"But your Majesty, I don't want to be a flower seller!"
"I know the law says you can be a knight, but you can't!" intoned the training master before Queen Thayet could speak. "You just don't have the physical build!"
"I'll work!" argued Kilayla of Blue Harbor, called Kila. She was thirteen years old, and very stubborn. She was indeed of a thin build, having thin shoulders and barely any muscles, being a flower seller. Plus, her mother and father had been very strict to her when she had asked if she could train to use at least a bow and arrow, and when she had asked to be a knight, they had laughed it away. The last time she had asked, a week ago, her parents had been exasperated and said, "Well, if you want to find out for yourself, go ask the King and Queen in person!" Kila had stormed out, and heard them laughing downstairs.
"And plus, I'm sorry, dear, but you barely have the money!" said Thayet. To Kila, she barely sounded sorry at all. But the girl knew that what she said was true. Blue Harbor was not a particularly wealthy fief.
"I'll find it!" she exclaimed.
"Your Majesty, may I talk with you in private?" asked the training master. He and Thayet went into the room behind the Throne Room, and shut the door. Kila knew that the door was magicked to allow no eavesdroppers, so she couldn't do that. She would have to hear the news the hard way. She could not use her turquoise Gift, also.
She sighed and sank all the way to the ground. They couldn't put her on probation like they had Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, that she knew. But it never hurt to be cautious.
After a long time, the training master and Queen Thayet emerged from the other room. Kila was startled to her feet.
Queen Thayet sighed. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Kilayla," she said in a soft voice. Kila stiffened. "But we are putting you on probation."
