Sir Keladry of Masbolle smiled at the trapped look on Neal's face.
King Roald was laughing outright, his ever-polite mask having been dropped
for the moment. Neal shook his head in disgust, "I knew I should have
stayed at the University." He muttered.
Kel just shook her head, "We've all heard that so many times in the past years that it's lost effect on us O Sir Meathead." She said.
Roald grinned even more, "It's O Sir Meathead, King's Champion now." He corrected.
Neal growled in defeat, "Alright, alright, I'll do it, not that I have much choice. I just swore my fealty to you, my king, bare weeks ago. I suppose this is going to be yet another instance of "like knight like squire"?"
Roald nodded, "Which reminds me Kel, Raoul told me that he'd like to step down from the role of Commander of the King's Own."
Kel stared at Roald who still had that evil grin on his face. Now it was Neal's turn to crow at Kel, "Ooh, you didn't see that one coming did you now?" he asked.
Kel turned her flat stare to Neal who returned her gaze unabashed. Kel shook her head slowly, "The conservatives will hate it." She said, hoping for an escape.
Roald shook his head, "They took Alanna well enough as Champion, Lady Commander is a much different position but they'll look on it as much the same, you're not going to get out of it that way."
Kel floundered for another argument of some kind but Roald easily brushed aside her protests. "You're the only one for the job Kel. You're a born commander and all of the men already know and respect you, both from when you were Raoul's squire and from the work you've done with them since. You're perfect." He said.
Kel shook her head but she knew that she was caught, "Alright, I don't seem to have much choice in the matter either." She said. Roald nodded firmly and then smiled even more widely, "Won't Owen be simply furious?" he asked.
Kel and Neal's eyes sprung open in horror, "You wouldn't do that to him, would you?" Kel asked.
Roald shook his head, "No, no, I'm going to ask Merric to do that, he's always been good with teaching people." Kel nodded, relieved for Owen and happy that Roald had made a good choice for the new Training Master.
"I thought that I'd have more time before all my father's old administrators made me replace them, but I guess that it's best to get it all done at the same time, start my reign with everything fresh." Roald said, his face becoming serious again as his mind wandered to the death of his father. King Jonathan had died of old age, a rare thing indeed for a king, but Jonathan had been well-loved by his subjects and Tortall had prospered under him. Roald smiled again, "Neal, has Michiko asked you about trying for her shield yet?"
Kel burst out laughing at Neal's responding groan.
* * * * * * * *
Jestinia of Rockstream took a deep breath as she took the seat that Lord Merric offered, studying the training master carefully as she did so. Lord Merric looked stern, but she had heard from the whispers around court that he was fair too, though harsh.
"Your father says you wish to be a page." Merric said.
"Yes, sir." Jes said.
Merric nodded, "You will live in the Page's Quarters, dinner is in an hour and your classes will start tomorrow. When you report to dinner you will be assigned a sponsor to show you the ways of the palace. Your father says that you have the Gift?"
"Yes sir, it's a very small one though, not much use for anything except lighting candles really." Jes said.
"Very well, one of the Palace staff will be waiting for you outside to show you to your quarters." He nodded in dismissal, and Jes, surprised to be dismissed so quickly jumped to her feet and bowed.
Merric watched the girl leave, a puzzled look on his face. There was something strange about this girl.she seemed so ordinary, but there was something strange about her.
* * * * * * * *
Jes stifled a giggle as she caught the look that Lord Merric was giving her as she walked out of his office. Most people didn't even look twice at her because of how ordinary she seemed. Rockstream was a small fief far to the North of Corus, rich enough to have knights once in a while, yet not one of the prominent house. Jes schooled her face back to the blank curiosity she had decided was most realistic to her character and went to meet the servant who came to take her to her room.
Kel just shook her head, "We've all heard that so many times in the past years that it's lost effect on us O Sir Meathead." She said.
Roald grinned even more, "It's O Sir Meathead, King's Champion now." He corrected.
Neal growled in defeat, "Alright, alright, I'll do it, not that I have much choice. I just swore my fealty to you, my king, bare weeks ago. I suppose this is going to be yet another instance of "like knight like squire"?"
Roald nodded, "Which reminds me Kel, Raoul told me that he'd like to step down from the role of Commander of the King's Own."
Kel stared at Roald who still had that evil grin on his face. Now it was Neal's turn to crow at Kel, "Ooh, you didn't see that one coming did you now?" he asked.
Kel turned her flat stare to Neal who returned her gaze unabashed. Kel shook her head slowly, "The conservatives will hate it." She said, hoping for an escape.
Roald shook his head, "They took Alanna well enough as Champion, Lady Commander is a much different position but they'll look on it as much the same, you're not going to get out of it that way."
Kel floundered for another argument of some kind but Roald easily brushed aside her protests. "You're the only one for the job Kel. You're a born commander and all of the men already know and respect you, both from when you were Raoul's squire and from the work you've done with them since. You're perfect." He said.
Kel shook her head but she knew that she was caught, "Alright, I don't seem to have much choice in the matter either." She said. Roald nodded firmly and then smiled even more widely, "Won't Owen be simply furious?" he asked.
Kel and Neal's eyes sprung open in horror, "You wouldn't do that to him, would you?" Kel asked.
Roald shook his head, "No, no, I'm going to ask Merric to do that, he's always been good with teaching people." Kel nodded, relieved for Owen and happy that Roald had made a good choice for the new Training Master.
"I thought that I'd have more time before all my father's old administrators made me replace them, but I guess that it's best to get it all done at the same time, start my reign with everything fresh." Roald said, his face becoming serious again as his mind wandered to the death of his father. King Jonathan had died of old age, a rare thing indeed for a king, but Jonathan had been well-loved by his subjects and Tortall had prospered under him. Roald smiled again, "Neal, has Michiko asked you about trying for her shield yet?"
Kel burst out laughing at Neal's responding groan.
* * * * * * * *
Jestinia of Rockstream took a deep breath as she took the seat that Lord Merric offered, studying the training master carefully as she did so. Lord Merric looked stern, but she had heard from the whispers around court that he was fair too, though harsh.
"Your father says you wish to be a page." Merric said.
"Yes, sir." Jes said.
Merric nodded, "You will live in the Page's Quarters, dinner is in an hour and your classes will start tomorrow. When you report to dinner you will be assigned a sponsor to show you the ways of the palace. Your father says that you have the Gift?"
"Yes sir, it's a very small one though, not much use for anything except lighting candles really." Jes said.
"Very well, one of the Palace staff will be waiting for you outside to show you to your quarters." He nodded in dismissal, and Jes, surprised to be dismissed so quickly jumped to her feet and bowed.
Merric watched the girl leave, a puzzled look on his face. There was something strange about this girl.she seemed so ordinary, but there was something strange about her.
* * * * * * * *
Jes stifled a giggle as she caught the look that Lord Merric was giving her as she walked out of his office. Most people didn't even look twice at her because of how ordinary she seemed. Rockstream was a small fief far to the North of Corus, rich enough to have knights once in a while, yet not one of the prominent house. Jes schooled her face back to the blank curiosity she had decided was most realistic to her character and went to meet the servant who came to take her to her room.