King Jonathan of Tortall sighed deeply, running fingers through his silky grey beard. He was no longer as young as he used to be, and it was on days like this that he really felt it. His once black hair was almost pure white; his beard a pale grey. His body was no longer as athletic as before, and he was starting to get arthritis in his joints. It did not help that his wife remained as beautiful as ever, nor that his friend Alanna's hair had remained stubbornly coppery and was only just beginning to show grey even now. Just a few days ago, he had received a letter from Duke Nealan of Queenscove, one of the most important nobles in the kingdom. He had been enquiring about having his eldest daughter trained as a page - it was his wife, the Yamani Lady Yukimi's idea apparently. Yurimi, the girl in question, had never struck him as the sort of girl who would make a good knight, although he had accepted a few since Keladry of Mindelan, one of Nealan's companions as a page. She was quiet, shy and submissive, never speaking unless spoken too and never joining in some of the rough and tumble games that the other palace youngsters were fond of. No, Jon had decided she'd be much better off, and far happier, at the convent with the other girls her age. Jonathan had felt that he knew the girl well enough to make an informed decision, and had thus not consulted Owen of Jesslaw, the Training Master, or his wife.

At that point, his personal guard, a large muscular man from the King's Own, who was unlikely to be impressed by fancy titles, interrupted his thoughts. Stepping nervously into the room, King Jonathan could see that he was sweating heavily with apprehension. At that point, the king became rather worried. Was there flooding? Fires? Bandits or.
"Lady Alanna of Olau, Trebond and Pirates Swoop, Lady Keladry of Masbolle and New Hope and Baron Owen of Jesslaw, your Majesty," the luckless man announced quickly, then prudently withdraw as quickly as he could and shut the doors firmly behind him. There was not a chance he was going to let himself be caught in the action that was about to occur.

Jonathan looked up apprehensively. This was far worse than any natural disaster, more so because none of the three believed that the king was always right and Alanna in particular had no problems telling him that in public. They were a formidable trio. Young Owen was the Training Master. Alanna was the King's Champion, and the world famous hero who had claimed the Dominion Jewel for Tortall back in her youth. Keladry was second in command to Lord Wyldon; the elderly supreme commander of the Tortallan regular army and her husband was the Knight Commander of the King's Own- probably one of the reasons the guard had withdrawn so quickly. Lady Alanna also rode often with the Own, and her temper was legendary. None of them looked happy.
"Jon, have you taken leave of your senses?" demanded Alanna, hotly.
"I believe I am in full control of my thoughts, thank you," Jon replied, hoping this wasn't about what he thought it was.
"You turned down the most promising girl I've seen since Keladry and you say you're still sane. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were losing your grip on reality!"
"You needn't deny it, your Majesty," Keladry added, slightly more politely. "Lady Yukimi sent a courier to me as soon as they heard."
"Very well, I did. Yurimi is a sweet girl, but she has no backbone, unlike your young Alanna, who you will note I encouraged coming as a page. She'll be far happier at the convent."
"That shows how well you know her - I think she'd surprise you if you took the time to find out. Is that your final answer to this despite all of our advice, you pig headed Stormwing?" Alanna, Jonathan noted, did not spare him any of her feelings, but there was no way he was going to back down now, after all, they were prejudiced towards girl pages.
"Yes, I have made my decision."
"Very well, your Majesty," Alanna replied, condemnation in her very words. She never called him Your Majesty except on state occasions. Jonathan winced. "You'll just have to do without our services at the palace until you change your mind. We'll find ourselves work, as far from the palace as possible!"

She and Keladry spun and strode angrily out. The guard stood trembling behind the door he'd just opened and stayed there until they were out of sight. Owen stayed, looking a bit embarrassed.
"I have to see I'd agree with them, but I'm staying. Some of us have pages to train, and I'm not letting Keladry's daughter suffer for want of a competent or prejudiced teacher." He bowed, something the lady knights had somehow omitted, and left. Jon groaned loudly as his wife slipped in.
"Not you too."
"I think Alanna expressed my views well enough without me repeating them. I heard them quite clearly, as did the rest of the palace I suppose. You've gone and set her off again, haven't you?"
"I'm not backing down now."
"Idiot."

Alanna and Keladry stormed outside in a wrathful silence. They had reached the practice courts before cooling down enough to talk calmly. The other knights there took one look at their faces and vanished for other haunts. Having checked that no one was in earshot, Kel asked,
"Shall we go for it then?"
"Jesslaw agreed?"
"Of course."
"And young Tobe?"
"He was overjoyed. I think he gets lonely."
"Do you know when she was leaving?"
"This morning, Yuki wrote to me."
"Excellent, and we have people on every route to delay them for us to catch up?"
"Yes. Raoul is in Goldenlake, Dom's in Masbolle, and didn't you say George is in Olau and Thom in Trebond?"
"Yes, shall we leave then? It's going to take us a few days to catch up at this rate."