Deté 25th, 994 A.D.

Two days after Princess Katherine Alder of Monterayne and her trio of raggedy fellow escapees had departed from the Innutukian imperial palace, tensions still hadn't simmered down. Team after team of horsemen still galloped off from the stables, as if any amount of hurry would render them able to catch up and bring her back. The whinnying of horses, the thundering of their hooves, and the shouts of men-at-arms filled the air constantly.

A pudgy man with a thick red beard and an empty scabbard swinging at his hip ascended the grand steps of the palace, hands clasped tightly together behind his back by the pair of guards who escorted him. He hung his head and maintained a somber countenance as they entered the doors and made their way to the throne room.

All too soon, they had already entered, and the redheaded man crossed the velvet carpet leading up to Emperor Hakentaknid's imposing throne. The seated monarch glared down at the newcomer for several tense moments, a dreadful silence lingering in the chamber that nobody dared to break.

Finally, the emperor spoke, sending chills down the pudgy man's spine. "Deljegne Ellesante," he addressed him, "it has been far too long since I have seen your ugly excuse for a face."

Deljegne shrugged, eyes fixed on the floor. "I've been busy."

"You have been busy with what exactly? Because I have been expecting to get service out of you and yet have seen nothing."

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

"You know very well what I speak of!" Emperor Hakentaknid roared, "My secret ally trained both you and your sister in the art of Monteraynian swordsmanship, did he not?"

"He did."

"Then why is it that only she proceeded to be of use to the Empire, becoming a thorn in the side of the eastern nations for seven years before her honorable death? Where were you while she was doing that?"

Deljegne finally met the emperor's eyes, emboldened by irritation. "I was never as good as Keely. Never could've been. See these scars?" He lifted his shirt up, revealing a potbelly with five long dull lines scratched into it. "I got all of those in training duels with my teacher. I was that bad. To this day, I understand the concepts of what he taught, but my body just wasn't made to execute them myself."

"You're useless, then. And given what you were just caught doing to those noblewomen at my very doorstep, it is obvious what must be done with you."

Deljegne nearly trembled, but he held his frame and inhaled. "What's that?"

"Use your head while you still have it, boy. What do you think I speak of?"

"You don't...mean to execute...no, your majesty, I'm far too useful for you to do that! Too much unused potential."

Emperor Hakentaknid narrowed his eyes and held up a halting hand to a servant who had been creeping in from the side with an executioner's axe in his hands. Then he turned back to Deljegne and laughed heartily. "You suddenly have unused potential now; is that so? And how can this be?"

"I'm no fighter, but I can be a teacher. I mean no offense, your majesty, but you seem to have overlooked the superior advantage of Monteraynian swordsmanship that is now in your grasp. It's as if you don't understand why your ally trained Keely and I in the first place."

"You had better hasten to your point while you still have lips to do so."

Deljegne scratched his thick beard. "Unencumbered by armor, their swordsmen can be far more nimble than ours, with much greater freedom of movement. In the time your guards take to swing one weighed-down blow, a Monteraynian knight could make three. Such teaching resides in my head. But you can cut it off if you still want to."

The emperor's eyes narrowed further, only a thin sliver of his eye peeking through the lids. "Much use the teaching does if you do nothing with it. How am I to know that you will truly serve me, and not scamper off to do your own pleasure as you have these many years?"

"I give you my word."

Emperor Hakentaknid's mirthless laugh filled the throne room. "What does your word mean to me? Tell me this instant what you intend to do with your knowledge of Monteraynian swordsmanship for the benefit of the Innutukian Empire. If you have no plan, then suitable alternatives shall be explored. Believe me, Deljegne Ellesante, your death would hardly catch my attention, even should it happen before my very eyes."

"My plan is to make haste to Monterayne and find a promising young swordsman to bring before you. He'll swear his allegiance to you, and then I'll complete any unfinished training. At the end of that, I'll bring him before you so he can serve as your new champion swordsman. And if he pleases you well enough, I'll disperse the teachings among your entire guard force, letting Monterayne's secret knowledge spill out from there."

"See, now you speak pleasing words." the emperor remarked as a wide grin spread across his face that appeared incongruous with all his other features, "This plan pleases me. Go forth, and do as you have spoken. You have earned your life back, but be warned, Deljegne Ellesante, that if you fail me again, I shall not be half as merciful."

"Of course not." Deljegne replied, bowing his head slightly. He let out a sigh of relief when the guards finally released their tight hold on his wrists.

One of the armored men handed Deljegne's sword back to him, and after sliding it into the scabbard, he made his way out of the throne room. Once he had turned his face away from the emperor, he allowed a mischievous grin to spread across it. Yet again, he had cheated death and manipulated the situation to his own advantage. Now he only had to endure the fifteen-day ride to Monterayne and pray he found a candidate quickly.

****

Deté 39th, 994 A.D.

After Princess Kate had left him to get breakfast, Manfred had taken a minute more to admire King Dustin Alder's statue before heading outside, where the sun warmed his skin and contrasted with the cool breeze flowing from the south. He wandered past the horse stables to the pasture grounds where most of the equestrians grazed in the lush grass in between bouts of snorting and neighing at each other.

Manfred hoisted himself up onto the wooden fence and sat there as he enjoyed the simple pleasures of the outdoors. The wind rustled though his hair, and the sweet odor of hay made every inhale all the more pleasant. After Manfred had sat quietly for a few minutes, a speckled white mare tramped over and nuzzled him, tongue darting out occasionally to lick his forearms and face.

The young swordsman laughed and cautiously ran a hand though the horse's mane. Aside from an initial jerk of her ears on first contact, the mare had no reaction. Time became an irrelevant concept to Manfred as he patted the white horse and received more nuzzling in return. He drew back in surprise when she snorted, but seeing no other negative sign, he shrugged and brought his hand back. Given his upbringing in the rugged terrain of Monterayne's mountain ring, horses hadn't been a big part of Manfred's life aside from the occasional long-distance trip on a borrowed mount, but moments like this one gave him a much greater appreciation for the equestrian creatures.

The speckled mare stepped away from Manfred, peeked over the fence behind him, and whinnied, causing him to wrinkle his forehead in curiosity and peek over his shoulder. A reserved smile crept across his lips at the sight of Andre trotting up on a fiery red stallion. After he'd come a little closer, Andre dismounted while Manfred swung his legs over the edge of the fence and hopped down. The two men met in the middle and embraced heartily.

"You appear rather content." Andre remarked pleasantly, "I hope that means you've had a pleasant morning so far?"

Manfred nodded. "I have. Some exploring of the castle, and then I looked at the statues in the courtyard. The princess came to talk to me while I was doing that. Told me some things about her grandfather. And then just now, this horse has been keeping me company. So yeah, a pleasant morning for me."

Andre smiled. "Excellent. That's Princess Kate's horse, in fact. Or, one of them, that is."

"It is?"

"Yes, she is. My father gave Fidelity to her as a birthday gift two or three years ago, I think, when she was still a filly. But I don't believe her highness has ever been a particular riding enthusiast."

"Me either, really. Too rocky where I lived. And forested." Manfred said with a shrug. "How's your morning been?"

"Not half bad, just rather busy. In fact, I probably should still be making myself useful at the manor, but I had to make sure you weren't getting into trouble."

Manfred laughed. "You and I both know that's always you."

"Not particularly, my friend. The difference between us is that I get into trouble on purpose."

"Quite true. But no need to interrupt anything on my account."

"No, no, it will be fine." Andre dismissed Manfred with a wave of his hand, "The cleaning's all been done now, so it's only the cooks that are temporarily deprived of my assistance."

"I see. Your father's hosting a meal? Or—"

"Actually, the preparations are for my sake, Manfred. I'm treating Princess Kate to dinner this very night."

Manfred's eyes widened. "Oh, really? That's...I was going to say you're fortunate, but I guess there's probably more responsibility than real enjoyment on your part."

Andre chuckled, exposing his perfect white teeth in the process. "It certainly will be a little more tense than hosting some lord's daughter or that of a merchant, but I think it'll be fine. Her highness seems rather easygoing, and she is no stranger to me now. I shall be on my best behavior, but I think I shall enjoy myself in the process regardless."

"Well, I think you're partaking of a rare honor. Her father agreed?"

"I would assume so. She answered my request right as I asked her without taking time for consultation, so I can only assume her freedom in this realm is unencumbered."

"I see." Manfred replied, "Well, no need to jeopardize her comfort possibly just to talk to me."

"That 'just' concerns me, my friend." Andre said warmly as he laid a hand on Manfred's shoulder, "The friendship you have blessed me with these three years holds more value in my eyes than one night's dinner. It has been a beautiful road you and I have travelled together toward knighthood, and it excites me we're so close to officiality."

"Yeah...it's amazing. I can't help but wonder if we're ready."

"I know I am!" Andre remarked with a laugh, "And I believe you are too. After all, as Princess Kate herself said, what we underwent in Innutuk was more intense by far than any of the trials most other young swordsmen are sent out on."

"I guess that's true. I just...not long ago, I could've never imagined this. A few weeks ago, the most exciting news I got was Sir Holt saying you and I could help his evaluation. Sparring with the younger students and giving them seasoned partners to sharpen their teeth on. But suddenly, we've been thrusted far beyond that."

"Life is a winding journey indeed, but I am thankful ours is an uphill road at the moment."

"Me too." Manfred narrowed his eyes slightly when a new thought occurred to him. "Though I can't help but wonder...maybe this isn't the best time to become a knight. Especially not an inexperienced one."

Andre's dark eyebrows inched together. "Why would that be?"

"Hostility with Innutuk on the rise. Them lusting after our territory, I can only see this going one way."

"I see what you mean. The future does indeed appear uncertain, but whatever happens, I've got your back, Manfred."

"And I've got yours." Manfred replied with a subdued smile. "Maybe knighthood won't be so bad after all." 

**** 

A/N: Well, we've got some things brewing in the Innutukian palace, and we've got another glimpse into Manfred and Andre's friendship. If that doesn't make for a page-turning (page scrolling?) chapter, I'm not sure what does. 😂 

If you did find it an interesting and/or pleasant read, please do consider making me a happy writer and tossing a vote and comment here! 😉

Alright, so since I missed last week's updates, there will be four chapters dropping today. That being so, I'm only tacking author's notes on this and the last one. Hope to see you in the comments of the later chapters nonetheless!