I Will Be the Greatest Knight

The knights waited for the last apprentice to finish bathing before they would take to the forests and scout out any further signs of monsters. 

"If there's a bigger issue here than expected, we may have to stay for longer as we wait for reinforcements," Sir Gunnar explained from the doorway. "Otherwise, Sir Phillip and I will return in a couple of hours. Remember what I said before about behaving yourselves. I hear there are a few knights looking for apprentices and a few squires willing to skip a few steps to become what the knights need." 

That was warning enough for Irene and she lay down heavily in the last bed available which happened to be the one in the center with two beds to the left and two more to the right of her. 

Even though she didn't particularly care to share a room with a bunch of boys, she knew that it was a reality she would have to get used to at some point. By turning her back to who she truly was, there would be discomfort as she adjusted. 

The girl squeezed her eyes shut, willing sleep to reach her quickly. 

A "psst!" coming from her right told her that she was misguided in believing she would simply be going to sleep. 

She opened her eyes and turned her head towards Felix who was sitting up from the far right bed and staring at her.

"None of us have knights as fathers," he said. "What's it like to be born to one of the greatest? You have big shoes to fill." 

It wasn't a question she wanted to lay around for. The girl sat up and turned her head to the left, surprised to see Leif and Louis were just as interested as they sat up as well. Since everyone was sitting up, Erik decided he would as well.

How was she supposed to answer that question? The life she knew was spent denying that him being a knight had anything to do with her. It was only recently that she accepted becoming a knight was the path that would lead her to a more positive outcome.

Strength was the only thing she could rely on. 

The girl scratched her head and dropped her gaze. 

"My mother hates it," she admitted. "She didn't want me to become a knight because father is away quite often and comes back beat up constantly. She thought I wouldn't want to put myself in danger and wanted me to study rather than worry about sword fighting."

"A damn shame," Felix uttered in response. "To waste Sir Arthur's sword skill just because she doesn't like the danger…" 

"It will be less dangerous the more talented knights we have," Erik responded thoughtfully. "My parents didn't want me to join either but one of my brothers can take over the farm. I don't want to rake hay all day." 

The teenager grimaced as if it were certain hell.

"There isn't a parent who wants their kids to become a knight," Leif agreed. "I hear townsfolk say that we're overdue for a war, but what's there to fight? It isn't as if His Majesty has tried to reclaim the undisputed territory." 

To the room's surprise, Irene objected, "That's because it isn't his to claim. He will be fighting people he already has power over if he decides to invade yet again." 

She wasn't often outspoken and, for some reason, it made the apprentices want to listen. 

Everyone who lived in Tenetium knew of the struggles of the region's past. Chemois was the region but only Tenetium, which covered the largest region covering the west and south, was truly King Alfred's. The rest of Chemois was wild and extended to the arctic north which was Sünsto lands before their lineage was wiped out and moved around.

It was no wonder the newest apprentice felt so strongly.

"The North isn't kind to those who don't know how to navigate it," she justified. "He will be throwing men to their deaths for the simple reason of claiming what isn't yet fully his despite all of us already being subjects of Hydrogia." 

Sometimes she could tell that she was speaking more like her twenty year old self than the eleven year old so, after her explanation, she clamped her mouth shut.

"Oh, you're Sünsto," Leif recalled. "I forgot that bit of information."

"As if the red hair wasn't enough of a giveaway," Felix taunted. 

The others laughed easily but they gasped and stared at the door, remembering that they were supposed to be behaving themselves. 

Feeling a little bit embarrassed for talking so much, Irene slumped down into her bed further and she pulled the blankets up to her chin. 

"At least you're a lot stronger than I thought you'd be," Leif muttered as he settled into his bed as well. "You look a bit soft and small. You'll probaby start growing soon… or somethin'."

The apprentice yawned but it was covered by the other apprentices responding.

"Yeah, he's right," Felix said, settling himself down as well. For once, not willing to be the one to get in trouble. 

"Yeah," Erik agreed. 

"Yep," Louis said, settling down too. "I thought you were a girl, but girls are more annoying than you are." 

The others started laughing yet again. 

Irene felt lucky that the only source of light in the room was a single candle on a table towards the door because her face went hot and she knew she was blushing. The guys really knew how to push her around. 

Instead of overreacting, the girl simply rolled over and pulled the blankets even higher.

Luckily, it was Leif who eventually shushed at the others who were laughing. As he settled in, she gave him a small smile, hoping her silent thanks was communicated even through the darkness. 

While all apprentices had each other's backs by nature, Irene often felt like Leif had her back the most. Even though she was mistrustful at times because of all her father and mother told her about not trusting the knights or having to be a boy because the knights would be unkind to a girl, she felt he had her best intentions in heart. 

Even when they worked together and had to explain everything to her, he didn't seem annoyed by her. It was a huge relief. 

Despite entering the room full of doubt, she went to sleep happy that she didn't back away from the challenge.