Honorary Knighthood

     Rewinding back a couple days would explain Frostbite's reluctance to defying the queen's plans of overworld domination. 

 

     - - -

 

     It had been a wonderful day so far, and though the pachy was well-used to being on her own - indeed, she would have preferred it not but a month ago - she was finding she missed the presence of the little tapejara, for today the little fellow was not to be seen. Off on a mission for the iguanodons like as not. Thusly, the young pachy had the whole day to herself. Once that prospect would have had her rejoicing... now she was just trying to ignore the fact that she actually felt lonely. 

 

     Not even busying herself with chore after chore from the guards and subjects could wipe away that altogether unusual feeling. 

 

     With a snort of consternation, Frostbite spat out the thick frond she'd been using to sweep the colorful mosaiced floor, and picked up a bucket handle in her muzzle. One room done... three more to go. She passed through the doorway, down the hall, and into another room, this one also open to the sunlight... or... well, not-sunlight. Whatever it was up there that looked like the sun's rays, and acted like them.

 

     She had just set down the bucket and was in the process of returning for the frond when a very official-looking Oviraptor popped in with a chitter and a flare of feathers. With wings aquiver with excitement, the little Ovi bowed, "The court requests your presence," he squawked proudly, before strutting from the room. 

 

     The frond dropped to the floor. The Court......? Her? How... why in the world... would they ever want to see her?!

 

     Apprehensive, the pachy followed. 

 

     It was a fair distance to the court, and with every step, the pachy grew that more nervous. Did she... do something wrong? She didn't! At least, she didn't think she did... but what if she did... 

 

     And so she went around and around, working her mind up into a right frazzle. Frazzled it still was when there, before them, stood the great ornamented doors that shielded the courtroom. Frostbite could feel her heartbeat pounding in her ear-canals, deafening it was, and very much unhelpful.

 

     With a flourish, the oviraptor sang out a cry, and the huge doors swung open. 

 

     Inside, Frostbite could see two rows of various Atlantian inhabitants, one on either side of the walkway. Far at the end of the room, stood a huge, scarred Iguanodon. Heavily muscled from a life of hard grueling training he was.... and it was all Frostbite could do to comply when she was bidden to step forward. 

 

     Frost wasn't used to this - to being the center of attention. Nor was she used to feeling fear. She could star down a carno without twitching, and an angry dace only made her chuckle... but now? Here? Alone? Scared spitless. Though to look at her, thankfully, one would never know..... unless they had good enough ears to hear a heartbeat.

 

     Slowly, painfully aware that every singe eye in the massive room was locked on her, Frostbite advanced down the middle of the room towards the waiting Iguanodon. As she crossed the middle point, somewhere an Oviraptor hooted, and that sound triggered a trickle, then a waterfall of like calls. Frostbite had to for a moment to process -  wait.... now wait just one darn minute. What... even was going on here?

 

     The cries grew louder as Frost continued to the end, and climbed the first few steps up to the huge guard. He wasn't smiling, but she could tell there was something akin to pride in his eyes. Approval even. 

 

     The Oviraptor from earlier hopped up to the highest step beside the great knight, fluffed it's feathers, and proclaimed, "Frostbite, pachycephalosaurus from the Surface World, the court has seen your efforts to serve us - from the mundane of mops and buckets, to helping repair the great main dome itself!"

 

     The pachy's eyes went wide. Hold everything. This looked like a ceremony. The knights that lined the room.... the subjects of the court arrayed in their finest.... 

 

     The Ovi continued, "The court has even witnessed the very boulders give way before your mighty skull!"

 

     The last thing Frostbite needed was a big head, but that's exactly what she was starting to get here. A part of her knew better than to let all this go right her her already oversized dome, but... well, why not get lost in the moment, she thought. All nervousness now gone, the pachy straightened her spine, arched her neck, and puffed out her chest juuuust a bit. 

 

     "You even fought back a thorn-backed Dacentrurus who dared defy our mighty queen, a beast several times your size!"

 

     Ah, yes, she had indeed; but... well, the beast was being a big jerk, all things considered. And that was putting it mildly to boot. To be honest there, the court hadn't even crossed her mind then, no matter what the stegosaurid said about it or the queen. It was the fact that it had been bullying and threatening Melorin that set Frostbite right off. And oh, did she go OFF. Sure, she wasn't even full grown yet, but that fact had given her a massive advantage in agility. She had been able to dodge the huge sweeping thagomizer, and counterstrike the beast's limbs with her exceptionally hard headbutts. It was very satisfying to see the big brute limping away.

 

     "And so," the raptor paused and let the moment lengthen suspensefully, "It doth please the court to reward thee! For valor, for honor, and for your service to this great court and it's Queen!"

 

     The iguanodon knight, who had until then hadn't made so much as a twitch, then lifted his head and roared. All the other subjects in the room mirrored the call. He then stepped close to the Pachy and bowed his head til the sharp ridge on his helm armor lightly set upon her shoulder. 

 

     "You are now christened a Honorary Knight of the Queen! Hark ye all, and hail Frostbite, Honor Guard of the Queen!"