I Will Be the Greatest Knight

The goodbye from her mother was terse but she would take that over the way she had been ignored since the day she had her hair cut off. Even if things would never be the same between the two of them, Irene was satisfied knowing she was going to be able to do what she wanted in that life. 

Irene had finally found a worthy adversary to the intimidation she felt when standing in front of her mother. As Commander Harald Arlin, the Duke of Tenetium, stared down at her from where he sat in his study, Irene felt a chill go down her spine. 

In that life, she only had a couple of years of etiquette lessons, but in her mind, she had already passed all the etiquette tests and was well-trained to be a noble lady.

Standing in front of someone so high in title—the highest one below the king, in fact—Irene resisted curtsying. Instead, she placed a fist over her chest and bowed at the waist. All she was doing was emulating her father's actions. 

There was silence and she peered up at the Duke who didn't say anything when she started to bow. 

To her surprise, the old man's eyes wrinkled as he cracked a smile.

"He even emulates the bow of respect from a knight," the Commander commented. "How overly confident. I wouldn't expect anything less from the Wolf's child."

Sir Arthur smirked, hiding the fact that he realized he should have been more thorough in his teaching Irene how boys were supposed to behave.

"Iro knows what he wants," the proud father responded lightly, still feeling somewhat unfamiliar with that name. "I am just here to make sure he starts off on the right foot."

Irene stood still as the man stood up from the comfortable armchair he had been sitting in. He walked around her slowly and she felt like prey. 

Did he not believe that she was a boy? Had he seen through their plans already?

"He's a bit small," the Duke commented. "You said he's eleven?"

"I did," Arthur confirmed. "Only a year younger than our youngest in the knighthood, but I believe in his abilities. After all, he stands a chance against me when I'm tired."

The old man's greyish eyes turned towards Arthur instead and he gave the man a once over. He knew of Arthur's abilities because, at one point, the Duke had been considered the best swordsman. That was before Arthur, ten years his junior, came and took all of the glory despite the Duke being the Commander. 

However, that was the way Duke Arlin preferred it. With all eyes on Arthur, he could go on as he pleased out of the public eye. 

"You're willing to put up your heir…" Harald trailed off. "Have you thought this through?"

Arthur's jaw momentarily clenched but he managed to keep a straight facade.

"I am allowing my children to pursue the future they believe best suits themselves," he responded, already having an answer for that very question. "My youngest is more likely to be named as my heir in the future."

He couldn't say that it was because politics were unfair and the child being scrutinized before them was in fact a girl. 

"You know your children better than anyone," the Duke relented. "If he can prove himself at the lowest rungs of the knighthood while still showing up each morning for sword practice, then I can accept him as an apprentice… Even though he is the size of a squire."

Even though Irene was well versed in etiquette and knew she shouldn't speak over someone of such high social standing, she had to turn and defend herself. She first bowed in respect even deeper so that the Duke would know she meant no harm. 

Before her father could answer, she promised, "I will prove myself with anything you put in front of me."

Her eyes squeezed shut as she waited for them to condemn her for speaking out of turn, but instead, the two old knights laughed together. 

Things certainly were different now that she wasn't a noble lady expected to behave herself. Her head snapped up and she glanced between the men. 

"Certainly he's your son despite how small he is," the Duke commented. "I suppose we will hope that he shoots up one of these days and surprises all of us. Otherwise, I think he got Lady Rochelle's height." 

How strange it was to know how tall she would be at full height already. While she wasn't short for a woman, she would still be the shortest knight no matter the order most likely. The men bred in the north grew like weeds. 

"What is height when compared to innate skill?" Arthur responded. "His instincts are better than mine ever were. Even when he could barely walk, he was attracted to swords."

"Sünsto blood runs thick," Harlan responded. "Now shall I send him to work?"

Father and daughter's eyes met each other. 

Irene momentarily looked caught off guard but she tried her best to hide what she was feeling. 

Her staying there wasn't their original plan. They expected to receive the Duke's blessing and nothing more. It was a meeting of their intentions but nothing more concrete than that. 

How convenient it would be to have mage abilities that would allow him to contact his wife more quickly. 

Arthur fell into contemplation for a few moments. 

"If Iro is ready, I accept it," Arthur responded. "I will be taking a border trip around the duchy to ensure that there aren't any threats in the coming weeks. I could start and finish here, bringing him more supplies since all he brought with him was one change of clothing."

Her life was changing so much more quickly than she expected it to. 

Irene knew her mother would object despite her insistence that she no longer had a daughter. Even though she was overbearing, she did it out of care. She didn't want to see her children hurting knowing just how many times Arthur came home with new scars marring his body. Her patience got shorter each time. 

"I want to stay here," Irene responded breathlessly, but then she realized she needed to be more certain of herself. "I want to stay here!"

Arthur smiled a bit wryly and he stepped forward to place his hands on his daughter's shoulders. 

"Make me proud, my boy," he said. "I will be back in one week."

The Duke then called for an apprentice to show her to one of the barracks reserved for other apprentices on the second level. 

To Irene's relief, she saw a familiar face as Leif obediently walked through the door. 

When he wasn't covered in dust, she realized he had light brown hair and pale skin.