can’t demand a ransom for him!” Jonathan argues.

“Oh and why not, dear ‘knight’?”

“Because his parents are being held by Queen Taylor! So the only ransom you’ll get is nothing!” Jonathan snaps.

“Riiiiiiiight? And I’m supposed to believe you?”

“Yes. I’m not tricking you, I swear on the grave of my father.”

“See, I don’t know if that’s genuine and besides, I like the idea of holding the Prince captive from ransom still, it turns me on...so...why don’t we leave this little cute pirate hangout here and take you to some place more...evil,” the lead bandit sneers. “Men!?”

The bandits all grab onto Val and Jonathan and exit the camp with their prisoners. They even take the pirates too. Everyone is led to a massive camp in the middle of a forest, behind the pirate camp. It is enclosed by trees and there are a ton of tents set up.

Patrick is dragged over to one of the tents, which is larger than the others. He vanishes inside, while Jonathan and Val are led over to a different tent and shoved inside. They are tied up to a pole inside and set back-to-back and then left alone.

“We have to get Patrick back!” Jonathan says, struggling and desperately pulling at the ropes.

“But how? He no here. We alone,” Val responds.

“We have to get Patrick back! Somehow. Can you slip free of the ropes?”

Val tries to, giving sharp jerks and pulls against the manila wrapped around him. “I can’t.”

“Focus, Val, focus. Come on. We have to get out of these ropes and get to Patrick!” Jonathan exclaims, jerking fiercely at the bonds. Val sighs and joins him in the struggle.


Meanwhile, Patrick is dragged over to a wooden pole and roughly sat down. The long rope is removed from his arms, which are then immediately untied and wrenched behind him, where they are secured once more. He is then bound to the pole, with his arms pinned behind him and around the pole and left in the company of the lead bandit. Patrick kicks and pulls at the ropes restraining him, much to the amusement of the hooded man, who cackles wickedly.

“My dear Prince, you can keep on struggling and kicking, but no one will save you, except maybe your parents if they really love you that much...but for now, you are my prisoner,” the bandit sneers. He squats down and grabs Patrick’s chin in his fingers. His other hand gently combs through the blond’s hair locks. “A very pretty blond prisoner.”

Patrick tries to yank his head free of the hold, but the bandit grips him tighter and keeps his head still. The man then finally removes the material from over Patrick’s mouth. Patrick instantly snaps, “Who are you? Why would you kidnap me?!”

“Because,” the man says with a sly grin, as he looks Patrick up and down. “Who wouldn’t want to kidnap you?”

Patrick kicks at him, but misses, going wide. “Screw you!”

“And as for who I am, it is best you don’t know that.”

“And why’s that? What could it possibly do to you, for me not to know your bloody name?” Patrick demands.

Suddenly another figure enters the tent. The person drops down beside the man, who eyes the newcomer. “How’s the blondie holding up?” The voice is obviously disguised to sound deeper than normal.

“I’m right here!” Patrick shouts. “Tell me who you are!”

The newcomer faces him. “Hmmmm, you’re a bit feisty, which I love personally. I’m Cristina...or Daisy, as the boys call me.” She reaches up and removes her hood. Long curly brown hair floods down her back. She shakes her head and looks at Patrick with fierce brown eyes.

“And I’m Brendon Morrow, this is my sister.” The man finally releases Patrick’s chin and removes his hood with an over-dramatic sigh. He has a short messy crew cut and a pair of equally piercing brown eyes.

Patrick looks at them. “Well, Brendon and Cristina/Daisy, leave me alone and let me go!”

“Perhaps, when the ransom is paid!” Cristina snickers. “If the ransom is paid.”

“My parents are being kept by Queen Taylor, I swear to you. Jonathan was right. You can’t do this!”

Brendon pulls the cloth back up and inserts it back over Patrick’s mouth. He turns to look at Cristina and they both get to their feet.

“So, now what?” the woman asks her brother.

“We have some fun. Let’s get that ransom!” Brendon states with a wink.

“Mm!!” Patrick screams, kicking at the dirt and struggling fiercely.

The two exit the tent, to the shrill muffled cries of Patrick Kane, the damsel in distress.


Jonathan Toews gives one last effort to break the ropes and there is a snapping sound. He pauses, but finds his wrists still bound together. Curiously flummoxed, he attempts to turn, but soon Val crawls over to him, smiling.

“Look Jonny, look what Val did!! I get free!” Val exclaims, cheerily, raising his arms up in front of him to show Jonathan that he is free indeed.

“Good boy Val, help me out, will ya?”

Val nods and unties the knot to the rope around his knight’s wrists and lets him go. Jonathan scrambles over to the flap and peers out. He can spot many hooded bandits briskly walking around. He can also see the Pirate King or the leader of the pirates tied to a tree in the middle of the camp, but not far from their tent.

“What we do, Jonny?” Val asks in a hushed voice from behind him.

Jonathan sits back. “You’re going to get the pirate guy, alright? He freed Patrick and was going to free us, and maybe we can talk him into getting us to Valencia via his boat since all pirates have to have one right? Even land pirates. Then go back to the pirate camp with him. I’m going to go find Patrick and save him. I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay. Sound like plan. I save pirate.”

“Good boy Val, I’ll see you soon buddy, good luck.”

They both make sure the coast is clear and then crawl out and dive behind a tree. Jonathan nods and winks to Val, who just smiles and sneaks closer to where the pirate is. Jonathan peers around his tree and darts to another. He multitasks by listening for Patrick or any clues as to where Patrick can be.

Suddenly, one of the bandits comes towards him, he looks for a place to hide, but dives into the tent and peers out. The bandit walks past the tent and Jonathan catches his breath. He turns around and spots a sword lying on the ground, unused. He snatches it up and then dashes from the tent to another tree.

He makes it a good ten tents from where him and Val had been kept and keeps the sword at ready in his hand. He looks around, before he jumps to another tree, beside a larger tent. He glances around and then ducks inside.

“Patrick!” Jonathan gasps.

Patrick stops struggling and looks at Jonathan with wide blue eyes. Jonathan scrambles over to him and yanks the handkerchief down from his mouth. He then unties Patrick’s wrists and sets him free.

“Jonathan!? How--?”

Jonathan gently slaps his hand over Patrick’s mouth and then holds an index finger to his own lips. “Shh.” He flicks his head to the exit of the tent and Patrick nods. He removes his hand and grabs Patrick’s hand and leads him toward the flap. They launch out of the tent, and are instantly spotted by the bandits.

“THE PRINCE IS ESCAPING!!” one of them, a woman screams.

“Jonathan!” Patrick shrieks.

“Relax Patrick, I’ve got this! Get behind me and stay close!” Jonathan orders.

Patrick does so, as they are surrounded. Jonathan spins the sword in his hand and begins to fend off the bandits. Patrick stays with him, entranced by his fighting skills. Jonathan bravely and exceptionally is able to hold them off and break from the direction of the pirate camp. But before they reach the edge of the woods, Patrick is grabbed by Brendon Morrow, who wrenches one of the blond’s arms behind his back and holds another sword to Patrick’s throat.

“JONATHAN!!” Patrick screams, horrified.

Jonathan pauses.

“Put down the sword, or I’ll slice his pretty little throat open!” Brendon snaps.

Jonathan slowly lowers the sword, glaring at Brendon. The bandit shoves Patrick to the ground, still holding the sword to his neck. Patrick looks at his friend.

“I lowered my sword, now you lower yours. You can’t hurt him, that I know. You can’t hurt a ransom victim.”

Brendon shrugs and removes his sword away from Patrick, who relaxes a little bit. Jonathan seizes the opportunity and rapidly flicks his sword at the bandits, knocking it from his hold and to the side. He kicks Brendon in the chest, sending him stumbling back onto his butt and the ground. Then he snatches Patrick’s hand and they race out of the woods, before Brendon can react or any of the other bandits.

“SON OF A--!” Brendon’s furious voice roars.

Jonathan and Patrick bolt back into the pirate camp, where Val is. Val is sitting on the log, but looks up at them, as they enter.

“You finded him!” Val exclaims.

“No time, Valeri!” Jonathan hisses. “Those bandits will come after us!”

“Brendon Morrow and his sister want me for ransom!” Patrick explains.

They look back in the direction of the forest. Shouting is heard. Val points to the boat that is being pushed into the water. They all race down toward it. They dart onto the ship, which takes them into the water, just as the bandits burst onto the scene. Jonathan and Patrick stand on the deck of the ship looking back at them. They are still holding hands.

“We’re safe,” Jonathan soon remarks, as the bandits on the shore grow to nothing more than tiny microscopic dots in the distance. He drops the sword and turns to Patrick, finding that they are both still holding hands.

Val is to the side, leaning against a support beam for one of the sails. He is grinning at them. Jonathan spots him and the pirates looking at him. He jerks his hand from Patrick’s and shakes his head. Patrick chuckles and blushes, turning to look out at the water.

The Pirate King comes forward, heading toward Jonathan, who is still awkward about holding onto Patrick’s hand. “Now, where were we? Oh yes, sorry about kidnapping you and tying you up, blah, blah, blah, you can have your stuff back and my name’s John Tavares.” He extends his hand out to Jonathan.

Jonathan returns the kind gesture. “Jonathan Toews and that’s my squire, Valeri Nichushkin or Val.”

“Ah, the brave blond Russian kid who saved me, thanks.”

Val dips his head in respect. “It no problem. You nice pirates. And look, now you on sea, so you actually pirates!” He claps his hands together.

John turns to Patrick. “And I apologize for my behavior earlier. I had no idea who you were…I hope I haven’t...”

“It’s okay, John, you are a good pirate and a good childhood friend to me. I’m grateful to you. And to be honest, I like that you’ve become such a bad boy. But maybe watch the groping. Okay, buddy?”

“WHAT??” Val and Jonathan blurt out.

“Oh yeah, John and I are best buds from childhood…” Patrick begins to tell.

“But Patrick grew up to be royalty and the prince of Valencia, while I grew up a poor peasant boy. I would steal my food and everything and soon I left to roam the seas and ended up becoming a pirate. But I would never ever forget Patrick my friend.”

“And I haven’t forgotten you.”

“Okay, I just learn something new about you each day, Prince Patrick. You are a book of secrets.” Jonathan takes Patrick’s hand in his again. “Can I speak to you up on the upper deck, please?”

“Sure.”

John bows and lets them go up to the seclusion of the deck. They both sit down on barrels, and look out at the sea in front of them. In the distance, to the left of them is the land of Valencia. Jonathan looks at Patrick, who is taking in the wind and pleasures of his life. The knight can’t help but feel something...almost like...a loving concern.

“Patrick, I--”

“No, Jonathan, can I tell you something?” Patrick says, turning to him with soft blue eyes that sparkle in the sunlight.

“Alright.”

“You are the most rude and physically exhausting knight I have ever had the pleasure to know. And also just disgusting and stubborn...but...you are also caring and brave and I just wanted to say thanks.”

“For what?”

“For saving me back there. I know you’re not my knight in shining armor, but still.”

“Oh, Patrick...I know that I haven’t been the easiest person to get along with and I may still care for Tyler and want him, but thank you for dragging me on this quest.”

Patrick smiles and pats Jonathan on the shoulder. “Well, it’s almost sundown and we’re almost to Valencia. I hope you and Tyler the best and I’m glad that I got to know you. You’re a good man...a good knight and Val too!”

Jonathan finds his hand intertwining in Patrick’s again, but this time he lets it and he gazes into Patrick’s gorgeous baby blues, while Patrick looks into his chocolate ones. They lean closer to each other, looking like they are about to kiss, before Val and John race up to them. They jerk back and look at them.

“Sorry to interrupt, but we’ll be docking in Valencia’s shores in a few minutes.”

“Thanks John,” Patrick exclaims. He gets to his feet and follows John back down to the main deck.

Val remains with Jonathan, grinning largely. Jonathan whacks him in the stomach. “Knock it off Russian.”

They go down to join Patrick and the pirates. Patrick and Jonathan keep sharing looks with one another, before the ship docks and Patrick bids farewell to his pirate friend John Tavares. Then they walk down the wooden dock and into Valencia.

Notes

Valeri <3
Haha, welcome John Tavares to this weird adventure! Tavy's Kaner's buddy!!!! :)
lol Brendon Morrow is the lead bandit. XP


Next up: Arriving to Valencia and more Kazer