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TRUMPETS SOUNDED THROUGH THE great hall of Thornhurst Castle, and the doors to the main staircase were flung open, signaling that the princesses and prince were about to enter. The noise of the crowd quieted to low murmurs and whispers as they turned their attention to the doorway. At the top of the stairs, Walter and Aaron entered the upstairs hallway from one side, Amy and Airdella from the other.
Walter and Amy walked around to meet each other at the top of the stairs, then proceeded down together arm in arm. Having participated in many parades and ceremonies over the years, they had their entrance down to a graceful and regal performance, perfectly timed with the right bows and curtsies and nods and waves.
Airdella saw Aaron as he fumbled with the strings and buttons on his new fancy doublet, and she smothered a smile. She had to admit that his peasant born, but charming, face would have gone well with any outfit, but he did look awfully uncomfortable. She was reminded of how much she herself did not enjoy this part. But duty called, and she walked around to meet him at the top of the stairs.
“If it makes you feel any better, we all find it uncomfortable,” she told him.
Aaron looked up as she came to stand next to him. “Aren’t you used to it?”
“Doesn’t mean we enjoy it,” she shrugged. “But it will be over soon, and once the feast begins, we can relax a little. Just follow my lead.”
“Sooo, bossy and arrogant?”
Her lips twitched into the smile she had failed to hide. “Head up, shoulders back, and just keep your eyes straight ahead.” She stuck out her arm.
He took it, trying to copy the way he had seen Walter and Amy link arms. He managed to keep pace with Airdella and not trip before they reached the bottom of the stairs. On the opposite end of the Great Hall was the dais where the high table stood. The king, Sir Roderick, Stormchaser, Amy, and Walter watched and waited for him with proud smiles, but his focus was on the kindly pair of woman’s eyes and the wide boyish ones that watched him from behind a fresh pair of spectacles. He kept his eyes on them as Airdella guided him across the Great Hall and up to the dais.
He ruffled his brother’s hair with his free hand as he passed, guided Airdella into her seat on his left, and slid into his own seat next to his mother on his right. She gripped his hand tightly under the table as the king announced that the feast could begin.
“Did you know they have a whole library here?” Aaron leaned across their mother’s lap to tell his brother as the servers placed the first plates in front of them.
Gail’s eyes shone big. “Do you think they’ll let me read any?”
“Why else would they have gotten you new glasses?” Aaron winked.
“Would you two mind? I would like to eat without dropping my food in your hair,” their mother laughed. “I’d like to keep it from getting messy for as long as possible. I’m sure I’ll never see it this combed again.”
“Well, Gail’s hair is already messed up.”
“You did that,” Gail said accusingly.
Aaron chuckled and turned his attention to the food in front of him. It was certainly the best food he had ever tasted, especially after months of trail food and scavenging off the land. The crowd’s attention had shifted as they resumed their conversation, and the hall rang with the clattering of silverware and hearty laughter. Aaron was grateful for that, as it meant there were fewer people staring at him. As he relaxed more, he turned to look down the table and see how everyone else was doing. Walter’s strategy of fasting for the entire morning in preparation for the midday feast seemed to be paying off. He was already on his second plate. Amy and Airdella were reminiscing together about the feast in the Hall of the Guardians with Elroy.
Aaron could have sworn that he had caught glimpses of Elroy. Now, Aaron could see him on the opposite end of the hall. But when the feasting wound down and the king rose to give a speech, he was nowhere to be seen.
“I hate this part,” Airdella sighed quietly.
“Listening to speeches?” Aaron asked.
“Giving them.”
“They’re making you give a speech?”
“We all have to give one. Didn’t you get yours ready?”
Aaron choked on his drink and spent the first few moments of the king’s toast coughing. He did not know whether he was more relieved or annoyed to see Airdella’s quiet laughter and realize she had been joking.
“... honorable inhabitants of the lands across the End Chasm,” the king was saying. “May the friendships and alliances we have made never again be forgotten.”
Here all the people and creatures cheered in agreement.
“We would not be here celebrating our victory today if it were not for a few very special individuals, whom I would like to take this opportunity to honor and give our eternal gratitude.
“Firstly, our victory would not have been possible without the aid of brave warriors: Stormchaser, Arundel, Erkun, and others, many of whom sacrificed their lives. Without you, my children would not have returned home safely to us, and Arualia would have fallen at the hands of our enemy. May this be the beginning of the bonds of friendship between the two halves of Arualia, separated by history and brought back together again.
“There is another person, lost in the memories of ancient history and legends, who aided our victory by sharing with us the blessing of his healing water, without which many of us, myself included, would not be standing before you today. The Guardian Elroy shall always be recognized as a friend of this house.”
Murmurs and quiet applause filled the room. These legends and mythical figures were something of a surprise and novelty to Arualians from both sides of the Fury and would take time to get used to.
King Conrad waited for a moment before continuing. “Sir Roderick, knight and friend of the Royal House, I have known for many years now, and I can say that during my time of injury and illness, Arualia had no more honorable and qualified man to lead them. You’re no longer the keeper of the garrison at Fort Northgate, for now, you are the Head General of all our armies.”
A hearty round of cheers went up from the soldiers and knights in the hall. Having served over them for many years, he had earned their love and respect as a commanding officer, and they would eagerly have served beneath him under any circumstance.
“And now, you four,” the king turned with a twinkle in his eye as he addressed the four children. “Of course, none of us would be sitting here today if not for you. I cannot even begin to describe the depths of your courageous heroism. Aaron, I have only had the honor and privilege of knowing you for a few weeks, but your actions on behalf of both your family and mine are some of the bravest deeds I have ever known. My children, I hardly recognize you at all anymore. You have all grown to be strong, courageous, and fierce defenders of your country. You are not the children I sent away all those months ago in an attempt to protect you. That being the case, I believe it is time to make some changes.”
The four all looked back at him with beaming but confused faces.
“Princess Amaryllis. Strong, gentle, peacemaker. You are the first both to befriend and defend. Your mother would have been proud... You have her same spirit.”
The hall quieted, and Amy could feel her eyes pricking with tears that had been held back for far too long. It had been years since anyone had mentioned mother, the queen, the past tragedy of losing her still almost too painful to speak of. And yet, now that it had been spoken of, not quite as painful as she had thought.
The king gave all his children a small sad smile to let them know that he understood, and he shared their pain of losing her. But they still had each other, and they would all move forward together.
“These traits and qualities will serve you greatly as you train to be an Ambassador of the House.”
Amy’s eyes went wide as everyone cheered. A prestigious and important position that was considered a great honor. And the more she thought about it, the more she found the idea to be to her liking.
“My dear, Princess Airdella.”
Airdella smiled at her father, although nervous about what he might have to say...
“You are growing up before my eyes. What a woman you will become, strong and courageous. A leader in a world of men. Although he is first in line to the throne, your brother is going to have other responsibilities to focus on in the near future, so it is you who shall act as House Regent. If I call upon him to take care of a matter, or I am ever absent, I need to know that our kingdom is in good hands.”
Airdella sat open mouthed as everyone cheered. She tried to smile, but inwardly, her heart sank.
“And finally, you two,” the king added, turning his gaze to Walter and Aaron. “Take a knee,” he said, drawing his sword.
Walter’s face flushed red as he rose from his seat. It took Aaron a moment to realize what was happening, and Airdella and his mother had to prod him out of his seat. The two walked over to the king at the end of the dais and knelt.
“Are you willing to dedicate yourselves to the study of the ancient Code of Knighthood, the Ekunai dishon Jatsenash, and the use of arms in battle for the good of your country, Arualia?”
“I am willing so to do,” Walter said properly.
Aaron managed to stammer the phrase as well, still unsure of what was happening.
“Then rise up as Squires of the Royal House,” King Conrad said, tapping them each on their right shoulder.
They rose while everyone around them burst into cheering and clapping. Then in the spirit of the occasion, everyone turned around and drank to everyone else’s health. Soldiers and knights pushed forward to reach the dais and be the first to congratulate Sir Roderick. All their friends wanted to clap the children on the back. Aaron’s mother had tears of pride in her eyes.
Airdella tried her best to smile, but as the feast ended and the crowd spread itself out through the hall, the courtyard, and the ballroom, she slipped away to an upstairs balcony. Sinking onto a stone bench, she gloomily rested her head on her hands and looked out over the castle grounds below.
Even here, solitude and peace were not to be found. A jousting tournament was being held throughout the week, and the cheers of the crowd below her grated on her nerves. All she was looking for was to be alone for a little while, wallowing in her disappointment and misery.
“Alright, let’s have it.”
“Ugh, go away,” Airdella groaned banging her head on the stone wall. The last thing she wanted right now was to fight with Walter, but she knew that in her current mood she would only snap at him. “Please just leave me alone right now.”
Months before, he would have shouted something sarcastic and stormed off. But he had come to better understand Airdella and her moods. He knew that it was not that she was mad at him personally. He sat next to her and leaned back against the stone wall, quiet for a little bit, then cleared his throat.
“So... life around here is going to be pretty different,” he tried. “Amy training to be an ambassador, Aaron and I training for knighthood. There’ll be school for all of us. And you’ll be busy learning all about being regent.”
Airdella snorted. “As if I wanted to.”
Walter faked surprise. “Why, Della! You’re not jealous?”
“Easy for you to say! You get to train, and fight, and go on missions and quests. And I’ll always be stuck here.” Airdella paused for a moment to swallow her tears. But more came. “I don’t mind being left in charge. But I don’t like being left behind.”
For probably the first time, Walter felt like he truly understood his sister. And he also realized how deeply he had wounded her. “Neither one of us is very good at this,” he said finally. “There’s a reason Amy was picked to be the diplomat. But I feel like I need to say it, and that you need me to say it even though you never asked me to. I’m sorry for leaving you behind. Back at the camp before the battle. Whatever my reasons – how good a reason I thought I had – I should have talked with you about it first. I guess we’re both so used to fighting that we hardly ever talk.”
Airdella looked at her brother in surprise. He was right. They did not really talk, but it was something she had needed him to say, even if she had not known it. She put her head on his shoulder and leaned against him. He put his arm around her shoulders and held her close.
“You’re right. We should talk more.” She sniffed and wiped the tears from her face. “We should probably get back downstairs.”
“Hang on, there is one more thing,” Walter said as she sat up straight. “After we finish our squire’s training, Aaron and I will be eligible for promotion to knighthood. We will be able to have our choice of either a proving tournament or a proving quest, and I can assure you I have no intention of settling for a tournament. So, when the time comes, I promise not to leave you behind.”
“You’ll let me come on your proving quest?” she stared at him.
“I wouldn’t go without you,” he promised.
“What about father?”
Walter winced at the thought of trying to explain his promise to his father. “We will just... cross that bridge when we come to it. It’s not like we haven’t broken rules before,” he reminded her with a rueful smile. “Now, are we going to sit here all day, or can we get back downstairs and check out the desert table?”
“Unbelievable. How can you still be hungry?”
“I picked a winning strategy.”
The celebration carried on, lasting a full week, as the people of Arualia celebrated their victory with their new friends and allies. It was a hard adjustment for most of them, as the legends and myths of old walked in broad daylight around them, while others took great interest in engaging with them. It was the same way for the creatures as they found themselves surrounded by humans, which they had formerly known only as violent enemies. There were many questions and stories exchanged by both sides (somehow, a rumor got around that griffins were supposed to be red, and so, all the griffins got tired of explaining that this was not true and there were many types of griffins; the earthkins took over explaining this for them while marketing their pottery and other random wares.) By the end of the week, there were many new bonds of friendship begun.
The four young heroes were much sought after by all and quickly adjusted to this. They enjoyed running around the castle and city, telling the tale of their adventures and being surrounded by people. The castle was a lot less lonely after that day, and the princesses and prince were allowed to venture out into the city far more often than before.
It had taken a good several weeks for the conflict to be over, for the Battle of Fort Northgate was not the only battle left to fight. After letting his men rest for a day, the king quickly led them south with the addition of Walter and Stormchaser’s company to relieve Bellfort. A few skirmishes occurred, but most of Clint Starnor’s soldiers surrendered upon being informed that their leader was already dead. While a good many of these soldiers were deserters from the armies of multiple countries, or loyal recruits who had devoted themselves to his cause, most of them turned out to be hired mercenary forces from Prashland. Further inquiry into this revealed that Prashland was in the upheaval of political revolution, and so, their recently executed king and his government could not be held accountable for the mercenary forces. The king stripped them of their weapons, escorted them to the border, and sent them away.
When Walter asked Sir Dorrian if he would be coming out of retirement to oversee their training as squires, all the children chimed in, begging him to come stay at Thornhurst Castle. The king assured him that he held great credit for the success of the children’s quest, having trained them well, and that he held no blame for the children’s decision to run away.
“Indeed, for having lost my children, perhaps we are both to blame,” King Conrad reflected. “We should be honored if you would stay at Walter’s request.”
“But then, who would look after my goats?” Sir Dorrian asked.
It was agreed that they would spend part of their time at Thornhurst and part of it at Sir Dorrian’s.
Sir Dorrian did agree to stay for a time at Thornhurst when he found out about Euciphidus. Euciphidus was pleased to be back but shocked by the many changes that had taken place in Arualia in the last fifty years. He and Sir Dorrian engaged in many a lengthy discussion over his work. Disappointed at what his reputation had devolved into over time, he made swift plans to finish his translations and publish them.
And so, began a new life for them all. Aaron, his mother Lady Ellanor, and Gail officially came to live at the castle. Aaron and Walter trained every day, mastering the old Code of Knighthood. Amy began her training to be an ambassador and found that the more she studied it, the more she liked it. Airdella was happy for her sister and enjoyed watching her grow, as she herself trained to be the House Regent, which she did not enjoy. It was all nitty gritty details, enforcement of various laws, required government functions, taxation, and other tedious things for which she had no patience. But she worked hard at it, for whatever Airdella was required to do, she would see that it was well done.
After a little debate, the children had a secret ceremony in which they initiated Aaron into the Knights of the Order of the Roses. At first, Airdella was against it, afraid that Aaron would look on it as a childish game.
“It doesn’t have to be,” Walter pointed out. “We did what we originally set out to do, even if it didn’t look like what we thought it would. But we can be the real thing now. We’ve proved that. And we have also learned that in a world of court politics, people aren’t always going to tell us all the information. In the end, we might be the only ones that are there for each other.”
“I would be honored,” Aaron said, requesting that he be knighted in with the sword given to him by Elroy.
“Certainly,” Walter nodded. “Amy, will you hold the sheath?”
Amy held onto the sheath while Walter drew the sword and tapped Aaron on the shoulders with his sword.
“Repeat after me,” Airdella cleared her throat.
Aaron repeated after her the oath of the Knights of the Order of the Roses. “So, what do we do now?” he asked as he stood up and took his sword and sheath back.
“Well, we stick together,” Walter said. “We look out for each other.”
“We keep our eyes and ears open for information,” Airdella added.
“And we wait,” Amy said, fiddling with the key on the ribbon around her neck. “Elroy said we’d see him soon.”
“So, he did,” Aaron nodded, sheathing his sword and clipping it back onto his belt. “Guess we should keep these close by, then.”
And so, they watched and waited for the promise of things to come.