The silence that followed my request was thick and suffocating. I could see the faces of those in the throne room twisting—first in shock, then in a simmering, aristocratic rage.
"My daughter," the King began, his voice low as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Do you truly comprehend the gravity of what you have just proposed?"
"I do, Father," I replied, my voice steady despite the shallow breath permitted by my corset.
"If you understand it, then why in the heavens would you ask for such a thing?"
"From what I recall of my earlier years," I said, leaning into the fragmented memories of the original Caroline, "Louis was the only one who truly looked after my safety whenever I ventured beyond the castle walls. It would be a great comfort to me if he were the one to escort me to such a distant land."
The Queen, unable to contain herself any longer, interjected with a sharp, cutting tone. "But the boy is a commoner! You understand that, surely? Common-born men cannot be dubbed knights of this realm. Only those of noble blood can swear the sacred oaths of fealty and loyalty to the Crown."
"But what if he does not swear his oath to the Kingdom?" I countered, my eyes meeting hers. "What if he swears his loyalty to me, and me alone? He would be a part of my own household."
The Queen's face flushed a dangerous shade of crimson. "ARE YOU ATTEMPTING TO REBEL, Caroline? To raise a private army whilst under the Royal banner? To do so is to suggest you are planning a coup against your own flesh and blood!"
"I would never dream of such a thing, Mother," I lied smoothly. "I am but a girl of fifteen. What power could I possibly have to threaten the Kingdom? I merely wish for a knight I can trust."
"Your request is utterly unreasonable—" the Queen started, but the King raised a hand to silence her.
"My dear, let me handle this," the King said. The Queen looked as though she might protest further, but she eventually subsided, though her eyes remained fixed on me like a hawk.
"I am aware," the King said, turning back to me, "that your request is beyond the bounds of tradition. However, I shall grant it."
A collective gasp echoed through the room. My brothers looked at one another in disbelief, and the Queen's jaw tightened.
"However," the King continued, "there is a condition. Since you wish for your own 'private' protector, you are strictly prohibited from recruiting any of the Royal Knights or the Kingdom's soldiers for your escort or your personal guard. Your protection shall consist only of this Squire. You shall find no help from my armies. Do you understand?"
"I understand perfectly, Father," I said. My internal civil-servant brain was already calculating. He thought he was isolating me, stripping me of protection to ensure I failed. He didn't realise he had just given me permission to build a force that didn't answer to him.
"Very well. You depart for your new domain in one week's time. You may take your leave to prepare."
"I am grateful for your indulgence, Father," I said, performing a flawless curtsy. "I shall take my leave. Until we meet again—Father, Mother, brothers."
I turned and walked toward the heavy doors, hearing the heated argument explode behind me the moment I turned my back. I didn't care. I had what I needed. Outside, Aalis and Ame were waiting, looking as though they had been holding their breath the entire time.
"You two were waiting for me all this time?" I asked.
"Yes, Your Highness," Aalis replied softly.
"My thanks for your patience. Now, we must find Louis. I need to deliver the news."
"The Squire?" Aalis asked. "I suspect he will be at the secondary training grounds. The one reserved for the common-born squires."
"The training grounds are separated by rank?" I asked, my brow furrowing.
"Indeed, Your Highness. Nobility and commoners do not mix, even in the dirt."
As we walked through the sprawling palace gardens toward the training fields, we passed the Knight's ground. I watched the noble-born knights practicing with their blunted longswords. They were polished, their armour gleaming, and notably, not a single one of them seemed to have broken a sweat. They were strong, yes, but they possessed a certain arrogance that made me uneasy.
Finally, we arrived at the Squire's training ground. It was twice the size and infinitely grittier.
"Your Highness," Aalis said, stopping at the gate. "Perhaps it is best if you stay here. It is not... appropriate for a member of the Royal family to set foot on commoner soil. If you wish, I can fetch him for you."
"Why shouldn't I go in?"
"Because of the hierarchy, my lady. It would cause a scene."
"I am the Baroness of Chambery now," I said firmly. "I shall go where I please. I will find Louis myself."
Aalis took a deep, weary breath. "Very well. But please, keep behind me."
We entered the fray. The squires were numerous, and the air was thick with the smell of sweat, dust, and hard labour. Every head turned as I passed; the sight of a Princess in a silk gown walking through the mud was like a vision from another world. Eventually, Aalis spotted a man with paperwork and went to inquire after Louis.
Ame pulled at my hand. "Your Highness, shall we sit on the bench yonder while we wait?"
"An excellent suggestion, Ame."
We sat, and within minutes, the man returned with a young man in tow. He had blonde hair and striking green eyes, his face smudged with the dust of the yard. When he saw me, he immediately dropped to one knee.
"I heard Your Highness was searching for me," Louis said, his voice muffled by the earth. "It is a shame upon me that you had to step foot in such a place to find me."
"It is no fault of yours, Louis. Raise your head."
He looked up, his expression a mix of confusion and devotion.
"I have a matter of great importance to discuss with the three of you," I said, looking from Louis to the sisters. "But we cannot speak of it here. Louis, fetch a sword and follow us to my chambers."
The walk back to the castle was uncomfortable. The servants and staff stared at Louis as if he were a stray dog that had wandered into a cathedral. He looked nervous, his hand gripping the hilt of the practice sword he had brought along.
Once inside my room, I sat upon the velvet couch and gestured to the seats opposite me. "Please, sit. All of you."
"Your Highness, it is not proper for us to sit at your level," Aalis protested, her eyes darting toward the door. Louis nodded in agreement.
"I don't care for what is 'proper' right now," I snapped, my irritation bubbling over. "That is an order! Sit."
Reluctantly, they obeyed.
"I have been granted the Manor of Chambery," I began, watching Aalis and Ame flinch at the name. "We depart in a week. Aalis and Ame shall accompany me as my personal maids. But for you, Louis, the King has granted a special favour."
Louis looked as though he were waiting for a death sentence.
"You are to be dubbed a knight," I said.
The silence that followed was absolute. Aalis looked at Louis, then back to me, her mouth hanging open. "But... he is not of the nobility, my lady! How can this be?"
"Louis!" I called out, seeing him frozen in a daze. "Louis, look at me!"
"Yes... Your Highness," he stammered, finally blinking.
"This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Do you wish to take it?"
"It is a dream beyond my station, Your Highness. But is it right? A common-born knight?"
"You will not be a knight of the Kingdom," I explained, my voice lowering. "You will be my knight. You shall swear your oath under my name, and my name alone."
Louis went pale. "Your Highness, that... that borders on treason. To raise an army outside the King's command..."
"The King himself has granted the condition," I said. "He has forbidden me from taking his knights, so I must find my own. I am starting with you. Will you be my sword?"
Louis didn't hesitate this time. He reached for my hand and pressed his lips to my signet ring. "My life and my blade are yours, Your Highness."
We stood. Louis knelt before me, offering up his sword with both hands. I took the cold steel and touched it to his right shoulder, then his left.
"Louis," I declared, the weight of the moment settling over us. "I receive your fealty. From this day forth, you are my sword, my shield, and my subject. Your acts shall be my acts; your mistakes shall be mine to bear; your sins shall be my sins. Do you understand?"
"I understand, my lady," he whispered, looking up at me with newfound fire in his eyes.
"Then I give you your first order. You have one week. You are to recruit those you deem talented and trustworthy—regardless of their background. If they have a skill we need, bring them to me."
"I shall not fail you, Your Highness."
Three days later, the rumour had spread through the castle like a plague. The "Princess's Commoner Knight" was the talk of every tea room and barracks. The nobility was uneasy, sensing a shift in the status quo, while the common people in the capital whispered about it with a strange sense of hope.
I sat by my window, watching the stars. I was worried for Louis; I knew the noble knights would not take this insult lightly. But the die was cast. My "Shadow Cabinet" was beginning to form.