the Knight's charge

I follow Princess Virina, as she leads me down the halls. When I’d asked to speak with her in private I thought we could talk in one of the empty rooms nearby, but she seems intent on another location. I just want to get this over with, the nerves have my stomach in knots.

Finally, we end up outside in the royal gardens. A sweet floral scent wafts through the air, as my eyes sweep across the fancy shrubbery. Most of the bushes were artfully trimmed into animal forms, wolves more often than not. The reason Princess Irellia never stepped foot here.

Still, I wonder if any of the lovely blooms would cheer her? My gaze lands on the bright yellow daffodils, I’m sure I could find some of those in town. I decide that I’ll surprise her with some, once I’m done here.

“Sir, Jaron?” The third youngest Princess calls sweetly, I look at her and she smiles almost eagerly. “What is it you wanted to talk about?”

My stomach tightens as I take a steadying breath, I know this can only go one of two ways. “It’s about the betrothal.” 

She frowns, her voice seems to take on a slight edge as she asks. “What about it?”

“I want to stop it.” I almost say ‘obviously’, but I catch myself and move on. “I think you can help me- help Irellia.”

“How in the world could I stop it?” I’m startled by the anger I see flash on her face, but it disappears quickly as she continues. “I have talked to Father, he is set on fulfilling the pact. I do not blame him, the goblins are terrible little creatures.”

I’ve never heard her say this before, she’s always been on her sister’s side. My hopes diminish, but even so I need to try. “The pact states ‘the youngest’ will marry into the pack, but why must it be so? If another Princess agrees to marry in Irellia’s place-“

“You want me to marry a Wolf-Man!?” Her expression morph’s into one of disgust, her eyes darkening with some emotion I can’t quite identify, until she speaks again. “I thought you loved me.”

She seems to be waiting for a reply, but the heat of her garnet gaze seems to have stolen my voice. I just stand there, staring at her as she watches me. The silence seems to last forever, but then she suddenly closes the distance between us. Her arms wind around my neck, lips meeting mine soon after.

I shove her back. “What are you doing?” My hand rises, unconsciously wiping away her taste. “I’m in love with Irellia!” 

We stare at one another, my face feels hot though I imagine it can’t be any redder than hers. But hers was colored with anger, eyes stabbing into me like knives. I can’t believe this is the same adoring sister I had come to know, her always pleasant smile now seems like a dream I’d conjured up.

Her scowl deepens, disdain flooding her voice when she finally speaks. “Why?” She steps back, raising her hands to her chest. “Why do you love her instead of me?”

“I…” I swallow a lump, struggling to find the right words. Finally, I just stumble through it. “She has this strange kindness about her. It’s not outright, you can’t hear it in her words, you must see it in her actions.” My gaze falls back onto the yellow daffodils. “There’s also this fragility about her, it makes me want to protect her. Especially when she tries to be all tough and angry, when really she wants to cry. She’s really honest too, if she doesn’t like something you will most certainly know it.” I chuckle, recalling the time I’d brought her back ‘elalop’ from Likuna. She’d spit out the seafood straight away, then panicked and spent the rest of the afternoon apologizing. Then she dragged me into town the next day and bought me more food than I could store, I ended up donating most of it to the orphanage.

“I should be grateful that your daydreaming spared me the embarrassment of you seeing my tears.” Virina spit her words, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “You intend to marry her, do you not? To sell me off in her place, then ask my Father for her hand. I certainly wouldn’t be the first time a Royal Knight married a princess, Father did so himself.”

I feel ashamed as I hesitantly answer. “Yes.”

Bitter laughter flies from her mouth, even as tears leak from her eyes, I feel horrible. I’d never meant to hurt her, I hadn’t even been aware of her feelings, but I had thought and acted selfishly none-the-less.

“I am so sorry.” I try, but she shakes her head.

“This is too funny.” She says, wiping viciously at her eyes. “I hope you can gather that my answer is no.”

I nod, forcing my voice to cooperate. “I understand.”

She gives me a look, hatred burning like a fire in her gaze, then she leaves. Guilt hangs over me like a dark cloud, but my frustration is far more bothersome. I look up at the castle, the smooth stone stretching high above me, and sigh. Virina had been my only chance, the twins- Princess’ Anira and Safira- would never even consider taking Irellia’s place. The situation is hopeless.

I rake a hand through my hair, then head inside. My gaze seems glued to the rug, as I walk down the hall. I’m sulking and I know it, but my emotions have won control. My feet stop moving, I realize that I’d unconscious made my way to her room. I can’t, I can’t see her now. I hurry passed her room, feeling like a child.

I don’t know what to do, my hopes had been too high and now I can’t bring myself to face Irellia. Even though she wasn’t aware of my plan, I feel like I’ve let her down. Not to mention the trouble I’d likely caused between her and Virina, the only member of her family whom she has a strong relationship with. Or had anyway. 

I sigh, deciding to head to me room a bit farther from the princess’. The castle is safe, there’s no need for me to guard her. I tell myself that, and ignore the feeling of uselessness it stirs within me.

I’d spent the rest of the day staring up at my ceiling, but now a knock on the door snaps me from my trance. “Who is it?” I call, voice a bit raspy from lack of use.

“Sir Jaron, the King and Queen demand your presence at once!” 

I jerk up, eyes wide as I scramble off the bed. Not asking any questions, it’s not my place, I swing the door open and follow my fellow knight down the hall.

Despite being a knight, he wears no armor. Just a brown tunic, dark slacks and a sword at his hip. I recognize him as Riol, the knight whom had been acting as ambassador to the Wolf-Men until last week. That explains his lack of footwear, after nearly four years with the pack I can understand him adopting some habits. But I can’t help but wonder if the sharpness of his dark eyes is something else he’d picked up, the idea of someone looking at Irellia that way makes my blood boil. I pray to the gods that it’s unique to Riol.

“Your face is like a letter, telling all of your emotions.” The knight states, though he doesn’t look at me.

I feel my brows furrow, as I ask. “What?”

“It means you need to work more on separating yourself from you emotions, that is crucial for a knight.” He looks at me then. “Perhaps it is the very reason you now find yourself in hot water.”

“Hot water? What did I do?” I ask, my heart now pounding in my chest. Had Virina told the King about their talk? 

“You don’t know?” Riol asks, arching a reddish, scarred brow.

“How would I?”

“Easily,” He scoffs. “but I’m guessing you spent the day in your room. Best keep that from the King and Queen, it certainly won’t help your case.”

“Would you please tell me what happened?” It has to be Virina, I can’t fathom anything else having happened. There hadn’t been any commotion all day, or at least nothing I could hear from my room.

He stops and looks me dead in the eye. “Princess Irellia has disappeared.”

My heart slams to a stop. “How?”

“A maid saw her with a purse about an hour ago, she assumed that the princess was accompanying you into town, but the guards at the gate haven’t seen either of you.” He explains, then blatantly tells me. “I wasn’t really expecting to find you, but it appears she ran away on her own.”

I don’t understand. “Ran away? Why would she run away?” 

“Well, I hear she was rather opposed to her betrothal.” Riol shrugs as he adds. “Bit premature, considering she hasn’t even met the man yet.”

“Does she need to?” I find myself asking, earning a look of confusion from the man.

“How can you know whether you hate someone, when you haven’t even met them? For all she knows, he could be the love of her life.” His words are like a dagger piercing my heart, the idea of Princess Irellia loving another…

I lash out. “If he were a man, maybe. But they are far from human, the princess is disgusted by them!”

He looks at me in shock, his mouth slightly ajar. Again, I feel ashamed and turn my gaze from him. He says nothing in response, we start walking once more.

We enter the throne room before long, bright gold décor immediately catching the eye, just as it’s meant to. The King and Queen wait for us on their luxurious thrones, sinking into the cushiony red velvet. We kneel before them and they stare down at me from their seats. His Highness gestures for Riol to rise, while his angry gaze pins me where I am. 

Though King Alvain has never put anyone to death, I can’t shake the feeling that I will be his first. I would deserve it, who knows what danger the princess is in because of me. I should have been at her side, not wallowing in self-pity like a child. I had betrayed my post, and worse… I had failed the woman I love. 

“Where were you when my daughter disappeared?” 

I don’t dare look up at him as I answer. “In my room.”

I hear his fist slam down on the arm of his throne, my head jerks up as he rises. “So you were lazing about, while my daughter fled?” He steps forward, his voice filled with rage as he continues. “What kind of knight are you?”

“One beguiled by love and jealousy, or so I would guess.” Riol pipes beside me, and I feel my face grow hot before the final words spill from his mouth.

“You are in love with Irellia?” Queen Miladis asks, I imagine her expression is as shocked as her tone.

I nod, keeping my eyes on the plush red rug under my knees. “I do, your Highness.” I bite my lip in the following silence, then rise without permission. “Please allow me to search for her, to bring her back. What you do with me after, I do not care. Just let me find her.”

The quiet that follows is almost deafening, I fear that my plea will be disregarded. I knew it had been too much to ask, even as I’d said it, but again I had foolishly gotten my hopes up. I kneel down once more and await my sentencing. To my surprise, the King sits and sweeps his hand toward his wife, a silent ‘go ahead’.

“You may thank Virina for this opportunity.” The Queen states, I raise my head as she continues. “If not for her pleading your case in Irellia’s absence, I would not have argued with my husband. Instead, I would have whole-heartedly supported his decision to have you beheaded.” 

“So, I can-“

“Yes, you are to find her.” King Alvain says, having cut me off.

The relief nearly brings tears to my eyes, as I cry out. “Thank you!”

“Do not thank us.” Queen Miladis states, eyes squinting into a glare. I can see the warning in them, even before she gives it. “If you fail, I will ensure your death is far more painful than you can imagine.”

“I understand.” I tell them, rising to bow. “I will not disappoint you.”

“Again, you mean.” Her words make me flinch, her tone feels like ice coating my skin. Unable to find my voice, I nod and turn to leave but she stops me. “Riol will be accompanying you, or rather- he will be in charge.”

I look to Riol, he says nothing and simply walks pass me. I take it I’m expected to follow, so I do. I don’t know what will await me upon my return, but so long as I find Irellia and safely return her… I’m fine with anything.